Blister Reviewer BadgeDavid Golay

David Golay reviews the Propain Hugene 3 CF for Blister

Flash Review: Propain Hugene 3 CF

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The variety of ride traits across mid-travel Trail bikes is wider than ever, so where does the new Propain Hugene slot in? We’ve got some thoughts after about a month on board the updated Hugene 3.

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Blister Mountain Bike Buyer's Guide

Blister Mountain Bike Buyer’s Guide

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It’s here! Our new Mountain Bike Buyer’s Guide, comparing the many current bikes we’ve reviewed, in a more digestible format than ever before. First up: All-Mountain bikes.

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David Golay reviews the Shimano XT M8200 Di2 group for Blister

Flash Review: Shimano XT M8200 Di2 Drivetrain and Brakes

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We’ve been quite impressed with Shimano’s latest XTR Di2 groupset, so how close does the XT version get in terms of performance, for about two-thirds of the price? Here’s our early take.

Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions

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David Golay reviews the Rimpact Chain Damper for Blister

Rimpact Chain Damper

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Rimpact’s Chain Damper looks a whole lot like their take on an Ochain. And, yes, they’ve got some real similarities, but the thinking behind their designs — and the designs themselves — are much more different than you might expect. Here’s what you need to know, including our early on-trail impressions.
David Golay reviews the Rimpact Chain Damper for Blister

Flash Review: Rimpact Chain Damper

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The thinking behind the Rimpact Chain Damper is more novel than it may first appear, and its effects on bike suspension stand out, too. Here’s what we’ve learned so far during our initial testing.

Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions

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David Golay reviews the Schwalbe Albert Radial tires for Blister

Schwalbe Albert Radial

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Schwalbe claims to have made a real leap forward in MTB tire construction with their new radial casings — but how does it actually pan out on the trail? And what about the new Albert tread pattern? We’ve spent a lot of time on the radial-casing Albert in a huge range of conditions and are ready to weigh in.
David Golay reviews the Pivot Firebird V5 for Blister

Flash Review: Pivot Firebird V5

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Update 7.16.25: We’ve got some more thoughts on the latest iteration of Pivot’s Enduro bike after spending some more time experimenting with the wheel size and geometry options.

Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions

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David Golay reviews the Propain Tyee for Blister

Flash Review: Propain Tyee 6.1 CF

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Propain gave the Tyee some tweaks that look good on paper, but has our take on their Enduro bike changed much? Here's the early version.

Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions

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David Golay reviews the HEL Advocate Brakes for BLISTER

Flash Review: HEL Advocate Brakes

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HEL is a new brand to the bike world, so how do their Advocate brakes stack up? Here’s our preliminary take.

Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions

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David Golay reviews the HEL Advocate Brakes for BLISTER

HEL Advocate Brakes

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HEL Performance has a long history in motorsport, but they’re new to the MTB world. So, how have they gone about designing their first MTB brake — the gravity-oriented Advocate — and what are our initial thoughts on its performance? Check it all out here.
Salsa Blackthorn 145

Flash Review: Salsa Blackthorn 145 C

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Update 7.2.25: We have another reviewer spending time on the new Salsa Blackthorn 145 C, so check out our updated Flash Review for some more early impressions.

Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions

To get our comprehensive Deep Dives and our initial, unfiltered reports on new gear, become a member and receive many other services, deals, and discounts.

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David Golay and Zack Henderson review the Outlier Void and Pendulum pedals for Blister

Outlier Void and Pendulum Pedals

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Outlier’s Void and Pendulum pedals don’t look like anything else out there, so is their performance similarly quirky, just plain good, or somewhere in between? We’ve had multiple reviewers spend a lot of time on both versions and are ready to weigh in.
David Golay reviews the EXT Vecta for Blister

Flash Review: EXT Vecta

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EXT has historically made very high-end suspension, and while their new Vecta coil shock isn’t cheap, it’s a lot more affordable than EXT’s other offerings. But how does it perform? We’ve got some initial thoughts.

Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions

To get our comprehensive Deep Dives and our initial, unfiltered reports on new gear, become a member and receive many other services, deals, and discounts.

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David Golay reviews the Fox Podium for Blister

Flash Review: Fox Podium

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The new Fox Podium doesn’t look like much else out there, and its on-trail performance stands out, too. Check out our take so far.

Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions

To get our comprehensive Deep Dives and our initial, unfiltered reports on new gear, become a member and receive many other services, deals, and discounts.

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