As someone who loves to soundtrack my rides, the Apple AirPods range is my choice as the best headphones for cycling. While they usually carry a premium price tag, Amazon's Prime Day sales have seen the latest Apple AirPods Pro 3 slashed by $70, dropping these top-tier earbuds to an incredible $179. That is their lowest ever price and smashes their 2025 launch price of $249.

Get the Apple AirPods Pro 3 right now for just $179 at Amazon.

Prime Day wraps up at midnight tonight, June 26th, and these AirPods deals with it, so grab them while you can. Below you'll find the details on AirPod Pro 3 and also the AirPod 4 with deal from Amazon US and UK.

Prime Day runs from June 23rd to June 26th. As always, there are plenty of cycling deals to be had, and our Amazon Prime Day 2026 bike deals page will be the place to find all the best deals.

The Apple AirPods Pro 3 see a big jump forward over their predecessors, for cyclists the built-in heart rate sensing lets you track your heart rate and calories burned with up to 50 different workout types.

Apple also claims to have improved the sound quality with three-dimensional audio and a new acoustic architecture, which is claimed to deliver transformed bass, detailed clarity so you can hear every instrument and stunningly vivid vocals.

Having used both the AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods Pro 2, there is noticeable improvement in sound quality, but it's the heart rate tracking which is particularly useful for cyclists. Battery life remains much the same at around 7-8 hrs.

If you are already plugged into the Apple ecosystem, the instant, seamless pairing across your devices is a massive quality-of-life bonus too. That said, they are fully compatible with any standard Bluetooth device, meaning you can easily pair them directly to your bike computer for hassle-free heart rate tracking, audio cues and music on the fly.

Below you'll find the best Apple AirPods deals for your location and currency.

Be sure to check out our Prime Day 2026 Live ticker, and there you'll find all the best cycling deals as they appear.

Eurobike is back. Though not as I or many others remember it.

At one point, it looked like the show might not go ahead at all, but in the end, it has returned, albeit in a much smaller capacity, and there was still plenty of new tech on display to check out.

The event now uses only three halls and even these were far from full, compared to seven or more in previous years. As someone who has attended the show on and off for fifteen years, I found this rather melancholic. It's an event that everyone likes to complain about, but it was always a great chance to meet up with the rest of the industry from around the world in one place. Alas, times change, but despite this, there was still some great stuff on show.

Having roamed the halls, here are my top five highlights.

1. New Canyon Aeroad CFR

Canyon wasn't shy about its latest race bike, the Aerroad CFR. "The fastest Tour de France bike you can buy." That's a line touted by many an aero bike builder, but this one is at least backed by test results from Tour magazine that put it under the elusive 200W barrier, and putting it ahead of everything else currently in the pro peloton. Time will tell how well it fares in our own testing, though; keep your eyes peeled.

Calling it a new bike feels a bit of a stretch, though, as all of the changes and improvements come from using a different handlebar. It now features UDH (Universal Derailleur Hanger) compatibility, and more seatpost options are available, too, making it much easier to get your ideal fit.

The handlebar has been used by Mathieu van der Poel and his teammates all season and is available aftermarket at £598, should you want to upgrade your existing Aerroad.

The catchily titled CP0053 is said to be 120g lighter than the outgoing version and to save two watts, with a forward-sweeping design and flared drops. Canyon make some lofty claims on how much this new bar saves with the rider, claiming the longer lower position could save up to 24 watts (assuming, of course, the lower position works for you and you can stay in it, which is no mean feat for most of us).

2. Ridley's unnamed gravel racer

The prototype for this was first spotted at the Traka by our own Will Jones back in April, and it now looks much closer to production-ready, proudly on display on the Ridley stand. We assume it'll be the new Kanzo, but it doesn't yet have an official name.

It's a striking-looking beast, and ticks all of the current gravel racers' want lists. Aero, wide tyre clearance (up to 58mm apparently), frame storage and an aggressive position similar to top-end road bikes. The display bike featured SRAM Force 1x13 (does anyone still run a double chainring in gravel?) and had a neat Wolf Tooth chain guide as well as a sharp-looking Forza one-piece cockpit with narrow lever position and flared drops. The wheels look like something new, too, with deep rims and 27mm internal rim bed, CeramicSpeed-equipped hubs, and carbon spokes. They're named the Forza Sikonros and could be a good, fast option with wider rubber.

3. Eddy Merckx 525R

On the same stand was the Eddy Merckx 525R, which takes a thoroughly different approach to going fast. It has a lot of the things you'd expect, like a nine-watt saving over the original, tyre clearance for 34mm and a sub-kilo frame weight. But what makes this interesting is its approach to fit geometry.

By steepening the seat angle and raising the stack, they've created an aero bike that still lets the rider get in an aero position, but one that's far more comfortable for us mere mortals to hold. There is some clever geometry manipulation going on here, and good use of the revised UCI regulations, too, which means they have moved the saddle position further forward to open up the hip angle, which is becoming an increasingly common way to get faster on the bike.

Elsewhere, you'll see aero features common on lots of other bikes, like a deep head tube and aero tube shapes throughout, but combined with its fresh take on fit geometry, this could be one of the surprises of all of the latest generation of aero bikes.

4. Megamo Upon

Avinox, the e-bike arm of DJi, drew plenty of attention this year with its new concept motor, combining an E-bike motor and gearbox, but it was the use of its current 2nd-series motor on the Megamo Upon that caught my eye.

Most E-road bikes approach the motor in the same way, trying to hide it as much as possible. Both in terms of looks and function, but the Upon is different. Looks-wise, Megamo has done a very good job of packaging the full power motor and 600Wh battery. You can still tell it's an e-bike at first glance, but it's far from the early monstrosities the Eurobike was often full of.

Power is where it differs greatly, though. Normally, bike brands will spec either a lighter-spec version with less torque or a specific motor designed to give a softer feel on drop-bar E-bikes. The idea being that you don't really notice the motor and still feel like it's your effort propelling you forward, more of a gentle assist than you would find on a full-power e-MTB, for instance. But not here. This uses the same high-powered motor as their MTB line, offering up to 1500 watts of peak power.

I'd say watch out Jasper Philipsen, but his is limited to 25 km/h in Europe, so don't expect to be dominating any sprints on it. It should make light work of steep climbs, though. It's an interesting approach, and one to keep an eye on.

5. Gusto's new GTG gravel prototype

And finally, a bike from a brand you might not have heard of, but one ridden by someone in his younger years, you certainly will know.

Gusto are a Taiwanese brand that offers great value road bikes, but unlike many others, has been involved in the European race scene for some time, sponsoring a certain Tadej Pogačar when he first joined the peloton. In fact, he now personally sponsors the second division team that still runs the Gusto bikes.

The brand had a new gravel bike on display outside in the sweltering heat. Details were a bit scarce, but it looked like it follows many of the aesthetics and details found on its current road bike, the GTR and added all the features you'd expect of a gravel bike; plenty of tyre clearance, a one-piece cockpit and a suitably aggressive position, and some new gravel-specific wheels too.

The brand says it expects to launch the bike fully later this year, but if its road range is anything to go by, I'd expect it to be sharp-handling and extremely well priced.

The soaring temperatures sweeping the UK may mean it's too hot to work up a sweat out on a ride; however, it's a great time to give your bike a deep clean. Water dries off rapidly in these conditions, so it's far less likely to hang around and corrode any componentry. I've been washing my bikes during the evening and may have liberally chucked the water around to keep myself cool during the process, too.

As well as a water supply, you'll of course need some decent cleaning equipment, so here's a seriously good Amazon Prime Day cycling deal on Muc-Off's 8-in-1 Bike Cleaning Kit.

Get 40% off the Muc-Off 8-in-1 Bike Cleaning Kit and pay just £29.99.

Shop all Amazon deals.

Prime Day runs from June 23 to June 26. As always, there are plenty of cycling deals to be had, and our Amazon Prime Day 2026 bike deals page will be the place to find all the best deals.

This kit consists of Muc-Off Nano Tech Bike Cleaner, Muc-Off Bike Spray, a microcell sponge, soft washing brush, detailing brush, claw brush, two-prong brush, and a storage tub to keep it all in.

It's a comprehensive cleaning set that's got everything you need to reach all the nooks and crannies on your bike, whether you ride road, gravel, or MTB. If you don't have a decent lube already, I'd also recommend a bottle of the best bike chain lube. I clean and relube my chain every time I give my bike a thorough wash.

Muc-Off's Nano Tech Bike Cleaner is one of the best bike cleaners on the market and is excellent at shifting dirt and grime. Unlike generic cleaners, it won't damage your paintwork or harm delicate components.

The Muc-Off Bike Spray included with the 8-in-1 kit is a handy light lube for protecting certain components and metalwork. Be sure to keep it away from brake callipers, brake discs, or wheel rims (if you're running rim brakes), as getting lube on those vital components will seriously hinder their performance, and it's almost impossible to remove.

For lots more money-saving offers, see our Amazon Prime Day cycling deals main article and our live Prime Day bike deals blog. We'll be on the case, scouring the online retail giant for the best deals for cyclists until Amazon Prime Day ends at midnight this Friday.

Garmin is the leading brand when it comes to the best cycling watches, and one of its flagship GPS smartwatches, the Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2), is currently discounted by $500 to just $499.99, from the usual $999.99.

Amazon Prime Day 2026 draws to an end tomorrow, and although it's not quite been the bargain bonanza of Black Friday, this Garmin deal is, without doubt, the standout deal so far.

Shop the Garmin Epix Pro Sapphire Edition discounted by $500 at Amazon.

This is the lowest price we've ever seen on the Epix Pro this year, with the previous best being $549.99 back in March, and with the generally hovering around the full RRP of $999.99, this is a significant saving for anyone looking for an Amazon smartwatch deal.

However, Amazon has this marked as a limited-time deal, and although Amazon doesn't actually say when it ends, we'd expect that to be at the end of the Prime Day sales.

Prime Day runs from June 23rd to June 26th. As always, there are plenty of cycling deals to be had, and our Amazon Prime Day 2026 bike deals page will be the place to find all the best deals.

This Garmin Epix deal is only on the Pro Sapphire Edition (47mm) and comes in two colour choices: either Carbon Grey DLC Titanium w/ Black Band or Titanium with Whitestone Band.

The Epix has a long list of smartwatch features that are ideal for cycling and multi-sport use, too. It includes a stunning AMOLED display and a scratch-resistant sapphire lens with a titanium bezel, making it highly durable. The bright AMOLED display is also a cycling box ticker, and ensures all your on-the-go cycling stats are easy to read, along with that extensive battery life and multi-band GNSS technology for highly accurate navigation.

There's no solar charging on the Epix but the battery life is claimed at a huge 16 days, so even for forgetful chargers, it'll have your back.

Garmin is renowned for producing groundbreaking cycling tech, and the Garmin cycling range holds top spots in our best cycling tech buying advice, including the best GPS bike computers, plus the best power meters, smart lights with rearview radar, and of course, smartwatches.

Below you'll find the best Garmin Epix deals for your location and currency.

Be sure to check out our Prime Day 2026 Live ticker, and there you'll find all the best cycling deals as they appear.

We're currently in the throes of a four-day Amazon Prime Day deal event, and this year, the behemoth retailer appears to have it in for bike computers.

Among our hunt for the best Prime Day cycling deals, we've already uncovered a host of Wahoo Elemnt computer deals in the UK, an incredible price on the Hammerhead Karoo 3, and even a deal on the iGPSport BiNavi, a budget contender to the big boys.

Now it's the turn of Garmin, whose Edge computers are hitting all-time-low prices thanks to Amazon, which actually seems to have it in for all Garmin tech, with radars, smartwatches and even power meter pedals getting the cut-price treatment.

The deals we've found cover six different models across all price brackets, from the navigation-friendly Edge Explore 2, through the 540, 550, 840 and 540, up to the bells-and-whistles Edge 1050.

Shop all Garmin cycling tech at Amazon.com.

The price war

If there's any good thing to come from the sheer size that Amazon has grown to, it's that when it runs a sale event like Prime Day, other retailers take notice and, as has happened here, they price match.

As you'll see in the prices listed above, many of the US retailers such as Jenson, Competitive Cyclist and REI have matched the Amazon price down to the cent. If you'd prefer to shop at any of the more cycling-specific retailers, you can do so without being forced to pay more.

In the UK, Balfe's Bikes has actually gone one step further and undercut the giant on a couple of the models.

US brand Tifosi makes a massive range of sun, sports, and safety glasses that cover everything from golf to pickleball. There are a ton of options to choose from its cycling range, and the Sledge tested here is one of the brand's best sunglasses for MTB.

Design and specifications

The full framed Sledge glasses I was testing came with three lenses (Clear, AC Red, and Smoke) covering a range of light conditions from night riding to full sun. Though other Sledge models come with different lens options. The lenses have cutaways in the upper edge to aid ventilation and are pretty straightforward to pop in and out of the frame. The frames are made using Grilamid TR-90 – a polycarbonate known for stress and weathering resistance – with a rubberised section running from mid-way down the arms to the tips.

The frames measure 144mm wide by 59mm deep, while the arms measure 120 from the edge of the frame to the tip. The frames and a single lens weigh in at 38g.

Performance

I've ridden wearing the Sledge glasses in all kinds of light conditions, all weathers, temperatures ranging from freezing to baking, and on a number of different bike types. The three lenses supplied basically have you covered for every light condition, but I mostly used the clear lens (for night rides and dark winter days) and the AC Red for pretty much everything else. The red lens did an excellent job of removing harsh light without darkening my vision and was ideal for mixed conditions where I was riding in and out of wooded sections – where the darker Smoke lens proved to be too much.

The glasses stayed in place well without causing any tightness on the sides of my head from the arms like some models can. The Sledge specs also played nicely with all the MTB helmets I tried, even the ones with a deeper fit that have had compatibility issues with some other models I've tested.

The only negative for me is that they were prone to misting up more than most from sweat when slowing and stopping This was probably down to the full frames sitting very close to my cheekbones and eye sockets which left little room for ventilation from below. However, the close fit also meant that trail debris getting behind the lens was an extremely rare event – even in properly filthy winter conditions where mud and roost were flying everywhere.

Verdict

In terms of value, the Sledge sunglasses are very hard to beat. They look good, are tough and comfortable, and work well in every light condition. The propensity to fog up when working hard at slower speeds – particularly in the cold – isn't ideal, but it could be sorted by pulling the glasses away from my face a little. Overall, the fogging isn't a deal breaker for me though and I'd still highly recommend the glasses given everything else they offer and their maximum-bangs-per-buck price tag.

If you're in the UK, have spoken to anyone in the UK, or watched any news pertaining to the UK this week, you'll be well aware that we're all hiding indoors away from the heat.

That giant fiery ball in the sky that we so long for throughout the other 11 months of the year has finally shown its face, and now we don't know how to cope. But naturally, like true Brits, we do what we can to muddle through.

Compared to the general population, there's a subsection of cyclists that, in my opinion, are pretty well equipped at staying cool when the mercury rises, and that's the indoor cycling crowd; Zwifters, TrainerRoaders, MyWhooshers, FulGazzers and the like. Our hobby literally entails finding ways to keep cool while we ride our bikes.

Over the years, I've had dozens of products, hacks and techniques pass across my desk to help in this aim. I've had various fans, core body temperature sensors, continuous misting devices, I've even had cycling kit with small pockets into which you can put ice packs. And I've learned techniques such as a wet towel draped around my neck and a damp cap on my head to help with evaporative cooling.

But of all those and more, there's one I'm using right now as I type this that is doing an excellent job of keeping me cool, and that's the Wahoo Kickr Headwind fan that I've had since 2019. And luck would have it, it's currently on sale among the Amazon Prime Day cycling deals with 15% off!

Get 15% off the Wahoo Kickr Headwind fan with next-day delivery at Amazon

What is the Kickr Headwind?

To put it simply, the Kickr Headwind is a fan, but to leave it at that would be to sell it miles short.

More specifically, it's a smart fan specifically designed for indoor cycling.

In that context, it can be connected to your workout to automatically adjust the wind speed between four levels based on your riding speed (in a virtual world, of course), your heart rate, or your power output.

But it can also be controlled manually between four wind speeds via buttons on the front of the fan itself, or you can select the speed as a percentage of max (meaning 100 different options) via the Wahoo smartphone app.

And speaking of the max, it can send wind across your room at up to 30mph. That's four times faster than the £600 Dyson AM07.

It delivers air in a fairly narrow direction of travel as it's designed to maximise coverage over the shape of a cyclist. But this means it's really good at moving air across a room from a distance, or in my current case, down my hallway and into my office.

Does it have any downsides?

It's worth noting that the Kickr Headwind isn't a silent fan by any means. It's quieter than the floor-standing industrial fan I also have at home, but louder than the higher-end Shark or Dyson fans.

It also won't oscillate like many of the aforementioned brands' models or those intended for generic at-home use.

Its fold-out rear feet let you adjust the angle, but only from a simple low- to high- angle. There's no finite angle adjustment, and I often find myself reaching for a few books to prop up the front or back legs to adjust the angle when I want to direct the airflow to a specific height.

Wahoo Kickr Headwind vs Elite Aria

I also have the Elite Aria indoor cycling fan at home, and on comparing the two against each other in today's conditions, it's clear which is the better unit.

The Aria does a similar job of cooling you in close quarters when riding a bike. And it's got a smaller footprint, so when cycling, I can actually put it on the desk next to my laptop, meaning it's usually less than three feet away from my face.

But it doesn't have the same total power or narrow field of airflow as the Kickr Headwind. This might seem like a good thing for moving air around the house more broadly in a heatwave, but I've found it simply means it moves less air in total, and circulates air around a smaller area when used in an open-plan space.

Whilst doing some snooping among the sales for our Prime Day cycling deals hub, I came across a bike computer on sale that I have been testing recently, and it might just be a bit of a game-changer thanks to its very competitive price and solid performance.

iGPSPORT is a Chinese brand whose profile gained traction this year when it began sponsoring WorldTour team Groupama-FDJ United.

I've been testing the brand's BiNavi model, which is one of its navigation-focused models, though I'd just call it an all-rounder with a lot of the same specs as the best bike computers that I am pitting it against.

Head straight to Amazon to buy the iGPSport BiNavi

Setup was easy, and so was the accompanying app. I also had no issue pairing my sensors, etc.

The BiNavi, specifically the 3.5" size screen version, is on sale in the UK and US, and what may draw your attention is its very competitive price point. Under £170 in the UK and just over $200 in the US.

Specs-wise, the unit weighs just over 100 grams, has a 3.5" colour touch screen, accompanying app, Strava, Komoot and TrainingPeaks integration, smartphone music control, Core sensor and smart light compatibility, IPX7 waterproof rating, the list goes on, but the point is it stands up against more expensive, better-known competition.

I've been surprised and impressed in testing. The BiNavi is performing strongly so far for the money, and could be a serious rival to more established brands.

The only negative so far for me is that the screen isn't quite as bright or vivid as something like Garmin Edge 550 or Hammerhead Karoo.

If you're considering a new computer and don't want to spend a premium, in my opinion, it's at least worth investigating. When was the last time you saw a unit like this at this price? Head below to see some images of my own test unit.

The best cycling glasses have come a long way, with the likes of the Oakley Vanguard smart glasses coming loaded with features that would be more at home in the best bike computers, with a price tag to match.

This example of smart tech in sunglasses will most likely be the future for sports sunglasses, but at $500, I'll happily pass on those for now.

For Amazon Prime Day, it's one of Oakley's most iconic sunglasses, the legendary Oakley Jawbreaker, that I’ve found with a massive discount. You can grab a pair of Jawbreaker sunglasses for $174.95; a huge 35% discount and a saving of $93.

Get Oakley Jawbreaker Sunglasses with $93 off at Amazon.

This is one of the lowest prices I've ever seen on these Oakley sunglasses, beating the previous best from Black Friday last year. At this price, there is no better time to grab a pair of what are iconic models, that have been worn by the equally iconic Mark Cavendish throughout the majority of his career.

They might not help you sprint as well as the Manx Missile, but they look very cool, and that's what's made the Oakley Jawbreaker stand the test of time as one of the best cycling sunglasses ever made.

Below I've listed the details and prices of the best Oakley Jawbreaker deals on Amazon, plus our current best overall choice, the Oakley Encoders, and just in case you feel like breaking the bank, the Oakley Meta Vanguard.

Prime Day runs from June 23 to June 26. As always, there are plenty of cycling deals to be had, and our Amazon Prime Day 2026 bike deals page will be the place to find all the best deals.

Below you'll find the best Oakley deals for your location and currency.

Be sure to check out our Prime Day 2026 Live ticker, and there you'll find all the best cycling deals as they appear.

In the crowded best bike computer market, the leading devices that dominate our tried-and-tested buying advice are from Garmin and Wahoo.

The Amazon Prime Day sales are live, and you can now pick up serious discounts across the latest Wahoo Elemnt bike computer range. The Bolt, Roam, and Ace all have reductions for Prime Day of up to 18% off.

It makes them attractive purchases if you're upgrading from a budget cycling computer, or even delving into the bike computer market for the first time.

Shop the Wahoo Elemnt Bike Computer Range with up to $85 off for Amazon Prime Day.

The Cyclingnews tech experts have put nearly every bike computer through rigorous testing, and our recommendation as the best overall is the Garmin Edge 1050. However, for us, Wahoo and its Elemnt range are serious challengers to that Garmin crown.

Below I've listed the details and prices of these Wahoo deals, and a handy comparison table with key features to help you choose the right device for you.

And talking of cycling deals, with three days still to go, our Prime Day 2026 Live ticker is the place to find all the best deals as we find them.

Below you'll find the best Wahoo Elemnt deals for your location and currency.

Be sure to check out our Prime Day 2026 Live ticker, and there you'll find all the best deals as they appear.

I'd previously never been a fan of photochromic lensed sunglasses for mountain biking. While they're quick to darken, every lens I'd tried was too slow to clear once I'd entered a dimly-lit area such as the woods. The Rudy Project Cutline glasses with their ImpactX 2Laser Red lens changed all that though and are definitely one of the best mountain bike sunglasses I've ever tested.

Design and specifications

Rudy Project's Cutline sunglasses come in a wide range of frame and lens options. I've been testing the Matte Black frames with the ImpactX 2Black lens ImpactX along with a 2Laser Red lens – available separately.

The semi-flexible lenses are said to be unbreakable "for life", though the warranty is for two years. ImpactX lenses are made using "patented polyurethane optical polymers" which Rudy Project says results in a lens that's lighter than polycarbonate and plastic alternatives. The lenses are also treated with a number of different anti-reflective and hydrophobic layers and coatings, they're also vented with four slots in the upper part of each lens.

The frames are a mixture of stiff (arms and hinges) and flexible (everywhere else) rubberised plastic. The nose piece can be adjusted to suit, and the total weight for the glasses is an average 36g. If you want to lighten the load on your face or change your look, you can convert the full-frames to half-frame or barely any frame, as the top and two bottom sections can be removed individually. You can also customise your glasses by buying a frame kit of a different colour and swapping out the interchangeable parts.

There's plenty of flex in the glasses and the arms point slightly inwards to softly grip the sides of your head, while the tips of the arms turn slightly outward.

Performance

I've been testing the Cutline glasses for many months in a wide range of riding and light conditions and have been seriously impressed. The glasses feel secure yet light and comfortable, and have worked well with every helmet I've tried them with. Lens quality is top notch and the glasses are big enough so as not to impair your vision in any way.

The supplied 2Black lens works well in open riding conditions. However, like every photochromic model I've tried, it's too slow to return to clear when entering darker sections of trail – which forces you to drop your pace for the four minutes or so that the lens takes to react to the dimmer light.

Switching to the additional 2Laser Red lens (sold separately but also available with different frames) made a huge difference though. Red lenses work well in shady woodland conditions, so the time it takes for the lens to lose its tint has never been an issue even when plunging from full sun to forest darkness.

I've been really impressed with how tough the ImpactX lens is too. The Cutlines have been regularly splattered with winter filth, stuffed into packs and pockets while already dirty and without their soft case, but remain scratch and mark-free after many months of riding.

Almost as impressive is how resistant they are to fogging. I've had zero issues with them at lower temperatures, but have had occasional mild fogging when working hard on slow climbs during hot days. The lens clears as soon as more air moves past them though and I've yet to ride in a pair of glasses that never fog up at some point.

Verdict

Rudy Project's Cutline glasses with an ImpactX 2Laser Red photochromic lens are an excellent option for almost all light conditions. In fact, the only time I've taken them off to see more clearly has been in wooded trails when riding after dark – as there is still a minuscule tint in the lens even at its clearest.

Scratch resistance on these glasses is second to none. The Cutlines have been properly mistreated but there's not a mark on the lens.

One very minor point is that you can't actually buy the Matte Black Cutline with the 2Laser Red lens I've tested here unless you shell out for an additional lens. However, it is available with the red/back Carbonium frame option and both models come with the same $269.99 / £219.99 / €254.90 price tag.

The rise of mini electric pumps means it could well be game over for the dear old conventional mini pump. These tiny, portable devices are easier to carry while you ride and do away with having to pump like a maniac to reach your desired tyre pressure when you get a flat.

I started using the Cycplus AS2 mini electric pump last year, and since then, my selection of standard mini pumps have been gathering dust in my garage.

There are a number of mini electric pumps on the market these days. While some are cheaper than the AS2, it's a model that's never let me down and has saved many rides from deflating disasters. Now you can pick one up for less than $50 or £50.

US – save $21.57 on the Cycplus AS2 and pay just $48.42.

UK – get a £20.74 saving on the Cycplus AS2 and pay just £49.25.

Shop all Amazon deals.

Measuring just 4.6 x 2.8 x 6.4cm (1.8 x 1.1 x 2.5in), the AS2 easily fits in the palm of your hand. At just 97g (3.4oz), it won't weigh down your jersey pocket or riding pack, and I've even stuck mine in a trouser pocket on casual rides and commutes.

