It's that time when decisions are supposed to be made about which mountain bike was the greatest of the year. Vital has announced such accolades in the past, and we've always believed in the bikes we've chosen whether based on performance, technology, price point or some combination of those attributes.
As 2023 comes to a close, we've discussed the topic internally, figuring we'd pick a standout bike of the year. Historically, it has never been an easy decision due to any number of factors that actually make mountain biking such a rad sport. Do we pick a single mountain bike? Do we make awards for a billion different categories like trail, enduro, all-mountain, down-country, xc, DH, hardtail, etc? Can a $14,000 mountain bike be in the running with a $2,000 mountain bike? Vital staffers can only ride so many bikes in a 365-day window and a Nicolai Saturn 14 GPI ST wasn't a bike we could sample, so what about a bike like that? A bike that may rip fast, open, California trails could be a total dog on tight, New England singletrack. On top of that, while we always stand behind our bike tests and first-ride reviews, Vital isn't dealing with warranty issues, replacement parts or customer service like a rider who bought the bike with their hard-earned money.
Incidentally, 2023 has also proven unique when bike prices and even bike brand existence come into play. In less than a year, retail bike prices have plummeted. There are now BOGO sales on Konas, and YT has Uncaged Capra bike builds with GX Transmission, Ohlins suspension, carbon Crank Brothers wheels and AXS Reverb dropper for just $4,399. At the time of writing this, only mediums were sold out. How do we compare the YT with a 2203 model bike that is probably pushing $7,000 for a similar build? Should a blow-out YT get bike of the year because of the insane deal it's become?
Like the brand, the bike, the build, or not, you're less likely to find a better bang-for-the-buck than YT's closeout Uncaged models.
Vitus had more than one bike that could have easily earned a bike of the year label based on performance and value. The problem? Vitus is vaporware in the U.S. now, not because of the people at the brand who care about mountain biking, but because of their billionaire investor. We had a $2,700 Vitus ready to hit the dirt in our "cheap bike" test. It was nearly equally or better-equipped than the $4,000 Stumpjumper in the same test. As we showed up for day 1 of the test, the news dropped that Vitus in the U.S. ceased to exist, so we didn't include the bike.
This Vitus that was supposed to be in our cheap bike test could have easily contended for Vital Bike of the Year.
Have I droned on long enough? Is this all making sense? The decision to choose a bike of the year is so ridiculously subjective that we're not going to do it in 2023. Instead of getting comments because of controversy, we want comments that may actually help someone choose a mountain bike that will give them ride after ride of enjoyment.
That's why we turn to you, the Vital community. It's the power of your collective experiences that can help someone decide if a bike is best for them. Keep in mind, this isn't a perfect scenario either. A rider who just plopped down $7k on a new-fangled carbon beauty may not be the first to admit its short-comings. After 14 years of Vital community feedback, however, I'm confident that you, the riders on our site, are honest, ridiculously informed and detailed.
Please post your experiences with bikes in 2023. Be specific about the bike, the build, the terrain you ride, your riding style, highs, lows, dreams, nightmares, and everything else. Let's end this year on a high note!
Thanks to every Vital MTBer for being a part of this awesome crew of riders! -gordo
Bike of the year in 2023 is sort of like the Time Magazine cover that was a mirror. The real winner in 2023 was the consumer, with prices falling across the entire range of mountain bikes and performance (actually) plateauing the last few years. While this may be bad for companies, its incredibly good for the consumer who was often able to purchase at dang near shop-employee pricing from a myriad of companies.
There really aren't many "bad" bikes out there these days, but there are better bikes than others depending on what you are trying to do, and there are clearly bikes that are better priced than others.
Just my $0.02
Also, thanks for being real here Vital!
For me bike of the very long time (not just this year) has been the Canyon Strive CFR. I have not been happier on a bike in ages, (and I go through bikes).
Rider background: mid 40s fast Cat 2 racer that isnt a big jumper or hucker. current weight 270+ lbs. Riding style referenced as "smooth freight train". Lots of mass to slow down, and change directions but excels at mid-grade stuff due to the ability to hold momentum and get light on the bike. lioke it smooth and flowy as well as rough and rocky. due to weight and riding style, chronic drag braker. Love a slack and mid-tall front end.
