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Hardtails aren't enjoying the popularity of modern full-suspension trail bikes, but they offer a compelling ride for less dough and less required maintenance. The Commencal Meta HT AM Essential embodies everything we like about hardtails. The bike uses modern geometry to give you many benefits of a full suspension bike without the complication or loss of efficiency. The Meta HT crushes trails with enthusiasm and confidence while remaining exceptionally versatile and low-cost. If speed and efficiency are your desired attributes, the Ibis DV9 NX is a trail shredder that doesn't swing too far into the cross-country territory. Sure, you can race XC on this bike, but it's so much more than just fast. The DV9 has phenomenal power transfer and climbs like a goat while remaining super fun to ride. The Rocky Mountain Growler 50 earned accolades from our testers for its composure and rowdy disposition.
We spent a tremendous amount of time riding and testing the bikes in this review to gain a thorough understanding of their strengths and weaknesses. You don't need an expensive full-suspension mountain bike to crush the trails; read on to see if a hardtail is right for you.
The Commencal Meta HT AM really knocked our socks off during testing and was a blast to ride in virtually all situations. The versatile hardtail rolls on 27.5+-inch wheels but can be set up as a mullet or 29'r and charges hard in aggressive terrain. The bike is super playful and a blast to ride. Its geometry is aggressive enough to be stable at speed and confidence-inspiring on gnarly trails, yet it's not so long or slack that it becomes a handful at lower speeds or in tighter terrain. The 27.5-inch wheels and moderate reach and wheelbase also help to give the bike an eagerness to get off the ground, manual dips in the trail, and slap some corners. It's also a comfortable and relatively efficient climber that seemed to encourage our testers to get out of the saddle and stay on the gas. Commencal's consumer-direct sales model means that you get a lot for your money, and the Essential build we tested blows the doors off most other bikes in this price range.
Given its plus-sized tires and relatively slack front end, the Meta HT AM isn't the world's zippiest or most efficient hardtail. Those big ol' tires provide a nice damp ride feel, but they aren't the fastest rolling, and this bike can feel a little boring on mellower trails and terrain. That said, this isn't intended to be an XC bike, and most people riding the Meta HT will probably be having too much fun to care. We were truly impressed by this bike, and we feel it would be a great addition to anyone's bike quiver or as a low-maintenance daily driver. Commencal offers several models of the Meta HT with Mullet wheel packages, and that 29" front wheel will only enhance this bike's versatility.
The Ibis DV9 is a lightweight bicycle that can slay a trail ride and is just as well suited to entering a cross-country race. This bike has relatively upright, conservative, cross-country-oriented geometry. This bike prioritizes pedal efficiency and quick handling over downhill prowess. The result is tremendous climbing efficiency, zippy acceleration, and razor-sharp steering. The NX build we tested is budget-oriented, but Ibis didn't skimp where it matters with a great fork, tires, wheels, and dropper post that enhances its all-around performance. This bicycle is a great choice for the rider who wants a versatile hardtail and frequently rides primarily smooth and flowy trails.
The downside? The DV9 isn't the best choice for riders who ride rough or chattery trails. The stiff, lightweight carbon fiber frame transmits more of the trail surface to the rider. When you're motoring over choppy terrain, you certainly feel it. As a result, this bike is best piloted by experienced riders who can use proper form and soften their elbows and knees to finesse downhill.
Exceptionally stable at high speeds and when ridden hard
Progressive modern geometry
Ripping tires
REASONS TO AVOID
Long wheelbase makes the bike difficult to handle in tough spaces
Ultra-slack geometry makes climbing awkward
The Rocky Mountain Growler craves high speeds and rowdy terrain. This hardtail has super-aggressive geometry typically found on squishy enduro race bikes. This long bicycle is remarkably stable at high speeds and has the angles to feel exceptionally confident on steeper terrain. The Growler responds well to an aggressive pilot and, despite its length, likes to boost off rolls and bumps in the trail. Some meaty 2.6-inch WTB tires highlighted the build kit with a hard-charging attitude to match the Growler's outlook on life. Climbing up mellow and buff climbs was surprisingly pleasant, thanks to a steep seat tube angle that puts you directly over the cranks. If you are the kind of rider who enjoys getting rad and going fast, this is a great bike.
