We love hardtails at mbr. XC race bikes have never been in a better spot, the bikes rising to the challenge of modern courses and the demands of the next generation of racers. A hardtail is a mountain bike that has suspension at the front (a suspension fork) but has a rigid un-suspended main frame and rear wheel. The term hardtail differentiates it from full suspension bikes – with suspension at both wheels – as well as fully rigid bikes – which have rigid forks as well as rigid main frames. What size frame should I buy?

Wheel size: 29in | Frame sizes: S, M, L, XL | Weight: 14.88kg | Suspension travel: 120mm front | Rating: 7/10 Most brands will provide an online size guide, that will give you a recommended size based on your height. But be careful with these online size calculators as they’re not always that accurate. If in doubt, we’d recommend you go for the largest size you can get away with that still provides adequate standover clearance. Don’t worry too much about things like grips and saddles, as these can be changed relatively cheaply at a later date to suit your personal preference. Look for modern geometry Whyte 909 X Enduro hardtail 10. Whyte 909 X A UK designed hardtail with a sublime ride quality and dialled handling Wheel size: 29in | Frame sizes: S, M, L, XL | Weight: 13.25kg (29.2lb) | Suspension travel: 130mm front | Rating: 10/10

Reviews

Wheel size: 29in| Frame sizes: S, M, L, XL | Weight: 13.9kg | Suspension travel: 130mm front | Rating: 9/10 The Nukeproof Scout started life as a burly, dirt jump/4-cross bike. But over the years the Scout has broadened its horizons, maturing into a capable trail bike, without ever losing sight of its more playful past. And with the latest round of frame revisions in 2022, the Scout is more capable than ever before. It’s also bang up-to-date.

Finance is subject to application, financial circumstances and borrowing history. Performance Cycling Limited FRN: 720557 trading as Tredz are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. We are a credit broker not a lender – credit is subject to status and affordability and is provided by Mitsubishi HC Capital UK PLC. Terms & Conditions Apply. With the latest round of revisions, the Nukeproof Scout 290 Elite is a seriously accomplished trail bike. And even though it was the cheapest bike in our group test by quite some margin, it still managed to hold its own on the descents while nudging ahead on the climbs. So in that respect it makes for a seriously good allrounder, especially if you’re looking to cover some serious ground with minimum effort. Ignore the recommended tyre pressures printed on the sidewalls and aim for around 28psi front and 30psi rear – adjusting either way by a few psi if you weigh more or less than 75kg. Wide tyres can be run slightly softer than narrower ones, too – as low as 15psi for a 2.8in model.

What to look for in the best hardtail mountain bike

While most home-use luggage and fish scales are handheld and use a metal hook to dangle your payload on, bike scales are much longer, thanks to the addition of a stem piece that allows it to clamp onto a repair stand. Fish scales are often held by hand, making it quite difficult to balance a bike if you don’t have a proper setup. In addition to a clamping stem, all bike scales include a large, strong nylon loop that can be used to safely hang it from a nub, tree branch, or hook without tearing. Can’t I Just Use a Regular Scale? The Vitus Rapide is a pure XC race bike, just not in the traditional sense. Yes, it’s got 100mm travel and the full carbon frame weighs only 2,080g, but take a closer look at the rest of its vital stats and you’ll instantly see that the Rapide FS is heavily influenced by the progression of modern trail bike geometry.

Scott says the new geometry takes inspiration from its full-suspension Spark XC race bike, while keeping the familiar characteristics of a hardtail.With its triple-butted aluminium frame it offers a fast engaging ride without the rider being exposed to every single bump on the trail. Which makes it great for longer rides. And while most of the racing elite have smoothly transitioned to 29er full-suspension bikes, if you’re just getting into XC racing, a trusty 29er hardtail is a much more affordable way to get your hands on a lightweight, efficient bike. Which is why we have several XC 29er race hardtails selected for this list. Which bike should I choose for cross-country mountain biking? The bridge-less seat stays are curved and long, increasing compliance but we did occasionally clip our heals on the equally wide chainstays. All cables and the rear brake hose are internally routed, with securely clamped frame ports for a quieter ride, and there’s compatibility for a dropper post too. Suspension Disc brakes are so powerful you should only need to use one finger to slow down. Loosen the clamps and slide the levers away from the grips until your index finger rests right at the end of the lever blade. This gives you the most leverage and the most secure grip on the bars. Now slide your shifters against the brake clamps to make them accessible. Vitus Sentier can be ridden hard and provides ample thrills 4. Vitus Sentier 29 Smooth ride and quality frame

At the cheaper end of the market, try and choose a bike with an air-sprung fork. This will let you set adjust it to suit your body weight. Also try and get a fork with adjustable rebound damping at the minimum. Either way, too hard and they’ll be harsh and offer little grip; too soft and you’ll be more prone to pinch flats and you may even roll the tyre clean off the rim. 2. Adjust your handlebar controls We had to borrow Lycra from our sister publication for this test Full-suspension Vs hardtail: which makes the best XC race bike?Your brake levers should be angled in line with your arms as they’re positions when you ride; don’t rotate them to point straight down. 3. Set your saddle position