LINKS TO THE WEBSITES OF THE WORLD'S TOP BIKE MANUFACTURERS
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  • AIRBORNE CYCLES - Airborne specializes in high-quality titanium frames, but they offer also complete bikes you can build selecting among a wide choice of components. The site offers complete technical information, a very useful frame geometry and sizing guide and an interesting FAQ section. It is modern and well done, but the use of frames reduces drastically the active area of the screen.

  • ALPINE DESIGN MTB - A small U.S.-based family-owned company producing race-proven high-quality MTB's. Their web site, with very limited graphics, is designed both as an online shop and as a technical detail source. Therefore you can find every detail about purchasing a bike and also every technical information.

  • AMP - AMP Research is really very famous for having introduced new high-tech products and very light full-suspended bikes. They offer strange linkage suspension forks different from all the others, disc brakes and complete cross-country full-suspended bikes and frames. The site is modern, clean and nice and offer high-quality pictures and detailed information.

  • ARROW RACING - They offer just two MTB models one for cross-country and one for downhill. Both of them are really modern and sophisticated with features not common to find. The site is a little dark and confused and unfortunately there are no technical specifications of the bikes or the frame and the pictures are not so clear and too small.

  • BIANCHI - A very well known Italian manufacturer of MTB's that is gaining success in competitions. Bianchi offers a complete range of MTB. The web site is complete and offers also some interesting special features.

  • BMC-Racing - BMC is a Swiss company offering a wide range of high-level MTB's with nice fantasy names. They are very interesting models, assembled with the best components. The description of each version is clear and complete. The site layout and graphics are also well-done.

  • BOULDER BIKES - A U.S. manufacturer of high-quality MTB's and components. The range is rather limited because they are specialized in full-suspended MTB's and claim their frame to be the best full-suspended available today!

  • CALOI USA - A Brazilian company offering only MTB with aluminum frame. They have a broad range with interesting models. The web site is nice, with a balanced and attracting use of graphics and offers both general and very detailed information on each model. Also available are small and big pictures of each MTB model.

  • CANNONDALE - A top-manufacturer, one of the most famous in the world. It is the leading manufacturer of aluminum bikes and it is famous for its big-size aluminum frames. Their range of bikes is extremely wide and complete. The site is very nice and complete and offer in-depth information on all the topics.

  • CARRARO - Carraro is a 70-year old Italian manufacturer of high-tech MTB's. The site is nice and well-designed but offers really no information on the different models (probably it's still under construction).

  • CATAMOUNT - A Colorado-based company that specializes in full suspension MTB's with URT (Unified Rear Triangle) geometry. Their bikes are of high quality and offer significant features not found in other solutions. The site offers a lot of technical details, clear explanations and pictures. Maybe the colors are a little too strong and the graphics is sometimes too heavy, but the site is surely striking!

  • CINELLI - Cinelli was the first MTB manufacturer in Italy with the famous "Rampichino" and produces MTB's with a distinctive Italian style. It is famous all over the world for its high-quality bikes and components. The web site is nice, modern and original with attracting graphics but sometimes is not so easy, clear and fast to browse.

  • COLNAGO - The Italian manufacturer famous all over the world for its road bikes (he also made a custom model for the Pope). Nice and complete site, but unfortunately Colnago MTB models are really few and no in-depth information is offered.

  • CYCLEPRO - This is a Swedish company producing a wide range of cross-country MTB's with aluminum 7005 frame. The site is modern and well-done and offers some nice features but only basic information about the different models. Moreover I couldn't find a company profile so I'm not even sure if they are a Swedish company.

  • DAGGER - This company offers just a few models of high performance MTB's. They were tested by MBA with positive results. The site is not so wide and a little poor, but offers complete and detailed technical information even if some more photos would make it more clear and appealing.

  • DART - An Italian company producing a good range of interesting front and full-suspended mountain bikes. The site is really well-done: modern, original and not too slow. It features complete information on the company and the bikes. Technical specifications are extremely detailed and include all components, all geometry angles and the weight. Also the bike images are zoomable.

