Published June 10, 2019 12:00AM
The Best Mountain Bikes of the Past Four Years
If recent testing has taught us one thing, it's that versatility is king
Some of the mountain bikes in contention for the best of 2019
As part of the testing for our annual Summer Buyer's Guide, we gather a squad of expert riders, put them on the most promising new mountain bikes at a world-class destination, and let them rip. Then comes the hard part: determining the single best trail steed of the year. Over the past four tests, these rigs rose to the top.
2019 Gear of the Year: Ibis Ripmo
During a week of riding dozens of mountain bikes in Grand Junction, Colorado, last fall, our crew fell in love with the Ibis Ripmo. In the year of the long-travel 29er, the Ripmo's smooth ride and ability to handle any terrain with ease helped it claim Gear of the Year.
2018 Gear of the Year: Evil The Following MB
For last year's test, we traveled to sunny Tucson, Arizona, where we put a crop of 25 mountain bikes through their paces. Our testers rode everything from flowy desert singletrack to chunky downhills and massive rock drops. Evil's The Following came out ahead for its versatile suspension and playful handling, despite being a large 29er.
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2017 Gear of the Year: Santa Cruz Tallboy
In 2017, we found the one standout rig that could tackle just about anything, even the notorious White Line in Sedona, Arizona. With its stable ride and all-around capability, the Santa Cruz Tallboy (and its sister bike, Juliana's Joplin) won over our testers.
2016 Gear of the Year: Specialized S-Works Stumpjumper FSR 6Fattie
We saw impressive growth in the plus-size market in 2016. At that year's test (also in Sedona), eight out of the 36 mountain bikes fell into the burgeoning category. These bikes, with their wider tires, provided incredible traction and inspired confidence in riders of all abilities. And the 2016 Stumpjumper FSR 6Fattie did it all the best.
