Diamondback

Atroz Comp 27.5in Complete Mountain Bike - 2017

As much as we love mountain biking here at Competitive Cyclist, we can't argue that it's often on the higher end of most people's affordability scale, often exceeding the budgets of entry-level riders, or at the very least, stretching things to the absolute limit. This budget busting is amplified by full-suspension bikes, which are inherently more complex, causing the price to go up due to additional engineering needs. However, every now and again you'll find brands like Diamondback satisfying the entry-level trail rider with the Atroz Comp 27.5in Complete Mountain Bike packing reliable components and a single-pivot suspension design that's affordable, easy to service, and fun to ride on the trail. Best of all, its relatively affordable price leaves room for trips to trail networks in the mountains and future bike upgrades down the road.

Diamondback is able to shave off skyrocketing costs associated with full-suspension bikes by engineering the Atroz Comp with a single-pivot suspension. Although a relatively simple design, this single-pivot suspension performs admirably on the trail, soaking up small imperfections and bigger trail obstacles with 120 millimeters of travel. The suspension's sealed cartridge bearings keep nasty muck and dirt from compromising performance over time, which is a nice feature when you're getting this bike dirty on the trail. Furthermore, higher chainstays eliminate chain slap when you're rallying across rough terrain on the trail.

Looking at the Atroz Comp's geometry, you'll find it's comfortable and composed tackling aggressive sections of trail thanks to its 66.5-degree head tube angle, paired with 17.1-inch chainstays for relatively quick and snappy handling around corners. The bike's sturdy 6061-T6 aluminum frame delivers high levels of durability, so you're not worried about pushing the bike to the limit. Up front, 120-millimeters of suspension is handled by a RockShox Recon Silver fork (coil version), which works well at smoothing out trail imperfections, such as rocks and roots. Another notable feature is the SRAM NX 11-speed drivetrain, which does away with pesky front derailleurs in favor of a larger 11 to 42-tooth cassette for ample low-end on long climbs.