Top Rated Mountain Bikes – 3 of the Best Reviewed!

Last Updated on January 27, 2024 by Jeremy

Departing down the road on your next outdoor camping adventure with friends should not go overlooked without a set of mountain bikes.

Many campgrounds and RV Parks are riddled with activities to do, so why not consider getting some exercise on your next excursion and hit the trails with one of your brand new top rated mountain bikes?

Below, I want to highlight in no particular order, 3 of today’s top rated mountain bikes, that will ensure that you feel revived and refreshed, knowing that there are still some well-built, rugged, light-weight bicycles manufactured in the world to handle the adventure of mountain biking.

1) SANTA CRUZ HIGHTOWER LT

The first bike on this list is called the Santa Cruz Hightower LT. Santa Cruz bikes is a manufacturer of bicycles based out of Santa Cruz, California. They were a company that was founded in 1993 by Rob Roskopp, Mike Marquez and Rich Novak.

The first bike ever made was in 1994, was a full suspension bike called the Tazmon. From there, they continue to be a company that manufactures high-end mountain bikes, including this one, the Hightower.

There are 5 different kit styles available in this model, and they are labeled as:

• -R
• -S
• -XE
• -X01
• -XX1

The key features of this bike are that it is available in a Carbon C material or a Carbon CC material. Also, it features a wheel size of 29″, rear travel of 150mm, and a starting price of $5299.00 CAD.

According to their website,

“Hightower LT is designed for maximum speed in the biggest mountains. It’s truly race-bred, its design the result of the demands of racing at the EWS, Crankworx, and Andes Pacifico”.

Some build specs on kit styles R, S, and XE are as follows:

while the X01 and XX1 kit specs are below here:

Note how the weight of the kit builds drops by 3.21 lbs from least expensive to most expensive in price, due to the fact, the top 3 are with the regular carbon C material and the carbon CC materials in the last 2.

Other unique specs of this bike include:

• -Shocks – Fox Float Performance, Performance Elite, or Factory
• -Rear Derailleur – SRAM Eagle or Shimano M8000
• -Shifters – SRAM Eagle or Shimano M8000
• -Chain – SRAM 12SPD or Shimano M7000
• -Brakes – SRAM Guide
• -Bars – Santa Cruz AM Carbon Bar 35×800
• -Front & Rear Tires – Maxxis Minion 29 x 2.4 3c EXO TR
• -Tubes – Stans Sealant 2oz

As for the shock absorbers on these slick units, the ratings for 100-180 lbs person has the air pressure set at 130-200 psi while the shock sag sits at 16-19mm.

If you are between 200-280 lbs however, the psi of the shocks is to be between 220 and 290 psi with the same shock sag measurements.

Warranty for these bikes showcase a Lifetime on Frame, Bearings, Handlebars, Bottle cages, and the Reserve Carbon Wheels. Santa Cruz also has what is called a No Fault Replacement warranty, which means

“In the event of a non-warranty situation, Santa Cruz Bicycles will make replacement parts available to the original owner at a reduced charge for the applicable warranty period described above”.

Where do you purchase one of these bad boys? The best available option is to head on over to their Dealer page, and find out where your closest location would be.

The next top rated mountain bike is…

2) YETI SB130

Available in 4 different colors (Blue, Black, Gray, and Red), with 130mm rear travel, and a 29″ wheel size, Yeti Cycles introduces its top rated SB130 model, which “possesses a distinct, big mountain feel for riders constantly exposed to uncharted terrain”.

Yeti Cycles was founded in 1985 in California, by a man named John Parker. It was later sold to Schwinn in 1995, but eventually was bought back by two employees of Yeti in 2001, named Steve Hoogendoorn and Chris Conroy.

This bike comes with less build kits than the Santa Cruz, with only 3. They happen to be labeled as:

• -T2 TURQ
• -TLR T2 TURQ
• -T3 TURQ

The T2, TLR T2, & T3 TURQ Kit, is a TURQ series carbon frame which includes Switch infinity suspension technology, internally tunneled cable routing, sealed pivot bearings, and an integrated derailleur hanger and axle.

