We’ve all got that one bogey trail that puts us off a certain centre or downhill run. Whether it’s a gnarly rock garden, super-tight bend or massive jump, it only takes one scary feature to put us off a trail.
What you need, in that case, is confidence. With confidence, you can shred absolutely anything. But how do you get that extra boost of confidence? With a bike that’s fully optimised for trail-blazing of course!
Here are some of our best trail bikes to help you gain that confidence and finally shred that dreaded trail…
A hop, skip and a Stumpjumper
Our Stumpjumper has never really fit the mould of a normal trail bike, nor confined itself to one strict definition of trail riding. It’s built to handle all manner of rough and gnarly terrain, whether that’s on a downhill trail, uphill track or cross-country path.
The Stumpjumper is available in its much-loved standard variant, as well as a new EVO setup that’s optimised for shredding the gnarliest of trails. With heavier steering, exceptional front-end traction and downhill-style suspension, the Stumpjumper EVO is designed to glue itself to the trail, giving you the confidence you need to conquer any scary moments on the run.
Both Stumpjumpers are designed to have an almost telepathic connection with their rider, the super-stiff frame and Rx Trail Tune in the fork and rear shock allowing for one hell of a stable and exciting ride. They’re awash with added features and top-of-the-range finishing kits, all of which you can view by just clicking on your chosen model.
From stiff and compliant carbon to burly aluminium builds, there are many different Stumpjumper models to choose from – we’re certain you’ll find one that suits your riding style perfectly.
The do-anything Epic
The Epic is our designated cross-country machine and truly one of the fastest XC bikes on the planet, boasting more wins over the past few years than you could possibly count.
It’s available in an EVO model that adds a little extra travel to the fork, making the ride a little more forgiving on the rougher trails. With neat features like a dropper post, Brain 2.0 technology and Rider-First Engineered geometry, the Epic EVO is the ultimate choice for those riders who love both dicey downhills and gruelling mountain ascents. It’s a proper ‘do-anything’ kind of bike that can tackle all manner of trails at top speed, making it the ideal off-road racing bike.
Hitting the perfect balance between shred-ability and durability, the Epic EVO is complete with the very best finishing kit including SRAM Eagle gearing, Fox forks and suspension, and Roval carbon wheels.
Click here to view the entire Epic range – there’s a model for just about everyone.
All-mountain Enduro
The Enduro isn’t quite a Demo nor a Stumpjumper; it lies somewhere in between the two, striking a perfect balance between all-mountain performance and efficiency. We’re talking tons of travel, a lightweight chassis and an efficient geometry that can crush all manner of terrain – that’s the Enduro way.
On the Enduro, climbs are just as easy as the descents – that’s why we call it an ‘all-mountain’ bike. Thanks to a super-lightweight chassis constructed from either stiff carbon or burly aluminium and a ton of travel, you can throw the Enduro around and still get maximum performance from it – the bike transferring every watt of power into speedy forward momentum.
The Enduro is available in a massive variety, from the top-of-the-range S-Works all the way to the entry-level Comp model. The finishing kit may differ, but the heart of the bike remains the same, with each and every model getting the same race-winning geometry and frame design.
Racing the trails at Cape Epic 2019
If all this talk of trail bikes hasn’t yet got you pumped to go and ride the trails, then these updates from the Cape Epic 2019 race certainly will.
The Absa Cape Epic is an annual mountain bike stage race held in South Africa that sees some of the world’s most famous cyclists – from both road and mountain biking disciplines – battle it out over marathon stages (of over 100km in length!) for a chance to be crowned champion of the Cape.
Many refer to it as the ‘Tour de France of mountain biking’ and we’re definitely not going to disagree. What’s so great about the Cape Epic is that it’s open to anyone, as long as you get in there quick enough to secure your spot. That means you can race alongside the likes of top pros like Anna van der Breggen and Annika Langvad, both of whom have taken S-Works Epic trail bikes to the race over the past few years.
If you want to catch up on the race so far, then check out the text updates at Pinkbike, or head over to the Cape Epic Youtube channel and watch the exhilarating stage highlights.
Ready to go and take on the trails now? We thought you would be. Before you take on your next adventure however, why not head down to one of our stores for a quick bike check-up before you go and beat it up on the trails.
