Are you looking to upgrade your bike this season but aren’t sure how to choose a mountain bike? This is the time to start looking, before all the snow melts! The are lots of great 2022 mountain bike deals and discounts, now that the supply chain issues have been resolved. Below you’ll find some of my favorite bikes and bike retailers, but first I’ll explain how to choose a mountain bike.
A common theme with the bikes I recommend are: they are trail bikes with at least 130 mm of travel. They are all full suspension, have a short stem and have more slack headtube angles than cross country bikes. That’s because the majority of you are looking for ways to feel more confidence on the descents. I love to see my clients on bikes with short stems and slack headtubes because long stems and steep headtube angles make everything feel steeper.
Mountain Bikes We Recommend
Yeti SB140 Turq - $9,100
This bike has 160mm of travel up front and 140mm in the back. It is designed to favor the descents over the climbs and favors a FOX fork with GRIP2 damper that can handle steep downhills and jumps. The bike is classified as trial, enduro meaning it can handle just about anything. The SB140 model features the modern lower, slacker and longer geometry that make descents feel more natural. It runs a 27.5” wheel.
Pivot Switchblade Pro - $7,699
The Pivot Switchblade is a mid-travel trail bike suited for all types of trail adventures and maybe even a local enduro race. The front trail is 160mm and the rear travel is 142mm, making the bike versatile enough for a full day pedal or some gnarly tech trails. This bike runs 29” wheels.
Julianna Roubin Carbon XT - $7,449
The Julianna Roubin is similar to the Bronson (below), although the rear shock is hand-tuned for lighter-weight riders. This mixed-wheel trail bike has a 29” tire in the front allowing you to easily roll over obstacles, while the 27.5” wheel in the back maintains the bike’s playful handling and maneuverability. The slack head-angle and steep seat-angle allow for better pedaling and descending.
Santa Cruz Bronson 4 C R MX 2022 - $5,399 - SOLD OUT
The Santa Cruz Bronson is an all mountain trail bike that give you the best of both worlds with a 29” tire in the front and 27.5” tire in the back. This bike instills the confidence to tackle tech and allows for the maneuverability to enjoy the flow. The front has 160mm of travel with the back at 150mm. The slack head tube angle at 64.7 degrees makes the descent feel less steep.
Ibis Ripmo GX - $6,115 - SOLD OUT
This bike is a direct competitor to the Yeti SB130 below. It has 160 mm up front and and 140 in the rear (Plush Switch - Infinity suspension stretches rear travel to 147 mm). The Ripmo gets slightly better ratings for all-around descending - more rear travel and progressive shock rate prevents harsh bottom outs. This bike is also known for its easy maneuvering through corners, from open loose corners to well shaped berms. The Ripmo has a 76 - degree seat tube angle helping shift your weight forward, much like the Yeti SB130. It also runs 29” wheels.
Ibis Ripmo models listed by price:
Yeti Cycles SB130 Carbon C2 - $6,200 - SOLD OUT
The Yeti SB130 Carbon C2 has 150 mm of travel in the front and 130mm in the back. This bike combines the efficiency of a trail bike with the plush front suspension of an all mountain or enduro bike - a great climber and playful on the descents. It has a slack 65.5 degree head tube angle, making the descents more approachable and more fun. This bike can absorb hard impacts and repeated hits, although some riders have said that it can bottom out on really harsh hits. It runs a 29” wheel.
Yeti Cycles SB115 Carbon C2 - $5,700 - SOLD OUT
This bike has 130 mm of travel in the from and 115 mm in the rear. The SB115 is designed to fly up hills with the shorter travel. Although unlike other "short-travel" trail bikes, the suspension performs best even when set up with sag numbers (30%) akin to much longer travel bikes. This bike is awesome for anyone looking to improve their uphill performance, without sacrificing on the downhill.
2022 ARKTOS 135 - $5,999 - SOLD OUT
This bike features 150 mm of front suspension and 135 mm of rear suspension. The 76 degree seat angle out the rider in a great place for climbing. Flip clips technology makes this bike extremely easy to transform from a playful down-country bike to an enduro machine. The flip clip also makes it extremely easy to convert from the 29” wheel setup to a mullet. Alchemy is a newer and lesser known brand but they offer great support and service to their customers.
Canyon Spectral 7 - $4,299 - SOLD OUT
The Canyon Spectral is a lightweight capable trail / all mountain bike. This bike has 160 mm of travel up front and back. The seat tube angle is 76 - degree, (not as efficient for climbing) but many riders move their saddle forward to help make it a bit steeper. This bike still has climbing capabilities, since it is so lightweight! Riders also recommend switching the lock out to the middle setting for best climbing efficiency.
Canyon being a direct-sales brand can manage to supply a carbon frame and exceptional components for not much over three grand.
Bikes Under $2,000
While we love the above bikes, we understand that everyone does not have this kind of budget. Here are some mountain bikes that are under $2,000.
Salsa Rangefinder Deore 12 29 Hardtail Mountain Bike - $1,699
Although this bike is a hardtail, it offers hydraulic brakes and seat dropper post. It also can be used with any wheels sizes 27.5” to 29”.
DIAMONDBACK SYNC R 27 5 Bike - $1,199.99 - SOLD OUT
This is an aluminum hardtail as well, but similar to the Salsa, we like that it has a dropper post to quickly lower your saddle for the descent. This trail bike has 140 mm of travel which we like as well.