I have been having issues with the latest crop of bikes that are getting more and more progressive, as air shock are naturally progressive, so to add a progressive linkage in there means that, with my weight and riding style it is almost impossible to actually get full travel without fully hucking my meat....and with multiple knee surgeries under my belt, that might not be the best option. Bikes like the forbidden dreadnought are awesome... but way too progressive for me and with an air shock i maybe get 2/3 of the travel. coil is better. But single pivots and my drag braking to keep the inevitable gravity at bay don't get along with single pivots as well.
After Vital's review of the Canyon Strive CFR I took a chance on it because of the test riders noticing how linear the bike felt. Finally something that sounded like it would agree with me! Ordered up a size small (to get the 460 reach with the adjustable headset) and got to work. Immediately stripped the frame down to install some parts I specifically wanted (ohlins 38 m.2, fsa cockpit and cranks and wheels), swap the reach to 460, and pulled 2 of the 3 volume spacers out of the rear shock.
Long story short I haven't been this comfortable on a bike in years. The shapeshifter works amazing to help with climbing and making the bike pedal well, and the bike feels planted and active the rest of the time. enough support to push into berms and get some pump, but actually reaching the end of the travel on my hardest hits I ride. The confidence from the geometry has me setting PR's that are almost 10 years old from when i rode a hell of a lot more, and looking soon to up the progression for that reason. A truly confidence-inspriing bike that is active under all circumstances and incredibly predictable.
To me this is MY bike of the year (or 5 years). It helps to have an idea of what you want... but when it comes along dear god is it an amazing experience.
I'll throw the We Are One Arrival into the mix. If we are to see a change in manufacturing/shipping/environmental habits within our industry, then having a truly boutique, North American-made carbon frame option is something worth looking at. Yes they are expensive, but when you consider what goes into making it, and that a frame isn't any more money than a Santa Cruz frame, well it starts to look pretty good. The latest batch of completely bare frames is such a bold move. If you've ever watched a video on how Koenigsegg makes their bare panels, then you know how hard it is to lay up a twill weave as your cosmetic external finish. To get the lines of the weave uniform and even is very time-consuming, and it's purely for aesthetics. If you're in the high-end market, you're already considering spending in this ballpark so you might as well get something special. But honestly their complete build prices are pretty competitive again considering what you get for the money. Turns out the bikes also rip, with some of the best pedaling efficiency I've felt in awhile. You have three travel options, mixed wheel and UDH compatibility, normal press-in headset, ti hardware, and the Superboost rear end now makes even more sense with chainlines getting wider. Its a bike that can grow and evolve along with you and your riding. Lifetime warranty, company is owned by a former WC DH racer, and they don't use any plastic when shipping so all the warm/fuzzy boxes are checked as well. Yes you may have to wait 3-4 weeks to get it, but a choice like this shouldn't be made on a whim or an impulse. You know what they say about good things right? Just my two cents.
I’ve never thought about a personal bike of the year before but reflecting back it is clear that different eras of my riding have been inspired by “a bike” and this year marked a period of change in my riding that was informed by a specific build. With a spot in The Downieville Classic as the catalyst I built a capable XC bike up specifically for the job of racing the all mountain class. Building the “right” bike for this event is part of the fun as it needs to work well for the XC but also be durable enough to make it through the weekend and excel on the DH. My build got the job done and a good time was had by all in the Lost Sierra but unexpectedly where this gravity oriented XC bike became the bike of the year was back in Colorado. I couldn’t stop riding it. My other bikes sat mostly unused as I continued to see where this bike could take me. The 20ish mile distance from my house to the trailhead no longer stood as an excuse to drive to the trails and long weird rides became the norm, inspiring other long weird rides. Now instead of a handful of enduro races or Un-Everesting the bike park my list of goals for this summer include a mostly offroad century from the house and looping some of the iconic shuttle routes around the Colorado plateau. For inspiring new adventures in the mountains my jack of most trades Anthem Advanced Pro is my personal bike of the year for 2023.