  • DEAN - Dean offers a wide and varied range of top MTB's. The bikes shown are equipped with very sophisticated wheels (four carbon spokes) and are really very nice. The site is simple and offers an unconventional and effective way of presenting the different models. Quotes from the main MTB magazines seem to confirm the high level of their bikes.

  • DIAMOND BACK - A well-known manufacturer offering a wide range of MTB's. Check out their very nice and complete Web site!

  • ELLSWORTH - They produce only top-class MTB's trying to reach perfection, therefore they don't have entry-level bikes and they seem not to care about having low-prices! All bicycles are meticulously handcrafted to obtain maximum performance. The web site is nice and well done, with pictures and very detailed descriptions of the bikes.

  • FAT CITY - A manufacturer of really high-quality full-suspended and hard-tail MTB's. The range is limited, but the technical features of the models are really interesting. Their web site is well done, offers in-depth technical information and makes use of nice graphics.

  • FOCUS - Focus is a German manufacturer offering a limited number of MTB's that cover the whole range from rigid to full-suspended. The web site is really modern, interactive, fast and easy to browse. The only strange point is the way the bikes are grouped: you have to check all of them to find the bike you look for. The technical information provided is rather complete but the pictures are too small.

  • FOES - Foes produces extreme Mountain Bikes. They have just two models, both for downhill, which seem to be the maximum for long travel of both front and rear suspension. Also the frame is really impressive. The site is nice, simple, offers good graphical effects, photos and detailed technical data.

  • GARY FISHER - The legendary Gary Fisher is considered the father of MTB together with Tom Ritchey. He founded his company in 1979 and became famous for its innovative, high-quality mountain bikes offered in a wide and complete range. The site offers complete information, is very modern, highly animated and interactive with a lot of graphics and therefore rather slow.

  • GIANT - Really well-known all over the world, Giant offers an extremely wide range of MTB's. You can surely find a model perfect for you! The site (as one expects from Giant) is modern, attracting and unusual, with heavy use of graphics, that makes it more attracting but, as usual, also very slow!

  • GRISLEY - A U.S. Company offering a limited but good range of nice MTBs. The site is modern, easy and intuitive to navigate and offers some nice features such as close-out of frame details. There are complete specifications of the bikes but unfortunately the pictures are small and not zoomable.

  • GT - GT offers an extremely wide range of bikes. They are famous for the high-quality and stiffness of their frames (triple-triangle). The site is modern, with nice and colored photos that, as usual, make it slow even if attracting.

  • HARDLAND - A U.S. based company producing high-quality MTB's. Downhill fans will be surely very interested to their full-suspended model based on an URT (Unified Rear Triangle) suspension design. Their web site is nice and modern and features a pleasant but never exceeding graphic. Information and technical data are detailed and include prices.

  • HARO - An American company founded twenty years ago by Bob Haro, father of BMX freestyle. They offer a very complete range of MTB's particularly appreciated for their price/performance ratio. The site is modern, attracting and very easy to browse. The specifications for each model are complete and detailed.

  • IBIS CYCLES - They offer a wide range of products, not only full MTB's. I found impressing their full-suspended version with titanium frame and a pivotless rear shock realized by uniform bending of a complex structure of titanium tubes (bow-stays). Their web site is really unusual, with cartoons, fun and so on! Information is at a good level.

  • IONIC CYCLES - A very small company producing frames, cranksets and complete bikes for XC and DH. You can buy only the frame or a complete custom-built bike. To choose it they offer a nice interactive building page where you can choose whatever you prefer. The web site is very complete, modern, interactive, simple to browse and makes a perfect use of graphics without being too slow.

  • IRONHORSE  - A U.S.-based company producing a wide range of mountain bikes, from rigid to full-suspended models. The site is very colorful, modern and rather easy to browse. It offers detailed information (but not the weight) on the different bikes including a zoomable picture of each model. The site includes also information on dealers, events, racing teams but lacks a company profile.

