I’ve always been a fan of Moots bikes for a number of reasons: they’re from Colorado, the frames are titanium, and they’re generally built for speed on the XC trail. But the Moots Mooto X YBB 29er caught my eye for another reason: it’s a soft tail mountain bike.

For the uninitiated, a soft tail isn’t the same as a full suspension mountain bike in that it typically only offers about an inch of travel and the shock is usually mounted inline with the frame. This has the advantage of lower weights (only adds about ¼ pound) and more efficient climbing out of the saddle. With any soft tail design, the chainstays typically need to be flexible and titanium is the perfect material to make that happen.

Of all the bikes I demoed this year, the Mooto X YBB was definitely my favorite. It’s lightweight for a 29er thanks to titanium tubing and even more so for a 29er with an inch of rear travel. As I climbed the trails at Bootleg Canyon I literally forgot I wasn’t on a hardtail, except for the fact that I got slightly better traction on short, bumpy climbs. The Mooto X YBB felt responsive and was literally a joy to ride up (and down) hill.

Speaking of going down, the Mooto X YBB offered just the right amount of shock absorption without feeling mushy at all. Some have described the ride as feeling a bit like riding an under-inflated rear tire, which I suppose isn’t too far off. I could definitely see myself riding this bike for a hundred miles without feeling beat up at the end of the day. I had so much fun on the Mooto X YBB that I caught myself getting air off small bumps that I had been rolling over all morning long.

The Moots Mooto X YBB offers the perfect blend of efficient, XC-style climbing and riding with the traction and control advantages of a fully-suspended design. On top of that, the Mooto X YBB is lightweight, fast, and a joy to ride. If you’re on the fence between a hardtail 29er and a FS ride (29er or 26er), definitely give the Mooto X YBB a look – who says you can’t have it all?

The Moots MootoXz offers an embarassment of riches: it’s a 29er, made of titanium, full-suspension, and it’s built in Steamboat Springs, CO. If you’re imagining a super plush ride that can climb like a gazelle you’re not too far off…

The interesting thing to note about the MootoXz is that the rear suspension doesn’t have a pivot at the dropout. Instead, the titanium chain stays are designed to flex just enough to give you a full 4-inches of travel. The design also helps tame pedal bob by stiffening the rear aluminum triangle.

On the trail I can tell you this bike descended like a champ, making washboard trails feel ironing board smooth. The extra wide cockpit offers added control over the large 29″ wheels through tight turns and switchbacks.

Moots is doing some innovative things beyond the FS 29er as well. The Mooto-X YBB is a soft-tail bike with just over an inch of rear travel that rides like a cross between a hardtail and a full suspension rig. Since all their bikes are made from titanium, Moots is able to let the frame material do some of the work of typical pivot points. Simple is good.

Finally, I found out a little more about the Gristle or the “old 96er” as it’s referred to (fans of the movie the Great Outdoors will get this reference). This bike melds a 29er front end onto a regular old 26″ full suspension rear end to give riders the best of both worlds. I plan on getting pics of this bike once the floor show opens later this week – stay tuned for more!