BikeRadar’s mountain bike team rides an absurd number of bikes every year – it’s part of the job. But testing a bike for review is very different from putting your own money on the line.
So, what would our editors buy if they had to walk into a shop and part with their own cash today?
From downcountry to enduro, trail to electric, and everything in between, there’s a huge range of MTB styles and price points to consider – not to mention the ever-spiralling cost of dream builds.
Feeling generous, we gave each writer two picks: one bike they could (just about) afford and another they’d go for if money were no object. Because, hey, maybe this is the year those lottery numbers finally land.
Some are grounded, some are wild, but they all reflect each rider’s tastes, preferred terrain and riding style. Let’s dig in.
- Four road bikes we'd buy with our own cash
- Three things I love (and three I hate) about modern mountain bikes
Tom Marvin, senior technical editor
The bike I could afford: Merida One-Forty 8000
SQUIRREL_TEXT_13213609
I want a bike that can do it all – big climbs, steep descents, a bit of racing and plenty of fun.
This means that bang-up-to-date geometry, suspension that’s handy both up and downhill, and some sorted specs are imperative.
Merida’s One-Forty 8000 looks, on paper, like a bike that can do it all.
I speak from moderate experience – I had a One-Forty as a long-term test bike, and it was the most versatile bike I’ve ever ridden.
It pedals impeccably, and thanks to its super-long and slack geometry, is a monster on descents, even in its 143mm-travel form.
The 8000-level model gets the lighter carbon frame, along with Performance Elite level suspension from Fox and wireless gears from SRAM.
I’d probably swap to burlier rubber for the bulk of my riding, but I’ll keep the Maxxis Dissector/Minion DHF combo in reserve for longer pedals.
SQUIRREL_13213609
If money were no object: Last Cinto
If my credit card limit were generous, the carbon Last Cinto would be way up there.
I’m currently riding Last's alloy Glen, but shaving a bit of weight and upping the exclusivity even more with the Cinto wouldn’t be a chore.
Again, the geometry is great (although speed merchants might want a longer back end), and although it's different from the Glen’s, BikeRadar’s review of the shorter-travel Asco suggested the suspension linkage was more than up to the task.
- Read more: Ibis Ripley XT vs Last ASCO
The stock build options are, obviously, great – Factory 36 and Float-X, plus a plethora of other top-end kit.
But I’d like the Intend fork and shock specced on other Last models, just because… I’m sure if I waved my credit card around, Last’s custom spec programme wouldn’t stand in my way.
James Costley-White, group editor
The bike I could afford: Focus JAM2 6.8
I mostly ride electric mountain bikes these days, and I’ve tried enough now that I know what I want – the latest Bosch motor, a mid-size battery, 29in wheels, a reach figure of around 500mm (XL) and a lightweight build, but with a beefed-up fork, brakes and rear tyre.
The most ‘affordable’ bike I’ve come across with all that is the Focus JAM2 6.8, nestling just under the £5,000 barrier – one I’d find mentally difficult to cross – at £4,999.
It’s not light, at a claimed 24.8kg, but otherwise ticks all the boxes.
Bosch Gen 5 Performance Line CX motor (with upcoming firmware power and torque update)? Check.
Option of a 600Wh battery? Check. Decent length? Check.
RockShox Lyrik, four-piston brakes and Schwalbe Super Trail rear tyre? Check.
I haven’t ridden the JAM2, so can’t vouch for its performance, but our test team declared the previous model “a serious contender”, and it looks good on paper.
Literally, too – it isn’t absolutely gopping, like some ebikes!
If money were no object: Whyte E-Lyte EVO Stag Works
SQUIRREL_TEXT_13213610
If I were going for an eMTB, I’d opt for a Whyte E-Lyte EVO Stag Works, at £9,999.
But if money were no object, I could ship my offspring off to boarding school (just kidding, kids!), hire some experts to fix my health issues and then I’d have the time and energy to pedal a ‘normal’ bike.
My head automatically thinks of an Atherton AM.130 or 150, but my heart still lusts after one of the iconic turquoise and yellow bikes I dreamed of as a kid.
My love of Yeti Cycles goes back to the 90s, watching Missy Giove hammer her ARC ASLT downhill.
While the relaunched ARC hardtail is a beauty, I prefer a bit of rear suspension, so it’d have to be the SB140 – a classic trail bike with 29in wheels, a slack head angle and long reach, and Yeti’s innovative Switch Infinity suspension platform.
I’d go for the top LR T4 XX AXS build with optional carbon wheels, at $11,200, because why not?! But I’d swap the SRAM Code brakes for even more powerful SRAM Mavens.