I think bike of the year is a subjective mess any year, especially when some brands send out bikes so expensive they are specced with garbage like 2in1 stem bars and flight attendant.
But, on the other hand an article from your test crew about standout bikes this year is interesting and useful for consumers.
I haven't really seen anything mind blowing in the news this year as someone riding ~160mm bikes for the last 15 years. I sold my 2019 Capra at the start of the year for half nothing, some of their current models are so tempting but I wouldn't get enough saddle time on it.
Been looking forward to ebike innovation, but within my 5-6k budget, basically none of the big news items applies (sram power train is more or less only on 10k bikes, bosch race similar story) my understanding is that specialized are delaying their releases due to overstock.
Frameworks.
In light of the ongoing economic uncertainty and declining purchasing power, what about "the bike you already have" as Bike of the Year.
I'll be honest, I don't think anything incredibly revolutionary was released this year. The Arrival 170 is cool (but really its just the 152 anyway) and I'm a big supporting of WAO ethos of Canadian made frames.
Some cool niche steel products are popping up, and alloy, but these aren't mass market.
A lot of established models got incrementally better, but nothing major happened.
Glad to hear someone else come to the same realization as myself. I used to race DH and Enduro but in the last year or so I've found much more enjoyment out of doing longer adventure-type rides from my house. I've done them a few of them on my Single Speed and my geared bikes. I built up an Epic evo specifically because it has space for 2 water bottles, allowing me to do longer rides without a pack. Lately I spend my time scoping out long routes I can link together from my house rather than looking at Enduro race schedules. I even did a few 6 hour races and might do a 12 hour race this coming year.
As for bike of the year, I know it's sort of a blanket statement, but I would say it's the "small frame builders." Including all of the traditional steel and titanium hardtail builders but also Frameworks, We Are One, Allied, Reeb and Contra. I may be a little biased, but for the first time in my 25+ years of mountain biking, I plunked down the money for a custom one-off steel hardtail, built with specific geometry, frame features, and powder coat. For the first time in my life, I was able to talk to the guy who was making my frame, going back and forth answering my questions, and giving me advice along the way. As traditional production bikes from the big bike manufacturers seem to become more homogenized every year, a bike that you helped design and has a story behind it has become even more exciting. I did an Xmas ride on my local trails last weekend with about 70 riders, in a sea of Trek, Specialized, Santa Cruz, etc. I must have had 10+ people come up to me to ask about my handmade one-off hardtail. So kudos to all the small guys out there bringing something different to the mountain bike world.
Bike of the year is the bike already in your garage for most of us.
I think any bike that keeps you riding and the stoke alive will always be “bike of the year”. That being said I was very fortunate enough to add a Reeb SST this year. I was looking for a trail bike to complement my enduro bike, and I couldnt be happier. I live in Colorado so I ran into a few Reeb guys on trail, shot the shit, tried to keep up and demoed one not soon after. Rad group of dudes, craftsmanship and attention to detail is next to none and it F**KING RIPS. Handmade 40 miles from my house was the icing on the cake.
TLDR: Ride your damn bike.
I think that’s a copout. I get what you’re saying and things are messed up, but it’s still worth highlighting a brand or bike that made an important innovation in performance, rather than accidentally ordered too much shit and has it all on blowout know. I know for my money, it’s not a few machined links for the were1 upgrade and its not Pinkbikes knockoff Trek that everyone hated lol.
YT Capra MX Core 3 (leftover stock of the Fox build) XXL. Original price was $4,499 which a darn good deal on full carbon, SRAM GX build, Fox 38 Performance Elite Grip2, Fox Float X Performance Elite, Crankbrothers alloy enduro wheels and house brand finishing kit. I bought it on the YT Outlet page, brand new, for $1999. Originally was going to be a ride it stock forever but me and that 38 just don’t get along for anything other than single big hits which just doesn’t work for 98% of New England riding. Swapping to 31.8 bar and stem took some of the sting off, but I had something special in the basement on the shelf waiting… Avalanche hybrid coil/air equipped Zeb that I’ve only had a couple months. Then I bought a used X2 Factory air shock to finish it off. I just can’t stop riding the bike, at my 6’3.5” with long arms and short legs the only drawback is the 495mm seat tube length, but a 170/180 dropper will probably last longer supporting my 205lbs.
