FINAL VERDICT

While this is the lowest price point covered in any of our bike tests, most non-riders – and many riders too – still think £500 is a lot of money to spend on a push iron. Thankfully, all the bikes here are above average in terms of the performance they deliver for the price, and all will give you a decent time in the dirt.

Pinnacle have put together a conventional kit package that’s better than most big brands’ and then boosted trail confidence with a slack head angle and high-control bar/stem combo above a surprisingly usable fork. You’ll have to size up to get a decent reach though, and the Kapur 2’s relatively firm ride and lack of practical details keep it in fourth place.

The Vitus Nucleus 29 VR is another thumpingly firm ride, but part of that is due to how hard it wants to be ridden, even on challenging trails. Its tubeless-ready 29er wheelset offers a potential smoothing solution, as well as easy speed and more confident grip than its competitors. Add its tapered fork and stealth dropper compatibility, and you’re looking at a proper trail-tackling package at a remarkable price. There were always going to be compromises on a £400 bike compared to a £500 one, but Calibre have worked hard to keep them to a minimum on the Two Cubed. If that’s all you can afford (don’t forget to budget an extra £5 for a store card if you don’t already have one), then its bang-up-to-date, control-enhancing geometry and decent frame feel outweigh its rattly transmission, basic fork and lack of frame features.

If you’re looking for the best all-round trail bike for £500 though, then it has to be the VooDoo Hoodoo. Its sorted geometry and surprisingly smooth-feeling frame are flattered by a decent fork, communicative brakes and trustworthy, shock-shrugging tyres. Add a quiet, secure, sequential-shifting 1x10 transmission, plus impressive practical detailing such as reflective paint, rack mounts and internal dropper cable routing, and it’s our clear winner and one hell of a benchmark to beat.