The 16 Best New Mountain Bikes of 2016
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Cannondale Bad Habit
Plus-size tires—those between 2.7- and 3-inches wide—are the hottest trend in mountain bikes. The fatter options in that range bridge the gap between traditional models and the treads on true fat bikes, which can exceed 4 inches. Cannondale’s Bad Habit is one of the latest bikes to embody this trend, earning it a spot on our list of the best new mountain bikes of 2016. Based on the Habit, a traditional full-suspension bike with 27.5-inch wheels, this brawnier version uses wider rims and 3-inch wide tires. The plus-size update gives the bike more traction over rocky, loose, and wet terrain, though the tires roll slower than traditional tires. The Bad Habit 2 comes with a 2x10 drivetrain and RockShox fork; the more-expensive Bad Habit 1 has a single-ring drivetrain and Cannondale’s single-sided Lefty fork.
Related: Yes, You Are Fast Enough for a Full-Suspension Mountain Bike
Price: $2,660
More info: Cannondale.com
Cannondale Bad Habit, $2660.00
Liv Lust Advanced 1
Liv's Lust Advanced 1 comes equipped with a carbon frame (as with all of Giant’s composite frames, the rear triangle is aluminum), 27.5-inch wheels, and 100mm of rear-wheel travel, which makes for a light, fast, full-suspension mountain bike—and one of the best mountain bikes of 2016. It's just as happy to take the holeshot in your next XC race as it will be to bang around on the trails with your friends on the weekend. The Advanced 1 build is new this year for the Lust, and worth a good look: You get the new value-packed SRAM GX 1x11 drivetrain—which we’ve tested and can vouch for as being nearly indistinguishable from its higher-end siblings—and a dropper seatpost, two items that can significantly enhance your riding experience. Sweet, hard-stopping SRAM Guide R hydraulic disc brakes and a more capable 120mm-travel fork (a bump up from the 100mm fork that came on last year’s version) make for a bike that can either meet an experienced rider where she’s at, or grow with someone who’s learning for plenty of seasons to come.
Price: $3,900
More info: Giant-bicycles.com
Liv Lust Advanced 1, $3900.00
Pivot Mach 429 Trail
Pivot's Mach 429 Trail is the antidote to 29er full-suspension bikes that feel big and cumbersome. Because it has a low standover, short chainstays (17.45 inches), and a stiff frame that makes handling precise, the Mach 429 Trail feels smaller under the rider than many 29er trail bikes. That makes it easier to maneuver and whip around switchbacks. The rear suspension has 116mm of travel, but it feels like there is more. As with many other bikes that use the DW-Link design, the suspension feels very crisp and efficient, with little unwanted motion.
Buy it Now: $5,399 at Competitive Cyclist
More info: Pivotcycles.com
Pivot Mach 429 Trail, $5399.00, $5,399 at Competitive Cyclist
Yeti SB5c BETI
The SB5c BETI shares the same geometry and unique Switch Infinity suspension design as the Yeti SB5c trail bike, which won our Editors’ Choice award in March. The BETI crushes technical descents like it has more than its five inches of rear-wheel suspension, aided in part by slack angles and a 140mm fork. With a lightweight carbon frame and high-end parts, the SB5c Beti weighs in at less than 25 pounds for a size small, and, combined with a suspension that’s very efficient under pedaling, it gobbles up climbs well enough that I wouldn’t think twice about jumping into a local XC race. A RockShox Reverb dropper seatpost and smooth-shifting SRAM X01 1x11 drivetrain round out what is easily one of the best and most lustworthy women’s mountain bikes of 2016.
Related: 6 Highly Anticipated Bikes of 2016
Buy it Now: $6,899 at Competitive Cyclist
More info: Yeticycles.com
Yeti SB5c BETI, $6899.00, $6,899 at Competitive Cyclist
Ibis Ripley 29 LS
Not long after the Ibis Ripley received a Bicycling Editors’ Choice award in 2015, Ibis changed it. It’s okay, though—the new Ripley has some nice upgrades that make it one of the best mountain bikes of 2016. The new model comes with better pivot internals, a lower seat mast that accommodates more dropper posts, better tire clearance, nifty chain-slap protectors, a threaded BB (the previous version used a press-fit design), and a Boost 148 option. All those small refinements should make an excellent bike even better. For 2016, Ibis also offers another option, the Ripley LS. The new version has updated geometry with a longer reach, slacker head angle (67.5 vs. 69.2), lower bottom bracket, and longer wheelbase. We loved the 2015 version, but the LS, so far, seems even nicer.
