Our Favorite Hardtails Under $1700 From The 2021 Pinkbike Field Trip
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- čas přidán 2. 05. 2021
- Our five Field Trip hardtails go head to head in this round table discussion. Did the BMC re-kindle Levy's love of all things XC and lycra? Did the budget-friendly Canyon impress Sarah? What about that slack Rocky Mountain Growler? Watch on and find out!
More 2021 Field Trip: pinkbike.link/2021fieldtrip
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Always love to see the budget hardtails
The segment that most people can actually afford
Oh look…another week, another bike snob talking about HT’s. Look, not everyone can afford a new $5,000+ FS every other year…some people struggle to pay the bills, especially now days, but would like to get into riding for health or peace or whatever. Years ago, the MTB community welcomed everyone wanting to ride and taught them how to care for the trails and maintain their bikes. It was a community of like minded people…now, it’s an arms race to see who shows up with the best rig. Somewhere someone is watching this thinking about getting into the woods on their first bike in forever…and maybe they’re unable to afford more than a couple hundred bucks for a new Schwinn or department store bike. Support these people, teach them, help them. Maybe they will love it and one day be able to afford something a bit better, but dammit be a community again.
@@mountainbikemayhem1833 lol chill bro he wasn’t talking shit. And also a Walmart bike won’t hold up on the trails but In any case good luck
@@mountainbikemayhem1833 it’s fun to watch and drool over all these awesome bikes but it’s comical to think you really need a bike as expensive as some of these are to go out and have fun and get into the sport. Just did a ride with someone who was on a $550 giant and another who was on a 26”mongoose from the 90s with no suspension. They both rode the trails just fine!! Lol
Hahah
For these budget comparisons, it would be interesting to throw in a wildcard entry, something like the Schwinn Axum DP, to give people an idea of what they get when they step up from a walmart-level bike to a "proper" entry level bike. Like I think people who are shopping a $1200 Stoic against, let's say a $2400 Neuron have at least some idea of what they're getting for their money, but the kind of person who might look at a $1200 Stoic and compare it against a $500 Axum might be a lot more lost trying to figure out what the extra cost is buying them.
Yes! That would have been fantastic.
This is honestly a great idea. Sorry in advance, testers in the next value field trip... -Brian
@@pinkbike Can't wait to see the carnage in the huck-to-flat!
Death will insue!!
It’s like bringing an average guy to a professional sporting event as a control example...hahahahahahaha
“We have The USA Olympic runner in lane 1, China in Lane 2, Germany in Lane 3 and Bill from accounting in Lane 4”
Thank you so much for comparing these. I've been curious how many of these rode. Great info as always, and great format. So many people think all hardtails ride the same, but they are SO different from model to model. It's crazy how different a great hardtail rides from a mediocre hardtail (or even fs).
Steve, you are the SME on hardtail’s and I’m grateful that you’re sharing your knowledge about how to pic a hardtail for the trails you ride and type of riding that you intend to do.
my first mtb was a $600 2006 specialized rockhopper, sold to me in 2007 for $400. I rode it until march 2021! You can get into mountain biking for less than $1000...
2001 Rockhopper A1 purchased new. At the time I thought front suspension was the bees' knees, as my previous experience was pretty much Murray or Huffy garbage. Hahaha
Got a used Stumpjumper with a carbon frame finally.
@@exothermal.sprocketUsed carbon? Brave;d
@@gggggggg204 I checked it over very carefully in full sunlight before putting money down.
If they try it the stoic 4 with the pike fork, that would be the clear winner
Big tires on hard tails=ftw.
For the win right?
@@kahimma4577
Yes
@@kahimma4577 beat me to it, I thought it might have been f*** the world
Wide or tall?
There is something to be said for race oriented aluminum cross country hard tails. I have a Trek Top Fuel but I rode my friends specialized chisel the other day and it was just as light as my bike and felt super good and stiff. They are an amazing option for anyone looking to get into racing.
I love that he has to admit that that hard tail was fun ❤️
Riding a good hardtail will change your worldview on bikes. That growler is proof you need to ride more good hardtails.
Norco Fluid HT2 (not the model shown in this test) offers basically the same as the Stoic, but a dropper post as well for the same money.
