I was a little disappointed to see the Built for Legends Specialized Demo 11 not fitted with the ultra-elusive Brembo Brakes. Oh well. At least it still gets the Öhlins suspension and DT Swiss alloy wheels.

Each frame in the Built for Legends lineup is dripping in a distinctive finish that pays homage to Specialized’s racing lineage. A deep red tint is layered over metallic silver dust, and a hand-applied black ink wash and dark edge fades. Like any good collector’s item, this ensures that no two frames in the series are identical. Every bike is finished with a glassy-smooth, hand-buffed clear coat.

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Limited Numbers and Huge Price Tags

Reflecting the elite status of these bikes, Specialized is producing only a small, individually numbered allocation of each model worldwide. Specialized confirmed that once these individually numbered bikes are sold out, the colorway will be retired permanently.

• Tarmac SL9 – $14,999.99 | 199 individually numbered bikes
• Crux 5 – $14,999.99 | 55 individually numbered bikes
• Demo 11 – $11,499.99 | 50 individually numbered bikes
• Epic 9 – $15,499.99 | 119 individually numbered bikes

Oh yeah, there are also some shoes and a helmet in the collection. Got some money burning a hole in your pocket? Head over to Specialized.com and browse the collection.

Hosted at Coast Gravity Park in British Columbia, the event will bring together a select group of female riders, including newly crowned Junior Downhill World Champion Tilly Boadle and World Cup racer and Red Bull Hardline competitors Mille Johnset & Jess Blewitt, alongside an international field of emerging and established female downhill athletes.

Confirmed Athletes

• Gracey Hemstreet
• Andreane Lanthier Nadeau
• Arleigh Kemp
• Cami Bragg
• Indy Deavoll
• Jess Blewitt
• Lina Frener
• Mille Johnset
• Tayte Proulx Royds
• Teagan Heap
• Tilly Boadle
• Zoe Witwicki

At the center of Project 17 is a purpose-built progression line designed to introduce riders to the scale, speed, and technical demands of the world’s biggest downhill courses, while offering a supportive and controlled environment to learn, develop, and push their limits.

As events such as Red Bull Hardline continue to set the benchmark for progression and technical challenge in downhill mountain biking, Project 17 matters because it addresses a clear disparity in the current pathway for women’s downhill progression, helping to bridge the gap between the opportunities available to female riders and the demands of competing on the world’s biggest courses.

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The course build is being supported by Red Bull, helping create a purpose-built environment designed specifically around rider progression. Norco, as Hemstreet’s DH team partner, is also supporting Project 17, which brings together athletes and industry partners committed to creating greater opportunities for women in downhill. That support underscores Hemstreet’s point that progression is only possible when the right opportunities and environment are in place. 

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“The goal isn’t to make it easy. It’s to make it possible.” — Gracey Hemstreet 

Project 17 is built on a simple idea: riders progress when they’re given access to the right terrain, experienced people around them, and the confidence to take the next step. Success for Project 17 won’t simply be measured by what riders achieve on the course. The goal is for riders to leave the event stronger, more connected, and more capable of taking the next step toward the highest level of the sport. By investing in riders now, Project 17 is helping shape the future of women’s downhill racing.

Follow along with the Project: @ride.project17

For a bit of history, the Madrone Trail was Marin’s first mountain bike in 1986, designed with help from Joe Murray (MTB Hall of Famer), and it sold for just $199 USD… Now it’s back, albeit just in name and aesthetics. Reimagined with retro soul and modern capability, this serialized, limited-edition bike (440 units) celebrates Marin’s launch and the brand’s 40-year mountain biking journey.

Check out the Madrone Trail at Marinbikes.com

The Retro Appeal

The aesthetics are hard to argue with on this one, and with a fairly digestible price, this could be a better alternative than continuing to restomod that steel MTB collecting cobwebs in the shed. Or maybe not, because the build is a huge part of the fun with bikes like this. Take my Cannondale SM600, for example. I don’t even know how much I’ve spent “modernizing” it, but It’ll never have disc brakes or 27.5 wheels…

Details

Priced at $1,249.00, the Madrone Trail features a 4130 steel frame and a steel fork with eyelets for fenders and a rack. Visually, the bike is clearly tapping into nostalgia with its geometry and livery.

Dripping in a heritage-inspired paint job featuring dark blue and yellow graphics with bright pink and blue splatter. The Madrone Trail might look old-school-cool with the raked-out seat tube, one-piece bars (100mm Rise, 25˚ Backsweep, 750mm Width), but it’s adorned with hydraulic disc brakes, a modern drivetrain, and 27.5” wheels.

It rolls on modern wheels and features a custom, high-polished Shimano CUES 10-speed drivetrain with plenty of gear range. Stopping power comes from polished silver Shimano Alfine hydraulic disc brakes (160mm rotors). The matching silver accents from the drivetrain, brakes, and wheels really tie it all together.

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Available in sizes Medium and Large, the 2026 Marin Madrone Trail offers a unique blend of heritage and contemporary reliability. Whether you’re a mountain bike history buff or just looking for a cool, capable commuter, the Madrone Trail proves that old-school will always be cool.

If possible, watch this one on the big screen.

“We actually didn’t even mean to make this. Life happened, and we rolled with it. No one gave us a budget or money, so we just let it happen how it needed to happen.” Steve shared with me, and I think that is just a testament to how important this film is not just to the MTB community, but to anyone carrying the weight of life’s heaviest lessons.

Life is all about balance, and Ride to Resilience drives that point home; it’s rare to see such a broad range of emotions captured through the lens of an action sports film. What Geoff Livingston, Kelsey Toevs, Steve Vanderhoek, Joe Osborne, and Ken Wald have created here is truly something special.

Check in on your homies, show vulnerability, and ask for help when you need it.

Words from Ride to Resilience

When Geoff Livingston approached Steve Vanderhoek with the concept of a film about what pushes him to ride at the edge while balancing a real-world career as a City of North Vancouver firefighter, and what it’s like for his wife Kelsey to capture it from behind the camera, neither of them could have known how much deeper the story would become.

As Steve began therapy, he started turning the camera on parts of his life that none of us had seen before. Years of frontline trauma as a firefighter. The weight he’d been carrying quietly. What actually happens when you finally put it down? And once Steve opened up, it didn’t stop with him. One by one, people started telling the truth about what they’d been through. His close friends and colleagues Matt Saely, Jeff Mccutcheon, Alan Easton, Mike Danks, Sam Van Born, fellow professional mountain biker and teammate Yoann Barelli, Dr. Duncan Shields, as well as Steve’s father, who decided it was time to share with the world all of the trauma he had kept buried for the last 60 years.

We didn’t set out to make a film about mental health. We ended up making one anyway, because we realized that we had something that would mean so much more and impact many people dealing with similar challenges around the world, rather than just another mountain bike film.

To everyone who trusted us with their story, who showed up to ride, who sat in front of a camera and said the hard thing out loud: thank you. This film exists because you were brave enough to be honest, and we are so proud of what we built together.

This isn’t the end of it. It’s the start of the Ride to Resilience Association, community rides, events, and ongoing stories built to help people find their way through the hardest moments, the way Steve found his. 

We made this hoping it helps someone see they’re not alone. If it saves even one life, or helps one person get through their worst day, it is worth everything that went into it.

To help support future community and mental health-focused projects and get involved, visit: Ridetoresilience.com

No matter which build option you choose, you get the M2S, Avinox’s highest-power motor. Complete bikes start at just $4,999 USD (or $4,199 for the frameset), with top-spec options coming in at $7,999 USD. Regardless of the build spec, all the Wire Peak models are built around the same alloy frame, Avinox M2S motor, and 800wh battery.

The Wire Peak is Ari’s first adoption of the Avinox system, and it looks to me like the suspension and layout are taking cues from the Timp Peak, which launched last year with the Bosch CX system. The Wire Peak, unlike the Timp Peak, sits on 150mm of rear wheel travel and 160mm up front.

Overview

The Wire Peak frame features a couple of geometry adjustments with a low/high flipchip alongside a long/short flipchip and the ability to change between MX and full 29” wheels. Overall, the geometry is what we see quite a lot these days in this travel category: a 64-degree head tube angle, a 78-degree seat tube angle, and reach numbers that fit a wide range of riders (435 – 505 mm). 

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Build Kits / Pricing

Sport $4,999
Suntour ZERON 36X fork & Edge X shock, Shimano CUES U6000 10-speed, WTB Sportterra i30 wheels

Comp $5,999
Marzocchi Bomber Z1 fork & Bomber Air shock, Shimano Deore M6200 11-speed, Crankbrothers Synthesis DH wheels

Elite $6,999
RockShox ZEB Ultimate fork & Super Deluxe Ultimate shock, SRAM Eagle 90 12-speed, Crankbrothers Synthesis DH wheels

Pro $7,999
RockShox ZEB Ultimate fork & Super Deluxe Ultimate shock, SRAM GX Eagle Transmission 12-speed, DT Swiss HX 1700 Spline 29 wheels

Frameset w/ Shock: $4,199
With RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate shock

The 4-bar suspension layout and balanced geometry look like a recipe for a decent platform, but with a full aluminum frame, the bike is likely to be relatively heavy, and we don’t currently see weights listed on the Ari website. I’d wager it’s in the ballpark of 50lbs, but who really cares? Twist it and rip it, you know?

The bike is pretty vanilla, but that might be intentional, since it will appeal to many more riders, especially given that it has the motor everyone wants right now, at a fairly reasonable price. I won’t get into my opinions on Avinox and the current trends in eMTB – those opinions can be found here – but I will say that this probably isn’t the last new bike we’ll see with an Avinox M2S this year.

Shop the Ari Wire Peak at Aribikes.com

• MSRP: $11,299.99 USD
• Weight: 34 lbs / 15.4 kg (stock) | 36.5 lbs / 16.5 kg (as seen)
• Size: S5
• Rider height: 6’2″ (188cm)

The geometry hasn’t changed much from the last version, but what has changed seems pretty divisive in the community: the lack of accommodation for mechanical drivetrains. While strange, it does make some sense if you look at it from Specialized’s perspective. Other than the omission of a way to route a shift cable and housing, the SJ 15 also saw another major change, one that was better received: the Genie shock.

One thing remains unchanged: the Stumpjumper is still one of the best examples of an all-around mountain bike. It’s a seriously well-imagined example of how one bike might be able to do it all, and the Stumpjumper 15 Evo takes that to another level. I’m here to look at what that next level means and whether this platform could still be considered one of the best mountain bikes of all time.

The Evo-lution of the Stumpjumper 15

In short, the Stumpy Evo 15 gets a bigger fork and a Fox Float X Genie or Super Deluxe Genie shock. This longer fork makes it a little slacker, and the reservoir-equipped shock gives it a little more efficiency on long descents. Other than that, not a lot has changed. That’s kind of what happens with the Evo models of Specialized bikes.

I’ve been on the Specialized Stumpjumper 15 Evo as a long-term test bike, and in the months spent with the SJ 15 Evo, it continues to surprise me. On paper, there is nothing really boundary-pushing with this bike, and the introduction of an Evo version of the Stumpjumper 15 answered the demands of many riders, but with a 160mm fork, 145mm of rear wheel travel, and some really smart suspension kinematics and components, it’s an impressively capable bike in the trail bike genre.

It’s not a bike that I’ve been shouting praise for from the rooftops or gushing over, but it’s also not a bike that I (nor anyone else) would ever take out of consideration when looking for a bike in this category. The Stumpjumper has long been a bike that is synonymous with the world of mountain biking, and now, in its 15th form, the Stumpjumper is still a bike that does just about everything that you would want without putting up a fuss. 

The geometry is sorted, with flip chips available for fine-tuning; it uses a threaded BSA bottom bracket, tube-in-tube cable routing, 29” or mixed wheels, and has downtube storage, with the only major flaw being the absence of accommodations for mechanical drivetrains (a common occurrence in the modern age).

The Build Kit: NICE

This is the S-Works build, and that means it’s got a lot of bling. Full Shimano XTR Di2, Fox 36 Factory Grip X2, Float X Genie, Fox Transfer NEO wireless dropper, Roval Traverse SL II wheels/i9 Hydra 2 hubs, RaceFace ERA Carbon bars, and a Specialized S-Works Power Mirror saddle with Ti rails. It’s a Gucci-looking bike, that’s for certain.

It’s looking a little different now, as I’ve got the Rockshox Lyrik Ultimate and Genie Super Deluxe Ultimate equipped, and a set of OneUp Components Alloy Wheels installed.

I stand at 6’2” and am on an S5 frame, which feels pretty spot on. The only issue is the stack; with a slightly taller front end, thanks to the fork and 55mm-rise bars, I ended up swapping to 50mm-rise OneUp bars to lower the front end just a bit. Specialized claims a weight of just over 30 lbs (13.95 kg) for an S4, which is pretty decent for a bike of this caliber. My S5 tips the scales at just over 34 lbs in the stock setup, and after the changes, it’s at 36.5 lbs with pedals, bottle cage, and sealant in the tires (how I actually ride the bike).

As stock, there’s really nothing to complain about other than the 200mm Fox Transfer NEO, which is a nice dropper, no doubt about that, but I find it has less reliable battery life than the wireless AXS droppers from RockShox.

