MULLET BIKES

Ignoring the somewhat puerile penny-farthing comparisons, the roots of the modern mullet mountain bike can be traced right back to the

80s. That’s right, at the same time that pop stars and footballers were flaunting the classic business-at-the-front, party-at-the-back haircut, so Cannondale was offering versions of its alloy mountain bike with a 26in wheel up front and a 24in wheel out back. Over 30 years later, the mullet bike is back with a vengeance. Why? Well, two reasons really. One, because they give shorter riders the chance to enjoy the improved rollover and stability of 29in wheels up front, while reducing the chance of buzzing their butts on the rear tyre. And secondly, because they can crank up the fun factor by adding agility in turns while also building into a (theoretically) stiffer and stronger wheel.

Already this year we’ve had big guns like Santa Cruz embrace the mullet with the new Bronson, while Specialized has resurrected memories of the classic Big Hit with last summer’s Status and newly released Turbo Levo. But plenty of other brands are getting in on the act, with the likes of Transition, Saracen, Propain and

Orange also offering mullet models.