David Golay
We compare the Chromag Reazon to the Chromag Darco, Chromag Lowdown, Forbidden Druid V2, Knolly Fugitive 140, Propain Hugene 3, Trek Fuel EX Gen 7, Kona Process 153, Reeb Steezl, Transition Sentinel, and Starling Murmur.
Chromag Reazon
Instead of drooling over aerospace-grade carbon, why can’t we get stoked on bicycle-grade steel? The Chromag Reazon makes one of the most compelling cases for bringing steel into high-end Trail bikes we’ve seen to date.
MRP Lift V2 Fork Damper
We’re used to rear shock dampers coming tuned for a given bike and rider, but it's much less common in forks. MRP thinks that should change, and their Lift V2 fork damper upgrade is offered in five rider-weight-specific tunes, on top of some other interesting features. Check it all out here, including our early on-trail impressions.
Flash Review: MRP Lift V2 Fork Damper
The MRP Lift V2 fork damper promises increased composure over stock options and comes in a range of rider-weight-specific tunes, but how does it perform? Here’s our early take.
Reviewer Reports: Bikes Big & Small, Wet-Weather Gear, & More (Ep.300)
David and Zack give the rundown on a whole bunch of the latest gear they’ve been testing, including the high-pivot, gearbox-equipped Priority Vanth, some excellent new wet-weather gear, and more.
Atherton A.150.M
There’s a new mixed-wheel version of Atherton’s 150mm-travel All-Mountain bike — the A.150.M. But it’s far from just being the existing A.150 with a smaller rear wheel.
HEL Advocate Brakes
HEL has a lot of experience making brakes and other hydraulic systems in the motorsports world, but they’re new to the bike industry. So, what new features do their Advocate brakes bring to the market, how do they actually perform, and what are they like to live with? Here’s what we’ve found out.
Propain Hugene 3 CF
Propain’s third-generation Hugene has less travel than the prior one, but its performance is a reminder that geometry matters at least as much as travel numbers. Check out how the Propain Hugene 3 CF stacks up as a unique take on a modern short-travel Trail bike.
Deep Dive: Propain Hugene 3
We compare the Propain Hugene 3 CF to the Propain Hugene 2, Revel Rascal V2, Kona Process 134, Rocky Mountain Instinct, Trek Top Fuel, Transition Smuggler, Pivot Trailcat LT, Chromag Reazon, Canyon Spectral 125, Knolly Fugitive 140, Forbidden Druid, and Norco Optic.
Blister Mountain Bike Buyer’s Guide: eMTBs
Our Mountain Bike Buyer's Guide chapters on eMTBs are here, covering everything from quick-handling light-assist Trail bikes to full-power Enduro sleds.
Priority Bicycles on the High-Pivot, Belt-Drive, Gearbox Vanth Enduro Bike (Ep. 298)
The Priority Vanth doesn’t look like much else out there, and the story of its development is similarly unconventional.
Priority Vanth
High-pivot, mixed-wheel, gearbox, belt-drive, and… affordable? The Priority Vanth offers a strong showing when it comes to buzzword bingo, but there are plenty of details to dig into — including how the Vanth rides.
Flash Review: Priority Vanth
The Priority Vanth is both striking and very affordable for a high-pivot gearbox Enduro bike, but how does it ride? Here’s what we’ve learned after a month-plus on board.
SRAM Eagle 90 Transmission
SRAM’s T-Type groups have been extremely popular, but until recently were limited to expensive electronically-shifted versions. Is the new Eagle 90 mechanical version a worthy option? Here’s our take.
Flash Review: Öhlins TTX2 Air m.2
Öhlins has given their TTX Air shocks an overhaul, and here's our early take on the updated TTX2 Air m.2.
Öhlins TTX Air m.2 Shocks
Öhlins has made a range of updates to their lineup this year, and we’ve started spending time on the new TTX2 Air m.2 shock. Check out what’s new, what isn’t, and get our early take on how the new TTX2 Air performs.
Madrone Cycles on the Jab Derailleur & Going Head to Head w/ SRAM and Shimano (Ep.297)
Developing a high-end MTB derailleur is hard, and SRAM and Shimano have vast resources (not to mention decades of experience) to draw on. So why is a small Oregon-based brand throwing its hat into the ring?
Trickstuff Maxima Brakes
Trickstuff’s brakes have long been the stuff of legend — and legendarily hard to come by, even if you’re willing to throw down their steep asking price. But now they’re becoming more widely distributed and more readily available under DT Swiss’ ownership, and we’ve put a massive amount of vert on their flagship Maxima gravity brake to see how it stacks up.
Pivot Firebird V5
The latest 5th-generation version of the Pivot Firebird is still an impressive take on a go-fast Enduro race bike, but pigeonholing it into that one role would sell it short. Here’s our take on what makes the new Firebird a compelling option for a surprisingly wide array of riders.
Deep Dive: Pivot Firebird V5
We compare the Pivot Firebird V5 to the Pivot Firebird V4, Yeti SB160, Yeti SB165, Rocky Mountain Altitude, Propain Tyee, Santa Cruz Megatower, Santa Cruz Nomad, and Ibis HD6.
