my scott genius LT 710+, because it can really do absolutely everything : XC, bike park + the paint design is great. ❤ I just wish it was a bit shorter and more manoeuverable to make more fun to ride. when i remember my beginnings with a fully rigid bike..... 😁
I am 48 years old but act 25 and fit as a fiddle! i have learned over the years do not buy a new bike buy second hand i have had all sorts Voodoo bizango , Azoic eliminator, Rocky mountain flatline Base, Specialized Stump jumper , But now i have a 2019 Saracen Myst AL which i use for everything because it is the best bike i have ever ridden or owned i absolutely love the thing!
Bike with150/150 travel and coil shock in back is pushing boundaries in my opinion. Anyway, I moved from XC hardtail to my Trek Fuel Ex last year and it is a blast. I had so much fun on the new bike even if it is slower on flat or uphill.
I feel like my 2022 Canyon Spectral CF7 29er is all I need for my local trails and others. I'd call it an all rounder for sure. Handles everything I've thrown at it.💪🏻
I had a 2018 Troy. Just changed for a 2021 Altitude. It climbs almost as well, I feel the added travel a bit in the climbs. It descends sooooo much better it's crazy. I can trust the bike on the bigger hit so much more.
I have the 2015 Specialized Enduro 29. Ironically back then people said that was overkill for trails. Now modern trail bikes have even slacker head angles and just as much travel - if not more than those old Enduros!
I've been using full suspension for years but I find they make my local trails too easy so I moved back to a hardtail, great for fitness, easy maintenance, it forces you to use good technique and it scares the schlit out of you.
I have a Giant Trance X2 29 2021 and it is a great bike to have, specially if you are not a pro and you can only have one. Good on the climbs, good on descents and very versatile. You can switch the tires and use it in an enduro race or in an XC race.
Just the one bike for me, slightly beefier than a normal trail bike with 165/170 travel and a coil shock. But it is decently light and peddle efficient, the downhills are wicked on it though!
I have XC/DC mtb Canyon Lux Trail and when I ride it, I feel that doesnt need to have another bike. Uphills and downhills really sufficient in our local trails plus when im not in the mood on trail and do some miles in road because its super light I ride like having a road bike as well.
I have a 2019 Giant Fathom 2. I live in Florida and usually just ride the green trails or fire roads. It's good for my needs. I've been a roadie for 30+ years and just wanted something decent to ride off road trails.
I just picked up a used/new-to-me giant trance trail bike. Absolutely love it. It’s great at climbing but also can handle fast downhills. I’m no pro DH or enduro rider so I don’t feel the need for the super long travel in the suspension.
Agreed! I built a Transition Smuggler lastly as I didn't want an enduro bike. Mostly riding a hardtail, I wanted a do-it-all machine that does almost everything and I'm not disappointed, even with its 120mm rear suspension (feels like it has more actually). Recommanded for a 140mm fork, I stuck a 150mm fork on it first and now a 160mm Lyrik. It's borderline I know, but it feels great in the steep without affecting the pedaling. I love that "little big bike", and I can do everything on it, from casual trails to bike parks! A (modern) trail bike is definitely THE bike to have!!!
I have a trek fuel ex 9.8 and it works good in all conditions!! Uphill...downhill...enduro...xc...everything!! It may only have 130mm travel with a 140mm fork but I wouldn't want another bike over it!!
For me, the trail bike is all I need. They've become so pedal efficient that 20-30 mile rides with thousands of feet of climb never leave me feeling like I need a lighter, more efficient bike. For any downhill, if it's more than my bike can handle it's probably more downhill than I'm comfortable with anyway!
I think the only bike you ever need is xc hardtail with 100/120mm suspension travel. Its versatile enough to be used for wide variety of stuff in the mountain as well as in the city.
I take my canyon neuron to DH parks, XC trails and everything in between. Threw a 140mm fox 36 as soon as I got it so I’m not sure if the stock 130mm fox 32 float is as capable on the bigger stuff.
I'm one of those with more than a handful of bikes, and if you add in the kids' and wifes bikes it's a mini bike shop around here. But yep, far and away my favorite is the '21 Stumpjumper. I picked up a frame and did a custom build since I've really honed in on the kit I like over the years, bit of a dream build. For what I am likely to ride 140/130 is perfect and that feeling of familiarity you mentioned, ya, that's a great thing.
I think a trail bike with 150mm rear and 160mm would be great as an "all rounder" since suspension has become so adjustable and componentry has come a long way regarding weight. The one non-negotiable in my eyes would be having two wheelsets. A nice wide rim with a super meaty 2.6-2.8" tire that shreds bike parks would inspire confidence off big tabletops and berms. Then when you're going on a weekend XC singletrack ride with lots of climbs you have some lighter carbon wheels with some fast rolling 2.00-2.25" tires.
depends on what kind of trails are around and your skills/interests. around me, it's mostly xc style tracks i rode for years on a pretty basic hardtail before upgrading to the full sus oiz last year.
I only have one bike these days, polygon Vander with a 160mm fox 36 and a 130mm fox dpx2. It does everything I need: technical climbs, jumps, downhills, pump track, family rides with my kid. I do wish i had an e bike and an hard tail, but a trail bike is perfect.
I have a 2016 Scott Genius 700 plus tuned , great trail bike, but o also have a FRW Pickerel LMT hardtail for the more easy/mixed rides. I also own a 90's steel mtb that i've upgraded to a sort of tourist, road/gravel/town bike and i love it !
