2024 was an epic year of riding, testing, and exploring on some of the best mountain bikes in the industry. From agile trail bikes to burly enduro machines, I had the chance to test a variety of rigs across different terrains. In this post, I’ll share my thoughts on each bike I rode, giving you my honest rating for climbing, descending, comfort, and overall fun factor. Let’s dive in!
Best Mountain Bikes in 2024
When considering what bikes I want to ride I’m keeping my thumb on the mountain bike industry media to see what they are hyping. And I’m also keeping an eye on the influencer reviews. What are people really having fun riding.
This year that put me on some really fun bikes!
With all the traveling we do, it allows us to find different bikes in different locations of the US.
In this post I’m going to be ranking the 8 best mountain bikes I rode in 2024 from my least favorite to my BEST BIKE OF 2024 (at the bottom).
8. Pivot Firebird
Specifications (Size L):
- Suspension Travel: 170mm front / 165mm rear
- Head Tube Angle: 64.0°
- Chain Stay Length: 438mm
- Reach: 488mm
- Total Length: 1267mm
Overview:
The Pivot Firebird is an enduro beast designed to handle the gnarliest descents while still getting you to the top efficiently. This bike thrives on rowdy terrain and fast lines. But can it hang as your only bike?
Ratings:
- Climbing: 7/10 – It gets the job done but feels heavy and overbuilt for climbs.
- Descending: 8/10 – The Firebird handles descents well with stability and speed, but the short chainstays can make it feel less balanced in certain situations.
- Comfort: 7/10 – The stiff frame and aggressive geometry can feel harsh on less technical trails.
- Fun Factor: 5/10 – While it excels on descents, the short chainstays and overall feel might not make it the most playful option for every rider. I really didn’t like this bike at first, but after I figured out that I needed to get my weight really far forward, the bike became much more fun. But still definitely not the bike for me.
- Who is this bike for – Someone who likes to almost exclusively charge gnarly downhill lines AND enjoys the feel of a short chainstay.
7. Evil Offering
Specifications (Size L):
- Suspension Travel: 150mm front / 140mm rear
- Head Tube Angle: 65.8°
- Chain Stay Length: 432mm
- Reach: 485mm
- Total Length: 1233mm
- Setup in X-Low
Overview:
The Evil Offering is a trail bike with less than aggressive geometry (by current standards), but it is a bike that a lot of people love for pushing to the limits of trail biking.
Ratings:
- Climbing: 8/10 – The Offering is efficient on climbs, with a suspension platform that minimizes bob and delivers solid traction.
- Descending: 7/10 – This bike shines on mellow downhill descents, offering precision and control on technical terrain while maintaining a super playful feel. Hoping and popping is where this bike comes alive! But when things get really rowdy the steeper head tube angle becomes very evident, and gets kind of sketchy (compared to slacker bikes).
- Comfort: 9/10 – The suspension feels plush and supportive, making it a great option for long trail days at a wide variety of trail systems.
- Fun Factor: 9/10 – The playful geometry and confident handling make this an exciting bike to ride.
- Who is this bike for – This is a great quiver killer for the playful rider that likes to jump and ride everything but the steepest blacks and double blacks. I rode this bike on Predator at Tiger Mountain in the PNW, and the bike handled everything but there were a few sketchy moments where I wished I was on a slacker bike.
6. Revel Rail 29 with 170mm Fork
Specifications (Size L):
- Suspension Travel: 170mm front / 165mm rear
- Head Tube Angle: 64.6°
- Chain Stay Length: 436mm
- Reach: 464mm
- Total Length: 1240 }mm
Overview:
The Revel Rail 29 is a bike that combines playful handling with impressive capability. With a 170mm fork, this setup takes the Rail’s descending prowess to the next level while still climbing respectably for a long-travel bike.
Ratings:
- Climbing: 8/10 – Surprisingly efficient for a bike with this much travel. It handles climbs well but isn’t as quick as lighter bikes.
- Descending: 7/10 – While capable, it doesn’t inspire the same confidence as other bikes on this list for steep and technical descents.
- Comfort: 9/10 – Plush suspension and a solid feel make it comfortable on both long rides and rowdy terrain.
- Fun Factor: 7/10 – The Revel Rail is a solid and capable bike, offering a stable and controlled ride. While it can handle a variety of terrain, it lacks the lively, playful feel of some other bikes in its category.
