March 2023

Mountain Bikes: MetaRanking

This page highlights the aggregate summary of Mountain Bike rankings posted by key online experts, as of March 2023.

Summary

Between 10 Mar 2023 and 13 Mar 2023, ReviewFinder team examined a total of 100 Mountain Bike endorsements from 10 reputable publishers.

82 Mountain Bikes were endorsed in total, only 11 made it into this month's ranking (ReviewFinder requires a minimum of 2 endorsements to be included).

As of 13 Mar 2023, REI Co-op Cycles DRT 1.1 takes the cake as the most critically-acclaimed mountain bike with 4 expert endorsements. 2 experts out of 4 recommended it as the '#1 mountain bike' this month. It is followed by Yeti SB130 and Specialized Stumpjumper EVO Comp , with 4 and 2 expert endorsements respectively.

Brand breakdown
Show all brands

Price breakdown
As can be seen in the chart below, lowest high-ranking mountain bikes start at $189 (Huffy Stone Mountain) and go up to $529.99 (Mongoose Switchback Sport). Median mountain bike costs $299.99 (Kent Thruster KZ2600).
$189
$529.99

At a glance - March 2023 Ranking

Scroll horizontally to browse this ranking table
Rank Change Price Mountain Bike
Verywell Fit
Bike Perfect
Bikexchange
OutdoorGearLab
The Strategist
Cyclists Hub
Switchback Travel
Outside
Fontanel
Bicycle Guider
1
- Check price
REI Co-op Cycles DRT 1.1
7
-
-
-
-
1
7
-
-
1
2
- Check price
Yeti SB130
-
-
13
3
3
-
1
-
-
-
3
- Check price
Specialized Stumpjumper EVO Comp
-
-
-
2
1
-
-
-
-
-
4
- $325
Huffy Tekton
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1
4
5
- Check price
Specialized Turbo Levo Comp
-
-
-
8
5
-
3
-
-
-
6
- Check price
Ibis Ripmo V2 XT
-
-
10
1
-
-
-
-
-
-
7
- $271
Schwinn High Timber ALX
6
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
3
9
8
- $450
Mongoose Malus Fat Bike
8
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
8
7
9
- Check price
Cannondale Trail 8
-
-
4
-
-
2
-
-
-
-
14
- Check price
Orbea Laufey H30
-
2
9
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
15
+1 Check price
Roadmaster Granite Peak
4
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
15
-

We ranked REI Co-op Cycles DRT 1.1 #1 in March 2023 because:

  • 4 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.
Critic endorsements:
Verywell Fit

Best Hardtail

Pros
Lightweight—features an aluminum frame
Easy to ride
Versatile—features 21 gears for varied terrain

Cons
Relatively expensive

Go to ranking

Cyclists Hub

Go to ranking

Switchback Travel

Top Entry-Level Trail Bike for Beginners

Pros
Budget-friendly price but includes nice upgrades like hydraulic disc brakes.

Cons
Far less trail-worthy as the other options on the list.

Go to ranking

Bicycle Guider

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

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We ranked Yeti SB130 #2 in March 2023 because:

  • 4 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Mountain Bikes” rankings.
  • Out of those, 1 expert ranked Yeti SB130 as #1.
Critic endorsements:
Bikexchange

Best High-End Performance Carbon All-Mountain Bike

Go to ranking

OutdoorGearLab

Best Mid-Travel Trail Bike / Editors' Choice

Pros
Excellent climbing performance
Fun on nearly any trail
Incredibly versatile

Cons
Expensive
Despite aggressive geometry and burly fork, needs to be finessed in gnar

Go to ranking

The Strategist

Best mountain bikes for aggressive riding

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Switchback Travel

Best Overall Trail Mountain Bike

Pros
Premium construction
aggressive geometry
superb up- and downhill performance.

