Our Top 13 Drop-Bar Mountain Bikes (Part 2 of 2)

[@stephenconroy9283]

I have the Moonshiner. I’ve been riding bikes for 40 years, no other bike has consistently put a smile on my face every time I get on the saddle. So comfortable, so capable and so reassuring! 🙏✊

[@brandonsouba]

I love my moonshiner!

[@MrJhamil05]

I would suggest the Panorama TAÏGA EXP 2

[@BenPoulet]

When will you be reviewing the Panorama Taiga EXP? It would definitely make this list! Cheers for the great content!

[@wftorres3913]

hehehe , love monster bikes have 10.Kona sutra 8. salsa fargo 4. Surly grappler .they surely gives me comfort during rough gravel events......

[@guacamolesurf]

Hi!!!! What about the weight? isn’t it too heavy? I tried mine once on a gravel race and damm I felt I was riding a tank!!! very powerful and stable! but heavy!!! cheers!!!

[@paddyredbeard]

I put wide drops on my MB-2 and it's the sweetest!

[@JakeLuke308]

Excellent choices on your list here. The Stargazer and Moonshiner are such wonderful looking rigs. Always nice to see them. I test rode the Moonshiner, but opted for the lighter Hardtack. Which is very similar in looks and geo to the Grappler, also on your list. Thank you Neal.

[@Yocambio]

Just what I was looking for. Thank you!

[@ABFPV584]

Don’t forget older bikes! I have a 2012 Sir 9 set up singlespeed with Ritchey Beacon handlebars. It’s absolutely shreds everything

[@benjamingarrison4362]

I have a Tumbleweed Stargazer and it's a fantastic bike. I absolutely love it. Already saving for a Ti version for the far-off future.

[@guacamolesurf]

I really enjoyed both parts!!! Here in Mexico we don’t really have so many options to get these kind o bikes!!! gravel is recently growing up and becoming a phenomenon!!! I used to think it was amazing, and it is!!! its fun and fast!!! Now its a fancy sport that it makes you feel you have to have the latest gravel bike, carbon bike, fancy cloths, etc.... but I don’t see why to buy an expensive gravel bike, that limits your ride, because of tire size and width!!! also not having so many places to anchor your stuff... But when I found my Surly Ghostgrappler I tasted a new world for me!!! I used to be a mountain biker and this bike is awesome!!! I can go Mtb routes and then gravel routes, and I can join both kind of people graves and Mtb on the same day!!! Ha!!!! its so fun!!! yes its is super heavy!!! It doesn’t have suspension and it’s hard after many miles going down hill for my hands and wrists, but I haven’t found a perfect bike yet!!! I call her my Cadillac!!! its a very supple bike and its so reliable, strong and fun!!! So I was really pleased to find it here on your 13 top bikes!!! =D it was the only option for me, and it’s good to know that I did well buying it two years ago!!! I`ve biked with it here in Mexico in Oaxaca, 3 routes from the web site that I highly suggest doing, Also in turkey, Romania, Bulgaria and Greece!!! not regrets so Far!!!! cheers!!!

[@living4adrenaline]

Tanglefoot moonshiner is heinous. I love it.

[@黄辰旭]

Decathlon Riverside Touring frame, It has everything except the internal cable routing hole for the dropper. Thru axle, post mount disk brake, 100 & 142 O.L.D, 29 by 2.4 tire clearance and only 300 for alloy frame and 200 for carbon fork.

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

I’ve tested it, and there is a review on the site, just not a favorite.

[@bikegan]

Check out Panorama Cycles Taiga EXP 2! Wonderful build and ride quality!

[@One_mole_worth]

Is there any way to organize the bikes you guys have reviewed? I would love a spreadsheet or similar where I could set some sliders and say "I want the most stable bike that first up to a 29x2" tire and is made from steel" or "the most playful bike that can still fit 2.4 and is titanium"

[@mediaburn2]

I put some 2.2 on my fresh Lauf Seigla for a 800km bike packing race this weekend. For 20lbs and 3500USD its a fantastic bike for hualing ass in the woods. You can call it a gravel bike, but it can fit 57mm tires and has front suspension.

[@Alex_564]

The list is missing the Singular Gryphon, which I've seen people call it the British Fargo as it's been around just as long as the Fargo has. Comes in steel & ti.

