Best Mountain Bike Brands of 2022 | Reviews + Buyer’s Guide (2022)

The mountain bike category has had more than its fair share of product cycles since its inception in the mid-1980s. We’ve seen an abundance of models come and go and the bike companies find themselves constantly searching for new segments and price points that will bring them the attention they need. It takes a very motivated marketing team to keep bringing the mountain bike category back from the brink and ride-today folk is wondering what will come next.

Now more than ever, it’s critical for mountain bike brands to continue innovating to stay at the top of the pack. Thankfully, we have just what the industry needs in each one of these brands. They will inspire riders of all skill levels and riding styles to ride mountain bikes the way they were meant to be ridden, on trails that no bike company has ever built. Most importantly, they will improve the general riding experience for those who just want to go fast. Let’s review these brands of mountain bikes below:

1. Santa Cruz Design Works

Despite what you might have heard, Santa Cruz is still riding at the forefront of the industry. With each new model, it takes another step forward in the progression of mountain bikes. The company offers well-designed bikes that are fun, easy to ride, and most importantly for our purposes here, durable.

Santa Cruz has also steadily improved its stock in the bike industry. They never used to have to fight with the other brands over who would have the number one premium bike brand spot on Amazon or this mountain bike dealer. That may be coming to an end with the new Santa Cruz Suffer fest.

2. Geometry Labs — 100% Great

Geometry Labs has just taken the riding experience one huge step up with the release of the Evolution 29. That’s right, this is one aggressive trail bike with enough room under the belly to take a nice-sized water bottle or food canister with you.

Geometry also continues to use the best materials to build its bikes. The wheels on this bike are Roval Corsas laced to Maxxis Aspire rubber. That said, this is an extremely light bike as well. Geometry Labs has never focused on price but rather on making quality bikes that are popular and affordable. This year is no exception.

3. Radius Bicycles — A Starter Brand for First Time Mountain Bike Buyers

Radius Bicycles, while certainly not an industry giant, has grown very quickly in recent years. The company has become synonymous with quality electric drivetrains on mountain bikes and they are now aggressively competing for the mountain bike market share that Trek currently has. Radius offers more than just good bikes though. The company offers a one-year bike service plan, free shipping and repairs, and nearly a million different colors to choose from. No wonder people can’t seem to get enough of these bikes.

Not all mountain bikes are “real bikes” that you can push yourself up a hill but the majority of mountain bikes cost a few thousand dollars and require a bit more technical skill than your local trails can handle. Enter the Radius Bike, Radius has been perfecting the first-time mountain bike buyer for more than twenty years and their Process 29 is their best model yet. It is also their most affordable, starting at just $2,399 MSRP, and comes with that warranty Radius is famous for.

4. Evans Cycles — The Home of EWS Champion Sam Hill

Perhaps one of the best ways to show your love for mountain biking is to buy a bike from Evans Cycles, the flagship brand of SCOTT Sports. The company is best known for creating some of the most reliable and durable mountain bikes in the industry and through its flagship brand, Evans Cycles is also a leader in the electric drivetrain market. The industry still remembers the early days of Evans bikes, when mechanical errors could be excused with the old “Good Intentions!” That doesn’t happen anymore.

 The bike is built with solid steel and features a very smooth suspension system. The Process 54 is arguably the best mountain bike of the last few years and even has an internally routed shock. The bike has all the tech and design elements that customers love and most of those would be considered over the top on an entry-level mountain bike. There is nothing inexpensive or generic about Evans bikes. They are big, rugged, and made in the USA. Evans makes all the parts for the bikes in-house, making assembly nearly impossible.

5. Merida — A Great Chinese Brand Worth Your Money

After years of ambiguity regarding where Chinese bicycles were made, Merida brokered a deal with Dafne, one of the biggest brands in Spain, to build a complete line of bicycles in China. The company’s stand-out models include the Hexis, Terradora, and even the Merida Assael. All Merida bikes are designed by Rodolfo Lopez, the man behind the Enduro World Series, including his current winning bike the Ego.

A Merida bike costs a little more than some Chinese imports and it isn’t for everybody, but if you want a carbon fiber frame with a steel fork, some suspension, and a smooth disc brake, Merida is a fine option. The Ego has been the best bike of the EWS for the last few years and that comes from someone who knows his stuff. It’s pretty much a one-trick pony, but it gets the job done. You can buy Merida bikes in the United States through the Merida USA online store.

6. Giant — A Major Brand with an Affordable Made-in-China Bicycle

Giant is one of the largest bicycle companies in the world, and it can trace its roots back to 1927. Since then, Giant has been an industry leader in innovation, including their aluminum mountain bike in 2004 and the iconic front-end cruiser-style bikes in 2007. For years Giant had a brand problem, with the bikes being expensive and not very well maintained by their owners. They finally managed to correct this with the release of the 2019 Bizi.

