Is it reasonable to travel on a mountain bike?: Mountain biking can be done in the mountains, off-road or in mud and sand. The wildest routes are now accessible, and holidays become real two-wheel adventures.
If you plan a trip off-road, an MTB will make it more exciting because you can go anywhere. Ensure you have all the necessary equipment and accessories for a comfortable journey.
Mountain bikes can change the way you travel. Cycling has become popular, but as we have mentioned, many people prefer gravel, road or trekking bikes.
There are three main reasons: comfort, luggage carrier, and a comfortable seat. These bikes are ideal for long distances without steep slopes or many ups and downs.
If you choose to outfit your mountain bike with travel equipment, you will discover a new world of cycling. You can ride a mountain bike on any terrain. It’s not limited to cycleways or roads.
It’s almost impossible to walk out of a bike store with a poor bike these days. Modern mountain bikes are a marvel of technology, research and development. These bikes are far more advanced than those from five years ago.
This is both a blessing and a curse. It’s hard to choose the right style of bike when there are hundreds. This is the definitive, end-all guide, with no questions asked. It’s 100% scientific and authoritative. [Is it reasonable to travel on a mountain bike?]
9 best mountain bikes are suitable for travel
- Trek Fuel EX 8
- Specialized Stumpjumper Comp Alloy
- Giant Trance X 29
- Santa Cruz Hightower
- Cannondale Habit 4
- Yeti SB130
- Norco Sight A2
- Marin Rift Zone 3
- Pivot Trail 429
1. Trek Fuel EX 8
Trek’s Fuel EX mountain bike has been a top-rated mountain bike for many years. However, the alloy-framed Trek 8 lacks some of the features of the latest alloy or carbon Treks. A bike with a high-durability component specification will have a well-balanced feel.
A well-balanced bike plan does its homework early (after double-checking it) and never puts a wheel in the wrong place or makes you do something stupid.
How has Trek achieved this, and are there better options in the range for those who want a short trip but a lot of fun?
Trek’s bikes have been equipped with rocker links and vertical shocks for so long that “Looks Like a Trek Session” is now a common phrase on MTB forums. Unsurprisingly, the Fuel EX keeps the same clean look, leaving plenty of space for a large bottle on the downtube and strap-on storage.
This older frame does not have the internal storage found on the newer Top Fuel Alloy frames, and it still uses the press-fitted bottom bracket instead of a threaded one.
The BB has ISCG chain-keeper tabs and a wider Knock Block steering limiter to prevent bars from hitting the frame during a crash.
There’s also an ABP rear suspension pivot with a concentric rear axle. Internal cable routing with ‘Control Freak,’ a clever zip tie tab, and rubber frame armor that includes molded chainstay sleeves keep things quiet. [Is it reasonable to travel on a mountain bike?]
2. Specialized Stumpjumper Comp Alloy
Specialized has had the Stumpjumper in their range for 19… Zzz… Sorry. The Stumpy is a classic. The new Stumpy looks nothing like the original Stumpjumper, but it’s also not changed.
It hasn’t changed in that it’s still Specialized’s all-terrain trail bike. No cross-country. No cross-country. No enduro. No stopwatch on trails.
Specialized now offers two breeds. There are two types of Stumpjumper: the regular Stumpjumper and the Stumpjumper Evo. The Evo is more progressive in its geometry and has more suspension travel.
Why are there two versions of the Stumpjumper, the ‘Evo’ and ‘non Evo’? Please choose one, and make it Spesh. Please make it Evo.
Bring back the shorter-travel Camber to appease those riders who are not road, don’t like traveling, or are concerned about geometry.
Specialized only recently unified the frame designs of the cheaper aluminum Stumpjumpers and the more expensive carbon frames.
The aluminum version also has the super-cool, single-sided frame support, rear shock, and SWAT box storage on the downtube.
Specialized Stumpjumper Evo Alloy Comp frame isn’t significantly heavier than Evo Carbon Comp. The difference in price between the two frames is not as significant as you might think (PS4,250 and PS3,450), but carbon costs PS800 more. [Is it reasonable to travel on a mountain bike?]
Read Also: Are Skechers suitable for travel?
3. Giant Trance X 29
Before moving on to this article’s meat, let’s talk about some features. The Trance X has a 140mm rear wheel travel, a 150mm front fork, and 29″ wheels.
