Hardtail Mountain Bike: The Best Cross Country Hardtail Mountain Bikes
A hardtail carbon fiber mountain bike is designed with a solid frame and a suspension fork in the front part making it good for rough terrain or a cross-country race. It is an easy to maintain option and works like a full-suspension mountain bike and is ideal for mountain bikers who are starting to ride mountain bikes or just want something easy to handle in different terrain with a bike in a decent price range. However, you have to look around to see what the best choices are for your mountain bicycle requirements.
Some of these options are designed with a variety of great features in the body. Others are available only as frames where you’d have to add some extra things onto it to make the bike work. You should look carefully at what’s around so you can find a choice that fits in perfectly with your riding needs.
Canfield Brothers Nimble 9
The Nimble 9 uses a steel frame and has sliding drop outs. This allows you to run it with one speed or with gears depending on your preference. The tube set is also light in weight and isn’t too complicated to use.
Zen Trail
Some hardtail bikes only come with frames. The Zen Trail is one such instance. It a little more than 23 pounds so it should not be too hard to pedal along.
This uses a head tube at 68 degrees so you can effortlessly steer the bike when all its parts are in place. It also has a 120 mm fork and 16.9-inch chainstays. This works only for geared setups though as it does not come with any dropouts you can adjust for handling a single speed setup. You should check on how well you can adjust this based on what you might be more interested in using while out on the trail.
Transition TransAM
The wheels on the TransAM are rather large. You can get a 27.5 or 29-inch model depending on which you prefer. It offers a low frame and has a stronger body that doesn’t bend easily. This works with a flexible axle system that can work with a single speed or a geared option depending on your preference.
The fork is 120 mm on the 29-inch option and 130 mm on the 27.5-inch variant. These are good choices to have but you should check carefully on how well you can steer either option.
Kona Honzo
The Honzo is available in one of many frame styles. You can order this hardtail bike in a carbon, steel, aluminum, or titanium model. However, the steel and titanium models are frame-only so you’d have to get other parts ready if you have one of those options.
The frame is a little longer than most other options. It is about 460 mm long, thus giving you enough room for pedaling without feeling cramped. The 68-degree head tube angle gives you less effort needed for steering the bike, thus helping you get through some of the tightest spots around on the trail.
Chromag Stylus
Chromag offers the Stylus with 26 and 27.5-inch wheels depending on the model you choose. This is designed with trails in mind as it has enough shock absorption features on its frame to keep it steady and active. The 160 mm fork is small enough to give you enough control over the bike without being too hard to use.
Norco Torrent
The design of the Torrent features a 67-degree head tube and a lower bottom bracket. This creates a powerful look but the chain stays still keep the weight centered. As a result, you don’t have to adjust your weight far too much when trying to move forward. You can order chain stays from 16.5 to 16.8 inches depending on your size.
Niner ROS 9
You can order a 120 or 140 mm measurement on the Niner ROS 9 fork. This allows you to have a looser or tighter control over the bike depending on the choice you opt for.
The BioCentric II bottom bracket is a very popular feature. This helps you choose between a geared or single-speed arrangement. Meanwhile, the chain stay can be adjusted from 16.5 to 16.7 inches in length. This should provide you with a more versatile riding experience that is easier for more riders.
Commencal META HT AM CrMo
Guide brakes are a key part of what makes this bike from Commencal work. These brakes help with easing you on many paths and keep the gears from being too active while you brake. You can order this in either a standard steel design or with a lighter aluminum frame. The 160 mm fork is designed to create an effortless ride.
On-One 45650B
This is a more affordable option among hardtail mountain bikes. When all of its parts are applied, it can go for less than $1,000 depending on what you choose. This comes with 27.5-inch wheels. It can work with a 4, 5 or 6-inch fork depending on your demands. The 17-inch chainstay is good for more controls while the frame is a little shorter than most others, thus targeting those aiming for faster reaches on their bikes.
Santa Cruz Chameleon
The Chameleon gets its name from how it is easy for you to get it adjusted in a variety of ways. To start, you can work with a fork from 120 to 150 mm to go along with the main frame. You can also get 26 or 27.5-inch wheels on this model. The 16.5-inch chainstay is consistent among all styles. This is an attractive model that is easy to utilize and can especially help you get out on the trail quickly. Be advised that it can cost close to $2,000 for all the necessary parts depending on what you order for it.
These are all good options to have when it comes to getting the most out of your mountain biking needs. Hardtail mountain bikes are great for those who simply want a bike for the road without being too hard to use. You will be surprised by the extensive variety of great mountain bikes worth having and how you can get them adjusted in many forms.
