Best Mountain Bike Reviews | Blister Outdoor Gear Review

Lazer Coyote Kineticore

April 3, 2023 by David Golay

The Lazer Coyote is the newer, less-expensive addition to their line of Kineticore helmets (after the Jackal that we reviewed last year) and it’s an especially impressive offering for the price — at exactly half the cost of the top-tier Jackal.

Starling Murmur Enduro

January 18, 2024March 28, 2023 by David Golay

The Starling Murmur, with its steel construction and single-pivot suspension, doesn’t ride like most bikes, but those differences just might be what certain riders are looking for. Check out our full review to hear what sets the Murmur apart and how it compares to nine other bikes in its class.

SRAM Eagle AXS Long-Term Durability

March 27, 2023 by Simon Stewart

SRAM’s new Eagle Transmission is a big change to their mountain bike lineup, but what does the demise of the derailleur hanger mean for long-term durability, and is electronic shifting just an unnecessary gizmo or a genuine benefit? Blister Editor Simon Stewart reflects on four-plus years with the original Eagle AXS drivetrain.

SRAM Eagle Transmission

January 11, 2024March 21, 2023 by David Golay

There have been spy photos of what appeared to be a new direct-mount derailleur, plus updated Eagle cranks, cassettes, and controllers from SRAM floating around the internet for a while now — and today it all breaks cover, along with some new brakes and much more. Check out our First Look for all the info on the new Eagle Transmission.

Simon Stewart Reviews the Marin Alpine Trail E for Blister

2023 Marin Alpine Trail E

March 20, 2023 by Simon Stewart

The Marin Alpine Trail E gets a refresh today, and while its geometry hasn’t changed much, it’s still pretty out there for a ~150 mm travel bike — and the value for money in terms of the build specs is especially impressive.

Ibis Ripmo V2S

March 9, 2023 by David Golay

Ibis gave the Ripmo a light update late last year, and while the changes to the new V2S version aren’t all that dramatic, it’s still a good, well-rounded bike that blurs the line between longer-travel Trail bikes and full-on Enduro ones, in a way that we can imagine working well for a lot of folks. Check out our full review for our take, including how the Ripmo V2S stacks up against a dozen of its competitors.

Galfer Shark Rotors

March 8, 2023 by David Golay

We really like Galfer’s standard Wave rotors, but how about the fancier Shark versions that they’re launched more recently? And in general, who should think about upgrading their existing rotors? Check out our review to learn more.

Trinity Gravity

March 7, 2023March 6, 2023 by David Golay

Trinity MTB has been developing one of the wildest, most interesting new bikes in recent memory and now the result of their efforts is available to pre-order. Check out our First Look with all the info on the Trinity Gravity — and there’s a *lot* going on here.

Canyon Spectral 125

March 2, 2023March 2, 2023 by David Golay

The Canyon Spectral 125 is about as aggressive as ~120mm-travel Trail bikes get, and the results are pretty interesting. Check out our full review for the whole story, including comparisons to six other bikes in this rapidly growing class.

Crank Brothers Mallet Trail Pedals

February 28, 2023 by David Golay

Crank Brothers just launched a new clipless pedal, the Mallet Trail, meant to slot in between the Candy and the Mallet E — and we’ve been testing it all winter. Check out our full review for the rundown on the design and how it performs on the trail.

David Golay reviews the Santa Cruz Nomad for Blister

2023 Santa Cruz Nomad

February 8, 2023 by David Golay

The newly mulleted Santa Cruz Nomad is pretty different from the bike that it replaced, but it’s still the more playful, less-demanding Enduro bike in Santa Cruz’s lineup — and it’s excellent.

NF Heavyweight Pants

February 7, 2023 by David Golay

The NF Heavyweight Pants are the Canadian brand’s take on a cold / wet weather mountain bike pant, and they go about things rather differently from a lot of other options out there — with excellent results.

MTB Brake Shootout

February 14, 2025February 1, 2023 by David Golay

What’s the most important component on a mountain bike? A strong argument could be made for brakes, and there are now a greater number of good, powerful brakes than ever before. But how do they actually stack up against each other? We’ve spent the past year-plus directly comparing eight of the top options from Shimano, SRAM, TRP, Hayes, Hope, Magura, & Cascade Components — in this in-depth roundup, we explain how they all compare, what each does best, and which ones might be ideal for you.

Transition Relay

January 31, 2023 by Simon Stewart

Transition's second e-bike, the Relay, is here — and among other things, it isn't *always* an e-bike. Check out our First Look for the rundown.

Ibis Exie

January 24, 2023 by David Golay

The Ibis Exie isn’t new, but the overseas-made version is, and it’s *much* more affordable than the US-made original that Ibis launched a couple of years back. Check out our First Look for the details.

Magura MT7 HC3 Brakes

January 30, 2023January 18, 2023 by David Golay

There are a lot of good brakes on the market these days — way more than just a few years ago — and Magura’s MT7 HC3 brakes do a lot of things differently from most of their competitors. So how do they stack up in the increasingly crowded market, and who are they going to work best for?

David Golay reviews the Manitou Dorado for Blister

2023 Manitou Dorado

November 20, 2024January 17, 2023 by David Golay

There aren’t many inverted forks left on the market, so how does one of the most famous holdouts — the Manitou Dorado — stack up against its more conventional competitors? We’ve spent a lot of time on both the Expert and Pro versions, and are ready to weigh in.

Continental Kryptotal Tires

January 10, 2023 by David Golay

Continental gave their entire gravity tire lineup a major overhaul last year, and having now spent most of the season on their all-rounder Kryptotal pair, we think they’re extremely good tires for a lot of conditions, but are just a couple of tweaks away from being perfect. Check out our full review to find out where they work best and what sets them apart, including comparisons to the Maxxis Assegai, Minion DHF and DHR II, Schwalbe Magic Mary, and more.

TRP DH-R Evo Brakes

January 6, 2023January 6, 2023 by David Golay

There are more DH-worthy brakes on the market than ever before (and good ones, at that), and TRP’s DH-R Evos are a strong contender for folks with the right preferences.

David Golay reviews the Santa Cruz Tallboy for Blister

2023 Santa Cruz Tallboy

December 27, 2022December 27, 2022 by David Golay

The Santa Cruz Tallboy hasn’t changed a ton from the prior V4 generation, but it’s still a great short-travel Trail bike and Santa Cruz has found some nice details to refine. Check out our full review to learn more, including how it compares to several other bikes in its class.

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