Rather than try to predict what’s coming in the wonderful world of mountain biking for 2026, we asked our team what tech they want to see make its way onto bikes, instead.
It’s fair to say most folk in the industry will have a good idea what’s on the cards for next year, with numerous updates and refinements in a bid to make life on the trail more fun, exciting and in some cases, faster.
But what do our team want? And what do they think will benefit everyone the most?
Their answers cover everything from gearboxes and automatic shifting, all the way through to the resurgence of the basic hardtail.
Alex Evans: baby steps towards widespread gearbox use
You only have to browse the internet for half an hour to see how much dislike there is for the rear derailleur.
It bears the brunt as one of the most frequently damaged – and therefore replaced, repaired and disliked – bike parts around.
That’s despite manufacturers such as SRAM making impressive headway into rebuildability and robustness with Transmission.
But SRAM’s offerings are pretty costly, ranging from £120 for the cheapest cable-operated Eagle 70 up to £695 for the electronic XX SL range-topper.
Shimano’s MX100 derailleurs are cheaper – and therefore more expendable – starting at £65 and rising to £215 for XTR. The brand’s latest crop of MX200 electronic models are costlier, however, ranging from £375 (M6200) to £550 (M9200), and aren’t as rebuildable as SRAM’s.
Regardless of which derailleur you’ve got fitted, it’s still a chunk of cash to put directly in the firing line.
But the industry’s always had a solution for all our derailleur-based woes – gearboxes have been around for years in one form or another.
2025 was a milestone in gearbox adoption on the DH World Cup scene, with the number of teams using Pinion’s system and a Gates belt drive multiplying significantly.
The Atherton, Zerode, Intense and Gamux teams all ran this setup. Along with competing for the podium, they also battled it out for the Belted Purse, a $100,000 prize funded by Gates for the first rider to win a World Cup DH race on a Gates belt-driven bike.
Although many riders came close, the prize fund remained unclaimed.
Clearly, the financial incentives have given fringe technology a much-needed boost towards wider adoption. This move to more mainstream usage of gearboxes signals a shift in the industry, and one I'd like to see continue into 2026 – even if that’s just more prototype bikes, whether they’re raced or not.
However, a move away from the derailleur, or towards the gearbox, on a bigger scale is great news for the consumer.
Tom Marvin: big wheels, alloy frames and no rear suspension
I’m a fan of hardtails, I enjoy cross-country, and I’m intrigued by the 32in wheel ‘thing’ that appears to be on the horizon. As such, in 2026 I’d like to see the return of the mid-upper range alloy cross-country (XC) hardtail to mountain bike brands’ roster, with big wheels plugged in.
While we can all get carried away with the fun that longer-travel bikes, assisted or not, can bring, there’s something about a big day out in the hills that satisfies the soul. On days when I want to explore the hills on the horizon, I reach for my XC bike, the most efficient in my fleet.
The arguments that made 29ers dominant likely hold true for 32in wheels – lower rollover angle, better ability to hold speed and a smoother ride. As such, when the bulk of my trails are likely to be mellow, and they require a bit of a schlep to get to, I can see the advantages, and I think dropping rear suspension will barely register.
On paper, the frame material doesn’t matter hugely to me. However, rightly or wrongly, it’s alloy that makes the most sense to me here. It's generally lighter than steel, a little more fit-and-forget than carbon and less Gucci than titanium.
Will we see it? I think we might.
Will Soffe: automatic shifting is the ebike upgrade we didn’t know we needed
After riding an eMTB with automatic gears, I’m convinced of their merit. I hope to see more widespread application of automatic gears in 2026.
SRAM, Shimano, Bosch and Pinion all have their own systems, so it makes sense that these will become more widespread, and we could see other manufacturers entering the space.
For novices new to urban cycling, cargo bikes or electric mountain bikes, this impressive technology could prove useful for freeing up brain space to focus on other aspects of riding.
But there is a place for automatic gears for more experienced riders, too. When testing the Haibike ALLMtn CF 11 with Pinion Motor Gearbox Unit (MGU), I was impressed by the integration of automatic shifting. Push the shifter paddle and the bike enters automatic mode. You just select your desired cadence and the bike changes gear for you, so you remain in a selectable programmed cadence window.
Automatic gears can be an advantage for eMTBers on technical climbs with difficult terrain, such as roots and rock steps. In these situations, the bike’s speed can vary widely, and automatic shifting can help you focus on the task in hand without taking your thumbs off the handlebar.
It is likely that automatic-shifting technology will continue to improve as ebikes gain more sensors and Electronic Control Units (ECUs) become ever-more capable.
Rob Weaver: more noise needs to be made about entry-level bikes
Entry-level mountain bikes are better than ever.
Don’t get me wrong, I get that enthusiasts want the latest tech that’ll boost their performance and fun on the trail, and I realise the pricier, more exciting bikes often help to make bike shops more cash. However, it’d be great to see brands shouting louder about their cheaper, lower-level bikes, especially to those outside of the sport.
I’ve no doubt many are doing this already, but I’d love to see more noise being made about how good the latest crop of entry-level bikes are. We in the cycling media need to do a better job, too.
Things have come on in leaps and bounds in the last 15 to 20 years when it comes to cheaper bikes. Long gone are the days of compromised geometry, feeble brakes and components that malfunction at even the slightest hint of being ridden off-road.
Nowadays, you don’t have to spend thousands to get a genuine taste of a mountain bike experience. Sub-£1,000 hardtails can sport everything from air-sprung forks and grippy tyres to a usefully broad gear range and even dropper posts. They can be ridden on proper trails and ridden hard, too.
These are the gateway bikes into the sport and deserve a bigger chunk of the limelight.
I’d love to see the brands that offer these bikes really give them a push in 2026 (and we will, too). Hopefully, we can get more newbies out onto the trails and enjoying the sport we all love.