Prime Day runs from June 23 to June 26. As always, there are plenty of cycling deals to be had, and our Amazon Prime Day 2026 bike deals page will be the place to find all the best deals.

To use the AS2, I usually connect the unit directly to a valve stem. It does come with an inflation hose though, which comes in handy if the space between your wheel spokes is on the tight side.

The maximum pressure the AS2 can provide is 100psi, which is impressive for a tiny unit. In my testing, it took the AS2 just 60 seconds to inflate a 700c tyre to 50psi. It also has far less vibration than some of its competitors, so it's easier to hold in place while you inflate. It's not overly loud while it operates either.

Recharging the pump's internal battery takes around 20 minutes. A full charge should be enough for two 700x25c inflations, but I'd recommend recharging the AS2 after every use. The pump comes with a silicone sleeve, a splash-proof pouch, and a USB-C charging cable.

For lots more money-saving offers, see our Amazon Prime Day cycling deals main article and our live Prime Day bike deals blog. We'll be on the case, scouring the online retail giant for the best deals for cyclists until Amazon Prime Day ends at midnight this Friday.

We’re definitely spoiled for choice when it comes to 100%’s eyewear. There are 14 different lines within the Sport Performance range – that’s even before you start to consider the spread of goggles or more fashion-orientated specs. Then, as well as the Speedcraft SLs we’ve been testing, there’s also the standard Speedcraft range, Speedcraft XS models for smaller faces and the Speedcraft Air which includes tech that allows wearers to control their level of nasal dilation. Oh, and they all come in a ton of different frame and lens combinations.

With loads of other brands around, it's not just 100% that give you an overwhelming number of options when it comes to choosing new eyewear, but handily we've done some of the hard work for you with our guide to the best mountain bike sunglasses. We recommend having a look at that once you've read through our 100% Speedcraft SL review.

Design

There’s not much to choose between the original Speedcraft glasses and the SL versions tested here. However, the SL models are designed with a shorter lens and a more compact nose bridge to better suit smaller faces such as mine.

The package comes in a robust hardcase that zips open and closed. Inside are stowage slots for the Speedcraft frames with their red mirrored lens (HiPER Red Multilayer Mirror Lens+ to be more precise) and the included clear lens, plus a softcase and spare rubber nose grip.

The shape of the flat-edged (which presumably give aero micro-gains for our roadie chums) Speedcraft frame is continuously curved and has a slightly rubberized finish with soft black arm tips for additional comfort and grip. The finish of the half-framed lens is mirrored but not completely opaque and gives off cool looking red-orange reflections.

Performance

The Speedcraft SLs feel very light on your face and, despite feeling super-secure, there’s no noticeable tension behind the ears from the soft rubber-tipped arms. With their half-frames and large lens, you get a fantastic and almost completely uninterrupted field of vision – even the nose piece is almost invisible.

The clarity of the mirrored orange/red lens tested (loads of other tints are available) is excellent and gives a completely consistent view across your full range of vision. A hydrophobic and oleophobic finish means that water or oily fingerprints shouldn’t stick to the lens. In practice, this means that larger water drops rapidly run off, leaving only a trail of tiny droplets that are invisible to the wearer. Finger marks do occur on the lens, but they are relatively easy to wipe away.

The mirrored lens tint is relatively light and does a great job of removing glare and improving contrast rather than giving a darker field of vision. Colours are more muted than on comparable Oakley mirrored lenses, though they are still a touch on the heavy side for riding in heavily wooded trails or low light conditions.

I’ve worn the Speedcrafts in temperatures around zero to just into double figures and, like any glasses, they can occasionally mist up when you’re working hard. Due to the open design of the bottom of the lens and the amount of air between lens and face, they clear up in moments though.

Despite the slightly fragile appearance of the half-frames, the Speedcraft SLs have proved themselves to be surprisingly robust. Despite several crashes in them on woody trails, the lens itself is still scratch-free after months of riding. Perhaps white frames are not the wisest choice for off-road use though, as my test pair now have a slightly brown hue in places due to various mud splats and handling them with dirty riding gloves. Fortunately, the Speedcraft frames come in several other colours, though we’d definitely recommend black.

Verdict

The 100% Speedcraft SL is a premium piece of eyewear and one of the best riding glasses I’ve ever tested. The overall package is a comprehensive one and helps make these top-end glasses a worthy investment.

The lens is not ideal for low-light conditions, but then again, they are sunglasses and also come with a clear lens. Our only real concern relates more to the mucky nature of off-road riding rather than the Speedcrafts themselves. If you choose white or lightly coloured frames, they will inevitably become dirt-stained over time.

Sunglasses have been getting bigger and bigger and while this trend has been around for a while, no eyewear is able to come close to POC’s enormous Devours. The unmatched real estate of the Devours is designed primarily for off-road riding, giving the same coverage as a set of goggles, but with more trail, XC, and gravel-friendly freedom that comes with sunglasses.

There is more to the Devour glasses than just their massive lenses and POC has added plenty of neat design features to tailor them for off-road riding, however, the size will always be the defining feature of the Devours.

So when it comes to the best mountain bike sunglasses, is bigger actually better? We have been riding the POC Devour glasses to find out.

Design and performance

The Devours at first appear to be a frameless design, however on closer inspection, there is actually a full-frame structure behind the huge Carl Zeiss lens. This separation of lens and frame is what has allowed POC to offer massive coverage without affecting the ergonomics of the glasses.

The frames themselves feature adjustable arms to tune the fit as well as a two-position nose bridge. There are little grippers on the ends of the hooked arms to add a little more grip when wearing or stored in a helmet.

There is the option of regular lenses, Clarity Trail, or Clarity Road, which give complete protection from harmful UVA and UVB rays and are treated with an anti-scratch and Ri-Pel hydrophobic and oleophobic treatment to combat dirt, water, and sweat.

Although the glasses' size makes them visually striking, the branding is pretty subtle. There are POC logos molded on the arms with a little more POC aesthetic text printed on the frame and tucked behind the lens. POC offers a number of frame colour options as well as a wide selection of lens styles to suit your riding conditions.

The Devours were originally released alongside POC’s Kortal helmet, pairing perfectly with a helmet designed to work with goggles. I used the Devours with a number of other POC helmets, including the trail-focused Axion and road/gravel Ventral and Omne, and found they worked well with those too. I didn’t have any issues with helmets from other brands either such as the Oakley DRT5 and Smith Forefront 2.

Real estate isn’t cheap with the Devours priced at $250 / £230 making them expensive even in the premium cycling eyewear realm. POC includes a second clear lens to soften the blow which is handy for mountain bikers and those who ride in dim conditions. It would be nice to see a hard case included at this price point, especially as you will want to keep your lenses in good condition as new ones cost $100 / £80.

Performance 

With such a huge lens, it's no surprise that the Devours feel considerably bigger than any other pair of sunglasses I have worn. The field of view is second to none though and you really have to strain your eyeballs into the peripherals to see the frames.

I thought the lens size might cause issues with non-POC helmets but there have been no problems so far with any of the helmets I have tried. The size means there is loads of coverage and the extended edges add a good amount of side protection too.

The fit is very comfortable and they stayed in place well when rattling down the trail. Although the lenses are wide, the narrow frame shape sits close to the face and avoids any interference with deep-fitting helmets.

Swapping the lenses is an extremely simple process, with six hooks holding the lens in place it's just a matter of popping the lens out the top two and removing the lens. Refitting the lens is equally as straightforward – line up the lens in the bottom four fixtures before pressing it into the frame. There is plenty of flex in the frame which means the process doesn't require force or manhandling either.

The combination of the front vents and set-back frames quickly takes care of any potential fogging – especially if your helmet has channeling across the brow. It’s a bit too effective though and, as someone who suffers badly from watery eyes when riding, I found the Devours to be too breezy when riding at speed. To the point that I needed to clean the tears from the lenses between some trails.

The tears weren’t the only things I was having to clean off the lenses. Despite the claimed oleophobic treatment, the lenses were prone to fingerprints. The clear lenses were particularly bad for stubborn fingerprints that were tricky to clean off.

Verdict

If you're looking for the biggest sunglasses, whether it's for style or protection from eye-poking, the Devours are going to be at the top of the list. Unless you want to wear goggles, no other eyewear offers close to the coverage and field of view as the Devours making them one of the best options out on the trail. The comfortable fit means they will also cross over to gravel and road duties too.

The design is top-notch when it comes to the shape and structure of the frames and lenses. Adjustability assures a good face fit, they work well with a range of helmets and the lenses are simple to swap. There's a good range of tints and colours to tailor the sunglasses to your regular riding conditions, although there isn’t a photochromatic option.

Ventilation was always going to be a key consideration for POC when combating heat and misting with such a large set of glasses, unfortunately, they overachieve making fast descents quite literally eye-watering.

It'll be news to nobody here in the UK that the sun has currently got his hat on.

It's currently 31° Celsius at Cyclingnews HQ in Bath, and temperatures are predicted to soar to the high-30s (around 100° F) for most of England in the coming days, likely hitting all-time highs since records began.

With a Red Weather Warning for 'Extreme Heat' in effect across the country, it's imperative to stay safe when going about your day-to-day business, and that might counterintuitively mean staying indoors.

Aside from a dunk in the sea – I wish I had taken up surfing as a kid – there are worse sports you can do in conditions like these. However, it's important to remain vigilant if you do choose to venture out.

As a cyclist, you're often in direct sunlight for multiple hours at a time, working hard. You might not feel as though you're sweating as much as when you go for a run or work out in the gym, but that's probably because the sweat is doing its job of cooling you down by evaporating, and thus you must remember to replace the fluids and electrolytes you're losing.

There are plenty of other things you should be doing to keep yourself safe, too. Here are nine things to think about.

Sun cream

The first line of defence against the sun's harmful rays is a good quality sunscreen with high SPF rating. The higher SPF the better, along with a liberal approach to application. Our advice is to get a sport-specific sunscreen, or at least something that's sweatproof, but don't forget to reapply every couple of hours.

Start - and stay - hydrated

You wouldn't start a long car journey with an empty fuel tank, and the same should apply to your hydration and fuel when cycling in hot weather. By drinking plenty of fluids in the 24 hours leading up to your ride, you have more fluid to help you sweat, and a bigger buffer before the wheels start falling off.

But this needs to be approached sensibly. Too much water without also eating real foods or at least supplementing electrolytes can lead to hyponatraemia, which is when the body's balance between water and sodium is disrupted and becomes overly diluted.

Alternate water and electrolytes

Connected to the above, it's important to add electrolytes to at least one of your bottles, but it can also be beneficial carrying a bottle of plain water.

Your body's natural cooling mechanism is to sweat, which takes heat away from the body as that sweat evaporates. If you feel the heat rise a little too far, pouring some of that water over your neck, back, arms or legs can help accelerate this evaporative cooling effect.

Avoid cotton, wear white

Compared to modern polyester apparel, cotton t-shirts and older cycling jerseys are pretty poor at aiding breathability and providing the sweat-wicking properties that help with your body's natural evaporative cooling techniques.

Also, on days where the sun is beating strongly, avoid black or dark clothing that absorbs the sun's radiation, and instead opt for light colours or white that can reflect the sun's rays.

Time your ride, plan your route, and avoid the hottest part of the day

This is a two-in-one tip, and it falls squarely under 'avoid the heat at all costs'. In short, if you can avoid riding during the hottest part of the day, you should.

But even if getting out at 6 AM isn't feasible, you can adapt your route to ride roads that are likely to be shaded by tree cover or tall buildings, rather than heading out onto your nearest moor where roads are exposed and primed for baking in the afternoon sun.

Plan your stops

Connected to the above, consider whether your ride needs a stopping place, either at the roadside in the shade to reapply your suncream, at a petrol station for a top-up of water, or at a cafe with air conditioning to give you a chance to cool down.

Do a bit of research on places to stop, shops that'll be open, cafes that will let you lock your bike up, or ice cream vans that'll serve you up a Solero.

Take a leaf out of the pro peloton's book

Before hot race days, most pro cyclists will cut the leg off a pair of stockings, stuff it with ice cubes, tie a knot in the top and pop it inside their jersey against between their shoulder blades. This not only acts as local cooling for an area that sits in direct sunlight, but as the ice melts, the water covers the torso and evaporates, helping to keep the core temperature down.

Ice drinks

We've all heard of putting our bottles in the fridge the night before we head out, but a pro tech tip that takes this one step further is replacing that drink with an ice slushy, which does an excellent job of cooling your core temperature from the inside.

And since we don't care much for average speed on our training rides, you could even swap out your plastic bottles for stainless steel insulated bottles and keep those slushies cold for your entire ride.

Pre cooling

Pre-cooling, such as drinking an ice drink before you depart, or wearing an ice vest like the pros, can help delay the effects of the heat, simply because starting cooler means it takes your body longer to reach the sorts of temperatures that can cause issues.

This may help on shorter efforts, but it won't make much of a dent on longer rides.

Adapt to the heat in advance

It's obviously too late for anyone facing the heat this week, but as a learning ahead of next time, if you want to be able to ride well in hot weather, you'll need to adapt.

Examples of ways to do this include frequent low-level exposure to heat, such as saunas and hot baths, but also include riding indoors with the fan turned off. Of course, this should all be approached with extreme caution, because done incorrectly, it can carry the risk of hyperthermia.

It's fair to say we love the Magicshine SEEMEE300; this incredible rear light has had many highlighted deals, and for good reason, it's pretty much all you could ask for in a rear bike light.

It may have been superseded by its more costly and brighter SEEMEE400 sibling, but Amazon Prime Day is here, and once again, the four-day shopping extravaganza has brought another outstanding deal on one of the best rear bike lights we've ever tested.

Right now you can get the Magicshine SEEMEE300 for just $41.99, not quite the lowest it's ever been, but we won't quibble over the $2 difference; it's still a bargain buy.

Prime Day runs from June 23 to June 26. As always, there are plenty of cycling deals to be had, and our Amazon Prime Day 2026 bike deals page will be the place to find all the best deals.

With a whopping 200 hours the SEEMEE300 ha the best battery life of any rear light on the market. Even the SEEMEE400 can't match it at 107 hours of runtime, it does have extra lumens to power, so it makes sense that it would struggle to keep up with the 300.

SEEMEE300 is also super bright with two rear facing LEDs that have a maximum 300-lumen output, and you guessed it the 400 has... 400-lumen of output. The unique feature of both is the downward-facing LED light, and its a game changing highlight, and illuminates a large cone of light below you and gives 360 degrees of effective visibility.

The list of smart features it has in its arsenal include auto-dim which dims the light to suit the ambient lighting conditions and prolongs the battery life, and the motion sensor acts as a brake light, something that is really useful if you're a regular commuter riding in traffic.

This Amazon Prime Day deal makes the Magicshine SEEMEE300 incredibly good value for money, when compared to the SEEMEE400, and we reckon it's an absolute steal.

The Continental GP5000 S TR, in our opinion, is the gold standard when it comes to the best road bike tyres. It holds the title of best all-round tyre and best tubeless tyre in our buying advice, with an almost flawless 4.5-star review.

As a blisteringly quick, surefooted and smooth tyre with impressive durability, the Continental GP5000 S TR's credentials usually mean it has a hefty and rarely discounted price tag.

However, with Amazon Prime Day officially here, I've found big discounts on GP5000 tyres, which see them hit the lowest price since Black Friday last year, with a nice $35 off a pair at Amazon US.

Head straight to the Amazon Prime Day deals here:

USA: 17% off two Continental GP5000 S TR $199.90 $165.17 at Amazon

UK: 38% off two Continental GP5000 S TR £169.90 £105.90 at Merlin Cycles

For UK shoppers, Merlin Cycles has a whopping 38% off, so if you haven't tried this Tour de France stage-winning rubber that has also been the choice of the all-conquering Tadej Pogačar, then I'd suggest there is no better time to grab a pair.

Prime Day runs from June 23 to June 26. As always, there are plenty of cycling deals to be had, and our Amazon Prime Day 2026 bike deals page will be the place to find all the best deals.

Continental says the Grand Prix 5000 S TR sets the standard in road tubeless-ready tyre technology. The brand also claims it's the lightest, fastest version to date and comes with increased puncture protection. The carcass of the Grand Prix 5000S TR features a robust construction that is designed to be impervious to damage and penetration from foreign objects.

The Cyclingnews tech team has tested nearly every road bike tyre on the market, and Continental GP5000 S TR is our overall recommendation. Real-world testing is also backed up by our industry-leading Labs series testing at the Silverstone pedalling efficiency lab, which proved that the Continental GP5000 S TR consistently outperformed its road tyre rivals, and pretty much confirmed all the Continental claims.

There's also the small matter of the pro stamp of approval, and the GP5000 S TR has the joint title for the most stage wins in the Tour de France, used by more teams in the race than any other.

In our Continental GP5000 S TR review, our only real gripes, which stopped them getting the perfect score, were the price (so this discount covers that) and fitting. They can be a little hard to mount, so be prepared for a potential fight when fitting. The best tyre levers will help here, and with the money saved, you can invest in my weapon of choice, the Monkey Tyre Lever by Tru-Tension.

A couple of months ago, Factor unveiled a collaboration with every teenage boy's dream car brand, Bugatti.

If social media is anything to go by, the bright blue Factor One derivative was clearly a hit. Based around the brand's wide-forked aero bike, it featured an even more unusual fork design, high-end components throughout, and a set of never-before-seen wheels.

Those wheels, which showed a Black Inc logo and the number 62 - denoting their depth - were similar to the brand's existing 62 at first glance, but on closer inspection, housed some significant upgrades.

• Follow our Prime Day 2026 Live Blog for all the best deals on bike gear
• Head to our Prime Day Cycling Deals roundup for our editors' picks on the best deals.

They were laced with deep-bladed carbon spokes, an interesting carbon fibre hub flange, and a massive plain weave carbon fibre rim wall finish that put me in mind of an old-school Felt bike, or a chess board for that matter.

As it transpires, they are to be known as the Black Inc Hyper 62, and are today being made official as a new, even more premium level of Black Inc's deep-section aero wheels.

According to the brand, they are not just another deep-section wheel, but "a wheel with greater ownership over the elements that define performance."

That obviously sounds like marketing talk 101, but I include it because the underlying meaning behind it points to a detailed approach. Factor's - well, Black Inc's - engineers focused on the architecture of the spokes, the rim, the integrity of how the two were bonded together and how the spokes bond with the hub, the aerodynamics, the stiffness, and of course how they rode, to find improvements across the entire wheel.

The outcome is a 1298g wheelset at 62mm deep, with a 23mm internal diameter and a hooked bead.

Stiff, light, aero, pick three - just don't ask for cheap

Factor says the Hyper 62 wheels are designed to find a new sweetspot between low weight and deep rims, where ride character and lateral stiffness weren't compromised in the pursuit of weight and aero targets.

To achieve this, among other things, the brand developed its own proprietary carbon spokes rather than relying on existing third-party suppliers used by competitors. This allowed it to control the spokes' shape, layup, stiffness and strength, which all contribute to the ride quality offered by the wheels, and allowed the brand to design the wheels as a whole system, rather than designing the rims and hubs to work with predetermined spokes.

The spokes are then bonded into the hubs using another proprietary component in the form of the hub flange. This is deeper than you'll find on most wheels, adding strength to the system and, according to Factor, distributing the load more evenly, in turn allowing an equivalent performance with lower mass.

The third proprietary feature is found at the other end of the spokes, and the hidden threaded tips, which are integrated into the rim to aid aerodynamic performance.

And elsewhere, the rims themselves, while 62mm deep like the existing Black Inc 62 wheels, feature a TexTreme outer layer, which is what creates that checkerboard finish. This is more than a style choice, though. Factor says it offers extra stiffness to the rim wall, ensuring structural integrity under load with a lower overall mass.

All these novel approaches and proprietary solutions come at a cost, though, and so it will be little surprise that the retail price is almost as lofty as the promises that Black Inc is making about them.

Before taxes, you'll need to find €3,699 or $3,899 if you want to own a pair. With VAT added in, the wheels will fetch a cool €4,599. Though they do come with a limited lifetime warranty, which should offer at least a little bit of peace of mind.

Amazon Prime Day is officially upon us, and the four-day shopping extravaganza is with us until Friday.

As always, there are plenty of cycling deals to be had, and our Amazon Prime Day Cycling deals page will be the place to find all the best deals as we find them.

The best cycling tech is a mainstay for all Prime Day sales, and one early deal we've spotted is on one of the best bike computers – the Hammerhead Karoo.

Get the Hammerhead Karoo 3 for just £301.49 at Amazon.

Amazon dropped the price to a best-of-the-year £303.49 earlier this week, and has now gone a small amount cheaper at £301.49!

This is a rare reduction on a top-rated cycling device that our testers have rated across all the iterations of the SRAM-owned Karoo cycling computer, and makes this deal well worth snapping up.

Like all the best cycling deals, this Hammerhead discount is only available while stocks last.

In our Hammerhead Karoo review, we rated it with an almost-perfect 4.5-star rating, and Cyclingnews' tester Tom Wieckowski reckoned at the time of testing that it was a worthy contender for the throne as the best cycling computer.

Tom highlighted that the Karoo "brought an awful lot to the table" and built on the class-leading touchscreen and resolution that the previous model was well-known for. The Karoo might not match up to our best overall choice, the Garmin Edge 1050, but it's not far behind. Especially when you consider the Garmin device will cost you at full price £680. Although the Edge 1050 is discounted on Amazon by 7% to £633.32.

The Karoo can hold its own easily against the market-leading Garmin, and has and Tom highlighted the smartphone-like user experience of the Karoo, and its touchscreen at the time of review was the best in a cycling computer. It's fair to say that Garmin and Wahoo offerings now have on-par touchscreen performance, but at this price, the Karoo is a very appealing purchase.

Size-wise, the Karoo screen is a high-definition 3.2-inches, the Edge 1050 measures 3.5-inches, and the resolution is the same at 480 x 800 pixels. However, with its liquid crystal display and 1,000 nits of peak brightness, the Garmin Edge 1050 just edges the comparison, but at a cost.

Battery life is claimed to be 15 hours on normal usage, and the Edge 1050 is 20 hours, again on normal usage.

This deal is Amazon UK only, and I've not found any significant discounts on the highlighted deal at Amazon US. Below, I have included our handy price checker, which will show the best prices on Karoo Hammerhead bike computers from other retailers, relevant to your location and territory.

Colnago has officially launched the TT2 time trial bike that Tadej Pogačar was racing on in April at the Tour de Romandie.

The TT2 was first spotted as an unknown prototype back in February. Colnago itself then gave us information on it in the run-up to Romandie, and now the official launch is here.

The Tour de France will soon begin, the race opening with a team time trial in Barcelona, with another individual time trial later in the race. The new bike will see action on both those important stages.

Before that though, Pogačar (and his teammates) will ride the ITT at the Tour de Suisse on Saturday aboard the TT2 after laying waste to the race on its opening day with a highly impressive long-range solo attack.

The TT2 is available as a 'frame kit' from late September. The kit includes: frame (available in XS, S, M, L), fork, seatpost, base bar, aero bottle system and cage, bearings / small parts, etc.

The TT2 has clearance for up to 30mm tyres, is UDH hanger friendly, uses a BSA 68 bottom bracket standard, and can accommodate up to a 70 tooth chainring.

Prices are: $7,500 / £6,499 / €7,040.

Lighter and faster

Major headlines around the TT2 have focused on the bike's lower weight; Colnago claims it's 550 grams lighter as a frame kit compared to the Colnago TT1, the brand's TT machine up to this point.

A small, ready-to-paint frame weighs 985 grams, and a frame kit weight is 2240 grams. The fork is also much lighter, 393 grams against 530 grams for the TT1 fork.

A half kilo saving on a top-level road machine would be very difficult to achieve without compromise. It seems Colnago has found a way to drop this healthy chunk of weight from the TT rig with its added frame real estate whilst still 'preserving the stiffness, strength and aerodynamic efficiency required'.

In short, it sounds like the TT2 will result in a 550-odd-gram lighter bike, but it's now faster and more stable, with an updated geometry that makes it more user-friendly and more suited to modern time trial courses that appear to be moving away from the long, straight drag strips of old.

Colnago says the TT2 has 'simplified structural junctions', a revised carbon layup strategy and a new fork concept. As is the norm with high-end bike design, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and wind tunnel testing were used in the development of the bike.

The front end of the bike has received key attention to reduce frontal area. There's a narrower handlebar that measures 36cm centre-to-centre, a new fork and a slimmer 32mm-wide head tube. Front-end performance is very important aerodynamically, and this has clearly been a concern for the TT2.

The rear of the bike has also received attention. The seatstays are wider around the rear wheel to improve airflow, and more smoothly integrated into the seat tube; it looks far less eye-catching and angular than the TT1 design.

Elsewhere, the bottom bracket, seatpost and fork, as mentioned, are all new and more high-modulus carbon fibre has been used across the frame.

The brand claims a two-watt saving compared to the TT1 across 'a weighted range of real whirlwind conditions,' and confirms aerodynamic drag is lower than the TT1.

Colnago also cites stability as a key concern for the TT2, and the frame has new shallower tube profiles specifically to provide more predictable 'airflow behaviour across a range of yaw angles'. Colnago makes the case that fewer steering corrections let riders maintain their aero position more effectively.

Various pro riders have crashed on TT bikes in training, most recently Wout van Aert; perhaps a more stable all-round bike will help riders when training and competing.

Geometry has also been updated. The XS size is new, and stack/reach numbers have been altered. Stack height now grows as reach increases, whereas it flatlined before in larger sizes. Colnago says this change reduces the need for extreme spacer configurations, i.e riders would add multiple spacers to the handlebar configuration to achieve their desired position.

The seat tube angle has gotten steeper, and the bottom bracket drop has been lowered to facilitate 'aggressive forward rider positions'.

