The Burner is Dave Turner’s entry into 650b. If you’re thinking about making the jump to 27.5, the Burner should be on your shortlist.
The Club Ride New West Jersey and Cargo Away shorts work really well on trail. And you’ll probably wear them a whole bunch off the bike, too.
More riders are going gloveless on the trail, and these are the four best ‘gloveless’ grips that Kevin Bazar has ever used.
With the XX1 kit, SRAM has basically defined exactly what a purpose-built trail group should be, with a number of designs that will likely become industry standards.
Though billed as a gravity / park bike with all-mountain agility and playfulness, the Diamondback Scapegoat shines brightest as a freeride machine. Blister reviewer Eric Melson reports.
The 2013 Surly Krampus brings back those good old memories of rallying rigid bikes with canti brakes; but instead of steep angles, long stems, and terrible tires, you’re on a sweet modern machine.
The 2013 Diamondback Scapegoat looks impressive, with quite possibly the best off-the-rack build of any Gravity / Park / AM bike on the market. Eric Melson’s been putting time on it, check out his initial impressions.
After a long wait, reviewer Joe Hanrahan finally got a Knolly Chilcotin. While he continues to put it through its paces, here’s a first look at the bike and Joe’s early impressions of the ride.
The Transition Trail-or-Park has what you’d expect in a do-it-all jump / park / pump track bike, but it’s the ToP’s unexpected details that makes this bike stand out.
You would be hard-pressed to find a bar these days that strays from the 8-9° sweep and 4-5° rise formula, but that doesn’t mean all bars are created equal. Marshal Olson puts four bars to the test.
The Satori is Kona’s attempt to make an aggressive 29er trail bike in a full-suspension package. So far, it’s been a lot of fun and a little bit confusing. Noah Bodman explains.
The Canfield Brothers Yelli Screamy is the first 29er Noah Bodman has ever liked. (So why does it seem like he’s trying to destroy it?)
The Specialized SX Trail falls between a burly trail bike and DH rig, which, when dialed, will rail the downhill and will climb when you need it to.
The Santa Cruz Nomad C is a stiff bike with precise handling whose descending capabilities leave little to be desired—once the suspension is dialed.
The 2011 Turner 5.Spot isn’t the lightest 140mm frame out there, but it is among the burliest.
With its light weight, dialed geometry, and stiffness, the 2011 Trek Superfly is a very well-rounded 29er.
The Santa Cruz Nomad has a stiff and sturdy feel and absolutely shreds corners, but the VPP suspension left BLISTER reviewer Rob Dickinson less than thrilled.
Kevin Bazar is persistent, and his Specialized SX is now dialed. (Whew.) Read on to learn how he got it there.
Frame: 2010 Morewood Makulu, size “long” – 24″ top tube
Intended Use: DH Race
Rider: 6’2”, 205 lbs., athletic, technically proficient, modestly fast and relatively fluid.
Geometry Chart: Morewood Makulu frame