The Genie in the Bottle Grants Another Wish

To really understand what sets the Stumpjumper 15 apart from other bikes in the 140mm travel category, we need to look at the shock, because what the Specialized Ride Dynamics team has done is impressive. They’ve managed to make a 140mm bike ride like a much more capable machine. The Genie shock packs some splendid buzzwords, and as the marketing literature says, it does feel like a coil and an air shock all bundled together. It’s linear when it makes sense, ramps up progressivity when called upon, and feels smooth and predictable at all points between the two extremes.

For a bit of history, Fox and Specialized paired up to develop the Float Genie shock back when the Stumpjumper 15 was announced, and later introduced the Float X Genie with the Levo 4, which was one of the standouts for the newest Levo platform, in my opinion. Now, Specialized’s Ride Dynamics team has been working with RockShox to make a Super Deluxe Genie shock to pair with the new Linear XL Lyrik, and it’s a pairing that really makes a lot of sense.

It’s a higher-volume air shock paired with a higher-volume air fork, and when implemented on the Stumpjumper 15 Evo chassis, it’s a match made in heaven. The Stumpjumper 15 Evo is an enigma; it feels like an enduro bike where it needs to be supple and forgiving, yet still climbs with the gusto of a shorter-travel bike, and the Genie shock adds another layer of traction to the ride without feeling overly plush. There’s a balance to the SJ 15 Evo platform that is rarely seen on bikes in this category. The only other bike I’ve ridden with a similar identity crisis is the Revel Rascal. And I mean “identity crisis” as a compliment, not an insult here.

The Stumpy 15 Evo has enough flip chips to make sense, allowing for head tube angle adjustment and chainstay/bb height adjustment. It’s not overkill, and each chip makes a noticeable difference in how the bike rides. For the most part, I have had the Stumpjumper 15 Evo in the high chainstay setting, with some back and forth between the stock and the -1 degree headset cup. The SJ 15 Evo now comes with a 160mm fork instead of the 150mm on the non-evo variant, which gives the bike a 64-degree head tube angle, .5 degrees slacker than it would be with the 150mm fork. This is paired with the Float X Genie shock, giving the bike a slightly more descender-focused attitude. However, this doesn’t detract from the bike’s versatility, as it still offers the same 145mm of rear wheel travel.

Riding Impressions

Initially, I was a little taken aback by the way the SJ15 Evo felt on the trail. It just felt too soft, and I wanted more support from the shock. The feeling was similar to having insufficient PSI in the rear tire or a shock setup at 35-40% sag. I was constantly checking to make sure I didn’t flat or lose air from the shock. It was a little strange at first, but the more I rode it, the more I got used to the feeling of the Genie shock. I no longer worry that I’m totally bottoming out the rear, but the Genie shock performs differently from other shocks, resulting in a bit of an imbalance in the fork. I felt like I needed a softer fork, and with a few PSI out of it and more volume spacers packed in, it all started to level out.

The Stumpjumper 15 Evo wants to be pushed downhill – that much is obvious. The Genie shock handles all the trail noise with confidence and composure, muting chatter and smaller bumps in a unique way, and definitely feels a lot like a coil in its suppleness. On the other hand, the Genie supports deeper hits and g-outs with aggression, making for a really interesting platform that is a little challenging to compare to other bikes.

Climbing felt a little strange at first, largely in part due to the Genie shock, but the SJ 15 Evo also has a relatively slack seat tube angle and a pretty low bottom bracket. These factors, combined with the active suspension, can make it feel a little muzzled on climbs when the climb switch is not engaged. It’s not the most sluggish bike uphill, and in the high chainstay flip chip setting it’s totally acceptable, but I don’t like climbing it in the low setting at all. There are aspects of the low setting that I really love, though. In the low chainstay flip-chip position, it drops the BB by 7mm, slackens the headtube angle by 0.5 degrees, and lengthens the chainstay by 6mm. Swapping to the longer chainstays is nice, as it does let the bike eat more on the way down, but it certainly dings the efficiency that it pedals back up the hill.

Downhill, the SJ15 Evo in the low position gets an A+ in my book. The lower BB, longer rear end, and slacker head tube make it super stable in corners and responsive on steeper, chunkier trails. Although the low setting isn’t ideal for pedaling back up, it’s not a horrible experience, and, thankfully, swapping the flip chips takes about 3 minutes with minimal tools.

The performance of a bike goes beyond how it rides; longevity and maintenance also matter. Specialized has a pretty spotless track record in this department, and I cannot complain about the bike’s day-to-day livability. There aren’t many weird noises or rough bearings, and I rarely hear about Specialized bike frames failing, so there’s a lot of confidence in the frame’s strength, which is great considering how hard the bike wants to be ridden. 

I have noticed a tendency for a bit of creaking from the headset cups when swapping away from the stock headset position to the -1 degree cup. Deep cleaning, liberal re-greasing, and ensuring that it is seated in the head tube seem to remedy the sound, and it hasn’t been much of an issue. 

In summary, all the bolts are easy to access for inspection, and I did not spot any QC issues. From the day of unboxing to now, I haven’t had to worry about anything other than the usual maintenance, and I haven’t been babying the bike by any means.

I do want to talk about the shock and the slight adjustments I needed to make while experimenting with the setup. It doesn’t ride like a normal air shock, and I found myself going back and forth on volume spacers and pressure to make it feel like one. That was my first mistake with the bike. Adding a bunch of reducers to the Genie made it feel like other shocks on the market, and that wasn’t what I wanted. So after gradually adding more and more volume spacers, I ended up going back to the stock configuration and being really happy with it.

I had gotten used to the way the Genie behaves with the adaptive air can, and making it feel more supportive throughout the stroke dulled the sparkle that Specialized and the Ride Dynamics folks had worked so hard to develop. However, knowing that it could be tuned to behave more like a “normal” shock is just another reason to give points to the bike’s versatility. The Genie shock is also not proprietary, and you can run other shocks in its place if you want to change things up, but once you get familiar with the Genie, it’s hard to want to deviate from it.

Parting Thoughts / Pros and Cons

While the Stumpy 15 Evo might not have the same cult following as the last version of the SJ Evo, it’s still proving to be an exceptional bike. Specialized did their homework, aced the test, and graduated with honors, time and time again with the Stumpjumper, and the SJ 15 Evo follows the trend. Everything about it is sorted, tidy, and pragmatic (even if people got pissed off at the lack of mechanical drivetrain compatibility).

All the geometry adjustments feel well thought out, the base geometry is a fantastic starting point, and the bike definitely feels modern. The only thing I would like to see changed is the ability to route the mechanical drivetrain internally, because I would love to run the Madrone Jab on this bike to combat the slap-happy rear end.

The slappy rear end would be my biggest gripe overall, if I’m honest. It’s not as noticeable with a SRAM drivetrain, but in successive hits or chatter, the Shimano Dual-Spring mechanism really loses its composure, and I wish I wasn’t worrying about the cage slapping the chainstays, but I do.

Other than that, I can’t really fault the SJ 15 Evo. It’s wicked capable and versatile, and it feels like a bike that comfortably dips its toes into the enduro end of the trail bike spectrum, all without compromising on climbing or flowier trails. I think the Stumpy 15 and the 15 Evo both stand as great examples of modern mountain bikes that will be right at home with a seasoned rider or someone just getting started on the trail. There’s a reason the Stumpjumper name has been around for as long as it has. 

“The third chapter of the Parallel series. Parallel (2019) put two riders in one frame and won Pinkbike Video of the Year. Parallel II (2022) paired Semenuk with Kade Edwards. Now the concept scales to three with zero margin for error.”

“For sure I had a chance and was so close to the podium today, and, yeah, that’s a bummer, but for my first (elite) world championships to be fourth, I’m still stoked with everything,” Vermette told Bike Mag in the bustling Val di Sole finish.

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Building on this in all ways possible and feeling good on the bike – I think I'm only gonna get better, so I'm stoked.

The 19-year-old Durango downhiller’s fourth-place result came among a deep and talented field of 80 riders on a hot and sun-drenched late afternoon in the Italian Dolomites. The 2024 World Junior Champion nailed the bottom of the iconic Black Snake course, ultimately finishing just eight-tenths of a second out of the medals and 1.5 seconds behind Jackson Goldstone, who stormed to his second straight world title. 

Vermette confidently sent it down the 1.5-mile course with seven top competitors to follow behind him. He was precise, aggressive, and dynamic, and especially quick through the lower sections, approaching the bottom and off the final two jumps. The Colorado kid punched it into second place, only trailing New Zealand’s Lachlan Stevens-Mcnab at that point. 

“That’s how I usually am making up time, for some reason, but I need to work on my first split,” Vermette told Bike Mag in the Val di Sole finish. 

He was never more than a few hundredths of a second off the pace, but it seemed like a larger chainring could have made a significant difference in the lower splits.

“Overall, my run was pretty good. It was basically perfect. I just had a couple little stalls that cost me just that little bit of time,” he said.

Vermette would have to sit and wait nervously to see if his time of 3:30.293 would hold up for a medal. 

Great Britain’s Jordan Williams dropped Asa to third place, but he remained in bronze medal contention as the final competitor, Goldstone, left the start. Not surprisingly, the 22-year-old Canadian speed demon electrified the roaring crowd, many cheering from the side of the mountain, blazing into the lead at the fourth and final split, and soaring off the two final jumps en route to victory. 

“He ripped it today, and I’m stoked for him,” Vermette said about his fellow North American competitor.

Despite the disappointment, a valiant effort from Vermette, no doubt. He demonstrated power, form, and line choice on the sport’s biggest stage, while noting that he also enjoyed the ride.

“Conditions on the course were phenomenal today,” Vermette noted, despite periods of overnight rain in the Trentino mountainous region. “That was one of the most fun rides I’ve done on my mountain bike. I was just flowing and smiling all the way down, so it was a sick one.”

Vermette’s American teammate Luca Shaw (Canyon Collective Factory Team) finished sixth, a respectable 3.14 seconds behind Goldstone’s smoking time, on an overall strong and satisfying day for Team USA, despite missing out on the medals.

Shaw, 29, was mostly satisfied with his run down the steep and sinuous Black Snake track.

“I’m pretty happy with how I rode the top half, and then I made one mistake, and then tightened up a little bit at the bottom, so I know I left a little bit of time up there,” Shaw tells Bike Mag. “Regardless, pretty happy with sixth; it’s tied with my best result at Worlds, and on this track, that’s really good for me.”

The North Carolina resident said he likes his chances moving forward.

“I feel like I’ve got the speed to mix it up for the win and even on a track where I didn’t feel super comfortable all week,” Shaw said. “I feel like I built my speed for the race run, and I can be proud of that. Just excited to try and finish the season strong.”

“Good performance from Luca – I was cheering him on while sitting on the podium,” Vermette said. “We gotta keep that American rivalry going – we had a sick day.”

For the world’s premier downhillers, with the Italian world championships now in the books, it’s onward to North America for the final two tour stops in Soldier Hollow, Utah, and Whistler, British Columbia.

Vermette – currently second in the UCI World Cup standings, while only trailing Goldstone – appears to be gaining confidence and quickly developing into one of the fastest downhillers in the world. He is capitalizing on a stellar season in which he sped to an unexpected first elite downhill victory in South Korea in May. The North American races beckon with two final opportunities to be fast in 2026.

Follow Brian on Instagram – @brian.pinelli

The course is still one of the most demanding on the calendar, even in the dry, and incoming rain could throw a wrench into the works. Rain has hit the course and is not expected to let up before 10am, which means we could be in for a wet and very wild finals race, with the snake striking those who felt confident in the dry conditions.

Ski racing has its treacherous Hahnenkamm Downhill in Kitzbühel, Austria; Formula One’s Monaco Grand Prix circuit challenges and astounds every skilled driver who navigates it; and mountain biking boasts its iconic and infamously gnarly “Black Snake” downhill track.

Val di Sole’s Famed Track Lives Up to the Hype: Fast, Feared, and Furious. However, Riders Say it Could Run Slightly Tamer at World Championships

The steep, sinuous, rock-filled, and body-jarring 1.5-mile course, with 1,770 feet of vertical drop, will once again test the world’s bravest downhill bike racers, this time with world championship medals at stake, on Saturday, in Val di Sole, Italy. 

After a few days of diligent course inspection, critical training runs, athletes scouring video, and other covert reconnaissance, the guys and girls agree that Black Snake lives up to the hype.

“Of course, it’s a bit scary – some bits are still slippery this morning and there’s a lot of big rocks and some drops and yeah, you can get out of control quickly, it’s so tough,” said Enduro racing legend Richie Rude (Yeti/Fox Factory), who continues to hone his downhill racing skills, after a training run on Thursday.

“There have been some pretty special runs here, and especially being world championships, whoever wins here, it will be pretty wild,” adds the 31-year-old veteran rider.

British World Cup leader Jordan Williams says that racing here is no cup of tea: “Black Snake is a proper downhill track which really tests the bike and body, so it’s a perfect track for world championships.”

And naturally, the fear factor is always looming. Elite and junior riders who can put those demons out of their mind are most likely to thrive. Easier said than done. The unforgiving course also beats up riders physically, and training runs for the big show are certainly no Italian aperitivo.

U.S. junior Luke Mallen, 18, fifth in junior downhill qualifications on Friday, can attest.

“I jammed my thumb last run before qualifiers, so, in the middle, I was saving it a bit, and had a bunch of mistakes, but, honestly, I can’t be mad – it was a great run,” said the Utah mountain biker.