The answer is YES! I have always said this and will never stop. My main bike is a trail bike and I've done everything from downhill bike parks in the alps, to 120km plus cross country races! Performs every time
More capable XC bikes - that’s the one for all. Most of us are over-biked, so the modern full-sus XC is probably the better balance of capability and grins for most people.
Where I live there are literally no flat or easy trails. The shops here don't even sell nice xc bikes because theres almost no use for them. Most of y'all might think you're over Ikea but none of us mountain folks are gonna make it far on an xc rig.
It really depends on how you ride. If you're riding competitively, even if it's just comparing times with your buddies, then, yeah, you're probably going to want something that allows you to blast down the trails, but if you're just riding for fun and don't care about impressing the neighbors, then you can get by on considerably less bike.
Yes! I went from a full enduro rig to my current trail bike (Commencal Meta TR) and it's an absolute blast! I don't miss the extra travel at all , it can really handle everything and it's so much more agile...
Only back in to biking since late last year.. Picked up a 2008 Fuel EX9.5 Carbon my brother spotted on the local adverts page here in Ireland for 500euro... Put new wider bars, 35mm stem, pedals, grips and rear cassette and am absolutely loving it...She's a beast.. One bike that does it all!
Love my Nukeproof Mega 275 Comp Bike 2018 - gonna upgrade the parts rather than buy a new one. It’s my only MTB but yes I do have a gravel bike with road tyres on…
Down-country hardtail, trailbike, and an enduro for me covers all riding I do beutifully. The hardtail does everything from bikepacking to marathons and relatively easy trails. The trailbike is my go-to for my local trails and the enduro does everything from rough trails to riding park. And well... a few 90s mtbs I use as commuters and stuff. And an old roadbike, mostly for indoor training.
I agree with you, The Don. I have a trail bike which handles all the riding I throw at it - 140/150 travel. I do not ride a lot of gnarly downhill, so I do not feel the need for a DH bike. A trail bike is very versatile. I even commute to work on it if I am performing major maintenance or repairs on my commuter bike.
I own one mountain bike for all use. It's a Canyon Spectral 29 and it's the perfect one bike quiver. Rips the knarly trails here in the Canadian rockies with ease but still climbs with no problems. Love that it doesn't feel like too much bike. Trail bikes are the way to go!
I'd say that a trail bike is all that MOST people need. Granted if you ride park all the time AND crush double blacks all day long with 40ft gaps and 10+ foot drops and love gnarly vicious rock gardens, trail bike is likely not enough. But for most of us riding blues and single blacks a majority of the time with a few double blacks now and again, a good trail bike is the sweet spot. More specifically a decently efficient, yet longer legged version with 140-150mm rear and 150-160mm front. That will give you enough squish for some bigger hits, but speedy enough on the climbs. My Spectral 29 is about 30lbs and I absolutely love it. Sold my 170mm Enduro bike because I enjoyed the Spectral more except on the gnarliest of descents (even though most my DH PR's are on the Spectral), but the Canyon is easier to pedal up and is faster on more boring sections of trail. Plus I just raced an Enduro on the Spectral and not once did it hold me back, I am the weak link.
I just recently started mountain biking for fun and also cross training for triathlon...good for improving bike handling and strength. I bought a trail bike because I'm most likely to be riding local trails than anything else, but appreciate the versatility in case I decide to do something different...with a road bike and a tri bike, adding a trail bike pretty much covers all my bases.
I don't have an ultimate bike but a healthy quiver including a Levo, Stumpy Evo, Revel Rascal, gravel bike, hybrid bike. I don't need them all but I sure like having them as options for different trails/conditions/fitness level etc.
i got a Scott genuis with that twin lock feature ,can change the travel from rigid to 120 mm front and rear to 150 mm front and rearon the fly with a flick of my thumb ,
When I'm able, i run multiple bikes. I always come back to the trail bike though. I may soon sell my hardtail. I have a low spec aluminum Ibis Ripley AF, and a full carbon Ripley V4 with that kashima splendor and hydra hubs on bladed spoked, carbon rims. I'll be rocking the AF and upgrading that the next while. I'm going to get rid of the other two. I'm told our cities got a pro pumptrack being installed, so ill glady build a dj/pumptrack bike for my hardtail, and roll a beatup aluminum, modern trailbike that I can upgrade to the max. Then ill buy that featherweight carbon frame again and transfer my top tier parts and do it again. As I've been at it for decades, you kind of get more involved and end up saving money by doing your own work on your gear.
A trail bike like a nukeproof reactor seems like the next step for me after riding a hard tail the last few years but I’m 47 and the climbs are really affecting my energy levels for descents, so that new trek fuel exe or something like it is massively tempting I’m just watching the whole SL thing develop for now haha
Well I have a full sus and a hardtail for non technical trails to have abit of fun on, but good for road riding. Am going from an enduro to a trail bike soon (Calibre Sentry to a NINER RDO) as uphills are a nightmare. Great videos 👌🏾
Do have a 140/125 trail bike (Transition Scout cf). Broke rear rim, som now with Mavic cf rims. Weighs 12.8 kg with Pirelli Trail tires (replacing with front Magic Mary and rear Hans Dampf/Rock Razor) for local trails . Use it in bikepark with Enduro casing tires from Vittoria (Mazza and Martello). But also n+1 so an XC hardtail (BMC Twostroke O1, 9,3 kg) for maximum speed. Love it!