The Growler does have some noticeable shortcomings. We found technical climbing to be less than ideal despite the impressive ability to climb mellow grades. The combination of the long wheelbase and super-slack front end makes it more difficult to handle in tight spaces, resulting in a slightly awkward feeling. Even on the descent, tight corners and awkward maneuvers can be more stressful than hitting the downslope on a shorter, steeper bike. Additionally, the build kit was a bit of a mixed bag. The Rocky Mountain Toonie dropper post failed on us but was replaced quickly under warranty. Also, the brakes are slightly too weak for how hard this bike wants to charge. Aside from that, there was little not to like about this hard-charging hardtail.
The Marin Pine Mountain is a versatile steel hardtail that does it all. This rig was clearly designed with an emphasis on bikepacking. The frame has a lot of mounts, and the steel construction creates a smooth and damp ride. The pedaling position is rock-solid, and the Pine Mountain is a surprisingly competent climber. While this bike clearly prefers adventure rides, it holds up quite well on the average after-work trail ride. The middle-of-the-road geometry avoids being too long and slack or too steep and twitchy. It descends confidently, corners well, and scoots back up the hill surprisingly fast. Oh yeah, the build kit is rock solid, given the price, with highlights like a Shimano SLX 12-speed drivetrain and 4-piston brakes.
The Marin is a bikepacking/adventure bike that holds up pretty well as a trail bike. It should be noted that there are much better options for riders looking for a hardtail mountain bike for daily trail riding duties. As a trail bike, the Pine Mountain is a little bland and dull and never stands out as particularly impressive. The beauty of this bike is in its versatility and can-do attitude, not its trail-riding prowess.
The steel frame takes the edge off of chattery trails. Steel is real.
Credit: Laura Casner
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Hardtails may not be for everyone, but some of the new models are just as fun to ride as any full suspension bike on the right terrain. The new Fuse 29 was a tester favorite.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Why Trust GearLab
Our testing process is extremely tedious, focusing on all the details. Oh yeah — it's also quite fun. Rest assured, we put these bikes through the paces in our lab and, more importantly, on the trail. We spend time carefully measuring each bicycle with our own tools and processes to see if the manufacturers differ significantly from our measurements.
Next comes the fun part. Each tester takes each bike on multiple test rides. We test these bikes on trails with which we are extremely familiar. This familiarity means we ride the same exact lines on each bike and can easily discern between the ride properties of each model. Our test rides are not quick, 25-minute, hot laps. They are substantial, multi-hour rides.
We also do switchout days where were jump on bikes back to back in quick succession. This is an extremely important element of our testing process. Riding different bikes on the same trail, one after another makes the relative differences and strengths and weaknesses extremely apparent.
Pat Donahue, one of our longest-standing Mountain Bike testers at OutdoorGearLab, leads our hardtail review. Pat has ridden well over 150 bikes in the past 15 years. While he has spent several years on downhill and enduro race tracks, he prefers to just go out and ride. He is joined by professional skier, singletrack enthusiast, and bike mechanic Kyle Smaine; our Senior Mountain Bike Review Editor, Joshua Hutchens, who has spent his life on two wheels, from racing to retail, coaching to consulting, this guy lives for riding bikes.
Most of our time testing hardtails is spent riding them.
We take the time to measure the bikes we test, and we evaluate the quality of the build kit and how it performs on the trail.
Of course, riding each bike is the only real way to judge their performance.
Is a Hardtail Mountain Bike Right for You?
Mountain bikes are expensive. In fact, mountain bikes can get really expensive really quickly. Every model year, the prices seem to creep higher and higher as new technology is introduced.
Hardtail mountain bikes certainly have an appeal. The price tag will be the first thing that catches your eye. The lack of a rear suspension linkage and shock makes these bikes less expensive to produce and easier to maintain. Hardtails are an excellent option for newer riders to build skills as they force proper form and soft knees/elbows over rough terrain. Also, hardtails can be solid second bikes for full suspension owners who want a simple, hearty bike for wet and sloppy conditions. It's not all sunshine, though. Riding hardtail means you have a far narrower range of trails you can ride comfortably. Additionally, they provide a far less forgiving ride by more directly translating the trail surface to the rider's body.