And, of course, it’d have to be turquoise…
SQUIRREL_13213610
Rob Weaver, technical editor-in-chief
The bike I could afford: Specialized Stumpjumper 15 Fox Coil Alloy
SQUIRREL_TEXT_13213611
Having ridden a few examples of the new Stumpjumper 15, it’s a bike I’m very familiar with. In fact, I have the carbon Expert model as my 2025 long-term test bike.
While I really liked it in stock form, I’m properly falling for it after making some changes.
Why go for the cheaper alloy model, then? Aside from saving a grand, the alloy Stumpy is the bike my Expert model seems to have morphed into.
As standard, it comes with a smaller 27.5in rear wheel, rather than a 29er out back, and a 160mm fork up front – changes I’ve made to my bike already.
Specialized has even beefed up the rear tyre spec, offering the alloy model with a GRID Gravity casing rather than the GRID Trail seen elsewhere – perfect.
I’d happily take the alloy frame over the carbon one I have now, especially if I’m getting fancier Factory-level Fox suspension.
Every other bit of this bike, from the TRP brakes through to the Shimano SLX drivetrain, looks good to go, and I think I’d be happy aboard it, no matter what trail lies ahead of me.
SQUIRREL_TEXT_13213611
If money were no object: Geometron G1 GPI
The Geometron G1 GPI might not be the prettiest bike out there, but it could well be the type of bike many of us (who still don’t ride eMTBs all the time) might be riding in a few years’ time. And that’s why I want it.
The belt-drive Pinion gearbox, geometry figures (which can easily be chopped and changed), customisable build options and bespoke suspension tuning make for a seriously appealing offering for just about any tech geek out there.
More than that, if I were to drop this sort of cash, knowing the team behind the bike are just a quick call away (or even a short drive) means a lot – I love that sort of peace of mind.
It might not be the glitziest bike about, but everything from the travel on tap to the industrial looks really appeals to me, and considering what you’re buying into, it feels like money well spent.
Will Soffe, workshop manager
The bike I could afford: Calibre Bossnut
SQUIRREL_TEXT_13155196
The newest version of the Calibre Bossnut is an incredible proposition – for just £1,500, you get a high-functioning full-suspension trail bike.
You could spend more to get lighter-weight, more sophisticated components, and address some of the issues our testers had.
But given the price, getting branded hydraulic disc brakes, a dropper post, a 1x drivetrain, branded soft-compound tyres and wide bars is impressive. Geometry and sizing are equally on point.
You won't be able to flex on your mates about shiny trinkets, but this bike is all that most casual mountain bikers will ever need for fast and furious trail riding.
SQUIRREL_13155196
If money were no object: Nicolai S16 MGU
The newest Nicolai ebike is on my wishlist. It weighs 27kg and costs over €11,000, so it’s no wallflower.
It features Pinion’s MGU, which is a gearbox combined with an e-drive system, and I’ve been itching to give it a try.
The weight and mechanical drag of a gearbox is a significant disadvantage when it comes to non-assisted mountain bikes, but add an electric motor and the seamless shifting, high torque capacity and long service intervals make them ideally suited to an e-drivetrain. Pinion’s looks well designed.
The rest of the bike features modern, roomy geometry and highly adjustable suspension with a variety of chips that can be swapped in and out to customise the bike to your desires.
With its Gates carbon belt-drive and gearbox, maintenance consists of charging it up and changing the oil every 10,000km.
Alex Evans, senior technical editor
The bike I could afford: ???
I’m terrible at putting my money where my mouth is, so whenever someone asks me ‘what bike would you buy?’ I always stare blankly into space.
The reality of parting with more than £3,000 of my hard-earned money on something I’m just going to trash within six months gives me a brain freeze.
To add insult to injury, there are very few bad bikes these days – we’re spoilt for choice.
Looking back through my author page on BikeRadar, you’d think I’d pick one of the four-and-a-half or five-star rated bikes I’ve had the privilege of riding.
But skimming through my reviews makes the job harder, not easier. So, what to do?
Rather than picking a specific bike, I’d look for these things:
- Lifetime/extended warranty
- Future-proof or adjustable geometry
- Great after-sales support
- Enduro-style bike you can pedal
- Raw or scratch-resistant finish
- Not too costly
If money were no object: Atherton A.170
In the land of milk and honey, things are easier.
Enter the Atherton A.170 enduro bike – this thing is a cheat code for mountain biking.
Despite there being 22 sizes on offer, I’d still have to add an extra £650 to the £4,750 asking price of the stock frame to tweak the geometry. I’d take the stock size 12 and tack on a longer rear centre.
Increasing it to 455mm (or even more if I could try it out first) would further enhance the handling of this seriously impressive bike.
But at £5,400 for just the frame, this is very much a credit card, lottery win or significant inheritance special, because I’d need to deck it out with kit worthy of the boutique Atherton name.