  • K2  - The famous ski company bought some years ago Pro-Flex entering the MTB world. They also bought Noleen specialized in forks and offering a unique "smart" fork. Their MTB choice is now very wide and complete including full and front-suspended bikes. The site is modern, rich with images but still fast and reactive. The technical information provided is very complete and includes also the weight.

  • KASTLE - A well-known company, now bought by the Italian Bike manufacturer Atala. They offer a wide range of interesting mountain-bikes. The site is very nice, different from many others, modern and with attractive graphics, but technical information is quite limited compared to other sites.

  • KHS - KHS is a well-known MTB manufacturer. They offer really a broad range of different versions. The web site is nice, modern and complete with pictures and technical information.

  • KLEIN - Klein is really famous for its high-quality bikes and frames. Gary Klein put obsessive care in producing the best frames. The site is nice with a balanced use of graphics. It offers detailed information on bikes, frames, technical aspects and sports also interesting FAQ's on different bike subjects.

  • KONA - A Canadian manufacturer of high-quality bikes that are very successful in competitions. Unfortunately their site, even though well-designed, is still very young, and lacks technical detail.

  • LEE COUGAN - They produce a very wide range of MTB's that were also chosen for the 1997 edition of Camel Trophy. Particularly interesting the downhill model. Their site is very well done, modern, simple to browse and attracting. It offers also complete technical information and nice zoomable pictures of the different bikes.

  • LITESPEED - A company producing mainly titanium-frame MTB's. I found the oversize titanium frame models really very special and interesting. Their web site is nice, clear, easy to browse and offers enough technical details.

  • MARIN - Marin is a leader well-known for its titanium frames. The web site is modern and attracting with nice photos, colors and animations even if sometimes the heavy graphics makes it slow. The information is simple to find, complete and offers adequate technical details.

  • MERLIN - Merlin means Titanium! This company is really famous all over the world for its high-quality titanium-frame bikes. Their titanium frame are considered the best all over the world. The site is nice and offers also a detailed and extremely interesting guide to Titanium.

  • MICALS - A manufacturer of high-quality MTB's that offers "The only fully INVERTED full suspension Mountain Bike in the world" with "A PATENTED Pivot Point which actuates through the center of the bottom bracket". Their site is nice, technically up-to-date and rich in information. Definitely worth a visit.

  • MONGOOSE - Mongoose is a well known company offering a wide range of MTB and BMX. The Newman frame is surely the most attracting component of their bikes. The site is dominated by orange color and is unconventional: disorder everywhere and a very personal style. Even if original, I did not find it easy and intuitive to browse. The information on the products and the frame is good and detailed.

  • MOOTS - Moots specializes in titanium MTB's. Their range is limited to three models (rigid, short-travel full, long travel full) all of them based on a very sophisticated titanium frame. The site is good even if the bike pictures are very small and black and white. The technical specs are very complete for the frame but nothing is present on the components.

  • MOTOBECANE - Maybe more famous for its motorbikes, Motobecane produces also a complete range of front and dual suspension mountain bikes. The site is easy to browse and rather good. Unfortunately it offers just the pictures and the prices of the different models but almost no technical information on the components and the frame which seems really absurd.

  • MOUNTAIN CYCLE - A well known company producing a wide range of high-level MTB's featuring a special thick frame. I was impressed by the downhill model San Andreas DHS. The site is wide, complete, simple to browse and very well done, with nice and attracting graphics and a modern look.

  • MRAZEK - A small Czech Republic company producing high quality MTB and components. The site is modern and complete, offers adequate information and many clear and nice pictures.

  • NORCO - Norco is a large Canadian 30-year-old company. They produce a very wide and extremely complete range of MTB's even if I did not find really "extreme" models. The web site is very easy and fast to browse thanks to a nice and detailed menu. Technical data and specs are complete.

  • OLMO - Olmo is a very famous Italian bike manufacturer. I appreciated particularly the two top models shown, front and full suspended. The site is well done, with a right use of graphics, pictures of the different bikes, price and main technical specs. You can click on a bar to obtain advanced detailed technical data.

