2023 Pinkbike Awards: Mountain Bike of the Year Nominees
All of us here at Pinkbike enjoy getting our XC kicks in too, but 2023's crop of favorites are decidedly skewed towards the gravity-oriented side of things, and even the shorter travel options ended up on the list in large part due to their descending prowess. Modern enduro bikes climb better than ever, which makes it easier to justify pedaling around that slacked-out sled on mellower terrain.
This year's selections are also an indication of the bikes that were new for 2023 - there were more new enduro bikes released than shorter travel trail or XC machines, although I'd expect that to change next season, especially with the Olympics on the horizon. For now, take a look at these six worthy nominees for the 2023 Mountain Bike of the Year.
Why it's nominated
Ibis may have developed the HD6 with input from their now-defunct Enduro World Cup race team, but you don't need to be a hardcore racer to have a good time aboard this carbon machine. It's impressively light and maneuverable for a bike with 165mm of travel and a 180mm fork, and its handling made it a favorite in and out of the Whistler Bike Park during the recent Enduro Field Test.
The stubby head tube could make it a little harder for taller riders to get the front end high enough, and fans of long chainstay won't find them here, but the HD6's climbing and descending abilities shine bright enough to make those relatively minor gripes. During the Field Test, it earned itself the 'palate cleanser' nickname, since it was the bike that testers gravitated towards when they wanted a predictable, easygoing ride.
The HD6 does a great job of balancing traction and efficiency on both the climbs and descents, making it an excellent option for riders looking for a very versatile longer travel bike. To top it all off, the switch to a straight top tube helps make the HD6 one of the best-looking bikes in Ibis' lineup.
From the First Ride:
 | When it comes time to descend, the HD6 is a very manageable, maneuverable bike. Oftentimes I'll find myself writing something like, 'It needs the right terrain to come alive' when reviewing bikes in this category, but that doesn't apply as much to the HD6. Yes, it has a lot of travel, but it's not a big, sprawling beast. It's more of an enduro bike for the masses, one that's not overly demanding to ride, and doesn't require high speeds or an extra helping of aggression to deliver a good time. |
Why it's nominated
Reeb earned a Pinkbike award nomination last year for the 120mm SST, and this year they made it onto the shortlist with the 155mm Steezl. The Steezl pairs a steel front end with an aluminum swingarm, all of it welded up in Lyons, Colorado. It may look fairly basic from a distance, but there's an impressive amount of machining and 3D-printing that goes into each frame. Take the bottom bracket area, for example – its creation involves a laser that melts and fuses metallic powders.
On the trail, the Steezl continued to impress, a comfortable climber that's well suited to big days in the saddle spent hunting rowdy descents. It felt best with a 170mm fork and burlier tires, a setup that tipped it more into the enduro realm, but it can just as easily be set up with a 160mm fork and trail tires for more of an all-round setup. The bottom bracket is a touch high, which means the Steezl doesn't have as much of an in-bike feeling as other options, but for riders who prefer to take charge rather than be a passenger, the Steezl is a great option.
From the First Ride:
| In a world of increasingly chunky bike profiles, the Steezl really stands out. But it's not just the tubing and color that set this bike apart, it also offers a ride quality that matches the craftsmanship. I was happy to pedal the bike all day, ride features I'd never seen before, and even spend two weeks in the bike park all aboard the 155mm Reeb. If it were mine, I'd probably run a burlier 170mm fork and consider a different wheelset, but otherwise it's a delightfully easy bike to get along with, and could easily be the only one you own for people with the right terrain. |
Why it's nominated
We Are One launched their first enduro bike back in 2021, and in the time since they've steadily been adding more options, all based around the same Canadian-made carbon frame. Depending on the shock and linkage kit, the Arrival can be set up with 130, 152, or 170mm of travel. It's the 170mm version that impressed us this year, thanks to its small bump sensitivity, great climbing performance, and overall nimble feel.
