David Golay, Author at BLISTER

Vitus Mythique

December 7, 2022December 6, 2022 by David Golay

Vitus has just launched US-based distribution for their consumer direct bike sales, and along with it they’ve got a new version of the Mythique Trail bike — and it’s an outstanding value for money. Check out our First Look for all the info.

Revel Rail 29

March 1, 2023December 5, 2022 by David Golay

The Revel Rail 29 is a well-rounded bike that blurs the line between longer-travel Trail bikes and full-on Enduro sleds — and one that multiple reviewers really got along with. Check out our full review to see how the Rail 29 performs on the trail.

David Golay reviews the Trek Fuel EX for Blister

Flash Review — 2023 Trek Fuel EX

December 5, 2022 by David Golay

We've started spending time on the radically-updated (and wildly adjustable) Trek Fuel EX — check out our Flash Review for our early impressions.

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Manitou Jack Dropper Post

December 2, 2022December 2, 2022 by David Golay

Manitou’s latest iteration of their Jack dropper post takes one of the best options out there — the Bike Yoke Revive — and keeps the core of what makes it great, but tries to refine a few of the details. So have they succeeded?

A Very Deep Dive on Suspension with EXT’s Franco Fratton, Pt. 2 (Ep. 146)

December 1, 2022 by David Golay

EXT founder Franco Fratton is back on Bikes & Big Ideas to continue our deep dive on suspension design and technology, and he’s got a ton to teach all of us about damper design, performance, and some of the common misconceptions about them in the mountain bike world.

David Golay reviews the Starling Cycles Murmur for Blister

Starling Cycles Murmur, Swoop, and Twist V3

March 28, 2023November 28, 2022 by David Golay

Starling has given their “Core” bikes (the Murmur, Twist, and Swoop) a major update, and while the new frames don’t look too different from the prior generation ones — and continue their steel single-pivot lineage — there’s a lot that has changed. Check out our First Look for the rundown.

David Golay reviews the Cascade Components North Fork brake calipers for Blister

Cascade Components North Fork Brake Calipers & Cams

February 8, 2024November 24, 2022 by David Golay

We've been logging more time on the Cascade Components North Fork brake calipers — and have now tried their North Fork Cams to go with them — and the big brakes have continued to impress.

Lots of people have dreamed of building their ideal bike; few have actually done it, and fewer have made something as impressive as the Machina Bikes prototypes. So on this week’s episode of Bikes & Big Ideas, we sat down with founders Tom and Sion to get the whole story.

Machina Bikes on Building a Dream Bike (Ep.145)

November 24, 2022 by David Golay

Lots of people have dreamed of building their ideal bike; few have actually done it, and fewer have made something as impressive as the Machina Bikes prototypes. So we sat down with founders Tom and Sion to get the whole story.

David Golay reviews the Hope Evo 155 mm cranks for Blister

Flash Review — Hope Evo 155 mm Cranks

November 21, 2022 by David Golay

Mountain bike crank length hasn’t been widely examined in a long time. That seems to be changing, with a number of brands touting the benefits of shorter options, and we’ve started spending time on Hope’s 155 mm option — one of the shortest on the market. Check out our Flash Review for our 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.

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.)

The development of the Trinity MTB has been one of the coolest ongoing projects in the bike world, and Mic Williams is back on Bikes & Big Ideas to talk about the latest — including the now-operational gearbox, which is poised to pick up where Honda left off with the RN-01.

Trinity MTB’s Gearbox & V3 Prototype (Ep.144)

November 17, 2022 by David Golay

The development of the Trinity MTB has been one of the coolest ongoing projects in the bike world, and Mic Williams is back on Bikes & Big Ideas to talk about the latest — including their exciting and now-operational gearbox, which is poised to pick up where Honda left off with their famous RN-01.

David Golay reviews the Fezzari La Sal Peak for Blister

2022 Fezzari La Sal Peak

November 15, 2022November 15, 2022 by David Golay

The Fezzari La Sal Peak is billed as a “versatile” Enduro bike and is a great deal in terms of the parts spec. But are there tradeoffs? We’ve spent a lot of time on the La Sal in a ton of different terrain and are ready to weigh in.

David Golay reviews the Marin Rift Zone for Blister

2023 Marin Rift Zone

November 14, 2022November 14, 2022 by David Golay

Marin’s new Rift Zone is proof that good geometry doesn’t have to be expensive, and looks like an extremely promising option for an affordable mid-travel Trail bike. Check out our First Look for the rundown.

Kara Williard, Luke Koppa, and Eric Freson review the Pivot Shadowcat for BLISTER

2022 Pivot Shadowcat

November 11, 2022 by David Golay

We’ve had three reviewers spending time on the Pivot Shadowcat, and while it’s a bit of an unusual offering in 2022 — a very light, efficient 27.5’’ Trail bike — it’s proven to be a ton of fun, and a great example of why 27.5’’ wheels should stick around.

Hannah Otto on Setting the Whole Enchilada FKT (Ep.143)

November 10, 2022 by David Golay

Hannah Otto just demolished the FKT for the Whole Enchilada trail in Moab — including the road climb to the top — and we sat down with her to get the whole story.

Maxxis Shorty

November 9, 2022 by David Golay

It’s turning to wet-weather riding season in a lot of places, and the Maxxis Shorty is a great option for a soft-conditions tire that still maintains some versatility when things firm up. Check out our review to see where it excels and how it compares to the competition.

David Golay reviews the 2023 Scott Genius for Blister

2023 Scott Genius & Genius ST

November 7, 2022 by David Golay

Scott just launched a new version of their Genius Trail bike, and it’s got wild levels of cockpit integration, unusual suspension tech, and out-there looks to go with it.

David Golay reviews the Ibis Ripmo V2S for Blister

Flash Review — Ibis Ripmo V2S

November 4, 2022 by David Golay

Is the Ibis Ripmo V2S a more versatile take on an Enduro bike, or a more game-on Trail one? We’re not quite sure yet, but we’ve been spending time on the updated Ripmo and have some early thoughts on how it stacks up.

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.)

The Orogenesis Collective on Building the World’s Longest MTB Trail (Ep.142)

November 3, 2022 by David Golay

What if there was a Pacific Crest Trail, but for mountain bikes? The Orogenesis Collective is making it happen, with the planned route covering over 5,000 miles and spanning three countries. So we sat down to chat about the route, the story behind its founding, what you can do to help, & much more.

e*thirteen Grappler Tire

November 2, 2022 by David Golay

e*thirteen calls the Grappler their most aggressive tire ever, meant for steep terrain across a range of conditions. Check out our full review to see how it stacks up against some other tires that claim the same.

Canfield Jedi 29

October 28, 2022October 28, 2022 by David Golay

The Canfield Jedi is back, and the new 29er version of the longstanding flagship DH race bike offers a nicely refined take on the high-pivot suspension that made the earlier iterations popular.

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