Bike of the Year is our most comprehensive test and, once again, this year we joined forces with our sister titles, MBUK and Cycling Plus magazines. You can read about our Road & Gravel Bike of the Year winners<\/a>, but here we\u2019re focusing on all things off-road.<\/p>\n The Trek Top Fuel 8 takes the title in our Trail Bike of the Year category, headed up by Tom Marvin. The Top Fuel was updated for 2022<\/a> and now has more than a hint of downcountry about it, with 120mm of suspension travel at both ends.<\/p>\n That might be conservative by usual trail bike standards but it\u2019s a machine capable of doing just about anything you could ask of a trail bike.<\/p>\n \u201cA trail bike needs to do it all \u2013 climb well, descend with authority, and ask to come back for more and more,\u201d says Tom.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Top Fuel gets to the top of the hill without making us yearn for our XC rigs, made me grin like a Cheshire cat on fast flow trails and rarely baulked when gradients steepened and a firm grip on bar and brake lever was required to safely navigate to the bottom.\u201d<\/p>\n BikeRadar and MBUK\u2019s technical editor-in-chief, Robin Weaver, took charge of the enduro category, with a stacked line-up containing the biggest names in the business.<\/p>\n The Giga arrived in January 2021 as Nukeproof\u2019s supercharged enduro bike, offering 180mm (or 170mm on the 29in wheel version) of rear wheel travel on a downhill-inspired frame. The result is an enduro bike that truly excels downhill, even if you\u2019ll have to work a bit harder on the way back up.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Giga 297\u2019s balance, geometry and electrifying corner-carving speed are what really helps this machine stand out from the crowd,\u201d was Rob\u2019s verdict.<\/p>\n \u201cGet the bike pointed down pretty much any trail and the Giga exudes balance which, along with the impressive proportions and rear suspension, make it a blast to ride fast.<\/p>\n \u201cThrough the turns, this thing can simply carve a line harder than most at an astounding pace. It really impresses on every ride.\u201d<\/p>\n Electric mountain bikes<\/a> have come on leaps and bounds in recent years, with slimmer, sleeker designs, increased range and a properly sorted ride.<\/p>\n We couldn\u2019t ignore the rise of eMTB so, for the first time, have a category for pedal-assisted bikes, with BikeRadar\u2019s Tweed Valley-based technical editor, Alex Evans, tasked with sorting the wheat from the chaff when it comes to all things electric.<\/p>\n And Nukeproof has taken top spot again, this time with the Megawatt 279 Factory XT \u2013 a bike with proven pedigree on the Enduro World Series ebike circuit. This might be Belfast-based Nukeproof\u2019s first attempt at an eMTB, but it\u2019s a home run.<\/p>\n \u201cExceptional performance across a broad range of terrain types makes the Megawatt one of the best electric bikes currently available,\u201d says Alex.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Megawatt combines super-smooth, long-travel rear suspension with confidence-inspiring but impressively balanced geometry. In addition to the chunky but not excessive headline weight, it inspires calm and composure where it\u2019s needed, but also elements of playfulness in tighter terrain.\u201d<\/p>\n As bike and component shortages continue to make headlines, pulling this mega-test together hasn\u2019t been easy. But we\u2019ve done more than just that \u2013 we\u2019ve added a new category into the mix, too.<\/p>\n Along with the usual trail and enduro bikes, we\u2019ve included an eMTB Bike of the Year test for the first time. Why? Well, if you\u2019ve been to the trails lately, you\u2019ll have no doubt noticed just how popular electric mountain bikes are. With sales of off-road ebikes continuing to pick up pace, we felt it important to cover them for 2022.<\/p>\n Bike costs are creeping up \u2013 some of them even increasing while we were out putting the miles in \u2013 so we\u2019ve had to adjust and widen our price brackets in order to include some of the most promising-looking models.