• 27.5"
• Full carbon frame - 1400g
• 66-deg HTA w/140mm fork, 420mm CS
• Max tire clearance : 27.5 x 2.6
• Sizing: S, M, L, XL
• Availabe as a frame only or complete with a SRAM GX / Fox 34 fork
• $1,699 USD (Frame Only) / $3,699 USD (Complete)
•
transitionbikes.com• 27.5"
• Chromoly 4130 frame
• 64.5-deg HTA w/140mm fork, 415mm-430mm CS
• Max tire clearance: 27.5 x 2.8 or 29 x 2.6
• Sizing: S, M, L, XL
• Available as a frame only or complete with a Shimano XT drivetrain and RockShox Pike RC 140mm fork
• $649 USD (Frame Only) / $2,799 USD (Complete w/dropper)
•
rsdbikes.com• 29" / 27.5+"
• Custom 4130 Chromoly
• 66-deg HTA w/150mm fork (29), 425mm CS
• Max tire clearance: 29 x 2.5" or 27.5 x 2.8"
• Sizing: S, M, M/L, L, XL
• Available as a frame only or complete with either a SRAM GX or X01 Eagle build and 150mm RockShox Lyrik
• $1,650 USD (Frame Only) / $4,250 USD (Complete GX Eagle) / $5,150 USD (Complete X01 Eagle)
•
chromagbikes.com• 27.5"
• Reynolds 853 tubing
• 67-deg HTA w/140mm fork at 25% sag, 427mm CS
• Max tire clearance: 27.5 x 2.4" or 27.5+ x 2.8"
• Sizing: 16.5", 18", 19.5"
• Available as a frame only or complete
• $699 EU (Frame Only) / $2,380 EU (Complete Standard) / $3,050 EU (Complete Elite)
•
statonbikes.com• 27.5+" / 29"
• Carbon, aluminum, and steel frame options
• 68-deg HTA w/120mm fork, 415mm CS
• Max tire clearance: 27.5+ x 3.0" / 29" x 2.6
• Sizing: S, M, L, XL
• Available in multiple carbon or aluminum builds or as a frame only in cromoly
• $575 USD (Frame Only - cromoly) / $1,399 USD (Complete AL) - $3,999 USD (Complete CR DL)
•
konaworld.com• 27.5+" / 29"
• 6061 Triple Butted Aluminum
• 65-deg HTA w/140mm fork, 428mm CS
• Max tire clearance: 27.5 x 2.8" or 29 x 2.3"
• Sizing: S, M, L, XL
• Available as a frame only or complete
• $399 - $419 USD (Frame Only) / $1,099 - $1,999 USD (Complete)
•
commencal.com• 29"
• Alloy
• 65-deg HTA w/130mm fork, 440mm CS
• Max tire clearance: 29 x 2.5"
• Sizing: S, M, L, XL
• Available as a complete with three build options
• $1,649.99 USD (Comp), $1,099.99 USD (Race), $849.99 USD (Sport)
•
nukeproof.com
I really like the underdogs in this area.
www.pinkbike.com/photo/16228063
i only come to PinkBike for the latest in clean E
not...
- Olsen
- Portus Cycles (Krowd Karl ED)
- 11Ants (pANTher)
even if it weren't all about the gearbox/-hub.
Sticking with factory bikes, I'd say the Cotic still belongs there. And maybe even the On One Deedar, why not?
But either way, riding hardtails like these is not about being faster, cooler or more efficient. Not about feeling superior when you overtake someone on a long travel bike. You don't go out riding off road trails in the hills because you want an easy evening. It is about giggles. Modern hardtail bikes get you that.
maybe not enough clearance for proper plus tyres but they're just an Ebike gimmick
For that matter I recommend everyone gets a hardtail in their rotation. Great for learning to ride the trail, rather than ride the bike. Real life bike skillz
Yeah, it would’ve been nice to see a Canfield Brothers EPO or Nimble 9 on this list.
I’m loving my Nimble 9! It’s a sick hardtail.