A magnetic aero bottle

;An integrated aero bottle is also included with the TT2, and it's an 'aerodynamic component of the bike'. Colnago says the bottle and cage have the thinnest and longest permitted profile to reduce aero drag overall.

The cage uses Fidlock magnetic Twist fasteners to make bottle access easier and faster in an event.

Notably, the UAE Team Emirates-XRG team will not use the stock water bottle due to a sponsorship agreement with Elite, instead using an Elite aero bottle with a custom Colnago bottle cage system.

The biggest race of the year approaches, given the way he continues to ride, the fact that the world champion now has a lighter, faster bike to use for time trials will surely only bolster his chances when July rolls around.

The best budget mountain bike market can be a minefield. Choose the wrong one, and it'll rob you of a fun-filled future, but buy the right one, and it'll be the gateway to a lifetime of berm slapping and bike adventures. Luckily, entry-level MTBs no longer have to equate to trail-riding disappointment.

Our expert testers have many decades of experience riding affordable mountain bikes, which is how we picked the best budget options here. Something to bear in mind when looking at budget MTBs is that there will always be compromises. If a bike has a great drivetrain, it might have a lower-end suspension in order to keep the price down or vice versa.

Once you buy a bike, you might find that you want to upgrade some of the components. Tyres are consumables that eventually wear out, or you might want to swap your stock tyres to something that better suits your needs. Should either case happen, we've got guides to the best MTB trail tyres and best XC tyres, and we've also got a guide to the best MTB grips.

As everyone's idea of 'budget' can differ, we've chosen a range of affordable mountain bikes to allow riders to match their expectations to a specific price point.

Best budget mountain bikes

Best budget hardtail

Trek knows how to make a high-quality frame, and the Roscoe 7 Gen 4 comes with all the features and additions that you would want to find on a modern hardtail.

The top tube is low slung for plenty of standover height, there's a relaxed 65-degree head angle to aid confident descending, and Boost hub spacing on the fork and frame for increased stiffness and wheel upgrade potential later on. All the cabling is internally routed through the frame, and the bike also comes with a frame bag.

The specification is what you'd expect from the Wisconsin brand, including a decent quality, 150mm travel, air-suspension RockShox Recon Silver RL fork and Shimano CUES 1x10 drivetrain paired with TLR 30 rims and Gunnison Pro XR 2.4in tyres from in-house brand Bontrager. It also comes with a TranzX dropper post with 150mm drop on the size S, 170mm on M and ML, and 200mm on L and XL.

We've ridden various iterations of the Trek Roscoe. With its easy, confident handling and plenty of traction from the bigger tyres, it's a great option for beginner riders and dirt tourers looking for a little extra comfort, or trail riding predictability. The 150mm fork means the Roscoe is more capable up front than most of the other hardtails in this round-up, too.

Best full-suspension

Bet you weren't expecting to see a full-suspension bike in our list of the best budget mountain bikes, yet Marin has pulled it off.

Not only does the Rift Zone 1 have the on-trail benefits of full-suspension – adding confidence, grip, and control – it also manages to budget in a solid spec sheet that rivals some equally priced hardtails. There's also a choice of 27.5 and 29-inch wheeled versions.

There are a few compromises though, the X-Fusion rear shock is basic rather than brilliant, as are the Tektro hydraulic brakes. But overall, the Rift Zone is still a proper bargain and you can upgrade these components later if you wish.

As to be expected from an established brand like Marin, the geometry is sorted as well, with a 65.5-degree head angle, 77-degree seat angle, and decent reach numbers, which put you in a great position to shred the trail both up and down.

Best budget mountain bike for trail riding

Merida's latest Big Trail hardtail is an even more sorted trail steed than before. The previous model had really well dialled-in geometry and an excellent ride feel, but the new version has even more confident handling, guaranteeing good times on genuinely big trails. If you're looking for a budget hardtail that's got what it takes to go beyond blue-marked trails, this is the one for you.

While the 140mm RockShox Psylo fork, Shimano CUES groupset with hydraulic brakes, 2.5in wide tyre up front with a 2.4in rear, and a dropper post are all obvious highlights, there's some great 'hidden' detailing too.

Short seat tubes let you size up or down to get the reach you want for the kind of riding you do. There are twin bottle mounts and an accessory mount for trail essentials, but also a stealth kickstand and fender fixtures for weekday workhorse duties. What's not to love?

The Big Trail range consists of three models. While we've featured the mid-price, mid-spec Big Trail 500 here, all three bikes use the same excellent frame and bike setup, so the cheaper 300 model is well worth a look too. We've tested the slightly costlier model, so see our Merida Big Trail 600 review for a verdict on how the bike rides.

Best budget mountain bike for speed

If you're looking for a speed-hungry mountain bike at a decent price, the Specialized Rockhopper Expert is a good option.

A low overall weight (13.2kg, size large) provides an energetic and lively ride feel that encourages stamping on the pedals with enthusiasm. Paired with the smooth RockShox Judy air-sprung fork, low bottom bracket and fantastically well-modulated Shimano MT200 brakes, the Rockhopper oozes confidence on less technical trails. The amount of available fork travel increases with frame size, from 80mm on XS and S, up to 100mm for the L, XL and XXL. We're not really sure why Spesh gives smaller riders less suspension travel, but it's worth noting.

Something more significant is that, just like its previous, very similar iteration – the Specialised Rockhopper Elite reviewed by our tester, Jim Bland – this latest Rockhopper shares a potentially major drawback: a straight, non-tapered head tube. With all the best aftermarket suspension forks using tapered steerer tubes, there’s no room for upgrading the Rockhopper’s front-end performance with a better fork. While this could be a deal-breaker for some, if you're not planning any future fork upgrades, it won't matter at all.

As Jim said of the Rockhopper Elite, "If you think you’re a rider who will keep things stock and just ride, the Rockhopper’s trail prowess, excellent brakes and sorted gearing make it a great riding option that should provide years of fun."

Best budget mountain bike for all-round riding

The Marlin hardtail family are Trek's best-selling mountain bikes, which makes them some of the most popular in the world. It's easy to see why, with the Marlin 6's under 33lb weight, fast-rolling 29er wheels, and good looks all making it a standout performer.

Older Marlins had more upright geometry that was better suited to cross-country than trail riding, but the latest frames are longer and more relaxed. This increases stability and rider confidence, and is much more suited to tackling modern trails. Fast rolling tyres keep riding speeds up though, so this bike is definitely no slouch on flatter trails.

The Marlin's new trail-friendly nature is further enhanced with a TranzX dropper post, which allows you to lower your saddle so it doesn't hinder you when descending. The 100mm fork has far less travel than the Trek Roscoe or the Merida Big Trail though, so if you're looking to go beyond blue-marked trails, they are both better bets.

Trek has also taken the super smart decision to only use the most reliable equipment. This includes Shimano CUES gears, Shimano MT200 hydraulic brakes, and a RockShox Judy fork, which means you get to ride more and worry about maintenance less.

We're less impressed with the decision to use a straight head tube on the frame though. Like the Specialized Rockhopper, this severely restricts any potential fork upgrades you may wish to make in future, as better quality forks require a tapered head tube. However, Trek has a workaround in the form of its FSA Orbit headset. This has an external bottom cup that makes the Marlin's frame compatible with tapered steerer forks.

There are four different Marlins at various price points. We reckon the Marlin 6 is the best bang-for-buck catch. While the Marlin 7 is the top specced model, you're not getting a whole lot more for your money. The two models below the Marlin 6 both have downgraded forks and fewer gear choices.

Things to consider when buying a budget mountain bike

Between us, our test team has tested a huge number of mountain bikes of all price points over the years. That's helped us identify exactly what to look for when buying a budget mountain bike. If the bike you're interested in ticks all the boxes on our checklist below, it's likely to serve you well. If you want more details after reading this, check out our article on 5 must-have features on budget mountain bikes.

• Geometry: Modern frame geometry can deliver a confidence-inspiring ride without the need for state-of-the-art suspension. A key number is the head angle – look for numbers less than 67 degrees, anything over that is likely to feel twitchy and nervous in trail situations. Reach is also a key factor, as longer numbers here will also help to boost trail confidence, though going too long can feel uncomfortably stretched for the rider. Look for around 470mm for a large frame, 450mm for a medium frame and 430mm on a small.
• Brakes: MTB brakes have moved on from grabbing the wheel rim to using specially designed discs (like most motor vehicle brakes) also known as rotors. Disc brakes are much more effective and come in two varieties – hydraulic and cable-operated (aka mechanical). Hydraulic brakes give more reliable stopping as the calipers self-adjust as the pads wear down, but cable operated are decent too. Out of the two types, we'd opt for hydraulics every time though.

• Skinny head tubes: The short explanation here is to just avoid them. Beneath your frame's skinny and straight head tube is a fork with a straight steerer. Straight steerers are an outdated fork standard as most forks now have tapered steerers that are wider at the bottom, and narrower at the top. While straight steerer-equipped forks aren't necessarily worse than similarly specced tapered models, if you want to upgrade to a better fork later on, you're unlikely to find anything that fits your frame.
• Thru-axles: Rather than using a skinny QR skewer rod (that hasn't moved on since they were invented in 1926!) to attach your wheels to your bike, any mountain bike worth its salt these days uses bolt thru-axles. They are threaded tubes that are much stiffer and more secure than QR wheel skewers and will ideally be on the fork and rear dropouts. Look for 'Boost-width' (110mm wide at the front and 148mm at the back) as this is the most commonly used standard these days, so will give you more choice if you decide to upgrade your wheels later.

Best budget mountain bike FAQs

How we test the best budget mountain bikes

All the budget mountain bikes tested here have been ridden on a wide range of trails, from singletrack to technical woodsy riding, in a variety of weather conditions, from bone dry to properly sodden. We test bikes over a number of months so we can assess how they fare over time.

If you're in market for a new MTB, there are loads of budget mountain bike options to choose from. So how do you decide which ones are winners and which are losers? Not just now, but further down the line when you're hooked on trail time and want to upgrade parts or replace bits you've worn out.

Our ultra-experienced bike tester, Guy Kesteven, reveals the five must-have features you might not think about at first, but matter way more than component brands and the number of gears in the long run.

1. Good geometry

If the bike frame isn’t a good shape to start with, there’s nothing you can do to make it ride confidently, so you can have maximum fun. Unfortunately, some cheap mountain bikes just re-use old, outdated frames to save money.

The really important number is the head angle. This is the angle the forks sit in the frame and the smaller that number is the more stable the steering of the bike will feel. For general trail riding, you want a 67-degree head angle or less. Otherwise, the steering will feel really nervous.

A generous reach – the horizontal distance from the centre of cranks to the fork top – also helps stabilise the bike. My baseline numbers are 470mm for a large frame, 450mm for a medium frame and 430mm for a small frame. If you have to size up to get the reach you need, make sure you still have enough space under the saddle to fit a dropper post if you’re looking to upgrade to one in future.

Buyer beware...

To be clear here, we’re talking about the angles of the frame tubes – not the shape of the tubes themselves. They don’t really matter in the grand scheme of things, although be aware that big, square tubes will generally give a harder ride than skinny round ones.

2. Disc brakes

Thankfully it’s been a long time since I’ve tested a mountain bike with brakes that rub on the rims to eventually stop you. That’s because disc brakes give much more consistent braking in wet weather or on dirty trails and have become the industry standard. Ideally, you want brakes that use hydraulic fluid as they self-adjust for pad wear, but wire cable-operated disc brakes are still better than rim brakes.

If your budget doesn’t stretch that far then at least get a frame and forks that have the attachment points for disc brakes already built in.

Buyer beware...

Check with the shop what sort of replacement brake pads you’ll need for your brakes. Many budget brakes share standards with Shimano, but some are a special shape which can be hard to find.

3. Through-axles

‘Through-axles’ that slide through solid ends in the fork and frame are a lot more secure than old road bike style quick-release (QR) axles that sit in open slotted fork and frame tips. Ideally, you want them to be ‘Boost’ standard which means 110mm wide at the front and 148mm wide at the back too. This makes the frame and forks stiffer for more accurate control and makes it much easier to upgrade with better wheels in the future.

Buyer beware...

Even at $1,000, some of the most popular mountain bikes still have QR skewers with a skinny steel rod, not a thicker through-axle. Don’t be fooled by ‘standards’ like “Boost 141mm” either as they’re not a proper Boost fit and still use a QR skewer.

4. Tapered fork fit

Another future upgrade issue I still see hiding on some four figure price tag mountain bikes are skinny head tubes with skinny straight ‘steerer’ suspension forks. To be honest, the performance of these forks isn’t much worse than other similarly cheap models so you’re not losing out much at first. However, all better quality forks and frames use a ‘tapered' steerer with a larger bottom bearing as that design is lighter and stiffer, so you won’t be able to upgrade in the future.

Buyer beware...

Speaking of cheap forks, coil-sprung versions can feel great if you’re between 70-80kg in weight. However, if you’re lighter or heavier than that try and get a fork with an air spring that can be adjusted to your weight or how hard you ride.

5. Twenty niner wheels

The final item on my wish list for budget mountain bikes is probably the most controversial one. Unless you’re buying an XS frame I’d say always go for 29-inch wheels if you can. Partly that’s because they roll a bit smoother and easier than 27.5in wheels so your bike will make you feel like a slightly better, fitter rider. You’ll generally find 29in wheeled bikes will have more up-to-date geometry too.

However, yet again the main issue is upgrading in the future. That’s because decent quality 27.5in wheels and tires – particularly front ones – are getting increasingly hard to find as most bikes switch to 29in.

Buyer beware...

The big issue with saying that you should always buy a bike with 29in wheels is that some of the best budget mountain bikes available now still come with 27.5in wheels. Just to be really awkward, they often come with all the essential features listed above while some 29er bikes don’t. So in this case, feel free to ignore me about wheel size, just be sure to buy some spare tyres while you still can (and while they’re being sold off cheap).

Eurobike is less than a week away, and in a move that will undoubtedly draw crowds to the Canyon booth, the German brand has unveiled a bold new collection of technologies it believes can "define the future of safety" for cyclists.

It says, "Road cycling needs a safety revolution. We are transforming safety from being reactive to being predictive."

It's called 'Canyon Predict', and it comprises a prototype bike and smart helmet that work together to analyse your surroundings and warn you of potential risks and dangers before they happen.

That includes not only the behaviour of drivers, but also other cyclists when you're riding in close quarters in a group, as well as your tyre pressure.

It will even advise on cornering speeds, and predict tricky surface conditions "before the rider notices them."

There's even a suggestion of an onboard wind tunnel being added in the future, although its 'Aero Coach' working title might be up for a lawsuit if Xavier Disley, owner of Aerocoach, catches wind (no pun intended) of it.

Predict Bike

With an aesthetic that puts me in mind of the recently launched Lego road bike, the 'Canyon Predict Bike' - as the brand is calling it - could pass as a typical aero road bike, with its deep tubes, aero gulwing-style handlebar and carbon wheels.

More notably here, however, is the integration of a '360-degree sensor array' that can "anticipate road hazards, other road users, track group-ride dynamics, advise on cornering speeds and predict tricky surface conditions."

This is comprised of an array of cameras and radars that feed into the bike's 'Cognitive Core' – or onboard computer to you and me – to be analysed. This computer has an on-device Large Vision Model AI system that combines this data with more typical ride metrics like speed, steering angle and stability, to predict potential hazards from other road users or the surface.

This is then fed back to the rider via a display integrated into the handlebars, lights built into the shifter hoods, and haptic feedback. This indicates threat severity, direction and even provides recommended actions.

Canyon promises the bike will offer both 'passive and active' safety support, with the aforementioned feedback falling squarely under 'passive'.

And although the idea has clearly been derived from the automotive industry's charge towards safety through technology, the Predict Bike stops short of actively slamming on the brakes for you in an emergency.

It will allow you to drop the seatpost for extra stability, and it will even provide progressively extreme warnings from basic haptic suggestions to visual and audible warnings if it believes you're unsafe, such as being too close to the rider – or vehicle – in front of you.

Stingr Smart helmet

Alongside the bike, Canyon has also revealed a prototype 'smart' version of its Stingr helmet with a retractable visor.

It incorporates a front and rear light, as well as a head-up display inside the visor to provide those aforementioned warnings and feedback about other road users, such as brake light activation and impending crash risk warnings.

It will also provide metrics such as speed, power and heart rate, should you be more performance-minded with your riding.

The visor itself is retractable, as mentioned, but not simply with a shove. It is motorised and retracts via the push of a button or voice command – Star Command, do you read me? – and each time it retracts, it self-cleans not too dissimilarly from the cat’s eyes you see on the road.

No smart helmet would be complete without in-built audio, and the Stingr concept meets this brief with aplomb. It offers a 'near ear' audio system for warnings, navigation, phone calls, and presumably, playing Fields of Gold on repeat. That's accompanied by a duo of noise-cancelling microphones for those aforementioned voice commands, and buttons on the outer shell that let you adjust things like volume or what's being displayed.

Also notable, but less relevant to the topic at hand, is that the helmet uses a traditional fabric strap and buckle, rather than the Highbar plastic retention system it was unveiled with.

For both the bike and the helmet, it'll be no surprise to read that you need to remember to charge them in order for them to work. The bike, Canyon says, should be good for eight hours, while the helmet has a broad eight to fifteen hour claimed range.

Tastefully, Canyon has integrated an element of renewable energy into both bike and helmet to 'top up' these figures, courtesy of a dynamo hub in the bike and a solar panel on the helmet.

How much of all of this is already functional versus simply a theoretical concept is yet to be determined. Canyon says the bike displayed at Eurobike is simply a 3D-printed prototype, but it claims to have already proven the technology can function as intended.

It estimates a market introduction in "approximately three years."

The original Big Trail started as a collaboration between Merida and UK dealers wanting something more rad than the average trail hardtail, but it’s become a super popular mix of tech-taming capability and everyday practicality the world over. For this latest version, Merida has made the geometry even more aggressive to create a serious rad ride that’ll kick ass on proper enduro trails while still letting you mount a kickstand for work days.

Design

Before you freak out about the idea of utility mounts making it look like you’ve stolen a Dutch nan’s shopping bike to hit the trails on, rest assured that the kickstand, rack, and full fender fixtures are very cleverly hidden. The only ‘basic’ looking part is the big seat stay gusset that can mount the ‘whale tail’ rear fender. That’s only a thin plate though and when you look closely at the top quality welding, hollowed out rear dropouts and the flowing hydroformed tube shapes, Merida’s metal working mastery is clear to see.

The big head tube allows the use of ‘Wire Port’ internal brake and gear routing through the Acros headset to keep the main tubes clear and clean, and Merida has capitalised on that with relatively slim and shallow, organically shaped top and down tubes. The down tube is long enough to fit two bottle cages on every size (500 + 700ml on XS – M, 2 x 700ml on L – XL) with an accessory mount in the top tube ‘armpit’. That leaves the oversized seat post straight and clear to take a long travel dropper (200mm on the ‘Long’ size I rode) in a stiffness and reliability boosting 34.9mm diameter. There’s only room for a 2.4in rear tyre between the curving rear stays though, which is a shame as fatter rear rubber is a nice option on a hardtail that’s begging to be ridden properly hard.

You do get a top chain guide mounted on the ISCG bolts around the bottom bracket though, and a 55mm chain line keeps the links clearer of mud on dirty days. Chaotic trail calmness gets another real audio and emotional upgrade from the fully foam-sleeved cables inside the mainframe and a dual-compound clip-on chainstay guard that even has hollow nodules to further deaden chain noise. While we’re on the subject of detailing, the seat tube clamp is a really neat, crisp, twin-band piece that elevates the overall aesthetic more than a basic forged option. Finally, the far end of the stays uses a distinctive angular ‘elbow’ above the dropouts to give clearance to fit the four-pot Shimano brakes on the chainstays rather than seat stays, where they could potentially reduce compliance. Do I even have to say it’s UDH too, or is that just expected on new bikes now?

Geometry

If you’ve been watching what Merida has done with the ‘Agilometer’ geometry on its One-Sixty, One-Forty and One-Twenty full-suspension bikes, then the angles and lengths of the new Big Trail will be less of a surprise. 64-degree head tube, 70mm BB drop and 480mm reach (on a size Long) are still proper rad for a mass-production hardtail rather than a niche cult bike. Merida has been slightly more conservative with their 76.5-degree seat angle compared to its crazy steep full-sus bikes, but it’s still very much a front and centred riding position. If you don’t want a super long stretch, then relatively short seat tubes mean you can size down without running into saddle height issues either, hence the use of Extra Short / Extra Long, etc. naming rather than Extra Small / Extra Large, etc.

Components and build

Merida has matched the more radical angles with a more control-focused build on the Big Trail too. That headlines with the Shimano XT brakes with a 200mm front rotor connecting to the trail through a 2.5in wide, triple MaxTerra compound Maxxis DHF tyre. A basic RockShox Pike fork separates them with 140mm of travel and Shimano hubs on the 30mm internal Merida rims create a sturdy wheelset. Hassle your Merida dealer to fit the tape, valves and sealant needed to turn them tubeless before you leave the shop though as they aren’t supplied. An EXO+ carcass on the rear Dissector tyre means you might not need an insert unless you’re really getting rowdy in the rocks. Deore gears deliver their usual remarkably smooth and accurate shifting reminder that you don’t need anything fancier. The low cost of replacement reduces the concerns about close passing trailside boulders too. While my test bike came with 170mm cranks, production bikes will have 165mm arms on all sizes but XL, which means more ground clearance to compensate for the super low bottom bracket.

The rest of the bike is Merida own brand, which is totally fine. I particularly appreciated the higher rise bars which help lifts the far away front end. The ‘Ergon–ish’ grips are comfy and the short coffin-shaped stem gets matching coffin-shaped spacers underneath. Merida has used a fixed-length dropper post rather than an adjustable one to save a bit of cash, and the lumpy lever mount isn’t the prettiest thing, but the lever action is actually really smooth. The Merida saddle is comfy enough and it comes with a mini-tool mounted underneath. The rear axle has a 4mm and 6mm hex head built into it too.

Ride, handling and performance

While all the detailing and smart spec is important to the overall package, what should dominate a lot of riders' decision to put the Big Trail on your short list is the ride vibe. That’s because the Big Trail isn’t just an exercise in extreme handling arithmetic, it’s clearly a bike that’s been ride tested into a really righteous balance for as much radness as you can handle. It only took about five minutes into the first ride for the super slack front end to save me. Turning a full facial slam into a self-steering emergency press-up save, when the back end went sideways on a wet root as I abseiled a janky drop. With that precedent set, the rest of the first ride was all about pushing harder and harder and realising just how much the Big Trail could handle. Actually, ‘handle’ sounds a bit half-hearted, the naturally centralised, feet-on-the-floor feel insists you attack all the sketchy stuff as fast as possible. It totally dominated snaking chutes that I’d been really concerned about rolling into beforehand and it’ll rail a turn like someone has you on a lunge rein.

It’s not just the geo either. Those slim, pressure-moulded main tubes set up an excellent blend of traction-boosting compliance without worrying twang or wander that could teach many steel bikes a lesson. There’s enough spring and life to really flatter the grip, comfort and smoothness of the base-level fork too, so I never worried about fully committing the front end into the most random rut, root and rock off-piste. As mentioned previously, the higher riser bars help lift the nose off drops or manualing through ditches. The seat angle means there’s enough weight over the front to keep the tyre steering and straight on steep scrambles too. It’s a good job the production bikes will have shorter cranks though, as I had to do a lot of half-cranking to stop tapping out on ruts and stepped sections. While it's relatively light for a trail hardtail, the build kit and grippy tyres mean it's no XC race bike if you're really into long rides and hefty climbs.

Inevitably, the rear end also makes things a game of two halves in terms of the amount of abuse coming from the back wheel. That massive seat tube definitely means sitting and pedalling through rough sections can be a jolting, momentum-spilling experience. Hover your butt off the saddle though and there was enough give in the stays to not find every old fracture in my ankles even on long, rough descents. Backing off ten percent on jagged and ragged technical climbs rather than charging bluntly at everything felt like it gave a thirty percent payback in terms of flow and grip too.

I can’t underestimate how calming the quietness of foam-wrapped cables, pneumatic chain protector, hushed Shimano rear hub, and even the genius spec of rattle-free non-finned pads in the XT brakes is when things might otherwise feel frantic either. It’s literally like wearing a full-face helmet in terms of reducing the acoustic anarchy that automatically spikes anxiety as soon as things start kicking off. Another sure sign that this is a bike that’s been created and crafted by real riders who understand what a big deal small things can be, not just desk jockeys looking over the shoulders of other brands.

Verdict

If you want to go on a forum to complain, then yeah, I’d rather the Big Trail had normal cable routing and space for a bigger rear tyre to reduce the game of two halves impact response. The riotously enjoyable, yet fail-forgiving ride of the radical geometry and compliant yet controlled front end outweighs those niggles by many multiples on genuinely big trails though. Both frame and parts pick are loaded with solid choices and smart details that really elevate the complete package too.

The death of Vitus and Ragley has dramatically reduced the options for affordable but properly radical hardtails, which makes the reshaped Merida even more welcome. You get the same frame on the £2,000 / €2,350 600 version here, the £1,500 / €1,175 Big Trail 500 (with a RockShox Psylo fork), and £1,100 / €1,300 300 version (Suntour XCR34 fork). Whatever model you buy, the fact that it’s a full-feature daily driver for commuting or utility use potentially makes it even better value

Test conditions

Surface: Natural off piste loam, roots and loose rock and a bit of kitty litter red run track

Trails: Natural Enduro DH and singletrack play runs and red and black grade trail center silliness

Tech spec: Merida Big Trail 600

Discipline: Trail

Price: £2,000 / €2,350 / not available in US

Head angle: 64 degrees

Frame material: Hydroformed aluminum alloy

Fork: RockShox Pike, 140mm travel

Size: X Short, Short, Medium, Long, X Long

Weight: 14.48kg (Long tested)

Wheel size: 29in

Chainset: Shimano Deore , 32T, 170mm arms with Hollowtech II bottom bracket.

