Vote Now! Most Desirable Mountain Bike – Singletrack World Awards 2023

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In a bumper year for brill bikes we’ve got five finalists for you in this category – we just couldn’t narrow it down any more.

These aren’t the bikes that you dreamt of when you were a teenager, these are the bikes you can go out and buy, now. There’s still plenty of innovative technology in all of these bikes, showing it’s more than just a pretty paint job that floats your boats.

Atherton AM.170

Atherton AM.170

From intriguing new-tech start-up brand to World Cup Downhill winning machines. Atherton Bikes is a big success story. The AM.170 is their latest and greatest offering. Watch Gee Atherton dominate the Dolomites on an Atherton AM.170.

Cotic FlareMAX Gen 5

Cotic FlareMAX Gen 5

Don’t say downcountry. The 125mm FlareMAX is all the trail bike that you may need. Steel looks, steel feel, steely on-trail performance. Cotic’s best bike? Read our First Look & Feels of the Cotic FlareMAX Gen 5.

Deviate Claymore

Deviate Claymore

All above the high pivot hype train! Except it’s not just hype. The excellently named Claymore from Deviate combines cool aesthetics with high tech suspension. Read our Deviate Claymore review.

Starling Mega Murmur

Starling Cycles Mega Murmur
Starling Cycles Mega Murmur

Another steel full suspension makes it into the Most Desirable MTB shortlist. The Mega Murmur takes everything Starling and turns it up to 11. Have a quick drool over the Starling Mega Murmur.

Hope HB916

Hope HB.916
Hope HB916

From skinny straight pipe steel to hand-laid swoopy carbon fibre and crisply machined alloy from Barnoldswick. The HB.916 is much more than just a vanity project. Is the HB916 the perfect bike?

There’s something for everyone in that lot. Close your eyes, picture that dream garage… which of these makes it into your bike rack? Ready to vote? Here we go…

Voting closes midnight 5th November

Vote in all the Singletrack World Awards 2023 categories here

Vote Now

Cast your vote by selecting an option then hit the cast your vote button.You can only vote once in each category so cast your vote wisely.

Once you have cast your vote the form will be disabled.

Only registered users can vote. If you are not yet registered go here.

Results will be revealed mid November.

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Orange Switch 6er. Stif Squatcher. Schwalbe Magic Mary Purple Addix front. Maxxis DHR II 3C MaxxTerra rear. Coil fan. Ebikes are not evil. I have been a writer for nigh on 20 years, a photographer for 25 years and a mountain biker for 30 years. I have written countless magazine and website features and route guides for the UK mountain bike press, most notably for the esteemed and highly regarded Singletrackworld. Although I am a Lancastrian, I freely admit that West Yorkshire is my favourite place to ride. Rarely a week goes by without me riding and exploring the South Pennines.

More posts from Ben

Home Forums Vote Now! Most Desirable Mountain Bike – Singletrack World Awards 2023

Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 45 total)
  • Vote Now! Most Desirable Mountain Bike – Singletrack World Awards 2023
  • davros
    Full Member

    Flaremax for me, even though I have the gen4. The rest are too enduro for my desires/skills.

    3
    matt_outandabout
    Free Member

    I have voted for the bike I think is most desirable – but agree I am torn as it is not a bike I would choose for my mincecore lite riding…

    1
    devash
    Free Member

    FlareMax or the Starling for me. Lovely clean lines.

    I appreciate what Atherton are doing with their bikes but they look like a plumber built them out of offcuts from a recent job.

    The Deviate and Hope look ok but carbon high pivot enduro frames look much of a muchness these days.

    10
    Bruce
    Full Member

    Can we have a none of these button?

    4
    Mark
    Full Member

    No

    4
    tall_martin
    Full Member

    Can we have an anything by Nicolai/ geometron button?

    Speeder
    Full Member

    I’m torn, those are some great bikes. I’ve got a Starling and like Joe/the brand a lot so that’s my first thought but that Atherton is on my lottery win next bike list.

    Good choices

    hmmmmm

    1
    fahzure
    Full Member

    *most desirable UK mountain bike. Glad you are shining a light on the home team. I hope you do that in every category.

    sharkattack
    Full Member

    I’d probably only consider buying the Hope. Maybe the Claymore when it comes out in black.

    The Starling can get in the bin.

    I’d rather have a G1 than anything on the list.

    nickc
    Full Member

    The hope looks ace, but is disqualified becasue high pivot and same goes for the Claymore although they are desirable and in the flesh the finish on the Hope is incredible looking. I’m not a fan of skinny tubed full-sussers, they just look wrong to me, although again in the flesh the Starling is an amazing looking thing.

    Which leaves the Atherton, Pictures don’t do the joints justice really, and obviously they are desirable, becasue if I bought one, I’d automatically be able to ride in the Alps like Gee. That’s how it works, right?

    chakaping
    Full Member

    Did Geometron launch anything in the past year? I know Nicolai probably launched a few gearbox/eeb monstrosities.

    I reckon the UK theme could have been extended with the Orange Stage 7.

    whatyadoinsucka
    Free Member

    was gonna put my vote on the Ti deviate, mm. its the carbon model, I’ll go hope.

    lowey
    Full Member

    Should have put a pick up of the Hope in Chameleon.

    dangeourbrain
    Free Member

    I reckon the UK theme could have been extended with the Orange Stage 7.

    Just for the giggles in the comments?

    Could be a great bike but it’s about as desirable as a mondeo.

    For me the hope is the only one on there that’s desirable, it’s the one I’d be likely to stroke and cooo over on a display stand.
    It’s also one of two I wouldn’t really think about buying and I think that’s part of what makes it desirable.

