Mountain Bike Reviews

Blister Mountain Bike Review Hip Pack Roundup 2021

Hip Pack Roundup — 2021

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Hip packs have gone from being an ironic fashion throwback to a commonly accepted mountain bike accessory, but they now come in all shapes and sizes. We’ve been testing six options, from ultra-minimalist to quite roomy, and here you can check out how they compare and which would work best for you.
David Golay Blister Mountain Bike Review on the Canyon Lux Trail

2022 Canyon Lux Trail

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The Canyon Lux has seen plenty of action (and results) on the World Cup XC circuit, and now it’s got a bigger sibling, the Lux Trail. The new bike is a lot more than just an XC race bike with a little extra suspension, though — check out all the details in our First Look.
David Golay and Xan Marshland Blister Mountain Bike Review on the EXT Era

EXT Era Fork

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After making a big splash with their rear shocks, EXT’s first fork is here. There’s a whole lot that’s interesting and unusual about the Era, but how does it all add up on the trail? Check out our full review to find out — now with some additional thoughts from Xan Marshland.
Blister Guide to Mountain Bike Tires

Mountain Bike Tires: A Guide & Comparisons

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In this guide, we're comparing more than a dozen of the most popular Trail, Enduro, & DH tires to each other, highlighting their pros and cons, and helping you figure out which option might work best for you. In our latest update, we've got a couple of new additions from Schwalbe and Michelin.
Eric Freson & Luke Koppa Blister Mountain Bike Review on the Ibis Ripley AF

Flash Review — Ibis Ripley AF

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Update 8.3.21: Luke Koppa adds his thoughts on Ibis's budget-friendly, shorter-travel Trail bike.

Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions

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Dylan Wood and Eric Freson Blister Mountain Bike Review on the 2021 Pivot Trail 429

2021 Pivot Trail 429

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Pivot’s longstanding Trail 429 recently got a major update, but how true to the original recipe is the new, V3 version? We've now had two reviewers spending a lot of time on the new bike, and you can check out our full review for their thoughts on the new bike and how it compares to the rest of the market.
David Golay Blister Mountain Bike Review on the Nobl TR37 wheels

Nobl TR37 Wheels

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Carbon wheels have become fairly commonplace but Nobl’s TR37s are quite different from most of the market, with front- and rear-specific rims and an unusual “Sine Wave'' rim profile. That's well and good, but how do they compare to the competition on the trail? Check out our full review to find out.
Blister Flat Pedal Roundup — 2021

Flat Pedal Roundup — 2021

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It’s certainly possible to spend a whole lot of money on a pair of flat pedals, but should you? Flat pedals cover a huge range from basic composite options through super-blingy machined aluminum wonders, and we’ve been testing nine different options across the whole spectrum. Check out our roundup to find out how they all stack up.
David Golay Blister Mountain Bike Review on the Chromag Minor Threat

Chromag Minor Threat

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Chromag has long been known for making aggressive hardtails, but they’ve just released their first full-suspension model — and it’s a kids' bike. The Minor Threat (which is the best new product name we’ve seen in a while) is an interesting new direction for the brand and looks like a very promising option for the younger rippers out there. Check out our First Look for all the info.
David Golay Blister Mountain Bike Review on the WTB Proterra Tough Wheels

WTB Proterra Tough i30 Wheels

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WTB says their new Proterra Tough wheels “won’t let you down,” but they’re also relatively affordable and not especially heavy. So has WTB beaten the old “cheap, light, strong; pick two” adage, or is there a catch? Check out our full review to find out.
David Golay Blister Mountain Bike Review on the 2021 Santa Cruz Nomad

2021 Santa Cruz Nomad

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The original Santa Cruz Nomad was one of the first bikes to shape the mold for the modern Enduro bike, way back in 2005. Now in its fifth generation, the new bike stands out from the rest of the market in some interesting ways. We've been spending a ton of time on this 27.5''-wheeled bike, and it makes a compelling case for why smaller wheels should stick around. Check out our full review for more.
David Golay Blister Mountain Bike Review on the Forbidden Dreadnought

Flash Review — Forbidden Dreadnought

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High-pivot bikes might be even trendier than mullets right now, and we’ve now been spending time on the Forbidden Dreadnought. Check out our Flash Review for our early impressions of this very interesting offering.

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 Reviews the Fox Speedframe Pro for Blister

Fox Speedframe Pro Helmet

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Fox’s Speedframe Pro is a high-end, broad-coverage Trail / Enduro helmet with a 5-star safety rating from Virginia Tech. And given its solid coverage, it's also been very impressive in terms of ventilation for hot rides. Check out our full review for more, including several comparisons to its competition.
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