Rear mech: Shimano Deore

Shifter: Shimano Deore

Cassette: Shimano Deore 12-speed 11-51T

Brakes: Shimano Deore XT hydraulic disc brakes with 200/180mm rotors

Tires: Maxxis DHF 3C MaxTerra 29x2.5in front and Maxxis Dissector 3C MaxTerra 29x2.4in rear tires

Wheels: Merida 30mm tubeless rims on Shimano hubs

Bars: Merida high rise alloy 780mm width

Stem: Merida alloy

Grips: Merida Ergo lock-on

Seatpost: Merida EXP TR 200mm dropper

Saddle: Merida TR

The Rockhopper has been part of Specialized’s lineup since 1985, and ever since its release it’s been one of the most sorted options for new riders getting into mountain biking.

The latest version we have here sports an impressively low weight and a smooth engaging ride, but with several design features severely limiting upgrade potential, it’s hard to recommend to riders who are wanting to enhance the performance of their ride as time goes on.

Does the Rockhopper have what it takes to be one of the best budget mountain bikes? Keep scrolling as we hit the trails to find out.

This review was originally published in October 2022. The Rockhopper Elite 29 is no longer available, but the nearest equivalent model is the Specialized Rockhopper Expert.

Design and geometry

At the heart of the Rockhopper Elite lies an A1 butted aluminium frameset that utilises a low-slung top tube, a chunky ovalized downtube and sleek stays that give a really premium look and feel. With a suitably low 305mm bottom bracket that positions you 62mm below the axles, and a 68.5 degree head angle paired with a 445mm reach (size Large), the Rockhopper projects well on the trail.

While short chainstays are all the rage, Specialized has opted to run a 440mm back centre here, which places the Rockhopper’s rear end at the longer end of the spectrum – I presume this move was made to better suit the Rockhopper’s XC intention, along with providing a balanced ride feel throughout the wide S to XXL size range.

Specialized has gone to great detail to ensure the Rockhopper’s aesthetic is as good as it can be, and by hiding rack mounts inside the stays and featuring a sleek chainstay bridge that doubles as a kickstand mounting point, the overall frame is pleasing to the eye. I'm a huge fan of the army green colourway too, but for those who aren’t, Specialized also offers the Rockhopper Elite in an additional two colourways.

Internal cable routing provides a neat and quiet ride, and there’s space for a fully internally routed dropper should you want to upgrade in the future. But while the cable routing is slick, the quality of the inside of the seat tube itself was sub-par, and due to a lack of reaming, my seat post was scratched up right from the off.

While lots of small details have been stressed, it's strange that several larger, fundamental parts of the design have been missed – the most obvious one being the straight non-tapered head tube. With pretty much all of the best aftermarket forks in 2022 only being available with a tapered 1-18/1.5in steerer option, it seems odd for Specialized to make such an oversight, which really limits the Rockhopper’s future upgrade potential. While I do understand that bikes in this price bracket have been hit the hardest following the global pandemic, I can’t help but feel this decision is limiting the Rockhopper’s general sustainability beyond 2023.

I tested the 29er version, but Specialized also offers the Rockhopper Elite with 27.5in wheels. While smaller wheels this would add an aspect of playfulness to the Rockhopper’s ride, I do think the bike's nature and focus is best suited to bigger 29in hoops.

Components

A straight head tube requires a straight steerer, but thankfully Specialized has selected the excellent RockShox Judy Solo Air fork to provide comfort and grip up front. Having an air-sprung damper means the fork can be adjusted specifically to any rider's weight, which in turn should offer an increase in composure over a more basic coil-sprung fork, similar to the sub-par option that’s fitted to the Trek Roscoe we tested alongside the Rockhopper. While the Judy itself is a component highlight, it’s strange to see that different frame sizes get different amounts of fork travel – the small gets 80mm, the medium gets 90mm, while large and bigger get 100mm; this is a specification choice that is going to give smaller riders a compromised performance on the trail.

Unfortunately, the same goes for stem lengths too, as larger frame sizes get longer stems, another specification choice that is going to offer different characteristics between the various frame sizes – in reality it just means the taller you are, the worse your handling characteristics are. Thankfully, the stem is an easy switch and the stock 740mm bar is a solid and comfortable shape, if a little narrow by current standards.

It’s not all negative in the component department, though and the 11-speed Shimano Deore provides smooth and reliable shifting throughout the enormous 11-51t cassette. The Deore derailleur also features a clutch which helps to keep chain slap to a minimum. But the best component on the whole bike is by far the brakes, and Shimano’s MT200 hydraulic disc units provide best-in-class power, feel and reliability.

Keeping the Rockhopper rolling is a set of 25mm internal rims laced to smooth rolling Formula hubs. Both the front and rear use a traditional quick-release axle system. Specialized’s own Fast Trak tyres roll fast but they’re undersized by modern standards and the relatively firm T5 rubber compound prioritises rolling resistance over grip.

Ride, handling and performance

Thanks to the generous bottom bracket drop, the Rockhopper feels natural and confident on the trail, and when riding back-to back with the more cramped and dated feeling Trek Roscoe 6, the Rockhopper’s low and stable riding position gave me the confidence to push harder almost everywhere. To complement this ‘in the bike’ feel I would like to see the head angle slackened a degree or two though, and while it would dilute the addictively snappy nature slightly, I do think it would unleash the Rockhopper’s full descending potential and maximise fun.

The Rockhopper provides procession and smoothness on the trail, and massively contributing to this smoothness is the Rockshox Judy fork. An air-sprung fork means rider-specific tune-ability to an individual’s weight, and the performance enhancement it gave over roots, through slick off-camber sections and over fast repeated hits just echoed how it’s a vital component for bikes around the $1,000/£1,000 price point. The fact that it’s a straight steerer matched with a non-tapered head tube is a real sour grape though, as it leaves next to no upgrade potential in the fork department should you be looking for even greater performance down the line.

The low 13.2kg weight means the Rockhopper feels eager to surge up and along the trail – something that encouraged me to get out the saddle and sprint through the next section of track with enthusiasm. Along with the fact that the huge range cassette provides a suitable gear for any gradient, I think the Rockhopper would be a stellar option for riders who favour climbing and long-ride efficiency. The biggest thing that limits riding fluidity is the lack of a dropper post, and it’s something I’d like to see on a hardtail at this price.

The best-in-class brakes from Shimano provide the feel and power to slow speeds in a controlled manner with just one finger on the lever. But the biggest cause of compromised traction are Specialized’s own FastTrak tires, and while they do roll fast the hard rubber compound and narrow width proved to be sketchy as soon as I remotely begin to push on the trail. As a result, swapping to a bigger volume gripper front tire would be the first alteration I’d make to the Rockhopper Elite.

Verdict

Summarising the Rockhopper is tricky as its composed shape, great feel and low weight provide some highly desired traits on the trail. However, while I understand bikes in this price bracket have been the main victims of the recent global pandemic, it’s hard to recommend a bike to someone that is heavily compromised in component longevity and upgradability. That being said, if you think you’re a rider who will keep things stock and just ride, the Rockhopper’s trail prowess, excellent brakes and sorted gearing make it a great riding option that should provide years of fun.

Tech specs: Specialized Rockhopper Elite 29

• Model name: Rockhopper Elite 29
• Discipline: Entry-level trail
• Head angle: 68.5 degrees
• Frame material: Alloy
• Sizes: S to XXL
• Weight: 13.2kg (large tested)
• Wheel size: 29x2.3in
• Suspension (front): 100mm travel, 46mm offset
• Groupset: Shimano Deore 1x11-speed
• Crank: Stout 30T alloy
• Brakes: Shimano MT200 with 180/160mm rotors
• Tires: Specialized Fast Trak T5 29x2.35in tires on 25mm rims
• Bars: Stout Mini Rise 740mm
• Seat post: Unbranded 31.6mm

Chinese bikes are one of perhaps two overarching themes in road bikes, along with ‘aero at the front, lightweight at the rear’. While it’s safe to say that a great proportion of ‘Western’ frames are manufactured in China, those bikes that are fully and proudly Chinese are very much upsetting the apple cart, and are now challenging the best road bikes on the market for top dog status and, more importantly, for your money.

In order to furnish you with objective and subjective testing to help inform your purchasing decisions, we’ve begun incorporating these Chinese bikes into our testing. We’ve run the X-Lab AD9 through the wind tunnel before giving it a full review, and at the time of writing, I am due to receive the new Incolour SSR, and my colleague Tom is in the process of testing a new Winspace. Now, though, it’s the turn of the Seka Spear, a bike (or frameset, I should probably say) that has been at the very forefront of the hype train.

The Spear has class-leading aero, a superbly low weight, it’s very speccable at point of sale, offers a ‘race’ geometry in some sizes, and comes in at a price that undercuts the likes of the Specialized Tarmac by a fair wedge, a bike it shares basically its entire geometry with. On paper, it should be able to claim status as the best road bike going, but there is a big catch: it’s just not stiff enough.

I was lucky enough to pinch the frame from our video manager, Jamie, and cut about on my home roads before taking the Spear out to the Alps to zing it up and down some mountains to see what it’s really about. It’s good, but I don’t think it’s quite good enough for ‘best’ status.

Design and aesthetics

When I first laid eyes on the Seka Spear when it arrived, kitted out with some very garish No.6 wheels, I thought it looked far too over-the-top. The silver and purple paint put me in mind of a Dairy Milk wrapper, or perhaps a Premier Inn lobby, but with a more muted set of Enve SES 4.5 wheels, I must say my attitude to the frame has softened considerably.

The frame itself is lovely and skinny, very much in the vein of the Tarmac, which belies the extremely impressive aero package on offer. With a rider on, this is the fastest all-rounder we’ve ever tested, only being beaten by three full-on aero machines. Where it really seems to shine is at higher yaw angles, which likely has something to do with the ‘Wind Eye’; the bifurcated seatstay insertions that create two large holes where they join the seat tube. We obviously can’t attribute performance to a single feature, but it’s at least not holding it back in any way. If you want to have a deep dive into the aero package, then we’ve got a whole Seka Spear wind tunnel deep dive for you to pore over.

The frame is available in two guises: a standard version weighing in at 780g, or the RDC version (Race Day Combatant), tipping the scales at 685g, both for an effectively unpainted matte black frame in a size Medium. I tested the RDC variety.

As well as two tiers of frame, separated by $600, you also have the standard run of sizes plus a ‘Race’ geometry in both medium and large that are a little longer and a little lower. In geometry terms, the Spear is effectively the same as the Specialized Tarmac, but with a smidge shorter reach and higher stack in the standard option and a smidge longer and lower in the race version. I tested the standard geometry.

I’ll get into value later on, but from what I can see you have to order a Seka Rapier cockpit with the frameset at an additional cost of $500, and a seatpost at a cool $200. The latter isn’t an issue, but as I’ll get into shortly, the former is. While it comes in a great many widths and lengths, it is very flexible and not one I got along with at all.

You can only buy the Spear as a frameset, and given the impressive specs, I wanted to give it a fair crack of the whip, so the aforementioned Enves were paired with a full Shimano Dura-Ace groupset and 30mm Continental GP5000 S TR tyres in a build that’s pretty hard to fault.

Performance

The Seka Spear is in many ways an excellent machine. The geometry, either derived from the Tarmac or happened upon by coincidental convergent evolution, is brilliant, and in combination with the low weight makes for an engaging ride. The real issue is that neither the frame nor the cockpit is stiff enough to make the most of what the geometry is offering up.

The cockpit itself is ergonomically and aerodynamically sound, but there’s simply too much flex, especially in the drops. This is compounded by a frame that, by our lab testing, has a very flexible bottom bracket (less stiff even than my steel Fairlight Strael), but the thing I found most frustrating was the amount of torsional flex you can put through the thing, meaning that with the saddle braced against your leg, the bike can shift under you more than you lean in cornering. It doesn’t feel more flexible than a light steel frame, but it certainly doesn’t feel as stiff as a moderately stiff carbon one.

It’s not scary in any way like the Felt Nexar either, but it gives a feeling of imprecision in the bends that you simply don’t have with stiffer machines like the Pinarello Dogma, Scott Addict RC, and the Specialized Tarmac SL8.

This is a shame, because the geometry is excellent. It’s stable at high speeds without ever being dull, and the turn-in is immediate without being so lively that you have to back off. It sits right in that Goldilocks zone.

The flexibility does mean it eats up road chatter and poor surfaces very well, however, and as a bike for long, fast days without being ground to a fine powder, it’s excellent, and at times when descending Alpe d’Huez during some resurfacing works I was glad of the additional compliance. In fact, I set my fastest ever time down the hill on the Spear (361 / 77,749 at the time of writing, thank you very much), but I know that if it had that pip and zing of more taut frames, I could have gone faster.

The low weight is certainly dreamy uphill, especially on sustained efforts. On those little raises where a sprint can muscle you to the top the stiffness means you feel a little less connected to the rear end at max attack, but it doesn’t skip about either like I find with some very stiff machines under high load out of the saddle.

The aero package is certainly satisfying, aided by the ability to fit a cockpit of suitably modern (by which I mean narrow) proportions, flexibility aside. On the flat it ticks away very well, though because it’s more compliant than many bikes, it doesn’t feel all that fast on the flat, as humans perceive speed primarily through that high-frequency vibration that comes broadly under ‘road buzz’. Feeling fast and being fast are different things though, as evidenced by the Cervélo S5 for example, which is phenomenally fast but never really felt it.

Time, and a lack of suitable 32mm tyres at my disposal, meant I wasn’t able to max out the stated tyre clearance, but I suspect this would turn the Spear into a brilliant poor-surface all-road-lite machine (no, I know we don’t need yet another new genre of bikes). Despite the RDC designation on the fork crown, it sadly doesn’t quite feel like a true race-ready machine. It’s not far off, but I suspect the designers prioritised weight over stiffness, and with the aero package on offer I’d take a handful of extra grams in the frame and cockpit to make it feel more like a coiled spring.

Value

Given that the hype around the Spear is that it’s a ‘Tarmac killer’ it makes sense to compare it to the SL8, though as I write this I am aware that a new version is imminent, having spotted one at the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes recently. All the same, the non-RDC varietal is about $600 less than the standard Tarmac frameset, and the RDC varietal is about $2k cheaper than the S-Works model.

On paper, especially compared to the S-Works, it’s an absolute bargain. With that ‘spare’ two grand, you could get a better cockpit and some very good wheels, but with the guts of the machine feeling as they do it’s still going to feel a lesser bike. I don’t honestly think many customers are weighing up an S-Works or an RDC Seka, and more likely is an RDC Seka or a standard Tarmac, which retail for a near identical value; get the Tarmac.

The Seka is good, but the Tarmac is excellent, and while I appreciate that $600 is a lot of money, if you’re erring on the side of economy and choosing a non-RDC spear over a standard Tarmac I’d perhaps suggest saving up some money or trimming the grams elsewhere in your build sheet to get a better chassis.

Verdict

By the numbers the Seka Spear promises an awful lot, and it actually delivers in a great many ways. It’s extremely light, it has a stellar aero package for an all-rounder, it looks cool, is decently configurable at point of sale, and for a Chinese bike it’s relatively easy to get a hold of. The geometry offers up a handling package that is good, but not great only by dint of a lack of system stiffness from the frame and cockpit.

That’s really the only fault I have with the Spear. I think perhaps it's because my expectations were so high that I came away from my testing feeling a touch disappointed.

It’s a good bike, but not an incredible one, and certainly not a machine to topple the best all-rounders from more established brands… yet. Give it another iteration with a greater focus on stiffness and even if nothing else changes this would be a hell of a bike.

Bikes tend to come in regular cycles of around 3-4 years. You can’t set your watch by it, but it’s unusual for a bike to leapfrog up a place in the development order. Bianchi’s old Oltre aero bike, still trucking along under Bahrain Victorious, and still carrying the legacy of an immediate UCI ban for its aero fins, has been around since 2022, and was the bike we expected to see updated for the modern era next by Bianchi. However, the Italian brand announced today that it has instead opted to overhaul - and totally redesign - the Specialissima, which last got a do-over in 2023.

Previously the brand’s lightweight machine, it has been morphed to become an aero all-rounder; a one-bike solution for a team that already only uses one bike.

A familiar design story

The trend of bike design in the past 18-24 months has been aero up front, lightweight at the rear, and the new Specialissima hits the brief dead on. The back end is very reminiscent of the old model, with very thin chainstays and even more diminutive seatstays, joining in a way that’s almost wishbone-like to the seat tube.

The seat tube itself, along with the top tube (at least most of it until you get right up to the head tube) looks very similar to the old one, too. Gone is the upward inflection of the top tube where it meets the seatpost however; likely a design flourish that, while eye-catching, was perhaps not the most aerodynamically efficient.

In the down tube, fork legs, and head tube, you can still see the genetics of the outgoing model, but everything is plumper without losing the angular touches. It’s almost as if, from a drive-side view at least, the front end of the bike has been inflated slightly. The similarities visually are underpinned by a geometry that matches the old version exactly, save for some tweaks to the reach figures in the cockpit. The more chunky front end hasn’t made it a heavier frame, however, with a claimed 40g saving over the old model in a size 55, tipping the scales at 750g for the frame.

There is a new cockpit to go with the Specialissima, which makes sense given it’s the very leading edge of the bike. There’s a touch of the Y1Rs about it, but significantly less wild; a little upsweep, a little forward sweep. It’s more akin to a painting of a languid seagull on a summer postcard than a spaceship from a distant galaxy, and has a claimed improvement of 25% over the old cockpit in terms of aerodynamics. The speed at which this is found isn’t stated, but as other claims are made at 50km/h, we assume the same is true here.

The fork, too, is claimed to be 14% more efficient through the air, and when combined with the cockpit and frame, plus we must assume the new RC 49R Reparto Course wheels, there is a total claimed benefit of 16 watts over the old Specialissima.

We don’t have our own aero data for the old Specialissima - nor the new one, for the time being at least - so are unable to place where the new one would be hypothetically if these gains are realised, but to add context a 16 watt difference is just over two watts greater than the difference between the fastest and slowest bikes we’ve ever tested. We do test at 45km/h, though, so at 50km/h the differences will be greater.

Three tiers will be available: Specialissima (SRAM Rival, Shimano 105 and Ultegra) starting at €5,200, Specialissima Pro (SRAM Force, Shimano Ultegra) starting at €7,700, and Specialissima RC (Reparto Corse - SRAM Red, Shimano Dura-Ace) starting at €11,500.

Is this the end of the road for the Oltre?

Bike brands have slowly been consolidating their efforts into single race machines for some time now, with some notable exceptions. R.I.P. Specialized Venge, sayonara Cannondale SystemSix. Yes, Tadej Pogačar still cuts about on an aero bike, but the dawn of the Colnago Y1Rs has meant it’s farewell to the V5Rs for good. Visma have access to the Cervélo R5, but you can count on one hand the times they’ve used it over the S5. Perhaps the fly in the ointment here is Ridley, with Uno-X rocking the very aero Noah Fast 3.0 exclusively, but have been seen testing a feathery prototype at the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.

With this in mind, it becomes increasingly hard to see how the Oltre will make a comeback in the near term, and my view is that it’ll fall by the wayside in the same way as the SystemSix. Teams generally seem to want to work with a single race platform, and the cost of developing multiple varietals can be a huge financial drain on bike brands at a time when the industry isn’t exactly flush with spare cash, and when, with enough R&D, you can make a bike that hits the aero targets and is light enough to cause mechanics to worry about the looming scales of a UCI comissaire, it’s a hard sell to make a machine just for those few pan flat stages.

The best MTB trail tyres provide confidence-inspiring grip and durability without having so much traction and weight that pedalling uphill becomes a real chore. Trail tyres sit between bombproof gravity tyres, and XC tyres that prioritise speed.

When choosing the best MTB trail tyres, it's important to first establish a priority. If you want to save weight, there are lighter-weight options with thinner casings and lower-profile knobs, but if you want grip, a softer compound and more aggressively shaped lugs are usually preferable. With most things, there are trade-offs, as a lightweight trail tyre won’t offer a lot of protection when slamming through rock gardens.

The type of rider you are also matters. If you’ve got a slim build or are highly skilled, you can ride lighter-weight tyres with a thinner casing. If you’re a bigger rider, or you ride an e-MTB, we’d recommend a heavier tyre with a thicker sidewall. Increased weight, be it from rider or bike, will heighten the risk of pinch flats, or tyre burps if you're running tubeless (which we'd definitely recommend).

Whatever kind of mountain bike trail rider you are, our team of expert testers have put an extensive number of tyres through their paces and come up with our pick of the best MTB trail tyres you can buy.

For further help on choosing the right tyres for you, jump to the bottom of the article for our advice section.

Best MTB trail tyres

Best MTB trail tyre overall

The Maxxis Minion DHF was a game-changer when it first appeared, and it has continued to dominate the trail and hardcore front tyre market ever since. With its massive side knobs, it has great directional control and cornering grip, but still rolls faster than you’d expect. It’s really a front-only tyre (designed to be paired with the DHF II), but some riders like to run one at both ends. There are several casing and rubber compound options, but the sweet spot for trail riding is the 3C MaxxTerra with the Exo+ casing.

Exo+ is light reinforcement with an extra layer of reinforced material that runs bead to bead. It has a mesh-type structure that, according to Maxxis, improves tread puncture protection by 27 percent, sidewall durability by 51 percent, and pinch-flat resistance by 28 percent.

The 3C compound uses a hard base layer, which creates a solid foundation and stability to the tyre, there’s a medium center section for quick rolling and enhanced wear and soft low-rebound rubber edge lugs for the ultimate cornering grip. This custom compound does ramp up the cost, but in our tests, we found the Minion DHF was predictable and tenacious and, with its open tread and impressive wet weather performance, we could easily keep it on our bike all year round.

Our reviewer Guy Kesteven enthused: "If I had to pick a single (cost-no-object) tyre for every situation, it would be this one… It tips in really smoothly and predictably. Once you’re into the lean, you can also load it up aggressively on pretty much every surface from slippery gravel to winter slop and wet woods."

For more info, see our full Maxxis Minion DHF review.

Best aggro MTB trail tyre

If you want something with a bit more bite and traction than the Minion DHF, the also excellent Assegai is a brilliant choice. The flip side of that extra front wheel confidence is that it's a little slower, though.

It was developed by downhill racer Greg Minnaar, so naturally, it’s available with a reinforced DoubleDown casing, but the lighter Exo+ version is a better option for trail riding. The 2.6in tyre gets an extra layer of lightweight reinforced nylon called Silkshield. It adds weight, but the nylon has a sort of lattice work construction that adds casing stability (you can run lower pressure without the tyre folding), thorn-type puncture protection and pinch-flat resistance, which is really handy if you’re riding in the desert or rocky terrain.

Like most of the Maxxis flagship tyres, the Assegai comes with either MaxxTerra (medium) or MaxxGrip (soft) triple rubber compounds. What you’re looking at here is a hard, stable rubber base, a quick-rolling centre section, and then a soft rubber on the edge for grip. MaxxGrip tyres don’t keep their sharp edge for long, but a good call is to run a MaxxGrip up front with the harder-wearing MaxxTerra on the rear.

For trail use, we found the Assegai is one of the best all-rounders. It can handle hardpack and loose conditions as well as wet rocks and roots. Its open tread spacing means it even works in deep mud. You can easily ride this tyre throughout the year.

Our reviewer Paul Burwell reported: "Grip levels are superb with the softer MaxxGrip tyre – it feels so surefooted and never does anything unexpected. It’s really consistent at all lean angles, even chopping and changing lines through tight singletrack. It’s a real confidence tyre that lets you push the envelope without having to pay the consequences."

Find out more in our Maxxis Assegai 3C MaxxGrip EXO+ review.

Best lightweight MTB trail tyre

Depending on your riding, the Kenda Hellkat Pro is available in three different casing structures – ATC, AEC, and AGC. The middle letter stands for trail, enduro, and gravity respectively and from a structural point of view, the gravity casing has an aramid strip under the tread with an Apex chafer to resist pinch flats. The light enduro tyre eliminates this chafer, and the trail tyre gets thinner plies, a more resilient 120tpi casing, and an all-in weight of 902g, making it one of the lightest trail tyres in this category.

The Hellkat Pro uses Kenda’s ‘dual tread’ construction, which means the centre tread uses a firmer rubber and the edge lugs are softer rubber. We measured the hardness at around 55a, which is only medium/soft, but the company claims the rubber also has low-rebound properties, so on the trails there’s plenty of grip. The HellKat Pro doesn’t do anything weird – we found it’s stable, confidence-inspiring and predictable.

The tread has a flat profile and relatively open motocross-style tread with some deep lugs, which creates excellent bite and mud-shedding but also has a good turn of speed on the flats. Overall, a great tyre for all conditions, even those nasty ones in the middle of winter.

Our reviewer Paul Burwell summed up: "It has good grip and braking traction, rolls surprisingly quickly and the moto-x style tread works in most conditions. A summer tyre you could easily run over the winter."

For more, head over to our full Kenda Hellkat Pro ATC review.

Best front MTB trail tyre for grip

When WTB first launched the Verdict, it offered a mud version with deeper side knobs, but the standard tyre worked so well in the gloop (and elsewhere) that the mud tyre was gradually phased out.

The High Grip (triple compound) WTB Verdict is an absolute monster. It hooks up where others falter, and in all conditions too. This light version gets the company’s SG2 puncture protection, a double-ply 60Tpi casing that does add weight but still ensures the tyre has a supple and responsive ride feel. The Verdict can be fitted to either wheel but excels as a front-only tyre offering incredible hold on hardpack, loam or slippery mud.

