GT

Karakoram Elite Deore Complete Mountain Bike - 2016

GT's Karakoram Elite Deore Complete Mountain Bike simplifies what should already be a pretty simple concept but has become the victim of over-engineering: riding a bike on a trail. 29in wheels, no suspension, and a lightweight alloy frame are about as pure as mountain bikes get. Sure, the longer wheelbase, steep head tube, and big contact patch of wagon wheels can make it difficult to dice through techier terrain, but when you're burning swathes across singletrack, the Karakoram's aggressive speed more than makes up for the platform's inherent lack of low-speed agility.

The Karakoram Elite Deore is built up with components as straight-forward as the frame itself, with Shimano's workhorse names scattered throughout the drivetrain and brakes, an FSA crankset, and Schwalbe Rapid Rob Tires. While the kit's not magazine-cover sexy, you sure will be while blasting past the 6in enduro sloggers.