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Top 10 Mountain Biking Brands

Top 10 Mountain Biking Brands

Mountain biking is a very popular sport among thrill seekers around the world, challenging riders to maneuver up and down treacherous terrain. Several bicycle brands around the world also carry mountain bikes, and some brands even specialize in solely making mountain bikes. Read on to learn about the top ten mountain bike brands.

  1. Norco
  2. Pivot
  3. Santa Cruz
  4. Trek
  5. Specialized
  6. Yeti
  7. Giant
  8. Kona
  9. Cannondale
  10. GT

1. Norco

Norco is a bicycle brand headquartered in British Columbia, Canada. Norco makes a variety of mountain bikes that are designed for all types of riders. The Norco brand prides itself on paying attention to every detail during the construction process. As a result, their bikes set the industry standard for durability and quality.

Thanks to their location in British Columbia, Norco tests all of their bikes on world-renowned trails. The brand develops mountain bikes based on the topography of the area in which they are located. Every Norco bicycle is an outstanding product that any skill level of rider will love.

2. Pivot

Pivot Cycles is a younger mountain biking brand that was established in 2007. Pivot Cycles was created around the concept of family. Every year, the Pivot brand has its employees ride with customers and professional mountain bikers to test out their products. Due to their customer driven mindset, Pivot has established itself as one of the top brands in the industry. Their bikes are extremely well built and ride smoothly. Most people who purchase Pivot bikes rave about how awesome they are. Headquartered in Arizona, Pivot tests their bicycles on the unique slick rock terrain to make sure every design is durable. 

3. Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz is a cycling brand that was created around the concept of quality. Their goal is to develop a mountain bike that requires limited maintenance, and empowers confidence in the rider. The brand is named after the town their company headquarters is located in, Santa Cruz, California.

Santa Cruz was started by skateboarding legend Rob Roskopp who wanted to push the boundaries of mountain biking as a sport. Each Santa Cruz bike can be customized to fit the rider’s personal preferences. The Santa Cruz engineering team lives by the motto, “no missed rides.” The brand’s goal is to develop bicycles that encourage people to ride, not create a sense of doubt.

4. Trek

Trek is a bicycle manufacturer located in the state of Wisconsin. Trek is one of the most famous cycling brands in the world, but they also produce exceptional mountain bikes. Trek is a trusted brand that has been designing and developing bikes since 1976. 

The Trek brand was built on the ideals that outstanding craftsmanship leads to durability. Trek has lived up to their motto and have been producing uniquely popular bikes since their inception. The Trek brand also prides themselves on progression. Every new mountain bike challenges the status quo of what is considered normal.

5. Specialized

Specialized is a well-known bicycle brand based in California. Specialized has been producing durable mountain bikes since 1974. The brand makes a variety of different mountain bikes that vary in price points. The cheaper Specialized mountain bikes are highly recommended for beginners. Moreover, more advanced riders will love the upper level bikes offered by Specialized.

The Specialized brand evolved the sport of mountain biking in the company’s earlier years by supporting trail building projects. The brand believes great bikes should be created to ride the best trails possible. Specialized continues to be a leading brand in the mountain biking industry.

6. Yeti

Yeti is a Colorado based cycling company that was founded in 1985. The brand has always been known for creating unique designs based on the newest technology. Since 1985, Yeti has been supporting mountain bike races, and they became one of the first companies to design bikes specifically for racing.

Yeti continues to partner with the top mountain bike racers in the world to develop better products. Yeti bicycles stand out because they are constantly challenging the status quo with their suspension and frame designs. Their bikes might not look like the industry standard, but Yeti bicycles are amazingly smooth and incredibly adaptable.

7. Giant

Giant is a bicycle brand headquartered in Taiwan that has been producing bicycles for over 50 years. Giant is more recognizable as a road biking brand, but the manufacturer produces top quality mountain bikes. Giant has been toward the top of the industry since their inception in 1972. 

Giant’s motto is for each rider to reach their full potential. The brand builds bikes that riders feel comfortable on without sacrificing quality. Throughout the years, Giant has changed how frames were developed, even being one of the first brands to create carbon fiber frames. Moreover, the brand has a large global presence and prides itself on being accessible to their customers.

8. Kona

Kona is a mountain biking company located in the Pacific Northwest. Originally, the brand was developed in British Columbia, Canada, but Kona moved their headquarters to Washington state. Kona was created by mountain bikers, for mountain bikers. Kona only hires employees who are mountain bikers themselves. The engineering team is dedicated to building the best possible ride. In addition, Kona prides itself on customization.

On the Kona website, potential customers put in their ideal bike specifications, then Kona recommends which type of bikes would be best for you. The Kona brand is designed for experienced riders who have a firm understanding of what they desire in a mountain bike.

9. Cannondale

Cannondale is a mountain biking company located in the state of Connecticut. Cannondale pioneered the transition from steel to aluminum and carbon frames. The brand has continued to rethink the way mountain bike frames should be designed. Cannondale bikes are famous for having single-sided forks. 

Cannondale’s brand motto is to ditch the rule book, and create a new path. Recently, Cannondale has been developing pristine mountain bikes that are just as efficient for climbing as they are for downhill. Cannondale bikes are designed with bigger tires to increase stability and control.

10. GT

GT bikes was founded in the 1970s by BMX legend Gary Turner. The California brand primarily focused on BMX bikes in the beginning, but now GT has built a name for themselves in the mountain biking industry. GT bikes are known for their durability. The brand commercialized the triple triangle design, which created a stiffer rear side. 

GT’s triple triangle design increases durability, but results in a more challenging ride. However, GT bikes do not compromise speed. The brand is known for having some of the fastest bikes in the industry. The GT brand is synonymous with quality engineering that is built to last.

Honorable Mentions

Ibis

Ibis is a small California brand that has been making premium mountain bikes for over 40 years. The company was started by former mountain biker Scot Nicol in 1981 when he decided to shift his focus from competition to making equipment specifically for the new sport. Though the company has remained small and focused on value, the Ibis brand has become renowned in the mountain biking community for their durability and the quality of their materials. Ibis bikes are definitely some of the most expensive bikes on the market, but it would be hard to find a better set of bikes.

Evil Bikes

Evil Bikes is a rather unique mountain biking brand, founded by three industry legends. Kevin Walsh, Dave Weagle, and Todd Seplevay, had previously transformed another company, Iron Horse Bicycles, into a competitive brand. They went on their own and founded Evil Bikes, and started designing and marketing some of the most high-quality bicycles the biking world had ever seen. Evil Bikes was founded in Washington, where the forests are dense and mountains are steep. Thus, their bikes are designed to be able to successfully navigate the most treacherous of trails.

Salsa

Salsa Cycles is a classic bicycle brand that falls within the Quality Bicycle Products (QBP) family of brands. The Minnesota company was founded in 1984 by bicycle builder Ross Shafer when he shifted from off-road bikes to the mountain bike market. At first, Salsa focused on producing affordable frames and custom stems but slowly expanded the range of their products. In 1997, the company was purchased by Quality Bicycle Products and transitioned to a bike vendor within the American conglomerate.

FAQ

What is the best mountain biking brand?

The best mountain biking brand on the market is Norco. Norco is a fan-favorite brand, producing bicycles for a range of skill levels. The brand is based in British Columbia, Canada, which features some of the best trail riding in the world. Norco carries several mountain bicycle product lines, along with apparel, accessories, and riding gear.

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