Most of these bikes seem fully capable and worth someone taking the time to upgrade as they go
Was just thinking of adding a hardtail to my collection thanks!
Digging the hardtails lately too! Great review. Curious about that Growler now.
That Growler has hit the numbers as far as Geo for having fun on a hardtail on the descents. Lots of other hardtail’s are in that same category such as Chromag in BC and some well established big brands and smaller brands have nice hardtail’s that are not stupid steep Geo with skinny XC tires. Kona Honzo, Trek Roscoe,Canfield Nimble 9, Salsa Timberwolf, Surly Karate Monkey, and the list goes on. I’m a fan of Hardtail Party because he really has focused and reviews many hardtail available today. Just my thoughts
I got into mtb for $1100 with a 2018 Specialized Rockhopper. I broke the fork twice, snapped a chain, bent both wheels, bent the cranks, and bent a qr axle. Four years and a lot of crashes later I went from that to a GT Force 29 Alloy from 2021.
That BMC was gorgeous
Nuke proof scout 🥺
Orbea laufey h30 2021.i tuned it to my liking and it is great piece of kit
The Orbea Alma series are probably the best value hardtails in the market, congrats.
Keep watching these videos while cant find anything in any bike stores nearby.
Just bought a 140mm commencal ht as my race bike. I’m a pretty intermediate rider with a trail full sus but am stoked to get back into some rowdy hard tail riding
The most exciting videos.
I use the specialized fuse, its $1600 and pretty good
Could you make a list with all the bikes that almost got into the chosen ones(if there are some)
Would really appreciate it
Can't wait for some budget full suspension bikes to be reviewed again at some point
Full suspension reviews start tomorrow!
that was some rad turn bar tricks. :)
I started mtb last year around oct I bought a trek marlin 5 and then a few months after I upgraded to a chameleon santa cruz, I'm looking into getting a full suspension this year
I'm using the 2 stroke AL one and with dropper post added very nice bike to ride.
Does the two stroke AL have internal routing for the dropper post ?
Vitus for me i love my Sentier 140mm Marzocchi fork ready to ride
Thinking about getting a RADON Cragger 7.0 to ride if I dont want du go with my fullsuspension enduro.
Where is the Commencal Meta HT ?! That bike seems pretty legit. 🙃
The most similar bike here would be the Growler I think (I've got a Meta). But the actual budget versions of the meta are pretty overpriced. You don't even get a dropper before the $2k usd price point.
@@nicholkid Yeah I've got the mid level meta and you're right, I ended up putting down the extra cash for the better forks and dropper
I got the Cannondale Trail 3 a few months back for €1100. Any thoughts on this bike? I'm loving it, but i dont see many reviews of it.
Sick vid
My Norco HT1 is a great bike, I upgraded the wheels, got an 800mm riser bar and the bike is a hoot to ride. It's super fun. And I can tell you the brakes are not as bad as Pinkbike make it seem. They're not the best stoppers but are perfectly adequate.
amazing bike
Guyyyyz nice video! Love my 1000 HT, got almost 2000 in upgrades ahhahahaha
The Scott Scale 965 is also really awesome. I have one and it's worth it. It's 1,800 bucks but.
Stupid question, but what are XC race hardtails good for ? Like what kind of trails? Would it be almost like a groomed trail that a gravel bike could do? I ride mostly broken pavement around town and gravel-filled side roads and have been eyeing one so I don't get so damn beat up by the road imperfections but perhaps that would be too overkill?
What makes you like the Stoic better than a giant fathom 29 2 if you have to add a larger cassette and dropper post to make it really rideable? Genuinely curious
I would take that Stoic, run it one size smaller than nornal and turn it into a 29 DJ bike that you can pedal to the jumps. Then again. My jumps just got plowed so.... maybe not.
In another field trip or comparison video, that could be a good idea to test high end hardtails
Are Giant Hardtails just not good enough? *Cries in Fathom 2 29*
That's a very good bike. I sold several of this model and now out of stock in EU.
@@cphun2 It is! I'm glad your business is doing well. Stay safe, brother.
I wanted a Fathom and I work at a Giant retailer, we couldn't even get any this year...
@@NorthernSkiAndCycle That sucks. I hope you can get your hands on one. They're awesome bikes.