Bizi is a fully-featured racing bike that features Giant’s long-standing technology like the TCX Hydro-Drive and Link hydraulic disc brakes. The bike is made in China and features internal routing for the brakes as well as a decent suspension fork. It’s one of the lightest carbon fiber frames in the industry, weighing in at just 23 pounds. You can get a Bizi bike from Giant for $1499 MSRP or a Merida Hexis for just $5199 MSRP. Both of these bikes are powerful and well-built, which makes them two of the best values in the industry.

7. Rocky Mountain — More of a Bargain Than Ever Before

Rocky Mountain has always been a top-tier American bicycle company, with bikes starting as low as $299 and going as high as $9,999. They’ve been making bikes since 1975 and have a history of innovation. Although they’re no longer as groundbreaking as they used to be, the Rocky Mountain is still a fine choice for those looking to get a quality mountain bike.

One of their current lines of bikes is called the Devacro. This is a steeper bike that comes in a variety of different frame sizes and offers a bunch of performance features for the money. One of the main highlights is the Pneumatics Line Valve, a proprietary design that allows for a wider range of speeds with relatively little drag. One of their more affordable models is the Rocky Mountain Devacro Boost, which offers 27.5″ wheels and costs just $499. It’s one of the best deals in the industry and a great starting bike for first-time mountain bikers.

8. Trek — The Budget-Friendly Bicycle Brand

When people talk about budget bicycles, Trek is the brand that usually comes to mind. Trek was founded by a former Navy pilot and aeronautical engineer named Norm Grice in California back in 1979. In the last decade, Trek has made some big changes to their bikes, and today you’ll find most of their models include disc brakes. The latest development is a new carbon fiber frame that adds light while still maintaining high performance and durability.

Most of Trek’s models start at $799 and go all the way up to $9999. Most of their models are geared towards beginners, and some even offer an option to get a bike that can be geared up for speed. Trek’s top models are made from a fiberglass composite called ALUXX that helps retain the frame’s structural integrity.

9. Kona — A Slight Price Increase

Kona was founded in 1989 and has been making quality bikes in a variety of different frame sizes and sizes for the past 30 years. Kona is known for its cyclocross bikes, which feature a huge carbon fiber fork for strength and durability. Many cyclocross racers use Kona bikes for practice and everyday use.

Their flagship model is the Kona Process Pro, which is an impressive bike that costs $1495. It features the same top-tier suspension technology found on their bikes, but with more of a racing bent. Kona also offers an impressive trail bike option for just $1495. This version of the Kona Process Pro has a more rigid carbon fiber frame and weighs in at a respectable 29 pounds.

10. Yamaha — This Bike Is a Treat for the Whole Family

Yamaha has been making bikes for over a century, and they still make top-tier bikes today. The company has grown a bit since it was founded and is now a big name in mountain bikes and road bikes. Their extensive line of the road and cyclocross bikes are popular among serious athletes and beginners alike.

The flagship model of Yamaha’s lineup is the YZF-R1, which is a titanium racing superbike that you can easily modify to fit your specific riding style. The bike is made with aluminum and carbon fiber to help keep the weight low and has a wet weight of only 175 pounds.

11. Easton — An Affordable, Competitive Quality Bicycle

Easton was founded in 1991 and is now a leading manufacturer of quality bikes. Their primary line of bikes are cyclocross bikes, and many of them are equipped with hydraulic disc brakes. They also offer a line of mountain bikes that are heavy-duty and designed for endurance athletes.

Their top model is the Easton Helix Carbon, a carbon fiber bike that offers impressive performance at an affordable price. The Helix Carbon retails for $1699, but with a good set of bearings, chainrings, and Shimano gearing, it can easily be tamed to a weight of around 200 pounds. Easton also has an option for a bike that costs $1800 with a 100-percent carbon frame, Shimano gears, chainrings, and cassette for better performance.

12. Sugino — A Japanese Bicycle Brand to Know

Sugino was founded by a former tractor technician in Osaka, Japan, and has since become one of the leading manufacturers of quality mountain bikes in the world. They offer some of the lightest and most capable bikes on the market. Sugino bikes are lightweight, durable, and feature a quality frame and fork design.

Their top model is the 100-Nucleon, a bike that offers incredibly durable construction and outstanding performance. The bike features a steel frame with stainless steel tubes and an aluminum fork that’s designed to stay in place during hard falls. The frame weighs in at only 43 pounds, and the brakes are built with a quality 3-piston brake caliper. The bike retails for $1500, and with the quality components, the frame and fork will easily last for many years.

Conclusion

There are some great deals and superb products in the world of bicycles. There is no best, only best. Each of these companies offers something great, but we’ve taken the liberty of putting together a list of the 12 best cycling brands out there.

All of these companies offer some unique and superior products that fit our busy schedules and lifestyle requirements. Choosing a bicycle isn’t always about the latest technological innovation. It’s about providing the best service, comfort, and durability for our specific riding conditions.