Like most WTB tyres, the Verdict is tubeless-ready, but we found it can be tricky to seat on certain rim brands. It's only offered in a single 2.5in width, so you may struggle with clearance on some frames and suspension forks, especially if you run a mudguard.

At 1,150g for the 29x2.5in sizes, it’s not a lightweight trail tyre, but the trade-off is an awesome amount of grip, excellent pinch-flat resistance, and an impressive wear rate. It’s criminal how underrated this tyre is. In fact, back to back this with the tougher WTB Judge on the rear and you’re going to be unstoppable.

Our tester Paul Burwell noted: "The Verdict TCS Light High Grip never feels nervous, no matter what surface you’re riding on and, with its impressive wet weather performance, it’s a tyre you can easily run year-round."

Check out our full WTB Verdict TCS Light High Grip review.

Best front MTB trail tyre for control

The Butcher T9 Grid Trail uses Specialized’s latest blend of Gripton rubber. It’s comparable in terms of durometer to the softest compounds from other tyre manufacturers, but Specialized claims it has a lower rebound, so has better damping ability. On the trail, it's noticeable that it doesn't get pinged around so much, so you don’t have to work as hard keeping the bike under control, especially riding across rock or dry roots.

To resist flats in those situations, the 60tpi triple-ply Grid Trail casing has an extra floating protective layer that runs the full width of the tyre tread. This doesn’t really add that much weight – the Butcher is one of the lightest trail tyres tested – but it does add some stability, allowing you to run slightly lower pressures without the tyre tucking or folding under load. The lug layout is similar to the Maxxis DHR II, but they’re slightly deeper profile, so offer a little bit more bite in loam and the wet. The Butcher T9 works really well riding at slower speeds where you have to pick your way down, but it also has a good turn of speed for those long dirt road sections.

In our tests, we found the damping effect was obvious straight away. There was none of the very pressure-sensitive jarrings on really rough or sudden impacts and it didn’t crumple or fold suddenly if we dropped pressures low.

Our tester Guy Kesteven also found that: "Ripping them round the concrete hard bucket berms and rutted flat corners of the recent tundra weather on our test trails didn’t reveal any vices, just vast amounts of snarling grip."

Best front MTB trail tyre for winter

If you're after a tyre that will give you grip in the worst of wet mud, then look no further than the Specialized Hillbilly. The tyre uses the same excellent Gripton T9 60TPI compound as the Specialized Butcher.

The centre/shoulder tread pattern is very different though, following the classic ‘square studs with plenty of space around them’ format of most good soft condition tyres. The Hillbilly runs alternating pairs of knobs close together for a slight paddle effect, and the knob tops are siped (slotted) to help them to reshape and spread under load.

Weight is average for a modern 2.4in ‘trail tyre’ at 1,074g, but at 59mm across, they’re actually closer to 2.3 than 2.4in wide. There’s also a Gravity Grid version, but that takes weight beyond 1,300g, which is a hefty pedalling punishment for bombproof survival.

We found the grip and control levels are well up for extreme riding. Our tester Guy Kesteven said, "While they don’t ‘lean outwards’ to grab carving/off-camber traction automatically, the side knobs are well-supported enough to deliver the traction as soon as you tip the bars into the turn. The tread cleans super quickly even in clay conditions and when they do start to slide, it’s a very predictable, normally saveable push, rather than a sudden snap-out and dump-you situation."

Prices for the Hillbilly and the rest of Specialized's tyre range are extremely competitive, which makes them an even better choice.

For more info, check out our full Specialized Hillbilly tyre review.

Best rear MTB trail tyre overall

The Maxxis Minion DHR II was initially launched as a rear-only tyre, but it turns out to be a balanced all-rounder with an impressive performance on most surfaces – weathered hardpack, deep loam, and even sticky mud. There are front tyres with more bite in this guide, but on the rear, we've found the DHR II is peerless. In our tests, it did everything with assured confidence and felt stable even on loose or slippery off-camber. Rolling speed is a notch below some (choose the Dissector if you need that extra MPH), but braking traction is up there with the very best, especially if you up the size to a 2.5 or 2.6in.

It also comes with three casing options (Exo, Exo+, DD) allowing you to tune the weight and protection levels of both wheels to the terrain. For example, if you’re at the bike park or sessioning downhill trails on a long-travel trail bike, fit an Exo+ or DD on the rear, Exo on the front – it’s what bike manufacturers do. It can be a little draggy in the bigger sizes and with the DD casing, but it’s a solid tyre that won’t let you down.

Our reviewer Paul Burwell, reported: "The wide, open, block tread is utterly reliable whatever the conditions. Literally from loose, kitty litter trail centre surfaces in summer to dirty Welsh woods in winter, you can go super heavy on the brakes and slam lean angles knowing that a DHR II will let you get away with more than almost any other tyre."

See our full Maxxis Minion DHR II review for more.

Best rear MTB trail tyre for speed

There are more aggressive trail tyres in this buyer's guide, and while it can be run up front, the Maxxis Dissector we've found it works best on the rear if you want to add a bit of urgency to your ride. It doesn’t have the deepest lugs, so braking traction can be lacking in wet and slippery conditions as the shallow spaces clog up, but the flatter profile and smaller 2.4in size mean on hardpack or dirt roads it accelerates quickly and carries that speed for ages. The oversized side knobs and 3C MaxxTerra compound also allowed the tyre to hold a tight line on loose off-camber trails and if it did break away when we'd been too heavy on the anchors, it did so in a predictable manner.

If you ride hard and end up slamming into roots or catching stumps, you will want a bit more protection on the rear end and the Dissector does come with the Exo+ reinforced casing. This adds some stability to the tyre but also boosts puncture protection, both snakebite and thorn type. It would be nice to see a DD or gravity option, but with the focus on speed, this is the perfect foil to the Assegai or Minion DHF up front.

Our reviewer Guy Kesteven summed up: "Dissector boosts rolling speed and response, but still feels damped and anchored with great ‘grip to slip’ bandwidth for control surfers."

For deeper analysis, see our full Maxxis Dissector tyre review.

Best rear MTB trail tyre for grip

If you like to take risks or find yourself on a few downhill trails, the WTB Judge with the tough dual-ply casing and high-grip Tritec rubber has got your back. As the name suggests, the Tritec is a triple compound rubber, which consists of a hard base, medium rubber in the centre, and soft edge knobs. The tyre is also heavily reinforced, but that’s not at the expense of too much weight – the Judge is similar to the WTB Verdict.

It's no slouch either – in our tests, when the trail opened up, it picked up speed and carried that speed really well for a tyre this chunky. Lean into a turn or cross rut some off-camber and the tyre is predictable, surefooted, and confidence-inspiring. There are some burly centre bars and good depth to the side knobs, so we found braking traction was very good, and when it did give way, it was predictable, so we didn't end up face down in the dirt.

We have struggled to fit some WTB tyres tubeless; they take a bit of work to get the beads to seat, but they hold air better than most. The Judge only comes in a 2.4in width, but it’s a great tyre for crossover trail/enduro/e-MTB use.

Our reviewer Jim Bland concluded: "The competitive price, premium grip properties and high levels of protection make it a strong contender if you’re a gravity rider on the hunt for a year-round rear tyre that grips like stink and won’t flinch when you give it hell."

Check out the full WTB Judge review for more.

How to choose the best MTB trail tyres

The best MTB trail tyre has to be the best of both worlds, borrowing features from the best XC tyres to make them quick-rolling but encompassing the aggressive knobs, grip, and thicker sidewall protection of an enduro or DH tyre.

Trail riders still need to cover the ground efficiently, so the tyre needs to accelerate quickly, carry speed through turns, and not be too fatiguing on long rides. On the other side of the coin, a trail tyre needs to have good grip and traction because modern trail riders are venturing into more technical terrain and riding at greater speed. There’s more risk involved, so you need a tyre that is more robust, has a beefier tread pattern, and a thicker casing. And, because trail riders load the tyre more aggressively in corners, the compound generally must be softer too.

For more on tyre tech, see our guide on everything you need to know to choose the best MTB tyres for your riding.

FAQs

How we test the best MTB trail tyres

All the tyres in our review list have been thoroughly put to the test on a wide range of trails, and in all weather conditions, from dusty bone-dry to wet winter mud.

We test them out over several months so we can get a proper feel for how they respond in varying conditions and review their durability. Among the qualities we assess are grip, stability, mud clogging, damping, rolling speed, weight, ease of setup, and durability.

Garmin launched its Edge 550 and 850 models in September 2025, replacing both the 540 and 840 units which had been in the range for some time

The 550 remains a non-touchscreen unit, though its screen was upgraded. This seems to have come at the expense of overall battery life, which has decreased, and which hasn’t been met with cheers in some quarters.

The Edge 550 retails at £379.99 / $399.99 / €449.99, building on the long-term popularity of the 520, 530 and 540 models that preceded it. It's less than a Hammerhead Karoo, and sits roughly in between, depending on your territory, the Wahoo Roam and Bolt. These brands make the best bike computers when shopping, though other players are gaining traction.

I’ve been riding with the 550 for close to 2,000 miles. I’ve used it for everything: bike launches in foreign countries, regular rides close to home, lots of training sessions, gravel, and road racing. I’ve used it long enough for any potential issues to surface.

If you're shopping for a computer, this review should help you decide if the 550 is right for you.

Design and aesthetics

Like the rest of the Garmin computer range, you receive the Edge 550 with a standard round out front handlebar mount, standard O-ring mount, charger cable, lanyard and documentation. Setup is very easy; you can use a QR code to connect your Garmin Connect app and set everything up quickly.

One of the biggest changes between the Edge 540 and 550 was the screen and user interface upgrade that the 550 received. The screen uses a liquid crystal screen display over the 540’s Transflective TFT (Thin-Film Transistor) screen; it’s also slightly larger and is very similar in looks to the flagship Edge 1050 model's glossy, sleek screen. Overall, it’s bright, crisp and easy to read thanks to the boosted pixel count.

Dimensions-wise, there isn’t much in it; the 540 measured up at 57.8 x 85.1 x 19.6 mm compared to the 550’s 54.6 x 92.2 x 16.8 mm. The 550 is also slightly heavier. I’ve included a photo comparing the size of a few different units below so you can see for yourself.

The sheer volume of features packed into lots of Garmin smart watches and bike computers is a major part of the brand's fitness calling card. The 550 is no different and is packed with features from downloadable training plans to gear ratio use analysis; you can read the whole list here. The Garmin Connect app also lets you do an awful lot of post-ride analysis and is easily one of the most comprehensive apps out there from the computer brands.

There is too much to list; bear this in mind if lots of features appeal to you. I said it in my Edge 1050 review, but if you are the kind of rider who wants to fully embrace every feature, try them all out and mess around regularly with your setups, the volume of features on offer from Garmin units should appeal.

Let's look at what changed between the 540 and 550 units. Lots of features remain, it’s not a total wholesale overhaul, and aside from the better screen, storage and processing, you will need to decide if the extras are enough for you.

The Edge 550 gains more internal storage over the 540, jumping up to 32GB from the 16GB the 540 had, so there's more space for routes. The 550 also has a faster processor to speed everything up.

The 550 has 5Hz GPS tracking capability in the enduro and downhill riding profiles to boost off-road accuracy, along with more MTB-specific support generally. There’s also smart fuelling and hydration updates, a timing gates feature to help you measure specific split times, real-time weather overlay, community hazard reporting for things like potholes and upgrades to the Garmin GroupRide feature.

A key buying decision for riders is whether to go for the 550 or 850, and the two are tied closely together. The 850 has a lot of the same features but gets a touchscreen as well as buttons, audible navigation prompts, a bell and the Garmin contactless payment function, as well as a bigger battery life.

On battery life, the 550 has decreased compared to the 540 on account of that nice new screen. Claimed battery life for the 540 was up to 26 hours, claimed life for the 550 (from Garmin) is up to 12 hours for demanding use, and up to 36 hours in battery saver mode.

Garmin has already published a list of software updates for the unit, and you can see what has been adjusted or amended on the brand's site. There has been a 0% brightness screen fix, for example; it’s an interesting list to go over.

Looks-wise, the Edge 550 is a great-looking unit. Its top and bottom edges are squared off and aren't as rounded as the 540; this somehow makes the unit look more modern for me.

The unit has seven buttons altogether. The main power button and up and down arrow navigation buttons are all on the left-hand side, the bottom centre has lap and stop star ride buttons sitting either side of the charging port, whilst the right-hand side has the select and scroll back buttons. All told, it's a very similar layout to the 540.

Performance

That upgraded screen is a key talking point, and it’s very nice, bright, glossy and crisp. I can’t really fault it and can comfortably use it on lower brightness levels, which aids battery life. At max brightness, it isn’t quite as bright as the Hammerhead Karoo, in my view, but I don’t think anyone will criticise the screen; it’s very nice.

The 550 user interface is easy enough to navigate; it's not my favourite out there, but it will be familiar if you are already a Garmin Edge user. You can end up deep into some menus and settings, and a fair bit of button clicking is needed, but overall, it's simple to learn the unit and find what you need.

If you are a 540 or existing Garmin user, everything will be familiar. If you are thinking of switching. Ride profiles are highly customisable; you can toggle the various Garmin pop-up screens off if they are all a bit overkill for you. I know some riders turn off the pothole alerts due to feeling too interrupted at times, for example. The unit will upload your sessions to Training Peaks if you are a trainer, and you can take advantage of the Garmin coaching sessions and plans if you so wish. The Climbing metric screens all still do their job as well.

When it comes to battery life, the Edge 550 battery does drain fairly quickly. On average, this year, I’m doing around eight hours of riding per week, and my longest weekly ride is about 3.5 hours. I'm never going to trouble it on a single ride, but whereas I can leave other computers for multiple weeks between charges, I’ve had to stay on my toes a little bit more with the Edge 550; I’ve come close to being caught out once or twice with a low battery after several rides.

Usage-wise, that’s riding with an HRM and power meter paired and displayed on every ride, and with a nice bright screen, or with it on auto brightness, you may as well ride with a nice bright display if the screen is capable of it and I assume this is the approach Garmin has taken with the device; you're getting a brighter, better screen, overall, battery life is just slightly lower.

Charging responsibility, of course, lies with the user; it’s no good slating a unit’s battery life if you forget to charge it before your long ride at the weekend. It’s not hard to plug a device in and ensure the battery is charged. If you're riding up to 15 hours a week, you're not going to suffer too much with slightly more regular charging. If you are doing big rides regularly, this may not be the perfect model for you, battery life-wise, and Garmin might possibly steer you toward the Edge 1040 solar.

I don’t love the 550’s buttons, and since this is a non-touchscreen model, you will be using them exclusively. I find them a little too small, and the click is a little too vague when they are pressed. It’s fine differences, they do their job, but when I’m in the middle of an interval and need to toggle screens because the climb screen has appeared (you can of course turn this off), snatching for that fairly small button when you are hurting is at times harder than I would like it to be. There's also just so much packed into the unit that I think a touchscreen, especially now that we are all so used to smartphones, would boost the user experience and make life easier.

This hits home when comparing them to the larger, textured buttons on the Hammerhead Karoo. I just find them more user-friendly and easy to work with on that unit.

My key navigational test with the 550 came when I completed a 200km gravel/road audax event in the winter. This route took in a wide range of terrain, and the route was completely unknown to me - a perfect test. Maps were all easy to follow, and everything worked as it should, but I found the zoomed-in map somewhat tricky to follow at times in things like tight woodland. Navigation is solid here, and if you are a Garmin user already, there won't be any surprises, but the Garmin mapping is still not my favourite, and I favour the Hammerhead and Wahoo maps for clarity and ease of navigation.

Value

You are looking at £379.99 / $399.99 / €449.99 for the Edge 550 at RRP if you want one, that's a chunk more than the Edge 540 when it launched.

Does this unit offer good value? Yes, and no.

It's hugely capable, as with all but the most basic Garmin units. I can't stress enough how much you can do with a unit and the Garmin Connect app; there's too much for me. The computer is super powerful, and plenty fast enough in use, that the new screen is also very nice.

However, I think we are very nearly into touchscreen money here, and if a unit in 2026 is going to be button only, they better be excellent buttons, and I can't call the 550 buttons excellent. This is a fairly big weak point in this unit's offering if you ask me, and I'd still rather save up the extra cash and buy a Karoo or 850 or even a 540 if I were spending my own money.

Verdict

The Garmin Edge 550 is a really solid computer that can do a hell of a lot. I've said it before, but it's worth repeating: modern bike computers are absolute powerhouses. The differences are finer between units these days, and computers are so good that generally, it's the nuanced points that determine model differences at times.

It's done everything I've needed it to do without issue, but I don't love it. The unit may get criticism in some quarters for the reduced battery life, which on paper is a negative, but if you don't consistently do 15-hour-plus rides, I can't see it causing many issues; just charge it.

My main issue is the buttons, the at times slightly more fiddly navigation that comes from them and the Garmin UI and their overall size and feel. With so much packed into the unit, navigation should be a joy, and I don't feel it is here, and for the price, I think it's the weak link in the 550's chain.

The 550 is a very good computer, but it isn't perfect. Are touch screens the way forward now that computers can do so much? I'll be very interested to see what comes next from Garmin in this product tier.

The Judge is aimed to provide aggressive gravity-focused riders with the maximum grip, no matter what the trail hallmarks, and just looking at the Judge’s aggressive and oversized tread pattern made us eager to search for the grip limit on our most demanding test tracks. It's also an option worth considering for trail MTB riders looking for maximum grip and rear wheel security.

Design

The Judge is available in WTB’s ‘Tough’ and 'Light' sidewall casing options. Essentially, it is a dual ply casing made up of two 60tpi layers. Our Tough test tyre topped the scales at a hefty 1381g (but lighter than WTB’s claimed 1427g).

The tread pattern is made up of seriously chunky side knobs, which are claimed to enthusiastically cut the dirt in every direction across a wide range of riding conditions. These are paired with centerline knob companions that alternate between long and wide with the aim of balancing rolling speed and braking traction. Interestingly, when inflated, the overall tyre shape looks more squared off than most, which in practice, with its rear-specific focus, makes total sense for the rear wheels' less profound lean angle during cornering when compared to the front. Measuring at 2.37’’ when inflated to 20psi on our 30mm rim brings the Judge acceptably in line with WTB’s claimed 2.4’’ width.

While the tyre was originally available in two compound options, ‘High Grip’ and ‘Fast Rolling’, only High Grip seems to be available now. The Judge utilises WTB’s ‘TriTec’ rubber technology. ‘TriTec’ is a blend of three rubber compounds made up of a firmer rubber across the base of the tyre which is said to stabilise the knobs and prevent any squirming under high load forces, on top of this is medium stiffness centre knobs which offer the desired rolling speed, traction and longevity balance, while slow rebounding and softer still side knobs are said to deliver reliable grip for g-force cornering.

Like most other WTB tyres, we also see TCS tubeless technology featured here. In practice, these tyres seem to take more effort to seat than most other brands of late. It’s the first tyre in while we haven’t managed to successfully seat with only a track pump. Other than the initial ‘pop on’ struggle, they always seem to remain reliable and hold pressure well throughout testing, though.

Performance

Let’s cut to the chase, if you’re looking for a tyre to maximise your all-day rolling efficiency, then this probably isn’t the best option for you. Within the first few pedal strokes, you’re hit with rolling speeds comparable to the most sticky compound, DH-rated tyre options. There’s no avoiding that the increased weight from a chunky construction and soft rubber blend means the Judge requires more effort to reach the trailhead; however, should you encounter any technical sections or steep pitches during the climb, it does a stellar job of cutting the dirt, finding purchase and propelling you forward.

Get it up to speed on the way down and the slow-rolling nature feels less apparent. The overall feel of the dual-ply casing is excellent, and when compared to older WTB tyres, the feel is more alive and less wooden as it conforms over trail features. During aggressive, hard-charging riding, the levels of protection on offer from WTB’s casing feels really reassuring and not once during testing did we experience a full tyre bottom out, even when experimenting with lower-than-normal tyre pressures. This makes the Judge a great option for hard-charging riders or racers who rank protection highly and don’t want the added complications of tyre inserts.

The meaningful side knobs provide maximum hold when leaned over, even in damp and loose loamy terrain, and the transition from upright to the cranked over ragged edge hits the progressive sweet spot, showing no signs of unclear traction. Braking remains effective and predictable with even North Yorkshire’s claggy clay clearing the tread swiftly. Essentially, the Judge never does anything weird and remains predictably reliable on every trail surface we placed in its path.

As a result, with all of the traits and features combined, we think the Judge in this configuration should really pair well with the best electric mountain bikes, whose riders like to ride hard. The ability to bite into soft trail surfaces means climbing characteristics are exceptional, it’s hyper grippy on the way down to and the high levels of protection and willingness to slow down will suit the heavier bike. So far, the Judge is showing no obvious signs of wear, so we expect it to last well too.

Verdict

The Judge may not release the right endorphins on the climbs, but the premium grip properties and high levels of protection make it a strong contender if you’re a gravity rider on the hunt for a year-round rear tyre that grips like stink and won’t flinch when you give it hell.

Apparently born from the dry and loose tyre desires of World Cup DH star Troy Brosnan, the Dissector plates up different elements from the Maxxis buffet to create a great tyre for those riders who feel a bit too gripped on the brand's Minion DHR II and Assegai. Originally designed as a rear, the Dissector works well on the front too, particularly in drier conditions and is one of the best MTB trail tyres around.

Construction

The WT (Wide Trail) carcass is proven Maxxis and while we tested the lightest single-ply Exo version, there’s a DH casing for Troy and friends, plus DD and Exo+ versions. Our 2.4in Exo test tyre rolled onto WTB and Hunt rims easily by hand, but still popped up for a secure fit with a track pump, and sizing is spot on at a fraction under 2.4in from knob to knob.

In terms of Maxxis comparison, the ramped, alternating centre tread sits somewhere between Rekon and DHR II with a significant gap to the Rekon/Aggressor shoulder strip. There’s a choice of a dual compound or triple compound MaxTerra on the Exo and Exo+ tyres, while the DD and 2 Ply DH are MaxxGrip.

Performance

Maxxis is the generally accepted performance benchmark for aggro and trail tyres and the Dissector sits very neatly into that crossover point. It’s lighter than Minion DHF and DHR in a similar size and the ramped tread rolls faster too - especially compared to the DHR so it adds immediate pep to pedalling.

While there is a momentary breath catch as you cross the centre to shoulder gap that original High Roller and High Roller II users will definitely recognise. Make the leap of traction faith though and cornering grip is decent with a controllably lazy fade into drift rather than a dramatic snap out. That soon makes chasing the sideways slip through every corner an addictive pastime, particularly as you’ll get to those corners a bit sooner and faster than you were expecting. That means it’s a great match to well planted, low slung bikes and riders who like to play with the edge of control at every opportunity. That’s on the 2.4 too, so while we’ve not tried them yet, our experience on other 2.6in Maxxis suggests they’ll be properly sideways happy.

Braking is very stable if you get carried away though and while it can’t match the ‘who put a coil fork/shock on my bike?’ damping feel of Hutchinson’s class-leading carcass, it definitely feels more planted and secure than Rekon, Forekaster or Aggressor. Obviously Exo+, DD and DH versions will add increasing amounts of surefooted, slam proofed feel as you move towards and then well past the kilo.

Verdict

If you’re riding around on Maxxis DHF, Assegai or DHR II tyres and wishing you were going a bit quicker, or want a bit more confidence than your Rekon or Forekaster tyres are providing, then here’s your answer. The Dissector boosts rolling speed and response, but still feels damped and anchored with great ‘grip to slip’ bandwidth for control surfers.

Awesome aggressive grip, zero sketchy habits and a ton of well-judged carcass and compound options mean you’ll see a Maxxis Minion DHR II fitted to more new and well-used mountain bikes than any other MTB rear tyre. It works well up front in a lot of situations too. So what are the details that make it so good and where does it work best? Slightly binary behaviour and slower roll mean it might not be the Maxxis for everyone though, and price is always an investment, but it is definitely one of the best MTB trail tyres available.

Design

The original DHR was a great tyre, but the release of the Mk II version a few years back was when back wheel Cinders really crashed the rubber ball. The big centre blocks got a little bit of High Roller (another leading Maxxis tyre model) style ramping to make it look faster, which combined with the lean-loving L-shape and split square side blocks from its big brother, the Minion DHF. Big gaps and serious sipes (central slots to allow the top of the tread to deform to the trail loads) give it a caricature ‘Swamper’ look and make sure it clears filthy conditions as well as that suggests too.

Specifications

As well as a retread, Maxxis bulked up the carcass options of all their trail/enduro tyres at the same time. A light dual-ply DD casing and a ‘silkworm’ wrapped Exo+ casing filled the middle ground between the existing ultra-heavy DH and lightweight Exo. This created a perfect rear and front combo for riders who were hitting stuff harder and harder as bikes got longer, slacker and faster and possibly had ten kilos worth of battery and motor on board too.

Sizing options expanded to cover everything between XC and Plus, and 30mm and wider rims gained a specific 2.4in WT ‘Wide Trail’ version to restore the correct profile and pliability characteristics on a broad base.

Performance

Tyres start becoming favourites by being easy to fit, and while there are always some rims that seem to be a pain, Maxxis blow up without much stress or swearing on most rims we test. The slightly stiffer Exo+ and DD options also seem to inflate easier, although they can be more of a fight to fit at first. So overall, not the dreamiest to fit, but certainly not the worst either. Unlike a lot of tyres, they blow up exactly the size they should too.