I'm choosing between XTC Advanced & Fathom as these 2 have higher chances of being available locally (i.e., Philippines) than the other brands.
Can’t forget the Marin San Quentin 1
The absolute #1 upgrade for a hardtail is the PNW Coast dropper. Why? It has 40mm of air suspension. This dropper has saved my lower back.
Thanks!
my hardtail is super tight budget,it only cost $700 frame is thru axle al6061,deore 10 speed upkit,some cheap cranks,brakes are shimano deore,fork is sr suntour axon 34mm,weinman rims,alloy spokes,hub are cheap but good quality,it does the job,doing enduro,trail,downhill,dirtjump,
wondering why you guys didn't review the Growler 20, rather than the 40? It may actually be the best of the bunch.
Awesome
Hard tails are king amen
No distancing, No problem!
Dartmoor primal the best!!!
You have to test the alutech cheaptrick..its the best hardtail ever super Big but fast and playfull its awesome
If u upgrade to the Actual Stoic 3 and not the version in the video which is the stoic 2 in Europe it would be pick of the bunch!!
what about the merida big trail
You guys tried out the Trek Roscoe range?
I have a 2020 Roscoe 8, love it. I swapped the bar and stem to 780mm bar and a 40mm stem which helped when on techy sections. My only complaint is no rear thru-axle which will make wheel upgrades a pain (Hope Pro4 is one hub available with adapters).
Why just not buy the Stoic 3 (or 4) and you will get that dropper post factory ready for roughly the same price as if you would when upgrading the Stoic 2? You also get another cassette and fork with the 3...or am I missing something here?
Which one would you recommend for someone who already has a full suspension bike, and wants a hardtail for longer days on the saddle (pedalling a lot, not much descending, but still wants fun), and probably bring it to the pumptrack and some dirt jumps? I'm inclined for the Vitus or the canyon (a higher version tho), but I'm not sure
The rocky mountain hands down... That is out of this list... If you want a good hard tail check out the nukeproof scout
What about the Orbea Laufey H30???
Glad I’m not the only one!
What’s your thoughts on the Merida Big Trail
What about the canyon Stoic 4 it's got all the upgrades you recommended! 🤷♂️
It's $2,000...
The kona honzo needs to be in their
That Canyon is nice… I wonder if I can get that in the States!
Missing the Scott Scale 940! Carbon Frame ,12 Speed Sram Eagle drivetrain, Judy TK Fork, and more for only $1699. Easy to upgrade into a XC racer.
the growler feels more capuble because the thic tires
If had 1700 dollars or under and needed one do it all bike it would definitely be the Diamond back mason . I know I said diamondback but it’s a truly great bike for the money.
Would Stoic with dropper post be acceptable n+1 to leave at in-laws half way across the country so I don't have to fly with a bike? Used to riding 22lb carbon full rigid or Santa Cruz Hightower.
3:05 the closest norco dealer is about 1000 miles away so I wouldn’t call that local 😂
sick dude
Cube reaction carbon is same price as the BMC two stroke and pretty much the same Geo to also has lockout on the handle bar and comes with the same Tyres.. but is slightly ligther weight,,, would be a good competitor to the xc HT race bike's in the apr 1600 price range (it's virtually the same handlebar to)
Really happy that my growler 40 is going to be delivered to my shop in a week
Any reason the Marin San Quentin and Commencal Meta weren’t included?
Can you make a review , Rock Machine blizz TRL 70-29
In this range of price one of the finest hardtail in the market is the Orbea Alma M50. But is not a fancy Anglo-Saxon brand I presume.
My Scott Scale 965 would have made an interesting addition to that lineup; with better tyres...
getting the vitus sentier when it restocks can't wait for it
2022 lmao
A friend of mine bought the vrx for 1200 euros with full slx specs. Now it's about 1700 with deore. It's crazy what they have done with the price
@@RoyalRhino dam when was that
@@RoyalRhino I mean deore is probably more capable than a older slx maybe?
@@Ren-je1di they are restocking this month I believe
Whyte 901!!! But good that you've show cased hardtails.
You guys ever ride the devinci Kobain I own one and would like to hear some one else’s opinion!
