I have the Moonshiner. I’ve been riding bikes for 40 years, no other bike has consistently put a smile on my face every time I get on the saddle. So comfortable, so capable and so reassuring! 🙏✊
As a Surly Ghost Grappler owner myself I know for a fact that 29x2.3 tires will fit. I added a little more breathing room with the addition of Surly Monkey Nuts V.3. Also to be noted the front end flop is way more with 29’s but I feel it’s worth it. 8:32
Excellent choices on your list here. The Stargazer and Moonshiner are such wonderful looking rigs. Always nice to see them. I test rode the Moonshiner, but opted for the lighter Hardtack. Which is very similar in looks and geo to the Grappler, also on your list. Thank you Neal.
Is there any way to organize the bikes you guys have reviewed? I would love a spreadsheet or similar where I could set some sliders and say "I want the most stable bike that first up to a 29x2" tire and is made from steel" or "the most playful bike that can still fit 2.4 and is titanium"
I really enjoyed both parts!!! Here in Mexico we don’t really have so many options to get these kind o bikes!!! gravel is recently growing up and becoming a phenomenon!!! I used to think it was amazing, and it is!!! its fun and fast!!! Now its a fancy sport that it makes you feel you have to have the latest gravel bike, carbon bike, fancy cloths, etc.... but I don’t see why to buy an expensive gravel bike, that limits your ride, because of tire size and width!!! also not having so many places to anchor your stuff... But when I found my Surly Ghostgrappler I tasted a new world for me!!! I used to be a mountain biker and this bike is awesome!!! I can go Mtb routes and then gravel routes, and I can join both kind of people graves and Mtb on the same day!!! Ha!!!! its so fun!!! yes its is super heavy!!! It doesn’t have suspension and it’s hard after many miles going down hill for my hands and wrists, but I haven’t found a perfect bike yet!!! I call her my Cadillac!!! its a very supple bike and its so reliable, strong and fun!!! So I was really pleased to find it here on your 13 top bikes!!! =D it was the only option for me, and it’s good to know that I did well buying it two years ago!!! I`ve biked with it here in Mexico in Oaxaca, 3 routes from the web site that I highly suggest doing, Also in turkey, Romania, Bulgaria and Greece!!! not regrets so Far!!!! cheers!!!
Hi!!!! What about the weight? isn’t it too heavy? I tried mine once on a gravel race and damm I felt I was riding a tank!!! very powerful and stable! but heavy!!! cheers!!!
The list is missing the Singular Gryphon, which I've seen people call it the British Fargo as it's been around just as long as the Fargo has. Comes in steel & ti.
Decathlon Riverside Touring frame, It has everything except the internal cable routing hole for the dropper. Thru axle, post mount disk brake, 100 & 142 O.L.D, 29 by 2.4 tire clearance and only 300 for alloy frame and 200 for carbon fork.
Ever ridden a CO-Motion Cycles Divide? Hand built in Oregon. Be awesome if you guys could get ahold of one to test. I have three CO-Motions and they are great.
I put some 2.2 on my fresh Lauf Seigla for a 800km bike packing race this weekend. For 20lbs and 3500USD its a fantastic bike for hualing ass in the woods. You can call it a gravel bike, but it can fit 57mm tires and has front suspension.
Does Marin Gestalt XR qualify as drop MTB? I'm thinking of a bike mostly along these lines, but sub 3hr rides. And once a year I want to do a local Century Road ride. How would these handle that (with narrower tire)?
hi can I have your opinion about marin bike? My first bike was marin mountain bike and I been bike packing with it. and now I want to buy marin NICASIO which is marin's gravel drop bar bike. do you think it worth buying?
I ride the Marin Larkspur 2. Their chromoly steel technology is pretty good for the price, even though the welds won't be the prettiest. But their components might have to be changed in the long run. The Marin wheelset and hubs failed me after about 6 months of everyday use. Their crankset is pretty heavy as well even though they are bombproof. But the frame is pretty sweet for the price.
my kona honzo cr would probaly make a great drop bar mtb, but why would i ever take the fox 34 fork of and the mtb bars. can just do anything thats thrown at this way. from bikepacking to riding Hangover. 25 lbs!
Many of these bikes have lots of stem spacers to compensate for the drop distance of the drop bars. Why not just use an alt-bar with desired sweep angle without the excessive stem spacers?
gimme a steel bike that can take a 2x (36/28 perhaps) and a wide range cassette (10-51 x 12 speed or 11-51 x 11 speed). 29er tires down to 2.1 but normally 2.4 up to 2.6 with Boost thru axle hubs and tons of mounts and I'm in.
