While most of the test field consists of analogue bikes, we also included four of the most important light eMTBs of the season, which rely on the four most exciting motor systems and battery concepts currently available on the market, thus appealing to a very wide range of rider types. Is this bonkers? Or is it unfair? Not at all, in fact, our test shows that the opposite is true! Curiously, there are bikes with nearly identical specs that have a price difference of over € 4,000, which caused quite a stir – wtf! For example, there’s a difference of over € 8,000 between the cheapest and most expensive competitors. On this basis, we’ve put together an exciting test field with 15 hot, new bikes, which provided some exciting insights and plenty of interesting facts. On top of that, our editorial team racked their brains to understand which bikes simply couldn’t be overlooked, along with a few more niche options that our readers might not be aware of. This gave us a good starting point to work from. Our latest readers’ survey with 23,000 participants revealed which brands are most popular amongst our readers and which technologies arouse their interest. It was a colourful bunch of contestants, with newcomers, underdogs, innovative high-tech trail bikes and bikes that have already set a benchmark in the past seeking to prove themselves against the new competition. Our test field consists of 15 modern trail bikes and includes all kinds of different concepts, from lively, lightweight speedsters to rowdy shredding machines and even several light eMTBs, which pushed their analogue competitors to the limits. Or have you ever seen Chat GPT rocketing down the trail? Our test field: 15 of the most exciting bikes of 2024 at a glance It’s a fine balance, a harmonious interaction of different criteria that can’t be deduced from a spec list, geometry chart or random lab results – let alone predicted by AI. For example, a trail bike has to perform equally well on climbs and descents, which can be achieved through a sensible geometry, finely tuned rear suspension kinematics and the right choice of components. The best trail bikes in this group test can do all of this, and they do it extremely well! To achieve this, they must be able to combine different riding characteristics, and sometimes even to unite supposed opposites. Instead, they’re designed to be versatile, strong all-rounders that allow you to have fun on any sort of trail, whether you’re heading to your local forest for a chilled post-work ride without knee pads, shredding gnarly bike park lines at the weekend, or embarking on an epic singletrack expedition in the Alps. However, there’s one thing all trail bikes have in common: they’re all designed to deliver top riding fun on the trail – or at least, they should! That’s mainly down to the fact that trail bikes are not developed for racing, which is the case with most enduro and XC rigs. Have you ever seen Chat GPT flying down the trails? In other words, depending on the bike, you could either carve through a berm with extreme precision or slide through it hoping for the best – and that’s despite the fact many bikes share near-identical key data like the suspension travel, geometry and wheel size. What became quickly evident again in this year’s test with 15 trail bikes, is that each model has its very own character, with huge differences distinguishing the bikes from one another. What really counts is the overall concept and, of course, how well each concept suits your individual needs, riding style and intended use. Every manufacturer interprets the existing categories in a different way, relying on different specs, features and key data and keeping the focus on different things, blurring the boundaries between categories. There’s no such thing as “one bike for all”.

In other words, instead of fixating on a certain bike category, you should look for a specific bike model, regardless of whether it’s classified as an all-mountain, super enduro or full-suspension touring bike. First off, the days when we were buying bikes based on a predefined category are long gone.

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