“I was here last year and felt so lost, so it’s nice coming back and riding a course you’ve ridden before. I’m just glad to have made it down and excited for finals.”

Norwegian Mille Johnset, 25, (Nukeproff Axess Racing) offers perspective from the ladies’ side. “It’s funny because we were talking with our team manager about being here a couple years ago and it was super gnarly – everyone was struggling to get down the track and I think we still have that in mind. But this year is definitely a little bit nicer, still very hard, but you’re not fearing for your life every run.

A Physically and Mentally Exhausting Challenge

Asa Vermette, the 2024 world junior champion, believes he can punch one in among the favorites. It will require overcoming the immense physical challenges of the course.

“It’s full on from top to bottom, and for sure it beats up the body, but if you can stay on your bike, you’re not too bad, but it’s a pretty brutal track and hard to do that,” says the 19-year-old rising star. “And physical endurance is essential. It’s long, gnarly, and physically exhausting.”

The daunting track in the Val di Sole Bike Park includes steep dirt slopes, massive tree roots, sharp rocks, and numerous natural precipices. Launching at an altitude of roughly 4,430 feet near the Daolasa gondola mid-station, the course snakes (hence the name) and plunges dramatically down to the finish area in town at 2,660 feet.

Besides overcoming the fear factor, what do top riders believe are the ingredients for efficient course navigation and, ultimately, fast times on race day?

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Rude says: “Just staying smooth and carrying my corner speed. If you ride smooth up top, kind of follow your lines, and then can attack at the bottom, I think I’ll be pretty good.”

Williams opines: “You’ve got to be pinned – I think keeping it smooth and having a good flow, because it will certainly get a lot rougher on race day.”

Germany’s Julian Steiner remains somewhat unsure: “That’s a good question – I’ve been looking for that answer for many years, and maybe that’s why I’m not up there with the top guys,” he says, with a laugh. “You have to ride your pace top to bottom, attacking it, making sure you’re not tired and finding the right lines at the right moments, which is not easy.”

Kiwi and Swiss Lead Downhill Qualifying

Eighty-five men took to the start for elite downhill qualifying on Friday afternoon, with New Zealand’s Lachlan Stevens-Mcnab clocking the fastest time of 3 minutes and 34 seconds. Australian Oliver Davis followed, 0.33 behind, and defending world champion Jackson Goldstone 0.63 back. 

Ryan Pinkerton led the U.S. squad in fourth, 0.86 seconds behind the leading Kiwi.

It began to drizzle towards the back end of qualifying, but conditions were not significantly affected, and there were no on-course incidents. Light rain is expected to continue into the night.

In women’s qualifying, Swiss Lisa Baumann crossed the Black Snake finish first, in four minutes, two seconds, and 59 tenths, nearly three seconds faster than Britain’s Harriet Harnden. Four-time defending champion Valentina “Vali” Höll was third, 3.2 seconds back.

Anna Newkirk was the fastest among the U.S. ladies in ninth, but a substantial 6.8 seconds behind the leading Swiss. But qualifying is only qualifying.

 A Tad Easier This Time Around? 

While the Italian Dolomites course annually presents arguably the toughest test on tour, some riders have noted, thanks to excellent course preparation by hard-working crews and occasional rain earlier in the week, Black Snake is running slightly tamer this time around.

However, with unpredictable weather in the days ahead, conditions could change quickly, altering the course for men’s and women’s elite and junior world championship races on Saturday.

“This year they’ve done an amazing job, kind of smoothing the course out and making it really nice and looking pretty. But the holes are definitely starting to come out – you get one-third down the track and you’re holding on for your life with your arms, so yes, it’s an iconic venue and iconic track.”

“This year they’ve done an amazing job, kind of smoothing the course out and making it really nice and looking pretty. But the holes are definitely starting to come out – you get one-third down the track and you’re holding on for your life with your arms, so yes, it’s an iconic venue and iconic track.”

Steiner adds: “This is definitely the most packed down Black Snake that I’ve seen and it’s riding a little bit easier with the rain, not exploding. We just have to wait until it ruts in and how much it dries up and we’ll go from there.” 

The Harsh Realities and Inherent Dangers

Crashes, some nasty, have been an unfortunate characteristic of the Black Snake course over the years. Commit one glaring mistake, and it will surely bite you in the ass.

Defending world champion Goldstone crashed out in 2022 on the closing Maledetta Ultima Curva (the cursed final turn). The blind, high-speed entry to the turn is notorious for screwing up fast runs immediately before the finish.

The Black Snake was unfriendlier to former World Cup winner Matt Walker at the 2024 World Cup. Heavy storms led to an even fiercer battle as the British rider and numerous others suffered violent over-the-bars crashes. 

Rescue helicopters and medical teams on standby are a necessary and regular presence in Val di Sole, a critical component of the overall safety infrastructure at major races on Black Snake.

Who Will Seize the Moment and Adorn Rainbows?

Despite all obstacles present: natural, internal, and intangible, the world’s fastest and most talented downhill bike racers will be gunning full gas, as much as Black Snake allows on Saturday. For those who can somehow manage to tame the Italian beast, world championship glory awaits.

Rude succinctly forecasts the upcoming men’s race: “There’s a lot of talented guys out there; Jackson (Goldstone) won here last year, and Max (Alran) just won the last race, so we’ll see. It will be crazy.”

Great Britain’s Williams, playfully asking if he will be looking over his shoulder at the young Vermette, currently runner-up to him in the World Cup standings, is boldly assertive.

Everyone is fast, whether it’s Asa or someone else – anyone can win on race day. It doesn’t matter who it is; I’ll beat them.

Follow Brian on Instagram – @brian.pinelli

One needs to be reminded that he is still 19. The Durango, Colorado, mountain biking rising star sat down with Bike Mag for an exclusive interview inside the Frameworks Racing mobile unit in Val di Sole. He was polite, charismatic, and confident.

“I just have to execute my perfect run.” Says Vermette, on his chances of striking world championship gold.

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Vermette says that if he can execute his game plan, as he did to win the season-opening World Cup race in South Korea in early May, he likes his chances on the revered Black Snake course.

“I always come to a race to try and win; that’s the goal every weekend, and I’m feeling good on this track,” Vermette tells BIKE Mag. “It’s super fun, but it looks like there might be a little bit of weather in the forecast, so that might mix things up a little bit, but going to qualifying, taking each day as it comes, and I’m stoked for it.”

While he candidly admits that Black Snake is certainly intimidating and can quickly rattle the nerves, he also advises that his confidence has grown significantly since he first laid eyes upon and descended the Italian Dolomites course.

“My first time running here was two years ago as a junior, and I remember being so nervous to ride it just because of how iconic and gnarly it is,” Vermette says. “But now, I’ve got the lines figured out, and they did good work on the track this year. It’s running really well, so I’m loving it.”

The Red Bull rider explains that endurance on the body-jarring, highly technical, and exhausting 1.5-mile course is critical and could make the difference between going home with a medal or finishing well out of contention.

“I think the gnarliest part about it is just the physical aspect and how long, gnarly, and physically exhausting it is. I think that’s the hardest part about it, but yeah, I love that type of stuff. I like long physical tracks,” he says, with a smile.

“Physical endurance is very key in downhill. It might not seem so, but if you ever try to make a full lap down the back of Black Snake, you’ll be breathing heavily at the bottom, so endurance is definitely necessary.”

The Men to Beat and Joining Elite U.S. Company

Vermette highlights who he expects to be his toughest competition this weekend. He concedes that there are too many names to choose from – just like perusing a wine list at a top Italian restaurant.

“In elite, there’s so many top dudes every weekend – there’s always a different dude that can win. Last week Max (Alran) won, Jordan (Williams) has been ripping, there’s Amaury (Pierron), so many guys. It’s insane. I didn’t even list off a quarter of them. I just hope to be up top with them.”

Jackson Goldstone, 22, (Santa Cruz Syndicate) seeks to make it two consecutive world titles for Canada, having sped to victory in Valais, Switzerland, in 2025. Vermette is gunning to become the first American man to win a downhill world title since Myles Rockwell in 2000.

Other elite U.S. racers who have accomplished the feat include Mike King (1993), Dave Cullinan (1992), and fellow Durango racer Greg Herbold (1990). What would it mean for Asa to join this prestigious company from eras past?

“It would be insane – the U.S. and North America have been doing really well this year on the World Cup, so to keep taking it away from them (the Europeans) would feel really good. And to join that list (past U.S. champions) would be super cool,” he adds.

What specifically does Asa believe he needs to do in order to call himself an elite world champion and add to his 2024 world junior title achieved in Andorra?

“I think if I have my perfect run every weekend, I can win,” he says. “That’s my mindset going into it. I just have to execute my perfect run.”

European Travels Alongside Mom’s Home Cooking

When time away from the bike track permits, the 19-year-old Vermette admits that he has been extremely fortunate to travel the world at his age, immensely enjoying various cultures, vast breathtaking scenery, and occasionally, top-notch international cuisine. 

Has Asa been savoring Italy’s world-renowned pasta and pizza in the lead-up to the big race this week? Not necessarily – he informs that his mother regularly travels with and cooks for the Frameworks Factory team.

“To have Mom’s cooking in Europe makes it feel more like home,” he says. “We just ask for as many carbs as possible on weekends – just filling ourselves up to get ready for races.”

Down the homestretch in Italy, Canada, and the USA

Despite two World Cup downhill races on North American soil remaining – in Solder Hollow, Utah, and Whistler, British Columbia – Vermette’s focus is clearly 100-percent on the defining Italian race this Saturday. 

Coveted medals and a prestigious rainbow jersey are on the line. The elite men’s downhill race kicks off at 3pm local time in Val di Sole.

Win a world championship title, earn a medal, or come up short, one thing is guaranteed. Asa will be sitting at a table in Italy for Mom’s home-cooked dinner a few hours afterward. 

Maybe that has been Asa’s secret ingredient for success in Europe? A victory in Val di Sole on Saturday would certainly taste amazing.

Follow Brian on Instagram – @Brian_Pinelli

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How It Reads the Trail

Electronic body armor lives or dies by its algorithm. A system that triggers off a hard G-out, a flat landing, or a violent rock garden drop is useless. To solve that, Alpinestars built its downhill profile using telemetry collected from professional athletes since 2022. The goal was simple: teach the system to differentiate between aggressive riding like drops and a genuine loss of control/impact.

The brain of the system relies on a six-sensor architecture, combining a tri-axial accelerometer and a tri-axial gyroscope, feeding movement data to an ECU housed inside the back protector. If the system detects a crash event, the gas inflator deploys the airbag in 32 to 45 milliseconds. Once inflated, coverage extends across the chest, back, shoulders, and upper arms, yielding up to an 82% reduction in the transmission of impact energy compared to traditional protective gear.

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“At first, I was a little resistant to using it – I’m pretty picky with the body armor I was using from Alpinestars, and I didn’t use it [Tech-Air MX]. I saw Specialized using it in the off-season, and Laurent (Laurent Delorme, Specialized Gravity Downhill Team Manager) told me that I should really try it,” Said Ryan Pinkerton, of Mondraker Factory Racing. “Right away, I was super comfortable. Way more comfortable than I thought it would be. I thought the weight would be a problem, but it fits perfectly, and I don’t even notice it. After riding in it for a couple of weeks, I feel 100% safer and more protected.”

Built for Dirt, Sweating, and Washing

Motorcycle tech rarely translates directly to mountain biking without feeling like a hot, bulky straitjacket. Alpinestars aims to solve the heat-and-movement equation by mounting the system on a low-profile, breathable stretch-mesh “shirt” that sits over or under your jersey.

Back protection duties are anchored in place by a ventilated Nucleon PLASMA CE Level 1 honeycomb structure. This means that if you take a spill and the airbag deflates, that passive Level 1 back protector remains fully intact for the rest of your lap.

Living with high-tech gear in the bike park can easily become a chore, but the operational features are designed to keep the TechAir system as subtle as possible until it’s called upon.

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• Automatic Powering: Connecting the main left chest buckle engages an integrated magnetic switch to turn the unit on; unbuckling powers it down.
• Real Battery Life: A full charge provides up to 30 hours of ride time, while a quick 1-hour USB-C charge yields around 8 hours of battery life.
• No Tethered Hardware: The system runs completely autonomously with no external sensors, wires, or GPS requirements.
• Multi-Sport Profiles: Using the Bluetooth Tech-Air App, you can switch from the downloadable Downhill Mode to MX, MX Race, Enduro, or Rally profiles.
• Modular Cleanliness: Because riding in the mud is inevitable, the ECU and airbag bladder are fully removable, allowing you to actually wash the mesh chassis. The system is rated for up to six deployments before requiring factory servicing, provided the airbag itself suffers no structural damage.

Initial Take

As bike park speeds climb and downhill tracks get rowdier, borrowing high-speed crash tech from the moto world makes a ton of sense. If the stretch mesh breathes well enough for mid-summer laps and the algorithm stays quiet through heavy compressions, Alpinestars might just set a new bar for high-gravity protection.

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The TechAir MX system costs a pretty penny ($699.95 USD), but it might all be worth it for the peace of mind that it provides. If you already have a Tech-Air MX vest, you unfortunately won’t be able to download and apply the Downhill Algorithm via the app, as this feature is only available on Tech-Air MX vests sold after September 1st. This also applies to all the other algorithms that Alpinestars is rolling out (MX, MX Race, Enduro, or Rally profiles). This is a bummer for those who already own the system, and could cause some confusion when purchasing these from a 3rd party.