I tried to buy a Pipedream A.L.I.C.E and it didn't seem as though they actually had any stock and I bought a Fustle causeway instead, I really wanted the Pipedream but their customer service is awful
Payed for a frame that was showing as in-stock on there website and nearly 2 weeks later received an email to say that actually they didn't have any stock and were refunding me the money, I'm in-between there recommendations for a large or medium and emailed then to ask if they had any frames in either size and never received a reply@@hansonwang2121
Just a reminder to trail-shredding-MTBers: while the title has the word Mountain Bikes, it is still posted in a "Bikepacking" channel, not Redbull Rampage channel.
I would like to see your review the Priority Gemini Pinion Smart Shift Gravel, which comes in aluminum or Titanium. It has the new Pinion Smart-Shift gearbox and Gates Carbon belt for low maintenance.
Cinelli Hobootleg Geo. One of the few ready-made drop bar MTB options available on the EU continent. These boutique US brands are simply out of reach here.
"drop-bar mountain bike" ?! i'd say nono! go with drop-bar on a trail and you will fail hard. those are just touring-bikes. i own a salsa fargo and it's just fantastic!
Been running drop on on trails for several years and they're absolutely useable, both on on mtbs and my tracklopacker. They're certainly not great on downhill stuff but for general use drops are perfectly adequate, and fun!
@@remusblaque8207 dirt drop handlebars are not the same as a 40ish cm road handlebar. While wide dirt drop bars don't make whacking your knees/legs impossible they greatly reduce the likelihood. The ends of ALL handlebars should be plugged - even flat bars.
Don't think this is an "expensive fad" for him buddy. Niel has won multiple Colorado and Arizona trail races and podium'd on the Tour Divide. What's the last coffee shop you've ridden to Chris?
@@theshonen8899 The last place I rode was up and over Mt Snowdon. I went up the llanberis path and down the Watkins path. I stopped for coffee in a place called Beddegelert before returning to Caernarfon. Best bit is I did that journey on a fat bike. A calibre Dune to be precise
@@theshonen8899 also, I'm simply suggesting that the advent of gravel bikes/ drop bar mtb's was kind of a marketing gimmick. It wasn't an attack on anyone's skillset
Have owned a Fargo for over a decade, and ride it multiple times per week (more than my road, MTB, and fattie). Not looking likely that I'll grow out of it :)
I have the Moonshiner. I’ve been riding bikes for 40 years, no other bike has consistently put a smile on my face every time I get on the saddle. So comfortable, so capable and so reassuring! 🙏✊
I love my moonshiner!
As a Surly Ghost Grappler owner myself I know for a fact that 29x2.3 tires will fit. I added a little more breathing room with the addition of Surly Monkey Nuts V.3.
Also to be noted the front end flop is way more with 29’s but I feel it’s worth it.
8:32
Excellent choices on your list here. The Stargazer and Moonshiner are such wonderful looking rigs. Always nice to see them. I test rode the Moonshiner, but opted for the lighter Hardtack. Which is very similar in looks and geo to the Grappler, also on your list. Thank you Neal.
Just what I was looking for. Thank you!
When will you be reviewing the Panorama Taiga EXP? It would definitely make this list! Cheers for the great content!
Is there any way to organize the bikes you guys have reviewed? I would love a spreadsheet or similar where I could set some sliders and say "I want the most stable bike that first up to a 29x2" tire and is made from steel" or "the most playful bike that can still fit 2.4 and is titanium"
I really enjoyed both parts!!! Here in Mexico we don’t really have so many options to get these kind o bikes!!!
gravel is recently growing up and becoming a phenomenon!!! I used to think it was amazing, and it is!!! its fun and fast!!!
Now its a fancy sport that it makes you feel you have to have the latest gravel bike, carbon bike, fancy cloths, etc.... but I don’t see why to buy an expensive gravel bike, that limits your ride, because of tire size and width!!! also not having so many places to anchor your stuff... But when I found my Surly Ghostgrappler I tasted a new world for me!!! I used to be a mountain biker and this bike is awesome!!! I can go Mtb routes and then gravel routes, and I can join both kind of people graves and Mtb on the same day!!! Ha!!!! its so fun!!!
yes its is super heavy!!! It doesn’t have suspension and it’s hard after many miles going down hill for my hands and wrists, but I haven’t found a perfect bike yet!!!
I call her my Cadillac!!! its a very supple bike and its so reliable, strong and fun!!! So I was really pleased to find it here on your 13 top bikes!!! =D it was the only option for me, and it’s good to know that I did well buying it two years ago!!!
