There are affordable mountain bikes. And there are trail-worthy mountain bikes. The Durango actually pulls off the rare trick of existing in both categories, and does it well. This year’s Durangos get a slightly reworked frame that sheds a few ounces, but keeps the smart rear triangle we re-designed last year with ample tire clearance when the world goes muddy.

And we upped the ante with the parts mix, outfitting the Durango 1 with a 100-mm RST fork with lockout, 24 Shimano gears and disc brakes. The 2 steps it up with a 27-speed Shimano drivetrain, hydraulic discs and RST’s Omega magnesium slider fork. And not to be outdone, the 3 levels up with a Marzocchi 22 fork and Shimano’s awesome Deore XT Shadow rear derailleur.

The parts are the bait, but the real meat of the Durango is the way it just flows, tracking smoothly and predictably. That’s 30 years of hard-won experience, all going to work for you.