The Propain Tyee is high on my list. Photo: Propain Bicycles
The mountain bike market is a popularity contest, and some bikes are simply more desirable than others. They’re either more beautiful, or they have the right combination of brand appeal, design, and tech to make mountain bikers froth at the mouth.
Of course, you have your standard cool clique — top brands like Specialized, Trek, Yeti, and Santa Cruz. These dominate the market, command high prices, and tend to be the nicest builds you’ll see on the trail. Then the next level down we have other popular brands that aren’t quite as big — Evil, Transition, Ibis, Rocky Mountain, and Orbea.
But I’ve always had more alternative tastes — I like piercings and tattoos — so I tend to gravitate towards mountain bikes that have more of an edge or that are a bit more niche. For me, a hot mountain bike feels unique and special. It's a natural conversation starter. And most importantly, there aren't tons of people out on the trail riding that exact bike.
In my current search for a future ~150mm travel dream machine, I’ve narrowed my choices down to five enticing new bikes from smaller or lesser-known brands. These are the trail and enduro bikes that I think are the hottest things on the market right now.
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1. Forbidden Druid V2
Photo: Forbidden Bike Company
Okay, I know I said I was looking for 150mm and the Druid is a 130mm bike, but it doesn't ride like one! I actually built up a Druid V1 frame over the winter because I wanted to try out a bike with high-pivot suspension. Overall, I've been very impressed with what the bike is capable of with so little travel, so I'm making an exception right out the gate and putting the new Forbidden Druid V2 is on my list.
I think the new frame looks better and the suspension is more well-packaged than the previous version. Plus, I love the subtle sparkle in the new Stardust colorway. High-pivot suspension system always draws in curious onlookers at the trailhead. I also just like the names “Forbidden” and “Druid,” and the little Celtic designs painted onto the top tube and seat tube.
The Druid V2 seems like a great option, but the one thing stopping me is that it’s not really that different from my current Druid V1. However, the one thing I’ve wished for on the Druid V1 is a slightly slacker head angle to inspire a bit more confidence on steeper and gnarlier trails. The Druid V2 delivers that, slacking the head angle out 0.5 degrees to a nice even 65 degrees.
Currently, the Druid V2 might be my number one choice, and I’m eagerly waiting for frames to show up at TPC so I can see them in person. But there are plenty of other new bikes that came out this year that can knock it out of the running.
2. Commencal Meta V5
Photo: Commencal
Of the five bikes I’ve picked here, the Commencal Meta V5 is definitely the most mainstream. Commencal is one of the biggest direct-to-consumer mountain bike brands, and it sponsors some of the best enduro and downhill racers in the world. However, it still hasn’t achieved massive penetration into the US market just yet, so it still has a bit of novelty. Plus, I think they’re a super cool brand because they make some of the best bike release videos (this is how I ride in my dreams) in the business.
For me though, what really sets Commencal apart from MTB powerhouses like Specialized, Yeti, and Santa Cruz is its complete dedication to aluminum frames. Every modern Commencal bike is aluminum, for both its top racers and us normal consumers. Commencal committed to aluminum bike manufacturing years ago because it offers safer work conditions, environmental benefits, and the ability to easily tweak and change designs to respond to its racer’s needs and evolving geometry trends. Aluminum also just handles crashes better.
What excites me most about the new Meta V5 though is the geometry. Commencal has actually shortened the reach, making it 15-20mm shorter than the previous version. I tend to prefer bikes with more conservative reach numbers and after years of rapid evolution, I’m happy that mountain bike geometry is finally settling down. Now the Meta’s reach numbers are exactly where I want them.
I’m also interested in trying Commencal’s new twin-link Virtual Contact System suspension which replaces the linkage-driven single pivots it’s used for much of its history. Finally, the Meta V5 just looks GOOD, especially in white.
3. Propain Tyee
Photo: Propain Bicycles
There are two riders who have really made me interested in Propain: Remy Metailler and Phil Atwill. If you aren’t familiar with them, search their names on YouTube and prepare to be impressed. Remy is a freerider hitting some crazy big lines while Phil Atwil is a World Cup downhill racer with some of the best bike control in the game.
Sponsored riders alone are enough to pique my interest in this young German brand, but the other half of the equation is the wild-looking suspension system. It’s essentially a twin-link design, but the way it’s packaged looks super unique, with an upside-down floating shock that is driven from both sides. It seems to work well, considering the massive hits Remy and Phil subject it to.
Propains are really just starting to trickle into the States. We’ve had a few appear at TPC and they almost always sell the same day that they’re listed, meaning there are other riders out there as excited for them as me. That’s always a good sign.
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While I am most interested in the bigger-travel Propain Tyee, I might ultimately have to remove it from my list or choose the shorter-travel the Hugene for one silly reason: cable tourism (i.e., cables going where they don’t belong). For some reason, the new Tyee routes cables through the headset, which a lot for a home mechanic like me to deal with since I usually buy frames and swap my parts over myself.
4. Atherton AM.150
Photo: Atherton Bikes
If I want something rare, unique, and with proven performance, then an Atherton bike is probably the right choice. If you don’t know the Atherton siblings, Dan, Gee, and Rachel Atherton are the most successful family in downhill racing, with Rachel being one of the greatest racers of all time.
After decades of riding for other brands, the Athertons started their own bike company in 2019. (MTB nerds will probably know Atherton essentially took over Robot Bike Co.) Since then, their bikes have gone on to take World Cup wins and podiums, proving that they are indeed the real deal.
Atherton bikes have two unique elements that make them stand out. First, the six-bar DW6 suspension system was designed by legendary suspension designer, Dave Weagle. While it technically has more pivots than a four-bar system, it’s so well packaged that it actually looks simpler and should be easy to maintain.
Second, the frames use additive manufacturing (a.k.a. 3D printing) to create titanium lugs that are used to join carbon fiber tubes. Not only does this look industrial and awesome, but it means Atherton can offer a huge range of sizes as well as fully custom sizing. For someone as picky about frame geometry as me, it sounds perfect.
The only thing stopping me from pulling the trigger right now is the price. A frame retails for £4,200 (~$5,200) and it costs an additional £650 (~$800) to customize the geometry. That doesn’t include taxes and shipping from the U.K. That’s pretty hefty for a non-dentist like myself.
5. REEB Steezl
Photo: REEB Cycles
I’m an unashamed REEB fanboy. I know the builders personally, have visited the barn where they build their bikes, and have actually owned two REEBs in the past. That’s right, REEBs are built in a rustic, converted barn in Lyons, Colorado, not far from where I live. That alone is pretty cool because that means REEB is the only brand on this list actually building bikes here in the USA.
Its latest creation, the Steezl, looks like a downhill monster. The rear triangle is the same aluminum design I loved on my old REEB Sqweeb, but the front end is now made of steel instead of aluminum. It also incorporates some additive manufacturing with a 3D-printed bottom bracket cluster that forms the core of the bike.
The steel front triangle in particular is appealing to me because it should be virtually indestructible. I’m not crash-prone, but I’m not exactly the best at keeping things rubber-side down either, so durability is a good thing. In my imagination, the Steezl is probably even tougher than the full aluminum Commencal Meta V5.
REEB is steadily growing in popularity, but it still has that cult status I crave. Their bikes are handbuilt in batches, and as with any bike from a small domestic builder, there is a decent wait time from after you order to when you get your frame or bike delivered.
Which Bike is the Hottest?
Let me know what you think. Or, if there’s another bike you think I should consider, let me know! Maybe you’ll influence my future decisions.
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