I`ve biked with it here in Mexico in Oaxaca, 3 routes from the web site that I highly suggest doing, Also in turkey, Romania, Bulgaria and Greece!!! not regrets so Far!!!! cheers!!!
Tanglefoot moonshiner is heinous. I love it.
I put wide drops on my MB-2 and it's the sweetest!
I have a Tumbleweed Stargazer and it's a fantastic bike. I absolutely love it. Already saving for a Ti version for the far-off future.
I would suggest the Panorama TAÏGA EXP 2
hehehe , love monster bikes have 10.Kona sutra 8. salsa fargo 4. Surly grappler .they surely gives me comfort during rough gravel events......
Hi!!!! What about the weight? isn’t it too heavy? I tried mine once on a gravel race and damm I felt I was riding a tank!!! very powerful and stable! but heavy!!! cheers!!!
The list is missing the Singular Gryphon, which I've seen people call it the British Fargo as it's been around just as long as the Fargo has. Comes in steel & ti.
Don’t forget older bikes! I have a 2012 Sir 9 set up singlespeed with Ritchey Beacon handlebars. It’s absolutely shreds everything
Reynolds Steel. It is a solid ride.
Breezer Radar X? It is My drop bar mountain Bike ❤️Love It 🚴🚴
That’s my all around bike. Awesome ride.👍
Decathlon Riverside Touring frame, It has everything except the internal cable routing hole for the dropper.
Thru axle, post mount disk brake, 100 & 142 O.L.D, 29 by 2.4 tire clearance and only 300 for alloy frame and 200 for carbon fork.
I’ve tested it, and there is a review on the site, just not a favorite.
Ever ridden a CO-Motion Cycles Divide? Hand built in Oregon. Be awesome if you guys could get ahold of one to test. I have three CO-Motions and they are great.
Great video! What bar do you have on the Otso Fenrir? Thanks!
awesome video!!! thanks for putting this together! Of the bikes you listed, which have the most upright riding position for someone with neck issues?
which is better Santa cruz stigmata vs Salsa Cutthroat
My Surly Ghost Grappler is my favorite hopefully my forever bike, i like the WT Otso as well.
Check out Panorama Cycles Taiga EXP 2! Wonderful build and ride quality!
no ritchey ascent?
I have drops on my Ascent. Good stuff!
Thoughts on the Trek 1120? I know it’s a flat bar but I’ve seen it with drop bars.
damm im planning to convert my old gt chucker 3.0 into a gravel bike slowly but steady im saving money to buy a sensah group set
I put some 2.2 on my fresh Lauf Seigla for a 800km bike packing race this weekend. For 20lbs and 3500USD its a fantastic bike for hualing ass in the woods. You can call it a gravel bike, but it can fit 57mm tires and has front suspension.
How about giving Corvus Crow Pass a spin?
Does Marin Gestalt XR qualify as drop MTB?
I'm thinking of a bike mostly along these lines, but sub 3hr rides. And once a year I want to do a local Century Road ride. How would these handle that (with narrower tire)?
I want to take a Trek Supercaliber and make a drop bar bike out of it, with narrow MTB tires for gravel and road use.
The Stogge Rambler!!!!
Where in Northern MN? Love your channel from Grand Rapids MN
I just did this route. bikepacking.com/routes/straddle-and-paddle/
Nice! You can spend a lifetime exploring the arrowhead of MN❤ thanks for sharing this!
hi can I have your opinion about marin bike? My first bike was marin mountain bike and I been bike packing with it. and now I want to buy marin NICASIO which is marin's gravel drop bar bike. do you think it worth buying?
We've tested a couple versions of the Pine Mountain. Great wallet-friendly steel hardtails!
I ride the Marin Larkspur 2. Their chromoly steel technology is pretty good for the price, even though the welds won't be the prettiest.
But their components might have to be changed in the long run. The Marin wheelset and hubs failed me after about 6 months of everyday use.
Their crankset is pretty heavy as well even though they are bombproof. But the frame is pretty sweet for the price.
Though not with drop bars the Surly Krampus is a super fun rig to ride.
any recommendations for a setup that is also 2x compatible up front?
Cutty takes 2x, I think.
The cascade looks great ! Liked the video, I have a cutty for 3 years now and use it as much as my mtb. It's so comfy yet fast on road and gravel.
Stayer OG+ ❤❤
Qual escolheria Tumbleweed Stargazer ou Black Mountain Cycles La Cabra ?
my kona honzo cr would probaly make a great drop bar mtb, but why would i ever take the fox 34 fork of and the mtb bars. can just do anything thats thrown at this way. from bikepacking to riding Hangover. 25 lbs!