  • OLYMPIA  - An Italian company founded 106 years ago! They offer a wide range of nice and cool-looking front- and full-suspended MTBs. The site is nice, with moderate graphics and a description of every model with many technical details (including the weight). Unfortunately it is a little slow and boring to visit because it requires a lot of mouse clicks to get the information you want.

  • ORANGE  - An English manufacturer of a good range of high-tech and cool-looking MTBs. The site offers complete information but even if modern, it's not at all user-friendly. Mountain bikes are not listed by category, information is spread all around the screen, bike pictures are very small and not zoomable. Moreover the dark background and the many colors make the site difficult to read.

  • RALEIGH - Raleigh is a well-known company offering a wide range of good-quality MTB's. The information on the different model is complete, detailed and easy to understand and includes data on the comfort and riding position. Their web site is modern, with a good use of colored graphics. It's clear, attracting and very easy to browse.

  • RED HOT - A company that specializes in carbon. Their MTB models are built around a unique and sophisticated frame: it's a monocoque, one-piece, seamless carbon frame. The site is very well done, nice and complete, offers information not only on the bikes, but also on materials, tests, reviews and, of course, the Red Hot company.

  • REMEC - A small company based in Slovenia. Surely not well known but worth being listed. They produce only very sophisticated and impressive full-suspension DH and enduro MTBs. The frames seem of very high quality made of carbon and CNC aluminum and all the components are too. The web site could surely be better, faster and with more in-depth technical details but offers nice pictures.

  • ROCKY-MOUNTAIN - An important Canadian manufacturer of high-quality MTB's. Their Web page is really awesome, don't miss this site!

  • SANTA CRUZ BICYCLES - A small company offering (in their web site) only three MTB models with really interesting technical features and a lot of details to fully understand the technical solutions offered. Their web site is modern with nice use of graphics.

  • SCAPIN - An Italian manufacturer really famous for its high-quality steel frames. Check out the interesting new full-suspended model which is a superb MTB.

  • SCHWINN - Another well-known high-quality MTB manufacturer. Their web site is really well done, with complete information and many details. It is also easy to find what you want.

  • SCOTT - A famous U.S. manufacturer of a wide range of MTBs. The top models for cross-country and downhill feature very interesting frame and elevated chainstays. The site is nice and modern, but the bikes are grouped in a strange and non-intuitive way. Unfortunately bike pictures are small, not zoomable and out of focus, but technical specs are very complete and detailed even if no weight is given.

  • SEVEN - Seven is a rather new company aiming to build the best bikes in the world! I met the founder and can say that their titanium frames are probably among the best in the world and their attention to details and custom options is impressive. The site is original and modern but not very attractive. The information provided is good especially for frame specs.

  • SINTESI - A famous Italian manufacturer of a complete range of MTB. Riding the Sintesi Bazooka, Corrado Herin won the Downhill World Championship in 1997. The site is modern and attracting but the bike pictures are small and not zoomable and the technical specifications are very poor covering only the frame structure and the rear suspension. No data is given on the components and the fork.

  • SLINGSHOT - Slingshot started producing MTBs many years ago and still now offers the same, unique and patented frame design: the down tube is made just with a "spring-tensioned stainless steel cable of 2,000 pound tensile strength". In this way you save weight, get a flexible frame and also a folding bike. The site is nice, modern, easy to browse and clearly explains all the technical details of the frame.

  • SOFTRIDE - A manufacturer of MTB's with a particular and unique frame and suspension design. Their concept is: "Suspend the biker not the bike". Nice site with many interesting in-depth technical notes.

  • SPECIALIZED - One of the best-known MTB name; definitely a leader in MTB technology! Nice site!

  • SPICER - This company produces interesting and unusual two-wheel drive mountain bikes! It can sounds amazing but it is true and they explain also the advantages of such a choice. The site is very simple from a graphical point of view (it's still under construction), but it has some good images and offers adequate technical information on the products and the technique behind them.