An entry-level full-suspension bike generally sells for somewhere in the neighborhood of $2,000. Reasonably well-equipped bikes will usually start above $3,000. If you ride regularly, all of the bearings and pivots on these full suspension bikes require maintenance to keep them running smoothly and quietly. This maintenance will likely run you a few hundred dollars a year. The enormous upside to full suspension bikes is they offer far superior performance in almost every area of the trail compared to hardtails. Great climbing traction, far more aggressive descending abilities, and all-day comfort are all benefits of full-squish rigs. Riders who intend on getting into mountain biking for the long haul will typically benefit from dropping the extra coin for some rear suspension.
If your trails are buff and smooth like this, a hardtail can certainly be a viable option.
Credit: Laura Casner
Which is right for you? Taking a look at your goals is essential.
If you're hoping to head out on a relaxing ride once a week on mellow terrain with very few technical features, a hardtail is a solid choice. Beginners looking to build their skills are also great candidates for these bikes. If you're in this camp, know that mountain biking can potentially be more fun on a full-suspension bike. Riders who want to ride a wide range of trails should strongly consider rear suspension. If you're going to ride multiple times a week and push your skillset, a full suspension bike is often the best option.
Some riders simply prefer the simplicity and efficiency of a hardtail. They have fewer moving parts, often weigh less, and you'll never lose energy through rear suspension movement. The added challenge of riding without the crutch of rear suspension appeals to many riders as well. It's really about personal preference. So, whether you're just starting out or you've been riding for decades, there are more styles of hardtail mountain bikes on the market than ever before, and something sure to match any rider's needs and budget.
There are less expensive bikes out there, but the consumer-direct Commencal Meta HT AM is a blast to ride, and it comes with a great build for the price.
Credit: Laura Casner
What's the Best Value?
If the price tag associated with a quality mountain bike has you choking, look no further! Hardtails are typically a pretty good value compared to their full-suspension counterparts. We don't rate the bikes we test based on their price, but we do love a good value. Bikes such as the Commencal Meta HT AM Essential represent what we believe to be an excellent value with a fair price for a quality build kit thanks to their consumer-direct sales model. Bear in mind that there are typically several build options available, so riders can often spend more or less money on a given bike model.
Wheel Size
Modern hardtails typically have one of four common wheel sizes. Each wheel size has strengths and weaknesses.
27.5 — Great for those who want a quick and playful ride. These are the smallest wheels that are being widely produced. These ninja-like wheels produce a quick, agile, and playful ride. These may be better suited to smaller riders or for experienced riders who are skilled pilots.
The 27.5"+ tires on the Salsa Timberjack.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
29 — Best for those who want to ride fast. As they say, big wheels keep on rollin'. These larger diameter “wagon wheels” roll very fast, carry loads of momentum, and stay out of holes in the trail. It's harder to disturb the momentum of these big wheels. You sacrifice a bit of agility compared to 27.5-inch wheels. These are the best choice for those concerned about speed and covering ground.
27.5+ — 27.5+ wheels run 27.5 x 2.8 or 27.5 x 3.0 wheels. These deliver boatloads of traction. In addition, you can run these tires at much lower pressures, and they add an element of cushion or damping to the ride. This can be extremely important on a hardtail.
29+ — A few bikes run 29+ wheels. This runs a 29 x 3.0 or 29 x 2.8-inch tire. These are really, really big wheels that deliver insane stability and roll very fast. These are great wheels for exploring and maybe a bikepacking mission. Given the sheer mass of these tires, acceleration is not a strong suit, and they can feel quite clunky in tight spaces. In addition, they are about as far from playful as you can get
Note: Tire choice can make a massive difference within a wheel size — for example, a 29 x 2.3-inch tire rides very differently than a 29 x 2.6-inch tire. Adding a bit of width can make for a more aggressive feel and provide a bit of damping.
Big beefy tires can make a world of difference on a hardtail because you can run lower pressures for excellent traction and damping in the form of additional air volume.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Carbon Fiber vs. Aluminum vs. Steel
Frame material is important. Each frame material has inherent strengths and weaknesses that can have an enormous effect on performance and price. Your budget will largely dictate frame material, but here is a brief rundown of the strengths and weaknesses of each material.
Carbon Fiber — The lightest, stiffest, and strongest option. It's also one of the more expensive materials. Carbon fiber transmits your power and body movements most effectively. The stiff ride is responsive, and the lower weight is a huge bonus. Carbon fiber ages well, meaning it retains its integrity better than aluminum, which weakens over the years. It is also the strongest of the frame materials. The catch, while carbon fiber is extremely strong, it doesn't stand up well to being crashed into rocks. Also, it isn't eco-friendly as it has no way of being recycled.
