Diamondback

Hook 27.5in Complete Mountain Bike - 2015

Our expectations for a cross-country hardtail are pretty simple: it's gotta be bombproof and it's gotta be fast. With its no-nonsense 6061-T6 frameset and a one-by drivetrain geared to set fire to speedy singletrack, the Diamondback Hook 27.5in Complete Mountain Bike checks both boxes.

While its drivetrain does recommend it for pure speed, the Hook isn't just for burning worms on the smooth stuff. Its 68-degree head tube, 17-inch chainstays, and five inches of front travel mean it clings tenaciously to lines and inspires confidence at the moment when the desire to hold speed meets with the need to pick through terrain. Whatever decision you make at that point, the 27.5-inch wheels' eagerness to nimbly dissect a root system or blow unflinchingly across a rock garden means that it'll be the correct one.