Buy it Now: $5,899 at Competitive Cyclist
More info: Ibiscycles.com
Ibis Ripley 29er LS, $5899.00, $4,000 at Competitive Cyclist
Spot Rollik
Known for its hardtails and urban bikes, Spot has an impressive-looking new 140mm carbon frame, the Spot Rollik. (There’s also a 160mm version called the Yobbo.) Both bikes have a dual-link suspension design that looks like the DW-Link system used by Ibis, Pivot, and Turner, but there’s a small difference: The rear pivot of the lower link uses a composite leaf spring instead of a ball-bearing and axle. Spot claims that the design requires less maintenance, is stiffer and lighter, and improves suspension performance. Frames are in the low $3,000 range, and complete builds start in the low $6,000s.
Price: varies
More info: Spotbrand.com
Spot Rollik
Marin Attack Trail 9
After releasing a number of new road, cross, and adventure bikes, Marin’s most exciting model for 2016 is this new mountain bike. The Attack Trail 9 is a 27.5-inch, 150mm bike with a dual-link suspension design, carbon front triangle, and enduro-y parts, such as a wide bar, short stem, SRAM X01 1x11 drivetrain and KS LEV dropper seatpost. The Bos suspension really stands out: The small French brand is not widely available in the US, but they know what’s up. Bos' founder, Olivier Bossard, was the suspension guru who tuned and built for the two greatest downhill racers of all time: Nicolas Vouilloz and Anne-Caroline Chausson.
Price: $6,599
More info: Marinbikes.com
Marin Attack Trail 9, $6599.00
GT Verb Expert
The GT Verb Expert looks like it should cost way more than it does: Rarely do you see so many premium components on a bike that runs $1,650. The 27.5-inch, full-suspension bike has 120mm of travel, comes with a Shimano 2x10 drivetrain and hydraulic disc brakes, Maxxis tires, WTB tubeless-ready rims, and a RockShox fork with front and rear lockout. The rear suspension design is a simplified riff on GT’s Independent Drivetrain system, which floats the cranks independently of the rear triangle to limit the effect of pedaling forces on suspension movement.
Related: How to Buy a Bike for Less than $1,000
But it Now: $1,199 at Competitive Cyclist
More info: Gtbicycles.com
GT Verb Expert, $1630.00, $1,199 at Performance Bike
Jamis Defcon 2
The Defcon is Jamis’ new 160mm, 27.5-inch bike for trail riding and enduro racing, and definitely one of the best mountain bikes of 2016. It has a 66.5-degree head-tube angle and short 17.1-inch chainstays. All its pivots are equipped with brand-name Enduro bearings. The frame has internal routing, including ports for a dropper post, a tapered head tube and a threaded bottom-bracket shell. Jamis offers three models that are based on the same frame. The mid-priced option, the Defcon 2, has a RockShox fork and shock, SRAM 1x11 drivetrain, SRAM Guide brakes, and a KS dropper post.
Price: $3,799
More info: Jamisbikes.com
Jamis Defcon 2, $3799.00
Juliana Furtado
The 2015 Juliana Furtado was a nice bike: more capable than an XC model, but with 125mm of VPP-controlled rear-wheel suspension, it had less travel than a pure trail model. We rode it, and we liked it. But among our test group, it was somewhat overshadowed by the queen bee in Juliana’s line, the 150mm-travel Roubion. But the 2016 Juliana Furtado has taken some notes from its bad-girl big sister and is back with a fiercer attitude and a head-turning Spearmint paint job. The bike has 130mm of travel, a one-degree slacker head angle, shorter rear end, longer top tube, and an aggressively wide 760mm handlebar. This is the grown-up, takes-less-shit version of the Furtado. From our initial test rides, we can say that it’s more capable on steep, high-speed, and rocky terrain, yet remains quick—and quick-handling—enough to clock some decent times on fast, twisty, and flowy stuff, too. Juliana sells the bike in multiple component packages that cost between $3,599 and $8,699.
