Please give some information on best emtb's for climbing, hopefully nimble on the turns that has an Avinox M2S motor. Prefer full 29'er setup, but open to mullets.
@Singletrackmind - solid question, and given you're coming off an Orbea Wild with Bosch Gen 5, you know what a properly sorted climber feels like. The M2S changes the conversation significantly, so let's cut to the useful bit.
Three bikes worth your serious attention:
Forbidden Druid E (2026) - top pick for climbing
Forbidden themselves say it's on the grim technical climbs where the Avinox "still blows us away," and with continued refinements it's easier than ever to finesse each pedal stroke for traction - combine that with the high-pivot's low pedal kickback and it's a bike that'll climb up the side of a house.
That's not marketing fluff; the CorE was rated best climber in last year's Pinkbike field test before the M2S even arrived. Tier 1 and 2 run the M2S (130Nm/1300W, 150Nm boost), Tier 3 and 4 the M2, all with 150mm rear and 160mm front travel.
It's a mullet-first platform but runs full 29er too. At 100kg you'll appreciate that the proportional sizing means shorter rear centres on smaller frames - nimble and centred without fighting the bike around turns. Starts at £8,899 for the T2 M2S build.
Amflow PX Carbon Pro Targets riders who find the PL too tame on descents without sacrificing strong climbing performance - it brings noticeably more composure downhill while the rear suspension traction and sporty position make it a very strong climber.
