Riot Trail

Name: Ghost Riot Trail
Brand: Ghost

mtb

Origin

The Riot arrived in 2018 as Ghost's answer to the trail and enduro boom. Where the Lector is a pure XC racer, the Riot is built for the descents: slacker head angle, burlier suspension, modern trail geometry. Ghost engineered their own TractionLink suspension — a Twin Link four-bar design that provides consistent progression and excellent traction through rough terrain. The lineup has grown to cover trail (140 mm AL), trail carbon (150/140 mm CF), and all-mountain (160/160 mm AM CF), with an electrified E-Riot running the same kinematics with a Bosch motor.

Specifications

Frame: AL builds: aluminium main frame + alloy rear triangle, TractionLink kinematics. CF (Full Party) builds: carbon frame and rear triangle. 148×12 mm thru-axle rear.
Weight: kg
Drivetrain: 1×12; Trail CF Full Party: Shimano mixed — Deore chainset, SLX shifter, XT rear derailleur. AL builds: Shimano Deore 12-speed or SRAM NX/SX Eagle (build-dependent).
Brakes: Trail CF Full Party: Formula Cura 4, 200/200 mm rotors. AL builds: Shimano MT400/MT520 hydraulic disc, 180/180 mm.
Wheels: 29" tubeless-ready; CF Full Party: DT Swiss M1900 aluminium. Tire inserts (Pepi's Tire Noodle) on top Full Party build.

The verdict

+Strengths

TractionLink four-bar kinematics deliver consistent progression and real traction on rough descents
Full Party builds spec Fox Factory suspension and Formula Cura 4 brakes at a competitive price
Wide range from €2,399 AL to full-carbon CF covers every trail budget

−Weaknesses

Heavier than carbon-only competitors at the premium end — 15.4 kg for the CF Full Party
64° head angle and 455 mm chainstays are trail-geometry, not dedicated enduro — long descents push its limits
Lower AL builds use budget forks (SR Suntour) that hold back an otherwise capable frame