Blister Reviewer BadgeDavid Golay

2021 Transition Spire - Blister First Look

2021 Transition Spire

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Transition’s just-released Patrol was the longest-travel non-DH bike in their lineup — for just 48 hours. Enter the all-new Spire, Transition’s 170mm-travel 29er. So how do the two bikes differ, and who should be most interested in each? Check out our First Look on the Spire for all the details.
2021 Transition Patrol First Look - Blister

2021 Transition Patrol

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The Patrol has long been in Transition’s lineup as their longest-travel Enduro bike, with 27.5’’ wheels. Today they dropped an updated version, and while the 160 mm of rear travel remains, the new Patrol gets the mullet treatment, with a 29’’ wheel and 160mm-travel fork up front. There’s a lot more that’s new than just wheel sizes, so check out our First Look for all the details.
David Golay reviews the EXT Era for Blister

Flash Review: EXT Era Fork

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We loved EXT's rear Enduro / Trail shock, the Storia, and now we've been spending time on the Era, the fork meant to pair with it. Check out our Flash Review for our early impressions.

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2022 Trek Session Flash Review

Flash Review: Trek Session

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We've been spending time on the new, high-pivot 2022 Trek Session. Check out our Flash Review for 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.

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.)

David Golay and Zack Henderson review the Marin Alpine Trail for Blister

2021 Marin Alpine Trail

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The Marin Alpine Trail is one of the most playful Enduro bikes we’ve been on recently, but also manages to keep a great deal of capability in technical terrain — and is an impressive bang-for-buck to boot. We think it’s a really compelling option for the right sort of rider, and you can check out our full review to find out who we think will get on best with this unique offering from Marin.
David Golay reviews the Ohlins TTX22 for Blister

Öhlins TTX22 Shock

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The world of high-end shocks is one filled with lots of dials and adjustments, but that can also make it a bit tricky to arrive at your ideal settings. The Öhlins TTX22, however, has proven to offer the reliable, high-end performance you’d expect of a top-tier product, but is also very simple and easy to get running really well. Check out our full review for the whole story.
David Golay Reviews the 2021 Rocky Mountain Altitude for Blister

2021 Rocky Mountain Altitude

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The Altitude has been in the Rocky Mountain lineup for more than a decade now, but what, exactly, the Altitude is has changed a lot over the years, and the bike got a dramatic overhaul for 2021. We’ve been riding the latest iteration, and have found it to be surprisingly versatile for a 160 / 170 mm travel Enduro bike.
David Golay reviews the Giro Source and Manifest Spherical for Blister

Giro Source MIPS & Giro Manifest Spherical

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It’s not hard to spend several hundred dollars on a mountain bike helmet, but should you? And what do you give up, in opting for a less-expensive option? We’ve been doing some head-to-head testing of Giro’s moderately-priced Source and high-end Manifest Spherical helmets to find out, and you can now read our full review to see how they compare.
David Golay reviews the Marin El Roy for Blister

2021 Marin El Roy

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Marin calls the El Roy “the ultimate aggressive steel hardtail,” and its geometry numbers are certainly eye-popping, even in our current world of longer, lower, and slacker. But who should be interested in a hardtail that’s so emphatically oriented towards descending? And does the El Roy really deliver on what looks like a promising recipe? Check out our full review to find out.
David Golay reviews the Ohlins RXF36 m.2 for Blister

Öhlins RXF36 m.2 Air

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Öhlins has long been known for their motorsports suspension, but have more recently branched out into the mountain bike world, and we’ve been testing their RXF36 m.2 Air Enduro fork. It’s an impressive offering, but who does it make the most sense for, and how does it stack up to the competition from Fox, RockShox, and Manitou? Check out our full review to find out.
David Golay Reviews the Privateer 161 for Blister

Privateer 161

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With progressive geometry, a bargain price for what you get, and thoughtful design touches and spec, the Privateer 161 looks awfully appealing on paper. We’ve been testing this aluminum Enduro race bike and think it delivers on what the brand claims about it — for the right types of riders. Check out our full review for all the details.
David Golay reviews the TRP Slate T4 Brakes for Blister

TRP Slate T4 Brakes

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TRP’s Slate T4 brakes are an affordable option for a four-piston Trail bike brake. But how do they stack up against some of the more expensive options in that space, as well as bigger, downhill-focused options?
David Golay reviews the Canyon Stoic for Blister

2021 Canyon Stoic

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Sub-$2K price tag, huge size range, modern geometry — the new Canyon Stoic hardtail checks a lot of boxes on paper. And after spending a couple months riding it, we think it checks a lot of boxes on the trail, too. Check out our full review of this versatile hardtail.
David Golay reviews the 2021 Fox 40 for Blister

2021 Fox 40 Fork

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The first iteration of the Fox 40 dual-crown fork came onto the market in 2005, and now for 2021, Fox has given it an overhaul. So just how different is the new version, and how does it perform on the trail? Check out our full review.
David Golay reviews the Smith Mainline helmet for Blister

Smith Mainline Helmet

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For folks who want full-face protection on the down without the full-face sweatiness on the up, the Smith Mainline should be high on your list. Check out our review of this lighter, more breathable alternative to traditional full-face helmets.
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