2012 Trek Mamba 29er Bike
The 2012 Trek Mamba has made a big impact @ My Mountain. In fact, we attest the death of the 26" hardtail to the Mamba as it has brought the excellent Trek 29er handling down to an entry-level pricepoint with very little compromise in spec for genuine off-road riding. Sharing the same lightweight alloy frame as the Cobia, you're getting a responsive mountain bike that has none of the drawbacks associated with big-wheeled bikes due to the sharp steering G2 specific RockShox fork. If you're starting out in mountain biking, the smoother rolling 29er wheels will give you more traction and confidence off road and make a huge difference to beginner riders who may otherwise feel nervous on downhills and fast trails. The extra stability that comes with a 29er bike is why so many riders are choosing to go with the big wheels instead of the traditional 26" hardtails that can feel twitchy and unstable in comparison.

After coming away from Trek World 2011, it may be surprising that one of the bikes that we were most impressed with was the sub-$1k Trek Mamba 29er. So with all the carbon goodness and geeky-suspension going on with the high end bikes, why would we be impressed with an entry level hardtail?
Well, for a start it helps to know that from 2011-2012, the Trek Mamba has come down almost 20% in price while actually improving the parts specification. And while we wouldn't normally harp on about spec, the fact of the matter is that at a $1k pricepoint you will be comparing this bike to brands like Merida, Giant and Avanti. Even with it's G2 handling advantage, the Mamba is still strong on spec compared to those brands; Shimano hydraulic disc brakes, Deore shifting and an Octalink crankset are all components that weren't unheard of on $2k bikes only a couple of years ago. And of course, the RockShox 29er fork up front provides 100mm of quality suspension, though more importantly - can be serviced, unlike cheap no-name forks that are usually found on bikes at this price.
We absolutely love the cockpit on the Mamba; a comfy Bontrager Evoke saddle, nice 'n' wide handlebar and tacky Bontrager grips make this a bike that you instantly feel comfortable on with little need for swapping parts out.