2026 SHORT TRAVEL TRAIL BIKE SHOOTOUT

September 18, 2026

Welcome to our first-ever Short Travel Trail Bike Shootout. Over the last few months, we’ve put seven of the best 120mm and 130mm trail bikes we could get our hands on to the test, to see just how far this increasingly popular category can be pushed.

Sitting somewhere between an XC race bike and a traditional trail mountain bike, these short-travel machines go by a lot of names. Downcountry, XC bike, trail bike, lightweight trail bike, short-travel trail bike—whatever you want to call them, the goal is largely the same: deliver the speed and efficiency that makes climbing and covering miles fun, without giving up the descending capability that keeps us looking for the next (relatively) rowdy trail.

It is incredible how far this category has come and what these shorter-travel bikes are capable of.

Putting them head-to-head highlighted stark differences in their character on-trail, though. From technical climbs and long days in the saddle to high-speed singletrack and double-black descents, we rode these bikes on just about everything we could find. What became obvious is that 120mm or 130mm of rear travel doesn’t tell you much about how a modern mountain bike is going to ride. Some bikes in this test lean heavily toward XC, with speed and efficiency as their priorities. Meanwhile, others feel more like mini enduro bikes, and a few land right in the middle, as incredible do-it-all mountain bikes.

Rather than trying to crown one bike as the answer for every rider, our goal was to find out where each bike shines and which riders will get the most from it. We know every rider has their own impression of what “best” means for them, so we want to highlight the best option for each rider style and preference.

SUPPORTING BRANDS

THULE

With seven bikes constantly moving between trails and test zones, Thule handled our bike transportation and gear storage throughout the Shootout.

For daily missions, we relied on the Thule Verse, a two-bike hitch rack with an integrated work stand that proved especially useful during back-to-back testing. When it was time for bigger shuttle days, the six-bike Thule Revert let us move nearly the entire fleet at once.

The Thule RoundTrip duffel kept riding gear organized, while a Thule Chasm gave us one organized place for tools, spare parts, and everything else required to keep seven test bikes running.

DELIUM TIRES

To keep one of the biggest variables in a mountain bike test consistent, every bike was fitted with the same Delium control tires.

We ran a Delium Steady up front and a Delium Fast out back, both in the All-Around construction, giving us a good balance of rolling speed, support and grip in our dry summer conditions.

Our baseline pressures were 23psi front and 26psi rear. Despite plenty of hard riding, we finished the test without a single flat or dented rim. We came away genuinely impressed by the amount of traction, despite the dry and loose conditions.

SDG COMPONENTS

We also wanted consistent touch points between bikes, so SDG Components supplied its new Thrice Open Core grips and Bel-Air V3 Overland saddles. Oftentimes during our shootouts our testers complain about OE-spec saddles and terrible grips. They really do affect the ride feel, fatigue and comfort, so having these comfortable touchpoints on the bikes was greatly appreciated.

With long days and lots of back-to-back laps on the schedule, having the same saddle and grips on every bike helped us focus on the differences that actually matter.

Seven bikes. Seven very different interpretations of what a modern short-travel mountain bike should be.

Read the individual reviews below for the full breakdown on each bike.

MEET THE BIKES

FORBIDDEN REYA

Travel: 130mm Front | 120mm Rear
Intentions: Aggressive Short-Travel Trail
Website: forbiddenbike.com

The Reya is Forbidden’s take on what a short-travel, trail-ready mountain bike should be. It puts the emphasis on stability and confidence at speed, and places the rider between the wheels with the longest rear-end on test.

INTENSE SPIDER

Travel: 130mm Front | 130mm Rear
Intentions: Playful Trail / Downcountry
Website: intensecycles.com

Intense’s new Spider is a real standout in this group review. The Intense Spider is one of our favorite climbing bikes despite its weight, yet it also remained extremely capable on the descents. It favors riders looking for a fun, playful short-travel bike rather than an XC race bike with a little extra suspension.