Great deal on a killer bike. It’s not for everyone, but I’m not into racing so I think it’s perfect for me.
Hello all, this Vitus escarpe just work pretty well !!
Just ride it since 3 month and it work perfect ! Worth the price, I change a lot of part but the frame is beautiful and just love it !
If you want the full bike check, here is the link from vital ! https://www.vitalmtb.com/community/fredobonnefille/vitus-escarpe-2023
2023 bike of the year is the bike you own. In my case, that's my 2021 SC Bronson V4. It's better to have a 2, 3, 4 or 5 year old bike and be able to go outside and enjoy our awesome sport than sitting behind a computer lusting for some unicorn bike that doesn't exist. However, in the interest of starting or foddering a best bike brand war, I tried the Commencal Meta v5 in CO and that thing felt amazing! Props to the gents at Commencal for creating, in my opinion, one of the best all around bikes I have ever ridden. Cheers to Vital for another awesome year of bike reviews and MTB content! Can't wait to see what's new for Vital in 2024!
I've been reading for years but rarely comment... had to comment here. This is the way to do it Vital.
"Bike" (or whatever) of the year is an illusion. There are just too many awesome bikes from the big co's everyone wants to hate (but which actually drive & float the small ones) to the handmade boutiques: and its just bicycles.
Choosing one bike - and any of the online groups like Vital, MBR, however having to do that smells of the "Trail Capital of the World" topic, which no one likes... Bentonville claiming that (its ok) when there's Squamish (mindbending), Pisgah (amazing), Sedona (martian terrain with too many new age kooks), East Burke (kickass New England terrain)... not one better than the other, all different vibes, awesome bro & sis riders - and all worth hitting.
Its just bikes. It's just fucking bikes, and I am loving the article that highlights some of the best ones in a year vs. 'the one" because no one will ever agree, a range of bikes is far more interesting, and hordes of riders clutching their precious, privileged pearls over what is mostly a frame piled on with random components of various price points is weak.
Good on ya Vital. This is the way to do it.
i think it's fair to see this as a copout...i considered this myself. is there a bike that has caught your attention this year? even if you didn't ride it?
we've had plenty of bike reviews and test sessions this year that have dug into bikes and their abilities. calling out a single one as "best" just doesn't apply these days. for many riders, a bike purchase isn't about innovation. that capra, even though it's "old", still put moir on a world cup enduro podium this year. a TUES won a world cup this year. new and innovative doesn't always mean better. we talked about transmission as product of the year because everyone at vital has loved it. but there's a thread in our forum with a lot of riders having less-than-ideal experiences with it. it's new, it's innovative, but it's not perfection.
putting this story into the hands of vital viewers felt like the way to go, and i've been stoked to read about bikes and choices people have talked about here...especially the small/local builder decisions.
100% the bike you are riding is the bike of the year.
Those Capra Öhlins are $3849 today, Medium N/A
I bought a Fezzari timp Peak (180f/170r enduro ebike), added cushcores f/r and put a smashpot in it, and it has changed my riding. It's a long travel Enduro ebike 180f/170r. I'm getting older (57) and just don't have the urge to punish myself with 3 hour pedal rides couple times a week like i used to, but I still love getting as many miles as I can and the e-bike lets me do that. This week I did 2 pedal rides totally 28 miles and 5k of climbing, I'm going to do that today on the ebike. One of my concerns about the ebike was the weight but it has turned about to be a feature and not a bug, the weight being low slung makes it so stable but still very maneurevable. brakes are so powerful that it still stops like my transition sentinel but i prefer the ride feel of the ebike. it's definitely my bike of the year.
