FINAL VERDICT

When we started calling in UK-designed steel hardtails, we thought we’d be trying to isolate meaningful results under a microscope, but they turned out to be remarkably different to one another on the trail. While each will suit a different sort of rider, there was one that got our team insanely excited whenever they got the chance to grab a ride.

If you’re after surefooted handling for enduro bombing with a tauter tail for efficient cruising, then Stanton’s sweet-looking but pricey Switch9er is the bike for you. Want a bombproof hardtail that’ll crush descents like a DH bike and don’t care how quickly you get back up? You’ll love the Sick Headbanger’s astonishing smoothness and unswerving confidence, and the crash-proofing of the gearbox should offset its grind and shift issues. Cotic’s new Soul combines short fork travel with extended reach and a highly-evolved tubeset for a planted yet responsive feel that makes it equally engaging whether you’re ripping flowing descents or charging up techy climbs and brings it close – especially with a change of wheels – to the spring and speed of the yellow Yorkshireman.

But hour after hour of riding these bikes back to back, on a range of trails, always delivered the same feedback. There’s a sense of unquenchable mischievousness that bursts out of the Morf from the first turn, pedal stroke or opportunity to pop. The result is a simply superb play bike, and the only reason it didn’t get a perfect score is because it’d be even better if it had room for a 2.6in rear tyre.