Cons
Expensive

Go to ranking

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 March 2023 ranking

We ranked Specialized Stumpjumper EVO Comp #3 in March 2023 because:

  • 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Mountain Bikes” rankings.
  • Out of those, 1 expert ranked Specialized Stumpjumper EVO Comp as #1.
Critic endorsements:
OutdoorGearLab

Best Aggressive Trail Bike

Pros
Stable and confident descender
Highly adjustable geometry
Adaptable for terrain or riding style
Plush FSR suspension
Increased SWAT storage

Cons
May be too much bike for mellow trails
Moderate weight
Fox 36 Rhythm fork

Go to ranking

The Strategist

Best overall mountain bike

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We ranked Huffy Tekton #4 in March 2023 because:

  • 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Mountain Bikes” rankings.
  • Out of those, 1 expert ranked Huffy Tekton as #1.
Critic endorsements:
Fontanel

Best Mountain Bikes for Men

Pros
Well designed for a safe and wonderful riding experience
Suitable for different topographic
Affordable

Cons
Some customers don’t like the gear ratio

Go to ranking

Bicycle Guider

Best Granny Gears for Climbing

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We ranked Specialized Turbo Levo Comp #5 in March 2023 because:

  • 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Mountain Bikes” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
OutdoorGearLab

Best Electri Mountain Bike / Editors' Choice

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

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

Go to ranking

The Strategist

Best mountain bike with electric assist

Go to ranking

Switchback Travel

Best E-Mountain Trail Bike

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

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

Go to ranking

We ranked Ibis Ripmo V2 XT #6 in March 2023 because:

  • 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Mountain Bikes” rankings.
  • Out of those, 1 expert ranked Ibis Ripmo V2 XT as #1.
Critic endorsements:
Bikexchange

Big wheel, big travel speed demon

Go to ranking

OutdoorGearLab

Best Overall Trail Bike / Editors' Choice

Pros
Well-balanced all-around performance
Confident descender
Efficient climber

Cons
Not the lightest weight
Somewhat expensive

Go to ranking

We ranked Schwinn High Timber ALX #7 in March 2023 because:

  • 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Mountain Bikes” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
Verywell Fit

Best Lightweight

Pros
Customizable—chose from a lightweight aluminium frame or a sturdy steel option
Easy to ride
Versatile—features 18-speed twist shifters for varied terrain

Cons
Some options cost much more than others

Go to ranking

Fontanel

Highly recommended

Pros
2 high quality material choices
Well designed for safe and enjoyable riding
Sporty and strong looking

Cons
Some customers feel that it is rather large

Go to ranking

Bicycle Guider

Best MTB with 29″ Wheels

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We ranked Mongoose Malus Fat Bike #8 in March 2023 because:

  • 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Mountain Bikes” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
Verywell Fit

Best Fat Tire

Pros
Easy to ride
Suitable for varied terrain—sand, dirt, snow and more.

Cons
Not intended for road biking

Go to ranking

Fontanel

Best for Big Shapes Users

Pros
Can be suitable for people who are in big shape
Strong and durable frame
Safe disc brakes system and 7-speed swifter available

Cons
There’s a shortage of color choices

Go to ranking

Bicycle Guider

Our Top Pick – Best Fat Bike Under $500!

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We ranked Cannondale Trail 8 #9 in March 2023 because:

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

Cannondale’s entry-level Trail edition

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Cyclists Hub

Go to ranking

We ranked Orbea Laufey H30 #10 in March 2023 because:

  • 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Mountain Bikes” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
Bike Perfect

Aggressive hardtail for trail shredding

Pros
140mm fork smooths out the trail
Durable 11-speed Shimano drivetrain
Dropper post

Cons
Beefy build adds weight

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Bikexchange

Go to ranking

We ranked Roadmaster Granite Peak #11 in March 2023 because:

  • 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Mountain Bikes” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
Verywell Fit

Best Budget for Women

Pros
Sturdy—features a steel frame
Easy to ride
Versatile—features 18-speed twist shifters for varied terrain
Budget-friendly

Cons
Steel frame may feel a little heavy

Go to ranking

Fontanel

Best for new users

Pros
Strong and stable
18 smooth speed changes
Budget-friendly

Cons
Some people believe the tires quality needs improving

Go to ranking