+1 for the bike you already have
For me it's a steel Cotic FlareMax Gen 4
This year my focus has been fine-tuning the fit of my V2 Transition Sentinel. Despite not having a flip chip, it's amazing how many aftermarket parts are available to tweak geometry and ride feel. I've gone with a +1 Wolftooth Geoshift headset and added an offset bushing to lower the BB and bring the HA around 64 degrees. I have both an air and coil shock to go back and forth depending on bike park or trail riding. I've gone back to the B1 air spring in my 2020 Lyrik from the C1 air spring and my next step will be swapping the air spring to 170 (axle to crown with the 170 air shaft will actually be similar to a Zeb or 38 set at 160 due to their taller CSUs). I'm running 165mm cranks that I love and have swapped out the saddle and grips and have played around with bar height. It's been neat to test out theories and it's given me a better sense of how different components and geo translate out on the trail. I work at a shop so I have the option of getting a new bike every year but I've come to enjoy the familiar feel of my custom rig after a few seasons riding it and I feel like it fits me perfect. I'm 5'11" with 32" inseam and 6'0.5" wingspan on a large with ~476mm reach.
My son and I spent the summer riding and testing new bikes. After riding 3 Yetis, 2 Pivots, a Santa Cruz, a Trek and a Specialized. My son fell in love with the Pivot Shadowcat. Me, I didn’t love any of them more my than my 2018 Ripmo V1 Carbon. I have ridden the Ripmo all over the central Rockies everything from coaching for the local high school xc team to shuttling double blacks with the boys. The Ripmo flat out Rips. So I decided I was just going to keep riding it. Then a friend of a friend had a brand new 2023 Ripmo frame for sale. So I picked that up and a new XX1 drivetrain, a 213mm Bike Yoke dropper and a fresh Maxxis tire. All for under 3 grand. I turned around and sold the used parts I didn’t reuse for just over $1600. So I have a pretty much new bike for $1400. Not only did I get a great deal on this bike. It fits and rides noticeably better than my old one. Is it perfect no. It can be too much bike on mellow trails aka every XC race course in Colorado. I struggled many a night trying to keep pace with varsity group on the climbs and gravel rides. Kids are fast these days! It doesn’t plow like the Santa Cruz or the Big Yeti I rode. It’s doesn’t climb quite as effortlessly as the Short travel Yeti or Pivot either. What it does do well is everything else. In this travel range few other bikes climb as well. For a heavy hitting trail bike it’s quite playful and changes direction with little input. You can’t blame this bike for holding you back on any trail I have ridden. Want a bike to Ride the Whole Enchilada from town and not die on the climb and actually enjoy the descent. Yes it will do that perfectly! It’s fantastic on the blue and black trails in Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona.
Other than a few derailleur hangers and free hub bearings this build hasn’t needed anything but basic maintenance since I built it up in 2018. I am going to take advantage of cheaper bikes and add a short travel ripper to the quiver. To hopefully make chasing a bunch of high school kids on 24 pounds race bikes easier.
At the end of the day your perfect bike should be what you want it to be. Ride the one you love!
I'd have to say the Transition patrol carbon GX model, that thing will last and still be relevant for the next 8-10 years min I'd say.
You can build it up as a sick DH/Bike park bike with a dual crown fork/coil shock at 180mm travel front and rear OR you can build it up as a enduro/freeride bike at 170mm travel front and rear OR an allmountain/trail bike at 160mm travel front and rear. The options are up to you and what your terrain requires with only a few part changes.
The geo is spot on, the suspension design is simple and easy to clean/maintain and the lines of it are superb, I can honestly say from owning one that they are a work of art.
I'll toss my bike into the mix, although I picked it up last fall because the black Friday deal was really good, Fezzari La Sal Peak 2.0.
Its been a great bike, even though it's 170/170 travel it pedals really well. Puts the Capra MkII I came from to shame. Descends just as well too.
