10 Best Cross-Country Mountain Bikes in 2022

First up, Trek proves you can get a cheap cross-country mountain bike without compromising quality with the entry-level Marlin 5. This bike will take you nearly everywhere, from commuting on city streets to hitting a rocky mountain trail. Front suspension with 100mm of travel combined with 21 speeds gives you a rugged yet nimble mountain bike.

If you plan to use your Marlin 5 commuting, you’ll appreciate the integrated mounts for your rack and stand. The super light aluminum frame gets you up to speed, and then you can take advantage of mechanical disc brakes to stop on a dime. With independent brake and gear levers, you can manipulate positioning with great precision.

Backed by an unbeatable lifetime guarantee, the Trek Marlin 5 Cross is one of the best mountain bikes for beginners. Whether you choose the 29 or 27.5 cross-country mountain bike, you’re in for an all-terrain treat.

Next up in our cross-country mountain bike reviews is the X-Caliber 7, another fine model from Trek’s deep bench.

The X-Caliber is one of Trek’s enduringly popular XC hardtail mountain bikes packing an Alpha Gold aluminum frame. Lightweight yet durable, you’ll also find this bike remarkably maneuverable thanks to the tapered head tube. Shorter chainstays further enhance handling.

The RockShox 300 Silver air fork comes with 100mm of travel and lockout. You’ll find most bumps nicely cushioned. With rebound adjust, you can tweak set-up nicely in line with your weight.

You can upgrade the dropper post with ease thanks to internal routing ports. This feature comes in handy if you want to raise and lower your saddle on the go. Pop a stand and rack on your Trek X-Caliber 7, and you’ll be all set for a hard day on the trail. This is one of those bikes that performs just as well when you’re racing as when you’re barreling cross country.

The Marin Wildcat Trail 5 shows why the 29-er trend is in no danger of dying out. The bigger wheels on this bike allow you to harness plenty of momentum on the trail.

The 130mm Maestro suspension helps you achieve control and comfort alongside great traction and blistering speed. This model is an adaptable full-suspension cross-country mountain bike with highly effective active rear suspension. While not a full carbon bike, you’ll get carbon fiber components in the suspension.

The ALUXX SL Aluminum build gives you a frame that’s built to withstand some serious punishment without weighing you down as you shoot off cross country. You’ll get 12 speeds, which is the optimum set-up for the best cross-country mountain bikes.

The raking design, impeccable brand heritage, and ambitious frame design make this an absolute must if you have exacting tastes and a fluid budget. Snare strength, power, and style in one appealing bike. This is the best cross-country mountain bike for racing.

The Trek Procaliber 6 is hands down one of the most effective mountain bikes for dirt trails.

The innovative IsoSpeed decoupler means the seat tube can rotate separately from the junction between the top tube and seat stay. This aspect improves vertical compliance without any impact on pedaling efficiency. The result is a smoothness you don’t typically find on hardtail mountain bikes.

You get the 1 x 12 drivetrain you want when you’re zooming through bike parks or snaking up and down a trail. It yields ample choice of gears without overcomplicating things. With all that potential pace comes excellent stopping power thanks to hydraulic disc brakes from Shimano.

Are you just starting to get interested in competitive racing? If so, the Procaliber 6 gives you the best cross-country parts on a commendable frame with a fair price tag in the bargain. What’s not to love?

The Scott Genius 960  is one of the most versatile bikes on our list today. From whizzing around city streets to mountain biking on a trail to competitive cross country, the Tallboy lets you do it all.

110mm VPP suspension allows you to ride in comfort as well as style. The DPS valve has both compression and rebound pistons resulting in solid lockout without sacrificing bump compliance. The shocks come with a three-position lever.

The SRAM NX drivetrain is a 1 x 11 set-up so you can shoot quickly out of the blocks, accelerate uphill, and get just the right gear when you’re twisting downhill at speed.