<\/p>\n To keep things manageable for the testers, we\u2019ve limited each category in this guide to eight bikes, but have ridden plenty more besides, to give us a solid overview of the market. We think the machines included here give a good idea of what\u2019s currently on offer, so our tests should help to make your buying decisions that bit easier.<\/p>\n As always, we\u2019ve put these bikes through the wringer. It\u2019s taken countless hours of fettling, riding, measuring, re-riding, fettling some more and then riding again to reach the point where we could pick apart the details and see just how each bike measures up against the next.<\/p>\n As was the case last year, 2022\u2019s picks were very closely matched when it came to performance, making testing that bit harder. Riding each bike back-to-back with the others helped to show where some were good while others were great, although it must be said that, this year, the margins are tighter than ever.<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> <\/section> A trail bike should be a great all-rounder \u2013 a capable descender but also nimble on flatter trails, good on the climbs and not too much of a drag on longer rides.<\/p>\n This year, the trail bike category spans a price range of \u00a33,299 to \u00a33,999 and includes eight do-it-all shredders with between 120 and 140mm of rear-wheel travel.<\/p>\n With the trail category capturing everything from XC-inspired downcounty bikes<\/a> to long-travel machines, Tom was tasked with finding the Goldilocks balance of climbing efficiency and downhill pedigree that the\u00a0best trail bikes<\/a>\u00a0should offer.<\/p>\n To take the top spot, we were looking for a bike that wouldn\u2019t make you baulk at the idea of an all-day epic, but equally, wouldn\u2019t leave you feeling like Bambi on ice when the terrain becomes more demanding.<\/p>\n Keen on Lycra-clad XC laps as well as rooty off-piste, Tom is well-placed to rate these all-rounders. Tom\u2019s testing took place predominantly in the Forest of Dean or in South Wales, with a trip to Scotland thrown in for good measure.<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> With more suspension travel and burlier parts than trail bikes, enduro rigs are built to be hurled down the roughest downhills but still be pedalled back to the top.<\/p>\n For 2022, there are some absolute corkers in the mix. While the price bracket started out a little lower and narrower than the final test, availability issues and price increases have pushed it up, to \u00a33,475 to \u00a35,250.<\/p>\n Rear-wheel travel ranges from 150mm all the way up to 180mm, and along with some 29ers, nearly half the bikes on test this year are \u2018mullet\u2019 bikes<\/a> with mixed wheel sizes. Not only that, but a number come equipped with coil shocks, too. The question is, which is the easiest to ride downhill fast, while still being pleasant enough to pedal back to the top?<\/p>\n Rob has years of racing experience and product testing under his belt, so knows what makes a good enduro rig. Rob\u2019s 12-week testing window included everything from steep, natural trails, to high-speed bike park tracks, to find this year\u2019s winning enduro bike.<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> Electric bikes supplement your pedalling power with up to 250W of motor assistance, to make climbs fun, help you travel further or get you back on the bike after injury.<\/p>\n Adding a motor and battery to a bike is always going to increase its cost, so our price range spans from \u00a35,999 to \u00a37,699 (but would\u2019ve been lower, had there not been mid-test price rises).<\/p>\n We\u2019ve focused on full-power electric mountain bikes that look to offer excellent performance for the cash, spanning trail and enduro. Travel starts at a respectable 150mm and rises to a monstrous 180mm. We\u2019ve looked at how well they descend, climb and endure long days on the hill.<\/p>\n A hard rider with a habit of breaking bikes, motorised or not, Alex pulls no punches with his testing and took charge of the inaugural eMTB test. Alex took to his home trails in Scotland\u2019s Tweed Valley to find an electric mountain bike that could excel on all terrain.<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> Thanks to our sponsors MET Helmets<\/a>, Bluegrass Protection<\/a> and BikePark Wales<\/a> for their support in making Bike of the Year happen.