Since getting it I've made a few changes to it. Swapped out the 150mm PNW dropper and remote with a OneUp 180mm and Wolftooth Light Action remote I had. Upgraded the Zeb A1 airshaft to the DebonAir+ because the C1 was too divey and didn't have a whole lot of support. Replaced the GX RD and cassette with X01 parts, kept the GX shifter, and the chainring is an Ethirteen 32t chainring. Changed the stem to a 32mm 35mm Renthal stem I had and a 20mm rise Ethirteen carbon bars. Threw on a MRP AMg chainguide/bashguard. It came with Code RSC brakes, but I wanted a little more power and seeing the larger calipers from Cascade made me curious. Found 2 Dominion A4 calipers for sale and replaced the Code calipers with those. Aside from a different PM adapter, everything else SRAM was retained. Also found a new Trickstuff Dachle HD 203mm rotor in the US, still looking for a second but may just order 2 from R2-bike, to replace the front HS2 rotor that kept warping from long descents. Really like the Dachle over the HS2s. The SuperDeluxe Ultimate it came with always felt like I was on the brakes over repeated hits, tried MegNeg that resolved that issue but was using less travel and big hits weren't being muted as much. Replaced the SDU with a 2019 X2 with bearing mount on one end and needle bearing on the other which resolved both issues. Waiting for the Vivid to go on sale to replace the X2, for easier maintenance plus the other features it has.
Wheels are Ethirteen LG1 Carbon Race that were used on the Capra, but recently changed the rear hub to a Spank Hex 28H straightpull 3.5° engagement which compared to the 10° Esync hub the Flow Mk4s came with has been much better.
The Commencal Meta v5 looks really nice too and so does the Jeffsy MkIII.
It's funny over at the lighter than red bike site they did pick a bike of the year. It's the new high pivot trek slash. The comments are all cry babies going on about bribes, cheats etc. No one will ever really agree anyway.
My bike of the last 8 years is my upgraded and modded 05 Cannondale Prophet. The geo is weird but I was able to do a full 27.5 conversion, 1x11 xt, shigura brakes, custom tuned shock etc. It took me 8 years of penny pinching and a lot of learning to get it there so the value is in the journey as well as the ride. (Its my only bike check here)
Even if a new ripmo has been calling my name.... if I ever do replace it then the frame goes on the wall for sure.
"Love the one your with."
I rode my hp session ALOT this summer: drop heels:: it PLOWS. stand on the pedals and pump:: IT JIBS. New session is an incredible dh bike for an old racer dude that like to jump and jib At the bike park Highly recommend.
I also spent the entire last two years comparing every new bike with my XXL spire. I can’t be moved enough to move on. All bikes are good now. Old spire still rips as a trail bike all over.
Hope this helps. Much love
The Trek HP Slash looks like the bike of the year to me. It represents everything about Mountain Biking that is awesome. This is the bike that would generate the most smiles per miles if one were able to spend a summer in a spot like Whistler and split their time between riding the park and the surrounding network of pedal trails. Trek is one of the heavy hitters in the industry, fielding tops teams gravity racing, appear to have incorporated a lot of the ideas used on their mid pivot Session that they field on the WC DH circuit (which is also coincidentally very similar in kinematics to the most successful DH bike of 2023 the Commencal Supreme V5). The results are a high pivot layout (maybe more accurately called a mid pivot?) 170mm travel chassis that includes: Size specific chain stays, Adjustable leverage rate, Mullet or full 29 compatibility, Storage box with lid that looks like it may not develop a rattle (unlike Specialized's version), Traditional eyelet shock at a proper leverage ratio for reliability and optimum damper performance, Adjustable head angle cups, Impeccable frame protection, Properly steep seat angle with adequate insertion depth to run long travel droppers. Priced from $4400 to $11500 seems like a clear winner for the most important category in Mountain Biking to me. Oh yeah I ride a Transition Spire, and Commencal Supreme V5 on the flow trails around Bellingham WA.
I wouldn't know what the best bike is because I can't even afford a cheap one after being scammed out of over $2000 dollars I had saved for a bike. Yes, I am whining, I seriously have a right too this year for sure. I like the Norco Sight e-bike, that would be my dream bike I think. Thanks
allied is owned by the walmart guys, clearly not what i would call “small“
If I hadn't come across a smoking deal on another BC Bike brand's model, I would definitely be holding out for a WAO Arrival. Too much goodness in that package (probably too much for my abilities). But even though I'm loving my new ride, there's just something about the Arrival...
Post a reply to: Vital MTB Bike of the Year