David Golay, Author at BLISTER

Crank Brothers Mallet Trail Pedals

February 28, 2023 by David Golay

Crank Brothers just launched a new clipless pedal, the Mallet Trail, meant to slot in between the Candy and the Mallet E — and we’ve been testing it all winter. Check out our full review for the rundown on the design and how it performs on the trail.

Transition Smuggler, Starling Murmur, Pivot Shuttle LT, & More (Ep.158)

May 4, 2023February 23, 2023 by David Golay

David Golay sat down with the newest member of the Blister bike review team, Simon Stewart, to talk about a ton of the new bikes they’ve been testing — including some interesting takeaways about the wildly-varied class of ~140mm-travel Trail bikes.

David Golay reviews the 2023 Transition Smuggler for Blister

Flash Review — 2023 Transition Smuggler

February 16, 2023February 16, 2023 by David Golay

We've got a handful of rides on the new Transition Smuggler — check out our initial impressions.

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Ministry Cycles on Suspension Design, Machining Frames, & Launching a Bike Company (Ep.157)

May 4, 2023February 15, 2023 by David Golay

Chris Currie has taken a long, winding road to founding Ministry Cycles, and the bike he’s launching with, the Psalm 150, is every bit as interesting. So we sat down with Chris to get the whole story.

Neko Mulally’s World Cup DH Bike Development (Ep.155)

Neko Mulally’s World Cup DH Bike Development (Ep.156)

May 4, 2023February 9, 2023 by David Golay

When we last caught up with Neko Mulally he had just launched his Frameworks self-designed World Cup DH race bike project, and now a year later, he’s learned a whole lot — and changed a lot of the frame design details along the way. So we sat back down to get the whole story.

David Golay reviews the Santa Cruz Nomad for Blister

2023 Santa Cruz Nomad

February 8, 2023 by David Golay

The newly mulleted Santa Cruz Nomad is pretty different from the bike that it replaced, but it’s still the more playful, less-demanding Enduro bike in Santa Cruz’s lineup — and it’s excellent.

NF Heavyweight Pants

February 7, 2023 by David Golay

The NF Heavyweight Pants are the Canadian brand’s take on a cold / wet weather mountain bike pant, and they go about things rather differently from a lot of other options out there — with excellent results.

Braydon Bringhurst on Climbing the Whole Enchilada (Ep.155)

May 4, 2023February 2, 2023 by David Golay

A few months ago, Braydon Bringhurst pulled off the incredible accomplishment of climbing the Whole Enchilada trail in Moab, Utah in a single day — and *rode* every inch of it. So we sat down with Braydon to get the whole story.

MTB Brake Shootout

February 14, 2025February 1, 2023 by David Golay

What’s the most important component on a mountain bike? A strong argument could be made for brakes, and there are now a greater number of good, powerful brakes than ever before. But how do they actually stack up against each other? We’ve spent the past year-plus directly comparing eight of the top options from Shimano, SRAM, TRP, Hayes, Hope, Magura, & Cascade Components — in this in-depth roundup, we explain how they all compare, what each does best, and which ones might be ideal for you.

Geoff Kabush on Longevity, Having Fun, & Career Evolution (Ep.154)

May 4, 2023January 26, 2023 by David Golay

Geoff Kabush has had about as long and varied a career as a professional racer can have, so we sat down with him to chat about the ups and downs over the years, his favorite events and stories, what keeps him going, & a whole lot more.

Ibis Exie

January 24, 2023 by David Golay

The Ibis Exie isn’t new, but the overseas-made version is, and it’s *much* more affordable than the US-made original that Ibis launched a couple of years back. Check out our First Look for the details.

Pivot Factory Racing’s Newest Member, Jakob Jewett (Ep.153)

May 4, 2023January 19, 2023 by David Golay

Jakob Jewett’s World Cup DH career is off to a great start, so it’s wild to imagine that he was once on track to be a professional skier instead. We caught up with Jakob to hear all about his 2022 season, his approach to racing, his ongoing love of skiing, and a whole lot more.

Magura MT7 HC3 Brakes

January 30, 2023January 18, 2023 by David Golay

There are a lot of good brakes on the market these days — way more than just a few years ago — and Magura’s MT7 HC3 brakes do a lot of things differently from most of their competitors. So how do they stack up in the increasingly crowded market, and who are they going to work best for?

David Golay reviews the Manitou Dorado for Blister

2023 Manitou Dorado

November 20, 2024January 17, 2023 by David Golay

There aren’t many inverted forks left on the market, so how does one of the most famous holdouts — the Manitou Dorado — stack up against its more conventional competitors? We’ve spent a lot of time on both the Expert and Pro versions, and are ready to weigh in.

BLISTER+: Real-World Testimonials — David Golay

May 4, 2023January 16, 2023 by David Golay

A catastrophic knee injury in 2019 cost David not only most of a mountain biking season, but also a pile of money. BLISTER+ would have saved him close to $10,000 and very likely meant that he got better physical therapy to help with the recovery.

David Golay reviews the Starling Murmur for Blister

Flash Review — Starling Murmur V3

January 12, 2023January 12, 2023 by David Golay

In a world of carbon fiber multi-link bikes, the steel single-pivot Starling Murmur might seem like a bit of a throwback. But after our first few rides on the Murmur, it’s shaping up to be a lot of fun — and a compelling option for the right folks.

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.

If you’re already an active member, please log in.

(If you're already logged in and a member in good standing and seeing this message in error, please refresh this page in your browser.)

Gamux on Doing Everything Differently (Ep.152)

May 4, 2023January 11, 2023 by David Golay

The Gamux Sego is about as visually striking as bikes get, and the story of its development and the brand that spawned it is every bit as interesting. And so we sat down with founder Pascal Tinner to get the whole story.

Continental Kryptotal Tires

January 10, 2023 by David Golay

Continental gave their entire gravity tire lineup a major overhaul last year, and having now spent most of the season on their all-rounder Kryptotal pair, we think they’re extremely good tires for a lot of conditions, but are just a couple of tweaks away from being perfect. Check out our full review to find out where they work best and what sets them apart, including comparisons to the Maxxis Assegai, Minion DHF and DHR II, Schwalbe Magic Mary, and more.

TRP DH-R Evo Brakes

January 6, 2023January 6, 2023 by David Golay

There are more DH-worthy brakes on the market than ever before (and good ones, at that), and TRP’s DH-R Evos are a strong contender for folks with the right preferences.

Gear of the Year, 2022

May 4, 2023January 5, 2023 by David Golay

We reviewed more mountain bikes and gear than ever before in 2022, and so David Golay, Dylan Wood, and Luke Koppa sat down to recount a bunch of their favorites.

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