Blister Reviewer BadgeDavid Golay

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.

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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

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 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

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 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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David Golay reviews the Fox Podium for Blister

Fox Podium Inverted Fork

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In a big change for the brand, Fox has been developing an inverted fork, and there’s been plenty of speculation about what the production model would actually entail. Get all the answers here, and check out our early on-trail impressions of the new upside-down Fox Podium.
David Golay reviews the Formula Selva V for Blister

Flash Review: Formula Selva V

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The new Formula Selva V stands out from the market for being lightweight and highly tunable via Formula’s CTS valve system, but how does its performance stack up next to other long-travel single-crown forks? We’ve got some early 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 Shimano XT M8220 Brakes for Blister

Shimano XT M8200 & M8220 Brakes

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Shimano’s XT brakes have gotten an overhaul to go with the new wireless XT Di2 drivetrain. Here’s what’s new, what isn’t, and the full rundown on the XT brake options.
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