The Best Short-Travel Trail Bike – 6 Mountain Bikes in Test
Bikes are growing increasingly versatile, lines are blurring and long-travel bikes are climbing more easily and faster than ever before. But does that mean that short-travel trail bikes are growing more potent on the downhills too?
Our trail bikes are changing. We now have suspension kinematics that minimise pedal bob, while maximising big-hit fun. Seat tubes are growing steeper so we can climb better and bikes are growing increasingly lighter. The latest generation of 140–150 mm trail bikes have become the holy grail of do-it-all machines. So why do manufacturers still offer short-travel trail bikes? Is there a benefit to bikes with 130 mm or less travel? Are we missing something? So many questions. It’s time for some answers.
Does short-travel mean less fun?
Does short-travel mean less fun? No way! If your local mountains are more like molehills, and your Sunday ride involves long connections between the trails, a short-travel bike will be a quick-riding passport to adventure and endless fun. On flow trails, a short-travel bike will pump faster through compressions and stay higher in its travel, rewarding you with more smiles and heaps of excitement. On many rides, carrying extra travel only dulls the sensations and feedback from the trail, meaning less agile and engaging handling than a well designed short-travel bike can provide. While a 140–150 mm trail bike is a great choice for many riders, the best bikes in this test show it’s important to choose a bike based on where and how you want to ride, rather than just numbers on a spec sheet.
Imagine driving a Dodge V8 and a stripped out rally hatchback down a tight-twisty road. We can guarantee you’ll have more fun in the lighter, more agile rally car.
The short-travel trail bikes in this group test
For this group test, we wanted to include a diverse selection of bikes at a range of prices. On paper, all six bikes share similar geometry (with one exception) and range of application. All are 29ers, a wheel size that best suits the kilometre eating, corner railing nature of a good short-travel bike. The Specialized Epic EVO and Trek Top Fuel both mark a step up in versatility from dedicated XC race machines. They essentially take a racing platform but slack and stretch it out. The Whyte S-120C enters from the opposite end of the spectrum, packaging an enduro bike ethos in a short-travel chassis. Sitting in the middle, the Canyon Neuron, Merida ONE-TWENTY and Yeti SB100 are purpose built to be good at everything from marathon epics to fast laps of your local loop.
| Bike | Price | Weight | Travel (v/h) | Wheelsize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canyon Neuron CF 8.0 | € 2,699 | 13.3 kg | 130/130 mm | 29″ |
| Merida ONE TWENTY 8000 | € 6,799 | 12.8 kg | 130/120 mm | 29″ |
| Specialized Epic Expert Evo | € 5,599 | 12.1 kg | 120/100 mm | 29″ |
| Trek Top Fuel 9.9 | € 8,999 | 11.4 kg | 120/115 mm | 29″ |
| Whyte S-120C RS | € 4,299 | 13.9 kg | 120/120 mm | 29″ |
| Yeti SB100 C GX | € 5,490 | 13.1 kg | 120/100 mm | 29″ |
Suspension kinematics are important
The saying “It’s not about the size, it’s about how you use it” has never been more apt. With short-travel bikes, progressive suspension kinematics are essential. With less to play with, the suspension needs to maintain control and can’t give up all its travel too quickly. For active riders, the Merida ONE-TWENTY, Trek Top Fuel and Whyte S-120C excel with a supportive kinematics that give just enough travel to smooth out big hits and almost always retaining some reserves. The result is that these bikes provide massive support for pumping to generate free speed from the trail and also provide lots of feedback from the trail. In contrast, the Canyon Neuron and Yeti SB100 have more linear kinematics, sacrificing a little mid-stroke support in pursuit of comfort and control through rock gardens, as well as boosting comfort and reducing fatigue on longer rides.
Be suspicious of a low weight on the spec sheet
If you think that less travel equals less weight, you might have to reconsider. Given how hard we ride our bikes, both short- and long-travel bikes will actually require very similar components and in turn, it becomes hard to cut down weight without significant compromises in performance.