Got a Specialized Stumpy Evo this year. First new bike in 12+ years. I’ve always only been able to afford one bike. This bike definitely fit the bill for me. Adjustable geo and the ability to climb better than my old XC could sold me. It’s been amazing. Between hammering out shuttle and lift laps and spinning out those long days in the saddle. This bike has been able to do it all without any fuss (headset geo adjustments aside).
It's all I need except I only realized that after riding and upgrading my Polygon D7 for a year. Increasing the front travel from 120 to 150 got me as close to the trail geometry as I can minus a bit more reach that I desired after trying another bike. So, I'm at 95% of what I found I really wanted at 95% of the cost lol.
I was riding a 17 mondraker foxy 160/140 and found it just didnt have enough squish for when the trails got a bit steep, now riding a new patrol mullet and pretty well go down everything faster but it not quite as playful as the moondraker on jumps
👍 I'm a very casual rider. Have an old Giant 850 MTB as a commuter and an old Marinoni Squadra steel frame for when I get with the road group. Love them both. Both fit me to a tee.
Hardtails like the Meta HT are insanely capable and can be ridden very hard, but as a former hardtail evangelist even I have to admit that having a shock is really nice
I have a banshee phantom and I have a dual postion pike fork up front so it's perfect, on long up hills I lower it to 120mm and once im doing downhill flip the switch and it goes back up to 150mm
2022 Giant Trance 29 advanced pro, 130/120 Fox 36 as I am a bigger dude, with rekon/rekon race and Hunt Trail Wide wheels. Efficient for flow trails, can handle most anything Michigan trails can offer since I don't send drops and such.
Got a 2021 Nukeproof Reactor factory and don’t think I’ll need anything more for years to come. I don’t really do uplift / bike parks although it could probably just about manage it. How they got so much out of 130mm rear travel is just incredible.
Totally agree, you can ride everything with a Trailbike. I must say, I also ride a lot of Bikepark Trails with my 100mm XC Racebike 😎. Modern Geometry and some riding skills 👍👍
A 130-150 bike is probably the sweet spot. I ride a Commencal meta am with 160/170 which is great for downhill and parks but damn is it a lot on a regular trail ride
Still on a full rigid nineties mtb for now. I do miss the front suspension on downhill stuff but you can basically do anything..just slower and less comfort. Waiting for someone to buy it off me so I can buy myself a slightly more modern hardtail
I ride one bike and it is a Trail bike and I have not seen a reason to change in almost thirty years. I ride all year long all weather conditions and the trail bike serves me well.
For me the sweet spot is "down country", but than again, I'm not a down hill rider. Mostly I ride mellow trails with some tree roots and smal sized stones.
I’m into my second season with my new Santa Cruz tallboy and I really like it. I’m a one bike guy I wouldn’t be able to choose what to ride if I had more than one.
Yes, you‘d have to think hard: where am I going to ride today etc … another thing is: do we have enough spare time, enough capable weather for two bikes to possess??
The more bikes you have, the more time and money you have to spend to maintain them. Although I suppose the advantage is that if one bike is down for major repairs, you still have something to ride.
@@Durwood71 ..well, this „advantage“ to me sounds at least questionable. When does a bike need major repairs? Maybe after a severe crash…but then the owner/ rider probably isn’t able either to simply jump on his replacement bike as he’s likely injured as well. So, it doesn’t make sense for me to have a second bike except for hobby and pride of ownership.
Happy with my Slash but man, it's hard to find a pair of Vittoria Agarro tyres for it to be a slayer long day out rough trail bike. Just to think 160/150 sus was Enduro a couple years ago.....
Neil you're a beast you could shred a Vintage Cruiser harder than I could a DH - 140/130 Trail for me has enough beef for all my local trails and definitely does it all;)
I ride a Santa Cruz Nomad CC, fox factory 36 up front, cane creek Db air on the back and carbon enve rims. Have just bought a vitus sentier hard tail as I thought I needed a HT in my life, I was wrong. Whilst the vitus is a semi capable bike, it doesn’t suit my style of riding at all, so I’ll be going back to one bike. 🤘
I ride a Propain Tyee. Everything you said about trail bikes, I find, is true of my Tyee. It is comfortable on long rides. It is a stable pedalling platform. And, it is a monster on the downhills. A tank in velvet slippers.
@@1xbikes i got one myself. mine is just the end of spec model. aluframe. downhill casting on fr541 dts. coil. zeb ult 180mm. xx1 drivetrain tho to safe weight hahahaha. but its still 17kg+. so not really a trailbike in any means.
My trail bike has 150-130 travel on 27.5 so I honestly can’t ride anything that would require more bike because of lack of rider skill but I’m totally comfortable riding it on stuff where I’m over biked. It’s not so big that I can’t have fun on a smooth section.
@@RyanAlexanderBloom I rode my 130 travel on every single trail at whistler. dirt merch, d1, pro tech trails.. I wouldnt think twice about the travel. smaller travel is much more fun imo. its 100% the riders not the bike.
I have one bike and it's a 29er trail bike. It's an older model but it works well enough for me and my novice riding skills. I'll ride it till it breaks and then I'll get a similar replacement. I don't have room for more bikes... too many motorcycles.
Im a big fan of light to mid enduro like 150-70 travel in the back go bellow that and I haven’t really found a bike I like too much they often don’t pop or just aren’t as playful as the bikes that are a bit bigger
I went from a 2017 trek slash 29er to a 2019 norco fluid fs1 29er and I will never go back to an enduro bike again, the norco only has 120mm 130mm of travel and a 66.5 head angle, but it can ride everything the slash could, including steep double blacks, and more importantly its much more fun to ride, I've got it down to 13.7kg with pedals, its the ultimate do it all bike, its like a cross between a cross country bike and an enduro bike, plus its relatively cheap too.