The Norco Torrent A1 has a stiff aluminum frame with a flashy red paint job.
Credit: Laura Casner
Aluminum — This reliable metal is less expensive and doesn't age as well as carbon fiber. While aluminum is not as stiff as carbon fiber, it responds better to getting dropped in rocks. Additionally, it typically isn't quite as unforgiving as carbon fiber, which results in minor amounts of frame flex. No big deal. This flex can work in your favor by softening the harsh feel of a hardtail. This material is easily recyclable.
Steel — Some hardtail bikes, particularly from smaller manufacturers, are built with steel. Steel is less stiff than carbon fiber and aluminum, resulting in a bit of frame flex. The upside? It provides a more damp ride than the other materials. Additionally, steel can be repaired if a weld fails.
Bikes like the Norco Torrent (pictured) and the Rocky Mountain Growler have enduro-esque geometry that really performs on the descents.
Credit: Laura Casner
Geometry
Hardtails are typically associated with a more old-school ride feel and this is related to their rigid rear ends and frame geometry. Modern mountain bike geometry trends are slowly but surely making their way into the design of hardtail mountain bikes, and there are currently more different styles of hardtails on the market than ever before. Brands have been diversifying their frame geometries to achieve different ride characteristics. Nearly all hardtails are efficient climbers due to their lack of rear suspension, although there are differences in uphill handling based on the length of the wheelbase and reach as well as the head tube angle.
Hardtails come in a huge range of styles. Bikes like the Marin Pine Mountain can go bike packing all week and take on everyday trail riding.
Credit: Laura Casner
These days, you can get a quick-handling carbon fiber framed model with a middle-of-the-road geometry, like the Ibis DV9, which is lightweight, efficient, fast-rolling, and eats up miles and vertical like it does its job. In the case of the DV9, it's a versatile trail-worthy bike that could easily double as an XC race bike on the weekends. Moderate geometries lend themselves well to versatility, and bikes like the Commencal Meta HT are great examples of this. The Meta is very well-rounded, and it performs impressively well in virtually all situations. You'll also find models with more conservative geometry, like the Marin Pine Mountain, to be better for less aggressive trail riding and well suited to bike packing and adventure riding.
Geometry is critical. Some hardtails, like the Rocky Mountain Growler, are super slack like enduro bikes. Others are more conservative.
Credit: Laura Casner
On the other end of the spectrum, we now have companies bringing long and slack to the designs of their hardtail frames. The terms aggressive and enduro haven't been associated much with hardtail mountain bikes until more recently as brands like Rocky Mountain and Norco have started producing hardcore hardtails. These bikes have slack, 64-degree head tube angles, long reach, and wheelbase measurements, and they come to life at speed and handle steep and rough descents impressively well. Similarly, the Commencal Meta HT AM has a slack head angle and a 160mm fork that give this bike the ability to get rowdy, yet its moderate reach and wheelbase keep it maneuverable and fun-loving.
At OutdoorGearLab we love testing hardtails. These bikes change the way you approach the trails and can be just as fun, or more fun depending on who you ask, as their full-suspension counterparts.
Credit: Laura Casner
Conclusion
There you have it, our comprehensive review of the best hardtail mountain bikes. There are plenty of reasons to buy a hardtail over a full-suspension mountain bike. These less forgiving bicycles teach proper form and technique, as there is no rear suspension to bail you out. In addition, the lack of rear suspension requires far less maintenance than a complicated full-suspension bike with a ton of creaky bearings, and they tend to be more affordable for the masses. Oh yeah, they are also really fun.
The Meta HT is our favorite hardtail mountain bike. The Meta is incredibly fun, and it offers balance and a well-rounded performance. The Ibis DV9 is a no-brainer for riders who value a light and efficient hardtail. The Ibis climbs like the wind and relies on its razor-sharp handling to slice and dice through tricky sections of the trail. The Rocky Mountain Growler dominates the descent. The Growler is one aggressive bike and is unbelievably stable at high speeds. The Commencal Meta HT AM is a fun-loving hardtail for riders who like to manual, boost, and drift their way down the trail and has the chops to handle aggressive descents. Those looking for a versatile bike that is equally at home on casual trail rides and bike packing adventures alike should give the Marin Pine Mountain 2 a look.
—Pat Donahue, Kyle Smaine, Jeremy Benson, Joshua Hutchens
