The Boardman MTR is a short travel trail bike which offers a range of functional specs at an accessible price. The 8.9 proves to be an engaging and rewarding ride on the smooth-flowing trails, yet thanks to some competent suspension, it can equally handle the rougher stuff. A higher-rise bar and longer dropper post would help with confidence on the steeper descents however, it’s a solid performer for the price tag.
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Boardman MTR 8.9 – Technical details
The MTR is Boardman’s offering for a short travel trail bike with up-to-date geometry and a range of spec options to make mountain biking accessible without breaking the bank. The aluminium frame offers 120mm rear travel through a four bar layout with a pivot on the chainstay. The suspension layout is said to be progressive giving suppleness for grip and support deeper into the travel through compressions and drops.
The frame features internal routing, mounts for a bottle cage and utilises the readily available Universal Derailleur Hanger (UDH).
Available with 29” wheels only, it’s clear this bike is intended to carry speed and be efficient on the pedals. The geometry backs this up, reinforcing the trail intentions with reach numbers starting at 440mm and growing 20mm per size, with the large sitting at 480mm. A 65.5 degree head angle keeps steering lively whilst the 440mm chain stays (across all sizes) should keep things stable at speed.
An effective seat angle of 77.5 degrees is purposefully steep clearly aimed at a strong and efficient seated position. A slight kink in the seat-tube approximately half way down may not be useful for anyone looking to fit big-drop dropper seat posts. On that note, the MTR comes with sizes specific dropper post lengths – the S and M get 125mm drop whilst the L and XL see a 150mm dropper. The stack height is on the low side, which will help with weighting the front tyre for grip, but could be less inspiring when the trails start pointing downwards.
The MTR comes in four sizes, ranging from S to XL, which covers riders from 162cm to 195cm. The 8.9 is only available in the burgundy/grey colourway, but other spec levels have their own colourways.
Boardman MTR 8.9 – Componentry
The Boardman MTR comes in four spec levels, the 8.6, 8.8, 8.9 and 9.0 along with a women-specific 8.8 version. Pricing ranges from entry level at £1300 up to £2400 for the top spec model.
The 8.9 represents a functional spec which offers a reliable level of performance with the opportunity to upgrade as and when you can. Starting with the suspension, Rockshox take care of the 130mm front travel using their Psylo Gold RC which harbours a lot of top end tech for a budget fork. The rear travel is controlled with a Deluxe Select+ shock featuring rebound control and a lock-out lever.
The drivetrain is handled by Shimano’s Deore shifter and rear derailleur in the 12-speed variety with a 10-51T cassette to provide a good range. The brakes are two-piston Shimano variants, basic but perfectly functional.
A Boardman finishing kit is applied for the saddle, stem and bar along with the wheelset. A 45mm stem is a smart choice for this bike’s intentions, and the handlebar is size-specific, with 760mm in width for the smaller sizes and 780mm for L/XL. The dropper post is also size-specific, with 125mm drop on the S/M and 150mm drop for the larger sizes.
Maxxis tyres are always good to see with a Dissector up front and Rekon out back, both in the lightweight Exo casing – clearly intended to be fast rolling and efficient.
Boardman MTR 8.9 – Performance
The setup is a simple affair, mainly focused on the suspension. As always, Rockshox provide a handy chart on the fork leg to help with air pressure based on your weight however, the rear shock takes some more trial and error to hit the desired 30% sag. I settled on 120psi in the fork and 200psi in the shock to get rolling.
With the thin tyres using inner tubes, I ran higher pressures than usual, starting with 24psi front and 28psi rear.
Testing was carried out in the Forest of Dean, where we’re spoilt for a wide range of trails. Machine-built trail centre flow trails and more technical reds, along with steeper and rougher hand-built options, give plenty to test the MTR 8.9. As a short travel trail bike, the emphasis should be on an efficient climber and an engaging ride, which is on the lively side.
When it comes to flowing and smooth blue grade trails, the MTR is a rewarding ride. The fast-rolling tyres and supportive suspension allow speed to be carried and generated with ease. The 440mm chain stays give plenty of stability at speed, whilst the head angle results in a responsive steering feel, both of which provide a happy balance that is stable whilst remaining active. When the trails get rougher and steeper, the low front end compromises confidence a little, with the rider’s weight feeling a little too far forward, even with the generous reach numbers. A higher-rise bar would be recommended for anyone wanting to attack some serious descending.
