Built with some big updates that boost it into the modern world, the Juliana Joplin Mountain Bike features a revised suspension platform and new geometry, pushing its boundaries from smooth and rolling singletrack to more aggressive trail riding—all without sacrificing the cross-country spirit that allows you to pedal from sun-up to sun-down without feeling bogged down. This is in part thanks to a slacker head tube that tracks with control through rocky sections, and a stiffer rear end that allows for flickable maneuverability. And not to mention 120mm of travel, allowing you to tackle terrain from the chunky rock gardens to long climbs loaded with tight switchbacks on this more-capable-than-ever XC and trail machine. This aluminum model delivers the same geometry and features of its pricier carbon siblings in a package more accessible for the self-sponsored rider.

The Joplin follows the trends of its deeper-travel siblings, moving the VPP suspension down to a lower-link that offers improved stabilization in the roughest terrain, while an extra 10mm of travel helps soak up additional rocks and roots that the previous Joplin would have shied away from. This makes the new ride more confident than ever, ready for bigger trails, rutted-out lines, brakes bumps galore, and even turning the odd set of rollers into doubles — but not at the cost of climbing. The new suspension is designed with the same engineering principles as the brand's longest travel bikes, making it just as at home riding cross-country as it is extreme backcountry. Juliana's VPP suspension is designed to stabilize the suspension when you're putting power down on the pedals, meaning the rear end ceases to bob, providing a much more responsive and lively feel when you hammer up steeps, so you aren't wasting all of the power you put down.

The current generation Joplin has entirely different geometry figures, but continues to use the flip-chip we saw in previous years for adaptable geometry that can be tuned to your own personal riding needs. In the front things start out with a much slacker head tube angle that shifted from the 68-degrees in years past to the slacked-out 65.5-degrees it is today (with the flip-chip in Low). This slack head tube elevates the confidence of the Joplin when you point it downhill, providing improved handling in rough and jarring terrain, and boosting control at high speeds. With the head tube's shift into the slacker realm, balance needed to be achieved to maintain the bike's reputation for lively pedaling and handling, so the engineers at Juliana opted to move the seat tube angle up a few degrees to a steep perch of 76.3 degrees — a full three degrees steeper than the previous model, allowing you to stay on top of the bike when pedal power matters, and keeping the cockpit compact enough for comfort when handling the bike in rowdy terrain.

Juliana pairs this capable frame with an equally hard-working build for wherever the trail takes you. The SRAM NX Eagle drivetrain provides ample gearing for steep grades and smooth flat sections alike, while the DT Swiss wheels and Maxxis Minion provide confidence through turns. Fox’s Rhythm 34 fork keeps the front end planted through tight berms and absorbs the impact of hitting the jumpline through the trail.