December 2024

Mountain Bikes: MetaRanking

This page highlights the aggregate summary of mountain bikes rankings posted by key online experts, as of December 2024.

Summary

On 21 Dec 2024, ReviewFinder team examined a total of 77 mountain bike endorsements from 10 reputable publishers.

67 mountain bikes were endorsed in total, only 9 made it into this month's ranking. (ReviewFinder requires a minimum of 2 endorsements to be included)

As of 21 Dec 2024, Specialized Stumpjumper EVO Comp takes the cake as the most critically-acclaimed mountain bike with 2 expert endorsements. 2 experts out of 2 recommended it as the '#1 mountain bike' this month.

Brand breakdown
Show all brands

Price breakdown
As can be seen in the chart below, lowest high-ranking mountain bikes start at $219.99 (Outroad Fat Tire Bike) and go up to $560.57 (Schwinn Mesa). Median mountain bike costs $432 (Schwinn High Timber ALX).
$219.99
$560.57

At a glance - December Ranking

Scroll horizontally to browse this ranking table
Rank Change Price Mountain Bike
Bicycle Guider
Bikexchange
Switchback Travel
Cyclists Hub
Runner's World
Outside
The Strategist
Bike Perfect
Verywell Fit
OutdoorGearLab
1
+1 Check price
Specialized Stumpjumper EVO Comp
The Specialized Stumpjumper EVO Comp is a high-quality and durable mountain bike that excels in aggressive trail riding and enduro racing, offering a smooth and controlled ride with powerful components and a strong carbon fiber frame.
-
-
-
-
-
-
1
-
-
1
2
-1 Check price
REI Co-op Cycles DRT 1.1
The REI Co-op Cycles DRT 1.1 mountain bike is a reliable and durable option for recreational riders who want an affordable bike for off-road adventures, offering a lightweight frame, powerful brakes, and a good range of gears.
1
-
-
1
-
-
-
-
-
-
3
- Check price
Specialized Turbo Levo Comp
The Specialized Turbo Levo Comp is a durable and reliable electric mountain bike with high-performance capabilities, although there have been some recent reliability issues with the motor.
-
-
5
-
-
-
4
-
-
9
4
- Check price
Cannondale Trail 8
The Cannondale Trail 8 is an entry-level mountain bike praised for its lightweight and durable frame, comfortable suspension, reliable components, and versatility for beginner and intermediate riders.
2
4
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
11
+1 Check price
Santa Cruz Chameleon
The Santa Cruz Chameleon is a highly regarded hardtail mountain bike known for its durability, versatility, and ability to handle various riding styles and terrains.
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2
-
-
8
-
-
-
-
-
12
+1 Check price
Giant Talon 2
6
-
-
6
-
-
-
-
-
-
13
+1 Check price
Specialized Chisel Comp
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9
-
-
-
-
-
4
-
-
14
+1 Check price
Rocky Mountain Growler 20
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7
-
-
6
-
-
-
-
-
15
+1 Check price
Cannondale Habit 4
-
12
-
-
-
-
-
5
-
-

We ranked Specialized Stumpjumper EVO Comp #1 in December 2024 because:

  • 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best mountain bikes” rankings.
  • Out of those, 2 experts ranked Specialized Stumpjumper EVO Comp as #1.
Expert Consensus
(as of 30 Aug 2023)
The Specialized Stumpjumper EVO Comp is a high-quality and durable mountain bike that excels in aggressive trail riding and enduro racing, offering a smooth and controlled ride with powerful components and a strong carbon fiber frame.
Critic endorsements:
The Strategist

Best overall mountain bike

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OutdoorGearLab

Best Overall Trail Bike / Editor's Choice

Adjustable headtube and bb height
New SWAT box
GENIE Shock technology

Incremental upgrade from Stumpjumper EVO
Rear brake is too large
Hefty for a carbon trail bike

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We ranked REI Co-op Cycles DRT 1.1 #2 in December 2024 because:

