FINAL VERDICT

All four bikes in this test scored well, and with good reason – they really do represent the best of British, in terms of their build quality and design. They’re all up-to-date when it comes to geometry, so, while there’s some variation, they all offer fast, stable and yet reactive handling. Also, they have plenty of room for wide 2.5/2.6in rubber – while a lot can be said about the pros and cons of different frame materials, ultimately it’s the tyres that provide the bulk of a hardtail’s comfort.

The Ribble HT AL is the sole alloy-framed bike here, as well as the only one with 650b wheels. It has a really playful feel on the trail, but if you want to go fast, bigger wheels are better. Fortunately, Ribble offer a 29er version of this great-value bike. Cotic’s Peak District-bred BFeMAX is a classic of the hardcore hardtail genre and has a strong reputation. Get it up to speed and it’ll monster its way over pretty much anything. While we can see the advantage of a slightly higher BB in certain situations, it does hold it back slightly on the tightest of tracks.

Then we come to our top two. Pipedream’s Moxie Mx3 is a simply beautiful frame, and ultra-versatile, too, largely thanks to its adjustable dropouts. It also has that classic comfortable steel feel. Combine this with a slightly lower frame-only price than the Bird Forge, and it’d be our choice if we were looking to buy just a frame. However, you can’t look past the Forge if you’re after a complete bike. The frame is excellent, the steel tubes give a lovely zing to its ride, and the geometry and size range are second to none. Add in top-drawer kit for a price that makes you double-take, and you can see why, as a full bike, it comes out on top in this test.