(Last updated on March 17th, 2023)
Mountain biking is an excellent sport. It can improve your fitness, help teach you skills you never knew you could achieve, and it’s such a popular sport you will struggle not to make new friends while out on a trail. It’s a great recreational sport that many people take to and never stop doing throughout their lives. Bikes can be complicated, and with so many different types and brands on the market, it can be very tough to find the right bike for you, especially when it comes to full-suspension mountain bikes.
In this article, firstly, we’ll tell you what we look for when it comes to shopping for a full-suspension bike and recommend some excellent bikes for your riding. Then we’re going to give you a full guide on what to look for when buying a full-suspension bike and answer questions that are frequently asked when it comes to buying a full-suspension mountain bike.
What We Look For in Full-Suspension Mountain Bikes
Full suspension mountain bikes are made up of a lot of components and more than a typical bike, and for that reason, special care is needed to be taken when selecting the right bike for you. Here’s what we look at when selecting our best full-suspension mountain bikes.
What Is It Designed to Do
Next, we need to consider what the bike is designed to do. Full-suspension bikes are designed for many different purposes, from downhill riding to XC. We need to know what the bike is used for to understand if the components suit that discipline.
Components
Bikes are made up of many different parts, and that is what makes bikes unique. It’s not just the frame but the combination of the suspension, gearing, and wheels that give the bike certain characteristics. Full suspension mountain bikes have the most components on them of all the different types of bikes and it’s vital to ensure they are all going to work.
Price
When we look at bikes, it’s vital to understand if they are good value for money. Although they might be cheap, it doesn’t mean they are always good value for money. Full suspension mountain bikes range from $1000 all the way to $13000. We ensure that all the bikes on this list are worth the money.
Style and Design
When we look at bikes, the first thing we consider is what they look like. Is it a nice design? Has it been finished to look like an excellent bike, or does it look like something we might not want to ride? Some brands give bikes such excellent unique designs that it does make them feel very special to ride.
| Bike | Frame | Suspension | Gearing | Brakes | Wheels | Price | Where to buy? | Rating |
| Atroz 2 | Aluminum | Suntour | Shimano Acera | Shimano Hydraulic | 27.5” | $1375 | – | 4/5 |
| Rift 2 | Aluminum | RockShox | Shimano Deore 12S | Shimano Hydraulic | 27.5” | $1975 | Check price | 5/5 |
| Mythique 27.5 | Aluminum | Marzocchi / Rockshox | Shimano Deore 12S | Shimano Hydraulic | 29” | $1795 | – | 4.5/5 |
| Mongoose Salvo Comp | Aluminum | Suntour / X Fusion | SRAM SX 12S | Shimano Hydraulic | 29” | $1995 | Check price | 4.5/5 |
| Kona Process 134 | Aluminum | Rockshox | Shimano Deore 11S | Shimano Hydraulic | 29” | $1850 | Check price | 4/5 |
| Decathlon Rockrider | Aluminum | Manitou | SRAM NX 12S | SRAM Level | 29” | $1600 | – | 4.5/5 |
| Boardman MTR 8.9 | Aluminum | RockShox | SRAM NX 12S | SRAM Guide T | 29” | $2000 | – | 5/5 |
Best Budget
1. Diamondback Atroz 2
Our Rating
4/5
$1375
KEY SPECS
| Bike Type | XC |
| Frame Material | Aluminum |
| Suspension | Twin Suntour |
| Gearing | Shimano Acera M3000 |
| Brakes | Shimano Hydraulic Disc |
| Wheels | 27.5 |
| Weight | 35.7lbs |
PROS
- Price
- Hydraulic disc brakes
- Shimano components
- Suntour suspension
- Great looking
CONS
- Basic Components
- Fairly Heavy
Diamondback is not shy about making a good mountain bike and has become one of the most popular brands in recent years because of the amazing value-for-money bikes they produce. The Atroz is an excellent example of a high-quality bike at an amazing cost.
The first thing to mention is the aluminum frame is lightweight and comes in a modern gray we really like. It comes with an SR Suntour XCM front fork and a SR Suntour Raidon-R rear shock giving you 120mm travel up front and 100mm on the back. This is paired up with 1X9 Shimano Acera gearing, giving you a good range of gearing.