  • 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best mountain bikes” rankings.
  • Out of those, 2 experts ranked REI Co-op Cycles DRT 1.1 as #1.
Expert Consensus
(as of 30 Aug 2023)
The REI Co-op Cycles DRT 1.1 mountain bike is a reliable and durable option for recreational riders who want an affordable bike for off-road adventures, offering a lightweight frame, powerful brakes, and a good range of gears.
Critic endorsements:
Bicycle Guider

Slightly Over $500. Clear Winner With Discs And Multiple Sizes

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Cyclists Hub

Best Budget Beginner Mountain Bike

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Methodology: combine opinions of key experts

Identify Experts

We identify key publishers and experts that consistently review and recommend mountain bikes.

Capture Rankings

For each publisher we find a currently recommended "top 10" list of mountain bikes, it must be updated in the last 9 months.

Aggregate Rankings

We put all those lists together and aggregate them. The more frequently a product is recommended, the higher it is in our ranking

Experts chosen for December 2024 ranking

We ranked Specialized Turbo Levo Comp #3 in December 2024 because:

  • 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best mountain bikes” rankings.
Expert Consensus
(as of 30 Aug 2023)
The Specialized Turbo Levo Comp is a durable and reliable electric mountain bike with high-performance capabilities, although there have been some recent reliability issues with the motor.
Critic endorsements:
Switchback Travel

Best E-Mountain Trail Bike

Well-rounded e-bike with a strong
long-lasting battery and refined downhill performance.

Heavy, expensive
many trail systems don’t allow e-bikes (yet)

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The Strategist

Best mountain bike with electric assist

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OutdoorGearLab

Best Electric Mountain Bike / Editors' Choice

Powerful motor
Versatile, highly adjustable geometry
700Wh battery-great range

No longer winning the battery wars
No digital display on lower-end models
Should come with tougher casing tires

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We ranked Cannondale Trail 8 #4 in December 2024 because:

  • 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best mountain bikes” rankings.
Expert Consensus
(as of 31 Aug 2023)
The Cannondale Trail 8 is an entry-level mountain bike praised for its lightweight and durable frame, comfortable suspension, reliable components, and versatility for beginner and intermediate riders.
Critic endorsements:
Bicycle Guider

2nd Plance: Runner up!

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Bikexchange

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We ranked Santa Cruz Chameleon #5 in December 2024 because:

  • 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best mountain bikes” rankings.
Expert Consensus
(as of 31 Aug 2023)
The Santa Cruz Chameleon is a highly regarded hardtail mountain bike known for its durability, versatility, and ability to handle various riding styles and terrains.
Critic endorsements:
Bikexchange

Go to ranking

Runner's World

Mixed Wheel aka "Mullet" Hardtail

Comes stock with a dropper post and Maxxis tubeless tires
Great option for trail riding or bikepacking adventures with room for customizations

You'll pay a bit more for the Santa Cruz name compared to similar hardtail bikes

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We ranked Giant Talon 2 #6 in December 2024 because:

  • 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best mountain bikes” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
Bicycle Guider

Best Gravel MTB Under $500

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Cyclists Hub

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We ranked Specialized Chisel Comp #7 in December 2024 because:

  • 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best mountain bikes” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
Bikexchange

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Bike Perfect

The best beginner MTB for XC speed

Quality alloy XC frame
Solid spec list

Conservative geometry

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We ranked Rocky Mountain Growler 20 #8 in December 2024 because:

  • 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best mountain bikes” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
Bikexchange

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Runner's World

Budget-Friendly Hardtail

Smooth downhill handling in varied terrain

1x10 drivetrain can make steep climbs a bit more challenging

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We ranked Cannondale Habit 4 #9 in December 2024 because:

  • 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best mountain bikes” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
Bikexchange

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Bike Perfect

The best beginner MTB for suspension

Size-specific geometry
Balanced, agility-biased handling
Rock-solid lifetime warrantied frame

Relatively weighty
Offset frame makes some upgrades more complicated

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