[@ryand121984]

My Surly Ghost Grappler is my favorite hopefully my forever bike, i like the WT Otso as well.

[@cooleyco]

awesome video!!! thanks for putting this together! Of the bikes you listed, which have the most upright riding position for someone with neck issues?

[@Shawn-in-da-Canyon]

Great video! What bar do you have on the Otso Fenrir? Thanks!

[@davidjfife]

Ever ridden a CO-Motion Cycles Divide? Hand built in Oregon. Be awesome if you guys could get ahold of one to test. I have three CO-Motions and they are great.

[@boringcyclingadventures]

Breezer Radar X? It is My drop bar mountain Bike ❤️Love It 🚴🚴

[@eagleace67]

That’s my all around bike. Awesome ride.👍

[@jduarte1506]

which is better Santa cruz stigmata vs Salsa Cutthroat

[@Jean-jk4zv]

The cascade looks great ! Liked the video, I have a cutty for 3 years now and use it as much as my mtb. It's so comfy yet fast on road and gravel.

[@mrhigado]

The Stogge Rambler!!!!

[@Shawn-in-da-Canyon]

I want to take a Trek Supercaliber and make a drop bar bike out of it, with narrow MTB tires for gravel and road use.

[@warbirdtbf]

Though not with drop bars the Surly Krampus is a super fun rig to ride.

[@billmaidment]

Thoughts on the Trek 1120? I know it’s a flat bar but I’ve seen it with drop bars.

[@theqball80]

Does Marin Gestalt XR qualify as drop MTB? I'm thinking of a bike mostly along these lines, but sub 3hr rides. And once a year I want to do a local Century Road ride. How would these handle that (with narrower tire)?

[@johnseostman102]

How about giving Corvus Crow Pass a spin?

[@tunic]

no ritchey ascent?

[@paddyredbeard]

I have drops on my Ascent. Good stuff!

[@jackvanuatu]

Many of these bikes have lots of stem spacers to compensate for the drop distance of the drop bars. Why not just use an alt-bar with desired sweep angle without the excessive stem spacers?

[@jefftoonstra5087]

Where in Northern MN? Love your channel from Grand Rapids MN

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

I just did this route. bikepacking.com/routes/straddle-and-paddle/

[@jefftoonstra5087]

Nice! You can spend a lifetime exploring the arrowhead of MN❤ thanks for sharing this!

[@いぇん-q6s]

hi can I have your opinion about marin bike? My first bike was marin mountain bike and I been bike packing with it. and now I want to buy marin NICASIO which is marin's gravel drop bar bike. do you think it worth buying?

[@pedalingnowhere]

We've tested a couple versions of the Pine Mountain. Great wallet-friendly steel hardtails!

[@benedictypx]

I ride the Marin Larkspur 2. Their chromoly steel technology is pretty good for the price, even though the welds won't be the prettiest. But their components might have to be changed in the long run. The Marin wheelset and hubs failed me after about 6 months of everyday use. Their crankset is pretty heavy as well even though they are bombproof. But the frame is pretty sweet for the price.

[@SeanLopp]

any recommendations for a setup that is also 2x compatible up front?

[@haemstah]

Cutty takes 2x, I think.

[@thigorsoutdoors]

Qual escolheria Tumbleweed Stargazer ou Black Mountain Cycles La Cabra ?

[@mattrobinson853]

Stayer OG+ ❤❤

[@michaljambor7772]

Cinelli Hobootleg Geo. One of the few ready-made drop bar MTB options available on the EU continent. These boutique US brands are simply out of reach here.

[@SonnyDarvish]

Just a reminder to trail-shredding-MTBers: while the title has the word Mountain Bikes, it is still posted in a "Bikepacking" channel, not Redbull Rampage channel.

[@ScottyCiao]

lol...literally no one watching this video needs this disclaimer.

[@SonnyDarvish]

@@ScottyCiao Scroll down to the voted down comments, you'll see the whiners who needed this :)

[@51249ca]

gimme a steel bike that can take a 2x (36/28 perhaps) and a wide range cassette (10-51 x 12 speed or 11-51 x 11 speed). 29er tires down to 2.1 but normally 2.4 up to 2.6 with Boost thru axle hubs and tons of mounts and I'm in.