Then we have the brakes, and we’re looking at Shimano hydraulic disc brakes for excellent stopping power and some 27.5” wheels with Vee Tires in 2.35”, which will give you great control on technical courses.
Overall Rating
The Diamondback is an excellent full-suspension bike at an amazingly low price. The components are basic, but they will work and can easily be upgraded later in time.
Best Equipped
2. Marin Rift Zone 2 27.5”
Our Rating
5/5
$1975
KEY SPECS
| Bike Type | XC / All Mountain |
| Frame Material | Aluminum |
| Suspension | Twin RockShox |
| Gearing | Shimano Deore 12 Speed |
| Brakes | Shimano Hydraulic Disc |
| Wheels | 27.5 |
| Weight | 34lbs |
PROS
- Excellent Components
- Hydraulic disc brakes
- RockShox suspension
CONS
- The top end of the budget
- Light suspension travel
Marin is a company from California where mountain biking was born. They have an amazing heritage and have been creating incredible bikes for a long time. The Rift is one of the best value-for-money full-suspension mountain bikes on this list.
The aluminum frame is very lightweight and has been made to give the bike excellent ability and also offer a high level of comfort. The front fork is RockShox Recon Silver RL giving 130mm travel, and the rear is a Deluxe Select R with 120mm travel. It will give you the ability to hit tougher trails than cross country.
The Shimano Deore 12-speed groupset is excellent, offers a huge range to get up hills, and is paired with Shimano’s hydraulic disc brakes for great stopping power. The wheels are Marin’s own 27.5” wheels and come with a tough set of Vee Flow Snap tires. The bike even has a dropper post too.
Overall Rating
The Marin Rift is at the top of our budget, but it is incredible. The frame is great, but the components offer so much on top of that. It deserves the highest rating we have and is probably one of the best bikes here.
Best for Enduro
3. Vitus Mythique 29 VRX
Our Rating
4.5/5
$1795
KEY SPECS
| Bike Type | All Mountain |
| Frame Material | Aluminum |
| Suspension | Marzocchi Bomber Z2 and RockShox Rear Shock |
| Gearing | Shimano Deore 12 Speed |
| Brakes | Shimano Hydraulic Disc |
| Wheels | 29 |
| Weight | 34lbs |
PROS
- Ready for very rough trails
- Looks epic
- Shimano components
- Great suspension setup
- Apple
CONS
- Quite heavy compared to other bikes
- Red forks are not for everyone
The Vitus is an excellent bike and is one of the most capable on this list. If you’re looking for a bike to tackle some super challenging trails and want the ability to keep up at the bike park, then this could be the bike for you.
With its compact style frame and lightweight aluminum tubing, it is going to offer great responsiveness. The suspension is a Marzocchi Bomber Z2 on the front giving 140mm travel, and RockShox Monarch rear shock will keep it all under control.
The Mythique has a 12-speed Shimano Deore groupset and brakes to match, which are high-level components on a bike of this price. It comes with WTB i30 wheels with 29” Schwalbe tires for extra control and even sports a dropper post for the big drops.
Overall Rating
The Vitus Mythique is an incredible bike and offers so much ability for the rider. It does come heavier than the other bikes because of these excellent components. This is it if you are looking for a capable full-suspension bike.
Best Value for Money
4. Mongoose Salvo Comp
Our Rating
4.5/5
$1995
KEY SPECS
| Bike Type | All Mountain |
| Frame Material | Aluminum |
| Suspension | Suntour and X Fusion |
| Gearing | SRAM Eagle 12s |
| Brakes | Shimano Hydraulic Disc |
| Wheels | 29 |
| Weight | 32lbs |
PROS
- Lightweight
- Looks great
- Amazing for XC
- Mongoose brand
- SRAM components
CONS
- Top of budget
- Struggle on very challenging trails
- No dropper
If you have been to a bike park or a popular trail, you would have come across a Mongoose MTB before. They make excellent bikes and have been around for over 45 years. The Salvo is a great example of that heritage and their experience.
