Imagine getting to ride all the coolest new mountain bikes for 2003 in one day, on one big technical trail network. Walk up to the company's booth, hand them a claim check and off you go. It's a bit of heaven for a product tester, and at Interbike it's known as the "On Dirt Demo."

MountainZone.com was there again this year, riding as many bikes as we could in one day to see which ones hold the most promise for the new buying season. We could have ridden hardtails or even road bikes, but stuck with our favorites; the free-ride full suspension rigs. Once you've put miles on these fat-tired machines, it's hard to go back.

Each bike falls into the 25-30 lb. range, and features approximately 5 inches of front and rear travel. The components vary, as do the way in which the rear suspension works. Each has its own merits, and all were a blast to ride.

And so we present here our five favorite bikes of the weekend, in no particular order. We're hoping to do full reviews of each of these bikes over the course of this winter, so check back later for more detailed evaluations. But today we're simply introducing each bike with our initial impressions. Hopefully it will make it a bit easier to know what to ask Santa for as the holidays approach.

Giant VT1
$3000
www.giant-bicycle.com

This is a brand-new bike from Giant, who have been cranking out excellent new FS models the past few years with their AC and NRS models. The VT1 (and lower-priced VT2) feature a new rear suspension set-up, designed to keep a low center of gravity and minimize pedal feedback.

The idea is to provide a great all-around bike for those of us who love full suspension, but want one bike for climbing and descending. So the folks at Giant have come up with a bike that features great technology, solid build and great components.

Our VT1 featured Manitou's new Swinger technology, which helps the rear suspension do its thing in conjunction with the frame design. We also had a RockShox Psylo fork, Mavic wheels and Hayes disc brakes. The bike comes in at 30 lbs., making it a good compromise between weight, performance and price.

On the trail the bike handled well in the twisting singletrack, climbed well and descended solidly. No single aspect stood out in our first ride, but we felt comfortable in the saddle and felt like this would be a good rig for long rides in all types of conditions.

Got an opinion? Tell us what you think about this product by posting your own review.

You can also read what other people had to say about this product.

Specialized Enduro Pro
$2930
www.specialized.com

We've been riding an Enduro Pro off and on for a couple seasons, and have always been a fan of its geometry and handling. The bike turns, climbs and descends well, and has great components hanging on its updated Monocoque frame.

For your money you get adjustable rear travel with lockout feature (great for climbing) using a Fox Shox in both the front and rear. You also get some of the cool new XTR group, including their new shifters and disc brakes, which replace the Hayes brakes of the past.

On the trail the bike flies down descents and, once locked out, climbs well for a FS bike. Our top tube ran a bit short for our taste, so make sure you take a spin on it before choosing your size. But overall Specialized give a great bang for your buck, and the Enduro rides as well as much more expensive bikes, but for a sensible price. Watch for a full review this Fall.

Got an opinion? Tell us what you think about this product by posting your own review.

You can also read what other people had to say about this product.

Maverick ML7
$2695 (frameset)
www.maverickamerican.com

When we first rode Maverick USA's new bike last year, we couldn't believe how active the rear suspension was and how well it handled. It felt like it was custom-designed just for us, and felt like a dream on both tough climbs and fast rocky descents. So this year we went back for another ride and - guess what - it's still the best thing we've ridden.

This is the bike designed by Paul Turner who, you might recall, invented the Rockshox fork. The ML7, with 100mm or rear travel, is joined this year by the new Repasado XC model. But we prefer the plush ML7, which uses an ingenious integrated rear shock in its Easton frame for unparalleled performance. And, new this year is the debut of Paul's front fork. We haven't ridden it yet, but it's definitely a thing of beauty.

The FS frame weighs in at 5.8 lbs., making for a fully built bike that weighs approximately 26 lbs. You're buying the frameset (which includes Cane Creek headset and XTR front derailleur), so how you build it up is your choice. A nice touch is the fact that Maverick actually names each of their bikes - rather than stamping a serial number on the frame. We rode "Adagio."

On the trail the bike was always active, yet easy to pedal uphill. The geometry is perfect, and put us in an ideal riding position. We felt confident and stable in all conditions, especially while pedalling through twisting rocky singletrack. But, as you can see, you pay for perfection.

Got an opinion? Tell us what you think about this product by posting your own review.

You can also read what other people had to say about this product.

Santa Cruz Heckler
$1300 - $1500 (frame & fork)
www.santacruzbicycles.com

We were planning on riding the exciting new virtual-pivoted Blur at the Santa Cruz booth, but the bike was just too damn popular and we couldn't find our in-house connection to hook us up. So instead of waiting, we took out the redesigned Heckler for some hard ridin', and were thoroughly impressed.

The Heckler returned last year after a year's hiatus, and now represents the middle of their FS line-up with 5 inches of rear travel; not as big and plush as the Bullit, and not as XC-oriented as the new VPP Blur. The Heckler is a bomber FS ride though, and will take anything you throw at it.

The bike comes as a frame/fork combo; from there it's up to you how to spec it out. Ours had the amazing 5th Element rear shock by Progressive on it, which did a great job of controlling pedal-induced bobbing on the climb. We love that shock! We also had a RockShox Psylo front fork and disc brakes.

On the trail the bike weighed in at about 30.5 lbs., and railed the descents while it handled like a XC bike in the turns. The head angle isn't too slack, and the geometry handles all conditions. Nice long cockpit, good stand-over height and the flexibility to "have it your way" spec-wise make this a favorite brand of many an enthusiast.

Got an opinion? Tell us what you think about this product by posting your own review.

You can also read what other people had to say about this product.

Haro Extreme X3
$1300
www.harobikes.com

By far the best bargain of the bunch, the Haro X3 was one of the last bikes we rode at Interbike, and kept up with the competition in nearly every aspect. This is the second year for California-based Haro's Extreme line, which consists of 3 models. We, of course, rode the top-end X3, and had a fun time doing it.

The Haro featured a nice matte black paint job, 5 inches of front and rear travel and a simple, single-pivot suspension design. And we think that is the best feature of this bike; its simplicity (and great price). Even for that cost your get XT components, WTB rims and even Shimano disc (Deore) brakes. On top of that you score a RockShox Psylo fork and Fox rear shock.

On the trail the bike was stiff and solid, the frame taking as much abuse as we could dish out. The shock kept things stiff enough on the climbs, and let the rear triangle do its thing on the descents. Good build quality rounds out the package, making for a solid (and infinitely upgradeable) bike that should last for years.

Got an opinion? Tell us what you think about this product by posting your own review.

You can also read what other people had to say about this product.

— Ari Cheren (aric@mountainzone.com), MountainZone.com Gear Editor