The weight of each kit hovers around the 29 – 30lb mark, while showcasing the following specs:

Offering a Full on Lifetime Warranty of the SB130, Yeti Bicycles have a unique shock absorber calculator on their website that lets you get the accurate information.

For example, if you are a 200 lb rider, on a T2 model, you would need between 87 & 93 psi of sag pressure, with the sag measurement / pressure reading 16mm / 204 – 214 psi. You can easily access the calculator by clicking ==> HERE.

As far as pricing and availability on these units go; Clicking on Yeti’s dealer page will gain you availability access to a location nearest you while the pricing is as follows:with upgrade options ranging from $700 – $2700.00 on top of this.

With two very similar looking bikes already showcased, lets see what the third mountain bike is…

3) TREK FUEL EX

Trek is a company that was established in 1975 by two men named Dick Burke, and Bevill Hogg. Between 1980 & 1984, this company became a business. Fast forward between the years 2006 & present, in 2021, Trek announced the release of its professional level Madone.

Today,

 “Fuel EX is your go-to full suspension bike for doing it all every day. From epic big mountain rides on the weekend to rowdy local trails after work, Fuel EX is there for all your ups and downs”.

With a Gen 5 model and a Gen 6 model, the Fuel EX bike has a variety of options to choose from, 15 to be exact, and they include:

Gen 5

• -EX5, EX7, EX8, EX9.7, EX9.8, EX9.8 XT, EX9.8 GX AXS, and EX9.9 X01

Gen 6

• -EX7, EX8, EX9.7, EX9.8 XT, EX9.8 GX AXS, EX9.9 XTR, and the EX9.9 XX1 AXS

For the purpose of keeping this article limited, I’ll focus on the top rated, newest high-end mountain bike, the EX9.9 XX1 AXS Gen 6 model, which is also pictured above.

The details of this particular bike are that it is a performance-first trail bike built for riders who have an appreciation for the finest things in life, like camping. It combines with a carbon frame material, and features components such as 150mm carbon fiber wheels, a FOX Factory fork, and fully wireless SRAM XX1 drive train.

This Trek bike is one that rules the mountain terrain and can be appreciated by the avid rider.

To get the full effect of this review, I feel its best to watch the video version, therefore eliminating the remaining specs and features in written form, just because this bike is truly THAT amazing!

See video below:

Pedaling on the mountainside with these 29.5 x 2.5″ tires can get you up and down the Kootenays no problem, and doing so while adjusting your shock suspension can be done with ease. Similar to the Yeti bicycle, Trek’s website has a suspension calculator for easy adjustments.

With 3 different color options, this bike can be purchased right from the Trek website for a mere $13,699.99.

RECAP

Now that we have a pretty good idea what the top rated mountain bikes were, its safe to say that you can enjoy your camping trip in full relaxed form after a hard ride through the mountain-side with your friends.

Taking the extra cautions of transporting your bike with one of these…

is also a good idea. This product from BIKE eRACK™, is the first electric self-loading bike rack! Built solid, durable and with an electric hitch mounted rack, it loads all aluminum bikes, eBikes, trikes, and adapted bikes. It is also remotely activated, and offers quick access to the cargo space even when fully loaded.

Secondly, having a bike flashlight for those night rides would also be a great idea for your Highlander, SB130 or EX bike, so the campers can see you coming from miles away. Do be sure to add these products to your camping list checklist before you depart on your adventure as well.

This concludes 3 of the best reviewed bikes manufactured to date. I hope these features and specs don’t confuse you too much, as its all about the ride, the excitement, and the thrill of mountain biking!

As such, feel free to leave me a comment on what your price range of mountain bike is, or browse through our online store to scope out other bikes, and if you can’t find one you like, I’ll be sure to source it out for you!

Cheers!