- Personal Notes – I rode this bike for a little over a year, and really wanted to love it. I loved my Revel Rascal! But this bike just didn’t quite feel comfortable in it’s own skin. I tried going from the 160mm to 170mm fork, and I think I preferred the 160mm. The last straw was that I couldn’t get the bike to be quiet. There was an issue with the internal frame routing that Revel actually replaced a front triangle to eliminate, but it actually didn’t do the job, and the noise persisted. Props to Revel for helping me out, but in the end a noisy bike drives me insane.
5. Specialized Stumpjumper 15
Specifications (Size S4):
- Suspension Travel: 150mm front / 145mm rear
- Head Tube Angle: 64.5°
- Chain Stay Length: 435mm
- Reach: 475mm
- Total Length: 1244mm
Overview:
The Specialized Stumpjumper is a GREAT trail bike that’s been refined over the years. It’s a solid choice for riders looking for a balanced and playful ride that can also be adjusted for many riding styles and terrain.
Ratings:
- Climbing: 9/10 – Light and efficient, the Stumpjumper makes climbing a breeze. The only downside was that it can feel twitcy at times.
- Descending: 8/10 – It’s playful and agile but not as confidence-inspiring on rough terrain as burlier bikes. But if you like a very lively descender… You might LOVE this bike!
- Comfort: 9/10 – The suspension with the Genie shock is plush, and the geometry feels natural on all-day rides.
- Fun Factor: 9/10 – The Stumpjumper is lightweight and has a VERY poppy feel which makes it a joy to ride, even on flatter trails. If I rode mostly in a flatter or flowier trail system this bike would be my TOP PICK! The Forbidden bikes felt more confidence inspiring when things got gnarly.
- Who is this bike for – This bike is for someone who wants a trail bike that can swim in the enduro pool, and even tackly the bike park from time to time (you might want a longer fork for lots of park). It’s also for the person who enjoys the feel of a very light bike that will quickly respond to your every wish. This is the poppiest bike I rode all year (even more so than the Evil Offering). It’s possibly the bike I would recommend to the most people.
4. Norco Sight C1
Specifications (Size 4):
- Suspension Travel: 160mm front / 150mm rear
- Head Tube Angle: 64.0°
- Chain Stay Length: 438mm
- Reach: 497.5mm
- Total Length: 1286mm
- Setup with 29″/29″ wheels (also comes in MX setup)
Overview:
The Norco Sight is a versatile all-mountain bike designed for a mix of climbing and descending. It’s well-suited for riders who want a do-it-all machine.
Ratings:
- Climbing: 8/10 – Efficient and capable, but not the lightest-feeling climber.
- Descending: 8/10 – The Sight is playful and confidence-inspiring on descents, though it doesn’t quite match the precision of some high-end enduro bikes.
- Comfort: 9/10 – With balanced geometry and great suspension, the Sight feels plush and very intuitive to ride. It’s one of those bikes that I felt at home riding before I left the parking lot.
- Fun Factor: 8/10 – A great all-rounder that doesn’t feel out of place on any trail. The Sight can handle so much with it’s high pivot design, but that also makes it feel like a lot to get into the air on playful trails. Even more so than the Dreadnought.
- Who is this bike for – The Sight is in a similar category to the Stumpjumper 15, but is for someone that prefers a more planted bike over a lively and poppy bike. This is the confidence inspiring trail bike of the two. This is also for the person who wants to actually change the suspension to 170mm fork and 160mm shock. It could be perfect for the person who usually wants a planted trail bike but keeps an extra fork and shock around to crush big park days!
3. 2023 Rocky Mountain Altitude
Specifications (Size L):
- Suspension Travel: 170mm front / 160mm rear
- Head Tube Angle: 64.5°
- Chainstay Length: 437mm (Short) / 448mm (Long)
- Reach: 480mm
- Total Length: 1245mm
- *RIDE-9 Setting: Position 5 (Neutral)
Overview:
The Rocky Mountain Altitude is a staple in the enduro category, known for its adjustability and capability on big terrain. It’s the bike I own for a reason.
Ratings:
- Climbing: 9/10 – This bike is an excellent climber for its class! It has a very comfortable cockpit and intuitive feel when climbing.
- Descending: 8/10 – This bike handles steep and technical descents with ease, offering a playful yet composed ride. It can get a little over it’s head with really fast and technical trails. But, putting it into the longer chainstay setting can help, but it also takes from it’s playful feeling.
- Comfort: 9/10 – It strikes a great balance between support and plushness. The cockpit feel is outstanding!
