The top trail bikes as rated by our expert reviewers, plus our buyer’s guide for everything you need to know

The best trail bikes hit the sweet spot between rowdy enduro bikes and svelte cross-country bikes, delivering performance that’s equal parts fun and super-capable.

This has made trail bikes an incredibly popular category among the best mountain bikes in recent years. They give you a bit of everything, and open up the widest range of trails and riding when compared to other types of mountain bike.

The flipside is that choosing the best trail bike for you can be quite a bewildering prospect – there are simply so many options on the market.

Fortunately, you’ve come to the right place because our expert mountain bike testers have spent years riding and reviewing dozens of trail bikes. This list of the best trail bikes in 2024 will help you find the perfect machine for you.

We’ve also put together a buyer’s guide to trail bikes at the end of this list that explains everything you need to know about this type of mountain bike, from what sort of terrain they are good for to the size of disc brake rotors – we’ve covered it all!

Best trail mountain bikes in 2024

Bird Aether 9

• £3,850 as tested
• Pros: BikeRadar’s trail bike of the year 2021; excellent geometry; exceptional value for money
• Cons: Smoother bikes out there

The Bird Aether 9 won our 2021 Trail Bike of the Year award, thanks to its ability to deliver in virtually all situations from long days in the saddle to short, sharp bursts in the woods.

Bird is known for long and slack geometry and the Aether 9 follows suit, with a 65-degree head-tube angle and 77-degree seat tube. Paired with the RockShox 140mm Pike Ultimate fork and Super Deluxe rear shock, this translates to a bike that is unflappable and right at home on twisty, steep descents.

When it comes to climbing, ample space between the saddle and bar lets you put your body weight in the right place and the suspension robs very few watts.

Elsewhere, the bike has a full Shimano XT M8100 groupset and DT Swiss EXC 1501 wheels, making this bike not just a great performer but excellent value for money too.

Boardman MTR 8.9

• £1,750 as tested
• Pros: Fantastic all-rounder
• Cons: Limits become clear on extreme terrain

The Boardman MTR 8.9 has the same geometry and suspension as the pricier MTR 9.0.

It has a well-chosen spec that balances cost, performance and strength, with a RockShox front fork, a SRAM NX Eagle drivetrain and Maxxis tyres.

The triple-butted alloy frame looks purposeful and has externally routed cables, making for easy maintenance. There is a bottle mount too, but we found there to be minimal clearance.

The geometry is modern but not extreme with a generous reach, leading to a comfortable ride.

You do have to shift your weight forward to keep front-wheel traction over tricky ascents, and downhill the bike is fairly noisy. So really this is a bike for speedy trail centre rides, rather than super-challenging terrain.

The bike is also ripe for upgrades and, with a few parts swapped out, we think it would be great as a lightweight, mile-munching machine.

Cannondale Habit 4

• £2,300 / $2,300 / €2,699 / AU$4,399 as tested
• Pros: Well-balanced; confidence-inspiring ride; fun and flicky
• Cons: Shimano Deore drivetrain can be a little clunky

The Habit 4 impressed us with its playful and balanced ride feel.

Its aluminium frame features size-specific geometry. Cannondale increases the chainstay length with the frame size making the Habit. The bike feels surefooted and quick to turn.

We found the RockShox Recon fork to bind on hard compressions, though this didn’t take too much away from the performance of the bike.

A steep seat tube angle of 77.5 degrees makes winching up climbs comfortable, though the bike lacks some of the punchiness of other bikes on this list.

Canyon Neuron 5

• £1,849 / $2,099 / €1,899 / AU$2,949 as tested
• Pros: Fast rolling on mellow trails; composed ride feel; grippy in most conditions
• Cons: Suspension feels overworked on steeper trails

Canyon’s Neuron covers ground fast, with supple suspension that provides good comfort while descending, although, it can feel a tad active on steeper, technical descents.

The bike has a nimble ride feel that helps it eat up trail centre singletrack with ease, with the Schwalbe tyre combo offering fast rolling speeds.

We found the RockShox Recon fork to be a little out of tune with the rear of the bike, and not providing the desired amount of support on steeper terrain.

Merida One-Forty 700

• £3,100 / €3,869 as tested
• Pros: Boundary-pushing geometry options; one of the best climbers out there
• Cons: Stem could be shorter; not the smoothest ride

The Merida One-Forty 700 impressed us in testing, winning our Trail Bike of the Year 2023 award.