PIVOT TRAILCAT SL

Travel: 140mm Front | 120mm Rear
Intentions: Lightweight Trail / Downcountry
Website: pivotcycles.com

Despite one slightly polarizing geometry angle, the Pivot Trailcat SL is still a bike that ranks high on our list of incredibly fun mountain bikes. The rear suspension feel is phenomenal and will absolutely be a top consideration for those seeking out more technical and tighter terrain.

REVEL RANGER

Travel: 130mm Front | 120mm Rear
Intentions: XC / Downcountry
Website: revelbikes.com

Overall, the Revel Ranger is a bike that consistently brought big smiles to the crew. It’s a bit more pointed on the way up, with a slight bias towards the XC-side of things. If you prioritize efficiency and speed, the Ranger is a solid bike and has some sporty geometry to keep the handling quick and light.

SANTA CRUZ TALLBOY

Travel: 140mm Front | 130mm Rear
Intentions: All-Around Trail
Website: santacruzbicycles.com

Pour one out for the Santa Cruz Tallboy, as this bike deserves some respect. While it may not be the pick for every rider in all terrain, it’s undeniably impressive. The descending prowess of the Tallboy is a standout, and while it’s not as efficient as the Revel, it is a comfortable all-around trail mountain bike that will no doubt please a wide range of riders.

TRANSITION SPUR

Travel: 130mm Front | 120mm Rear
Intentions: Downcountry / Lightweight Trail
Website: transitionbikes.com

We were glad to have the Transition Spur in for review. This bike arguably helped usher in the new generation of short-travel mountain bikes and showed just how capable they can be. It’s still a riot and holds its place as a capable, well-rounded downcountry MTB.

TREK TOP FUEL

Travel: 130mm Front | 120mm Rear
Intentions: XC / Downcountry
Website: Trek.com

The Trek Top Fuel brings a distinctly XC-influenced personality to the test. Our riders feel it is certainly a competitor to the Transition Spur with its ability to rip a wide variety of terrain. If you’re looking for something a bit more XC-focused than gravity-leaning, this Trek Top Fuel review is well worth a read.

THE STANDOUTS

THE XC RACER PICK

TREK TOP FUEL

The Trek Top Fuel is our pick for riders with cross-country priorities. It’s light, tight and supportive under power, with the kind of urgency that makes you want to push harder on climbs and rolling terrain.

More importantly, it doesn’t completely tap out when the trail points downhill. Riders can lean further toward XC with a lighter build and less fork travel, or push the Top Fuel toward trail duty with a longer-travel, more descending-focused setup.

If speed, efficiency, and big-mile days sit at the top of your list, the Top Fuel stands out.

ONE BIKE TO DO IT ALL

SANTA CRUZ TALLBOY

If you can only own one mountain bike, the Santa Cruz Tallboy earned the strongest consensus from our test crew.

It climbs comfortably, offers excellent traction, and carries a level of downhill confidence that puts it near the front of the short-travel trail category when things get fast and rough.

It’s not the most XC-focused bike here, nor is it the most playful, but its balance is exactly what makes the Tallboy so good. It pedals well enough for long days while being capable enough to blur the line between a modern short-travel trail bike and what we’d have called an all-mountain bike not that long ago.

EDITORS’ PICK

INTENSE SPIDER

The Intense Spider was the bike that our testers kept coming back to.

It climbed better than its weight suggested, cornered better than almost anything in the group, and delivered an active, lively suspension feel that constantly encouraged another lap.

The Spider isn’t trying to disguise itself as an XC race bike. It’s playful, energetic, and confidence-inspiring, especially for riders who prioritize descending performance but still want an efficient short-travel bike for pedaling to the top.

For pure ride enjoyment, the Spider was our standout choice.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Whether you’re looking for an XC-inspired downcountry bike, a fast and efficient trail bike for big days, or a short-travel ripper that can punch well above its suspension numbers, there’s never been a wider range of options.

The hardest part is deciding which flavor of fast you want.

2026 SHORT TRAVEL TRAIL BIKE SHOOTOUT SPONSORS