The frame is lightweight aluminum and comes equipped with a Suntour XCM fork on the front and an X-Fusion 02 Pro, and it gets 100mm travel all around. The gearing comes from SRAM, and it is the legendary 12-speed Eagle groupset that gives you a huge range of gears, especially when it comes to climbing.
You also have hydraulic Shimano brakes, which will stop you very quickly no matter what weather or terrain you’re on, and a set of 29” wheels with Kenda tires to keep the rubber side down.
Overall Rating
The Mongoose is an excellent bike and is one of the lightest on this list. It’s built for XC riding and has limited travel and no dropper, but we love the performance on the light trails it will give you.
Best All Mountain
5. Kona Process 134 29”
Our Rating
4/5
$1850
KEY SPECS
| Bike Type | XC – All Mountain |
| Frame Material | Aluminum |
| Suspension | RockShox Fork and Shock |
| Gearing | Shimano Deore 11 Speed |
| Brakes | Shimano Hydraulic Disc |
| Wheels | 29 |
| Weight | 33lbs |
PROS
- Great all-rounder
- Excellent 140mm travel suspension
- Lovely color
- Shimano components
CONS
- 11 Speed, not 12 speed
- Fairly weighted
The best full suspension bikes under the $2000 list wouldn’t be complete without a Kona on. If you’re looking for a great MTB, they are one of the best places to go. The Process series is a great all-around bike that is built to cover light and medium trails off-road.
The frame is made of 6061 aluminum, and it is very high quality. They have paired this up with a double Rockshox Suspension. You have a Recon RL on the front giving 140mm, and a Deluxe Select on the rear to match up. The groupset is Shimano Deore, which is excellent, but it’s the 11-speed, not the 12-speed.
It also comes with Shimano Hydraulic disc brakes with larger 160mm/180mm discs and WTB rims with Maxxis tires. You also get a lovely TransX dropper post to help give you much more ability on the trails.
Overall Rating
The Kona Process is an excellent bike, and we feel they definitely have ticked all the boxes as an excellent all round MTB goes. The only thing we would have loved is a 12-speed groupset to finish the build.
Best Looking
6. Decathlon Rockrider XC
Our Rating
4.5/5
$1600
KEY SPECS
| Bike Type | XC |
| Frame Material | Aluminum |
| Suspension | Manitou Fork and Shock |
| Gearing | SRAM NX 12 Speed |
| Brakes | SRAM Level Hydraulic |
| Wheels | 29 |
| Weight | 31.7 lbs |
PROS
- Excellent for XC
- Lightweight
- Great frame design
- SRAM Components and brakes
- Price
CONS
- Made for XC
- Light suspension travel
Decathlon doesn’t just do excellent all-round fitness equipment. They also make bikes and very good bikes. The Rockrider is their XC full suspension model, and it’s a great bike. The aluminum frame is lightweight and has an excellent design. It even has a dropped chainstay to help with technical handling, and they are so confident that it even has a lifetime warranty.
The groupset is SRAM NX, and it’s a great 12-speed groupset with a wide range ready to tackle the lumpiest trails. You also have SRAM Level brakes, which paired with this groupset perfectly and offer serious stopping power.
The wheels are 29,” and they are SUN RINGLE Duroc. They come tubeless ready and with Hutchinson tires ready to roll.
Overall Rating
The Rockrider is an excellent XC full-suspension MTB that comes in at an incredibly low price. It isn’t ready for Downhill riding, but it’s a beast for mixed and light trails.
Best Overall
7. Boardman MTR 8.9
Our Rating
5/5
$1600
KEY SPECS
| Bike Type | All Mountain / Enduro |
| Frame Material | Aluminum |
| Suspension | RockShox |
| Gearing | SRAM NX 12 Speed |
| Brakes | SRAM Guide |
| Wheels | 29 |
| Weight | 36 lbs |
PROS
- Great suspension
- Looks excellent
- Dropper post
- Power SRAM brakes
- Amazing all-rounder
CONS
- Top of budget
- Hard to fit a frame bag to
As far as performance goes, the Boardman MTR is by far the most capable bike on this list. It’s a 6061 aluminum frame that is made to perform and perform well. The RockShox suspension comes with a 35 Gold front fork giving 150mm of travel on the front, and a Deluxe Select plus rear, which gives 140mm travel at the back.