The carbon fibre frame, which is shared with the longer-travel One-Sixty, uses flex stays in the rear linkage and provides 140mm of rear travel.

Merida has packed serious value for money into the bike, with a RockShox Deluxe Select rear shock and a 150mm Marzocchi Z1 fork.

On climbs, the bike has zero wallow and a perky attitude, making the uphills easier than on its contemporaries.

Downhill, the geometry is spot on with composed and accurate handling adding to the ride.

Norco Fluid FS C2

• £4,999 / $4,999 / €5,299 as tested
• Pros: Confidence-inspiring geometry; makes good use of suspension travel
• Cons: Brakes could be more powerful; tyres won’t suit everyone

Norco’s Fluid FS C2 has a playful agility on the trail that remains composed at high speeds.

With a 140mm RockShox Pike Select fork up front and a Super Deluxe Select controlling 130mm of rear-wheel travel, the Norco feels planted through rough terrain, balancing a poppy yet bump-gobbling ability.

We found the Fluid capable of all aspects of trail riding, but it was on the hills where it really impressed, with the bike eager to attack short, sharp climbs with grace.

Because it’s able to carry a lot of speed down the trail, the SRAM G2 RS brakes feel a little under-gunned in some situations, with the bike deserving of more powerful brakes.

Propain Hugene Custom

• £4,695 as tested
• Pros: Incredibly composed rear suspension; beautifully built, sleek carbon frameset
• Cons: Some pedal bob

The Propain Hugene was our Trail Bike of the Year in 2020, but 2021 saw Propain refresh the bike, updating the geometry and increasing travel.

The Propain now has 140mm of rear travel to better balance the 140mm or 150mm front fork options.

The geometry is also longer, lower and slacker with a steeper 76.5-degree seat angle and 65.5-degree head angle.

The new shape works really well. It provides plenty of stability and the back wheel hugs the ground. It is agile and playful in the corners encouraging you to throw the bike around.

The bike is composed when you start pedalling and the seated position is comfortable. There’s a touch of pedal bob when you’re stamping on the pedals but we only really noticed this on flat, trail-centre straights.

This bike is a custom build with a Fox 34 Performance Elite fork and DPX2 shock, SRAM X01 drivetrain and Newmen wheels with Schwable tyres. While this build costs £4,695, pricing starts at €3,300 for the German brand’s bike.

Vitus Escarpe 29 CRS

• £3,200 / $3,599 / €3,899 as tested
• Pros: Super-smooth and confident descending; stunning value for money
• Cons: Limited climbing performance

Vitus is becoming synonymous with value for money, with the Chain Reaction direct brand giving the Escarpe 29 CRS a similar treatment.

The full carbon fibre frame has 140mm of rear travel controlled by a RockShox Deluxe Select and the front end is supported by a 150mm RockShox Lyrik Select.

The Escarpe is more descent-focused compared to other trail bikes, with its climbing performance limited by pedal bob and increased sag on steeper pitches.

Downhill, the bike smooths terrain and offers a confidence-inspiring ride over a broad range of trails.

Boardman MTR 9.0

• £2,000 as tested
• Pros: Rides with confidence and has excellent brakes; RockShox fork and rear shock
• Cons: Contact points detract from overall package

The MTR 9.0 is Boardman’s flagship mountain bike, with an upgraded alloy frame, 150mm RockShox fork, a Deluxe Select rear shock and a groupset that is, by and large, comprised of Shimano SLX-level parts.

The bike is happiest heading downhill, where it feels planted, and the Shimano SLX four-piston brakes provide a whole load of stopping power.

The MTR climbs reasonably well. The relatively steep seat-tube angle helps you get your weight over the bottom bracket, and the wide-ranging 10-51 tooth cassettes help winch you up the toughest climbs.

The bike has a dropper post, which is great for such a gravity-focused bike, but the dropper lever is a bit small and not the easiest to use.

The bike rides with more confidence than you might expect and, apart from the dropper lever, there really isn’t much to fault.

Boardman MTR 8.8

• £1,350 as tested
• Pros: Impressive spec for the price; good suspension feel
• Cons: underpowered brakes; dropper post length

Boardman’s MTR 8.8 is built to be the ideal all-round UK trail bike. It’s very capable when pointed down a trail, thanks in part to the 145mm of rear suspension controlled by a RockShox Deluxe Select , and 150mm RockShox Recon Silver RL fork.