<\/p><\/body><\/html>\n By George Scott Published: Friday, 13 May 2022 at 12:00 am Drumroll, please! It\u2019s time to announce our MTB Bike of the Year winners for 2022 \u2013 and this year we have three, with our longstanding trail and enduro categories joined, for the first time, by an eMTB winner. Let\u2019s cut to the chase\u2026 and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":37060,"template":"","categories":[1,36],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"9"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2022\/05\/trek-and-nukeproof-take-our-mtb-bike-of-the-year-titles-for-2022-scaled.jpg",2560,1707,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2022\/05\/trek-and-nukeproof-take-our-mtb-bike-of-the-year-titles-for-2022-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2022\/05\/trek-and-nukeproof-take-our-mtb-bike-of-the-year-titles-for-2022-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2022\/05\/trek-and-nukeproof-take-our-mtb-bike-of-the-year-titles-for-2022-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2022\/05\/trek-and-nukeproof-take-our-mtb-bike-of-the-year-titles-for-2022-1024x683.jpg",800,534,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2022\/05\/trek-and-nukeproof-take-our-mtb-bike-of-the-year-titles-for-2022-1536x1024.jpg",1536,1024,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2022\/05\/trek-and-nukeproof-take-our-mtb-bike-of-the-year-titles-for-2022-2048x1365.jpg",2048,1365,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"By George Scott Published: Friday, 13 May 2022 at 12:00 am Drumroll, please! It\u2019s time to announce our MTB Bike of the Year winners for 2022 \u2013 and this year we have three, with our longstanding trail and enduro categories joined, for the first time, by an eMTB winner. Let\u2019s cut to the chase\u2026 and…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/37059"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37060"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37059"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37059"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Trail Bike of the Year<\/h2>\n
Trek Top Fuel 8<\/h3>\n
![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/21\/2022\/05\/Trek-Top-Fuel-8-01-f09bee0-boty-winner-3c3231e.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Enduro Bike of the Year<\/h2>\n
Nukeproof Giga 297 Carbon Elite<\/h3>\n
![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/21\/2022\/05\/Nukeproof-Giga-297-Carbon-Elite-01-6dcd315-boty-winner-f9c70a2.jpg?quality=90&resize=619%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>eMTB Bike of the Year<\/h2>\n
Nukeproof Megawatt 279 Factory XT<\/h3>\n
![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/21\/2022\/05\/Nukeproof-Megawatt-297-Factory-01-835ef23-boty-winner-1786254.jpg?quality=90&resize=619%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>What we tested<\/h2>\n
Robin Weaver, technical editor-in-chief<\/h4>\n
The contenders<\/h2>\n
Trail Bike of the Year<\/h3>\n
![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/21\/2022\/05\/RussellBurton202204082DX6204-9107892.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Meet the tester<\/h3>\n
Tom Marvin, technical editor<\/h4>\n
![\""Tom\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/21\/2022\/05\/TomMarvin-c7d7b37.jpg?quality=45&resize=556,556"\" "\\"\"Tom\\"\/")
<\/div><\/div> <\/div> <\/section>Enduro Bike of the Year<\/h3>\n
![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/21\/2022\/05\/20220405bpw174-b4ad94c-e1652438835323.jpg?quality=90&resize=619%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Meet the tester<\/h3>\n
Robin Weaver, technical editor-in-chief<\/h4>\n
![\""Rob\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/21\/2022\/05\/RobinWeaver-83820ae.jpg?quality=45&resize=556,556"\" "\\"\"Robin_Weaver\"\\"\/")
<\/div><\/div> <\/div> <\/section>eMTB Bike of the Year<\/h3>\n
![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/21\/2022\/05\/ALBOTY2022075-4f359b7.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Meet the tester<\/h3>\n
Alex Evans, technical editor<\/h4>\n
![\""08.04.22.\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/21\/2022\/05\/Alex-Evans-9b8ace1.jpg?quality=45&resize=556,556"\" "\\"\"Alex\\"")
<\/div><\/div> <\/div> <\/section>Thanks to\u2026<\/h2>\n
","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"