I admit I may be the odd one out here. I've got a full suspension bike too, but unless I'm riding wide open really rocky/rough stuff I struggle to ride it quicker than I can ride my hardtail. On steep stuff with tight corners and more sudden short and hard braking I'm just not as precise on the fully. (Fully is a Cannondale Prophet, hardtail is in my pictures on this site.) And it really is down to the way I ride. Others who've ridden my fully really appreciate it whereas even when I get on someone elses fully I have a hard time exiting a corner the way I intended. Feedback I've got is that apparently I'm too aggressive. Well, I could work on refining that but either way it works just fine on my hardtail. So maybe it is that. I do better on a hardtail because it suits the way I ride. Others who suit a full suspension bike better may be quicker on one of these and will actually be slower on the hardtail.
TL;DR: It isn't just about whether the bike suits the trail, but also whether the bike suits the style of the rider.
Steel bar is good, but heavy and less compliant.
Still in so. cali..Commencal is in Carlsbad, about 2 south of me..And why did your ? get down voted.???
Well poop, just looked and they did move..Thanks for the info..
RIP the competition.
I do enjoy their videos and bikes, but their "cool" factor is way better than their actual bikes.
ˈhādər/ - noun - plural noun: haters
a person who greatly dislikes a specified person or thing.
Wtf downvoted that classic comment of yours as it weren’t me but I did neg prop the sherriff but not the deputy. Lol
(Ain't autocorrect a b*tch )
I love my rootdown , and have ridden it for the past two years, including racing, big missions, most trails in the sea to sky, and the rare bike park day for kicks. 29er, 415mm chainstays, nice and long, 65 degree HA. They’re also playing with the Tomohawk, which will be similar but with a 63 degree HA and a short-offset fork, and maybe longer chai stays if they ride better.
you wanted a $4k FS, I gave you one. there are literally dozens of good $4k FS models out there
"guys! i'm so awesome! i have so many bikes! i'm so fast!"
it reeks of low self esteem. work on that. you'll be a happier person in the long run.
remember what i said. work on your low self esteem. stop putting so much of your self worth in a single activity. you'll be a happier person in the long run. i'm sure you're too mad at me right now to take my words to heart, but consider them at some point in the future when you've calmed down.
www.pinkbike.com/news/rattlin-down-revolution-on-a-hardtail-video-2017.html
"The world would be 36% better if 89% of riders were on slack hardtails 65% of the time. The mainstream industry doesn't want you to know these stats though."
*Runs for cover*
I had this idea to get a hardtail when I was poor one summer. It was a novel and romantic idea as Dan Stanton was just setting up his new HQ in my mates village but quickly realised the error of my ways. In our local wood there were lines that we create that just weren’t possible to ride the way we intended aboard a hardtail. Yeah, of course I could ride the lines but clear the jumps; nope. I just rattled into them and plopped off. Off camber rocky lines; nope. I’m sure with a lot of practice I’d have got better but with the same amount of practice my mates on fullies would also be better and building even more obscene lines. With a fully it doesn’t get easier, it just gets more tech, more gnarly and therefore more rewarding.
I get hardtails, I just had a Shan briefly and it was incredible at the pump track, jumps and dicking about but the minute I hit a real trail I just wanted to throw it in a bush and go home. I’m not saying it can’t be done but that there is a better tool for the job is all. Keep hardtails for the pub run, the pump track (and keep them cheap ffs!) and maybe the odd xc ride, you can’t pretend they’re a real alternative to a proper mtb.
The idea that riders aboard full sus bikes are letting the bike do the work is a misconception.
Take me to Fujiten Bike Park and I'll choose to shred all day on my Cotic BFe or Stanton Slackline ..... because it is more fun.
Take me to Fujimi Bike Park and I'll choose to shred all day on the Uzzi or Aurum thank you.... because it is more fun.
It really is that simple isn't it?
I just find it a little odd that we have hardtails that try to mimick full sus bikes, keep hardtail hardtail and keep them fun, cheap and reliable. And I find it quite annoying that people still seem to think a hardtail somehow makes you a better rider. Riding makes you a better rider. Line choice? Can you imagine Cathro pulling out his hardtail to check which is the best line at MSA? All they do is teach you which line is less likely to break you, not necessarily which is more fun and/ or fastest. But I’ve said this as nauseam here.
