Best Mountain Bikes 2022: Eight Standout Rides, From Steel Hardtails to Race E-Bikes

Introduction

The 2022 mountain bike market covered an unusually broad range. Steel hardtails sat alongside high-pivot enduro race bikes, short-travel down country machines shared showroom space with long-travel electric trail bikes, and prices stretched from a few hundred pounds for a frame up to five figures for a complete build.

This roundup looks at eight bikes that stood out across those categories. Some are built for racing, some for long days in the hills, and one is a full-power e-bike with a price tag to match. What they share is a clear sense of purpose.

What Sets These 2022 Mountain Bikes Apart

Travel is the simplest way to sort this group. The cross country bikes sit at 100mm front and rear, the down country options move to roughly 120mm, the enduro machines reach 160mm at the rear with 170mm up front, and the electric trail bike pairs 150mm of rear travel with a 160mm fork. More travel generally means more capability on steep, rough ground and a little more weight and pedal effort everywhere else.

Materials and pricing split the field just as sharply. There is a steel hardtail with a frame priced from £695, alloy builds in the mid four figures, carbon race frames, and an e-bike at the very top of the range. Drivetrains are equally varied, from a SRAM GX Eagle AXS build to a Shimano 12-speed mix of XT and SLX. Wheel setups run from straightforward 29 inch to a mixed mullet arrangement on the e-bike.

The practical takeaway is that there is no single best configuration here. A rider chasing race results will want the lightest frame and the shortest travel. A rider who mostly descends will want the longest fork and the most forgiving suspension. Matching the bike to the terrain you actually ride matters more than any headline figure.

Specialized S-Works Turbo Levo

The S-Works Turbo Levo is a trail e-bike pitched at the rowdier end of that category. It pairs 150mm of rear suspension with a 160mm Fox Float 38 Factory fork, so the front end is closer to an enduro bike than to a typical trail build. The motor assistance is controlled and predictable, which helps on technical climbs, and the battery is designed to last through ambitious ride plans.

The suspension has a smooth, bump-absorbing feel over rough ground. The bike ships with a mullet wheel setup, mixing a larger front wheel with a smaller rear, and it comes in six sizes covering riders from around 4’11”. One thing to note is the damping tune, which lighter riders may find a little firm for their weight.

The specification is about as strong as it gets, and so is the price: £13,000 or $15,000 depending on market.

Trek Top Fuel 8

The Top Fuel is built on Trek’s cross country racing DNA, but the latest version is burlier and more trail-focused than its predecessors. It runs 120mm of suspension front and rear and, for the first time, includes in-frame down tube storage on both the carbon and aluminium models.

The alloy-topped build comes with a RockShox Sid Select fork with 35mm stanchions and a Deluxe Ultimate shock. Gearing is a Shimano 12-speed drivetrain mixing XT and SLX, which covers steep climbs comfortably. The 34.9mm seat tube is less common than other standards, but the extra diameter should help give the frame a more solid, stiff feel.

That alloy build is listed at £3,850 or $3,829.99, which places it in the mid four figures.

Transition Spur

The Transition Spur belongs to the down country category, the short-travel segment that aims to combine cross country efficiency with more capable descending manners. It was one of the bikes that stood out most clearly in that class during 2022.

Because it is a short-travel platform, it rewards riders who value pace over big-hit capability. It is not the choice for someone chasing maximum travel for steep, technical descents, but for long rides where climbing speed and trail feel matter, it fits the brief well.

For riders comparing down country options, the Spur is worth putting on the shortlist alongside the other short-travel bikes in this roundup.

Bird Forge

The Bird Forge represents hardtails in this group, and it makes a strong case on value. The SRAM GX Eagle AXS build is competitively priced, and the frame on its own starts at £695. Builds are assembled in the UK and can be customised, which suits riders who already know exactly what they want.

The geometry is forward-thinking rather than conservative. The 29er frame is optimised for forks between 140mm and 160mm and runs a slack 64 degree head tube angle, which keeps the front wheel planted when the trail steepens. The tunable Formula fork adds another layer of adjustment.

Set against other British-designed hardtails, the steel Forge stood out for its cornering performance on steep tracks.

Santa Cruz Blur

The Blur is the lightest cross country race bike Santa Cruz has produced. The frame shed close to 300g, helped by a new linkage-actuated single pivot design with flex seat stays instead of a rear pivot. Travel is 100mm front and rear on the standard XC build.

There is a paint detail worth knowing about. The Dark Matter option is the black frame rather than the salmon finish, and it is around 48 grams lighter as a result. For riders counting grams, that is a small but free gain.

The Blur is aimed squarely at cross country racing and fast, efficient trail riding. Riders who want more travel should look at the TR version below.

Santa Cruz Blur TR

The Blur TR takes the same platform and adds travel. It runs 120mm at the front and 115mm at the rear, which shifts it out of pure cross country and into down country territory.

That makes it a more forgiving option for riders who want the Blur’s low weight and efficiency but spend more time on rougher descents. The trade-off is the usual one: more travel and slightly less race focus than the XC build.

Juliana Wilder

The Juliana Wilder is the women’s version of the Blur XC. It uses the same cross country approach but is offered in smaller frame sizes and with different finishing kits, which gives more riders a way into the platform.

For anyone who struggled to find a suitable fit on the standard Blur sizing, the Wilder is the version to check first.

Devinci Spartan

The Spartan is a serious enduro race bike. Its 160mm split pivot rear suspension places a pivot concentrically around the rear axle and combines it with a high main pivot, producing a rearward axle path. The result is suspension that stays smooth and highly capable over sustained rough, fast trails while remaining controlled.

The most affordable of the three builds on offer is listed at $6,149, and it still brings a 170mm Fox 38 Performance fork and a Fox Float X2 Performance Elite rear shock. The 29er layout is ready for race pace straight out of the box.

The main compromise is the climbing geometry, which leaves some room for improvement.

If descending performance is the priority, the Spartan’s suspension behaviour is the standout feature.

Buying Advice: Matching the Bike to the Riding

Start with terrain rather than spec sheets. If most of your riding is fast, smooth and climb-heavy, the cross country and down country bikes here, including the Blur, the Wilder and the Spur, will feel quicker and more rewarding. If your rides regularly point downhill over rocks and roots, the extra travel of the Spartan or the long-fork front end of the Turbo Levo will make more difference than a lighter frame.

Budget is the second filter. The Bird Forge frame at £695 is the lowest entry point in this group and the most customisable, which makes it attractive if you already own components or want to build up over time. The Trek Top Fuel 8 sits in the middle with in-frame storage and a mixed Shimano drivetrain. The S-Works Turbo Levo sits at the opposite end at £13,000 or $15,000, where you are paying for motor assistance, top-tier suspension and a premium build together.

Finally, check fit and setup. The Turbo Levo spans six sizes from around 4’11”, while the Juliana Wilder offers smaller frame sizes for riders who need them. A bike that fits properly and is tuned for your weight will outperform a better-specified one that does not.

Conclusion

The 2022 mountain bike range covered genuine variety: a steel hardtail with custom builds from £695, short-travel carbon race bikes, a 160mm enduro machine at $6,149, and a £13,000 electric trail bike at the top. Each one is a strong choice within its own brief.

The right pick comes down to the riding you do most and the budget you have set. Match those two things to the travel and build that suit them, and any of these bikes will serve well for years.