Once on, the stress is pretty much gone. Presuming you got the right carcass weight for your riding (rarely kill a tyre = Exo, regular sidewall splitter = Exo+, regular rim dinger = DD, frame-breaking, shock-blowing animal = DH), your Minion will be a component you completely forget about. It’ll handle low pressures without burping, give a great balance of traction boosting compliance, but still stay supportive when you’re really throttling it through turns. It’s damped enough to add calm and control but doesn’t feel dead and even the heavily reinforced versions aren’t so stiff they’ll hammer your feet or blow bottles out of cages. Compared to similarly tough tyres at each level, it’s an acceptable weight too.

The wide, open, block tread is similarly utterly reliable whatever the conditions. Literally from loose, kitty litter trail centre surfaces in summer to dirty Welsh woods in winter, you can go super heavy on the brakes and slam lean angles knowing that a DHR II will let you get away with more than almost any other tyre. While the softer triple compounds start to round off pretty quickly, the well-supported knobs never rip off and while we have seen some warped carcasses, that’s a badge of hardcore honour, not an indictment on the casing.

The only downside is that even with the obvious ramping, those big blocks and gaps mean it’s almost a gear slower (sorry, without a Scandinavian rolling drum lab to play with that’s the best anecdotal metric I can give you) under power than a DHF and a gear and a bit slower than a Maxxis Dissector/Aggressor. A DHF is going to slide or slip more easily if you get heavy on the brakes or torque, though, and all-round Dissector/Aggressor grip isn’t even on the same page. The amount of sensibly progressive carcass options and sizing gives Maxxis an edge over the ranges from Schwalbe and WTB and makes Hutchinson, Michelin, Specialized, Bontrager, Vee etc. look very restricted in terms of choice.

Verdict

There are very few truly fit-and-forget tyres that excel in almost every situation. The Minion DHR might not flatter fitness, but it’s certainly a tyre I know I can always trust to have my back whatever the trail is doing. Crucially, the whole range means there'll be one I could recommend to any aggressive rider without worrying they’ll be nothing but ‘totally stoked’. Shopping around should get you a better deal on price too, and even the more basic dual compound options are better than most competition.

Specialized’s Butcher Grid Trail 2Bliss Ready T9 already ranks as one of the best mountain bike trail tyres available – especially if you’re in the UK and after a high grip bargain. The Hillbilly steps things up with even more traction for sloppier, softer conditions without losing hard surface control or dragging dramatically either.

Design and construction

While the name is similar to the previous generation Specialized tyres, the Grid Trail 2Bliss Ready carcass comes from a different manufacturer. It’s the same 60tpi layup used on the most recent Butcher tyre, though, and the same soft, slow rebound ‘Gripton’ T9 compound is used here on the Hillbilly as well.

The centre/shoulder tread pattern is very different, following the classic ‘square studs with plenty of space around them’ format of most good soft conditions tyres. Specialized run alternating pairs of knobs close for a slight paddle effect, and the knob tops are siped (slotted) to allow them to reshape and spread under load.

Shoulder knobs are slightly angled in for a directional emphasis with alternate lugs getting long supporting buttresses right down the sidewall. U-shaped sipes create a ‘block in block’ effect on every other knob too, but there’s no outward splay or projection over the carcass edge.

Weight is average for a modern 2.4in ‘trail tyre’ at 1074g but at 59mm across, they’re actually closer to 2.3 than 2.4in wide. There’s also a Gravity Grid version, but that takes weight beyond 1300g in pursuit of extreme punishment survival.

Performance

If you don’t like changing tubeless tyres because of the faff and mess involved, you’ll be relieved to hear Specialized 2Bliss setup is about as easy as it gets. Not so tight onto the rim that it’s a fight, but not so loose you’re worried about it ripping off in the first turn or peeling off if you get a blowout. It runs happily at teen pressures if you really want to suck the wheel onto the ground too, but obviously bear in mind that this is a trail tyre. If you’ve got a history of rubber-ruining rim abuse, you can pick the Gravity version.

Impacts aside, the grip and control levels are well up for extreme riding. The more open, lugged tread locks into dirty, wet, and loose conditions significantly better than a ramped or flatter/tighter tread. While they don’t ‘lean outwards’ to grab carving/off-camber traction automatically the side knobs are well-supported enough to deliver the traction as soon as you tip the bars into the turn. The tread cleans super quickly even in clay conditions and when they do start to slide, it’s a very predictable, normally saveable push, rather than a sudden snap-out and dump-you situation.

The T9 rubber and underlying carcass give excellent impact damping and micro-traction too. That reduces nerves when transitioning from slop to roots/rocks or the treacherous mess of ‘who knows what’s waiting under the leaves/around the next corner' that typifies a lot of UK and northern hemisphere riding for half the year. While there’s an audible and haptic rumble on the road and you’ll lose some ground in a roll-down test, they’re certainly not so slow you’ll go home early or stop one run short on a session. If anything their ability to keep you upright where most trail tires won’t mean you’re likely to get more riding in and you’ll certainly be going faster on descents and tech sections too.

The fact they make adequate forks feel great and great forks feel amazing adds to their already excellent value in the UK at least and while they’ll shred fast if run on summer rocks, in their natural habitat wear is proving totally reasonable. We’ve had no ripped knob or unraveling/twisting carcass weirdness from our long-term Butcher tires either.

Verdict

Specialized’s Hillbilly T9 tires are a great choice if you want significant extra grip in the slop and soft conditions. The Grid Trail versions are really well-damped on harder surfaces and not a total pain to pedal either. In the UK at least they’re an absolute bargain as well.

The WTB Verdict TCS Light High Grip does what it says on the tin. Any Wilderness Trail Bikes (WTB) mountain bike tyre tagged with a TCS label is tubeless-ready. High Grip means it’s built using the company’s super-soft, Tritec triple-compound, and the ‘Light’ casing is double-ply 60Tpi with SG2 puncture protection.

The WTB Verdict can be fitted to either wheel but excels as a front-only tyre offering and is incredible hold on hardpack, loam or slippery mud. The Verdict TCS Light High Grip is packing a little extra weight compared to other light tyres in our best mountain bike trail tyres test, and it can be a little punishing, but this is a real confidence tyre, one you can push hard without it biting back.

Design and specifications

For solid clearance and predictable traction, the Verdict TCS Light High Grip employs a 2x2 centre tread. It essentially repeats the same knob shape, which is siped to increase the footprint but also chamfered on the leading edge to reduce rolling resistance. The knob depth is similar to a Maxxis Assegai, but the tread is more channelled, so the tyre offers excellent clearance and mud shedding allowing those lugs to bite even in poor conditions.

The knob profile is also replicated on the shoulder, but these are some of the deepest knobs I’ve seen and, while that would normally create some unwanted flex during hard cornering efforts, this tyre just has incredible hold. You can get up on that edge in a banked turn without the tyre doing anything weird or vague.

Like in boxing, WTB splits its range into weight categories, but don’t go thinking this Light casing isn’t going to pack a punch. The Verdict TCS Light High Grip features a 60Tpi single play casing but with SG2 protection. This is an additional nylon layer to increase pinch flat protection without adding excess weight. WTB builds a bit of texture onto the sidewall for added abrasion resistance, and that extra meat means you can run slightly lower pressure to enhance traction, while still retaining adequate sidewall stiffness and cornering stability.

The Verdict TCS Light High Grip is only offered in a single 2.5in width, but those deep edge lugs do come up to size, so you may struggle slightly with winter clearance on some suspension forks, especially if you run a mudguard.

Although the Verdict is TCS tubeless-ready, I found it can be tricky to get the bead to seat on some rim brands. I got it to go eventually, but it would often need a bit of bead lubrication and a tubeless booster pump to get it to snap into place, plus a little bit of air topping up down the line.

Performance

One of the reasons this is such a good cornering tyre is the High Grip rubber compound. It’s actually WTB’s Tritec triple compound, utilising a firm base with a medium/soft skin down the centre and a super soft edge. I measured the latter at around 50a using a durometer, but it’s also incredibly low rebound. Some soft tyres can still feel loose and unpredictable on hard surfaces, but the Verdict TCS Light High Grip feels incredibly sure-footed. It doesn’t skate around under hard loading or when you’re snapping the front of the bike into a loose turn – you don’t have to fight for the grip, it just feels solid.

It's not the quickest rolling tyre in our test, which is one of the reasons we recommend this for front-only use, but it’s a great choice for harder riding, gravity use and e-bike fitment. I’ve smashed this tyre through some pretty rocky terrain, and it’s emerged unscathed – that extra rubber on the sidewall really does a good job at protecting the tyre from abrasion. The ride feel is impressive too, helped by that low rebound rubber compound. The Verdict TCS Light High Grip never feels nervous, no matter what surface you’re riding on and, with its impressive wet weather performance, it’s a tyre you can easily run year-round.

Verdict

At 1150g for the 29x2.5in size, the WTB Verdict is not a lightweight trail tyre, but the trade-off is an illicit amount of traction, excellent pinch-flat resistance and an impressive wear rate. Hook this up with a WTB Judge Tough High Grip on the rear and you’re going to be unstoppable.

It seems that Isaac del Toro has been racing in a new unreleased Sidi cycling shoe for several months.

The shoes in question are a lace-up road model that we don’t recognise; Del Toro has been racing in them since at least last year.

Whilst Sidi offers several lace-up options, it doesn’t officially sell a lace-up pro-level road shoe.

Del Toro and Sidi announced a partnership in March last year, and it seems likely that both parties have been collaborating on a new product.

Once we started going back over various race images, it seems Del Toro has ridden in various shoes with three different lacing systems over the past several months, and even raced and won at Tirreno Adriatico with odd shoes on.

Italian brand Sidi is a famous name in the cycling world, with a great many riders using the brand's products over the years. Brand founder Dino Signori passed away aged 90 in March this year.

Not all pro cyclists have exclusive cycling shoe deals; generally it seems to be something reserved for the sport's bigger stars.

One such example of a pro shoe deal is Remco Evenepoel’s S-Works Torch Remco model, which arrived around this time last year ahead of the Tour de France and was said to have come at Evenepoel's specific request for a lightweight climbing shoe.

The Tour de France isn't far away, and as the pinnacle of the cycling year, it's always a prime time for brands to release new equipment. We recently spotted several new bikes at the renamed Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes this year, which Del Toro himself is competing in.

Cyclingnews has reached out to Sidi for more information on the shoes.

What shoes is Del Toro wearing?

Del Toro raced in Nimbl shoes until he switched to Sidi last year, and for the most part we have seen him racing in the brand's Shot 3 shoes, which feature a two-dial closure system and a carbon sole or ‘chassis’, in the brand's words, which extends up around the heel, making them quite easy to spot.

In a lot of races Del Toro has ridden this year, he has regularly used a lace-up Sidi model that appears to have a very similar sole to the Shot 3; could this be a lace-up version of the same model?

Lace-up shoes are generally considered to offer an aerodynamic advantage over a shoe with closure dials, which sit more prominently on the face of the shoe. The likes of Tadej Pogačar, Remco Evenepoel and Jonas Vingegaard all race in lace-up shoes from DMT, Specialized and Nimbl. Riders also use dedicated dial covers over the middle of their shoes now to smooth airflow.

As far back as late 2025, Del Toro could be seen using a lace-up model with five eyelets on either side of the shoe's quite tall tongue, as well as a black lace toggle or holder.

Whilst the shoes carried Sidi logos, the system looked a little more prototype than a full production version, with a black toggle at the top of the foot being used to cinch the thin-looking lace down. It's a similar-looking system to the Rapha Pro Team Lace-up shoe.

Later versions of the shoes that have been used this year have seven eyelets and a white toggle. Suggesting different variants of the shoe have been tried and tested.

After doing some digging, we also noticed Del Toro lined up for Stage 6 of Tirreno Adriatico with odd shoes on.

The Mexican star wore a Shot 3 on his left foot, and one of the unknown shoes on his right, actually crossing the line to claim victory that day wearing the odd shoes. Perhaps he was carrying out something of a head-to-head comparison between the two models.

Jasper Philipsen also won Nokere Koerse in March wearing odd shoes; his shoe change came mid-race, however, after crash damage forced him to change into an unreleased Shimano model.

Del Toro is racing at the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (previously the Dauphiné) this month and is riding in what seems to be a third and far more polished version of the shoes.

The eyelet layout appears to have changed again, with fewer being used, and what looks like a front lace and/or toggle cover flap or patch is in place at the front of the shoe.

This looks far neater than some of the previous shoes, particularly the pair with a black toggle from back last year. This pair look closer to a finished article, and we will keep an eye out for them at the Tour de France next month.

The shoes now look a lot cleaner, and whilst we don't have any information or a launch date yet, you can't say they haven't been tested in competition.

The HellKat Pro ATC is Kenda’s top-tier trail tyre, but there are two bigger siblings for gravity and enduro use. All three tyres get the same moto-x style tread, which was developed for the DH World Cup stage by the Kenda-sponsored UR Team race team, but the protection levels have been reduced and the weight cut for trail riding. This ATC version features a thinner, more resilient and lighter 120tpi casing and a dual-layer rubber compound. It comes fully tubeless-ready and is available in 27.5 and 29er sizes and two widths.

Does this make for one of the best MTB trail tyres around? Well, keep reading to find out.

Design

The three different casing structures Kenda offers are ATC, AEC and AGC. The middle letter represents the application – hence trail, enduro and gravity respectively. From a purely structural point of view, the gravity casing has an Aramid strip under the tread with an apex chafer to resist pinch flats. The light enduro tyre eliminates this chafer and the trail tyre gets some thinner nylon plies, a more resilient 120tpi casing and a weight of 902g, making it one of the lightest trail tyres in the category.

If the tread was an eight-a-side football [aka soccer] formation, it’d be 3-2-2 with a tightly spaced row of wingers. All the knobs are either siped (they have little slits in the surface) or have shallow depressions, which help them deform and spread out, enhancing traction. To add further braking stability, two of the centre lugs are co-joined and they’re also slightly lower profile than the edge lugs, so don’t flex as hard.

The tread has some pretty open channels, so clearance in mud is impressive, but there are a couple of sections where the casing is a little unprotected, so you may need to ride light in the rock gardens. I’ve not had any issues with punctures (thorn or pinch flat), but I have been running this tyre tubeless. Configuring the tyre was straightforward – the bead seated first time and the tyre didn’t require any additional air during the first outing.

Performance

Kenda employs a dual-layer rubber compound in the HellKat Pro ATC. Unlike the multi-layered compound used in the Maxxis Minion DHF 3C and Michelin Force Am2 tyres, the HellKat Pro just has hard centre knobs and a soft edge. The centre knobs wear better, accelerate quicker and offer better braking traction, while the soft edges obviously stop you coming unstuck when getting sideways in a corner. The soft rubber isn’t quite as soft as claimed though – I measured the hardness at around 55a. While this is only medium/soft, it is low-rebound, so on hardpacked trails it gives a nicely damped feel. As a front tyre, the HellKat Pro doesn’t have any bad habits; it’s stable, confidence inspiring and predictable.

On the rear it also belts along at a good lick, so if you want to get a couple of safety cranks in before a jump or to get the extra percent on the crest of a climb, this tyre isn’t going to hold you back. The only real fly in the ointment is the rear end would slip out occasionally on wet roots and didn’t quite have the same tenacity as Maxxis DHR II or WTB Judge when winching up a slippery climb. A good call if you ride hard or you’re 'are friends electric’ is to fit the AEC enduro version. You’re only looking at 100g increase, but you can easily run lower pressures with the thicker casing to enhance the grip.

There’s an obvious reason to buy the HellKat Pro ATC as it’s a lot cheaper than either the Maxxis and WTB tyres, but it matches them when it comes to performance. It doesn’t quite have the massive edge knobs of a Minion DHR II, but you can still stuff it into a turn and come out all smiles. It also covers the ground quickly and efficiently, and if the conditions are not too extreme, you could easily run this tyre all year round, saving you money and setup hassle.

Verdict

In ATC guise, the Kenda HellKat Pro is one of the lighter trail tyres on the market, so may not suit harder riding or e-bike use. It has good grip and braking traction, rolls surprisingly quickly and the moto-x style tread works in most conditions. A summer tyre you could easily run over the winter.

The original Maxxis Assegai, featured in our best mountain bike tyres round-up, was developed by DH racer Greg Minnaar, so naturally it’s available with a reinforced Double Down casing, but there are lighter Exo and Exo+ versions now available for trail riding.

The very best (and most expensive) models use the Maxxis 3C compound which is available in MaxxTerra or MaxxGrip flavours – the latter is the softer overall and the one I’d choose for the front, with the quicker rolling MaxxTerra on the rear. I’d also consider the reinforced EXO+ out back too, but with a regular EXO casing up front, but then there are so many options that you can mix and match the level of grip and reinforcement based on your ride style or the weight of the bike you’re riding.

Design and specifications

One of the prerequisites of any Maxxis trail tyre is the deep edge lugs, and the Assegai has these in spades. These big block knobs offer a predictable shoulder when stuffing the bike into a loose turn or skating down slippery off-camber.

To complement this lateral fortification, the Assegai 3C MaxxGrip EXO+ features a 3 x 2 centre tread of interlocking knobs. These are heavily chamfered for quick rolling and three are siped to create extra traction – a siped knob will splay out slightly under load creating a larger footprint on the trail. The two smaller transition knobs are not siped but they do create a sort of semi-edge and fill in this area. As a result, the tread is a little congested and in really deep mud it can struggle for purchase, but it does clear surprisingly quickly.

The Assegai is available with Maxxis EXO or EXO+ puncture protection options. Both models have medium-duty puncture protection built into the sidewall, but the EXO+ gets an extra butyl (synthetic elastomer) insert wrapped around the bead area to help protect the tyre from pinch flats and also prevent rim damage. It adds a few grams but it’s a key reinforcement to the rear tyre for e-bike and gravity use.

All Maxxis tyres are tubeless ready (TR) and I’ve found they’re some of the easiest to seat. They always go on first time and you can often inflate them and get the bead to snap into place just using a regular track pump, no matter what rim brand they’re fitted to.

This tyre is also a Wide Trail (WT), which means it’s optimised for 35mm inner width rims, adding a little more sidewall depth.

Performance

The Assegai comes in a 3C (triple) compound with either MaxxTerra (medium) or MaxxGrip (soft) option. Both tyres use a hard base rubber for stability, but with a quick rolling centre strip and then a soft rubber on the edge for grip. The MaxxGrip is super tacky, but it does show wear relatively quickly if you’re riding on dry dusty terrain, which is why I’d run the harder-wearing MaxxTerra compound on the rear and keep the MaxxGrip for the front. That way you are not literally burning rubber, which at this price is costly.

Grip levels are superb with the softer MaxxGrip tyre – it feels so surefooted and never does anything unexpected. It’s really consistent at all lean angles, even chopping and changing lines through tight singletrack. You can roost the front into a turn or lean in gradually, it works both ways. It’s a real confidence tyre that lets you push the envelope without having to pay the consequences.

It’s consistent across a range of terrain – I’ve ridden on every sort of surface from wet rocks to dusty hardpack and, apart from deep clag, it always finds grip. You can easily ride this tyre throughout the year and it works pretty good on the rear – it’s not quite as quick rolling as the Maxxis Dissector or DHR II, but it still has a good turn of speed. When cross-rutting, the traction is solid and there’s plenty of grip when winching up steep ascents.

Verdict

The Assegai is a fantastic tyre for use all year round in pretty much any condition you care to name. The only real fly in the ointment is the relatively high price, but then you are buying one of the most controlled and confidence-inspiring MTB trail/gravity tyres on the market.

The Maxxis Minion DHF MTB tyre was a game-changer when it first appeared and it’s continued to dominate the trail and hardcore front tyre market for well over a decade. A faster roll than you’d expect for the great directional and cornering grip it gives means it works both ends too. Add a wide range of carcass and compound options and if I had to pick a single (cost-no-object) tyre for every situation, it would be this one. Which is why I rate the Minion DHF as one of the best MTB trail tyres available, and it's also a great gravity option.

Design

The key to the Minion DHF’s easier roll compared to its DHR II sibling is the slightly elongated, ramped knobs, which means smaller gaps. The alternate split pair are deeply cloven front to rear too, effectively creating four smaller blade blocks that also give extra directional bite. The way those blocks can splay also partially closes what could otherwise be a grip gap over to the alternate split block and L-shaped side knobs that fan out from the shoulders. It's a side pattern so good it was moved across onto the DHR II to give the same aggressive cornering bite front and rear.

Specifications

As the DHF (and DHR II) have been around so long, they’re one of the few current top-performance tyres still available in 26in for retro riders. Maxxis has rolled out a DHF for every trend since though (including a 27.5 x 2.8in ‘Plus’ tyre), so you’re covered for almost every bike fit. The company even created a whole new WT (Wide Trail) carcass lay-up for its 2.4 and 2.6in widths, so that they shaped up correctly on rims 30mm or wider internally.

Maxxis has also expanded its casing offerings in terms of reinforcement level. The lightest option is the Exo, which is fine for XC/old school trail use; Exo+ adds a full protective wrap against cut, puncture and impact punctures for more aggressive trail/enduro use; DD is a lightweight double-ply for hardcore enduro or e-bike use; and then there are super heavyweight DH tyres if your riding is all about radical gravity runs. In contrast to many brands where performance sweet spots fall awkwardly between light and heavy-duty options, weights and ride characteristics are on point for every level too. It’s the same story with rubber compounds. The top triple compound (3C) tyres offer a MaxxTerra all-rounder mix and a super sticky, ultra grippy MaxxGrip option over a hard base for predictable behaviour and extended lifespan. If you want a relative bargain though, the basic Dual Compound tyres are a great split between cornering grip and decent rolling speed/wear life on a tough but not too heavy carcass for much less cost.

Performance

I'm lucky enough to spend most of my time on the 3C MaxxTerra version in Exo or Exo+ spec, because that comes as standard on a huge amount of test bikes. It’s also an excellent ‘context’ tyre to fit to any bike or wheel that I'm testing independently, purely because it’s basically entirely vice-free. It’s easy enough to fit to most rims and, while it’s not the simplest sealing tyre, I rarely have to abandon the floor pump in favour of a compressor to get the job done. Once inflated, it holds pressure and shape well and it’s close enough to the listed size not to make me grumble. Even the Exo version can be run at teen pressures without buckling and folding if you shunt a corner or grab a fistful of brake too hard, while the Exo+, DD and DH increase incrementally in stability and stoutness. Ride feel is appropriate for each weight/use category with a float/damping profile that flatters suspension and frame feel. As you’d hope, the WT casings are a particularly good match to currently ubiquitous 30mm internal rims, avoiding the over-stiff, numb feel that’s apparent in some other ‘stretched’ tyres.

While it looks like the centre-to-shoulder tread gap might trigger a ‘leap of faith’ lurch like the old Maxxis High Roller tyre, the DHF actually tips in really smoothly and predictably. Once you’re into the lean, you can also load it up aggressively on pretty much every surface from slippery gravel to winter slop and wet woods. There’s enough space to mean they clear mud pretty quickly, too so clogging is rarely an issue.

The longer tread blocks also mean the DHF rolls noticeably faster than the DHR II and we know a lot of people who actually run a DHF both ends for a faster, but still hard cornering combo. They are more likely to skid or slip on the back than a DHR, but no less than most other trail tyres.

While the heavier-duty DD and DH carcasses are the ones to go for if you habitually hammer tyres and wheels, the Exo and Exo + are comparatively tough in terms of pointy object and pinch punctures. They don’t rip knobs or tear sidewalls easily either, so most Minions are bald before they get binned rather than being stabbed or slashed to death. Check fresh tyres before fitting though as Maxxis does have occasional issues with warped or twisted tyres.

Verdict

Faster rolling than a DHR II, but no less grippy in turns, the Maxxis Minion DHF is still my favourite hardcore all-rounder on either end of the bike. It comes in a wide range of casing and compound options to suit all riding situations, and once you’ve found the blend that works for you, it's a fit-and-forget tyre for all reasons and seasons. Shop around for a deal, and the pricing might not be such a sting either.

Search the internet and you will find plenty of information about road and gravel bike saddle setup, but far less specifically about doing it on a mountain bike. Although the average mountain biker won’t spend as much time in the saddle, given the extremes in gradients, variations in terrain, and dynamic nature of mountain bikes and riding, saddle setup is arguably far more involved than the static pedalling optimised position of drop bar bikes.

I’m not going to go deep into how to choose the right MTB saddle or the intricate science of bike fitting. Instead, this is a guide on how you can experiment with your current setup, gain a better understanding of the effects of saddle position, and maybe find a more comfortable mountain bike saddle position. So let's dig into it.

Let's start with the saddle

Saddles are a personal preference and what works best for one person won't necessarily suit someone else. The type of riding you do will affect the saddle you choose too so there is a fair bit of consideration when choosing the best MTB saddle. All the options can be a bit bamboozling if you aren’t sure what you want or don’t have access to loads of saddles to try out.

If you don’t want to change your saddle, there is loads of scope to experiment with your current setup to find a more comfortable position. Unless your saddle is causing you specific discomfort, I would recommend experimenting with your existing setup first, as even small adjustments to saddle height and angle can often have dramatic effects on comfort.

If you are choosing a new saddle, there are a few things to consider. Step one is determining what size of saddle you need. Most saddles, specifically those aimed at the pedal-lier end of mountain biking, will be available in at least a couple of different widths. These widths correlate to your sit bones, so it’s worth measuring those to get the right size. Some bike shops will have machines to do this, or you could pay a bike fitter for a saddle fitting. However, it's easy to get a rough sit bone measurement at home to get a ballpark guide to your required saddle width.

Unfortunately, from here, you are kinda on your own. Some people like long-nosed saddles, others prefer short ones, there are flat or curvy profiles, and more padding can be both more or less comfortable depending on the rider or riding. There are no right answers.

You also get discipline-specific saddles as well. Cross-country and trail saddles are focused on pedalling dynamics and are very similar, if not the same, as road or gravel saddles. Enduro saddles will be similar as well, but usually feature a burlier construction and some extra padding. Downhill saddles aren’t really meant to be sat on, instead, the shape is designed to aid bike control. E-MTB-specific saddles are interesting as they often feature a raised tail to help hold the rider in position when climbing super steep gradients.

