Specialized bikes are one of the biggest and most well-known names in the industry. Getting there has been a 47-year journey with some industry-defining bikes, some missteps, and a lot of innovation. The first few years were focused on road cycling and led to the first Specialized product, a tire. From there, the next major move was recognizing the importance of an emerging scene.
The company became synonymous with the American mountain bike scene with the release of the first Stumpjumper in 1981. It brought mass production and economies of scale to a fledgling niche and maybe changed the world. The Specialized Stumpjumper lineage continues to this day although the modern-day equivalent is unrecognizable when compared to the original model. Specialized is arguably one of the most influential brands on the market that are constantly developing new technology by utilizing its own Innovation Center R&D test lab and wind tunnel - which they call the Win Tunnel.
Specialized now produces bikes for all disciplines from downhill mountain biking to aero time-trial bikes. What they all have in common is that they are consistently some of the best bikes that are available on the market.
The Stumpjumper model was the first in a long line of mountain bikes bearing the name Specialized. It remains in the lineup over 40 years later but the innovation has never stopped. The Evo Comp is the most affordable bike in the range and presents excellent value, not just because you get front and rear triangles made from Specialized's FACT 11m carbon but also its versatility on the trails.
Like a lot of mountain bike companies, Trek is a brand born from a lack of offerings. The dream was to start a nationwide chain of stores in America in the early 1970s, but things didn't turn out like that and a lack of available bikes required a pivot. Before an era of globalization, good American bikes weren't available so Trek set out to change that. They envisioned high-quality options from the middle price points all the way to the top shelf offerings but the focus was on road bikes.
Although that early focus was road bikes, Trek recognized talent and made business moves to bolster its mountain bike expertise too. While Trek was growing on the eastern side of the US, mountain biking was reaching critical mass on the west coast. In 1993 Trek made the Gary Fisher name part of its company and brought a brand associated with the first commercially produced full-suspension bicycles into its fold. Then in 1995, the company purchased Bontrager cycles. A move that brought Keith Bontrager, responsible for design and patent of a composite fork crown that later showed up on the first suspension fork, into the organization.
Trek uses its OCLV carbon to form its best enduro mountain bike, the Trek Slash. Revamped in 2021, it got a geometry make-over as well as some new features and RockShox's take on Trek's proprietary Thru Shaft shock technology.
The result is one of the most capable cross-country mountain bikes we have ridden. Superbly confident and composed on descents that should be way above its cross-country remit yet it doesn't give an inch when the trail points up either. The automated suspension takes a lot of thinking out of riding as well, allowing you to get on with riding as hard as you can.
Cannondale has always been at the forefront of innovation in the American bike landscape. The company actually didn't start with bikes though. Founder Joe Montgomery began at a loft above a pickle factory across from the old Cannon railroad line in Connecticut. Early offerings included backpacks and trailers to transport bikes for camping. The first Cannondale bike came in 1983 along with a revolutionary approach to working with aluminum. A year later, in 1984, Cannondale came to market with the SM500 mountain bike. It featured BMX styling and a European spring saddle.
Santa Cruz is a relatively young company. The history of American bike brands starts later than those in Europe but even among its peers, 1993 is late to the game. Late isn't always a negative though. Living in Santa Cruz as modern mountain biking came into the world allowed the founders to be fluent in the needs of the riders. At a time when hardtails were the norm and full suspension, do-it-all bikes were far from cool a few guys in a garage recognized a need.
The refined geometry unearths obvious control for speed gain and a more settled steering character when the trail is trying its best to throw you off track with rocks, roots, and ruts. Santa Cruz has tweaked the VPP suspension with a reconsidered suspension curve, enhancing the suspension feel from excellent to genuinely outstanding too. 145mm suspension travel puts it right in the middle ground for aggressive trail bikes. The suspension finds an excellent balance between boosting flow and keeping wheels glued down, without feeling under-gunned or wallowy.
It hasn't been always been smooth sailing though. In 2016 Canyon suffered some growing pains which caused significant delays in shipping. However, since then Canyon has gone from strength to strength, producing industry benchmark bikes from some of the best budget mountain bikes all the way up to dedicated race specific platforms.
The bike industry is pretty bad when it comes to declaring that a bike is a true all-rounder, do-everything or, the super cliched and meaningless phrase, 'quiver killer'. That said, if you are looking for a modern trail/enduro mountain bike then the Spectral is one of the best bikes on the market.
Chris Cocalis started Pivot in 2007 in Phoenix, Arizona, when he recognized a revolutionary suspension technology and licensed it. The Mach 4 was the first bike from the company and it used the DW-link suspension design. One of only three brands who licensed the technology at the time, it's a system that isolates the rider from movement in the suspension as they pedal and brake. From that start, Pivot bikes established itself in only a few short years as one of the most premium brands available.
After all, you want a good bike that will actually last. Read below, I have the best mountain bikes under $500 right here. Before buying a good mountain bike under $500, here are the best 10 you need to consider!
As you know, Schwinn has been around for a long time, making quality bikes in different categories. One of those categories is mountain biking. They provide value where it is needed the most, for example with components and strong wheels.
Mongoose makes many different types of bicycles, but we like their MTB line the most. This list would not have been complete without a fat bike, as they are more popular than ever. With that in mind, when choosing mountain bikes under $500, the Mongoose Malus fat tire bike was the most logical choice
Bicycle Guider is a registered trademark. It is a free resource page about bicycles, founded in 2015 by Jeff Balton. The main goal of this website is to provide valuable guides, reviews, and articles about different types of bicycles, including mountain, hybrid and road bikes.
If you are buying a bike to ride with a group of friends, buy something similar to what they ride. You will not be able to keep up with road bikes if you are on a mountain bike or cruiser. And a road bike cannot go on the dirt or the sand.
Road bicycles are designed to be ridden fast on smooth pavement. They have smooth, skinny tires and "drop" handlebars, and can be used for on-road racing. They are usually lighter than other types of bicycles. They can be ridden on paved trails, but most people find them uncomfortable and unstable on unpaved trails. Most road bikes are not capable of carrying heavy loads, so are not very suitable for commuting or touring.
Mountain Bicycles are design for riding rough off-road trails. They have flat or upright handlebars, and a very low gear range for pedaling up steep trails. Most mountain bikes have some type of shock absorbers or suspension. Mountain bikes with front suspension only are called hardtails; mountain bikes with both front and rear suspension are called full-suspension bikes or duallies. Mountain bikes with no suspension are called rigid. Mountain bikes can be outfitted for use as touring or commuting bikes, although they would not be as light or efficient as traditional touring or commuting bikes. Fat bikes, with their extremely wide tires, are included in the mountain bike category.
Hybrid Bicycles were originally conceived to provide the advantages of both road bikes and mountain bikes. Their large, padded seats and upright handlebars provide a comfortable riding position, and are best for casual riding around the neighborhood or bike paths, short-distance commuting, and errands around town. They can be ridden on paved roads, but are not as lightweight or efficient as road bikes. They are ideal for paved or unpaved bike trails, but are not appropriate for rough off-road mountain bike trails. The tires are usually a medium-width with a semi-smooth tread, to provide a fairly smooth ride on pavement, but enough grip and cushion on unpaved trails. Most hybrid bikes have front suspension to smooth out small bumps, but some are fully rigid. Hybrid bikes used to also be referred to as cross bikes, but that term is not used any more in order to avoid confusion with cyclocross bikes (see above).
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