- Fun Factor: 9/10 – A personal favorite that’s an absolute joy to ride. And you can adjust the bike for different trail networks to increase the fun factor! Steep and short for low angle trail systems, or slack and long for the gnarlier places!
- Who is this bike for – I think this bike rides the best in the RIDE 9 position 5 with the short chainstay option. In that position the bike is for the person who wants a super capable enduro bike that still feels playful, and is’t all about being the fastest person down the mountain.
2. Forbidden Dreadnought V2
Specifications (Size S3/L):
- Suspension Travel: 170mm front / 160mm rear
- Head Tube Angle: 63.5°
- Chainstay Length: 452mm
- Reach: 497.5mm
- Total Length: 1289mm
- Setup with 29″/29″ wheels (also comes in MX setup)
Overview:
The Forbidden Dreadnought V2 takes the high-pivot design to the enduro category, offering unparalleled control and stability on challenging terrain. I felt at home on this bike before I left the parking lot!
Ratings:
- Climbing: 8/10 – The high-pivot design adds a bit of drag, but the bike remains surprisingly capable on climbs for its category. I had no trouble climbing the fairly technical Moab red rocks.
- Descending: 10/10 – One of the most capable descenders I’ve ever ridden. It thrives on steep, fast, and rough trails. If you ride a lot of shuttle laps and bike park… this is a hard bike to best!
- Comfort: 9/10 – Stable and smooth, making it comfortable for long rides and rowdy terrain alike. More on the comfort size than on the playful side.
- Fun Factor: 8/10 – It’s a serious bike that delivers serious fun when you’re pointing it downhill. The downside of this bike is also what makes it great. The planted feeling you get from the high pivot is also what makes the Dreadnought feel less poppy and “fun”. But “fun” depends on where you ride.
- Who is this bike for – The person who wants an enduro/park bike and values the stable feeling of a high pivot bike with long chainstays, and will give up some of the playfulness for that feeling of confidence. That being said this is not a dead feeling bike for the person who’s willing to push the bike and work for playfulness.
1. Forbidden Druid V2
Specifications (Size S3/L):
- Suspension Travel: 150mm front / 130mm rear
- Head Tube Angle: 65.0°
- Chainstay Length (Rear Center): 452mm
- Reach: 480mm
- Total Length: 1259mm
- Setup with 29″/29″ wheels (also comes in MX setup)
Overview:
The Forbidden Druid V2 is a trail bike with an unmistakable look and a high-pivot design that sets it apart from other mountain bikes. Built for riders who value precision and control, this bike delivers a unique ride feel that begs you to push it HARD. Is the Druid one of the best mountain bikes in 2024? Read on to find out!
Ratings:
- Climbing: 7/10 – The Druid V2 climbs well thanks to its efficient pedaling platform, but the high-pivot design and additional weight make it less sprightly on extended climbs. I didn’t find it to be the best climber, but it gets you up the mountain just fine.
- Descending: 8/10 – This bike excels downhill with its smooth suspension and planted feel. It’s confidence-inspiring on rough terrain and technical descents. You can find it’s limits on VERY steep, chunky trails, but for most riders, this might be hard to do. Up to the point of riding a lot of bike park… this is the best bike I’ve thrown my leg over!
- Comfort: 8/10 – The steep seat tube geometry and suspension offer great comfort, but maybe not as cushy as some other trail bikes in this category (like the Stumpy 15).
- Fun Factor: 10/10 – The Druid V2’s nimbleness and stability make it a blast to ride on technical trails. It wants you to push it hard, and rewards you for every pump and pop you put into it! This is where it takes the cake for my best bike of 2024!
- Who’s this bike for – The trail rider that likes to push their bike HARD and have the bike handle everything they throw at it! Even the occasional park session. This bike blends the perfect balance of confidence inspiration and playfulness! If the Stumpjumper and the Sight had a baby, it would be the Druid!
Conclusion
Each of these bikes brought something unique to the table in 2024. Whether you’re looking for a capable enduro rig or a balanced trail bike, there’s a standout in this list for you. For me, the standout favorite this year was the Forbidden Druid V2 for its balance of climbing efficiency, descending capability, and all-around fun factor. I would also heavily consider the Forbidden Dreadnought if I was planning my year around shuttling and bike parks.
What do you think? Have you ridden any of these bikes, or is there one you’re eyeing for 2025? Let me know in the comments!
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