Pinkbike 2025 Field Test-6 Bike Shootout -Which eMTB Jumps, Corners, Climbs, & Descends the Best

[friendo]

i imagine Bentonville is fantastic on all levels, riding, culture, accommodation, etc. what kinda irks me is that it's essentially a fabricated product of a billionairre family, unlike say Squamish/Whistler, Moab, Bellingham, any number of places in Colorado, Arizona, and so many i don't even know about myself. it gets the marketing machine treatment, the advertising hype that comes from the corporate wealth and power of Walmart. it's not bad, it's not wrong, but it breeds some cynicism, especially compared to these other areas.

 

[ntm95]

i imagine Bentonville is fantastic on all levels, riding, culture, accommodation, etc. what kinda irks me is that it's essentially a fabricated product of a billionairre family, unlike say Squamish/Whistler, Moab, Bellingham, any number of places in Colorado, Arizona, and so many i don't even know about myself. it gets the marketing machine treatment, the advertising hype that comes from the corporate wealth and power of Walmart. it's not bad, it's not wrong, but it breeds some cynicism, especially compared to these other areas.

The wife and I loved it. Good people, trails and features everywhere.
Would highly recommend to anyone, it's just that expectations need to be tempered. It's not the pnw.

 

[Chairman]

I've rode most of those trails, and they were a great time, but gnarly is not at all the word I'd use to describe them. They're well built and make the most of what they have certainly.
Elevation has nothing to do with judging climbing capability facilitated by a power system. It's got everything to do with judging a bike's descending capability though.
You could kind of get a general idea testing there, but some extrapolation would certainly be required. And if you only rode there, one would likely experience bit of trauma going northwest and hopping on a faster BC double black.
I found a bike with a bit less travel to be the weapon of choice, an arrival 140 in my case. Had a great time.
For an e bike there, I think it'd be hard to beat a yeti mte.

How do you think the Forbidden would go in BC. It seems pretty well suited to Rotorua in my experience

 

[Suns_PSD]

i imagine Bentonville is fantastic on all levels, riding, culture, accommodation, etc. what kinda irks me is that it's essentially a fabricated product of a billionairre family, unlike say Squamish/Whistler, Moab, Bellingham, any number of places in Colorado, Arizona, and so many i don't even know about myself. it gets the marketing machine treatment, the advertising hype that comes from the corporate wealth and power of Walmart. it's not bad, it's not wrong, but it breeds some cynicism, especially compared to these other areas.

The way B-ville actually happened is that one of the Walton Grandsons was/ is an avid mountainbiker. Yah, he was born rich. He owned land right through downtown, which might seem like a huge deal, until you realize what Bentonville actually was back then. A run down town where you could buy a home in town for $60K (I know, I actually looked to buy one in the very beginning but my wife would not allow it).
So the kid hired some trail builders to make a cool trail on his land for him and his friends. It got pretty cool for a small space and other people began riding the trails. The Walton Grandkid decided to donate it to the city for all to use, generous no matter how you look at it. The City council noticed that a bunch of rich white middle aged dudes were riding, then enjoying some IPA's afterwards and spending some much needed money in the town, and that this was a great investment and really an ideal tourist crowd to bring in.

Pretty soon the town began investing money to bring more bikers, the Waltons donated more land and money, and the town grew. So yah, they weren't born with the terrain that Utah has for instance but they certainly invested in their town and our sport. I'd argue much more than places born with great terrain.

I'd say they earned it. It really is quite a charming place. Nice weather, nice people, still comparatively affordable, if it rains when you show up you can still ride good trails, trails start right in downtown and sort of never end, they are everywhere. The trails are mostly novice friendly, but remain fun. But a very average rider can show up, ride the trails for a long weekend, and have a blast. You can also lay your $10K bike on the sidewalk outside of any restaurant next to the other 20 bikes, not lock it up and just go eat. That alone is pretty amazing.

 

[Brawwp]

i imagine Bentonville is fantastic on all levels, riding, culture, accommodation, etc. what kinda irks me is that it's essentially a fabricated product of a billionairre family, unlike say Squamish/Whistler, Moab, Bellingham, any number of places in Colorado, Arizona, and so many i don't even know about myself. it gets the marketing machine treatment, the advertising hype that comes from the corporate wealth and power of Walmart. it's not bad, it's not wrong, but it breeds some cynicism, especially compared to these other areas.

Why does this even matter? Dude if Walmart wants to come build trails by me then fuggin please do! I don’t understand being irked by some rich people wanting to build a mtb town as someone who rides mtbs lol.

 

[wb3jma]

i imagine Bentonville is fantastic on all levels, riding, culture, accommodation, etc. what kinda irks me is that it's essentially a fabricated product of a billionairre family, unlike say Squamish/Whistler, Moab, Bellingham, any number of places in Colorado, Arizona, and so many i don't even know about myself. it gets the marketing machine treatment, the advertising hype that comes from the corporate wealth and power of Walmart. it's not bad, it's not wrong, but it breeds some cynicism, especially compared to these other areas.

You do know that two of the brothers are mountain bikers right?