I've got enduro bike with 170 on both, I'm not into pure technical downhill and XC, i'm more into just freeride, so i kinda thought it's the best option for me. But at the same time, somewhen in the future i'm going to build hardtail for indoors cause enduro bike works almost everywhere, but definitely not in skatepark :D
I now have an all capable trail bike -Airdrop filter luxe- and hopefully (my bank balance agrees) it's my last bike. I have progressed up to a trail bike but can totally see how modern trail bike is a do it all machine. I have also not gotten rid of my other bikes, both hard tails, so not sure I'm not also a hypocrite! Good vid though!
saw the thumb before it was blured ;) the ultimate bike is the one you can afford :D be a better rider, no bike should stop you ride trails and have fun :)
Last year I bought a used 2017 Alliance Ti trail bike. I don't know who originally ordered the bike or what geometry he ordered. But I love the thing. I broke a pedal crank on it and have been riding my '19 Trek Slash. I'm thinkin of selling that thing. The older Alliance rendered the newer Trek obsolete. Maybe I just need more time on the Trek because it's longer, I misjudge where my back tire is and miss my unweight points.
my only bike is enduro. with good suspension, it is good for pedaling and it is much more better in gnarly trails as trail bike. and with a weight 14,1kg it is light enough.
I love my trail bike and if I could only have one mountain bike, that would be it. However, it's nice to have some less-capable rides for the easier trails near my house. For any non-trail riding, though, almost any of my other bikes would be a better choice (excepting the BMX). Now, if I could have just one bike period, for everything I do, it would be a trail-oriented hardtail (like the Marin San Quentin I used to own) with two wheelsets: one with knobbies and one with low tread for around-town riding.
As a broke pleb riding my hardtail Vitus Nucleus is my only bike option! I still need pads and riding shoes but budgeting is hard with crazy inflation California.
I will say right up front I am a XC guy so yes I will lean towards a bike that is light, nimble, down hill, ect, ect. My thought is, a " down country " bike that is 27.5 140 front rear travel. 67.5 degree head tube angle. 69 degree seat tube.
What's your ultimate bike!? Let us know down below! 👇
Polygon siskiu t7
Specialized Stumpjumper
Orbea OCCAM
Scott Spark Carbon 120mm front n rear + short 50mm stem with 35mm rise + 760mm handlebar with 30mm rise = very versatile all rounder bike
my scott genius LT 710+, because it can really do absolutely everything : XC, bike park + the paint design is great. ❤ I just wish it was a bit shorter and more manoeuverable to make more fun to ride. when i remember my beginnings with a fully rigid bike..... 😁
Got meself a Giant Trance X. I do the ups, the downs, the flats, the lifts, all without ever thinking that I need another bike. I love it.
Trance X is a sweeeet bike.
nice bike...i got one also.
I also got one haha
I got a Trek Remedy alloy and it does all the jobs perfect. Just the bike you want.
I am 48 years old but act 25 and fit as a fiddle! i have learned over the years do not buy a new bike buy second hand i have had all sorts Voodoo bizango , Azoic eliminator, Rocky mountain flatline Base, Specialized Stump jumper , But now i have a 2019 Saracen Myst AL which i use for everything because it is the best bike i have ever ridden or owned i absolutely love the thing!
Bike with150/150 travel and coil shock in back is pushing boundaries in my opinion. Anyway, I moved from XC hardtail to my Trek Fuel Ex last year and it is a blast. I had so much fun on the new bike even if it is slower on flat or uphill.
I feel like my 2022 Canyon Spectral CF7 29er is all I need for my local trails and others. I'd call it an all rounder for sure. Handles everything I've thrown at it.💪🏻
I used to have many bikes, but whittled it down to a XC hardtail and yes - it also replaced my road bike.
What bike do you have? I also want just one bike. Leaning toward hardtail at the moment.
A good cross country hardtail is probably the most versatile bike you can buy.
I've got a hardtail and an Enduro. But I think an enduro is all you need. Trail bikes get a bit gnarly when it comes to bikepark style riding.
I had a 2018 Troy. Just changed for a 2021 Altitude. It climbs almost as well, I feel the added travel a bit in the climbs. It descends sooooo much better it's crazy. I can trust the bike on the bigger hit so much more.
Same here, although I am considering a hardtail for the easy trails. My enduro does use up some energy.
Overkill for some trails... but I love it anyways!
Try a stumpjumper Evo. I sold my Enduro after sessioning mine at beech mtn
I have the 2015 Specialized Enduro 29. Ironically back then people said that was overkill for trails. Now modern trail bikes have even slacker head angles and just as much travel - if not more than those old Enduros!
I've been using full suspension for years but I find they make my local trails too easy so I moved back to a hardtail, great for fitness, easy maintenance, it forces you to use good technique and it scares the schlit out of you.
Hardtail is better
Just the one for me. My hardtail does what I can cope with!
Got myself a Trek Fuel Ex recently. And I love it, really is a lot of fun riding it. Works uphill and downhill for me.
Ditto. Love it. Trying to sell my hardtail but the market is not so great right now.
@@tedmanner1086 I though the market to sell a bike is excellent at the moment?
