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‘Tis the season to be tempted by a whole new model year of mountain bikes, and we’ve got some good news. Dialing in your own personal style of off-roading has never been easier — once you wade through the overwhelming amount of options, that is. There’s a different bike for just about every type of trail and rider, and even some that claim to do it all. You need a bike best suited to the kind of riding you enjoy, but that also won’t keep you from the occasional change of pace (or any surprises the trails throw at you). As part of our week-long series on bikes to celebrate the launch of Limits, we’ve picked our favorites for racing enduro, downhilling, or just getting out for a weekend adventure ride.
MORE CYCLING: America’s Best Mountain Bike Trails | Best Road Bikes for Any Budget | Interview with Cannondale’s Henning Schroeder
Scott Scale Comp 29
Most bang for your buck mountain bike: Looking for a lightweight, durable and fast-rolling bike that leaves some dough in your bank account? The Scott Scale Comp 29er is a custom butted 6061 aluminum frame outfitted with Shimano brakes and drivetrain, and it touts the same geometry as a higher-end carbon race bike. For just under a grand, you can’t go wrong with this set up.
Spot Rocker SS Ti
Sweetest mountain bike for single track: Combine a single speed belt drive with a titanium frame and you won’t make the noise of a rocker — even an unplugged one. Instead, you’ll fly through single track with the stealth and speed that comes from one of the most advanced drivetrains (the Gates CenterTrack) ever to hit the trail. If you want to hear the sweet sound of a chain banging against titanium and gears moving up and down the cassette, not to worry: the engineers at Spot have completely re-imagined how a vertical slider-style dropout should come together. The Rocker SS allows you to run both belt-driven and chain-driven single-speed configurations, and if you get tired of pushing a single gear, you also have the option to add a derailleur.