[@stevenhu202]

Weird not seeing Lauf Siegla here. Suspension drop bar 2.35im clearance

[@Breno.156]

gostei da bike

[@gokaybyk7029]

Cinelli Hobootleg Geo, should be on this list for sure:)

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

love the look of that one, it's in our gear index and on my list to test: bikepacking.com/index/drop-bar-mountain-bikes-29er/

[@NewPolishScientist]

Now flat bar gravel bike please 😅

[@cooltwittertag]

X-Strada 30 Fit is good

[@cooltwittertag]

At least value for money wise

[@peascarrots5680]

TREK StACHE drop bar

[@stuartbackhouse3443]

I tried to buy a Pipedream A.L.I.C.E and it didn't seem as though they actually had any stock and I bought a Fustle causeway instead, I really wanted the Pipedream but their customer service is awful

[@hansonwang2121]

Can you elaborate on your experience with Pipedream? I’ve been interested in their bikes for a while now.

[@stuartbackhouse3443]

Payed for a frame that was showing as in-stock on there website and nearly 2 weeks later received an email to say that actually they didn't have any stock and were refunding me the money, I'm in-between there recommendations for a large or medium and emailed then to ask if they had any frames in either size and never received a reply​@@hansonwang2121

[@Johnwis-gp9yy]

Earn more… helps with frustration

[@martinschwartz7342]

I would like to see your review the Priority Gemini Pinion Smart Shift Gravel, which comes in aluminum or Titanium. It has the new Pinion Smart-Shift gearbox and Gates Carbon belt for low maintenance.

[@LanceRuss]

Please review the Breezer Radar X. An affordable option with seemingly good specs.

[@eagleace67]

Awesome ride. That’s my all around bike.👍

[@OriginalTrev]

So, there you have it... 13 heavy and slow (but comfortable for a rigid frame) bikes - of which, none could be ever be mistaken for a mtb

[@screamingsixties]

I still really fucking hate 29ers.

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

In that case, you might like this list: bikepacking.com/index/650b-gravel-bikes/

[@screamingsixties]

@@BIKEPACKINGcom thanks!

[@generalruler]

Dentists must love riding these bikes 5km once a year on a Sunday

[@WordupG]

These practical, (mostly) steel, production bikes? No clue how these became dentist bikes in your mind.

[@generalruler]

@@WordupG the price tags mostly

[@remusblaque8207]

"drop-bar mountain bike" ?! i'd say nono! go with drop-bar on a trail and you will fail hard. those are just touring-bikes. i own a salsa fargo and it's just fantastic!

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

confused with this comment, but glad you have a fantastic time on your Fargo.

[@SonjaTheDork]

Been running drop on on trails for several years and they're absolutely useable, both on on mtbs and my tracklopacker. They're certainly not great on downhill stuff but for general use drops are perfectly adequate, and fun!

[@remusblaque8207]

@@BIKEPACKINGcom it's quite simple, if you have to hit the drop-down hard on a trail, you smash it against your knee

[@chrissmith6650]

Pointless bikes. Blurring of lines or just another expensive fad you'll grow up and out of ?

[@pedalingnowhere]

Opinions are like assholes (not you, but actual assholes); everyone has one.

[@theshonen8899]

Don't think this is an "expensive fad" for him buddy. Niel has won multiple Colorado and Arizona trail races and podium'd on the Tour Divide. What's the last coffee shop you've ridden to Chris?

[@chrissmith6650]

@@theshonen8899 The last place I rode was up and over Mt Snowdon. I went up the llanberis path and down the Watkins path. I stopped for coffee in a place called Beddegelert before returning to Caernarfon. Best bit is I did that journey on a fat bike. A calibre Dune to be precise

[@chrissmith6650]

@@theshonen8899 also, I'm simply suggesting that the advent of gravel bikes/ drop bar mtb's was kind of a marketing gimmick. It wasn't an attack on anyone's skillset

[@zayas0001]

Have owned a Fargo for over a decade, and ride it multiple times per week (more than my road, MTB, and fattie). Not looking likely that I'll grow out of it :)

[@mattrobinson853]

Stayer OG+ ❤❤