Where I live, people want 80% of retail for their 3-4 year old bikes...
Nice Bike!
Same here, I've got a Fuel EX and its awesome, you can ride that thing anywhere and it always puts a smile on your face!!
It's a beast! Can plow on any kind of terrain
I have a Giant Trance X2 29 2021 and it is a great bike to have, specially if you are not a pro and you can only have one. Good on the climbs, good on descents and very versatile. You can switch the tires and use it in an enduro race or in an XC race.
Just the one bike for me, slightly beefier than a normal trail bike with 165/170 travel and a coil shock. But it is decently light and peddle efficient, the downhills are wicked on it though!
I have XC/DC mtb Canyon Lux Trail and when I ride it, I feel that doesnt need to have another bike. Uphills and downhills really sufficient in our local trails plus when im not in the mood on trail and do some miles in road because its super light I ride like having a road bike as well.
got a trance x 29. It's served me well on all my gravity riding (enduro and shuttles), but I'm left wanting more travel as I get better
Becoming better usually means needing less travel … because of improvement of riding skills
I have a 2019 Giant Fathom 2. I live in Florida and usually just ride the green trails or fire roads. It's good for my needs. I've been a roadie for 30+ years and just wanted something decent to ride off road trails.
I just picked up a used/new-to-me giant trance trail bike. Absolutely love it. It’s great at climbing but also can handle fast downhills. I’m no pro DH or enduro rider so I don’t feel the need for the super long travel in the suspension.
Stumpjumper comp alloy has been treating me great! Sometimes I wonder how different it would be to be on a carbon frame
I cracked a carbon frame shortly after warranty ran out. Will never touch another one.
@@chrisd9673 and then you repair it. ive written off more alloy frames than carbon.
Agreed! I built a Transition Smuggler lastly as I didn't want an enduro bike. Mostly riding a hardtail, I wanted a do-it-all machine that does almost everything and I'm not disappointed, even with its 120mm rear suspension (feels like it has more actually). Recommanded for a 140mm fork, I stuck a 150mm fork on it first and now a 160mm Lyrik. It's borderline I know, but it feels great in the steep without affecting the pedaling. I love that "little big bike", and I can do everything on it, from casual trails to bike parks!
A (modern) trail bike is definitely THE bike to have!!!
I have a trek fuel ex 9.8 and it works good in all conditions!! Uphill...downhill...enduro...xc...everything!! It may only have 130mm travel with a 140mm fork but I wouldn't want another bike over it!!
For me, the trail bike is all I need. They've become so pedal efficient that 20-30 mile rides with thousands of feet of climb never leave me feeling like I need a lighter, more efficient bike. For any downhill, if it's more than my bike can handle it's probably more downhill than I'm comfortable with anyway!
I think the only bike you ever need is xc hardtail with 100/120mm suspension travel. Its versatile enough to be used for wide variety of stuff in the mountain as well as in the city.
as a person with bad knees i would need a knee replacement pretty quickly
I approve this message.
Still loving my 2015specialised camber comp. It put a smile on my face and gets me into enough trouble at the same t8me
If in doubt, take a Bronson out. I absolutely love mine and take it everywhere from long pedal days to the bike park.
I take my canyon neuron to DH parks, XC trails and everything in between. Threw a 140mm fox 36 as soon as I got it so I’m not sure if the stock 130mm fox 32 float is as capable on the bigger stuff.
Trailbike 150mm works everywhere. Even bikeparks.
And a hardtail for the muddy days.
I'm one of those with more than a handful of bikes, and if you add in the kids' and wifes bikes it's a mini bike shop around here. But yep, far and away my favorite is the '21 Stumpjumper. I picked up a frame and did a custom build since I've really honed in on the kit I like over the years, bit of a dream build. For what I am likely to ride 140/130 is perfect and that feeling of familiarity you mentioned, ya, that's a great thing.
I think a trail bike with 150mm rear and 160mm would be great as an "all rounder" since suspension has become so adjustable and componentry has come a long way regarding weight. The one non-negotiable in my eyes would be having two wheelsets. A nice wide rim with a super meaty 2.6-2.8" tire that shreds bike parks would inspire confidence off big tabletops and berms. Then when you're going on a weekend XC singletrack ride with lots of climbs you have some lighter carbon wheels with some fast rolling 2.00-2.25" tires.
You're talking about the Trek Remedy and it's amazing!
depends on what kind of trails are around and your skills/interests. around me, it's mostly xc style tracks i rode for years on a pretty basic hardtail before upgrading to the full sus oiz last year.
I only have one bike these days, polygon Vander with a 160mm fox 36 and a 130mm fox dpx2. It does everything I need: technical climbs, jumps, downhills, pump track, family rides with my kid. I do wish i had an e bike and an hard tail, but a trail bike is perfect.
I have a 2016 Scott Genius 700 plus tuned , great trail bike, but o also have a FRW Pickerel LMT hardtail for the more easy/mixed rides. I also own a 90's steel mtb that i've upgraded to a sort of tourist, road/gravel/town bike and i love it !
The answer is YES! I have always said this and will never stop. My main bike is a trail bike and I've done everything from downhill bike parks in the alps, to 120km plus cross country races! Performs every time
More capable XC bikes - that’s the one for all. Most of us are over-biked, so the modern full-sus XC is probably the better balance of capability and grins for most people.
Some of us are lucky enough to have steeper, more technical trails to ride and like riding them fast
i agree...ranger is getting more time over the trance x.
