2021 Pinkbike Awards: Value Mountain Bike of the Year Nominees

If you're into cars, you might like videos of the latest million dollar exotic being flung around the track sideways before keenly listening to the reviewer go on about interior fabrics and the fact that you have a 220-degree blind spot behind you. If you're into history, you might read about Egypt, Rome, or maybe you daydream of Sumer and theories of the Anunnaki. If food is more your thing, maybe you never miss a Top Chef and your dreams include a $20,000 Bertazzoni gas range to make your grilled cheeses. But here in the real world, most of our cars are rusty, we're probably not going to the Middle East anytime soon, and I certainly don't need an expensive stove to burn yet another grilled cheese for the three hundredth time.

Pricey bikes are interesting, sure, but we all know that you definitely don't need a $10,000 carbon fiber something or other to have fun. Just the opposite, actually, with brands now offering an incredible amount of capability in packages that cost a third (or less) of the high-end versions but, in many cases, offer 95-percent of the performance. The Devinci Marshal, Ibis Ripley AF, BMC Twostroke AL One, and the Polygon Siskiu T8 were all at the 2021 Value Bike Field Trip series, while Kazimer spend time on Vitus' Escarpe earlier in 2021, and all five are our nominees for Value Mountain Bike of the Year.

Which one makes the most sense to you?

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Why it's nominated

The Devinci Marshall 29 Deore 12S is an aluminum trail bike with 130mm of travel, a 140mm fork, and a $2,299 USD price tag despite being welded in Devinci's factory just north of Quebec City. Its Canadian DNA might be important to some of us, but that wouldn't matter if the bike didn't perform well. Thankfully, the Marshall is an easy to ride and versatile machine that should feel at home on all sorts of terrain; its decent pedaling manners hide its weight and makes of the most of tame singletrack, while the Split Pivot rear-suspension impresses on the descents as well.

No, it's not the quickest of the bunch on the climbs or downhills, but you can think of the Marshall as more of a sturdy all-rounder on a budget than a value-minded specialist.

FULL REVIEW

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Why it's nominated

The Ripley isn't a new name, but this is an entirely new bike for 2021. Ibis' 120mm-travel trail bike had always been a fleet-footed machine for people who like to pedal hard, like low weight, and like carbon fiber. Now, the new aluminum AF version costs less while weighing more, but still manages to hold onto the efficient, precise nature that the pricier carbon models have always been known for. There's also a revised dw-link suspension layout designed to improve frame rigidity, as well as chain guide tabs and all the other must-haves, but it's the longer, slacker geometry that's by far most important - it's a full degree more relaxed than the carbon bike.

The result on the trail is a bike that still rewards your pedaling efforts, but is also more rewarding on challenging descents while costing less.

FULL REVIEW

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Why it's nominated

Yes, $4,200 USD is a lot of money, no matter how you slice it, but Vitus manages to pack a hell of a punch into the Escarpe 29 CRX's price tag. No doubt aided by their consumer-direct sales model, you're getting a new carbon front triangle, a Factory-level Fox 36 fork and DPS shock, Shimano's XT 12-speed drivetrain and brakes, a set of DT Swiss XM1700 wheels, and even a Maxxis Assegai / Dissector tire combo that probably should all add up to more than what Vitus are asking for the rather good looking Escarpe.

More importantly than all that, Kazimer liked how it performed on the trail, saying that it "... offers a price to performance ratio that's tough to beat, with trail manners that make it a worthy option for a vast array of riding locations.''

FULL REVIEW

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Why it's nominated

One of the best ways to save more than a few bucks on your new mountain bike is to find one that swaps the rear shock for a lower price tag, much like BMC's new Twostroke hardtail. Designed to be an entry into cross-country riding and racing, the aluminum Twostroke frame sports a bunch of interesting details and looks fast standing still. More notably, while it might be aluminum rather than carbon, the frame is more than nice enough to be home for your lighter (and more expensive) upgrades if and when you get bit by the cross-country racing bug. And sure, the geometry doesn't look all that aggressive next to something intended for spicier trails, but the Twostroke is actually longer and slacker than many other race-oriented bikes on the market.

While it's obviously not for trail riders who like to test themselves on sketchy terrain, the Twostroke might be an excellent gateway into your future as a cross-country racer.

FULL REVIEW

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Why it's nominated

It's always nice when your relatively inexpensive mountain bike looks like it costs far more than it actually does, which is the case with Polygon's $2,369 USD Siskiu T8. No doubt helped by the sharp-looking purple, black, and sparkle paint job, I'd argue that the aluminum Siskiu manages exactly that while also offering some impressive performance on the trail. The geometry numbers are in the ballpark of what you'd want to see for a trail bike, but it's the active suspension that seems to set the Polygon apart from some others at this price point. Once you get the climb behind you, the fork and rear suspension smooth out roots, rocks, and everything else better than anything at this price point should be capable of.

The original review was titled 'Polygon's $2,369 Siskiu Fools You Into Thinking It's Pricier,' which pretty much sums up everything you need to know about this bike.

FULL REVIEW

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