Whyte 909

£2199 Full-gas aluminium trail hardtail

There was a time when the UK hardcore hardtail was very much the ‘in thing’ – people were going flat-out on hardtails, with the new breed of semi-decent suspension forks meaning the front end was no longer either a bouncy pogo stick or a shower of elastomer shite. But with full-sus bikes now coming to the fore, the fun, trail orientated hardtail is in the shadows, especially at the price points where full-sus bikes start to have some serious trail clout. Fortunately Whyte, among a few others, is sticking its neck on the line and saying the venerable trail hardtail still has a place, with the 909 taking pride of place.