Weird not seeing Lauf Siegla here. Suspension drop bar 2.35im clearance
Many of these bikes have lots of stem spacers to compensate for the drop distance of the drop bars. Why not just use an alt-bar with desired sweep angle without the excessive stem spacers?
Or just size up, get a bit more reach, and boom.
Should've had steel in the title.
gimme a steel bike that can take a 2x (36/28 perhaps) and a wide range cassette (10-51 x 12 speed or 11-51 x 11 speed). 29er tires down to 2.1 but normally 2.4 up to 2.6 with Boost thru axle hubs and tons of mounts and I'm in.
Please review the Breezer Radar X. An affordable option with seemingly good specs.
Awesome ride. That’s my all around bike.👍
Now flat bar gravel bike please 😅
X-Strada 30 Fit is good
At least value for money wise
gostei da bike
I tried to buy a Pipedream A.L.I.C.E and it didn't seem as though they actually had any stock and I bought a Fustle causeway instead, I really wanted the Pipedream but their customer service is awful
Can you elaborate on your experience with Pipedream? I’ve been interested in their bikes for a while now.
Payed for a frame that was showing as in-stock on there website and nearly 2 weeks later received an email to say that actually they didn't have any stock and were refunding me the money, I'm in-between there recommendations for a large or medium and emailed then to ask if they had any frames in either size and never received a reply@@hansonwang2121
Earn more… helps with frustration
Just a reminder to trail-shredding-MTBers: while the title has the word Mountain Bikes, it is still posted in a "Bikepacking" channel, not Redbull Rampage channel.
lol...literally no one watching this video needs this disclaimer.
@@ScottyCiao Scroll down to the voted down comments, you'll see the whiners who needed this :)
I would like to see your review the Priority Gemini Pinion Smart Shift Gravel, which comes in aluminum or Titanium. It has the new Pinion Smart-Shift gearbox and Gates Carbon belt for low maintenance.
Cinelli Hobootleg Geo.
One of the few ready-made drop bar MTB options available on the EU continent.
These boutique US brands are simply out of reach here.
Cotic is in the Uk and Pipedream are in the UK.
Cinelli Hobootleg Geo, should be on this list for sure:)
love the look of that one, it's in our gear index and on my list to test: bikepacking.com/index/drop-bar-mountain-bikes-29er/
TREK StACHE drop bar
So, there you have it... 13 heavy and slow (but comfortable for a rigid frame) bikes - of which, none could be ever be mistaken for a mtb
I still really fucking hate 29ers.
In that case, you might like this list: bikepacking.com/index/650b-gravel-bikes/
@@BIKEPACKINGcom thanks!
Dentists must love riding these bikes 5km once a year on a Sunday
These practical, (mostly) steel, production bikes? No clue how these became dentist bikes in your mind.
@@WordupG the price tags mostly
"drop-bar mountain bike" ?! i'd say nono! go with drop-bar on a trail and you will fail hard. those are just touring-bikes. i own a salsa fargo and it's just fantastic!
confused with this comment, but glad you have a fantastic time on your Fargo.
Been running drop on on trails for several years and they're absolutely useable, both on on mtbs and my tracklopacker. They're certainly not great on downhill stuff but for general use drops are perfectly adequate, and fun!
@@BIKEPACKINGcom it's quite simple, if you have to hit the drop-down hard on a trail, you smash it against your knee
@@remusblaque8207 dirt drop handlebars are not the same as a 40ish cm road handlebar. While wide dirt drop bars don't make whacking your knees/legs impossible they greatly reduce the likelihood. The ends of ALL handlebars should be plugged - even flat bars.
Pointless bikes. Blurring of lines or just another expensive fad you'll grow up and out of ?
Opinions are like assholes (not you, but actual assholes); everyone has one.
Don't think this is an "expensive fad" for him buddy. Niel has won multiple Colorado and Arizona trail races and podium'd on the Tour Divide. What's the last coffee shop you've ridden to Chris?
@@theshonen8899 The last place I rode was up and over Mt Snowdon. I went up the llanberis path and down the Watkins path. I stopped for coffee in a place called Beddegelert before returning to Caernarfon. Best bit is I did that journey on a fat bike. A calibre Dune to be precise
@@theshonen8899 also, I'm simply suggesting that the advent of gravel bikes/ drop bar mtb's was kind of a marketing gimmick. It wasn't an attack on anyone's skillset
Have owned a Fargo for over a decade, and ride it multiple times per week (more than my road, MTB, and fattie). Not looking likely that I'll grow out of it :)
Stayer OG+ ❤❤