Targeted directly at high-pressure drop-bar builds and lightweight cross-country tire setups running between 35 and 100 psi, Rolled Gold addresses three main pain points: rotational weight, setup hassle, and clogged tubeless valves.

Less Fluid, Less Rotational Mass

The core hook here is fluid efficiency. Because higher tire pressures drive fluid toward an opening faster, Stan re-engineered the chemistry to use a high density of smaller particles suspended in 100% natural latex.

Lab testing shows a 700c x 28mm tire requires just 35ml of Rolled Gold to seal, compared to 50ml of Stan’s Original and a competitive average of 55ml. That is over 35% less liquid sloshing around inside your rim. For XC racers counting grams or gravel riders looking to trim rotating weight at the outer edge of the wheel, those saved milliliters add up fast.

Less Clogged Valves

Unlike Stan’s Race Day sealant- which requires unseating the tire bead because its large latex crystals instantly clog valve cores – Rolled Gold flows freely through standard valve stems via a syringe or squeeze bottle. You get rapid-sealing protection without having to re-seat a stubborn tire bead on the shop floor.

Stan’s swapped out petrochemical-derived synthetic latex for sustainably sourced natural latex that meets EUDR deforestation-free standards. The natural formula features longer polymer chains with higher tensile strength, delivering stronger adhesion to rubber and casing fibers. Once cured, it stays flexible rather than turning into brittle, flaky debris over the life of the tire.

When a puncture occurs, the sudden drop in pressure causes the latex spheres to burst almost instantly. The fine suspended particles accelerate mechanical abrasion to build a physical plug, sealing round punctures up to 7.8mm at 100 psi while holding a post-seal pressure of 97 psi.

The Lineup Breakdown

Stan’s isn’t replacing its existing line; they are tailoring formulas to specific disciplines:

• Stan’s Original: The versatile workhorse for low-pressure, high-volume trail and enduro tires where higher fluid volume is a benefit.
• Stan’s Race Day: Maximum clotting power for extreme conditions, but requires direct-to-casing installation due to larger particle size.
• Stan’s Rolled Gold: Purpose-built for 35–100 psi applications (XC MTB, Gravel, Road), saving fluid weight while maintaining easy valve injection.

Pricing and Availability

Formulated, mixed, and bottled at Stan’s headquarters in Big Flats, New York, Rolled Gold operates across a temperature range of -20°F to 120°F. It is available in 60ml ($5.50), 125ml ($11.00), and 500ml ($29.50) options.

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If you run high-volume trail rubber at low pressures, stick with Original. But if you’re running tight XC treads or fast gravel rubber and want to drop rotating mass without sacrificing fast seals or valve convenience, Rolled Gold warrants a look.

Explore Rolled Gold at Stans.com

The event marks the fourth time that the classic Italian Dolomites mountain venue in northern Italy’s Trentino region is hosting the showcase event. Over the course of five jam-packed days, August 26-30, 17 rainbow jerseys will be awarded to victorious racers across five disciplines.

Who will shine in Val di Sole, which simply translates to sunny valley, over the days ahead?

The buzz in the Italian village of Daolasa di Commezzadura may be swirling around Pidcock and Van der Poel, but the championships’ talent runs deeper than ever with host nation Italy, Switzerland, the United States, Austria, and a powerful French squad of 53 athletes expected to battle for coveted medals. And you can bet your morning cappuccino that the proud Italians will do everything imaginable to cook up something special in their own backyard. The loyal Italian “Tifosi” will be cheering on their every pedal stroke.

“The Flying Dutchman” Van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech), who won World Cup cross-country and short track races in Val di Sole in 2019, and the two-time Olympic cross-country and world champion Pidcock are coming off inspiring Tour de France campaigns on their road bikes. Van der Poel blazed to two stage wins, including outdueling yellow jersey winner Tadej Pogacar on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, while Great Britain’s Pidcock finished a career-best ninth overall.

This past Sunday in Les Gets, France, Van der Poel returned to the fat tires and rode near the front of a five-man lead group for much of the latter part of the eight-lap cross-country race. He temporarily grabbed the lead before ultimately being passed and defeated by 23-year-old Frenchman Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing). The incredibly versatile Van der Poel appeared satisfied with his second-place result, his quick transition from pavement to dirt appearing seamless, despite his comments.

“It’s never really easy, of course it’s a completely different effort, but I enjoy trying to make the switch and it’s always a challenge for me,” Van der Poel told TNT Sports. “Hopefully, I’ll have my best legs in Val di Sole.”

Witnessing a Van der Poel versus Pidcock duel in Sunday’s XCO cross-country race would undoubtedly thrill legions of bike racing fans. The 27-year-old Pidcock arrives in Val di Sole having already flourished on trails this season, most notably a victory in Novo Mesto, Czechia, in late May. 

Defending XCO world champion Alan Hatherley of South Africa and Les Gets winner Boichis should also fight for medals, while 2024 Olympian and 2021 short track world champion Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) leads a talented U.S. squad, including fellow Coloradans Bjorn Riley (Scott-Sram MTB Racing), a six-time national champion and currently third in the World Cup standings, and 2024 Olympian Riley Amos.

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Blunck On Track for First Individual World Champs Gold 

It will be ladies first in the XCO races on Sunday. Blevin’s fellow U.S. Olympian Savilia Blunck (Decathlon Ford Racing) has shown top form, riding with poise and confidence, fresh off two podium finishes in Les Gets (third in cross-country and short track).

“I’m learning how to trust myself more and more, and just how to repeat my routine – I think to be consistent at the top, year after year, as the races get bigger and the pressure builds, you have go back to the process of what works for you and stay super rooted in that,” Blunck said, ahead of her ninth attendance of the World Championship races.

The 27-year-old Californian has amassed 10 podiums this season and nabbed her first UCI World Cup cross-country short track victory in a thrilling photo finish in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, in June. A first individual world championship medal in Italy would certainly be the cherry on top of a breakthrough season for Blunck.

Team USA XCO will be rounded out by 2024 Olympic silver medalist Haley Batten, Gwendolyn Gibson, and Madigan Munro. They’ll need to execute at their best as the women’s field is stacked, highlighted by the Netherlands Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Premier Tech) and Olympic gold medalists Jenny Rissveds of Sweden (Rio 2016) and Jolanda Neff of Switzerland (Tokyo 2020). Neff’s Swiss teammate Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing) rides the momentum of two impressive triumphs in Les Gets.

North America Versus Europe in Men’s Elite Downhill

Shifting into high gear for Saturday’s elite downhill race on the vaunted Black Snake course, U.S. riders expected to contend for world championship hardware include rising star Asa Vermette (Frameworks Racing TRP) and Ryan Pinkerton (Mondraker Factory Racing DH). Last weekend in France, Vermette bolted into the lead before settling for sixth, while Pinkerton ended a respectable tenth. 

Vermette, propelled by a season-opening downhill triumph in South Korea, stands second in the UCI World Cup standings, only trailing Jordan Williams (Specialized Gravity) by 146 points. Pinkerton stands fifth overall. Two final races in North America will decide the title.

The extroverted and sometimes enigmatic defending world champion Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate), 22, will be gunning full gas to achieve a second consecutive title for Canada. Nineteen-year-old rising star Max Alran seeks to duplicate his magical victory in Les Gets, swarmed by fanatical French fans in the finish area in what quickly became a viral wild scene seconds after he crossed the line.

Can Newkirk Shine for the U.S. in Women’s Downhill

On the ladies’ side, Anna Newkirk (Frameworks Racing/TRP) is Team USA’s brightest hope to prosper in downhill, currently fourth in the World Cup standings. The 25-year-old is a three-time national champion and has attained 18 career World Cup podiums. She performed well in Les Gets, finishing fifth, two seconds behind the winning pace of Great Britain’s Harriet Harnden (AON Racing).

While Harnden may have stolen her thunder in France, 25-year-old Austrian rock star Valentina Höll (Commercial Schwab) always arrives at major races as the one to beat, and Val di Sole will be no different. The dominant Red Bull athlete from Salzburg is a downhill virtuoso and will be charging fearlessly for an insane fifth consecutive elite world championship downhill crown.

First Medals Awarded on Wednesday

World Championship competition in Italy kicked off on Wednesday morning with men’s and women’s E-Mountain Bike cross-country races. Medals will also be awarded later in the day in the mixed team cross-country relay, a race involving six riders per nation across various age categories. Blunck and U.S. teammates strive to duplicate or improve upon their silver-medal showing from the 2021 Worlds in Val di Sole. Their toughest competition will come from host Italy, France, and Switzerland.

Live streaming coverage of the Val di Sole-Trentino World Championships is available in the U.S. and Canada via FloBikes

Follow Brian Pinelli on Instagram – @brian_pinelli

While Bafang might not be a super recognizable name in mountain biking specifically, they are common on commuter and utility e-bikes, with their hub-drive motors being the ones that most are familiar with. They make some ridiculously powerful e-bike motors – you know, the ones on those e-motos that all the kids are riding where they shouldn’t be – the ones all over the news. I digress, as those are hub-drive motors and they don’t really have an application in the eMTB space.

It is the mid-drive motors that we’re all used to seeing on eMTBs these days, and the Bafang M560RS looks to be the most powerful mid-drive eMTB motor on the market. It is, however, more than just the power output that matters; weight is a factor that the Bafang cannot match compared to the Avinox M2S. The Bafang weighs 3.3kg (~7.25 lb), whereas the Avinox M2S is just 2.59 kg (~5.7 lb), but the Avinox also has an edge in the batteries it uses to power the motor.

Although the Bafang M560 is more powerful than anything else on the market, it gets even gnarlier with HPC, which offers a complete bike built around a modified version of this motor capable of 2000 watts and 185 Nm of torque.

Bafang has also announced the M510RS, with 110 Nm of peak torque (120–130 Nm in boost) and a max power output of 1100W (36V) / 1300W (48V). This seems to be a more “refined” offering from the brand, but it still delivers a crazy amount of power for what is still technically a pedal bike.

I won’t get into my thoughts on this here, but I certainly have some thoughts on the matter…

The result is Sixfinity, which recently graced the Yeti LT, a long-travel enduro machine, and now breaks ground with a 140mm-travel trail bike that has everyone talking. Here is the what, why, and how of the all-new Yeti MT.

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The new Yeti MT is a trail bike designed to replace the wildly popular SB130 and SB140 models, as we just went over. It is built to climb efficiently while handling aggressive, loose descents without compromise, thanks to the new Sixfinity suspension design.

As we saw with the LT, Yeti is moving away from the Switch Infinity design and adopting the new Sixfinity system, a 6-bar design that allows for finer tuning of the suspension kinematics, making a bike that not only climbs better but descends better, too. It’s just better. This change also makes for a more maintenance-friendly bike by sunsetting the sliding links found in the Switch Infinity system.

• Travel: 140mm rear / 160mm front
• Wheel Size: 29-inch
• Frame Material: TURQ Series Carbon (with new Vectran reinforcement)
• Bottom Bracket: Threaded BSA
• Price: $11,500 USD – $8,000 USD ($4,600 USD Frame/shock)

Unlike the Yeti LT, the MT is a little less complex, with only one flip-chip, no MX wheel compatibility, and a more versatile travel range. However, the MT borrows more design features than just the Sixfinity from the MT, including proportional chainstays and a taller stack height across sizes.

The Yeti MT Build Kits and Geometry

The geometry is as you’d expect from a bike in this arena, with a 64.5-degree headtube angle and a 77-degree seat tube angle. The stack is also a tad higher, and the ZS44/56 headset means you could run a reach-adjust headset if needed.

The price is also predictably “Yeti”, with the top-tier build coming in at $11,500 USD for full SRAM XX AXS and the “cheapest” option being $8,000 USD for a mix of SRAM Eagle 90 and XO. What I find interesting is that for only $500 USD more, you could upgrade to the Shimano XT Di2 build. There is also a frame/shock (Fox Float X) option available for $4,600 USD if you want to build a custom bike.

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Yeti MT Overview

The Yeti MT and LT signal a massive shift in Yeti’s trail bike lineup. By stepping away from the long-standing SB naming convention and Switch Infinity platform, the MT brings the top-tier, downhill-bred Sixfinity suspension into a versatile, all-day 140mm trail machine that looks really appealing.

The Move to Sixfinity Suspension

The most significant change to the MT is the retirement of Yeti’s iconic Switch Infinity suspension platform (which had been standard since 2014). The MT adopts the Sixfinity six-bar suspension layout.

This design drives anti-squat up hard through the pedaling zone for highly efficient climbing, and drops it off sharply deeper in the stroke so the rear wheel tracks perfectly and feels loose and forgiving on rowdy descents.

Three-Position Flip Chip

Unlike the recently released LT, the MT is much less adjustable, with just one flip chip at the lower shock mount. The MT has a tunable leverage rate via this flip chip, allowing riders to switch among three leverage curves. Crucially, adjusting this chip changes the suspension feel (from supportive/efficient to extra bottom-out resistance) without altering the bike’s geometry, head angle, reach, or anti-rise.

“The Cavity” In-Frame Storage

To meet modern trail bike demands, Yeti has introduced The Cavity, a nice nod to the running joke that only dentists can afford Yeti bikes. This is a fully integrated downtube storage compartment that lets you stash tools, a spare tube, or an extra layer directly in the frame, helping you ditch the riding pack.