This is what we have here today. SX is another version with MX wheels, adding 5mm to the rear and 10mm to the front.
All models are available in MX configurations and come with a flip chip with three positions and adjustable headset cups.
The previous Trance was one of the most technical climbers I have ever ridden. He was a great climber in rough terrain.
It had excellent efficiency and traction (maybe even too good) and an agile geometry that helped you navigate the most challenging terrain.
It does sacrifice a little efficiency but more than compensates with comfort and increased traction. The Trance X is still an excellent climber, particularly on the problematic parts.
The suspension platform of the new Trance is more active. While pedaling, you’ll notice that the bike has less oomph. It’s still a very efficient climber for its category.
The new suspension kinematics was probably primarily intended to benefit DH, but I believe the Trance also benefits a bit on climbs. This comes in the form of more comfort and traction. [Is it reasonable to travel on a mountain bike?]
4. anta Cruz Hightower
Santa Cruz Bicycles invited me to their first press camp in the misty mountains of Oakridge, Oregon, to test the new Hightower.
I have been riding it for a few weeks after the event to see if they hit the mark. Santa Cruz Hightower has been refined and tweaked for the 2022 model, but the core character of the bike remains unchanged.
The updated geometry chart is more balanced across all sizes. This is thanks to the rear triangle, redesigned to accommodate the different reach lengths.
Santa Cruz MTB Hightower’s VPP linkage has been optimized for the third iteration, emphasizing pedaling dynamic, early-travel shock sensitivities, and consistent support.
They’re not too concerned with the math and charts but want to ensure the bike is as versatile as possible without swaying it in one direction.
The frame has been altered to use smaller pivot hardware now the same size as Tallboy. This was probably done to save weight, but smaller pivot axles are known to bend under extreme load, so I am curious to see what happens in the long run. [Is it reasonable to travel on a mountain bike?]
Read Also: Do you need a sleeping bag for travel?
5. Cannondale Habit 4
Cannondale, based in Connecticut, has always done things differently. But their newly redesigned and surprising mainstream Habit aims to make them top contenders once again. This new trail bike impressed our testers with its modern design, graphics, and features.
The mid-range Habit 4 was evaluated in the Pacific Northwest during the fall and winter. We were impressed with the bike’s speed and climbing abilities.
We’ve broken down the Cannondale habit’s climbing and descending performance, its key features, specs and components, and other versions. See our article about the Best Mountain Bikes to see how this bike compares.
Cannondale’s new Habit has a burly frame, aggressive Maxxis tire, and a relatively slack angle for a 130mm travel. It is more geared towards descending.
Do these components add up to a bike capable of ripping downhill? Both yes and no. No matter your wheel size, 130mm of travel in the front and back will never feel like an enduro bike.
In general, the bike was an excellent all-around descender. It’s not afraid to be thrown sideways by loose natural trails, and carving berms or popping off lips is equally enjoyable.
The new Habit will be happy if it doesn’t become too steep. [Is it reasonable to travel on a mountain bike?]
6. Yeti SB130
To add to the list, I will do a Mike Levy and coin a term for a particular category of bike Funduro. Funduro is the name for bikes that can compete with big kids without being one. The bikes have less travel and steeper geometry.
They are more playful but can shred just as hard as 10th graders. Here’s a sentence that uses “Funduro” to help further define the category: “Dang Billy! The Yeti SB130 lunch ride is such a cool Funduro bicycle!”
The SB130 LR follows the current trend of being big. The SB130 LR is a big bike with an ample wheelbase and reach.
The steep seat tube makes it seem normal while climbing and sitting, but the wheelbase and reach are more apparent when riding on tighter and bendier trails.
This is not the bike for tight corners and trees. Think East Coast-style riding. It prefers open spaces and leans its way through corners rather than steering. The geometry is progressive and modern without being over the top.
The geometry is perfect. It has a slack, but not too slack, head tube angle and a seat tube angle of 76 deg. There are also short chainstays and a short-offset front fork.
The buzzwords will keep even the most angry Pinkbike comment trolls occupied for days. [Is it reasonable to travel on a mountain bike?]
7. Norco Sight A2
The significant change was the recent switch to 29-inch wheels. The latest version has a 160mm fork travel and 150mm at the rear.
