2015 Bible of Bike Tests Begins

The Bike test crew has assembled in Bend, Oregon, for the 2015 Bible of Bike Tests. For the next two weeks, a dedicated crew of nine testers will put next year’s most promising bikes through the paces on the expansive trail systems of Central Oregon.

On site is a stable of $200,000 worth of the finest XC, trail and all-mountain bikes in the wings for 2015. Brands include Kona, Yeti, Specialized, Cannondale, Banshee, Juliana, Liv, Marin, Rocky Mountain, Pivot, Giant, Ibis, Niner, Evil, Diamondback, Felt, Scott, Santa Cruz, GT, BMC, Trek, Turner, Norco, Salsa, Transition, and Durango Bike Company.

For the next two weeks, 34 bikes will get poked, prodded, ridden hard, and put away wet, dusty and rattled. Then the crew will cuss, discuss, love, hate and debate until the truth behind each bike is sifted to the surface—on camera—in the annual ‘Roundtable Reels’ video debates.

These testers have their work cut out for them.

Testers from the Bike staff include editor Brice Minnigh, managing editor Nicole Formosa, gear editor Ryan Palmer, senior editor Vernon Felton and editor-at-large Mike Ferrentino. Rounding out the crew is Travis Engel, a longtime Southern California bike shop worker, who’s looking at this test from a consumer’s perspective, as well as seasoned mountain-bike guide Simon Stewart. And joining Nicole on the women’s side is local Bend bike-shop employee Petie Thom and ex XC racer Lydia Tanner, from Boulder, Colorado.

When the Central Oregon dust settles on this test camp, there will be piles of empty beer bottles and sweat-encrusted kits—not to mention an exhausted-but-happy group of mountain bikers whose sole purpose is to deliver you, the reader, the straight dope on the best rides in the business.

Stay tuned for behind-the-scenes photos, videos and stories, as the ultimate no-bullshit gear guide gets bashed into shape.