When I reviewed the State 4130 Trail mountain bike last year, the steel hardtail struck me as a bike that could be whatever you wanted it to be. State Bicycle Co. has apparently taken that idea literally. The 4130 Trail is now being marketed as a “platform,” with four fork options, two drivetrain families, a new colorway, and a menu of upgrades at checkout. The cheapest way in is $1,199.99 for a build that includes a rigid steel fork or $1,499.99 with a RockShox Psylo suspension fork.
Depending on how you set the bike up, the 4130 Trail bike could be a great value for whatever type of riding you’re into.
Swapping out the fork transforms the bike into another animal
In its hardtail incarnation, the State 4130 comes with a 130mm RockShox Psylo. Or, buyers can choose a rigid carbon or chromoly steel fork. The rigid forks are roughly 55 to 58mm shorter axle-to-crown than the Psylo, which steepens the head angle, drops the bottom bracket, and shortens the wheelbase.
“We kept hearing from riders who loved the frame but didn’t want a suspension fork on it — bikepackers, dirt-road riders, people whose local trails just aren’t that technical,” said State co-founder Mehdi Farsi. “Instead of building them a separate bike, we made the front end optional.”
Both rigid forks have cargo and rack mounts, and State says it has run the carbon fork with a 32×2.4″ tire. (Hey State, why not add this as an option for buyers? Mixed wheel 32er FTW!) Both forks are also sold separately: $179.99 for steel and $325 for carbon.
Weight is where the rigid builds stand out. State lists the carbon-fork bike at 27lb, 13oz in the smallest size, with pedals not included, compared to 32lb, 3oz for the suspension build.
Cable or wireless drivetrain options
The cable builds stick with familiar, affordable parts. The Raw Phosphate and Hammered Tobacco bikes get a Shimano Deore M6100 1×12 drivetrain with an 11-50T cassette, while Sagebrush Green oddly runs a MicroShift XLE 1×11 setup with an 11-46T cassette. Unless you really like the green frame color, the Shimano drivetrain is the better option since all are priced the same.
The more interesting option is SRAM’s Eagle Transmission AXS, available on all three colors for $500 more than the equivalent cable build. The S1000-level derailleur mounts directly to the frame’s UDH dropout, so there’s no hanger to bend or limit screws to fiddle with. State specs SRAM’s XS-1270 10-52T cassette in its HG-driver version so don’t get your hopes up for an XD-driver-equipped rear wheel.
Both drivetrains utilize a State-branded steel crankset, which is quite heavy in my experience. And the bottom bracket on my test bike was noticeably lower quality than a SRAM or Shimano part.
Some component upgrades are a better value than others
State keeps prices down by being selective about where it spends. For example, the 4130 specs a basic OEM headset, crankset, and cockpit parts including the saddle and grips. The RockShox Psylo Silver RC is at least air-sprung, but on my test bike it felt like the budget fork it is.
On the other parts where it counts, State offers buyers the chance to upgrade parts. In some areas, those upgrades are a great deal; in others, you’re just paying retail.
The Industry Nine Sector Carbon wheelset is the headline upgrade at $999, which is $550 less than the I9 price and less than what State lists the wheelset for by itself. For $149.99, buyers can upgrade the two-piston Tektro HD-M275 stock brakes to SRAM DB4 four-piston brakes, which seems like a good deal.
The stock bikes also come with a rigid seatpost, so most trail riders will want to budget for a dropper. State offers the PNW Range dropper and lever for $199.99, with travel matched to frame size, which is what you’d pay if you bought the kit separately. For just $30 more than the PNW, buyers can get a Seekrun S7 wireless electronic dropper post. Pair the Seekrun with Transmission and there isn’t a single cable on the bike.
The PNW Loam carbon handlebar is a worthwhile swap given how basic the stock bar is, but at $159.99 it’s the same price as buying direct from PNW, where you can pick the color and rise you want.
There’s a new Hammered Tobacco powder-coated frame option that joins Raw Phosphate and Sagebrush Green. Framesets are available for $495 in all three colors, with clearance for 29 x 2.6″ tires, a threaded bottom bracket, and three bottle mounts on the downtube.
For $2,230, State buyers can get a fully wireless hardtail, which is hard to beat. And if wireless isn’t your thing, there are plenty of ways to build the State 4130 Trail the way you like it. Check out the State website to see full pricing and build options.
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