Recently I had a chance to test 11 of the best trail bikes on the market. These were 140-150mm 29ers that are meant to be well rounded bikes, both uphill and downhill! My job is to spend enough time on each of these bikes to learn what their personalities are, who they are for, and what each of these bikes excels at, as well as where they can improve.
I personally think in the year 2025 (we are almost there), it is really hard to find a bad bike, especially if I do my job right. I am simply one of many mountain bikers out there. At the end of the day what works for me and my riding style might not work for that rider on the other side of the country who has a completely different set of needs from their bike. My job is to fully understand a bike through the eyes of a mountain biker, not just through my own. Who is the bike for? Where does it ride best? Where is the geo better suited to riding? What style of riding goes well with each suspension design?
At the end of the day, each one of these bikes has been tested by so many different riders before they come to market. Pro athletes, company employees, ambassadors, engineers, the list is endless. The chances of a bike making it to market in 2025 and being a “bad” bike is almost as low as me owning a Ford Raptor (my wife Hannah has vehemently opposed it and says I do not need a Ford Raptor). Someone out there will love a certain bike, and someone out there might not get a long with the same bike at all. It is my job to figure out who those two people are and describe the bike in those terms.
Each one of these bikes did have different strengths and weaknesses that will be dependent on your style of riding, as well as where you will ride the bike. Some of these bikes are more well rounded than others, while some of them specialize in performing insanely well in a certain terrain, while sacrificing a little bit elsewhere. You have to be honest with yourself about what you are looking for from your next bike. Do you travel a lot? Or do you ride the same trail network 95% of the year and very occasionally stray away to try something new? Do you like going fast downhill? Or do you prefer to play around a bit more on the trails, even if it sacrifices PR’s.
The biggest advice I can give you when shopping for your next bike is to be honest with yourself about what you are looking for from your bike and figure out what bike meets your riding needs. And remember, these are bicycles. This should be fun. If it is not, I am probably not doing my job right…
And with that being said, here are the awards for the “Awesome MTB Trail Bike Buyers Guide” and my thoughts on each of the bikes!
-Mo Awesome
The bikes, awards, and final thoughts:
Specialized Stumpjumper 15 (Best Trail Bike of 2025)
The new Stumpy 15 is hands down one of the most versatile bikes I have tested in a long time. It does well on both high speed flow trails as well trails that are more technical and slow. It is insanely easy to ride, with little to no learning curve. Anyone from a new rider to someone more advanced will appreciate the Stumpjumper, especially with its different adjustments you can make to the geo. The new Genie rear shock is also pretty awesome, feeling very coil like but still retaining the playful performance of an air shock! This bike is easy for me to recommend to so many different riders all over the country so because of that the Stumpjumper wins "2025 Trail Bike Of The Year"! https://youtu.be/Ke9hEigVmj4?si=p4tAM-YnBgkKZj8K
Yeti Cycles SB140
The Yeti SB140 became one of my personal favorite bikes of the test to the shock of a lot of riders out there given my past experience with the same bike. This goes back to taking the time to fully understand a bike before jumping to any conclusions. While there is a slight learning curve with the SB140 and its Switch Infinity system, the more time I spent with this bike, the more insane I saw it to be performance wise! It is hands down one of the most efficient pedaling bikes out of the test as well as fastest downhill. It rewards high speed riding, the more you push it, the more comfortable it gets. Sky's the limit with this bike, which makes so much sense why Richie Rude keeps dominating! New for 2025 is a bit more compression in the rear shock as well as higher rise bars, two things that really helped me fall in love with this bike. https://youtu.be/CO3LxMJnahE?si=L8Y8IBgiY4reZuWd
Pivot Switchblade:
Another one of my personal favorite bikes of this test, and if I really had to pick an absolute favorite for myself it probably would be the Pivot Switchblade! One of the most precise bikes I have ever ridden, the Pivot Switchblade allows you to put the bike exactly where you want it, making every trail that much more fun! It also has this insane XC efficiency in out of the saddle sprints, making you want to ride this bike further every time you take it out! Technical riders will absolutely love the Switchblade, as well as anyone looking for a fun, do everything trail bike to crush big miles on rowdy trails! https://youtu.be/cQA_KOfmgEs?si=H7g3agciH7zPz7tS
ARI Delano Peak
The ARI Delano Peak is hands down “The Best Value Trail Bike of 2025”. Not only is it one of the most playful bikes out of the test. It also is just a really good bike overall. If you asked me what trail bike you should buy and you didn't give me any more info about yourself, I would fully trust myself recommending the ARI Delano Peak! From US enduro champion Nik Nestroff to a new rider in the sport looking to upgrade their bike, the Delano Peak is very versatile and pleases a wide range of riders. And if you look at the build kit offerings, it is a no brainer, the value is there for the high performing ARI Delano Peak! https://youtu.be/3wR1k6acs-M?si=DhO5DmtkxEYJlz8g
Ibis Ripmo V3:
