Reviews

David Golay reviews the DT Swiss XMC 1501 wheels and Ratchet DEG hubs

DT Swiss XMC 1501 Wheels & Ratchet DEG Hubs

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DT’s new Ratchet DEG hubs are the fastest-engaging ones they’ve offered to date, but have they kept the traits that made the original 240s popular in the first place? We’ve been testing the Ratchet DEG hubs on DT’s XMC 1501 wheels and have thoughts.

ZAG’s ‘Next-Gen Carver’ + 2025 Ski Lineup | Blister Summit Video

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Across its 20-year history in the freeride, touring, and all-mountain worlds, Chamonix-based ZAG has continued to refine their lineup, whether through design or efforts to reduce their environmental footprint. In this video, we get the details on that history — plus the brand’s 2025 ski lineup — from ZAG’s Théo Voinchet and ZAG athlete, Teton Brown.
Blister reviews the Santa Cruz Vala

Santa Cruz Vala

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Santa Cruz’s new Vala brings a full-power Bosch motor to the Santa Cruz lineup, but the biggest surprise here is perhaps the move away from VPP toward a more typical four-bar suspension layout. There’s a lot more to the Vala though, so join us as we walk through the details.

Stuff We Like: September 2024

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This edition of our ‘Stuff We Like’ series is all about apparel — from ultralight rain shells to versatile baselayers, cozy insulators, bike shorts, and much more. Check it out to learn more about the standout products our reviewers have been testing.
Blister reviews the Ohlins DH38 & RXF38 Coil Spring Kits

Ohlins DH38 & RXF38 Coil Spring Kits

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The Ohlins Coil Spring Kit lets owners of the RXF38 m.2 and DH38 m.1 forks convert them to metal-sprung setups. With seven available spring rates and a compelling price, it’s an interesting option for fans of coil springs — check out our First Look for the details.
Blister reviews the Fox Live Valve Neo electronic shocks

Fox Live Valve Neo Electronic Shocks

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Fox’s original Live Valve electronically controlled suspension has been around for quite a while now, but it never became a common sight on the trails. So, Fox went back to the drawing board and came up with Live Valve Neo — a wireless, dramatically streamlined second generation. Check out what they’ve come up with.
Noah Bodman reviews the Kona Process 134 for Blister

Flash Review — Kona Process 134

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Kona recently revised their longstanding Trail bike, and it's shaping up to be an impressive offering. Here are our initial thoughts.

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Blister reviews the 2024 Rocky Mountain Instinct

2024 Rocky Mountain Instinct

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It’s no big surprise that Rocky Mountain is touting the versatility of their 140mm-travel Trail bike, the Instinct — but what they’ve cooked up is pretty interesting, and it stands out from the do-it-all Trail bike market in some interesting ways. Check out our Full Review and Deep Dive comparisons to discover what sets it apart.
David Golay reviews the OneUp V3 dropper post

OneUp V3 Dropper Post

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OneUp’s longstanding V2 dropper post might be the most widely used one out there — so have they managed to improve things with the V3 iteration, or messed up a great product? We’ve been riding the V3 for the better part of a year and are ready to weigh in.
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