No matter if you have 100 or 150 mm of travel, you’ll still be riding effectively the same suspension units, need the same high-performance tires and will want to be able to brake just as quickly. Many brands make compromises to lower their bikes’ weight, saving a few grams on the scales by fitting inferior components. Brakes are often an easy and not immediately obvious downgrade. Fitting delicate 160 mm rotors on the rear and specifying smaller callipers might save 200–300 g, but the brakes still have to slow down the mass of a hard-charging 80+ kg rider. Do you ride a flow trail slower than an enduro trail? We don’t. Merida is the only brand to get this right, fitting powerful SRAM Code RSC brakes to their ONE-TWENTY. Tires are the next place to cut weight. While short-travel trail bikes do not need to come fitted with super heavy downhill casings, we still expect to see a versatile, capable and above all durable tire.
Carbon vs Aluminium Wheels
You can have a lighter bike without performance compromises but it will come at a cost. Spending more allows manufacturers to fit better components that reduce weight while maintaining or even improving performance. We are generally big fans of aluminium rims, especially on harder hitting bikes where they are more affordable if damaged and offer a smoother ride feel. However, lightweight carbon rims accelerate quicker and give the bike a more lively and agile feel, properties that in our test enhance the ride of our short-travel bikes. The Merida ONE-TWENTY 8000 scores well here, saving over 400 g on the combined wheel weight (4.38 vs 4.79 kg) when compared to the Yeti SB100 fitted with similar all-round tires. The Trek Top Fuel and Specialized Epic EVO both have very lightweight wheelsets, but also ‘cheat’ a bit by fitting lighter but less durable and versatile tires for combined wheel weights of 3.94 and 4.02 kg respectively.
These bikes are made to climb fast so why don’t they have steep seat tubes?
This is a great question and one that consumed our team during much of our testing. The bikes in this group test have an average seat-tube angle of 74.8° , making them slacker than the latest geometry trends in trail and enduro bikes. The Merida again takes the win with a 75.5° seat tube angle, but still falls short when compared to the latest enduro bikes. Take the Yeti SB100: its 74° seat tube angle is far slacker than the newer and longer travel SB130 and SB150 which both have 77° effective seat tubes. It’s true that short-travel bikes sit higher at sag than long-travel bikes, reducing the effective seat tube angle less, but could they learn a lesson in efficiency from their bigger brothers? Yes, they could. All the bikes in this test climbed better with the saddle far forwards on the rails, indicating that slightly steeper seat tubes would benefit overall pedalling efficiency. We hope that short-travel bikes follow the steep seat tube trend that is sweeping through the trail and enduro sector.
Tops & Flops
Often small details can make a huge difference: seamless integration, first-class ergonomics and carefully selected parts. Easier said than done – here are some of the tops and flops from this grouptest.
Tops
The lightweight and stiff carbon FSA Gradient LTD wheels fitted to the Merida ONE-TWENTY 8000 shave weight and resulted in a lively and agile ride, even with the sensible Maxxis Minion DHF II tire on the front.
Who says we ride slower with less travel? The Merida ONE-TWENTY 8000 gets it right fitting SRAM Code RSC brakes for maximum control.
The Whyte S-120C feels instantly familiar with a wide and confidence-inspiring cockpit. This bike is a testament to how much ride feel comes down to geometry. The Whyte eats enduro bikes for breakfast!
Trek has always produced great suspension systems. The Trek Top Fuel takes it to the next level making efficient use of the travel available.
Flops
The Micro Brain Inertia valve takes a second to open when you hit rock gardens or push into compressions on the Specialized Epic EVO, which feels clunky and unrefined while riding.
Our Scottish testers were a little worried seeing exposed bearing faces inside the rear linkage of the Canyon Neuron. We inevitably found that mud and grime collected here.
SRAM Level T brakes are no good at all. We experienced poor bite and a lack of power on long descents.
–PLATZHALTER–
The long rebound adjuster on the slimmed-down Step-Cast fork is attached to a thin threaded bar. On the Yeti, it snapped off with minimal force.
How we tested the bikes and where?
