Jess Blewitt is a Natural (Ep.119)
Multi-talented MTB phenom Jess Blewitt is on Bikes & Big Ideas this week to talk about her meteoric rise & her lofty goals for the future; her incredible 2021 season and the crash that ended it; and much more.
David Golay
Flash Review — 2023 RockShox ZEB and Super Deluxe
We’ve been riding RockShox’s new ZEB and Super Deluxe, and so far they’re a significant improvement over the outgoing versions. Check out our Flash Review for our early impressions.
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RockShox’s New 2023 Forks & Shocks
RockShox is completely overhauling its suspension lineup for 2023, including all-new versions of the Pike, Lyrik, and ZEB forks, and Deluxe and Super Deluxe shocks. Check out our First Look for the rundown.
Flash Review — 2022 Orbea Rallon
We've started spending time on the new Orbea Rallon Enduro bike, and our early impressions are quite positive. Check out our Flash Review for our initial thoughts.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Contra Bikes on Building a Bike From Scratch (Ep.118)
Designing a bike frame is hard enough. Taking it to production is an even bigger challenge, but that hasn’t stopped Evan Turpen, and his Contra Bikes high-pivot prototype is extremely impressive. So this week on Bikes & Big Ideas, we sat down with Evan to chat about why he decided to start a bike company, and what he hopes to achieve with the bike; learn all about designing and fabricating frames from scratch (and how he learned to do it), and a whole lot more.
Antidote Carbonjack
Antidote calls their Carbonjack an Enduro bike, but that sells its versatility short — it’s a really good all-rounder that we think will be an especially good fit for certain riders. Check out our full review to find out who.
Kavenz on Engineering a Better Enduro Bike (Ep.117)
Kavenz had been working on a high-pivot Enduro bike long before it was cool, and the VHP16 and new VHP18 that came out of the project have a lot of unique design features. So this week on Bikes & Big Ideas, we sat down with Kavenz founder Giacomo Großehagenbrock to talk about the founding of Kavenz; the design philosophy behind their bikes; starting and growing a business; and much more.
Flash Review — 2022 Rocky Mountain Element
"Longer" and "slacker" might be the go-to buzzwords for modern bike releases, but the Rocky Mountain Element made a way bigger jump than most — while still staying true to its XC roots, too — and the results are very interesting. 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.
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Galfer Brake Pads and Rotors
Brake pads are an underappreciated factor in mountain bike brake performance, and Galfer’s offerings make a strong case for why a lot of riders should pay closer attention. And rotor sizing is a big piece of the puzzle, so we cover that in detail, too.
Fanatik on Custom Bikes, Gear Trends, & the Bellingham Bike Scene (Ep.116)
We’re talking custom bike builds, gear trends, and the evolution of the local mountain bike scene with Rich Frough of Fanatik, our Blister Recommended Bike Shop in Bellingham, WA.
2022 Fox Float X
Fox replaced the longstanding DPX2 Trail bike shock with the new Float X, and we think it’ll be a big improvement for a lot of riders. Check out our full review for all the details.
2022 Orbea Occam & Occam LT
“Longer” and “slacker” might be the go-to buzzwords for modern Trail bikes, but the Orbea Occam LT makes a very compelling case for why a lot of riders might want to pick something a little more moderate. It’s an outstanding take on a quicker-handling long-travel Trail bike that feels thoroughly modern despite bucking a lot of current trends. Check out our full review for more, including comparisons to nine other Trail & Enduro bikes.
SCOR 4060
SCOR says their new 4060 LT is “just seriously fun.” But it’s still a 160 / 170 mm travel Enduro bike, so just how game-on is it, really? Check out our full review for the rundown, including comparisons to 11 other bikes in its class.
Kitsbow CEO David Billstrom on Domestic Manufacturing and Community Investment (Ep.115)
Domestic production of apparel has all but disappeared from the US, but Kitsbow is leading the charge to bring it back and hopes to be a blueprint for how other brands can do the same. And their CEO, David Billstrom, has a lot to say about how it’s been good for their brand, their customers, their community, and the planet.
Öhlins RXF38 m.2
Öhlins has joined Fox and RockShox in offering an extra burly 38mm-stanchioned single crown fork, and their take on the genre — the RXF38 m.2 — is now our bike editor's personal favorite of the category. Check out our full review to see why.
Revel Bikes’ Adam Miller on the new Rail 29 & the State of the Bike Industry (Ep.114)
Revel’s new Rail 29 was a long time coming, and now it’s here — so we sat down with Revel founder Adam Miller to get the story on its development; managing a bike company during the pandemic; the state of the supply chain; wheel sizes; and much more.
Antidote Woodsprite
Antidote has long been known for their Enduro and DH bikes, but today they’re launching a shorter-travel Trail bike — the Woodsprite. Check out our First Look for all the info.
Flash Review — 2023 Santa Cruz Megatower
We've started spending time on the brand-new Santa Cruz Megatower. Check out our first 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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Chelsea Kimball on Van Life, Darkfest, & the Growth of Women’s Freeride (Ep.113)
Chelsea Kimball is really making waves in the burgeoning world of women’s freeride, so we sat down with her to talk about her unconventional path to being an MTB pro; Darkfest & being among the first women to participate; Freeride Fiesta; and a whole lot more.
POC Kortal & Kortal Race MIPS Helmets
We’ve been testing both versions of POC’s new Kortal helmet, and it’s an excellent option for riders looking for a notably burly, high-coverage Trail / Enduro helmet. Check out our full review for more details, and how they stack up against a bunch of their competitors.