This isn't a bike that smashes the trail into oblivion; instead, it's more of a live wire, a long travel machine that feels remarkably agile, making it an excellent option for enduro racers or anyone whose preferred speeds are fast and faster, no matter the trail style.
The frame quality shouldn't be overlooked either – the Arrival looks stunning in person, and it's clear that the crew at We Are One spent some serious time sorting out the little details.
From the review:
| It's impossible to create a bike that perfectly suits all aspects of riding, but if you're looking for a long-travel bike that has nearly all corners covered, the Arrival 170 is one of my top picks. |
Why it's nominated
Forbidden deserves credit for being one of the early arrivals to the modern high pivot party, and they're still one of the only companies using this design for a shorter travel trail bike.
Version 2.0 of the Forbidden Druid now uses an inverted Horst Link layout for its 130mm of rear travel, a change that was done to improve the suppleness of the suspension, and to reduce pedal kickback deeper in the travel. As an added bonus, the new idler pulley location means that there's no longer a need for a lower chainguide in order to achieve enough chainwrap.
For many riders, the sight of an idler pulley usually brings to mind long travel, gravity-oriented machines. And while that's often the case, the Druid is a testament to how well the design can work on the climbs - the rear wheel is able to maintain traction on sections of trail where other bikes would spin out or get hung up.
As for descending, that's the cherry on top – the Druid carries speed impressively well, and easily eats up chunky sections of trail, a shining example of just how capable a modern trail bike can be.
From the First Ride:
| The Druid is a solid choice for a singletrack lover because you can simply stay seated and don’t lose as much speed when pedalling across webs of roots. The seated position is upright and comfy, plus there’s a serious amount of climbing traction. |
Why it's nominated
The Slash was completely revamped for 2023, emerging with 170mm of travel courtesy of a high pivot suspension layout. There's also a wide range of geometry adjustments, similar to what we previously saw on the Fuel EX. The head angle can be altered by plus or minus one degree, it's compatible with either a 27.5” or 29” rear wheel, and there's also a chip that can be flipped to alter the amount of shock progression. On top of all that, there are five frame sizes to choose from, all with relatively short seat tube lengths in order to allow riders to size up or down if they'd like.
Even with all that travel and the high pivot suspension design, the Slash sits firmly in the 'fast' category – it would make a formidable enduro race bike, thanks to how unflappable it feels at higher speeds. It's no one-trick pony, though, and somehow it never felt like a handful, even when picking through slow speed, awkward maneuvers.
Yes, we initially experienced a handful of chain derailments, which isn't something that should happen on a high-end bike like this. Thankfully the solution ended up being a spacer swap on the lower pulley wheel, a quick fix that eliminated our one real complaint, and put the Slash back on our list of favorites.
From the review:
| There's a broad assumption that the bump-eating gains of a high pivot bike are won at the cost of the overall maneuverability and pep in slower terrain. There are a few exceptions to this claim, and chief among them is the new Slash. This bike can happily mow through chunky sections of trail, but is equally capable feeling when things get tight and slow, thanks in large part to the carefully-considered geometry and very predictable suspension feel. |
Why it's nominated
It only takes one three-letter word to summarize why the Scor 2030 made it onto this list: FUN. With its stubby back end and relatively slack head angle, the 2030 is incredibly entertaining, especially on technical, rolling terrain. Pumping, manualing, and jumping are the 2030's strong suits, but it also squeezes every last drop of performance out of its 120mm of travel. That trait allows it to perform better than most bikes in this travel bracket when faced with chunky sections of trail.
The frame itself ticks all the boxes when it comes to the features we'd expect to see on a modern trail bike - there's in frame storage, angle-adjusting headset cups, well-sealed bearings, and effective chainslap protection that helps keep the 2030 satisfyingly silent. The 2030 is one of those bikes that makes you want to keep on riding, sneaking in as many miles as possible before it's time to return to reality.