The gearing is the SRAM Eagle NX 12 speed which is an excellent groupset and the best value for money as far as MTB suspension goes. It comes paired with SRAM Guide disc brakes which are super powerful with twin 180mm rotors. The wheels are Boardman’s own, and they come Tubeless ready with Maxxis tires.
Finally, the last thing is the Satori Sorata Pro dropper post which offers 125mm of drop so you can get as low as possible on those challenging descents.
Overall Rating
The Boardman MTR 8.9 is the most capable bike on this list and will give amazing performance on light and challenging trails. It’s not the cheapest on this list, but it is the best.
Full Suspension Mountain Bike Buyers Guide
There’s so much you need to consider when buying a full-suspension mountain bike. In this next section, we’ll discuss what you need to consider when looking for the right bike for you.
What’s the Bike Designed For?
The first thing and most important to consider is what the bike is designed to do. You typically have four different disciplines when it comes to mountain biking: Cross Country (XC), Trail (All-Mountain), Enduro, and Downhill. Ensure the bike you buy is for the discipline you want to ride. If you want to do a mix, a trail or enduro bike will be best.
Frame
Frames come in many different shapes, sizes, and materials. For less than $2000, you are more than likely going to be using aluminum which is strong and lightweight. You might find a few carbon fiber frames, but corners might be cut elsewhere on a carbon fiber bike at less than $2000.
Suspension
When it comes to suspension, you have so many options. We recommend using popular brand such as RockShox, Manitou, Suntour, and Fox, to name a few. This will mean servicing will be cheaper and spares easier to find if required. Then you have travel, and travel is the amount a fork or shock can compress. The more aggressive the trail or course, the more travel you will want, but the heavier the system will be.
Gearing
On mountain bikes, you have gears that must be capable of sharp climbs and work well on loose terrain. We recommend always going for a groupset with lots of low gears and one that is from a well-known brand such as Shimano, SRAM, or Campagnolo.
Wheels and Tires
When it comes to wheels, you typically have two different sizes on modern bikes, 27.5” or 29”. Depending on the bike’s size, these will be different. In general, smaller wheels of 27.5” are better for acceleration and working around an object, and 29” wheels are better for top speed and rolling over objects. When it comes to tires, the wider the tire, the more grip you will have on rough terrain, but this comes with extra rolling resistance.
Special Features
Another thing that’s important to consider is special features. Full-suspension mountain bikes come with loads of extra such as dropper posts and suspension that can lock for road riding. Researching the bike a bit will tell you if they have any.
Conclusion
Full-suspension mountain bikes are a lot of fun and the most capable bikes you will find on the market. They can take you into nature and give you the ability to tackle almost anything. We highly recommend any on this list and know you will enjoy the miles.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Full-suspension mountain bikes can be ridden on the road without any issues. They will be very laggy because of the suspension and the wider tires, but it won’t damage them. You might get tires that are more worn down the center from the harsh tarmac.
Hardtail bikes are lighter and stiffer than full-suspension bikes. They are much less capable than a full suspension bike and, on very technical courses, will be much faster than a hardtail mountain bike.
You can, but it is going to be very challenging, and for the rider, it won’t be a very comfortable ride. We recommend a full-suspension bike for downhill riding over a hardtail bike any day.
A full-suspension bike is a bike with suspension on the front, typically on the forks, and suspension on the rear in the form of a shock.
Although heavier, full-suspension bikes are very good at climbing challenging trails. They have the ability to roll over obstacles much smoother, making them very quickly on the right climb.
I’m Robbie Ferri, a writer from Norfolk in the UK. I love cycling, the gym, and have a huge passion for sharing my stories and knowledge to anyone with the time to read them. My main passion is cycling. I started eight years ago. In that time I have broken world records, cycled all over the world in Ultra Bikepacking races, and am lucky enough to have enjoyed some incredible times on two wheels with some incredible people. I have also worked in a bike shop and with some of the industries leading brands, not just promoting products but designing them too.
Under it all I am just someone very passionate about exploration and living a healthy lifestyle. Everything I do I put 100% into it and feel that life is for living. Never should you have a dull day.