Where I live there are literally no flat or easy trails. The shops here don't even sell nice xc bikes because theres almost no use for them. Most of y'all might think you're over Ikea but none of us mountain folks are gonna make it far on an xc rig.
Totally agree!
I have the Neuron -in between xc and trail. 130-130. Perfect bike for todays more challenging xc trails :)
It really depends on how you ride. If you're riding competitively, even if it's just comparing times with your buddies, then, yeah, you're probably going to want something that allows you to blast down the trails, but if you're just riding for fun and don't care about impressing the neighbors, then you can get by on considerably less bike.
Agree. With your help via videos I just got a nice new Stumpy!
Yes!
I went from a full enduro rig to my current trail bike (Commencal Meta TR) and it's an absolute blast!
I don't miss the extra travel at all , it can really handle everything and it's so much more agile...
Same. I went Enduro to stumpy Evo and haven't missed the Enduro once
Only back in to biking since late last year..
Picked up a 2008 Fuel EX9.5 Carbon my brother spotted on the local adverts page here in Ireland for 500euro...
Put new wider bars, 35mm stem, pedals, grips and rear cassette and am absolutely loving it...She's a beast..
One bike that does it all!
Love my Nukeproof Mega 275 Comp Bike 2018 - gonna upgrade the parts rather than buy a new one. It’s my only MTB but yes I do have a gravel bike with road tyres on…
Down-country hardtail, trailbike, and an enduro for me covers all riding I do beutifully.
The hardtail does everything from bikepacking to marathons and relatively easy trails. The trailbike is my go-to for my local trails and the enduro does everything from rough trails to riding park.
And well... a few 90s mtbs I use as commuters and stuff.
And an old roadbike, mostly for indoor training.
I agree with you, The Don. I have a trail bike which handles all the riding I throw at it - 140/150 travel. I do not ride a lot of gnarly downhill, so I do not feel the need for a DH bike. A trail bike is very versatile. I even commute to work on it if I am performing major maintenance or repairs on my commuter bike.
I own one mountain bike for all use. It's a Canyon Spectral 29 and it's the perfect one bike quiver. Rips the knarly trails here in the Canadian rockies with ease but still climbs with no problems. Love that it doesn't feel like too much bike. Trail bikes are the way to go!
I'd say that a trail bike is all that MOST people need. Granted if you ride park all the time AND crush double blacks all day long with 40ft gaps and 10+ foot drops and love gnarly vicious rock gardens, trail bike is likely not enough. But for most of us riding blues and single blacks a majority of the time with a few double blacks now and again, a good trail bike is the sweet spot. More specifically a decently efficient, yet longer legged version with 140-150mm rear and 150-160mm front. That will give you enough squish for some bigger hits, but speedy enough on the climbs. My Spectral 29 is about 30lbs and I absolutely love it. Sold my 170mm Enduro bike because I enjoyed the Spectral more except on the gnarliest of descents (even though most my DH PR's are on the Spectral), but the Canyon is easier to pedal up and is faster on more boring sections of trail. Plus I just raced an Enduro on the Spectral and not once did it hold me back, I am the weak link.
I just recently started mountain biking for fun and also cross training for triathlon...good for improving bike handling and strength. I bought a trail bike because I'm most likely to be riding local trails than anything else, but appreciate the versatility in case I decide to do something different...with a road bike and a tri bike, adding a trail bike pretty much covers all my bases.
I don't have an ultimate bike but a healthy quiver including a Levo, Stumpy Evo, Revel Rascal, gravel bike, hybrid bike. I don't need them all but I sure like having them as options for different trails/conditions/fitness level etc.
i got a Scott genuis with that twin lock feature ,can change the travel from rigid to 120 mm front and rear to 150 mm front and rearon the fly with a flick of my thumb ,
Exactly my setup 👌🏻 Really best of both worlds.
got hardtail for commute rides and trail for MTB trails. I tried many different bikes and this combo is best for me
Got a Trek Slash for rough stuff and a Trek Top Fuel for mile munching and it covers all I need with my skill limits.
When I'm able, i run multiple bikes. I always come back to the trail bike though. I may soon sell my hardtail. I have a low spec aluminum Ibis Ripley AF, and a full carbon Ripley V4 with that kashima splendor and hydra hubs on bladed spoked, carbon rims. I'll be rocking the AF and upgrading that the next while. I'm going to get rid of the other two.
I'm told our cities got a pro pumptrack being installed, so ill glady build a dj/pumptrack bike for my hardtail, and roll a beatup aluminum, modern trailbike that I can upgrade to the max.
Then ill buy that featherweight carbon frame again and transfer my top tier parts and do it again. As I've been at it for decades, you kind of get more involved and end up saving money by doing your own work on your gear.
A trail bike like a nukeproof reactor seems like the next step for me after riding a hard tail the last few years but I’m 47 and the climbs are really affecting my energy levels for descents, so that new trek fuel exe or something like it is massively tempting I’m just watching the whole SL thing develop for now haha
150mm travel is such a large amount of travel!
Well I have a full sus and a hardtail for non technical trails to have abit of fun on, but good for road riding.
Am going from an enduro to a trail bike soon (Calibre Sentry to a NINER RDO) as uphills are a nightmare.
Great videos 👌🏾
Do have a 140/125 trail bike (Transition Scout cf). Broke rear rim, som now with Mavic cf rims. Weighs 12.8 kg with Pirelli Trail tires (replacing with front Magic Mary and rear Hans Dampf/Rock Razor) for local trails . Use it in bikepark with Enduro casing tires from Vittoria (Mazza and Martello). But also n+1 so an XC hardtail (BMC Twostroke O1, 9,3 kg) for maximum speed. Love it!