The alloy A2 29, featured here, is a very competitively priced bike. If you’re willing to spend a little more, or if not, then there are A1 bikes above and A3 bikes below.
And if money isn’t an issue, there are two carbon bikes called C1 and C2. Most models come in a women’s version, with 27.5-inch wheels as an option.
Norco fitted a Fox 36 suspension shock and a second-tier Performance series Fox 36 fork to the Sight A2 29 to keep the price as low as possible.
The new suspension forks align with the aggressive all-mountain approach, but the rear shock felt lifeless. I’m unsure if it is the shock tuning or if the bike just needs some time to settle in.
Norco updated the geometry to match the new Sight. The Sight A2 29, with its long 1,250mm wheels and 64 deg head angles, feels confident and planted on fast and gnarly terrain.
Drop the seat and point it downhill; this bike will disappear from view. [Is it reasonable to travel on a mountain bike?]
8. Marin Rift Zone 3
What makes the Rift Zone Alloy different from other ” less fun bikes?” To find out what it’s like, we put the Rift Zone XR to the test before its release. Read on to discover how the new bike performed on the trails.
The Rift zone hasn’t changed much from the previous alloy model’s shape. Marin wanted to add some premium features to its value-oriented trail bike.
The Rift Zone received an upgrade in suspension and geometry to produce a product of higher quality that will provide fun for all riders.
The Rift Zone frame is made of 6061 alloys and comes in two sizes: dual 27.5″ and dual 29″, as well as JR (Junior), 26″ or 24″ for riders who are shorter. The rear end has been bumped 5mm up to 130mm regardless of travel.
It still uses MultriTrac’s single pivot design with MultiTrack, but the kinematics have been tweaked to improve overall performance.
The rear unit has a 140mm front fork as standard on the 29″ and 27,5″ bikes. Junior bikes have a 130mm unit. All frames have a triangular bottle mount in the front and the same routing. [Is it reasonable to travel on a mountain bike?]
9. Pivot Trail 429
The ability to get rowdy on trails no longer hinges on owning a more extended travel rig. Don’t get me wrong; there’s nothing like a plush ride to the bike park and plowing down any trail feeling like the next EWS star.
However, a style of riding is emerging in the techy pedal parks of Aotearoa that requires a bike with a lot more versatility – a bike that rides fast uphill and downhill.
Whether you love or loathe the term ‘down-country,’ it’s quickly becoming a big deal, with many riders finding it offers the ideal sweet spot and provides plenty of big grins with a little less risk.
So when Pivot sent us their new genre-bending Trail 429 I was curious to see how it fitted into the down-country spectrum.
Straight out of the box, one thing was evident about its DNA: this lightweight 130mm front, 120mm rear whippet would encourage aggressive descending.
The other noticeable change on the third-gen 429 is Pivot’s revised shock mounting position. It has transitioned from a horizontal configuration to a vertical trunnion mount, allowing it to drop the standover height.
This has optimized the space for longer dropper posts, creating more room in the front triangle for on-bike storage and allowing for a flip-chip to be integrated into the linkage. [Is it reasonable to travel on a mountain bike?]
Conclusion:
Mountain biking is an excellent option for anyone who loves off-roading and exploring different terrains. Although they are not as efficient or fast on paved roads due to their durability, mountain bikes are ideal for adventure travel.
Mountain bikes are a great way to explore new places, especially in remote and rugged areas. With the right equipment and planning, they can be a fun, exciting and rewarding experience. [Is it reasonable to travel on a mountain bike?]
Is it reasonable to travel on a mountain bike?: FAQ
1. Is traveling on a mountain bike a good idea?
Ans: Mountain bikes are built for rough terrains. They can also handle uneven surfaces and steep climbs. They are an excellent choice for adventure travel because of their durability and versatility.
2. Can mountain bikes be used for long-distance travel?
Ans: Mountain bikes are great for long-distance travel. However, their knobby tires and weight may make them less efficient on paved roads than road or touring bicycles. They excel on off-road terrain and in mixed terrain.
3. Are mountain bikes comfortable for travel?
Ans: Mountain bikes with proper suspension (front or full suspension) will provide a comfortable ride in rough terrain. For long rides along smooth roads, however, the upright position and wide tires may not feel as efficient as a road bicycle.