The Ripmo V3 is the best 29er Ibis has released, as well as the most capable! It is the perfect blend of stout and confident inspiring, while retaining that playful Ibis feel people know and love. This version of the Ripmo is much more well rounded than the previous version and riders looking for confidence but still wanting to have fun on the trails will rejoice with this bike! My biggest issue during the test was sizing, as the geo numbers on paper led me to believe I would be a size large (I'm 6 '2 and normally ride a size XL with 500-510mm reach). This did throw things off a bit in the test, and while I really hate to be that guy testing the wrong size bike, at the end of the day it is the size I would have gone with if I had bought the bike purely based on the geo charts. With all of the other bikes in this test fitting me like an absolute glove in a size XL, and those sizes being what I would have bought on my own, unfortunately that is just how it played out this time. However I want to follow this up in 2025 with a review on a size XL as I really think this bike has a lot of potential. https://youtu.be/uQn-FtgYEfk?si=R-ZUu5FFLIgjZ5P0
Rocky Mountain Instinct:
Born and raised in British Columbia, and some would say possibly fathered by Wade Simmons, the Rocky Mountain Instinct is one of the most fun bikes in this test when it comes to technical riding. With a suspension design that rewards those that take the sketchier lines, I constantly found myself able to control my line choice even when in near vertical sections! With so many awesome frame adjustments as well, this is the perfect bike for someone who lives somewhere that requires traction but also likes to tinker with their bike setup! https://youtu.be/RlJY4dXcPZQ?si=ZuN0Kj0mcYNmVAR2
Transition Sentinel:
The most capable bike in this test, hands down goes to the Transition Sentinel! I have said it before and I will say it again, Transition really does seem to be one of those companies that marches to the beat of their own rider owned mindset, and then slowly the industry takes notes and starts to head in their direction! The new Sentinel blends high speed stability with precise line choice very well, and most importantly, it never makes you feel like you can blame the bike for not hitting a section! The internal frame storage being separate from the bottle cage is also very appreciated! https://youtu.be/GyKAvGNG7aw?si=bDwYzDac50wlynt9
Propane Hugene:
When a gravity oriented brand does a trail bike, you definitely wonder what their take on this platform will be? Propain nailed the Hugene and really showed they can make a shorter travel bike still perform well downhill, but retain the heart of a trail bike! With the nimbleness coming from a shorter reach, as well as a more conservative headangle, yet its stability coming from a slightly longer chainstay, the Hugene has a very unique feel out on the trails! And with an awesome suspension design, this is a solid option for riders that want that blend of both worlds! Picky about your builds? Their online bike builder is awesome, allowing you to customize the entire bike, from the rear derailleur to the grips and everything in between, including the decals! https://youtu.be/IuJircFCgho?si=YPJOVkcOHFnjC232
Evil Offering:
Dave Weagle might be one of my favorite people in the bike industry, as the Delta Suspension design found on the Evil Offering, as well as every other Evil mountain bike, is hands down one of the best suspension designs on the market. With an insane amount of traction, yet this mind blowing ability to rocket out of corners, the Evil Offering utilities it's Delta Suspension design to be one of the most fun bikes I have ever ridden! If you want to experience the best corners of your life and are looking for a very playful trail bike, the Offering is a solid contender! https://youtu.be/sy4uD9f0GiE?si=RjnTBC5lX78cTjIu
Cannondale Habit LT:
Who knew simple could be so good! The Cannondale Habit was one of the easiest to ride bikes in the test but somehow still ended up being one of the most capable downhill! With an awesome geo and a very confident inspiring suspension platform, the Habit LT just goes to show you that sometimes you do not need all those adjustments! The Cannondale Habit has an awesome amount of rollover as well as traction, and performs amazingly in technical terrain! So if you have those desert trips planned or you are looking for a no nonsense trail bike, we can’t recommend the Habit enough! https://youtu.be/1GszvrmaI_0?si=VESdH69H6LTmlEoC
Giant Trance X:
Being one of the biggest bike companies in the world, it would come to no surprise that Giant knows a thing or two about how to make an amazing bike! The Trance X is an XC racer's dream enduro bike! Blending high speed stability downhill with XC efficiency pedaling, this bike really makes you feel like it is time to put the number plate on and enter some races! With a ton of awesome geo adjustments as well as a great value to their builds, the Trance X is going to put a smile on a lot of riders faces, although you might not see that smile for very long given how fast they will be riding away from you! https://youtu.be/skSi57vL9CE?si=2OKHhSAUrZUF1jtR
And with that being said, hopefully you enjoyed our Awesome MTB Trail Bike Buyers Guide and stay tuned for much more coming from us soon!
Conclusion video: https://youtu.be/MQqtSPTg1vw?si=F165YquuFJhIFlse
-Mo and Hannah
Awesome MTB
Thanks to the supporters of this series:
What are the best riding shoes and pedals? https://www.crankbrothers.com
Looking for the best riding nutrition? https://tailwindnutrition.com
Want the best repair stand and tools? https://feedbacksports.com
Need the best eyewear? https://www.pitviper.com
Looking for the best bike rack and truck swing out? https://www.rigdsupply.com
What are our favorite bike shops? https://www.jensonusa.com and https://www.probikesupply.com
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