ASK MBA: AM I RIDING TOO MUCH BIKE?

Q: Hey, guys, I really liked your article about over- and under-biking, and it got me thinking about what I ride mostly. I’m only a few years into seriously riding, and last summer I purchased a Santa Cruz Megatower as my daily rig. Though there is some pretty crazy enduro-type riding near me, I mainly ride mild trail or XC trails during the week. This bike is just too big for that, and I feel over-biked 80 percent of the time. Is there a mid-travel somewhat-budget-friendly trail bike I should consider to spice up my local trail rides, or keep on truckin with the big dog?
Trevor Gasper
Colorado Springs, Colorado

A: Hey, Trevor! Great question. We see a lot of times these days people are getting bikes that are just too big because “bigger is better” is a popular thought when purchasing a bike. We find ourselves having a lot more fun on shorter-travel trail bikes or XC bikes than big enduro bikes way more often these days. It’s not because we don’t have gnarly places to ride, but because trail bikes are getting so much more capable. Take the Canyon Spectral 125. for example; this is a bike that is incredibly well spec’d to be a quiver-killer, and it only boasts 125mm of suspension travel. Canyon offers a relatively budget-friendly (less than $3000) version with the alloy frame that has a decent component spec that you could hammer on milder trails and have heaps more fun than on the Megatower.

 

Bikes like the Vitus Mythique and Marin Rift Zone,  are also viable options, though you may want a little higher-end build specs. A bike that we think you should really consider is the Mondraker Raze. We tested the highest-end Raze RR SL model and highlighted how much fun we had on more basic trails. It’s a trail bike with excellent capabilities and pedals exceptionally well, which made any cross country or light trail ride incredibly fun. The cheapest version isn’t exactly cheap ($4800), but it’s well spec’d and will be a great bike for anything you get up to while riding it.

Over-biking has its place, but it’s more fun when you ride a trail on a bike that’s meant to be ridden on said trail. Trail bikes are the most versatile bikes in production, thus making them the bikes you’re more likely to have fun on than any other. We hope this helped you decide your next bike. Good luck!