    1
    matt_outandabout
    Free Member

    Could be a great bike but it’s about as desirable as a mondeo herpes.

    FTFY

    mrchrist
    Full Member

    None of them look great imo.

    Atherton, lugs = nope

    Cotics struts by the chainrings and seat post make heavy. Probably not mind…

    The deviate has a wired angle on the down tune and the seat tube above the top tube is too long.

    The starling is almost alright but looks like it has a rubbish untied rear triangle aka the first orange full suss and therefore looks bad. Maybe ifnitnwas the same colour as the front triangle….

    As for the hop, I have never liked a vertical shock. Make the frame look too busy.

     

    jp-t853
    Full Member

    Hope is the best of the bunch for me

    dangeourbrain
    Free Member

    Could be a great bike but it’s about as desirable as a mondeo herpes.

    FTFY

    Not sure if that’s an upgrade or downgrade. At least I’d hope I enjoyed buying the herpes, can’t even say that for a mondeo.

    hammerandcycle
    Free Member

    Voted for the Atherton as that will most likely be my next bike purchase.

    1
    onewheelgood
    Full Member

    I wouldn’t buy any of them (as with Matt_oab they wouldn’t suit my riding) but I do like the looks of the Atherton. So as long as the question is ‘Which is the most desirable bike on this rather short and limited list?’, it gets my vote.

    1
    MartynS
    Full Member

    The atherton every time, but with black lugs..

    Strangely they don’t photo that well but in the flesh are absolutely stunning.

    qwerty
    Free Member

    Transition Spur.

    tall_martin
    Full Member

    @chakaping

    Did Geometron launch anything in the past year? I know Nicolai probably launched a few gearbox/eeb monstrosities

    I think these both came out.
    Gearbox tick
    Ebike tick
    Monstrosity TICK TICK TICK TICK

    Id still love either if an unlimited money tree started shaking near me :⁠-⁠)

    http://www.nicolai-bicycles.com/nc1-en

    http://www.nicolai-bicycles.com/Nucleon-16-Landing-EN

    http://m.pinkbike.com/news/bike-check-and-shop-tour-lal-bikes-nicolai-nucleon-16-supre-test-sled.html

    3
    Mark
    Full Member

    Which is the most desirable bike on this rather short and limited list?

    Which bike did you nominate? Or did you miss the nominations stage?

    1
    razorrazoo
    Full Member

    Atherton with black lugs please.  As said earlier, in the flesh they look fantastic.

    1
    LAT
    Full Member

    I have voted for the bike I think is most desirable – but agree I am torn as it is not a bike I would choose for my mincecore lite riding…

    want the cotic, but I’d say that the atherton is the more desirable bike.

    1
    roger_mellie
    Full Member

    Which bike did you nominate? Or did you miss the nominations stage?

    Classy.

    jimdubleyou
    Full Member

    Am I wrong to pick the bike I’d most like to be good at riding?

    pisco
    Full Member

    I saw a few of these up close at Ard Rock stands. I didn’t ride any of them, but based on aesthetics and what I think would would suit my riding, it has to be the Starling. Skinny steel FTW.

    gbozo49
    Full Member

    Beauty is in the eye of the beholder so I can’t be doing with the Starling as it just looks minging (sorry Benji) and the “steel is real” contingent is more than ably represented by the Cotic. High pivots aren’t doing it for me so that’s the Deviate (which I do quite like) and the Hope (which I really don’t like) out of the picture. Which means the Atherton gets my vote. Black lugs, grey lugs, makes no difference, it’s the best of this bunch.

    2
    ton
    Full Member

    do hardtail bikes no longer count as mountainbikes ??

    bearGrease
    Full Member

    All above the high pivot hype train!

    Eh?

    scotroutes
    Full Member

    The Atherton looks like one of those bamboo bikes.

    The Deviate looks like it’s already been involved in a big accident.

    The Starling looks like something @cynic-al brewed up in his kitchen (Yes Al – I remember your fat Marin)

    That leaves the Hope and the Cotic. Based on everything else from Hope, I’d give that a big swerve (and that’s without even thinking about how over-priced it must be). That leaves Cy’s rather “simple” looking design as the most attractive option out of the shortlist, even though I’m not usually a fan of steel frames.

    onewheelgood
    Full Member

    Which bike did you nominate? Or did you miss the nominations stage?

    Ouch. I guess I missed it. I’d have said a Spur anyway.

    dangeourbrain
    Free Member

    (and that’s without even thinking about how over-priced it must be)

    It is not cheap but in the grand scheme of things, it’s really not bad at all, within mid three figures of a like for like finished cotic frame (with a bit of artistic licence as the ohlins shock isn’t an option there).

    bearGrease
    Full Member

    The Atherton looks like one of those bamboo bikes.

    The Atherton looks like a Giant Cadex from way back. Looks good to me!

    onewheelgood
    Full Member

    The Atherton looks like a Giant Cadex from way back. Looks good to me!

    Or an ever further back Raleigh Dyna-Tech.

    hooli
    Full Member

    That Starling is gopping, I’d have to have a good, long think if I’d ride it if it was given to me for free so I am not voting for it as most desirable!

     

    nickc
    Full Member

    That Starling is gopping

    Pictures never do them justice IMO. In reality the finish and detail of them is incredible. After a while you start to notice all the fine detail that’s hidden away in their construction, they really are works of art.

    desperatebicycle
    Full Member

    ton
    Full Member
    do hardtail bikes no longer count as mountainbikes ??

    Yes, but nobody desires them 😛
    Though mine is actually nicer looking than all the nominated ones

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