From the review:
| The Scor 2030 is one of the most entertaining 120mm trail bikes that I've ridden in recent memory. It's my kind of trail bike, one that doesn't put up a fuss while climbing, and punches way above its weight when descending. |
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Alt 0228
Congrats on the nomination and building an amazing bike.
I love that Steezl, nad that Druid.
The previous fade ceramacoat finish looked great
The limited edition ones they did at Crankworks looked awesome too
Maybe a raw carbon fade to Steezl acid green/orange/purple
Or a 70's bronco Yellow/Orange/Brown
Or gulf livery,
I'd be down for those options
Why it's nominated:
Just look at it.
Too bad the customer support is non existing. Tried to e-mail them through theor website and normal e-mail ang can't get an answer.
So they will never see any of my money if they can't answer an e-mail.
Completely agree
Best bike ever!
My buying experience was great. Very responsive and yes, they got a lot of my money too. But so worth it
(i know it's not a bike, In b4 the captain obvious people)
Not judging, im very taken with Reeb, and the SST is on my shortlist. I like their style
Outside of the Ibis, they are all interesting to me, and im having a hard time deciding which id choose if given the choice.
-That Trek must have been a great riding bike to get in here.
-The WR1 is an absolute stunner of a bike, and incredibly adjustable. You could easily have that bike for 10 years and it still be "current"
-The Steezl, love the story, and company ethos. Bike looks like a good time, and youd get plenty of attention at the trailhead with that hanging out of your taco
-Scor, its almost the bike that im looking for, I just want to be able to adjust chainstay, and run it as a mullet if I want (preserving geo to some degree)
-Druid, god damn it looks good, and all reviews indicate it is a potential quiver killer of a bike, playful, but still smashable
_Ibis, I cant think of a more damning comment to call a bike a "palate cleanser" its the Corolla of the lot, and it does nothing to provide the "fizzle" (IYKYK)
I'll see myself out.
The Reeb is so cool; a mix of old & new school.
The We Are One, the Forbidden, the Scor are all so intriguing - each is different in its own way and each is pushing bike design forward.
And the Tr....... well, it's awesome to have 5 great rides in the running this year.
That’s what everyone says until they ride one
f*cking rad we are getting these gems......yall......just f*cking wait for the V2 Dread! got one for test a bit ago and I wish all the gnar here was snow free. its going to be 911 and 911 GT4RS. Forbidden is killing it, and looking at this Dreadnaught has me contemplating a Supernaught build for park season! LFG!
druid I have real trail experience on. The thing I value in a bike on climbing might not be what you value, but for me its damn good. I won't say great like say, a Mondraker Foxy(which I also sell), but it's pretty shocking for a high pivot bike. it shines on steep slow tech climbs and is at it's worst, which isn't bad really, on long sustained fire road climbs.
the dread I have only pedaled up a bit of steep pavement so far, but it bobs a f*ck ton less than the V1 and really has you(me. at 6'2" on a S3) in a very nice position to spin up long slogs. Which is I suspect about what this bike is designed for. descending like a demon, and just being as efficient as it can be on a transfer.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZjviMmXIY8
Oops.
Anyway, having just built up a Wrecker for a client and riding it for a week, (strictly for QC purposes
And what about the new madonna ? the Genius ?
What do you think ?
The large is a medium, the xl is an xl. I’d own one if there was a 480-490mm reach, 630-640 stack version.
Seat tube is a bit too long, and a bit too slack.
Stack height is low.
Superboost.
The slash I’d be surprised at. It’s heavy, noisy, and seems to be outperformed by the deviate claymore in every comparison I’ve seen between the two.
Do you know where in Texas?
Maybe read the article, my guy.
Airdrop
Raaw
Privateer?
??
Deviate
Except for one, they're all from North America, so I think this is the main criteria for "bike of the year"
Steezl $3795
Forbidden $3799
Ibis $3899
Trek Slash $3899
Scor $4199
We Are One $4300