Vectran-Reinforced Carbon Layup

Yeti is utilizing a new layup for the MT’s TURQ series carbon frame that integrates Vectran. This specialized reinforcement adds significant impact strength and durability to the frame, particularly against rock strikes, without adding noticeable weight to the overall build.

Transition athletes Johny Salido and Trevor McCutcheon grabbed their Regulators and set out to explore as much of Crested Butte as possible. In recent years, the Regulator has been the tool of choice for them and their athletes to get the most out of a place when time is of the essence. The result would be three epic days in the Crested Butte valley, covering 128 miles of trails with 17,000 ft of elevation gained and 21,000 ft of elevation descended.

While I haven’t ridden the Regulator CX, I was lucky enough to spend time on the Regulator SX, a bike that left a lasting and positive impact on my perception of eMTBs, and I’ll bet that the CX is just as fun, if not more so, with the larger battery and increased power. Regardless of the bike, the 72 hours spent in Crested Butte looked like one hell of a ride.

Crested Butte sits in the heart of Colorado’s Elk Mountain Range, making it the perfect backdrop for endless mountain views and trail networks that connect hidden valleys and high peaks. The crew set out to ride some of the valley’s most celebrated trails, including Teo Ridge, the Mount Crested Butte Bike Park trails, 409.5, as well as several Hartman Rocks favorites in the nearby town of Gunnison, Colorado.

Crested Butte is made for mountain biking, and its trails show it. While some of the most scenic riding can feel a little janky on 90-degree switchbacks, the valley’s trails encourage speed with perfectly arched corners and plenty of flowy ribbons. The town of Crested Butte sits in the center of the trails, making it an easy place to refuel and recharge the bikes and body mid- and post-ride.

Head over to reride.oneupcomponents.com to check it out

We’ve all spent enough time on Facebook Marketplace hunting for parts or lowballing randoms for a last-minute piece of gear. On the flip side, we’ve all gotten really good at accumulating parts that we swear we’ll use someday.

Marketplace Details

• Seller Terms & Payouts: Sellers create listings using photos, brief item histories, and set prices. Once an order is sold, an automated prepaid shipping label is generated, and sellers have 7 days to ship the order. Sellers can opt to receive payout as either 80% cash sent directly to their bank account or up to 120% in OneUp store credit.

• Buyer Protections: Buyers complete purchases at reride.oneupcomponents.com. Upon delivery, buyers have a 72-hour inspection window to verify that the item matches its listing description before payment is released to the seller; if misrepresentations are found, buyers receive a full refund.

• Platform Tools: The marketplace offers automated price drop options, automated listing reminders, nationwide promotion to OneUp shoppers, and “In Search Of” notifications with custom product filtering.

This is a pretty unique program we haven’t really seen in the bike industry before, and it will be interesting to see what comes of it. I can see the use case pretty clearly, as there are plenty of Marketplace listings in which people are looking to trade seatposts for a different size or swap bars for a different height or width. But from my experience, once I’ve got a OneUp component, it stays in rotation until it’s completely FUBAR.

This new peer-to-peer online marketplace for mountain bikers to buy and sell certified pre-owned OneUp products is currently live for riders across the United States and Canada. It aims to keep bike parts on the trail and out of storage bins by giving used gear a second life, and from browsing the site, it looks to be a great way to save a ton of money on OneUp gear.

“For years, the industry approached gravel tires by just slapping thick, heavy rubber onto traditional road tire carcasses. We approached the Protocol lineup by first looking at lower-pressure dynamics. By optimizing casing ply angles, tread profiles, and material science together, we’ve created a tire platform that is faster, lighter, and more supple without sacrificing durability.“
– Joshua Poertner, CEO of SILCA

Silca has, for years, been sweating the small stuff when it comes to maintenance and drivetrain efficiency. It’s not some vague statement or snake oil; they really spend the time testing and unfolding the layers of performance that cyclists love to obsess over. The new tires are no different. Rather than picking off-the-shelf treads, casings, and beads, Silca cooked up something fresh and tested it against the biggest tire manufacturers in the game.

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The new Protocol tires from Silca come in four different tread patterns, each suited to different conditions and requirements. One is for road riding, and three are for gravel, all with the same design approach that makes them unique. Every Protocol tire uses a 120 TPI casing for a more supple ride, SealSkin puncture protection, and Silca’s own Pulsar rubber compound. All these components are bound around a carbon-fiber tire bead rather than the more common Kevlar bead. This means the tires maintain a more consistent size throughout their entire life. In short, Silca claims these will be faster, easier to mount, and the best option for anyone looking to gain an advantage on race day.

Each tire comes in three size options, except for the 32” tire, which at this time will just be available in 32” x 2.4”. Every gravel tire, which Silca calls RCG, comes in 700 x 45, 50, and 55mm options that meet most riders’ demands for modern gravel tires. The RCG tire family includes the RCG-1, RCG-3, and RCG-4, with the RCG-1 as the hard-pack, fast-rolling pick and the RCG-4 as the most aggressive mud tire. The RCG-3 is, as expected, the mid-option for those who want a balance of fast rolling and larger lugs.

The focus of the Silca Protocol tires appears balanced, and Silca took a somewhat new approach to gravel tire design. They noticed that most tire manufacturers start with a road or touring tire and beef it up or tweak it to create a gravel tire. Silca decided to start with an XC MTB tire and adjust it as needed to create a gravel tire. The balance of lightweight structure, with a greater focus on tread design and attention to side knobs, results in tires designed and tested in the most demanding gravel race conditions on the calendar.

Every Protocol tire is priced at $99 USD and is available for pre-order via the Silca website, with tires expected to ship in September of 2026. 

Silca RCG-1 Details

• 45, 50, 55mm options
• 460g in 45mm, 510g in 50mm, 535g in 55mm
• 120 TPI
• GhostShield Protection
• Fastest Pulsar compound
• Width as measured on a 25mm rim after 24 hours
• Designed for the fastest of gravel courses such as Gravel Worlds, SBT, etc
• Ramped center tread for increased grip and decreased rolling resistance
• Side knobs for increased grip in loose over hard conditions
• Race Casing for flat-out speed

Silca RCG-3 Details

• 45, 50, 55mm options
• 495g in 45mm, 540g in 50mm, 590g in 55mm
• 120 TPI
• SealSkin Protection Layer
• Fastest Pulsar compound
• Width as measured on a 25mm rim after 24 hours
• Designed for courses like Unbound and Big Sugar
• Moderate tread pattern for increased grip while keeping rolling resistance low
• Ideal when used on Category 3 gravel
• Race Casing for flat-out speed

Silca RCG-4 Details

• 45, 50, 55mm options
• 545g in 45mm, 620g in 50mm, 650g in 55mm
• 120 TPI
• SealSkin Bead-to-Bead Protection
• Fastest Pulsar compound
• Width as measured on a 25mm rim after 24 hours
• Designed for mud and extreme conditions
• Aggressive knob spacing for mud shedding and increased grip

Silca RCR Tire Details

• 29, 34, 38mm options
• 290g in 29mm, 320g in 34mm, 350g in 38mm
• 120 TPI
• SealSkin Tread Protection
• Fastest Pulsar compound
• Width as measured on a 25mm rim after 24 hours
• Designed for race conditions

The Lectric XPress2 is a powerful and smooth-riding commuter-style e-bike. It’s easy to use, so you’ll be excited to saddle up before heading to work. And its size and bike geometry feel agile and controllable, making the XPress2 approachable for all cyclists. Honestly, it felt a lot like a regular bicycle, except with some great features that make it super fun to ride and a series of upgrades that set it apart from older generations. 

A best-in-class SR SunTour XCM 32 suspension fork provides shock absorption on bumpy roads. And the Stealth M24 Motor packs plenty of power for daily commutes. But the best part is Lectric’s in-house-designed torque sensor programming (more on that later). Now, let’s unbox this bike and get into some of the details. 

Lectric XPress2 eBike

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Build Details for the XPress2 Commuter

The XPress2 comes in two different frame styles: the step-thru cruiser and the high-step commuter. The step-thru cruiser comes in two colorways, Stratus White and Raindrop Blue. Meanwhile, the high-step commuter comes in Tempest Grey and Pine Green. I tested the high-step commuter version of the XPress in Pine Green, and I really like this color!

Regardless of the frame type, you will benefit from a couple of important upgrades compared to the original XPress. The upgrades include an SR Suntour suspension fork, Star Union 602 hydraulic disc brakes, a Shimano Altus 8-speed drivetrain, and an updated Thin-Film Transistor Liquid-Crystal Display (TFT LCD) color display. 

• Motor: Stealth M24 Motor with 85Nm of torque.
• Battery: A removable 48V, 14Ah (672Wh) lithium-ion battery integrated on the down tube.
• Controls: TFT LCD display with a USB-C port provides trip, battery, & power intelligence on the go.
• Frame and Fork: Aluminum diamond high-step frame with best-in-class SR SunTour XCM 32 suspension fork with up to 80mm of travel.
• Drivetrain: 11-32 tooth, 8-speed freewheel paired with a Shimano Altus derailleur and a below-the-bar trigger shifter, forged aluminum, 46-tooth custom chainring with a KMC Z8 steel chain.
• Wheels and Tires: Puncture-resistant 27.5” x 2.1” slick tires with a specially designed, ultra-fast thru-axle attachment system for the front wheel.
• Brakes: Star Union 602 hydraulic brakes paired with 180mm rotors (2.3mm thick).
• Weight: Total bike weight is 60lbs with the 8lb battery removed.
• MSRP: $1,744

I was psyched to learn about the upgrades on the XPress2! The SunTour front fork offers 80mm of forgiving squish. I needed it when navigating the less-than-ideal road conditions in my hometown. Nowadays, suspension just feels like a no-brainer. Maybe I’m getting old. I think I want to add Lectric’s suspension seatpost to the XPress2 for an even softer ride. 

As an aggressive rider, I was also pleased to see that Lectric upped the ante with the Star Union 602 hydraulic disc brakes. Those things brought me to a screeching halt whenever I needed them. But beware, the tires are slicks and can skid and slide out during heavy braking. 

And the updated 3.5”  TFT LCD was a big step forward. It was cleaner, crisper, and much more aesthetic. A very nice touch compared to the display on the Lectric XPedition2 that I tested and reviewed. 

The other stock components seemed to walk the line between high-quality enough and not top-shelf, which is the sweet spot Lectric dominates. For example, I am slightly skeptical of the no-name tires. Lectric calls them “puncture resistant” and says they have “slime” to prevent flats, but I am almost certain they’ll bite the dust after some serious riding.  The worst part is that I found the front wheel to be out of true. It wobbles slightly and needs to be tuned up. And the front wheel fender is plastic and flimsy, but so far it works. 

Besides the out-of-true front wheel, the rest of the install was pretty smooth. I really like the quick-release aluminum pedals. And the ultra-fast thru-axle was super easy to install also.  I only needed Allen keys to install and fine-tune the handlebar setup.  Installing the saddle was easy too. And adjustments are simple with the quick-release seatpost collar. But once again, I felt like I was maxing out the stem in order to get my  6’2” frame sitting comfortably. And unfortunately, the saddle is begging to be replaced with something higher quality and more comfortable. 

Real-World Motor and Battery Performance

Lectric’s XPress2 is classified as a class 2 e-bike, meaning it has a throttle and pedal assist, with motor assistance up to 20 mph. However, Lectric also says the XPress2 can be unlocked to Class 3 settings, which raises pedal-assist speed to up to 28 mph. I’ve yet to unlock my XPress2, but the speed demon in me is class 3 curious. 

The XPress2 Commuter has five riding modes with new, simplified labels: Eco, Tour, Sport, Sport+, and Turbo. Lectric advertises that the XPress2 has up to 60 miles of range on its 48V, 14Ah battery. But I didn’t find any specific estimates for the five modes. 

Obviously, your exact range will vary depending on the riding mode you’ve selected. Generally speaking, advertised battery ranges seem to be slightly inflated compared to real-world performance. There’s normally a 20-40% difference.

During my testing, I exclusively rode in Tour or Sport modes. I found the Eco mode to be too slow, especially considering the XPress2 weighs almost 70  pounds, including the battery. I guess Eco would suffice if I had to limp home with a low battery. But to avoid that, I recharged overnight. 

Xpress2 Ride Impressions: Nimble, Sporty, and Versatile

I found the XPress2 Commuter shreddable right from the get-go. It was nimble and sporty-feeling. Lectric’s Hybrid Sprint™ handlebars played a big part in creating this ride experience.  The fixed stem design of the Hybrid Sprint™ bars is simple, sleek, and effective. And the lock-on grips felt comfortable in my hands.  Overall, I was able to ride the XPress2 in an athletic, active riding position where I felt confident and in control.

Worth noting: on the step-thru version of the XPress2, you get Lectric’s  Comfort Curve™ Handlebars. With these handlebars, you get more adjustability, and you’re positioned much more upright. This is an important distinction and has a massive impact on the ride experience you’re chasing. 

Regarding the bike’s geometry, the diamond-shaped, high-step frame also contributed to the sporty, smooth ride experience. The reinforced top tube made the bike feel stable at higher speeds. I also really liked the integrated battery in the bicycle’s down tube. The seamless design improves aerodynamics and lets me charge the bike without removing the battery. I can pull into the garage, plug it in, and forget about it. No additional faffing with keys to unlock the battery. 

