GT

Force X Expert Complete Mountain Bike - 2015

Maybe the GT Force X Expert Complete Mountain Bike looks complicated--OK, it looks way strange--but there's a serious method to GT's madness. You need some sort of engineering degree to really understand what's going on, but the key point is that GT's Independent Drivetrain sits entirely on the rear triangle. This setup nearly eliminates bob and compression under pedaling forces, so all your energy goes into climbing, not wobbling up and down like a drunken sailor on a staircase.

This stiff platform doesn't mean the Force X is an XC racer, though. Its Fox 34 Float CTD fork gives you 160 plush millimeters of travel to let you mob through rock gardens, over roots, and off jumps without rattling your teeth out of your head, and the Fox Float CTD Adjust shock offers a midrange 150mm that descends as well as it climbs thanks to the three settings (Climb, Trail, and Descend). The suspension is packed onto a 6069 hydroformed aluminum frame, which is slightly burlier than the material used on GT's XC models, so you can ride it as hard as you dare.

To match the care they took designing the frame and suspension, GT chose a careful blend of components to get the Force X performing at max awesomeness. The Shimano Deore XT Shadow Plus rear derailleur has a clutch mechanism to prevent chain drop, and the Deore XT CS-M771-10 10-speed cassette pairs up with a single 32-tooth front chainring to give you tons of gearing possibilities without a cumbersome front derailleur. GT has also taken advantage of the cleaner cockpit to hook up a KS Lev Integra dropper seatpost, which is almost a necessity on an AM bike like the Force X—instead of stopping to raise and lower your seatpost, you'll be able to clean tough climbs, rally rugged descents, and do it all again without getting off you bike.