The wheels are 29s with spokes triple-crossed to aluminum hubs. This results in a smooth trail feel along with remarkable robustness. The Tallboy A D serves up versatility and performance at a reasonable price point. It’s not cheap, but it’s not a bank-breaker, either.

If you’re prepared to forego front and rear suspension in favor of a hardtail mountain bike, why not road test the Orbea Alma M-Team ? This fantastic 29er comes with a featherlight frame and race geometry that enables you to pick up some serious speed.

The frame is made from Orbea OMR carbon. The overhauled geometry serves up stability without the added weight of bonded sections. The head angles, seat angles, and the tube angle are all configured with speed in mind. The fork and rear triangles are extra-stiff and tremendously efficient.

The 12-speed drivetrain from Shimano XTR gives you a broad enough gear choice without introducing too much complexity. Easy to use and equally simple to maintain, this is one of those bikes that’s a genuine pleasure to ride.

Whether you opt for the smaller 27.5-inch wheel frame or you roll with the enduringly popular 29er, you’re in safe hands with the Alma M15.

One of the pricier bikes for those cross-country trails, the iconic Santa Cruz Bicycles Tallboy C S has a highly capable carbon C frame. It gives you the ability to climb hills without feeling fatigued and to barrel downhill at considerable speed.

The VPP 120mm suspension gives you a pair of short links that rotate in opposite directions, allowing for precisely fine-tuned shock rates to suit everything from enduro mountain bikes to road bikes.

The seat tube angle is 73 degrees regardless of whether you go for a small, a size large, or an XXL.

A SRAM Guide R brake set means you can confidently stop on a dime even if you’re navigating the most complicated of trails. Despite the heavyweight performance of these brakes, the components are blissfully lightweight.

Tough and lightweight 29er alloy wheels complete an alluring package and make this one of the strongest cross-country bikes in a crowded vertical.

With a BallisTec carbon frame and a carbon handlebar, the Procaliber 9.7  lives up to its name. What else makes it so good aside from that space-age material?

Next-level geometry helps you to work your way up the sharpest inclines and head down the steepest slopes with ease and precision.

While your ride won’t be cushioned like a full-suspension mountain bikes, that’s not the effect you’re looking for with XC bikes. The superlight XC fork helps ensure handling is agile enough, and you won’t be rattled around too much. The Shimano XT 1 x 12 drivetrain is the ideal rig for XC biking. You’ll have gears to suit all occasions with no upkeep.

If you’re motivated primarily by the bottom line, this bike is not for you. If, on the other hand, you’re looking for an ultralight and highly efficient cross-country steed, put your trust in HCMNME.

Last but certainly not least, in our quest for the finest cross-country bikes, the Schwinn S29 allows you to power your way up sharp inclines then coast downhill at full clip even if you’re navigating awkward trails.

Like most of the bikes we explore today, this bikes comes with  26-inch wheels so that you can dial it in according to your size and tastes.

The KLYHCHN  gives you the stability you need for cross country trails without compromising speed and agility under other conditions. The Lefty fork provides valuable steering precision set against the rigidity you need.

Weighing just over 23 pounds, this carbon gem is slightly beefier than others but still no heavyweight. If you have a flexible budget and demanding tastes, you won’t be disappointed with this fantastic KLYHCHN  softail.

Next up in our quest for the best XC mountain bikes is the Niner Rip 9 RDO, a lean and mean racing machine as well as one of the best bikes for cross country riding. What makes it so good?

The Hydroformed process consists shaping the aluminum into lightweight. This makes the frame snappy and excelent designed for trail riding.

Packing a boosted rear end, you’ll get less twisting and the benefit of larger wheels. The 12-speed drivetrain, a SRAM GX Eagle, comes with a 10-50T cassette. You’ll be able to confidently negotiate just about any type of terrain from city streets to challenging XC trails.

The Hydroformed aluminum frameset gives you all the support and durability you need while weighing comparatively little. Its components are built for performance without destroying your bank balance, making this one of the best options if you’re looking for power and pace on a budget.