The XPress2’s shape and handlebar design are not the only factors that contribute to its fun-to-ride feel. The other big component is Lectric’s XPerience Switch™ technology. XPerience Switch™ lets you choose between responsive pedaling and standard pedaling by switching between a torque and cadence sensor. 

• Torque mode: Assistance responds to how hard you pedal, so it feels more like a traditional bike with electric support layered on top.
• Cadence mode: Assistance engages more smoothly as you pedal, making the bike feel easier and more relaxed to ride.

In other words, the torque sensor offered me a more natural, smooth feel with intuitive power that responds to my pedal pressure. This was my jam! On the other hand, the cadence sensor provides power with each pedal revolution. The cadence sensor option is better for beginners or riders seeking a more relaxed ride.

Lectric XPress2 eBike

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Who is the Lectric XPress2 For?

The XPress2 Commuter (with the diamond high-step frame) is best for urban commuters who like to travel fast and seek a sportier riding experience. On the other hand, the step-thru XPress is better for more casual riders. 

I really enjoyed the bike for after-work rides when sunlight was already waning. I could blast around town, get some miles, and get home before dark.  On nights when I was out after dark, the integrated 90-lumen headlamp lit the way, and the brake-activated rear light (with turn signals) signaled my location to automobile traffic.

And it was super helpful for simple errands, like riding to the coffee shop where I am writing this review!  For commuting, a nice touch was the factory-installed rear rack. You can add Lectric’s pannier bags to upgrade your carrying capacity. But what I appreciated was that the rear rack’s design played nice with the Ortlieb panniers I already owned. 

Final Thoughts: An affordable and approachable e-bike for simple commuting

After testing, it became clear that the XPress2 Commuter is a sporty yet approachable e-bike for simple commuting, light-duty hauling, and recreational bike rides. It’s ideal for everyday commuters who want to spend more time outside and less time in the car. With the included rear rack, you can add panniers to easily carry your laptop and lunch and stop for a few groceries on the way home. 

It’s also ideal for folks who just like fun bike rides and exploring town. The 750W rear hub motor peaks at 1310 Watts and delivers plenty of juice to satisfy the need for speed and to climb hills. However, for riders looking for a different aesthetic, higher-end components, and higher-quality tuning straight out of the box, the XPress2 may not hit the mark. 

Not all dogs come in small, medium, or large sizes. There’s a bit of variability when it comes to the legs, body, and how far apart these things are in relation to each other. That being the case, a backpack that fits a dog needs to be adjustable and somewhat adaptable to the different shapes that dogs come in.

K9 Sport Sack Air Details

• MSRP: $99.95 USD
• Ventilated side panels for cooling 
• Side pocket to carry your hydration or snacks
• Wide and secure base
• Side Mesh for venting
• Three support Straps
• Adjustable Collar Enclosure

A Dog In A Backpack: The Basics

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Not having a dog-specific backpack never really stopped me from riding with my dude, though. Since he was just a pup, I had been carrying him in random backpacks, basket racks, and tote bags, so he wasn’t a stranger to the feeling of being on the move with me. I think this is the most important thing to consider when traveling with your dog strapped to your back. It can be a jarring experience for most dogs and will likely feel pretty strange at first. When we first started riding with him on our backs, the most important thing to reinforce was how much fun it was. We brought plenty of treats and kept it light by talking to him in excited voices. This, paired with short rides to the park or river, just drove the point. Now, Grover is always stoked to see any backpack come out, not just the one he gets to ride in.

Picking The Right Bag

I started my hunt with the Little Chonk backpack. It made the most sense, seeing as our dog was a Corgi-mix. Looking past the slightly cringey millennial brand name, the bag seemed to check all the boxes, so we ordered the small and medium to test them side by side, since our little dude was right in between sizes. Unfortunately, both bags from Little Chonk didn’t quite fit our small dog, so we returned them and started the search again.

We then landed on the K9 Sport Sacks Air bag. This is the brand’s bag designed for dogs up to 25lbs. It features vented side panels, a side pocket, and adjustable straps to keep dogs secure while cruising. The large zipper opening on the back allows for easy entry and exit while still feeling super secure on the bike or when we’re just hiking around. The position is upright and super comfortable for the dog and me, and they also offer a booster panel that can take up any space at the bottom of the pack if your dog doesn’t quite fit.

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We’ve done tons of rides with this bag, and in the years we’ve had it, there are no signs of anything falling apart. The seams are sturdy, the zipper still zips, and all the straps remain fray-free. The bag is also washable, which has come in handy since it’s not rare for us to take a dip in the river, resulting in the loading and hauling of a soggy doggy, and getting the stink out of the bag is essential.

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The shoulder straps on the bag are pretty comfortable, and I get why the larger K9 Sport Sacks bags come with hip straps. Our guy is just under the limit for the Air at 22 lbs, and on rides longer than 20 miles, I do start to feel the weight a little on my shoulders, but it’s really not that bad at all.

Is It Worth It?

Yes.

Overall, I’ve been really impressed with the K9 Sport Sacks Air, and we certainly get a ton of compliments on it when cruising around town. The best part is being able to take our littlest homie on bike rides and hikes without worrying about his little legs getting too tired. I would (and do) highly recommend the K9 Sport Sacks gear to anyone looking to bring their furry friends on more bike rides.

Shop my favorite dog carriers at K9sportsack.com

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While the visuals might be different and the brand name on the shock might be different, the behavior and formula are pretty much the same as the Fox Genie shock that the Stumpjumper 15 launched with back in 2024. It was always a winning recipe, so why mess with it?

One thing that I think makes a lot of sense with these new Stumpjumper builds is the offering of the RockShox Lyrik forks alongside the Genie shock. I’ve been on these new suspension bits for the last couple of weeks, and the Stumpjumper feels a bit more balanced with the Super Deluxe Genie and the Lyrik fork with the LinearXL air spring. RockShox has basically brought all the great properties of a coil fork to the internals of an air spring, which is kind of what the Genie shock does. Having both the front and rear suspension of the bike match makes a lot of sense.

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I’ve been testing the two Genie shocks back-to-back recently, and I’d say they are quite similar, with the RockShox Super Deluxe taking a slight edge over the Fox Float X Genie for a marginally lighter off-the-top feel and a bit less noise overall. Both shocks are set up with the same amount of volume reducers in the outer chamber.

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Overall, the Super Deluxe Genie feels about as good as the Fox Float X Genie, with maybe a slight improvement in terms of off-the-top feel, but when it’s paired with a more linear fork, the entire bike feels much more planted and supple. The Stumpjumper 15 continues to impress me, but I felt that balancing the fork with the feel of the super-plush Genie shock was an ongoing task that has been remedied by the RockShox build kits.

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Check out all the new SRAM/RockShox builds for the Levo and Stumpy 15 at Specialized.com

I do love that we continue to see Bosch-equipped eMTBs coming from Kona, Norco, Santa Cruz, and others that aren’t quite on board with the Avinox power race. We’ve also seen brands like Trek make a statement on responsible speed restrictions and power numbers. Kind of like a rebel yell, suggesting it’s not all about more, more, more.

I like eMTBs; they’re a ton of fun, and when done right, they only benefit mountain biking. All that said, I prefer riding non-motorized bikes most of the time.

Between Two Camps

I don’t really care one way or the other these days, and I see why people hate them, but I also see how much nuance there is around the topic. In recent months, I’ve been swinging on the pendulum, and as I come off riding a Santa Cruz Bullit with a Bosch CX motor and dig into my review of the Amflow PX Pro, I’ve come into more internal conflict about where things are at and where they’ve been headed. Let’s dive in.

More (Power) Ain’t Always Better

I think what is happening in the world of eMTBs is interesting, but not entirely positive. Specialized kicked things off with an unlockable class 3 mode on the Levo 4, and Avinox is leading the charge with a barrage of power; we’re in a tricky place.

I think what the M1 motor presented was the limit of what we should be asking for in an eMTB. With months on the M2S, I don’t see any need for the power that it puts out. It’s a novelty at best, and dangerous at worst. Sure, I do like being able to match traffic on the way to the trailhead or make short work of a fire road climb, but when I switch back to a Bosch-powered bike, I don’t feel like I’m missing that much, especially when it comes to being on the trail.

The climbs are the climbs, and I’m never going to be in the turbo, boost, or even the trail mode most of the time – especially if I want to keep riding with any sort of assist for the latter part of my ride. It’s fun to kick it into boost or power up some climbs in trail mode, but when I’m done goofing off, it goes back to eco mode, and then off for the descents.

After taking a nice break from eMTBs for most of the summer, I fell back into the groove of mountain biking without an assist, and it felt so damn good. I would only pull the e-bike out for those “rest day” rides. It’s not that eMTBs are bad for fitness, because you still definitely need to work when riding them; it’s just a bit different. It feels good to ride without range anxiety, the extra weight, or the drone of a motor between the legs.

The break in mountain bike sobriety came with the Santa Cruz Bullit, a bike built with a Bosch CX motor and a 600 Wh battery. Before that, I was on the Amflow PX Pro, which is a decidedly different category of eMTB. But I found myself more impressed with the Bullit than I expected. The Avinox M2S is the best eMTB drive unit around, right? That’s what we’re all told, at least.

Yes, it’s very powerful, puts out some big ol’ torque numbers, and it’s really light. I’ll agree that the force the M2S applies is intoxicating, and I don’t mind what it allows for. But it doesn’t always feel like the “right” choice to me. It feels excessive. It blurs the lines too much for my liking, and I’m starting to understand the “It’s a motorcycle, not a mountain bike” comments a bit more.

Keeping the Bike in E-Bike

I’m getting a little into the weeds here, but bear with me. Riding a bike should feel like a bike, and something about the power and torque of the Avinox M2S feels a little off. You don’t really get to use all that power as much as you would like, and outside of certain situations, it’s mostly overkill or not permitted. Don’t even get me started on how easy it is to unlock the class 3 mode, either – that’s another can of worms. To keep it short: A class 3 eMTB should be locked behind some kind of education or test that requires a rider to exhibit a certain level of competence before giving them all those ponies. Without that, it leaves a lot of room for serious rider error.

Getting back to the point, which, to be clear, is just my opinion. I think we should have stopped at the Avinox M1 motor as the limit for what we ask for in eMTB motors. I think lighter is better; I think a power limit should be in place, and I think the increased hunger for power could really tarnish the scene. I had no complaints with the Bosch SX-powered Transition Regulator, and it’s still one of my favorite eMTBs around.

E-bikes, especially eMTBs, are divisive, and constantly wanting more and more power isn’t really the answer we should be looking for. I think the right approach is to use power more efficiently. One of my other favorite eMTBs I’ve ever ridden has been the Norco Sight VLT TQ, and that lil guy is only squeaking out 350W of max power and 60Nm of torque. I love it because it’s light, quiet, and can go all day long. It doesn’t feel like I’m on a different type of bike. 

At the other end of the spectrum, something like the Santa Cruz Bullit or Ari Timp Peak uses the Bosch CX motor and has a bigger battery, so it feels more like an e-bike. Although they are heavier and noticeably different from my mountain bike, nothing feels unruly or off. The weight feels good and improves the ride, and I never wish I had more power or torque than these more composed motors provide.

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Parting Thoughts

When writing about something like this, it’s hard not to feel like the old man shaking his fist at the sky or muttering “Back in my day…,” but that’s where we’re at. I could be totally alone in this thinking, but I would guess I’m not. I do feel like this school of thought sits in between the “eMTB hater” camp and the “eMTB lover” outpost that continues to see population growth, but I’m fine not belonging to either. There are multiple truths to life, and at the end of the day, we’re all just enjoying a recreational activity.

Love them or hate them, eMTBs are a huge part of the industry now. I see the value in them; I enjoy riding them, but I’m also a bit of a skeptic about the constant push toward MORE.

Following the wave of prototypes spotted at Sea Otter, Boulder-based titanium specialist Mosaic Cycles is another brand that is pushing past the gimmick stage with a production-ready, handmade 32-inch gravel race platform: the GT i55 32. This comes shortly after the news of the recent updates to the GT i55, Mosaic’s titanium gravel bike that rolls on regular-degular wheels.

The beauty of this new wheel size is that the small builders seem to have the talking stick. They have the means to create bikes where this new wheel size makes sense and experiment. Rather than hacking together an existing frame to clear massive hoops, Mosaic approached the GT i55 32 as a ground-up chassis designed around 32-inch wheels. The engineering objective is straightforward: harness the theoretical rollover and momentum efficiency of a massive tire without making the bike feel oversized or sluggish, and part of that equation is boost spacing.

See the GT i55 32 in person at the MADE Bicycle Show!

Making It Work With MTB Standards

Packing a 32-inch wheel into a responsive frame geometry required Mosaic to borrow heavily from modern mountain bike standards.

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• Boost Spacing: The GT i55 32 adopts 148x12mm rear and 110x15mm front axle standards to deliver the structural stiffness required for a larger wheel diameter.
• Compact Rear End: By utilizing an offset seat tube and a custom 3D-printed titanium chainstay yoke, Mosaic tucked the rear wheel in with 440–445mm chainstays.
• Tire and Chainline Clearance: The frame clears high-volume 2.2-inch (55mm) 32-inch tires while preserving a standard gravel chainline with clearance for up to a 46T chainring—no wide mountain bike cranks required.