Considering its suspension travel, it climbs very well, but it’s the descents where the Boardman shines.

In its price range, there aren’t many bikes that can provide the same levels of performance. However, a couple of spec changes, such as a longer dropper post and more powerful brakes, would make the riding experience even better.

Canyon Spectral 125 CF 7

• £3,349 / $4,199 / €3,499 / AU$5,349 as tested
• Pros: Aggressive geometry and stiff, low-slung frame; great handling on really steep terrain
• Cons: Sluggish at slow speed on mellow terrain; thin tyres

A shorter-travel trail bike, the Spectral 125 mixes that with a 140mm-travel fork and a long reach geometry that’s built for more aggressive riding. It’s a different, all-carbon frame from the longer-travel Spectral bikes and saves 100g in weight.

The stiff, aggressive, low-slung frame is great for bikepark laps and climbs, but you need to increase the sag from the recommended values for the bike to handle rock gardens comfortably.

The bike navigates super-steep terrain admirably though, with the long frame helping to maintain stability. It pays to tinker with the Spectral 125’s suspension settings and to ride hard to get the best out of the bike.

Want a spec upgrade? We’ve also tested the Canyon Spectral 125 CF8.

Carrera Titan X

• £850 as tested
• Pros: Excellent spec for the price; a real advantage over hardtails at this price
• Cons: limited size range

Full-suspension bikes for under £1,000 are a rarity, and ones that are as well-specced as the Carrera Titan X are rarer still.

The kit on this bike is really impressive. It has SRAM SX 12-speed gearing with a 1x setup, a Trans-X dropper post and Shimano hydraulic brakes. In short, what you’d expect from a pricier bike.

When it comes to ride performance, the Titan X’s suspension works surprisingly well, making this bike a good shout over a hardtail – which is normally the go-to option at this price point.

When climbing, the Titan X’s frame is a little cramped due to its relatively old-school geometry, but it winches up hills better than you might expect.

The only real drawback to the Titan X is the limited sizing, and taller riders should stay clear. This is a real try-before-you-buy bike, but if it fits and you’re on a budget, it’s a compelling option.

Cotic Jeht Silver Mullet

• £3,989 as tested
• Pros: Composed and confident; smooth feeling suspension
• Cons: Stiff suspension under braking; feels large

The Cotic Jeft is made from Reynolds 853 steel with a steel-alloy rear triangle that has 140mm of suspension travel.

Its long, low and slack geometry is on point and allows you to let the bike run through the techiest of sections while still feeling in control.

The Jeht is a fairly tall bike, and when braking the rear suspension isn’t as good as some of the competition, especially those bikes using a four-bar design.

The spec can be matched to your pockets, with our test bike featuring an upgraded RockShox Revelation fork with a Charger 2.1 damper.

Focus JAM 8.9

• £4,799 / €4,699 / AU$6,999 as tested
• Pros: Impressive suspension maintains ground contact well; clever internal frame storage
• Cons: Hefty weight; complicated stem design

With 150mm of travel, the JAM 8 series bikes get a carbon front triangle with neat internal storage and share geometry with the alloy JAM 6 series. There’s also tidy internal routing through the stem for the cables.

The new suspension design, with its flip chip, leads to a better-supported mid-stroke than Focus’s older system, leading to a more playful ride and less chance of bottoming out. It also helps keep contact with the ground well at the rear on descents.

The mix of agile handling and stable suspension leads to an exciting ride, and it’s easy to pick and change your line, although the Fox 36 Performance fork feels more limiting than the rear travel.

GT Sensor Carbon Pro LE

• £5,000 / $5,750 as tested
• Pros: Great for rowdy trail riding; RockShox suspension works very well; ideal for those looking for simplicity
• Cons: Freehub engagement is clunky; SRAM G2 RSC brakes struggle with power down steep trails

GT’s Sensor Carbon Pro LE feels very capable on rougher trails considering its suspension travel, with the 150mm fork and 140mm rear-suspension travel combination providing a composed ride on gnarly trails.

The Sensor certainly prioritises downhill prowess, with the bike remaining poppy and responsive whatever the gradient.

The RockShox Lyrik Ultimate fork and Super Deluxe Ultimate shock provide composed damping, but SRAM’s G2 RSC brakes are a little lacklustre when shedding speed.