It's worth noting that bigger bike shops may have demo saddles for you to try before you buy, so it's worth asking whether you can give one a test before you commit with your cash.

It’s not just about having the right saddle

Choosing the right saddle is important, but arguably, the setup of a saddle is more essential. Different saddles have different shapes which can affect how you fit them onto your bike. The type of riding you do will also influence the position, as will the geometry of your bike. This is where things start getting a bit confusing.

Saddles can be adjusted horizontally using the length of the saddle rails, while most seatposts give loads of angle adjustment. Even minor adjustments can have some significant effects on how comfortable you are on the bike. It's not just your bum either, changes to saddle position can also affect the back, shoulder, wrist, hand, knees, and feet too. What makes saddle adjustment so complex is that any adjustment has a cause-and-effect relationship, so you have to be meticulous and patient when making any changes.

Your saddle position is in direct relation to the position of your pedals, which means a saddle and saddle position that works on one bike may not directly translate to another. Seat angle, crank length, and suspension sag all affect your saddle position. For example, you will often see riders on bikes with slack effective seat tube angles (effective seat tube angle is the angle of the seat tube when the suspension is at its sag point) with their saddles pushed forward on the rails. This is because the saddle is effectively further back towards the rear axle. By pushing a saddle forward, riders are biasing seated weight towards the front which will reduce front wheel lift on climbs, although manufacturers are combating this with ever steeper seat tube angles on modern bikes.

Seat angle is set by the seatpost's saddle clamp and is usually positioned close to flat. That said, there are a few reasons why a rider may want to add a little more tilt. Gravity riders will often set their saddles with positive tilt (saddle nose pointing up) as it puts the saddle in a better position when descending. Conversely, riders who do a lot of steep climbing use more negative tilt for a more comfortable position on long climbs. Saddle shape will also determine angle, with some favouring more positive or negative angling.

Getting a basic saddle setup

The trick to finding the optimal saddle position is being able to self-diagnose problems and make specific changes to target any issues. Similar to suspension setup, adjustments are likely to be quite small, so if you make loads of changes at once, then it will be very hard to determine what the effects are. What makes it even harder is that, unlike suspension, there are no clicks, dials, or numbers for you to reference, although some saddles and seatposts will have guide markings, which can be a massive help when it comes to testing.

Again, I want to iterate that I am not a bike fitter and the below is only intended to help you get a better understanding of how to get a basic setup up your bike. With the below process, you should be able to get a ballpark saddle setup yourself, but if you want to be more specific, then you’re best speaking to a professional bike fitter.

The first step is setting the saddle up in a neutral position. I recommend trying to set the top of the saddle as flat as possible and the seatpost positioned in the centre of the rails. On curvier saddles, setting the angle can be a little more tricky as it's not clear which bit needs to be flat. Sometimes it is a case of taking a level measurement with a spirit level from the rear to the nose of the saddle while others will have a specific section that should be level. Manufacturers sometimes provide setup guides which are always worth consulting.

Once you have your saddle fitted, you will want to set your saddle height. It surprises me how often I see people with their saddle at the wrong height as despite being an in-depth subject all of its own, it's a simple process to get a good ballpark. For a basic initial setup, I recommend using the heel method as it is the easiest and generally fosters a decent result.

To do this, sit on your bike with your riding gear on while leaning against a wall. Place your heel on the pedal and spin your cranks so it's at its furthest away point from the saddle. It’s worth noting that this won’t be the 6 o’clock crank position due to your effective seat tube angle, the slacker the effective seat tube angle, the more rotated forwards the longest extension point will be. Adjust your saddle height so that at peak leg extension with your heel on the pedal your knee is almost locked out. Once you have set your saddle height you should now have a nice bend in your knee when your feet are level on the pedals in your normal riding position.

Experimenting with saddle setup

From here is a case of diagnosing any issues that may need to be addressed, with the most common being any pain, numbness, or instability when pedalling.

While numbness and pain may seem like the most important to address, instability or rocking while pedalling should be a priority. If you find that your hips are rocking from side to side while pedalling, this is a sign your saddle is too high. A saddle that is too high can be the cause of many other issues and even dropping the saddle by 5mm can take off a huge amount of pressure and alleviate knee, back, and hip pain or saddle sores. It’s not just undercarriage and joint problems, even symptoms like tingly hands and toes can be caused by restricted blood flow caused by a high saddle and fixed with a minor height adjustment. Lower saddle height isn’t a solution for all cycling ailments, but it's a great place to start.

If tweaking your saddle height hasn’t sorted you out, then it's a case of experimenting with other adjustments. Here are some common issues and adjustments that could fix them:

It's worth noting after each adjustment, assuming you don’t experience excessive discomfort, you should do at least a couple of decent rides to let yourself readjust as changes may feel a little off at first.

A mountain bike saddle has one important job, providing a comfortable place to sit while riding. However, finding the best MTB saddle for you can be a tricky process.

Personal preference and body shape will directly impact a saddle's comfort and performance. A perfect fit will give miles of comfortable pedalling, while even a little discomfort can quickly ruin a ride.

If you tend to find stock saddles uncomfortable, a narrower saddle could be the solution. A number of the saddles here are available in various widths. It's worth trying before you buy though, or measuring your sit bones to find out what width is best for you.

We've tested loads of mountain bike saddles and selected the very best for this guide. Our top choice is the SDG Bel Air v3.0 Lux-Alloy, while our pick for comfort is the Specialized Power Expert.

If you are confused about cutouts or pondering about padding, skip to the bottom for everything you need to know when choosing the best MTB saddle. Alternatively, see our article on saddle setup to find the perfect saddle position.

Best mountain bike saddles

Best mountain bike saddle overall

The SDG Bel Air saddle has been a classic since the original mid-'90s versions. The obvious change in the third-generation Bel Air is that it’s a lot flatter. That doesn’t mean the top profile has lost its subtly raised rear S-bend profile, but it’s nowhere near as deep underneath. If you get the measuring tape out, it’s also a bit shorter than before, but there’s still enough shuffling room without falling off the front compared to the latest stub-nosed setups. Its balance of sit-bone support and easy movement worked well for all our testers.

In terms of construction, the one-piece ATMOS ‘sonic-welded’ cover still gets protective corner bumpers, which is pretty rare these days. It’s really easy to clean, and in Guy Kesteven's testing, it survived several months of hard riding and several crashes without a scratch. The thin layer of EVA foam gives firm support over the flexible base, and the rails have a particularly narrow stance at the rear with flexible ‘free float’ anchors which we found increased mobility and helped reduce ‘bottoming out’ impacts.

Check out our full review of the SDG Bel Air V3.0 Lux-Alloy saddle.

Best mountain bike saddle for comfort

The Expert sits third in Specialized's Power range, above the Power Comp, (lighter but made with less durable materials), and below the Power Pro with Mirror (titanium rails and sophisticated 3D-printed cushioning), and the S-Works Power with Mirror (lighter, with carbon rails and shell and 3D-printed padding).

One of the saddle's key components is its lightweight hollow titanium rails, which are relatively rare at this price point. Even though at 230g, the overall saddle weight isn’t particularly low, the lighter rails allow the Power Expert to offset a decent level of cushioning without affecting the overall weight. The titanium also helps reduce vibrations through the saddle too. A cavernous central cutaway combines with a stubby, truncated nose, intending to ease pressure on your tender parts and making it ideal for long days out pedalling.

The Power Expert is definitely a comfortable saddle, as Sean Fishpool found out when he put it to the test. He noted that the "cushioning is firm enough to feel purposeful, but thick and compliant enough to be a genuine all-day companion, even when you’re shuttling between tarmac and rough ground. The short nose and the relatively narrow tip give a gloriously free-spinning, unencumbered feeling for your legs."

If you’re after a secure, comfortable all-day saddle, the Specialized Power Expert should be on your shortlist.

For info, check out our full review of the Specialized Power Expert saddle.

Best mountain bike saddle for women

Perhaps better known for its take on the best mountain bike tyres, WTB also does some great value saddles. The Koda was originally designed as a female-specific saddle with input from marathon MTB racer Rebecca Rusch, although it turned out to be popular with guys too. It comes in a Medium or Wide widths and a three different rail options – we tested the Cromoly version.

The standout feature of the Koda is its nose design. In our testing, we found the nose is wide enough so that you can comfortably sit on the front of the saddle on steep climbs, while also being short enough that it didn't get caught on our shorts. If you're not a fan of wearing MTB bibs with padding, we found the gel insert enhanced HLX padding to still be very comfortable.

After putting the miles in on the Koda, Guy Kesteven found the "slight raised rear, curved nose naturally puts you in the sweet spot too, with the same ‘just right’ grip from the perforated microfibre cover."

Best mountain bike saddle for XC

This is a true cross-country racer’s saddle, which saves the grams but you won’t be punished by their absence. Although the X-LR Superflow’s shape is discreet, that does not mean it lacks features.

The seat surface is upholstered in Fibra-Tex to give the saddle a durable finish and reinforced edges. Below that surface, the padding has two different levels which Selle Italia calls Dual Density, and is chosen to improve comfort.

Though the cushioning is thin and firm, we found it's surprisingly protective when combined with the little bit of natural flex in the carbon-infused shell underneath it, and it does have the magic feeling of being super purposeful and direct when you put the power down.

The real delight for our tester, Sean Fishpool, was the freedom of movement. He found the narrow front section gave plenty of room for unhindered pedalling, and the curved sides and relatively smooth materials made it super-easy to let the bike move under us when we needed to.

Check out our full review of the Selle Italia X-LR Ti316 Superflow saddle.

Best mountain bike saddle for gravity

The Spank Spike features a minimalist design meant for downhill and enduro racing, which means the saddle will stay out of your way when you're sending it at full speed. It's not the most lightweight saddle, but it's still pretty respectable considering it is ready to take on gravity duties.

The contact points and impact zones have been reinforced and optimised to stand up to aggressive riding. The surface finish of the saddle has a grippy texture to help maintain rider position on technical steep climbs, but we didn't find it so abrasive that it limited manoeuvrability and comfort. The broadness of the front section gave a stable grip for the legs when out of the saddle, and tester Sean found it a comfortable enough perch when riding further forward than normal while tackling steep climbs, too.

There are multiple colour options, including a Geoff Gulevich signature colourway, and the price of this saddle won't break the bank either.

For more, see our full Spank Spike 160 saddle review.

Best mountain bike saddle for narrow sit bones

The German company is a leading grip and saddle brand with designs that prioritise comfort. The SM series covers a wide range of saddles, which all come in two widths (144 and 156mm) for different-sized sit bones, along with male and female-specific options.

The standard SM saddle comes in three models at different price points with different construction and finishes – Sport, Comp, and Pro. It's also available in e-bike-specific, touring, enduro, and downhill versions.

I tested the 144mm SM Comp saddle, and the reduced width is a great match for my narrower sit bones. It's also proved to be a durable option after a year of regular use.

The orthopaedic foam is supportive and comfortable and hasn't shifted over time, while the microfiber surface has a hardy finish that is weather- and scuff-resistant.

A flatter design provides more freedom of movement to put down the power when riding in any position, and flanked sides reduce friction when pedalling.

How to choose the best mountain bike saddles

How we test mountain bike saddles

We test out saddles over several months, putting them through their paces on long, rough mountain adventures, fast trail blasts, and everything in between. We rate them according to comfort, maneuverability, robustness, firmness, weight, and durability.

Back to the top.

A saddle that suits your needs perfectly is one of the holy grails of cycling. That makes getting a saddle that complements your rear end one of the most important upgrades you can make. It can be the difference between enjoyable, comfortable rides and a very painful posterior, especially on long days in the saddle.

In an ideal world, it is best to try a new saddle before buying it. However, it's highly unlikely your local bike shop will have every option out there and even less chance they'll allow you the luxury of "trying before buying", even if they have a lenient return policy. So, where do you start?

One of the most important things you can do to aid you in your saddle search is to measure your sit bones, as that will enable you to look for a saddle that is the correct width. But, what are my sit bones, you ask? And how do I measure them? Read on to find out.

What are sit bones?

So firstly, if you don't know, the clue is in the name, but your sit bones, or to give them the correct medical name, the Ischial Tuberosity, is the V-shaped bone at the bottom of the pelvis that makes contact with a surface when you sit down. If you’ve ever sat on a hard seat for a long time, you’re no doubt familiar with this pokey bone and the discomfort you can get.

Bike saddles are designed to provide optimal support to the sit bones for maximum rider comfort. Too narrow and the sit bones are unsupported, causing the rider undue muscle and tissue stress. Too wide and the sit bones can rest awkwardly on the edge of the centre channel, where saddles offer little to no padding.

How to measure sit bone width using cardboard

This is both the most low-tech and the most accurate at-home method. Grab a flat piece of corrugated cardboard and place it on a flat surface. Sit down on the cardboard, and settle in so your sit bones make an indentation. You can even pull up on the chair to press your butt and sit bones into the surface.

Stand up and use a pen to circle the indentations. Mark the approximate centres with a plus sign, and use a ruler to get the distance between the centre marks. Make sure your clothing isn’t giving a false result; for example, jeans rivets poking the cardboard instead of your sit bones. A firm chair works best, so don’t bother trying to do this test on the couch. If you’re not sure if you did the test right, grab a fresh piece of cardboard and do it again just to make sure.

The cardboard sit bone test works similarly to the high-tech, pressure-sensitive devices saddle brands have at their disposal, so the results are generally quite accurate.

How do I use my sit bone width to find the right saddle fit?

Every brand provides slightly different information when it comes to saddle width. Some offer a range of sit bone widths for each size, while others simply give the overall width of the saddle. In most cases, your saddle should be wider than your sit bone width by 15 to 20mm. This will ensure you’re not right on the edges of the saddle, where your sit bones will be poorly supported.

If after purchase, you find that a saddle is uncomfortable even though it’s the right size, check to make sure you have the saddle positioned appropriately. For example, if it is installed too far back away from the bars, your sit bones could be resting closer to the nose of the saddle where it narrows. The saddle angle can cause similar problems if the tilt causes you to slide toward the front or back of the saddle and away from the widest spot where sit bones are supposed to rest.

Having done the test myself on two of my saddles, it was an interesting result. My Syncros gravel saddle shows a slightly narrow fit, while my Scott mountain bike saddle is wider with an almost perfect fit. Although there are only a few millimetres in it, and both saddles seemed fine to me when I rode, it was definitely worth checking and I've fine-tuned my saddle position as a result. It also means when I come to upgrade, I have the ideal saddle width in mind.

The SDG Bel Air has been one of the best mountain bike saddles since the original mid-'90s versions, which introduced the concept of funky camo, cowskin and other novelty covers. The current iteration keeps a similar overall profile, but is underlined with the latest construction tech to boost the comfort even further creating a fantastic feeling, if slightly weighty, saddle. Although you only get a hint of funkiness with the alloy-railed version.

The third-generation SDG Bel Air is a lot flatter than previously. That doesn’t mean the top profile has lost its subtly raised rear S-bend profile, but it’s nowhere near as deep underneath. If you get the measuring tape out, it’s also a bit shorter than before, but there’s still enough shuffling room without falling off the front compared to the latest stub nosed setups.

The shell drops under the snout to give the deepest padding when you’re on the rivet, and the top is flattened off for easy, effective seat-angle shifting. A ‘Peri-Canal’ groove runs from front to rear, with an ‘undercut’ pressure-relieving hole hidden in the center of the nylon and glass base to protect your plumbing. The rear of the saddle kicks up in the center to keep you anchored when you’re churning a serious gear, but drops away quickly over rounded flanks for a balance of sit bone support and easy movement that worked for everyone who tried it. If you’ve been finding seated salvation in a flatter, wider 150mm+ seat, this likely won’t include you.

In terms of construction, the one-piece ATMOS ‘sonic welded’ cover still gets protective corner bumpers, which is pretty rare these days. It’s really easy to clean, and it’s survived several months of hard riding and several crashes without a scratch. The rails are polished raw where they stick out from under the nose.

The thin layer of EVA foam gives firm support over the flexible base, and the rails have a particularly narrow stance at the rear with flexible ‘free float’ anchors increasing mobility and helping reduce ‘bottoming out’ impacts. This all sets up a seat that was universally loved by the wide range of riders who’ve been using our Pace RC295 host bike, but it’s shock shrugging enough that it’ll work really well on a hardtail too.

Verdict

The latest material tech and smart profiling mean SDG’s classic saddle gets even comfier and lighter. The V3 range starts with the basic ‘steel’ railed option, but with a claimed weight of 318g, it’s definitely worth upgrading to the Lux-Alloy tested here or even the carbon railed (181g) versions if you’re worried about grams.

Specialized's mission to relieve saddle discomfort reaches a peak in the Power range. A cavernous central cutaway combines with a stubby, truncated nose, with the intention of easing pressure on your tender parts and allowing for an all-day aggressive riding position. Specialized pitches it as a road- and off-road suitable model, so let’s take a look at how that translates to off-road riding and how it measures up to the best mountain bike saddles.

Design and aesthetics

The Power Expert sits third in the Power range, above the cheaper Power Comp, (lighter but made with less durable materials), and below the Power Pro Elaston, (similar weight but with a stiffer all-carbon shell and more sophisticated cushioning), and the S-Works Power, (71g lighter, with carbon rails and shell and less padding).

One of its key ingredients is lightweight hollow titanium rails, which are relatively rare at this price point. Even though at 230g, the overall saddle weight isn’t particularly low, you could argue that the lighter rails allow the Power Expert to offset a decent level of cushioning without affecting the overall weight. (Specialized describes it as ‘level 2’ medium density cushioning). The titanium also helps reduce vibrations through the saddle too.

Performance

The Power Expert is definitely a comfortable saddle, no doubt about that. The cushioning is firm enough to feel purposeful, but thick and compliant enough to be a genuine all-day companion, even when you’re shuttling between tarmac and rough ground. The short nose and the relatively narrow tip give a gloriously free-spinning, unencumbered feeling for your legs.

Whether it would work for you as an off-road saddle depends partly on how much you like to shift position as you ride, and partly on how much you like to steer with your thighs when you’re out of the saddle on your gravel bike. It also depends on whether you like to get into a low riding position (and whether this causes you saddle discomfort).

Even though I’d cheerfully leave it on my bike if this was a stock saddle, the Power Expert’s strengths didn’t play to my own needs.

I do like to shift around as I ride, especially on trails, and the flattish profile, probably combined with the upward tilt towards the rear of the saddle, means that the Power Expert wants to keep you in one ‘right’ position. Some riders love this, and on-road or off, the uptick at the rear means you have a really secure base to power against, especially on grinding hills or sprints.

When riding gravel I don’t tend to get into the drops, apart from on the odd hairy descent, and I do like to steer with my thighs. If you’re like me, you might want to consider the Specialized Power Arc instead, which is a near cousin of the Power Expert. It shares a lot of the construction and the undercarriage-friendly cutout, but with more rounded sides for ease of movement, and a longer nose.

And speaking of variants, while Specialized describes the Power Expert as unisex, if you’re a female rider who is looking for the best women’s MTB saddle, you might consider the women-specific MIMIC version of the Power Expert it’s very similar but with a more female-friendly cutaway.

Verdict

If you’d like a secure, comfortable all-day gravel saddle – especially if you like to get low on your bike – the Specialized Power Expert should be on your shortlist. If you don’t want quite such a planted feeling consider one of its near relations such as the Power Arc.

Selle Italia’s X-LR SuperFlow saddles take the classic profile of its SLR and Flite saddles and give it a pure off-road focus, with scuff bumpers, a great shape, and a practical combination of cover materials to bring it in line with the best mountain bike saddles. Its curved profile and light padding won’t be for everyone, but for some riders it will be a fast and liberating ride. Here we’re reviewing the Ti316 model, which sits in the middle of the X-LR range.

Design and aesthetics 

The X-LR is an elegant perch, the rear wings cutting away quickly to a narrow front section and a significantly down-curved tip. The large centre cutout and the highly curved cross-section reflect its intent: it’s a minimalist saddle designed for a more aggressive, forward-tilted riding position, or for riders with a naturally forward-rotated pelvis.

The X-LR Ti316 sits on titanium rails, attached to a carbon and nylon undershell for stiffness and light weight. The cushioning is thin and firm, covered with a taut, hand-stretched cover.

The rear two-thirds of the cover is matt and moderately grippy, the front third with the sloping tip is deliberately shiny and smooth, to make it easier to get back into position when you’ve been off the saddle. Softer padding in the front section also helps the remounts.

Plastic side bumpers extend beyond the cushioning at the widest points, to protect the saddle in a crash or when it’s leaning against a rough wall. Every scrap of material on the X-LR seems to have earned its place, and there’s nothing there that doesn’t need to be.

The colour options are equally minimal, it’s black or black.

The X-LR comes in two widths. More significantly for your wallet and the weight of your bike, it also comes in three chassis materials: manganese 224g (the cheapest); titanium (tested), 176g; and carbon, 138g (the most expensive). Both the ti and carbon models have their own shock-absorbing qualities over the base version and have more durable Fibra-Tek covers.

Performance 

A narrow, curved, lightly padded saddle like the X-LR is a great advert for the benefits of getting a saddle that fits. Whereas it could have been incredibly uncomfortable, for me, my weight carried through my sit bones onto the curved edges in the right place, and the cutout was just right, even when perched slightly forward in the saddle for climbs.

Though the cushioning is thin and firm, it’s surprisingly protective when combined with the little bit of natural flex in the carbon-infused shell underneath it, and it does have the magic feeling of being super purposeful and direct when you put the power down.

The real delight was the freedom of movement. The narrow front section (36mm, compared with 47mm on the Spank Spike 160, for example) gives plenty of room for unhindered pedaling, and the curved sides and relatively smooth materials make it super-easy to let the bike move under you when you need to. That curved, shiny nose also helps maneuverability.

Verdict

Saddles are an immensely personal preference, but if you have the budget, we have no problem in suggesting the X-LR TI316. For cross-country riders in particular, it’s a great combination of lightweight, manoeuvrable form and surprising protection. Some riders would only use it for racing, few would find it ideal for long, rough, rocky days, but for others, it’s a great, fast, all-around option.

Spank wanted to make a race saddle for enduro and DH racers that was also comfortable enough for all-day training. For slower rides on the relentlessly rough ground, you might wish you had more cushioning, but otherwise, it’s a purposeful, manoeuvrable offering when compared to the best mountain bike saddles.

Design and aesthetics 

The Spike 160 is a relatively broad and flat saddle. The most race-oriented perch in the brand's four-saddle range, it has lean, low-profile cushioning that gives it a fast aesthetic. It has a generously sized pressure-relieving groove along almost the full length, which is wide and 6mm deep.

Its profile is flat front-to-back and side-to-side, so you very much feel you’re sitting ‘on’ it, with a broad taper at the rear edges which gives you side support when you’re wiggling to the side, without getting in your way. The covering is matte synthetic rubber, with light ridges for extra grip at the back and a smooth shape around the nose to help stop shorts snagging.

The Spike 160 comes in one width - effectively a medium - and the plastic underside comes in six colour options - our review sample is grey.

Reflecting its mid-range price point, the Spike 160 sits on hollow cromoly rails and a plastic base. The sides of the saddle are designed to have a little flex in them for comfort, though this is pretty subtle.

The whole saddle is constructed using a process called co-moulding, in which the skin, then the padding, then the base are put into a mould and compressed together with heat. The idea is that this gives the padding more durability versus compressing it by stretching the skin across it. Certainly, the skin and the cushioning are taut and look and feel like one uniform piece.

Performance 

Out on the trail, the Spike 160 combines a sense of robustness and security with a definite speed-oriented leanness.

You won’t forget that the cushioning is on the firm, purposeful side - firm enough to feel efficient and remind you that you’re on the trail to perform, but not so firm that you couldn’t stay out all day if you wanted to.

But it’s an easy saddle to live with, and an easy one to stay in the right position in. The cover is grippy but not too grippy, the centre groove comfortable - for my shape at least - and the broadness of the front section gives a stable grip for the legs when you’re out of the saddle. It's a comfortable enough perch when you’re riding further forward than normal while tackling steep climbs, too.

Interestingly, there was a little more propensity to snag shorts than the other saddles in our current crop, despite the ‘anti-snag’ edges. Maybe that was because of the shallow top section and slight lip between the skin and the base, but either way, it wasn’t a deal-breaker.

Verdict

Cross-country riders would look elsewhere since they’d expect a lighter weight for this amount of cushioning, and maybe wouldn’t need the breadth through the front end of the saddle. But for its intended gravity audience, the Spike 160 is a lean and efficient perch for a rider who wants to go fast.

Spank also offers a crash replacement discount for the first two years of ownership, which is a bonus considering saddles are vulnerable to damage when a bike is tumbling down a trail.

The best XC tyres always used to be superlight, skimpy and somewhat sketchy in terms of protection and grip, so they accelerated and rolled super fast. But increasingly tough and technical World Cup cross-country courses mean the latest XC tyres have become more robust, bigger, and more controlled.

Some riders still prioritise maximum speed with minimum weight though, and once you start factoring in different riding conditions, the waters of which tyres to pick can get muddied still further.

That’s why we’ve brought two very different tyre experts together: Pure XC and South African stage racer, Aaron Borrill, and ultra-experienced tester, Guy Kesteven, who's been racing in every kind of British weather since the 1980s. Using the combined knowledge of these two experts, we've brought you a truly global perspective of the best XC tyres for every condition.

If you're new to cross-country riding or MTB in general and want to know more about how to choose your ideal speed-hungry tyre yourself, then we’ve got a tech FAQ at the end of this guide.

For more MTB tyre tech, see our article on everything you need to know to choose the best tyres for your riding. Or if perhaps you're here because you're an MTB-curious gravel rider, we also have a guide on the best gravel tyres.