In-House Fork Solutions: Zero Components

The front triangle presented an even larger obstacle. A wheel this large naturally pushes stack height up and creates severe toe overlap on smaller frame sizes. Finding no off-the-shelf rigid forks capable of keeping the cockpit low, Mosaic launched its own component brand (Zero Components) to manufacture a purpose-built carbon fork.

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The Zero Components 32-inch fork features a tight 445mm axle-to-crown height to suppress stack, paired with a generous 60mm offset to push the front axle forward, stabilizing steering geometry and managing toe clearance across frame sizes.

The launch of Zero Components brings more than just a fork for 32” wheels, but the brand also offers 3 other unique forks for road, all-road, and gravel. The Zero Components forks officially launch at MADE Bicycle Show on August 21-23, 2026, in Portland, Oregon. Beginning at MADE, Zero Components forks will be fitted to current Mosaic bike models, with aftermarket availability targeted for September-October 2026.

G55 700c Gravel Fork

• Tire Clearance: 55mm
• Axle to Crown: 415mm
• Offset: 55mm
• Brake Routing: Internal, External
• Brake Mount: Flat Mount 160/180mm
• Steer Tube: 1.125”-1.5” tapered
• Steerer Length: 350mm
• Mounts: Fender
• Weight: 555g
• Price: $575

AR40 All-Road Fork

• Tire Clearance: 40mm
• Axle to Crown: 380mm
• Offset: 47mm or 51mm
• Brake Routing: Internal, External
• Brake Mount: Flat Mount 140/160mm
• Steer Tube: 1.125”-1.5” tapered
• Steerer Length: 350mm
• Mounts: Fender
• Weight: 510g
• Price: $575

R35 Road Fork

• Tire Clearance: 35mm
• Axle to Crown: 371mm
• Offset: 43mm or 50mm
• Brake Routing: Internal, External
• Brake Mount: Flat Mount 140/160mm
• Steer Tube: 1.125”-1.5” tapered
• Steerer Length: 350mm
• Mounts: Fender
• Weight: 490g
• Price: $575

Custom Made & Model Specs

Since large wheels can challenge fit parameters for shorter riders, Mosaic uses its custom geometry program to adapt the platform for each rider instead of relying on standard templates. Unveiled at the MADE bike show in Portland, Oregon, the GT i55 32 is now available through Mosaic’s custom program in two builds.

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• GT-1 i55 32: Built with a T47 bottom bracket, IS52 headtube, custom rider-specific geometry, fully internal brake routing, and standard paint options. Starts at $8,250.
• GT-2 i55 32: Features a T68 bottom bracket, IS52 headtube, custom geometry, semi-integrated routing via Cane Creek HCR, and a raw Titanium Ghost finish. Starts at $5,000.

Whether 32-inch wheels become a staple on technical gravel courses or stay a niche, Mosaic has effectively turned a radical wheel design into a polished, ride-ready titanium bike.

Watching Evie put on a full-face helmet for the first time kicks off the polarity, but her handling and confidence weren’t surprising. She hooked ruts, slapped turns, and was surprisingly fast on a bike with double her usual suspension. Her biggest revelation wasn’t the extra suspension but the grip from proper downhill tires compared to her semi-slicks for XC racing.

Ollie, meanwhile, received a blunt reality check regarding the physical demands of modern cross-country. Squeezed into bib shorts, he suffered through high-stress start-line sprint drills, fumbled feed-zone bottle handoffs, and struggled to manage a 180-bpm heart rate over steep, punchy climbs. Dropping into rough chutes with minimal travel and lightweight tires quickly recalibrated his respect for XC athletes who tackle technical terrain on minimal hardware.

The video challenges the myth that XC isn’t technical or that DH riders lack cardio. Today’s courses require handling and commitment. Watching pros try new things reminds us that riding outside comfort zones improves skills and makes for some good laughs. 

Peaty’s Monarch Cro-Mo Rails: $99.99
Peaty’s Monarch Ti Rails: $129.99

Available at Peaty’s.com

One thing the  Monarch does differently is the removable rail system. Unlike traditional saddles with permanently fixed rails, the Monarch has a bolt-on plate under the nose. Removing the hardware lets you detach the entire rail and lug assembly, making it easy to clean, grease, and reassemble. This simple, anti-creak system keeps the saddle quiet, and if replacement rails are available, it could keep them out of the landfill. With prices beginning at $99.99, this built-in durability and potential for rail replacements offer a refreshing change. 

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The Shape and Specs

Serviceability doesn’t matter if the saddle feels like plywood. Peaty wisely kept the Monarch’s profile conservative, sticking to a 145mm width and 260mm length – dimensions that suit most riders and mirror proven shapes like the SDG Bel-Air.

The profile features a flat nose for comfort on steep climbs and a subtle rear ramp to push against. A 40mm pressure-relief channel in the middle keeps blood flowing. Cushioning, called “Throne Foam,” offers support without feeling squishy, on a flex-tuned nylon base that absorbs trail chatter. Stack height is a compact 45mm, keeping it out of the way during steep descents.

Peaty’s focused on the details. Under the saddle, there’s a discreet hike-a-bike handle, which is handy for moving the bike around or lifting it over obstacles. The Monarch has crash-resistant bumpers on the shoulders to prevent scuffs and a water-resistant PU cover made with 24% recycled PET, reflecting Peaty’s eco-friendly mission.

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Options and Pricing

The Monarch offers two rail options: standard 4130 chromoly steel ($99.99) or a lighter Ti-MX titanium alloy ($129.99) saving about 22 grams. Both share the same profile and tech and come in five colors to match your build.

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If you’re hesitant to buy a saddle without trying it, Peaty’s offers a 30-day Comfort Guarantee. Ride for a month, and if it doesn’t fit, return for a full refund. Ultimately, the Monarch is a practical, smartly engineered solution to a common problem – a comfortable, easily disassembled, cleanable seat that runs silently for years. Sometimes, the simplest ideas are the best.

Crankbrothers has reworked their Highline dropper platform. The update emphasizes reducing insertion depths, decreasing stack heights, simplifying travel adjustments, and hitting an affordable price point.

Shorter Insertions & On-Bike Adjustments

The headline update on the new Highline is how easy it is to fine-tune fitment. Crankbrothers trimmed down overall insertion depths across the line, meaning frames with interrupted seat tubes, pivot hardpoints, or tight bends can accept deeper post insertions.

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For riders stuck between standard drop lengths, Crankbrothers added an internal travel adjustment system. Using a simple drop-in key, you can reduce post travel by up to 20mm in 5mm increments. You don’t even need to remove the post entirely from your bike to make the change.

Note: The travel adjustment system is available on the 30.9mm, 31.6mm, and 34.9mm diameters. Short-travel options (60mm, 60mm L, 80mm, and 80mm L) remain fixed-length.

To further help short-legged riders on frames with long seat tubes, the post features a trim 45mm stack height measured from the base of the collar to the center of the saddle rails when fully compressed.

Refined Internals and Better Actuator Clearance

In the post, Crankbrothers uses a sealed cartridge designed for consistent performance and a smooth return speed. (The slim 27.2mm diameter post uses a dedicated, non-adjustable IFP cartridge instead).

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At the bottom of the post, the actuator received a major redesign -it’s nearly half the size of the previous Highline 3 and Highline 7 actuators. That extra frame clearance prevents the cable mechanism from snagging on the frame or suspension linkages during full insertion. The cartridge valving was also lightened, requiring less thumb pressure at the remote lever for a crisp, responsive feel.

Sizing and Hardware Details

Crankbrothers expanded the lineup to fit nearly every seat tube standard and travel requirement on the market:

• Available Diameters: 27.2mm, 30.9mm, 31.6mm, and 34.9mm
• Travel Range: 60mm up to 230mm
• Saddle Clamp: Two-bolt design featuring a quick-release rear bolt to speed up saddle swaps and angle tweaks

View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article

The Takeaway

The redesigned Crankbrothers Highline isn’t trying to reinvent the dropper post; they are just improving it. With shorter overall insertion lengths, low stack heights, a compact actuator, and user-friendly travel tuning, it’s a well-executed update that focuses on making dropper posts less of a hassle.

Learn more at Crankbrothers.com

In a world where Avinox is the only thing anyone wants to talk about, the fact that Bosch-equipped bikes are still being introduced is exceptional. As someone who has ridden all sorts of eMTBs over the last few years, I have to admit that Bosch is still very much a player in the game, and I tip my hat to them for standing their ground, offering eMTBs that keep things real and honest. The new Kona Remote 160 and Remote X are just that. All the power you might need, geometry that makes sense, and travel numbers that don’t leave you wondering what the intended use case might be.

Bosch CX Power and Battery System

At the heart of both bikes sits Bosch’s Performance Line CX motor, delivering up to 120 Nm of torque and 750W of peak power. Powering the system is an 800Wh PowerTube battery mounted low in the downtube to keep the center of gravity planted where it belongs.

• Quick-Swap Design: Built specifically for fast pit-crew-style battery swaps on all-day missions.
• Range Extension: Compatible with an optional 250Wh PowerMore range extender, bumping total juice to 1,050Wh.
• Clean Cockpit: Uses Bosch’s top-tube System Controller paired with a wireless Mini Remote on the bars, with full motor behavior customization via the Bosch Flow App.

Frame Geometry and Chassis Details

Kona refined the geometry over the outgoing Remote 160 by slackening the head tube angle by 0.5 degrees and stretching the chainstays by 5mm for increased stability. The welded 6061 aluminum frame retains Kona’s signature Process ride characteristics. Kona also added practical details across both builds:

• Match or Mix Flip-Chip: Run a dual 29-inch wheel setup or a 29/27.5-inch mullet configuration without ruining geometry.
• Moto-Friendly Routing: Clean cable routing options whether you run your brake levers traditional or goofy (moto-style).
• Frame Armor: A swinging door charge port cover keeps mud out, paired with a custom Kona/OneUp chain guide and heavy-duty chainstay protection.

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Remote 160 vs. Remote X Comparison

REMOTE 160
Canada: $6,999
Europe: €6,999
USA: $6,499

REMOTE X
Canada: $6,999
Europe: €7,499
USA: $6,899

Stroke Tunability and Shock Options

Rather than trapping riders in fixed travel numbers, both frames allow for stroke customization depending on your terrain without the need for an aftermarket linkage. Which I think is really cool.

• Remote 160 Overstroking: Accepts an 180mm fork and a 230×62.5mm rear shock, pumping rear travel to 171mm (29er) or 176mm (mullet).
• Remote X Understroking: Accepts a 170mm fork and a 230×57.5mm shock, dropping rear travel to 159mm (29er) or 163mm (mullet).
• Coil Friendly: Both linkages feature leverage curves that are fully compatible with coil shocks.

If you are looking to turn hour-long fire road grinds into quick ten-minute connectors between nuking DH sections, Kona’s updated alloy platforms offer a sick option built for high lap counts.

Learn more at Konaworld.com

There sure are easier ways to Everest. Smooth climbs, mid-summer weather, daylight saving time. Most stack the odds in their favor, and rightfully so. It’s a huge effort at the best of times. Not this time though.

Words: Lazy Sunday Studio / Aedan Skinner
Photos: Jake Paddon

“I just really like riding my bike, so I wanted to prove to myself that no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t have a shitty bike ride.”

The original plan looked almost reasonable. Twenty-three laps. Around a day on the bike. Finish sometime after sunrise the following day, and do it as close to the shortest day as possible. Instead, it became twenty-seven laps, 126 kilometers, thirty-one hours, seventeen hours in darkness, freezing rain, fresh snow, numb feet, hallucinations, and enough small problems to end the ride early a dozen times over.

It all kicked off at 7:57 AM on December 18th, 2025. It was grim from the get-go. By the second lap, the feet were already numb, and the shoes soaked through. Every few laps became a routine of peeling off wet socks, pulling on whatever dry gloves were left, eating whatever sounded remotely edible, and heading straight back up the hill for another lap.

“First off, Elliot dropped a casual 10 laps with me at the beginning of the ride, from 8 AM until about 6 PM, doing a 3200-meter ride like it was a Sunday stroll. Those 10 laps felt like absolute butter for both of us. They also added up to the highest elevation ride I had ever done. After Elliot clocked out, Spencer and Elijah came for some of the first night laps with the lighting setups. These boys definitely encouraged sending your life in the dark and kept those 5 or so laps exciting.”

“Then the 2:30 AM lap hit. I was shattered. I think it was my 17th lap, meaning I had 10 more laps to go – I’d done the math by this point. I fell asleep on my bike on the way up and rode into the ditch, only to wake up lying in basically a mud pit with my bike beside me. I did this 2 more times over the next 2 laps. I was talking to myself the whole time and was hallucinating visuals of my friends in the woods, pretty much every 5 seconds. The Red Bull wasn’t working. The only thing that worked was seeing the sign at the top of the trail, which instantly got me so excited to ride my bike down the hill. Riding down was no problem, as your brain always finds a way to turn itself back on.”

“By this time, my ass was so sore, and considering this was my first time ever wearing a chamois, I was getting some unique chafing in some questionable spots. I also decided to apply chamois butter for the first time, and what followed was excruciating stinging in a very nerve-dense area. Everyone told me it wasn’t supposed to feel like that.”

There wasn’t much science behind the ride. In fact, there was almost none. The original planned twenty-three laps became twenty-seven because the elevation calculations were wrong. The nutrition plan was shaky at best. The route wasn’t even finalized until the night before.

