The Cypher platform was launched a few years ago, and it’s been a resounding success for Titan Racing. For the first time, local riders had a homegrown alternative to the slew of international bikes that tend to dominate this category.

You can’t mistake a Scalpel for anything else, with its distinctive Lefty fork – it’s a true outlier in a sea of often ‘same-y’ bikes. But is different good, or does it just open you up to a raft of issues with proprietary parts and tech?

At the time we were putting our 2023 shootout together, Trek had just launched their brand-new Supercaliber. We were frothing to test it (and we will), but we forced ourselves to take a deep breath and consider the alternative – this beautiful Top Fuel 9.8 XT, which is on special for only R5k more than the base Supercaliber.

To compete with Trek’s new Supercaliber in the hardtail-that-isn’t-a-hardtail XC race, Specialized recently launched the Epic World Cup, with a similar rear suspension design to the Supercaliber. Great; but just like the Top Fuel, we think the existing Epic EVO is a far better prospect for South African conditions.

The new Anthem Advanced Pro 1 is the most expensive bike on test. And while money can’t buy you happiness, it can buy you incredibly lightweight, responsive suspension and wheels, both of which make this bike a dream to ride.