WALLETFRIENDLY HARDTAILS

We test a trio of bikes costing less than £1,500 that cover a wide variety of intended uses

MICK KIRKMAN

TESTER & PHOTOGRAPHER

Yorkshireman Mick raced downhill and four-cross at Elite level back in the day, and still loves riding flat out. That aggressive riding style means he soon picks up on any flaws, so if he recommends a bike at any price, you can be confident it shouldn’t let you down.

If you’re serious about mountain biking, we’d advise budgeting at least £1,000 for a bike. Spend less, and either the geometry or the parts – especially the suspension –are likely to be significantly compromised. It’s safer to stick with a hardtail, too, at the cheaper end of the market, because you’ll get better kit for the money, although there are occasional full-suspension bargains to be had. Here, we’re testing three bikes in the competitive sub-£1,500 bracket. They’re all priced within £150 of each other, but ride very differently. Sonder’s Frontier NX is aimed more at the two-wheeled explorer than the Monster Energy-slurping bad boy. It’s an ‘adventure’ mountain bike, not far-removed from a milemunching, drop-handlebar gravel bike. As such, it’s optimised for big rides and carrying kit and cargo into the wilds, more than messing about on tracks in the woods. Next up is Kona’s Kahuna, once a traditional cross-country (XC) bike, now a modern-looking, low-slung hardtail with sharp and lively handling. It’s designed for the kind of riding where you’ll hit up a few purpose-built trails one day, play around on looser dirt the next, then maybe get some big miles in. The final machine, GT’s Zaskar, is far more stretched-out and ready for heavy-duty action. Its 130mm suspension fork has more travel than the others here, plus plusher coil-sprung internals. Pair this with a get-yoursaddle-out-the-way dropper post and slack geometry, and the GT can handle higher speeds and jumps without spitting out its dummy.

We’re not just going by the manufacturers’

claims, either. During testing it was clear each bike has a distinct feel that’s close to what’s advertised, with multiple pros and cons to the differing approaches. Which one is best for you will depend on your personal preferences.

£1,199

With a full SRAM NX Eagle 12-speed drivetrain and Guide brakes, the Sonder Frontier looks like decent value on paper. Designed as a versatile aluminium hardtail for everything from trail-centre bombing to bikepacking, it has slightly more traditional, upright geometry than the other bikes here, intended to keep the rider comfortable all day long. Sold by leading UK outdoor brand Alpkit, it rolls on 29in wheels and is available either as a fully-rigid bike or with 100mm of front suspension, as tested here.

£1,199

The Kahuna is one of Kona’s classic butted-aluminium hardtails. Refined over many years, the latest frame gains longer and more stable geometry than its predecessors, but is still the direct descendant of XC machines whose design leant more towards speed and covering distance in comfort, rather than jumping or downhilling. Kona have packed the Kahuna with well thought-out components from leading brands, so you get a RockShox fork, a Shimano 12-speed drivetrain and brakes, and Maxxis tyres.

£1,350

GT’s Zaskar has been around for what feels like forever. This latest version still rocks the brand’s signature ‘Triple Triangle look’, launched in the ’90s, but has the most modern geometry on test, including a slacker head angle, which puts the front tyre further in front of you for a more stable ride at speed and down steep descents. There are a couple of less-common parts on the spec sheet – an SR Suntour Zeron fork (with coil spring) and Tektro Gemini brakes – along with a 12-speed SRAM NX/SX Eagle drivetrain.

While the tread of the Sonder’s WTB Ranger tyres looks similar to that of the Trail Bosses on the GT, the off-road grip is leagues behind in the wet

The SRAM NX Eagle cranks use the brand’s wide DUB axle for extra strength and solidity

A 440mm reach on a size-large bike is very short by contemporary standards. It makes it feel more nervous at speed than longer rigs

Taking to the hills with all the gear you need for extended rides or sleepovers.

The distance from the centre of the bottom bracket (BB) to the centre-top of the head tube. This measurement gives a good indication of how a bike will feel when you’re standing on the pedals, with a longer reach adding more stability when you’re out of the saddle.