Kona Honzo ESD

• £2,899 / $3,099 / €3,299 / AU$4,399 as tested
• Pros: Very smooth ride over the rough stuff; descends better than a hardtail should
• Cons: Not great value for money

It may be a hardtail, but the Kona Honzo is long and slack enough to handle the steepest descents, with a braced steel frame, 150mm-travel fork and plenty of room for aggressive rubber. Adjustable rear dropouts enable you to fine-tune your ride or go singlespeed.

There’s bags of stability on steep descents and the bike is great at carving wide corners, but shorten the rear end and direction changes come really easily. You’ve got a 203mm rotor at the front and 180mm out back to help control your speed.

The Honzo’s steep 77.5-degree seat tube helps with climbing and it’s got plenty of room for the long-travel TransX dropper post.

We were impressed by the climbing performance, aided by a 30t chainring and a wide-range 10-51t cassette, while the bike’s length means you can shift your weight around both up and downhill. It’s a hardcore hardtail that shows you don’t need suspension out back to have fun.

Marin Rift Zone XR 27.5

• £3,095 / $3,500 / €3,499 as tested
• Pros: Well-designed frame; excellent rear suspension
• Cons: Brakes lack bite; not the best climber

The Marin Rift Zone XR is built on the alloy Rift Zone frameset which provides top-notch rear suspension while prioritising front-end control.

The Fox Float X rear shock works well to support the rear end, giving the bike playfulness without sacrificing grip.

The bike’s poppy character makes for an engaging ride, though the bike requires rider attention on gnarlier sections of trail.

A ‘sit up and spin’ attitude to climbing is provided by the upright and relaxed position, with the bike featuring more pedal bob than its competitors.

Merida One-Twenty 700

• £3,100 as tested
• Pros: Progressive suspension; confident handling; efficient pedalling
• Cons: Front end is quite harsh; brakes are average

Despite its name, the One-Twenty 700 has 130mm of suspension travel front and rear, which does a stellar job of climbing thanks to Merida’s P-Flex flex-stay suspension linkage.

While the bike isn’t the most composed on the downhills, the long and low geometry still eggs you on to push the brakes and tyres to their limits.

The RockShox Pike Select fork and a RockShox Deluxe Select shock work well to iron out the bumps, but the SRAM DB8 brakes feel a little underpowered when hitting the trail at full speed.

Polygon Siskiu T7 29

• £1,800 as tested
• Pros: Great trail geometry; impressive value for money
• Cons: Brakes are a weak point

The Polygon features modern trail geometry and decent components that make it very capable on the descents, with the 65.5-degree head angle giving confidence on even the steepest terrain.

A RockShox Deluxe Select controls 135mm of rear-suspension travel, while a 140mm RockShox Recon Silver RL fork supports the front. The bike comes with Shimano’s Deore 1×12 drivetrain with Tektro’s HD-M735 brakes.

Polygon’s Siskiu will take all you can throw it, but is maybe not as responsive as bikes twice its price. If you are a GoOutdoors member, however, you can get the bike at the reduced price of £1,600.

Privateer 141 SLX XT

• £3,149 as tested
• Pros: Great value for money; excellent suspension and geometry
• Cons: Heavy braking on steep terrain

The Privateer 141 is built around an aluminium frame with a remarkably long and slack geometry. This will grab some riders’ attention because, when paired with the 150mm/141mm of travel available, this bike accelerates at any whiff of a descent. And with powerful four-piston brakes, you’ll probably find yourself wanting to let it go.

The long geometry does impact agility, though, and getting the front end up and over obstacles takes a bit of work.

Common wisdom might suggest that such a long bike wouldn’t make a great climber, but the steep head tube helps counter the long wheelbase and makes this bike great on ascents. The rear suspension, which is incredibly stable, helps too.

Combine all this with a great spec, and on the face of it the Privateer 141 is an excellent trail bike. But the handling can be slightly unruly which, given how far trail bikes have come in recent years, stops it from getting a higher score.

Santa Cruz 5010 CC X01 RSV

• £7,599 as tested
• Pros: Composed and fun; only 130mm of travel, but still capable
• Cons: Pricey build

The new Santa Cruz 5010 CC X01 RSV is the brand’s top-flight version of its 5010. The bike has an updated geometry that sees it getting lower and longer, and it now has Santa Cruz’s low-slung VPP (Virtual Pivot Point) design. It sticks to 650b wheels though and retains the fun factor of previous models.

