Juliana

Juno D Complete Mountain Bike - 2015

Any description of Juliana's Juno Complete Mountain Bike should always lead with a disclaimer: it isn't a "girl's bike." Rather, it's a mountain bike with five inches of travel designed for cyclists who hit the trail — and hit it hard. It's got the same frame construction found on the decidedly un-marginalized Santa Cruz Bantam, with the key differences between the two limited to the branding, the cockpit, and the fact that the Juno isn't offered in extra-large.

The Juno's front and rear triangles are Santa Cruz in all but name, featuring the same hydroformed aluminum shaping that targets lower weight and higher stiffness as appropriate across the frame's body. The triangles connect with a single pivot suspension that, like the frame's alloy material, falls neatly under the tried-and-true category, which is refreshing in an industry that can occasionally fall victim to its own hype machine. The FOX Racing Shox Float CTD shock provides damping options to keep the climbing platform sharp or open up the full five inches of travel.

The Juno D is bookended with a stiff, 12x142mm rear axle and a Recon Gold TK fork from RockShox, FOX's suspension rival. The drivetrain and brakes are also a well-curated group, including standouts from different manufacturers like Shimano's SLX Shadow+ rear derailleur and SRAM's DB1 brakes. The wheels are Juliana-branded WTB rims laced to SRAM hubs, and the cockpit comprises women-specific kit that also carries the Juliana imprimatur.