HEAD-TO-HEAD BIKETEST HARDTAIL VERSUS FULL-SUSPENSION

What's the best kind of bike for proper MTBing on a budget of just over £1,000? We test two Boardmans head-to-head to find out

- MICK KIRKMAN

In the past few years, budget full-suspension bikes have improved to the extent that a small number now deliver sorted performance for not much over a grand.

The Boardman MTR 8.6 in this test is a case in point. It comes with modern geometry and sizing equivalent to trail bikes costing way more cash, and, while some of the equipment it uses may be cost-saving, it's still fundamentally up to the job.

Previously, to get a bike that rode well on proper trails, you'd likely be looking at one with front suspension only but packing a superior parts spec- like the other Boardman machine on test, the MHT 8.9 hardtail. The reason for this is that brands always struggled to spec the kind of forks, brakes, gears and tyres that can hack it on modern manmade trails packed with features, because they had to foot the additional cost of pivots, linkages and rear shocks. Balancing budgets between bits and bounce also tipped the scales in the wrong direction for efficient climbing, and frequently resulted in bikes packing poor-quality parts that couldn't keep pace with aggressive or racier riders.

On top of kit compromises, another important factor was that budget bouncers seemed slower to move on from old-fashioned angles and cockpit set-ups than many contemporary hardtails. This meant they didn't benefit from recent advances in handling, ushered in by calmer-feeling, more relaxed geometry and more precise steering. Basically, far too many cheap full-sus bikes still had narrow handlebars, long stems, steep head angles and short reaches, rather than the confidence-inspiring kit and measurements that allow modern trail bikes to keep you safe and egg you on for the fun stuff.