This problem is compounded with a relatively short dropper post, which limits rider movement on the descents, fitting a 170mm dropper helped (the size large came with 150mm).
Whilst the Shimano two-piston brakes have a great initial feel and bite, they lack power; some bigger discs and better pads would certainly help in this regard, but they don’t help with confidence when needing to anchor up for a tight corner.
When hitting rougher trails, the 130mm Psylo fork was impressive, punching above its weight. It felt controlled and supportive, matching the Deluxe rear shock nicely to give a balanced and capable platform. Whilst the Deore rear mech has a clutch and controls a lot of the chain movement, the lack of chain stay protection still led to a noisy ride and some paint chips, so consider adding some extra protection here before your first ride – something like the VHS slapper tape would work great.
On the climbs, the quick rolling tyres really helped get a move on. In muddy conditions, they’d be a handful, but on the hard pack trail centre surfaces and dry trails, they did a great job.
The seat position is excellent on the MTR, a relatively steep seat angle gives a strong and efficient position to push the pedals, whilst the longer chain stays keep the front end stable when pointing up the hill. There is a climb switch on the rear shock, but I never felt the need to use it; the suspension has a good platform around the sag point to be plenty efficient enough. The 10-51 12-speed cassette is pretty standard these days and is the ideal range to climb all but the steepest hills, however, at this spec level, it is a heavy cassette, so it’s worth upgrading to save some weight once it wears out, if that’s what you’re looking for.
Boardman MTR 8.9 – Verdict
Retailing at £1900, the MTR 8.9 is a great entry-level offering with componentry that won’t hold you back but still leaves room to upgrade when funds allow.
Other options around this price point include the Voodoo Canzo Pro. This has 20mm more rear travel and is aimed a little more towards descending. It proved to be a stable ride with a similar budget but functional spec.
Another bike worth considering is the Marin Rift Zone 2. At £2000 it’s a little more expensive and has a little more rear travel at 130mm but the spec is arguably not quite as good at the MTR 8.9.
The Boardman MTR 8.9 is a solid offering as a short travel trail bike, which is most at home on smooth flowing trails but isn’t afraid to hit the rough stuff. Competent suspension with good geometry means the MTR is a capable climber and rewards an active ride, however, a long dropper and higher rise bars would really help with confidence on the descents. Overall, it’s a solid performer with a good spec, which has room to upgrade as funds allow.
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About the bike
Tell us what the bike is for, and who it’s aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own :
State the frame material and method of construction. List the components used to build up the bike.:
Frame: 6061 Butted Alloy, Internal Cables 148×12, UDH Hanger
Fork: 130mm RockShox Psylo Gold RC
Shock: RockShox Deluxe Select+
Gears: Shimano Deore 1×12
Seatpost: 120mm (SM/MD) 150mm (LG/XL) Cable Actuated
Brakes: Shimano 2 Piston Hydraulic Disc
Wheels: Boardman Trail Alloy
Tyres: Maxxis Rekon EXO TR & Dissector EXO TR 29″x2.4″
Frame & Fork
How much suspension travel does the fork have?:
Was the bike comfortable to ride? Tell us how you felt about the ride quality.:
Front end a little low
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Frame construction seems good, paint finish is good
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Riding
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Suspension
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Drivetrain
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Works fine but is heavy
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Wheels & tyres
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Basic but functional
Summary
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Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike’s performance? would you recommend any changes?:
Dropper a little too short
Fork was great for this spec level
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Use this box to explain your score:
Product purpose:
Build extra:
Fork: 130mm RockShox Psylo Gold RC
Shock: RockShox Deluxe Select+
Gears: Shimano Deore 1×12
Seatpost: 120mm (SM/MD) 150mm (LG/XL) Cable Actuated
Brakes: Shimano 2 Piston Hydraulic Disc
Wheels: Boardman Trail Alloy
Tyres: Maxxis Rekon EXO TR & Dissector EXO TR 29″x2.4″
Product construction
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Frame construction seems good, paint finish is good
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product value
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Product value extra:
Overall performance:
Product likes:
Comfortable climber
Competent suspension
Product dislikes:
Would benefit from a longer dropper post
Poor chain stay protection