  • SUMMIT - This company produces extremely sophisticated and unconventional MTB models. The frame geometry of the full-suspended model is amazing as well as the three different an unconventional front forks. They even produce a specific model for dual slalom racing. The web site lacks completely a company profile, but there are good pictures and detailed specifications for the different models.

  • SUNN - Sunn is really well-known for its results in competitions with bikers famous all over the world. They offer a broad range of high quality MTB's. The site is really complete and offers also some unusual features such as a forum and a gallery of race pictures. It is maybe a little too heavy with graphics and sometimes a little confusing for the vast amount of information shown.

  • TITAN  - A manufacturer of a nice range of rigid, front- and full-suspended MTBs with steel and aluminum frame (despite their name!). The site is well done because even if the graphics is not exciting, it's fast and intuitive and offers immediately a summary of the nine bikes in production together with their price. Specifications are clear and detailed but the pictures are a little small and not very sharp.

  • TITUS TITANIUM - A manufacturer specialized in high-tech bikes with titanium frame. I was impressed by the through-hole design of their aluminum cranks.

  • TOMAC - The famous champion, John Tomac, has very recently founded his own MTB company. The company is so young it just offers one model (John will ride this bike in 1998) which is impressive for its strange massive frame. The site is well organized and offers interesting photos, but being the company really new, it's still heavily under construction and the information provided is therefore limited.

  • TOM RITCHEY - Another legendary guy! Ritchey produces a wide range of high-quality MTB's as well as many components and accessories.

  • TREK - Trek is a world-wide well-known company. They offer an extremely broad range of mountain bikes which can satisfy everyone's needs. Check out particularly the famous OCLV frame. The site is modern, easy to browse and extremely complete offering clear and detailed technical specifications.

  • TURNER - Turner is a very specialized company producing high-quality no-compromise MTB's. They offer only four models, but all of them are carefully studied and very sophisticated, based on a full-suspended frame. Check out the unusual solution chosen for the Stinger. The site is nice, offers large pictures of the different frames and complete technical specs for each of them.

  • TURRO - Turro is an Italian company very active in competitions. They offer a varied range of very interesting and high-quality mountain bikes. The site is modern and nice but uses a lot of unneeded graphics and is therefore rather slow. Moreover pictures are nice but dark and non-zoomable. The technical information is limited to the basics and no frame geometry dimensions are given.

  • VARIO - A French company specializing in extreme downhill and freeride bikes including a "fun" bike for ski resort downhill tracks. They offer only a few models but really very impressing! The site is nice, interactive and modern. It is rather complete and offers zoomable images of the bikes, weights, prices a company profile and other info. Unfortunately I could not find any description of each bike's components.

  • VENTANA - Ventana is a small U.S.-based manufacturer of high-quality MTB's. Their full-suspended models (already updated to 1997) are surely worth a visit. Models are described with tons of technical details that will delight MTB fans. Unfortunately the pictures of the different bikes are a little too small.

  • VINER - A small Italian company producing a limited range of good MTB's. The site is nice and bright but not very clear to browse and the information on the different models is not very detailed.

  • VOODOO CYCLES - A well-known company offering interesting MTB's. The site is really strange mixing constantly VooDoo with bicycles, but it is well done and rich in information, even if, maybe, a little confusing to browse.

  • WHEELER - At Wheeler they design and produces a large range of good MTBs. Their web site is really complete, offering tons of details not only on the different bikes but also about innovation, production, components, design etc. The only weak point I found is that many photos are really out of focus: it's a pity!

  • WILIER - An Italian company manufacturing a good range of MTB's, one full-suspended version and many hardtail models. The site is complete, modern, with a clean, limited but effective graphics. It offers a company profile, pictures and main technical data for each product, dealer locations, links, racing team information and other fun and interesting sections (most of them are still under construction).

  • YETI - The best way to understand Yeti's philosophy is probably through their description of a downhill MTB: "...a TIG-welded talisman for manipulating gravity, a wicked feat of metallurgy that you buy with currency but pay for with blood, sweat and adrenaline!". The site is nice and attracting, made for the real MTB fan. The information on the different MTB's is complete and includes technical details and pictures.

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