The suspension comes in the form of RockShox’ top-spec kit on the front and rear, providing 140mm/130mm of travel. Paired with the new geometry, this creates a ride that is capable and fast on descents, remaining composed but spurring you on, and is incredibly energetic on climbs when pushing power through the pedals. The handling is also razor-sharp.

Fittingly for this carbon fibre bike, and its significant price tag, the finishing kit is top-tier too, with SRAM drivetrain and brakes and Santa Cruz’s own carbon Reserve rims built around DT Swiss hubs.

This all comes together to create a bike that is seriously fun to ride. It’s not quite as playful as previous versions, but it is more capable and faster. And if the price is too steep, Santa Cruz offers the 5010 in less expensive builds.

Specialized Stumpjumper Comp

• £3,950 / $5,000 / €5,000 / AU$7,200 as tested
• Pros: Smooth suspension and great chassis; excellent rear-end grip
• Cons: Specialized’s tyres; pricey for the build

It may be the cheapest carbon Stumpjumper, but the Comp spec still delivers impressive performance from its 130mm-travel and flip-chip tunable geometry – the EVO version gets a little more travel and more aggressive geometry.

Rear suspension is smooth and leads to great grip for the Specialized Purgatory tyre. The Stumpy handles well on slow, technical descents, aided by the Fox 34 fork, but there’s some chassis squirm and an unsettled feel on more aggressively ridden terrain. We reckon it works best on day rides on singletrack or trail centre loops.

Spec-wise, the Comp has a Shimano SLX groupset, X-Fusion Manic dropper and Specialized wheels and tyres. SWAT Door storage lets you stash your tools under the bottle cage.

Trek Fuel EX 8 Gen 6

• £4,350 / $4,300 / €4,699 / AU$6,200 as tested
• Pros: Class-leading chassis; happy on any level of trail
• Cons: Harsh cockpit; poor brakes

The Trek Fuel EX 8 is on the aggressive end of the trail bike spectrum, with 140mm of rear suspension controlled by a Fox Performance Float X, paired with a 150mm Fox Rhythm 36 fork.

The frameset offers high levels of adjustability, with two flip chips that have high and low settings for slacker or steeper geometry.

While value for money is questionable, the spec of the bike is considered, with only the SRAM DB8 brakes failing to impress due to low power levels and disconnected lever feel.

Vitus Escarpe 29 CRX

• £4,000 / $5,500 / €4,850 / AU$7,100 as tested
• Pros: Balanced uphill and downhill performance; great-value component spec
• Cons: Fox suspension outshone by RockShox

The all-carbon Escarpe’s 2022 revamp includes a new 140mm-travel frame with improved suspension kinematics, more modern, longer geometry, wider, stiffer tubes and a flip chip.

As you’d expect with Vitus’s direct sales model, spec levels are excellent for the price with a top-spec Fox 36 Factory fork with Kashima coating and a Factory Float DPS shock. That’s paired with a Shimano XT groupset.

There’s not too much suspension bob on climbs, even with the shock open, while there’s plenty of stability and control on descents, with a progressive suspension action that handles steep, stepped berms without bottoming out.

Whyte T-140 RS 29er

• £4,099 as tested
• Pros: Super-composed suspension; excellent pedalling characteristics
• Cons: Harder riders may push suspension to its limit; size range

Whyte’s T-140 RS is a true do-it-all trail bike featuring 135mm of rear travel controlled by a Fox DPS Performance Elite shock and a 140mm Fox 34 Performance Elite fork.

The T-140 RS smoothes the way without fuss, with the rear suspension soaking up small and big hits.

The 34mm stanchion diameter of the fork becomes noticeable on seriously technical sections and can feel squirrelly under heavy braking.

The lightweight chassis helps the bike when pointing uphill.

YT Jeffsy Core 3

• £3,999 / $3,999 / €3,799 as tested
• Pros: Poppy ride quality; great value for money
• Cons: Pedal bob when pushing hard; underwhelming brakes; harsh cockpit

Although the frameset hasn’t been updated since 2019, the YT Jeffsy still feels contemporary with its super-fun and poppy ride quality.

The frame has a 470mm reach measurement on a size large frame. There is a flip-chip on the linkage.

YT has given the Jeffsy Core 3 a great spec list for the price, with Fox 36 Performance Elite forks and Float X Performance Elite dampening the bike while SRAM’s GX Eagle features for the drivetrain.

SRAM’s G2 brakes were a little underwhelming and were noticeably poor on steep sections of trail.