Rossignol Mandate
Rossignol's Mandate Trail bike is an exceptional value for money in terms of parts spec, but how does it all add up on the trail?
David Golay
Brake Shootout, New RockShox Pike, Revel Rail 29, & More (Ep.138)
We’ve got updates on a ton of the bikes and gear we’re testing, including the new Santa Cruz Tallboy and the new RockShox Pike that came on it; the Revel Rail 29; our upcoming brake shootout; & much more.
MTB Knee Pad Roundup — 2022
Knee pads are probably the most commonly worn bit of mountain bike protection (after helmets) and we've been testing 16 different at a wide range of styles, weights, and levels of protection. Check out our roundup to find the best ones for you.
Ibis Oso
Ibis launched their first e-bike, the Oso, today, and it looks nothing like Ibis models of old. Check out our First Look for all the info.
Endura MT500 Burner Clipless Shoes
Endura’s MT500 Burner Clipless shoes are meant for a variety of all-around mountain bike use, and offer a combination of fit and features that aren’t quite like anything else we’ve recently tried.
Kavenz VHP 16
There are a lot of good Enduro bikes out there these days, but the Kavenz VHP 16 manages to package an unusual combination of traits in a way that still feels very coherent as a whole. Check out our full review to find out just what the VHP 16 does so well, and how it stacks up to a whole bunch of its competitors.
BTR on Hardcore Hardtails, Bike Geo, & Building to Last (Ep.137)
There are a lot of options for hardcore hardtails these days, but BTR set the template for the genre with their original Belter over a decade ago. And so we sat down to chat about the company's origins, their philosophy on geometry, the BTR lineup, and a whole lot more.
Pinner Machine Shop on Self-Taught Machining, Making Parts in a Kitchen, & More (Ep.136)
Not many bike parts companies started off machining parts in a home kitchen while the founder’s partner was at work, but Pinner Machine Shop isn’t most companies.
2023 RockShox Super Deluxe and Super Deluxe Coil
RockShox gave their longstanding Super Deluxe and Super Deluxe Coil shocks a big overhaul earlier this year, and having now tried both on multiple bikes, we’re ready to weigh in with our full review.
Flash Review — 2023 Santa Cruz Tallboy
Santa Cruz calls the Tallboy a "downhiller's XC bike" and our early impressions are that it's a good one.
Reserve 30|HD Wheels
We've been spending a lot of time on the new Reserve 30|HD wheels, and they've proven to be a nice update to the longstanding and super-popular Reserve 30.
Emilie Siegenthaler on the New Downhill Rider’s Association (Ep.135)
We sat down with Emilie Siegenthaler to chat about the newly formed World Cup DH rider’s association and her role as a rider representative, what we can expect for the upcoming season, and a whole lot more.
High Above Nova Hip Pack
We’ve been impressed with a number of High Above’s hip packs over the years, and their new, less-expensive Nova model is also excellent.
Deep Dive: Santa Cruz Hightower 3
We compare the Santa Cruz Hightower 3 to the Hightower 2, Guerrilla Gravity Smash, Santa Cruz Bronson, Yeti SB130, We Are One Arrival, Antidote Carbonjack, Orbea and Occam LT.
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.)
2023 Santa Cruz Hightower
The Santa Cruz Hightower has long been a very versatile, well-rounded Trail bike, and with the new V3 bike, Santa Cruz hasn’t messed with a good thing too much. But they’ve still found things to refine and improve, and the Hightower remains a very good all-rounder.
Vaea Verbeeck on Just Going For It (Ep.134)
On this week’s episode of Bikes & Big Ideas, we chatted with Vaea Verbeeck about her long and varied MTB career, and along the way, we get into it about motivation & how to keep things fresh year after year; Vaea’s wild introduction to mountain biking and early run-ins with some of the biggest names in the sport; the upcoming Proving Grounds event; and much more.
2023 Santa Cruz 5010
The mullet-ification of Santa Cruz’s formerly-27.5’’ models continues today with the 5010, and Santa Cruz is talking a big game about the new bike, calling it “the best handling trail bike ever”.
2022 Pivot Firebird
Pivot talks a big game about the Firebird being a hardcore Enduro race bike first and foremost, and having spent several months on the bike, they’re right to — it’s a good one.
9point8 Fall Line Dropper Post
The 9point8 Fall Line is a lightweight dropper post with a bunch of unusual features that set it apart from many of its competitors.
Dillon Osleger on Historic Trails, Changing Climates, & Evolving Communities (Ep.133)
On this week’s episode of Bikes & Big Ideas, we chatted with professional mountain biker, trail builder, and climate scientist, Dillon Osleger, about Rezduro; the Protect Our Winters Bike Alliance; trail building and advocacy; the development of mountain biking as both a sport and a community; and much more.