I have a Canyon Neuron. The best bike I've ever owned. Perfect balance between trail and XC. It's comfortable capable and fast both up and downhill.
Thanks for sharing!
@@gmbn This is a general purpose bike. What would you say are the limits for this kind of bike? Can you smash black bikepark tracks?
Got a Specialized Stumpy Evo this year. First new bike in 12+ years. I’ve always only been able to afford one bike. This bike definitely fit the bill for me. Adjustable geo and the ability to climb better than my old XC could sold me. It’s been amazing. Between hammering out shuttle and lift laps and spinning out those long days in the saddle. This bike has been able to do it all without any fuss (headset geo adjustments aside).
2020, YT Jeffsy 27.5 CF Pro is my daily driver, does it all. No complaints.
It's all I need except I only realized that after riding and upgrading my Polygon D7 for a year. Increasing the front travel from 120 to 150 got me as close to the trail geometry as I can minus a bit more reach that I desired after trying another bike. So, I'm at 95% of what I found I really wanted at 95% of the cost lol.
Only have my hardtail for now, definitely want an Enduro bike next for trail to downhill.
I was riding a 17 mondraker foxy 160/140 and found it just didnt have enough squish for when the trails got a bit steep, now riding a new patrol mullet and pretty well go down everything faster but it not quite as playful as the moondraker on jumps
👍 I'm a very casual rider.
Have an old Giant 850 MTB as a commuter and an old Marinoni Squadra steel frame for when I get with the road group. Love them both. Both fit me to a tee.
Hard tail is the best compromise, IMHO
Hardtails like the Meta HT are insanely capable and can be ridden very hard, but as a former hardtail evangelist even I have to admit that having a shock is really nice
Specialized Enduro 29 from 2014 .... perfect for my trails ... old school XC almost geometry
I currently have a 2021 Marin Sanquentin3. Love that bike. I would love a full squish bike too
I have a banshee phantom and I have a dual postion pike fork up front so it's perfect, on long up hills I lower it to 120mm and once im doing downhill flip the switch and it goes back up to 150mm
2022 Giant Trance 29 advanced pro, 130/120 Fox 36 as I am a bigger dude, with rekon/rekon race and Hunt Trail Wide wheels. Efficient for flow trails, can handle most anything Michigan trails can offer since I don't send drops and such.
Got a 2021 Nukeproof Reactor factory and don’t think I’ll need anything more for years to come. I don’t really do uplift / bike parks although it could probably just about manage it. How they got so much out of 130mm rear travel is just incredible.
Sounds like you've hit the nail on the head with your choice!
I only have an XC MTB at the moment, plus a road and gravel bike. Hoping to buy a trail bike real soon. Looking at Canyon Spectral AL6
Totally agree, you can ride everything with a Trailbike. I must say, I also ride a lot of Bikepark Trails with my 100mm XC Racebike 😎. Modern Geometry and some riding skills 👍👍
You can ride anything with any bike. It's all about the skill level of the rider.
@@Durwood71 That is true :) And the most important thing is to have fun on two wheels :D
A 130-150 bike is probably the sweet spot. I ride a Commencal meta am with 160/170 which is great for downhill and parks but damn is it a lot on a regular trail ride
Still on a full rigid nineties mtb for now. I do miss the front suspension on downhill stuff but you can basically do anything..just slower and less comfort. Waiting for someone to buy it off me so I can buy myself a slightly more modern hardtail
One bike is all I need. Continually upgraded my Levo to suit BC trails and it’s now capable beyond my capabilities.
I ride one bike and it is a Trail bike and I have not seen a reason to change in almost thirty years. I ride all year long all weather conditions and the trail bike serves me well.
For me the sweet spot is "down country", but than again, I'm not a down hill rider. Mostly I ride mellow trails with some tree roots and smal sized stones.
I’m into my second season with my new Santa Cruz tallboy and I really like it. I’m a one bike guy I wouldn’t be able to choose what to ride if I had more than one.
Yes, you‘d have to think hard: where am I going to ride today etc … another thing is: do we have enough spare time, enough capable weather for two bikes to possess??
The more bikes you have, the more time and money you have to spend to maintain them. Although I suppose the advantage is that if one bike is down for major repairs, you still have something to ride.
@@Durwood71 ..well, this „advantage“ to me sounds at least questionable. When does a bike need major repairs? Maybe after a severe crash…but then the owner/ rider probably isn’t able either to simply jump on his replacement bike as he’s likely injured as well. So, it doesn’t make sense for me to have a second bike except for hobby and pride of ownership.
A fatbike with enduro-hardtail geometry with extra pair of 29x3.0 wheels for summer trails. That is my way to get 'one bike to do it all'.
Happy with my Slash but man, it's hard to find a pair of Vittoria Agarro tyres for it to be a slayer long day out rough trail bike.
Just to think 160/150 sus was Enduro a couple years ago.....
Love my Orbea Occam M30. Had it just over a year now.