What do y'all think about the Niner air9 for 1700
6:51 why are those handle bars so uneven? Edit: watching more of the video, it looks like y'all actually rode it that way. The only reason I'm wondering about this is that my friend just realized his bars are about 1.25" asymmetrical. He's had that bike for 10 years and it's been in multiple bike shops and ridden for many many miles and nobody ever noticed his handle bars were not straight. I'm starting to wonder if this is a common thing. Also, I got into mountain biking for $600 ;)
Cries in kona honzo
There's a Canyon Stoic 3 in Europe that costs (converted from Euro) about 1400 USD... and it comes with RockShox Recon, dropper post, and a wider range 11-50 cassette. I think it's really hard to beat offer for entry-level hardtail
Vitus sentier vr
@@settoresettore5540 stoic is more better looking i would say, also a lot of people are saying that canyons broke a lot, idk if that's true
You should throw Marin Palisades into the mix! A dropper post, a rockshox fork and a Sram NX drive drain for $1399+tax
What to me is a bit surprising on the *Canyon Stoic 2* (not 3 as stated in summary), both in this vid and the review video of it, is the talks about doing a few more bucks to get the dropper post and cassette in place. What then if you spend the cash on the gap to begin with, and opt for the Stoic 3? Seems a dropper, RS Recon silver, and an 1x12 11-50 cassette will be in place already, good to go...
Should even reply myself here...
Due availability, this bike came to my doorstep at Christmas.
That's it. Spec Fuse not available, requests for other brands stranded a bit...
And I did EXACTLY what Mike is talking about here. Ease up on the tires, fit proper handles, fit a dropper... The sums rack up for this bike. But at least it ensures me a 2022 season. :)
What about Ibis DV9 hardtail?? 🔥🤪
Too outdated, and not that budget oriented. Its been around for quite some time now too, so people know about it.
7:42 Why do you mention the canyon stoic 3 while showing the white one that is the stoic 2? the stoic 3 is the gray one that comes with suspension rockshox, iridium dropper and SX Eagle
The US website has it labeled as the 3. The 3 you mentioned isn’t sold here. I heard that they are switching it back to the 2 because people have been getting confused
Indeed, BTW the stoic 4 much greater value for 1700€ with NX, Guide T, Pike select and the a much more pleasant color
I like my polygon premier 5
I got into mountain biking with a 400 dollar bike. I have since uprageded and I’m addicted to mtb
- Norco Fluid HT 1 2021/2022: CAD$1,560 [ X-Fusion RC32 Air, 120mm] [sale price]
- Rocky Mountain Growler 40 2022/2023: CAD$2,150 [Suntour Raidon 34 LOR Air Boost 140mm]
- Rocky Mountain Growler 50 2022/2023: CAD$2,280 [RockShox 35 Gold RL 150mm] [sale price]
What if I spend $590 to upgrade Norco, can we compare after that?
P.S. I just bought Norco Fluid HT 1 2022 on sale ;)
I know ya'll tested and liked the stoic 3, but i was looking at the stoic 4, do you think that would be a good bike?
Where's my Commencal Meta? 🔥🤟
y'all probably didn't include it because it's already got enough screen time on this channel ig.
6:50 what happened to the handlebar and stem alignment??
Oh god
That's not how you set up your bars...weird
The standard rocky mountain bars are like that, they only have stripes on one side of the stem. Plus the camera angle is weird.
@@captaintraction4024 yeah now the more I look at it, it looks better. But still there's more distance on the left than right (viewing perspective) imo
that's the secret why it rides best 😂
Hi guys!
Hey your not tried the ragleys ? Lol
My first few bikes were freebies, hand me downs etc. that I cobbled together out of donated and scavenged parts, lets be real you can get into mountain biking and love it for next to nothing.
trek roscoe?
Growler ftw
i'm 54, i ONLY go hardtail..... it keeps you honest on rides
Levi's face when she said two stroke😂
you forgot the giant fathom 2
I'm older, will be the big 50 soon. And as Levy mentioned, I'm not sure I'll enjoy having a hardtail too. I been riding a V1 Ripmo (Carbon) for about a year now and been considering a backup bike. The Growler seems like something I would be interested in. Unless I find a good deal on another Ripley. A Ripley would compliment my Ripmo nicely. Hmmmm....decisions, decisions...LOL.
I'm 70 and hardtails forever!
Specialized Chisel should be here
And rockrider am 100 is good?