Major MTB Bike of the Year – The Hub – Mountain Bike Forums/Message Boards
It’s the time to make decisions about which mountain bike was the best of the year. Vital has announced such awards in the past and we have always believed in the bikes we have chosen, whether based on performance, technology, price or a combination of these features.
As 2023 comes to an end, we discussed the topic internally and decided to select an outstanding bike of the year. Historically, it has never been an easy decision as there are numerous factors that make mountain biking such a great sport. Do we choose a single mountain bike? Do we give out awards for a billion different categories like Trail, Enduro, All-Mountain, Down-Country, XC, DH, Hardtail, etc.? Can a $14,000 mountain bike compete with a $2,000 mountain bike? Essential employees can only ride a limited number of bikes in a 365 day window and a Nicolai Saturn 14 GPI ST There was no bike for us to try. So how about a bike like this? A bike that can rip fast, open trails in California could be a real dog on tight singletrack in New England. Additionally, while we always stand behind our bike tests and initial reviews, Vital does not handle warranty issues, parts or customer service like a rider who purchased the bike with their hard-earned money.
By the way, the year 2023 has also proven to be unique when it comes to bicycle prices and even the existence of bicycle brands. In less than a year, retail bike prices have plummeted. There are now BOGO sales on Konas, and YT has Uncaged Capra bikes with GX gearing, Öhlins suspension, Carbon Crank Brothers wheels, and AXS Reverb droppers on sale for just $4,399. At the time of writing, only the media was sold out. How do we compare the YT to a bike model 2203 that probably costs $7,000 for a similar build? Should a stunning YT win Bike of the Year because of the crazy deal it got out of it?
No matter the brand, the bike, the build or not, you’re less likely to find better value than YT’s closeout uncaged models.
Vitus has had more than one bike that could have easily earned the Bike of the Year award based on its performance and value. The problem? Vitus is now a vaporware product in the US, not because of the people at the brand who are interested in mountain biking, but because of its billionaire investor. We had a $2,700 Vitus ready to go in our “dirt.”cheap bike” test. It was almost equally or better equipped than the $4,000 Stumpjumper in the same test. When we showed up on the first day of testing, news reached us that Vitus no longer existed in the US, so we didn’t consider the bike .
This Vitus, which was supposed to be included in our cheap bike test, could definitely have competed for the title “Vital Bike of the Year”.
Have I chatted long enough? Does this all make sense? The decision to choose Bike of the Year is so ridiculously subjective that we won’t be making it in 2023. Instead of receiving comments based on controversy, we want comments that can actually help someone choose a mountain bike that they can enjoy one ride at a time.
That’s why we turn to you, the Vital community. It’s the power of your shared experiences that can help someone decide whether a bike is best for them. Keep in mind that this isn’t a perfect scenario either. A rider who just dropped $7,000 on a new-fangled carbon beauty may not be the first to admit its shortcomings. However, after 14 years of Vital community feedback, I am confident that you, the drivers on our site, are honest, incredibly knowledgeable and detailed.
Please post your experiences with bikes in 2023. Be specific about the bike, the build, the terrain you ride on, your riding style, ups and downs, dreams, nightmares, and everything else. Let’s end this year on a good note!
Many thanks to every Vital MTBer who is part of this great crew of riders! -gordo