Neil you're a beast you could shred a Vintage Cruiser harder than I could a DH - 140/130 Trail for me has enough beef for all my local trails and definitely does it all;)
I ride a Santa Cruz Nomad CC, fox factory 36 up front, cane creek Db air on the back and carbon enve rims. Have just bought a vitus sentier hard tail as I thought I needed a HT in my life, I was wrong. Whilst the vitus is a semi capable bike, it doesn’t suit my style of riding at all, so I’ll be going back to one bike. 🤘
I ride a Propain Tyee. Everything you said about trail bikes, I find, is true of my Tyee. It is comfortable on long rides. It is a stable pedalling platform. And, it is a monster on the downhills. A tank in velvet slippers.
but the tyee is a race enduro not a trailbike
@@tobiass6092 Agree, but the Tyee can do everything a trail bike can do, and then some.
@@1xbikes i got one myself. mine is just the end of spec model. aluframe. downhill casting on fr541 dts. coil. zeb ult 180mm. xx1 drivetrain tho to safe weight hahahaha. but its still 17kg+. so not really a trailbike in any means.
Anyone else having a deja-vu right now?
yep
Run out of ideas
Super fan ay? Know the full catalogue of episodes 😂
My trail bike has 150-130 travel on 27.5 so I honestly can’t ride anything that would require more bike because of lack of rider skill but I’m totally comfortable riding it on stuff where I’m over biked. It’s not so big that I can’t have fun on a smooth section.
@@RyanAlexanderBloom I rode my 130 travel on every single trail at whistler. dirt merch, d1, pro tech trails.. I wouldnt think twice about the travel. smaller travel is much more fun imo. its 100% the riders not the bike.
I have one bike and it's a 29er trail bike. It's an older model but it works well enough for me and my novice riding skills. I'll ride it till it breaks and then I'll get a similar replacement. I don't have room for more bikes... too many motorcycles.
Im a big fan of light to mid enduro like 150-70 travel in the back go bellow that and I haven’t really found a bike I like too much they often don’t pop or just aren’t as playful as the bikes that are a bit bigger
Still riding my 2010 pimped Scott Genius. The perfect trail machine with full lockout suspensions. Still a 26" but rocks
You’re in for a real treat when you try a modern bike
@@jarnold1789 tried them already but no money right now....
@@FedericoTesta1 Fair enough. It’s phenomenal how much bikes have improved since 2010
I’ve got a fully rigid commuter/bikepacker and a mean hard tail.
my favorite allround mtb is the xc hardtails
I went from a 2017 trek slash 29er to a 2019 norco fluid fs1 29er and I will never go back to an enduro bike again, the norco only has 120mm 130mm of travel and a 66.5 head angle, but it can ride everything the slash could, including steep double blacks, and more importantly its much more fun to ride, I've got it down to 13.7kg with pedals, its the ultimate do it all bike, its like a cross between a cross country bike and an enduro bike, plus its relatively cheap too.
I change from Orbed Oiz to the Occam, and i feel i don't need another bike. Love this trail bike.
I’ve got an Occam too, not the one in the clip tho. I have the H30 model and it does me on every type of ride I do
That would work if I didn’t have the north shore and whistler on my door step
Lucky! I’ve ridden there and agree. These bikes are definitely more suited to Surrey Hills and the like in England!
Stumpjumper Evo 2022 S-Work!
Does it all … really
I've got enduro bike with 170 on both, I'm not into pure technical downhill and XC, i'm more into just freeride, so i kinda thought it's the best option for me. But at the same time, somewhen in the future i'm going to build hardtail for indoors cause enduro bike works almost everywhere, but definitely not in skatepark :D
I now have an all capable trail bike -Airdrop filter luxe- and hopefully (my bank balance agrees) it's my last bike. I have progressed up to a trail bike but can totally see how modern trail bike is a do it all machine. I have also not gotten rid of my other bikes, both hard tails, so not sure I'm not also a hypocrite! Good vid though!
Downhill rig all day long. Nothing beats the feeling.
saw the thumb before it was blured ;) the ultimate bike is the one you can afford :D be a better rider, no bike should stop you ride trails and have fun :)
I bought this bike a month ago.. love it!
Last year I bought a used 2017 Alliance Ti trail bike. I don't know who originally ordered the bike or what geometry he ordered. But I love the thing. I broke a pedal crank on it and have been riding my '19 Trek Slash. I'm thinkin of selling that thing. The older Alliance rendered the newer Trek obsolete. Maybe I just need more time on the Trek because it's longer, I misjudge where my back tire is and miss my unweight points.
I've got a Canyon Stoic for trail and a Surly Midnight Special for pavement and groomed gravel/dirt.
my only bike is enduro. with good suspension, it is good for pedaling and it is much more better in gnarly trails as trail bike. and with a weight 14,1kg it is light enough.
I love my trail bike and if I could only have one mountain bike, that would be it. However, it's nice to have some less-capable rides for the easier trails near my house.
For any non-trail riding, though, almost any of my other bikes would be a better choice (excepting the BMX).
Now, if I could have just one bike period, for everything I do, it would be a trail-oriented hardtail (like the Marin San Quentin I used to own) with two wheelsets: one with knobbies and one with low tread for around-town riding.
I have a Trek hardtail XC bike and a longer all mountain Santa Cruz 160/150.
As a broke pleb riding my hardtail Vitus Nucleus is my only bike option! I still need pads and riding shoes but budgeting is hard with crazy inflation California.
Only one, HT - Nukeproof scout and I'm loving it, but my knees sometimes do suffer..😂😂😂
I will say right up front I am a XC guy so yes I will lean towards a bike that is light, nimble, down hill, ect, ect. My thought is, a " down country " bike that is 27.5 140 front rear travel. 67.5 degree head tube angle. 69 degree seat tube.