It’s time to spin. Here’s the lowdown on the rides we most want to saddle up on this spring.
Men’s Mountain
DIAMONDBACK RELEASE 29 3
WHY WE WANT IT: We are always conscious about finding the right balance between price and performance in a mountain bike. The sport should not be prohibitive to your wallet, but cheap trail bikes just don’t cut it on the trail. Diamondback came in at a very nice price here for a trusty aluminum bike that rides like more expensive models. It’s a charger you can take to Moab or Monarch Crest (or even blue trails at the Keystone Bike Park) without ever feeling overmatched.
WHAT IT OFFERS: Cushy 29-inch wheels and a 130mm travel Level Link suspension platform smooth out the ride and suck up hits. The outstanding componentry package includes a reliable 140mm travel Fox 34 Performance fork, Shimano XT drivetrain, Race Face cranks, a Fox Performance Float DPX2 rear shock and Shimano XT brakes.
$3,299; diamondback.com
Women’s Mountain
YETI SB 100 BETI GX
WHY WE WANT IT: It’s a mountain bike for women who want to drop the mansplainers. This carbon-frame machine does it all: It engages with power for big climbs, hops around technical problems and absolutely rails on open downhills. With all that yang, it’s still built for the yin of the female frame. Plus, Yeti is a brand with authentic Colorado cred and a big commitment to the local cycling community in Golden.
WHAT IT OFFERS: The reasonable GX kit weighs 27.4 pounds and rings
in just under the cost of a beat-
up Subaru. It also includes a Fox Performance 34/120mm fork and Fox Performance Beti DPS 190mm x 37.5mm rear shock. Add in SRAM GX Eagle shifting and SRAM Guide R breaks and you are ready for singletrack adventure.
$4,999; yeticycles.com
Electric
HAIBIKE SDURO FULLSEVEN 7.0
WHY WE WANT IT: We have come around when it comes to e-bikes. They are not the death of the sport, if properly managed on the trail (and they are an outstanding commuter option). In fact, they get more people out riding, which is a very good thing. Oh, this bike is a hell of a lot of fun. The pedal assist opens up the ability to do much longer rides that include long stretches of dirt (or pavement) roads to interlink trails or to get a visiting friend out on rides they could never have the lungs for otherwise.
WHAT IT OFFERS: To start, a dreamy full-suspension. Plus, the Internal Battery Concept (IBC) frame cuts down on weight so you don’t feel as if you are on a moped. Plus, a Suntour Aion 35 LO-R fork and RockShox Monarch RT shock dish out 120mm of travel. Bosch’s Performance CX 250W motor and 500Wh battery keep things humming.
$4,699; haibikeusa.com
Gravel
BOMBTRACK HOOK ADV
WHY WE WANT IT: Is it a mountain bike? Is it a gravel grinder? Yes.No. Maybe. It all depends on how you want to handle this hybrid German ride that’s ideal for rugged dirt roads and hot dashes of singletrack. It’s an adventure bike that won’t crap out when you are lost on mining roads deep in the Sawatch. Older riders will hop on and locate that muscle memory of first banging singletrack back in the 1980s.
WHAT IT OFFERS: Cushy riding thanks to an MRP Baxter fork with 40mm of travel and a KSE 30i seat dropper that helps with the transition from nice smooth road to shite-show.
$4,000; bombtrack.com
Road
GIANT CONTEND 3
WHY WE WANT IT: This is the type of bike that can get new people
into a sport that all too often feels cost-prohibitive. You won’t find a better road bike for the price tag if you just want to get out and spin on weekends, if you just want to test out the cycling waters or if you just don’t have the lucre to shell out for bikes that cost more than cars. It doesn’t ride cheap, however: Responsive and comfortable, this aluminum-frame steed can handle long miles.
WHAT IT OFFERS: Don’t expect high- end componentry at this price point, but the Shimano Claris shifting and Tektro brakes get the job done.$650; giant-bicycles.com