Buy it Now: $4,699 at Competitive Cyclist
More info: Julianabicycles.com
Juliana Furtado, $4699.00, $4,699 at Competitive Cyclist
Rocky Mountain Blizzard -50
For years, Rocky Mountain had a model called the Blizzard. At the time, it seemed like a strange name for a mountain bike. But when the fat bike trend took off, the company's product managers took full advantage of that trademark. The -50’s aluminum frame has a 100mm BB and 197mm rear-axle spacing that provide clearance for the 4.7-inch tires. Up front, Rocky gives it a 120mm RockShox Bluto fork for squishing though the snow—and rocks, and mud, and almost any other type of terrain. Rocky even adds mounts to the main triangle for frame bags, making it easier to equip the Blizzard for overnight adventures.
Price: $2,599
More info: Bikes.com
Rocky Mountain Blizzard -50, $2599.00
Alchemy Arktos
From out of nowhere, Alchemy, a brand known for custom carbon road bikes, dropped this six-inch-travel, carbon, full-suspension enduro bike. The front triangle is made in the USA at Alchemy, while the rear end comes from overseas. The Alchemy Arktos' geometry is enduro-ready: 66.5-degree head angle, 17.2-inch chainstays, 13.6 inch-high bottom bracket. The dual-link Sine suspension was designed by Dave Earle, who worked on Santa Cruz’s VPP and Yeti’s Switch designs. Alchemy offers the striking two-tone paint in 12 color choices. If that’s not enough, Alchemy offers custom paint options. The frame and rear shock start at $3,799.
Price: $3,799
More info: Alchemybicycles.com
Alchemy Arktos, $3750.00
Felt Decree 3
With all the attention given to enduro bikes, 29ers, and bikes with plus-size wheels, it’s easy to overlook everyday trail bikes. To make sure you take notice of one of the best mountain bikes of 2016, Felt paints this light and agile 27.5 model fluorescent red and yellow. The 140mm frame uses a simple, light, single-pivot suspension, and the frame features a relaxed head angle (66.5 degrees with 150mm fork) and short 16.9-inch chainstays. The Decree 3 comes with a Shimano 1x11 drivetrain, Shimano disc brakes, and a KS dropper post.
Price: $4,499
More info: Feltbicycles.com
Felt Decree 3, $4499.00
Trek Fuel EX 9 29
We loved the Trek Fuel EX29 and were concerned when Trek announced that it was redesigning the model for 2016. But the new bike looks to have everything we love, in a more capable package. The 2016 version has a slacker head angle, shorter chainstays, improved tire clearance, and a stiffer frame. Trek replaced its signature two-chamber DRCV shock with a simpler, high-volume Fox EVOL shock that retains Trek’s proprietary regressive damper. The EX 9 29 is the top aluminum model and comes with a SRAM 1x11 drivetrain, Fox Float 34 fork, and RockShox Reverb dropper post.
Price: $4,000
More info: Trekbikes.com
Trek Fuel EX 9 29
Turner RFX
The RFX is Turner’s 160mm-travel trail bike, and only the second carbon model the company has produced. The 6.5-pound (claimed weight) frame has a custom 49/62mm tapered head tube and headset cups that allow riders to adjust the head angle by 1.5 degrees (65 degrees is its slackest setting). Like other Turner models, it uses the DW-Link suspension system, which has proven over the years to be one of the best available. Turner sells the frame for $2,995 and complete bikes cost between $4,573 and $6,533.
Price: $4,573 to $6,533
More info: Turnerbikes.com
Turner RFX, $4573.00
Specialized Rhyme FSR Comp 6Fattie
When Specialized updated its popular Stumpjumper trail bike in 2016, it gave the frame more travel, beefed up the main triangle for stiffness, shortened the rear end for nimbler handling, and improved the climbing efficiency of its FSR suspension. The women’s Specialized Rhyme, launched in April, shares the same frame, with female-friendly parts like the Specialized Body Geometry women’s Myth saddle. When we rode the 150mm-travel, 27.5-inch-wheeled Rhyme 6Fattie on the fast and windy trails of Rotorua, New Zealand, we found that it delivered on the promise of being descent-capable, whippy, and crazy-fun. The 6Fattie version features Specialized’s take on the 27.5-plus mountain bike tire trend, with 3-inch tires that enable the rider to run lower pressures than on a typical 2.1- to 2.4-inch tire. When we tested the men’s Stumpy 6Fattie, our tester found himself crawling up steep trails he’d normally have to walk. More riding, less hiking? We’re in.
Price: $3,500
More info: Specialized.com
Whichever bike you choose, here's how to set your shock sag:
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