Best XC tyres

Best classic XC tyre

The Vittoria Barzo is an absolute classic, particularly if you ride in dry, loose conditions and like to run high pressures. Aaron has spent thousands of miles training and racing with this tyre, including the technically demanding Absa Cape Epic in 2016 and 2017.

The tread pattern is burlier than some of the other options listed here, which means it digs into loose or even somewhat sloppy conditions better than most and clears OK as well. The hard, fast rolling Graphene compound still provides sterling straight-line speed, and the high-energy carcass feels fast too. If you want to run it as a rear, it works well, although many racers prefer using a Vittoria XC pairing of a Barzo up front with a Mezcal at the back.

The 120tpi nylon casing is strong, Aaron, our marathon tester, commented: "While there are lighter, perhaps somewhat livelier options available, the Vittoria Barzo is exceptional in all conditions, the only tyre I trust based on the thousands of trouble-free miles I've spent using them."

If you're looking to use the Barzo in rocky, rooty, or wet conditions, such as typical UK riding, Guy would definitely recommend opting for the Race Formulation upgrade (like the Mezcal we've listed below). It's much grippier and holds its shape far better at lower pressures than the standard harder compound. That said, Schwalbe's Rocket Ron is a more sure-footed option in slippery conditions.

For further info, see our full Vittoria Barzo tyre review.

Best budget and superlight XC tyre

If you're looking for one of the fastest and lightest XC tyres around, look no further than the Specialized S-Works Fast Trak. At 595g per tyre (29 x 2.20), it's the only option on this list that dips below the 600g threshold. Somehow, it still doesn't suffer from any hiccups in terms of protection, and we've used it for years with no dramas.

The relatively aggressive Gripton T5/T7 tread pattern rolls much faster than it looks – which makes it the go-to tyre for Specialized's trade teams at races such as the Absa Cape Epic and looser or wetter World Cup XC rounds. That makes it a great default fit for the front wheel and a great option for the rear in wetter / looser conditions.

Minimal weight means it's up the climbs or out of slow turns that the S-Works Fast Traks really give you the edge though. Accelerating and punching up steep kickers as though someone as slipped an SL e-MTB motor into your bike. The supple casing gives great ride feel and trail feedback, boosting compliance, traction and ride comfort. Like Schwalbe's Super Race, it also seems to help the S-Works tyres dodge impact and scuff damage better than a stiffer tyre. If you do want more physical protection though, the Fast Trak also comes in Control and Grid Trail versions, which work great for tougher, technical courses or 'downcountry' riding.

Not only is Specialized's XC tyre range one of the best performing fast rubber families, but it's also the most aggressively priced. Depending on your territory, that can mean they come in at a significantly lower cost than the priciest tyres here, making them an unbeatable bargain for cross-country cost-effectiveness.

For a deeper look at this tyre, head over to our full Specialized S-Works Fast Trak T5/T7 review.

Best XC tyre for all-conditions

If you're used to using a sketchy semi-slick for speed, the rapidity of Schwalbe's Rocket Ron will genuinely shock you. That makes it one of our favourite fit-and-forget year-round, all-condition speed options. The Rocket Ron has comparatively tall, angular tread knobs from the centre right over to the shoulder. That means it can pull trail tyre-style grip out of loose and sloppy situations far more reliably than other race tyres.

As a result, there's some rumble and growl on hard/road surfaces, but somehow that tread still rolls really well off-road and that's where Schwalbe's carcass tech really shines too. Choose the super supple, Super Race option and you'll get a tyre that glides and flows through rough sections without stalling or choking. It also finds extra grip where stiffer tyres slide and stutter. It performs predictably through a wide range of pressures too, so if you need to drop it into teen PSI numbers for max traction, it won't feel too drunk or floppy.

While it's got minimal physical protection, the Super Race carcass is supple enough to dodge the pinch puncture and rock scuff damage on the trail. Super Race only comes in the fastest, slipperiest AddixSpeed compound, so choose Super Ground in Addix SpeedGrip which adds an extra level of traction. Super Ground also adds more puncture and scuff protection without increasing weight. Alternatively, if you want a slightly faster Schwalbe front tyre for dry/loose/intermediate conditions, then check out the Racing Ray.

Inevitably, there are some downsides. That includes the usual Schwalbe premium price and the larger knobs will also wear down their cutting edges faster than a slick tyre. On the plus side, it's available in a huge range of sizes from 16in upwards. While the 750g weight will seem heavy compared to skinnier tyres, it's on par for the latest generation of larger-volume race rubber we've tested.

See our Schwalbe Rocket Ron tyre review for more detail.

Best XC tyre for speed

Continental's Dubnital is the successor to the Race King, which was arguably the fastest XC tyre for outright speed on the market. The downside of all that rapidity was minimal cornering and shoulder grip. The rounded carcass tipped into turns easily, but slipped out easily too. It also bounced and scuffed off rocks and roots rather than gripping predictably.

The Dubnital brings comparable rolling speeds to its predecessor and is as fast off-road as anything else out there (some rivals are faster on road, though). But unlike many of the tyres designed for outright speed, the Dubnital handles confidently and corners predictably even in treacherously wet trail conditions. Flexi knobs on the outside of the tread mean the tyres can drift rather than grip when cornering really aggressively, though.

It comes in Race or Trail casings and Rapid or Grip compounds. As you'd expect, the fastest combo is the Race Rapid, with the Trail Grip giving the most protection and confidence. Weight-wise, our 29x2.2in Race Rapid tyres came in at 621g each. The Trail option only adds 20g, so if you're unsure casing-wise, there's not much in it either way.

The Dubnital has a 330 TPI, single-ply carcass with a fairly shallow tread split into three sections. Stiffer central knobs, an intermediate transition tread, and then more flexible shoulder knobs on the outside of the tyre. It feels supple on the trail and just as fast as it's proved itself to be.

For more, see our full Continental Dubnital review.

Best XC tyre for dry, rocky conditions

Despite lacking the aggressive tread patterns of some of the XC tyres listed here, the Maxxis Aspen EXO is easily one of the most complete tyres on the market, built to deliver a balanced combination of speed and control. Lean into the first corner and the tyres bite with aggression, allowing you to push harder as you begin threading each corner together, thanks to the pronounced shoulder knobs.

Coming back to the tread pattern, the Aspens cope well in loose and wet conditions, too. They can withstand trail blow after trail blow if you're more of an aggressive rider who prefers hammering over obstacles as opposed to scything through them. As a result, Maxxis has used its EXO sidewall protection to promote confidence through rocky singletrack, and it works.

The strong sidewalls also allow you to dial in lower pressures, which unlocks even more assurance. To find the right balance requires some fettling, as tyre pressures are a personal choice. That said, once you strike that balance, you won't be disappointed. The Maxxis Aspen EXOs are easily the most underrated tyre on the market, and they shouldn't be because they're actually one of the best.

Our XC stage racer, Aaron, said: "There's a reason the Maxxis Aspen EXO is used by the world's best cross-country mountain bikers – they're fast and super-reliable."

For more information, see our full Maxxis Aspen EXO tyre review.

Best rear XC tyre for mixed conditions

Racing Ralph has been around as a name in the Schwalbe line up for decades, but it got a total overhaul a couple of years ago. That's added more grip and versatility while still keeping it a super fast, sweet riding tyre. While it's traditionally been used as a rear tyre in cross-country and marathon racing, it can also be used at the front in the right conditions now, too.

Ralph used to be a diamond tread semi-slick, but now it's grown short, closely spaced paddles across the centre to give much better grip in loose or soft conditions. That means you can pull the brakes and press the pedals a lot harder before it lets go and reshaped side knobs let you carry that speed through corners too. It does make the tyre more likely to clog in clay-style mud, though and it's not as fast as a slick tread like Schwalbe's new Rick XC or proven Thunder Burt options. The AddixSpeed rubber compound is a great balance of easy speed and decent wear without skating around and scaring you as soon as things get damp, too.

While tread and compound are great, the Super Race carcass is Schwalbe's real secret weapon. The ultra-supple construction means rolling resistance and speed sustain are outstanding. During back-to-back testing by Guy, it consistently outran less treaded tyres in roll-downs on smooth surfaces and left them for dead when things got rooty, rocky and rough. Despite nothing more than a thin anti-puncture strip under the tread, the supple construction helps it dodge damage compared to stiffer, reinforced tyres.

Even without any real reinforcement, it's relatively heavy, which inevitably cuts into instant acceleration. Schwalbe tyres also come at a premium price too.

For more, check out our full Schwalbe Racing Ralph review.

Best high volume, high velocity XC tyre

Pirelli's entry into the XC scene is a tough, grippy, great feeling, high volume tyre that's already seen World Cup and World Championship XC success with Evie Richards.

The tyres we reviewed are the Team Editions, distinguishable by Pirelli's signature bright yellow lettering on the sidewall. They also feature the brand's reinforced ProWALL casing for added protection against flats and tears. In terms of the tread, Pirelli has chosen a fast-rolling centre-tread pattern that mimics a lot of classic speed tyres like Hutchinson's Python and WTB's Nanoraptor. It morphs into wider shoulder lugs for impressive cornering grip.

As Aaron reported in his test: "Flick it into a corner and the tyre bites hard – you can feel them gripping, sometimes even hear the shoulder lugs as they fight for traction — which allows you to push harder and faster." That's a trait that's been used to great effect by Richards who wins a lot of her races by blasting the most technical descents flat out. A lot of that extra trust comes from the SmartGrip rubber, which is soft for an XC tyre and the damped, shock-absorbing nature of the ProWALL casing.

However, the rubber used is a single compound rather than being harder in the centre like most XC and trail tyres, so Scorpion doesn't roll as fast as it looks. The calm and controlled character of the tyres also makes them feel slower than a more lively, springy carcass. Despite a 120tpi, the XC RCs are not particularly light either, tipping the scales at 748g per tyre, which dulls acceleration. It does let you run lower pressures though, increasing the control and anchored feel of the tyre even further. Testing by Guy proved it's tough and controlled enough to handle seriously tech and tyre-traumatic environments like the brutally rocky Lake District in the UK, so it works as a fast downcountry option too.

In his review, Aaron also concluded: "The Pirelli Scorpion XC RC Team Edition 2.4 tyres prove wider doesn’t necessarily have to be slower. The traction and control benefits afforded by running lower pressures – something that has even greater potential on wider rims – far outweighs the benefits of lighter tyres."

Find our more in our full Pirelli Scorpion XC RC Team Edition 2.4 review.

Best XC tyre for dry/loose conditions

Vittoria's Mezcal has always been a super popular tyre, especially in areas where trail conditions are dry, dusty and loose. It's springy, skippy feel also makes it a favourite or riders who like to run higher, harder pressures. If that sounds like your kind of thing, then stick to the smaller sizes and you'll be as much of a super fan as Aaron was during testing: "As a long-time user of the Vittoria Mezcal and having raced on them in myriad countries, the way they perform never ceases to amaze me."

If there's one tyre brand that divides our XC test team though, it's Vittoria. Guy Kesteven found the older versions too slippery and skittery to feel confident on wet rocks and roots and didn't like the way they could suddenly fold and stumble if you dropped pressures low.

However, the latest Race Formulation version of the Mezcal has a new silicon-infused rubber compound and an all-new tougher, 2.4in wide carcass. Guy has been testing them for months and come away impressed as they're a lot more predictable at lower pressures. The new rubber recipe means they grip in a similar way to most other XC tyres, but the longevity of tread and construction seems even better. Unlike most '2.4in' tyres they actually blow up close to that rather than being much narrower. That does increase their weight in line with other larger volume new generation tyres, but what you lose on the scales you gain in confidence on challenging terrain.

Overall, a great update of a popular classic for more aggressive riders and courses, but still primarily a dry and loose conditions tyre rather than a wet weather winner.

For more info, check out our full Vittoria Mezcal tyre review.

How to choose the best XC tyres

While XC tyres increasingly share a lot of tech and trends with the best mountain bike tyres, there are still significant differences when it comes to race rubber. These include the rubber compound itself, durability, puncture protection, tread pattern, tyre width and tyre size.

We've covered the basics here and then covered other popular inquiries in the Q&A afterwards.

29inch wheels

29er wheels caught on first with XC riders when they realized the larger diameter meant a smoother, faster roll that literally outweighed the increased mass and slower acceleration. Now all XC race bikes, except some extra small-sized options, come with 29er wheels front and rear as standard.

Tread pattern

Big pointy knobs are great for grip but bad for rolling efficiency. That's why many of the fastest XC race tyres are what's called a semi-slick design. This uses minimal tread in the middle for a quiet, rapid roll with bigger shoulder knobs that add bite and grip when leaned into a turn.

The closer the spacing between knobs, the better they roll too. This is why you'll see some tyres like Hutchinson's Skeleton, Schwalbe's Racing Ray, Pirelli's Scorpion, Specialized's Fast Trak and others using an alternating tread that forms an almost continuous ridge down the centre of the tyre.

Rubber compounds

Harder compounds roll faster but give less grip and wear out faster. That's why a lot of designs use a dual compound with hard rubber in the centre for speed and durability and soft shoulders for cornering grip. Every brand has different recipes which they keep as closely guarded secrets, but a lot of new tyres are now coming with silicon-infused compounds. This tech comes from motorsport racing and is designed to increase wet weather grip and durability.

Carcass

XC tyres always used to have the lightest, thinnest possible construction to keep weight to a minimum for best possible acceleration. That's still the case with tyres like the Specialized S-Works range and narrower versions of other tyres here.

As courses have got tougher, though, the old wisdom that "to finish first, first you have to finish" means tyres have got a lot tougher too. That makes them more stable at low pressures, especially if the design includes reinforcement around the side wall.

Protection

As well as tougher construction in general, race tyres often come with some extra protection built in. That ranges from a thin strip of anti-puncture tape under the tread to a full reinforcing wrap from one edge of the tyre to the other.

Weight

Bigger, tougher tyres with more reinforcement are inevitably heavier, however. That means only one tyre here – the Specialized S-Works Fast Trak – weighs under 600g, and most weigh over 700g. That might not seem like a big difference, but even 100g between tyres means a lot more wheel inertia to overcome. As a result, your bike will feel slower when accelerating and climbing, particularly from lower speeds. Tougher, more controlled tyres can keep hold of speed much better through technical sections and turns, which is why most racers now run 2.4in wide options. They're still a lot faster and more responsive than trail tyres anyway – which now often weigh over a kilo each.

Price

Top quality XC tyres can cost as much as $100 / £80 / €100. Cheaper versions tend to be heavier and less grippy as they use less expensive materials in the carcass and rubber. That does extend tread life and rolling speed on road though, so they can be a good choice for bikepacking.

Specialized has also reduced its already aggressive pricing to super low levels recently too, making their XC tyre range absolute bargains if you want high speed without high spend.

Best XC tyres FAQs

How we test the best XC tyres

We've thoroughly tested all the tyres in this guide, putting them through some of the toughest mountain bike races in the world, in all weather conditions. We've been particularly assessing them for rolling speed, grip, puncture protection, weight and ease of fitting.

If outright speed is the name of the game, few tyres deliver like the Specialized S-Works Fast Trak T5/T7. As Specialized's best XC tyre, they utilise a Gripton T5/T7 compound, which the American brand also claims offers puncture protection, too. Despite the super low weight of 594g and thin sidewalls, the S-Works Fast Traks are well poised and deliver amazing feel and feedback on the trail thanks to the super-sticky T7 side compound and fast-rolling T5 centre tread.

We tested them in a variety of settings ranging from cross-country laps and open gravel roads to trickier and gnarlier trails.

Design

Visually, the S-Works Fast Trak has a very distinct look, something that helps it stand out among the rabble of other XC tyre options. The branding is fairly low-key, but Specialized makes no bones about its S-Works intentions, the latter taking on a red colour treatment. The 120 TPI 'S-Works' casing is designed to be super-lightweight and it is — 594g to be precise – but this does also mean it offers less puncture protection than its rivals.

The Fast Trak is what Specialized refers to as its mixed-condition XC race tyre boasting a T5/T7 dual compound. The 'T' indicates the damping rate of the rubber – the higher the number, the slower the rubber rebounds, and, as a result, the Fast Traks use T7 on the shoulder and T5 down the middle. The alternating diagonal centre line tread combines with closer-spaced intermediate and lower shoulder tread for increased traction and speed.

Performance

The Fast Traks are full of feel and communication, but you can't run the tyre pressures too low as the thin sidewalls do have a tendency to fold over or crumble under lateral cornering force. This lack of sidewall reinforcement is a concern for those who race competitively — XCO and marathon included — so you'll need to run higher-than-normal pressures for peace of mind. During my testing, I ran the pressures at 24-26psi front/rear (at 62kg) and this seemed to do the trick in terms of balancing control with speed. That said, there was some tyre bounce over choppier trails.

In terms of speed, the S-Works Fast Traks really show their mettle up the climbs and along rolling terrain – an attribute that allows you to accelerate and punch up steep kickers with absolute ease. Grip is in abundance, too, despite the tyre's somewhat narrow width (it's only available in 2.2in) and small tread blocks, the trail speed is up there with the Vittoria Mezcal and Bontrager XR2 Team Issue.

Even with slightly higher pressures, I still felt the need to nurse the tyres over rockier and rooty sections of trail for fear of piercing those delicate sidewalls.

Verdict

The Specialized S-Works Fast Trak T5/T7 is a really good tyre at a great price. It's light, fast, and supple, but the former comes at the expense of puncture protection – which is a big deal for the average rider. Nobody wants to flat during a race, which brings me to their intended use: racing. This is not a training tyre and should only be used in racing scenarios where keeping weight to a minimum and going as fast as possible is the chief concern.

On those grounds alone, the S-Works Fast Traks are hard to beat, but as a dedicated, all-round tyre capable of being used as both a training and racing option, you're better off with the Vittoria Mezcal or Bontrager XR2 Team Issue.

Maxxis is the most widely employed tyre on the mountain bike scene, spanning all disciplines ranging from downhill to enduro and cross-country. The tyre pictured here is the Taiwanese-based company's best XC tyre, the Maxxis Aspen EXO, which has been designed to roll with ease as well as grip like a limpet.

Ten-time XCO World Champion Nino Schurter swears by the reliability and performance-infused tyre compound. But just how good is it in real-world scenarios and, better yet, can it cope on the trails all-year round?

Design

The Maxxis Aspen is available in one casing structure only, EXO – a cut- and abrasion-resistant material. While it's not as durable as the brand's other casings, it's still pretty impressive at staving off punctures and the like while remaining as light as possible. The Aspen comes in three sizes (26-, 27.5- and 29-inch), three widths (2.1-, 2.25- and 2.40in), and two casings (60 and 120tpi).

The tyres pictured here are the 2.25in/120tpi model. Despite lacking the aggressive tread patterns of some of the other tyres listed in our best XC tyres guide, the pronounced shoulder knobs are ideally placed to deliver confident cornering, while the shallower center tread has been employed to foster flat-out speed. Of course, this does present a small trade-off when it comes to wet-weather performance. The tread pattern has a tendency to clog up, which means less grip in muddier conditions.

Performance

At 653g per tyre, the Maxxis Aspen EXO is one of the lightest options in the segment and you can feel it when the trail points upwards. This, in combination with the semi-aggressive tread pattern, helps get the power down at the rear – even on looser terrain types. Of course, this largely depends on conditions and the Aspens perform best in dry and loose conditions. In terms of lateral adhesion, the speed at which the Aspens corner is impressive. Lean into the first corner and the tyres bite with vigour, allowing you to push harder thanks to the pronounced shoulder knobs. I found the cornering precision quite surprising given the tread pattern, but the stickiness comes down to the shoulder knobs which deform under load as they dig into the trail surface.

In terms of durability, the Aspens can withstand trail blow after trail blow, which is a boon for aggressive riders who prefer hammering over obstacles as opposed to scything through them. As a result, the EXO sidewall protection – as mentioned above – promotes confidence through rocky singletrack. The strong sidewalls also allow for lower pressures, which unlocks even more assurance and cornering speed.

Verdict

There's a reason the Maxxis Aspen EXO is used by the world's best cross-country mountain bikers – they're fast and super-reliable. Despite lacking the pure, aggressive grip patterns of some rivals, the Aspens deliver enough bite to complement their outright speed. If that's not enough, the 120tpi/EXO casing provides the assurance to push harder without the worry of sidewall damage and punctures.

As far as the best XC tyres are concerned, Schwalbe’s reputation is difficult to dispute, having successfully dominated the Absa Cape Epic with Team Bulls for years under the leadership of five-time winner, Karl Platt.

The Racing Ralph Performance Line TwinSkin tyres pictured here might not be as light as the Evolution Line SnakeSkin-equipped version, but they still possess the same basic tyre architecture and tread pattern. While the Racing Ralph has traditionally been used as a rear tyre in cross-country and marathon racing, it can be used at the front when conditions permit. I spent time using it in front/rear configuration and came away mighty impressed by its behaviour and handling characteristics.

 Design and specification

In terms of design, Schwalbe’s unmistakable brand identity is hard to ignore. The silver Schwalbe logo takes up prominent real estate on the sidewall, while the Racing Ralph wordmark balances things out on the other end – it’s all very premium in look and feel. While it lacks the red or blue colour-coded circumference stripes of the Evolution Line (an attribute that denotes the Addix compound), it still cuts a distinctive facade.

It’s designed for cross-country racing, featuring a low-profile tread pattern down the centre and more prominent shoulder lugs on the sides. The Performance Line tyres pictured here weigh in at 770g a piece, which isn’t as light as you’d expect but the upshot is a super-strong casing and sidewall.

 Performance

As previously mentioned, it’s become popular for cross-country riders to use the Racing Ralph at the rear in combination with a Nobby Nic or Racing Ray up front. While this is a somewhat tried-and-tested configuration, the Racing Ralph is perfectly at home marshaling traction at the front. The low-profile tread pattern has been designed to improve rolling resistance and acceleration, and the shoulder lugs are perfectly placed to foster high grip levels in the corners. The impressive sidewall protection – dubbed TwinSkin TLR – adds assurance for when things get gnarly, but also allows lower pressures to further improve ride pliancy and traction.

The Racing Ralph is most at home in dry conditions, as its tread has been designed to deform around the obstacles. For a relatively light tyre, the Racing Ralphs were adept at dismissing the fast and semi-technical trails of Minley Manor with ease. There’s a suppleness to the casing that helps foster trust and communication from the front, while the paddle-like lugs help boost rear-end traction up the climbs.

Verdict 

With perhaps the exception of the Vittoria Barzo, the Schwalbe Racing Ralph is the most at home in all weather conditions and terrain types. Despite the toughness of the carcass, it's still prone to the odd puncture when riding aggressively, so caution should be taken if that’s your style. That said, it is an extremely reliable tyre and seldom disappoints – which is one of the reasons it’s praised by so many riders and testers around the world. It’s supple, communicative, fast, and grippy and will suit any rider, regardless of your skillset.

The Vittoria Barzo has a solid reputation among mountain bikers owing to attributes such as its reliability, speed and front-end assurance. While some pair it with a Mezcal at the rear, using it at both ends is the safest bet you can make – both as a racer and weekend rider. I've spent thousands of miles training and racing with this tyre and have never been let down. In fact, the Vittoria Barzos were faultless during the times I raced the technically demanding Absa Cape Epic.

The tread pattern is burlier than some of the other options in the best XC tyre space, but the Barzo still provides sterling straight-line speed. It's also got pretty decent clearing channels, so can perform well regardless of the weather and terrain — even in muddy conditions.

Design

Like the Vittoria Mezcal, the Barzo is also available in three distinct sidewall colours: tan, plain black and anthracite. Some markets, such as South Africa, also get it with a special Cape Cobra compound for enhanced puncture protection. It gets Vittoria's proven 120tpi nylon casing and can be had in the choice of TLR, TNT (pictured here), and rigid bead casings, complete with Graphene 4C compound. A Race Formulation four-compound version is also available, which boosts grip in wet, slippery conditions and is the best option if you're looking to run lower pressures.

Tyre widths are pretty comprehensive. The 29-inch version comes in widths of 2.1, 2.25, 2.35 and 2.60in, and Vittoria still caters to those who ride 26- and 27.5-inch wheels. Designed for ‘technical XC’, the Barzo features a centre tread with an alternating ridge design and progressive sipe angles to help bolster traction, while moto-style lugs comprise the shoulder section in a V-formation for cornering grip.

With a relatively open tread pattern, it clears mud with aplomb, but it's still a low-profile tyre, and you'll quickly find the limits of adhesion in dry and dusty terrain - conditions where the tyre is most at home.

Performance

The beauty of the Barzo's compound and tread pattern is its ability to excel in almost all conditions. For a fully lugged tyre, it rolls with the eagerness of a semi-slick, while still providing braking and cornering traction. It's also got pretty decent clearing channels, so performs well in muddy conditions, but it's in dry and loose conditions – hardpack trails in particular – where it really excels.

The evenly spread, siped tread does a sterling job in keeping you upright and allowing you to push harder through corners. Grip levels are predictable, so there are never any trust issues with the front end, and the tread pattern also makes for a great companion at the rear.

The bonus with this particular tyre comes in the form of exceptional sidewall protection. I'm yet to puncture using a Barzo and have probably done upwards of 6,000 miles in various guises – impressive for a 700g tyre.

Verdict

The Vittoria Barzo is one of the most complete XC tyres on the market. It's fast, grippy, and reliable and is very resistant to wear, meaning it will last you ages. As far as protection goes, the 120tpi nylon casing is supple but strong enough to ensure the sidewalls are well looked after, which provides the peace of mind satisfaction all mountain bikers crave. While there are lighter, perhaps somewhat livelier options available, the Vittoria Barzo is exceptional in all but the slipperiest conditions and is the only tyre I trust based on the thousands of trouble-free miles I've spent using them.