I blame the mags from the 90s and 00s for perpetuating this myth that you’re somehow not a proper rider if you don’t ride a hardtail. Now it just gets repeated over and over. Riding Fort Bill on a hardtail won’t make you better at riding Fort Bill.
So my version of what you wrote would be: lad taking a hardtail Down VAl Di Sole track and making it down won’t impress me any as much as him taking it to a pumptrack and showing me how he clear all doubles or manuals 4 in a row. Because the latter is expression of skill and persistence at attaining skill. The forst is only a demonstration of persistence.
He also has another cool one youtu.be/xR0y6dKxWM0
Next day I go and buy the same spade as my old one. Now everything is better, me and my spade are at one and I’m fuelled to push on harder and harder because I’m unhindered and every bit of my effort is going into shifting dirt. That day I’ve moved all the dirt plus what I missed the day before.
Was it easier? No. I worked twice as hard.
Vague analogy I know but if you don’t get this mentality then yeah I can understand why you’d think a full sus just makes things easier to smash into.
These super reachy bikes usually mean more weight on the hands and wrists, and more out-reach, which at least for me, means a sore neck and back, when reach is really pushed.
I love the commencal. I kist wosh it had 415-420mm chaindtays, then I'd own one.
check the vid
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLcGq5NRRok
Good page pinkbike..is that the new Meta HT? Looks awesome..
Pinkbike can you give more hardtails? In a depth review surely. Maybe twice a month..just said..by the way thanks ????????????
Was this a sponsored post? How was this list compiled? There are some solid choices on the list, but some obvious omissions. Maybe in the intro a little bit of methodology on choosing the bikes would help.
Diamondback Mason is a great choice for those with shallow pockets.
Production Privee Shan is another contender for a mid range
I just went through this searching for a fun hardtail this spring. Transition got ruled out because there is almost zero value in the builds and overall expensive. Same for Chromag. Honzo was looking good. Stanton was looking good, Production Privee was on my list, Orange Crush was on there and the gorillia gravity pedal head was on the list for a more custom build... Ended up with the EPO because I'd ridden it in the past and I scored the right build used on PB. My Knolly Warden now sits unused. I raced the High Cascade 100 on the EPO. For sure not a race bike, but it did the job way better than the Warden would have. The EPO has been amazing. There are some spots at Sandy Ridge that the Warden handles much better, but the EPO was still super fun on, just a touch slower, but still very much point and shoot!
Also @pinkbike wtf is wrong with you!? Check-out-hardtail edition and you haven't mention bike companies and their models which kick ass hard - Santa Cruz's Chameleon, Kingdom's Vedanta(x2), the S7 by Why Cycles, the super epic Dragonslayer 26+ and many many more...yet again you put shitshows like transition and Chromag... sometimes i wounder why I still open pinkbike....
Production privee - sure everyone knows
Chameleon - it's like celebs on bike world
Etc etc..
????
For us normal people they have equivalent frames built in Taiwan. Still high quality but much more affordable. JensonUSA carries a complete Chromag Rootdown with Pike+GX Eagle build for $2600 complete
www.alpkit.com/sonder/bikes/sonder-signal-ti-mountain-bike-frame-only ($1400 shipped to the US)
kingdombike.com/collections/hardtails/products/vendetta-x2-pre-order-for-sept-oct ($1200 shipped to the US)
But still 1650$ for steel frame with nothing really special besides Chris Dekerf's name and custom paint witch lets face it can be done in your local auto body shop for 100-200$. Also I've forgot to mention Nikolai's Argon GLF witch can be fitted with kind-a custom paint
Miles ahead of the rest is Curtis
Just aswell ;-d
Out rageously rudeboiiiiiii ;-D
I was really, really hoping they would have included the Stache. I already have a 2013, but its size 15.5 and was for my 2 sons as they grew. It is a 29er and ten I thought they went to 29plus after they changed the frame.