We packed the bikes into the back of a van and headed to the amazing trails of Ballater in the Scottish Highlands. Ballater is the hidden gem of Scottish riding, offering long flow trails, gruelling ascents and an iconic fast and furious ridgeline descent that is the perfect test of a short-travel ripper. We braved the Scottish midges and challenging weather conditions to push the bikes hard. Parts broke, tires were slashed but great fun was had. For a more thorough test of the bikes’ downhill performance, we also challenged them hard on shuttle assisted runs in the notorious Innerleithen bike park.
The test team
Trevor is outspoken about geometry and loves delving into the intimate workings of suspension. He enjoys everything from long days out in the hills to white-knuckling down DH tracks. He looks for a rounded bike that can perform equally as well on technical downhill trails as smashing out a two-hour climb.
Finlay is a newcomer to the ENDURO team. He currently lives in the Tweed Valley, the Scottish trail mecca. His riding style is fast and wild. Finlay loves to race, and also loves to see if he can rip the tires off his rims in the corners. For him, agile and fun handling is essential, but not at the cost of high-speed stability.
Max loves to smash out marathon rides, eating up the climbs and cruising long descents. Max looks for a supportive and comfortable suspension system that allows him to cover long distances without sacrificing support.
Will is lucky enough to ride all over Scotland and as such he looks for a bike that can go well on everything. From gentle flow trails to some of the toughest natural trails in Scotland, he just wants to be able to pull a bike out of his van and hit the trails immediately.
Conclusion
Six bikes with six very different personalities left us with many surprises. After extensive testing, the biggest surprise has been just how versatile short-travel bikes have become. Yes, many of the tires lacked grip and the brakes were weaker, but we soon found ourselves effortlessly straying onto full-bore enduro trails. The second surprise is just how much fun short-travel bikes are to ride. After-work rides become longer and big climbs are relatively speaking effortless. Staying high in their travel with supportive suspension, they turn even the most boring trails into a playground. Every compression is the opportunity to pump for more speed and every bump becomes the lip of a jump. If your trails are more flow than gnar, you’ll have more fun and smiles on a short-travel bike.
When it came to choosing our favourites, it was a tough call. With an XC oriented build kit, the Specialized Epic EVO was a beast on the climbs but it felt least at home on variable terrain. We also weren’t completely convinced by the Micro Brain shock, especially the noticeable delay before the inertia valve opens the compression damping under compression. The Canyon Neuron is the polar opposite: linear and efficient it would make a perfect bike for comfortable long tours but lacked spark when pushed to the limit. As is usual for Canyon, it does represent excellent value for money though. The Whyte S-120 C is the fastest bike on challenging terrain, where its progressive geometry and capable build kit give it an advantage that can be measured in seconds on the descents However, the uncompromising enduro specification and heavier wheelset is noticeable on the climbs when chasing the best in this test.
It was almost impossible to separate the top three bikes with all of them receiving high praise from the testers. The Trek Top Fuel is a testament to a new way of thinking. Potent, versatile and fiercely competitive, we can’t think of many situations where it would not excel. It was only the increased complexity of the TwistLoc (a grip shifter style suspension lockout) and the weak brakes that pushed it off the top spot. The Yeti SB100 was also a team favourite, blending effortless ground-covering efficiency with an easy-going playfulness that delighted all our testers. With a beautiful frame that deserves upgraded components, it’s a bike that we would be proud to own. For the first time ever, a Yeti takes our Best Value award. That leaves the Merida ONE-TWENTY: a versatile trail rocket that happily went everywhere and anywhere we took it. With a faultless build kit, great brakes, great suspension and an agile and engaging ride that will delight riders of all experience levels, there is nothing to fault, giving it the well-deserved Best In Test award.
All bikes in test: Canyon Neuron CF 8.0 | Merida ONE TWENTY 8000 | Specialized Epic Expert Evo | Trek Top Fuel 9.9 | Whyte S-120C RS | Yeti SB100 C GX
If you’re looking for a bike with more travel you should definitely check our test about the best enduro bike of 2019: The best enduro bike you can buy