“After talking with a buddy who had done an Everest before, he basically told me to go to the grocery store and grab the widest selection of things you might have remote interest in throughout the ride, as the hardest part is finding stuff that your body is actually interested in eating by the time you’re 24 hours deep. I had a rough plan, but every time I saw the cinnamon buns and Oreos, that was what I went for.”

“The ride ended up being twenty-seven laps vs the estimated twenty-three. This was because the one test Strava lap I did a week earlier, I recorded the elevation from completely the wrong drop-in. What is hilarious is that I didn’t actually know what tracks I was going to ride until the night before, when I finally settled on my two favorites: Bubonic and Lower Wolfgang. What was most important for me wasn’t that the tracks were easy and more sustainable, or smoother for the hands… it was that I was excited to drop into the trails to have some fun on the best trails ever. Halfway up every lap, my motivation to get to the top was that I had some of the most fun riding anyone can ask for at my fingertips.”

“The physical difficulty was a good test. I knew I was fit, but I was still nervous having done very little training for the ride. I was able to push my body and legs pretty hard, though with almost no issues. The mental side of things was another story, and I think it would be a similar story for everyone. I couldn’t have done anywhere close to this ride without my friends keeping the hype up and doing laps with me throughout the ride and keeping me going.”

But why mid-winter? There isn’t a prize waiting at the top. Life doesn’t change because a GPS file says you climbed the height of Everest. By every logical measure, it was a stupid idea.

The questions remain. Why spend thirty-one hours riding in freezing weather? Why deliberately make it harder? Why stack every bad variable against yourself? Maybe there isn’t an answer. Maybe as humans, we have always gone looking for uncomfortable things simply because they reveal parts of ourselves that ordinary days never will.

A massive thank you to all those involved and who helped make this project happen.

Support Crew: Elliot Jamieson, Spencer Young, Elijah Barron, Oakley Savisburg, Max McCulloch, Liam Morgan, Sean Bourquin

Supporting Brands: 7Mesh, Akta, Title, Occam, Crankbrothers, Full On Lighting, Cowichan Cycles, Comox Valley Toyota

Video Production & Editing: Nodding Onion Studios – Max McCulloch & Liam Morgan

Photography: Jake Paddon

Narrator: Chris Case

Folding. Fat Tire. Full Suspension.

These are three terms that don’t often go together in the e-bike world. The Heybike Mars 3.0 is a conglomeration of features that may be impractical for most people, but is surprisingly fun in the right context.

Heybike Mars 3.0 Ebike

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Unboxing & Setup

Unboxing and setting up the Heybike Mars 3.0 was a pain for multiple reasons. Since it’s a folding e-bike, I expected it would ship folded and mostly assembled, but instead it came in a massive box, not folded, and with a lot of assembly left to do.

The box had a QR code linking to the manual, but… the QR code led to a broken link. We did find Heybike’s video instructions on Youtube, but it didn’t show every detail, which is why I spent half an hour trying to figure out how to activate the battery to turn it on.

They did at least include all the necessary tools in the box, but multiple steps of the assembly had parts different from normal bike standards, which made things more difficult. After some cursing, I managed to get the bike up and running.

Difficulties with setting a bike up are admittedly not a big deal, but it’s something to be aware of if you don’t want to deal with difficult assembly.

Build Details

• e-Bike Class: Ships as Class 2 (Unlockable to Class 3 / 30+ MPH via app settings)
• Motor: Heybike Galaxy eDrive 750W rear hub motor (1400W peak power), 95Nm torque
• Battery: Removable 48V, 13Ah (624Wh) lithium-ion battery (UL 2271 Certified)
• Controls: Color TFT Display with NFC card unlock & Bluetooth App integration | Right-side half-twist throttle | Integrated torque sensor
• Frame and Fork: Foldable 6061 Aluminum alloy full-suspension frame with rear Horst Link shock | Coil suspension fork (65mm travel)
• Drivetrain: 8-speed Shimano Altus drivetrain (11-32T cassette, 48T chainring)
• Wheels and Tires: 20″ x 4.0″ Chao Yang knobby fat tires | 20″ aluminum spoke rims
• Brakes: Hydraulic disc brakes with motor cutoff switches | 180mm rotors (2.0mm thickened)
• Weight: 70 lbs (440 lbs total payload capacity)
• MSRP: $1,799 USD (typically discounted at $1,199.00)

The Mars 3.0 components are exactly what you’d expect from a decent budget bike. Everything is low-end and generic, but there are a few brand-name parts to keep things reliable.

The 750W hub motor is nothing out of the ordinary. Most similar bikes in the $1000-$1300 price range have either 500W or 750W motors. The 624Wh battery is similarly middle of the pack. Heybike doesn’t specify where their battery comes from, so you aren’t getting the best-performing Samsung or LG cells.

The 8-speed Shimano Altus drivetrain is simple and reliable, and I like that Heybike added a steel guard to protect the derailleur from impacts. This is the go-to drivetrain for budget ebikes. In fact, it’s the exact drivetrain we found on the last three ebikes we reviewed: Lectric XP4, Aventon Level 4, and Lectric XPedition2. 

The fat tires on this bike are from a budget Chinese brand, so I don’t expect them to be high quality. Unlike some other “fat” e-bikes, these are in real fat-tire territory at 4 inches, and they have deep tread for plenty of grip.

Heybike advertises the front fork as a “hydraulic suspension fork,” but all that really means is it is a standard coil-sprung fork with hydraulic lockout. The 65mm travel isn’t much, but it does help smooth out rougher roads.

Even though most of the components are lackluster, Heybike didn’t skimp on features. The Mars 3.0 has a torque sensor, hydraulic disc brakes, a security system that unlocks the bike with either a keychain NFC card or passcode, app connectivity for updates and setting changes, a cargo rack, turn signals, and even a horn.

Our overall take on the Mars 3.0 build is this: lots of bells and whistles, plenty of power, low-quality components.

Real-World Motor and Battery Performance

Heybike says the hub motor on the Mars 3.0 is rated for 750W continuous power and 1400W peak power. That’s on the higher end for cheaper hub drive motors, and it is plenty of power for this bike. We recently rode the 750W Lectric XP4, and the Mars 3.0 seems to have a bit more power.

This was especially true when we tested the Mars 3.0 on a steep hill climb. It was able to maintain 17-20mph where the XP4 struggled to get up.

The Mars 3.0 accelerates quickly from a stop whether using pedal assist or the throttle. On flats, we were able to get up to about 32mph using the turbo pedal assist.

With the 624Wh battery, Heybike advertises this bike can go up to 65 miles on a single charge. We found the real-world range to be significantly less. In our range test, we hit 36 miles before the battery died.

This test did include some hills and off-road riding, so it would definitely be possible to extend the range farther. Just know that you will probably never reach the advertised 65 miles.

Ride Impressions

On pavement, the bike was comfortable, upright, and easy to ride. The 4-inch knobby tires were noisy and made the handling feel a bit vague, but the powerful motor kept the bike from being sluggish.

Unlike many e-bikes, which only give you the setting options of Class 1, 2, or 3, the Mars 3.0 simply lets you select the max speed (up to 100 kph, though it will never actually go that fast).

The controls are basic and fairly easy to use. On the left hand side you have a small color display with three buttons and thumb controls for the turn signals and horn. The right side has the shimano trigger shifter and a half-twist throttle for the motor, which may be one of the worst things about this bike.

Twist throttles on e-bikes are just not a good idea in my opinion. First off, to use the throttle you have to turn your whole wrist, which can affect your steering and control. Secondly, it is far too easy to accidentally engage the throttle when you don’t mean to—while walking the bike on a sidewalk, for example. Multiple times I inadvertently hit the throttle and sent the bike spinning out of my grip.

Heybike’s firmware also has some issues. The most glaring problem was the battery percent indicator. At one point, I noticed that when I maxed the throttle, the battery percent would drop to 70%, only to jump back up to 100% once I let off. This is caused by normal voltage drop under heavy load, but most e-bikes have smart enough programming to compensate for it.

Heybike Mars 3.0 Ebike

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Of course, this bike has big, fat, knobby tires and full suspension, so it isn’t meant to just stay on pavement. I took it cruising along local dirt roads and ATV tracks to get a feel for how it handles off the road.

To be clear, this is NOT a mountain bike, or even a true all-terrain fat bike. The small wheels, cheap suspension components, and short, upright riding position limit the terrain it can handle comfortably.

That said, once I dropped the tire pressure a bit, it handled the dirt roads just fine. The ample grip from those big tires gave me lots of confidence to pick up the speed, and the bike smoothed out chatter and small bumps (though I think that also has more to do with the tires than the suspension).

On some washboard sections I felt pretty rattled. On a section littered with fist-sized rocks, I quickly lost confidence as the bike bounced around under me. On the more moderate sections though, it was a fun ride.

Who It’s For

The Mars 3.0 is a weird bike, and it fills a pretty specific niche. For someone who needs a bike that folds up to fit in the back of a car and can handle dirt roads, there aren’t many other options. No more mainstream manufacturers are selling folding, fat-tire, full-suspension e-bikes.

If you just need a folding bike for mostly pavement riding with some gravel roads, the Lectric XP4 is a more refined and reliable option. If you want to be comfortable and confident off-road, a full-size fat-tire e-bike like the Aventon Aventure will perform far better.

The Mars 3.0 is only a good choice if you absolutely need foldability AND moderate off-road capability. It’s not the best at either one, but it does give you both.

Final Thoughts

The Heybike Mars 3.0 is clunky, has some design issues, and lacks refinement, but it does do what it promises: it combines compact size and full suspension.

For the large majority of people, I would recommend something different. Our team has tested many e-bikes that are better quality, more functional, better performing, and more reliable. But if you find yourself in the exact use case it’s designed for, the Mars 3.0 is a decent bike with plenty of power.

Hosted by ultra-endurance rider Boru McCullagh, Overnighters is all about the simple joy of adventure: gather some iconic riders for a 24-hour micro-adventure, leave behind strict training routines, and embrace sleeping under the stars, in the dirt. There’s no need for epic multi-week expeditions or plane tickets. Just explore local trails with a sleeping bag and whatever gear fits on your bike frame, enjoying the true spirit of adventure.

McCullagh and Bryceland enjoyed a delightful day exploring Cheshire together, starting with a tour through Ratboy’s neighborhood. Their adventure was very British, featuring leisurely pedals along scenic canal paths past charming houseboats, a locals supermarket run, savoring hearty meat pies, and playful bounces through local woods. It’s a cozy, fun-filled outing that captures the spirit and the charm of the area.

The ride ends at Bryceland’s private plot of paradise. It’s a sanctuary with dirt jumps, fresh loam, and hand-built features – a backyard dream come true, showing the beauty of slowing down and building up a community.

Around the campfire, the vibe shifts to a real look at life after professional racing. Bryceland candidly discusses the grind of the UCI circuit, burnout from chasing points, and relief of riding on his terms. Instead of burning out, he redirected that energy into his local scene and crew.

The mountain bike industry often promotes the idea that true adventure only occurs during expensive trips to remote backcountry locations. However, this 16-minute edit challenges that view. It warmly reminds us that the best dirt trails are often right outside your front door, as long as you’re willing to go explore them.

The Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association (TAMBA) recently received a major $250,000 donation from local riders and philanthropists Kyle and Jessica Aster. This generous contribution completely funds the 2026 construction of the historic Meeks Ridge Trail, providing TAMBA with the resources needed to complete the last two miles of its most ambitious backcountry project to date.

Once completed, the project will reconnect Meeks Bay to Lost Lake, reviving this iconic and slightly overgrown route and integrating it into Tahoe’s current trail system. It will connect with the nearby General Creek and Lost Lake trail networks to form a true 12-mile backcountry loop. The landscape offers classic Sierra Nevada scenery with exposed granite bench-cuts, old-growth pine, and stunning views directly into the rugged Desolation Wilderness.

Carving a sustainable trail through West Shore’s rugged terrain requires more than volunteer work, especially for the last two miles with steep slopes and challenging veins of rock in the way. TAMBA crews have already cut out four miles of tough, remote terrain, and the Aster family’s gift allows professional crews to handle complex logistics required to finish it up.

The timing of this push is really important beyond just Meeks Ridge. It’s the first major construction since the U.S. Forest Service approved the groundbreaking Basin-Wide Trails Analysis Project. This extensive review has provided a plan for up to 45 miles of future trail extensions, while also officially allowing more than 100 miles of existing Basin singletrack to be enjoyed with Class 1 e-bikes.

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Although land managers’ paper approvals are crucial, NEPA clearance alone does not construct trails – funds, earthmoving, and hard work do. Meeks Ridge demonstrates the strategy for turning the 45-mile vision into reality. It confirms that when public agency approval is combined with committed local advocacy and specific private funding, important rail projects can move forward rather than stagnate on planning tables for years.

Crews are working diligently within the 2026 build window, aiming for final completion in 2027. If Meeks Ridge is indicative of the Basin’s new master plan, then West Shore riding is poised to improve significantly.

The biggest news in this expansion centers on the broader availability of two specific pairings: Enduro casing with SuperSoft rubber and Trail casing with Soft rubber.

More Rubber Choice Without Casing Compromises

Previously, if you wanted Continental’s ultra-tacky SuperSoft compound, you were largely locked into heavy, dual-ply Downhill casings. While that worked well for bikepark laps and shuttles, it meant carrying unnecessary rotational weight and a stiffer ride feel on pedal-heavy enduro rides. The addition of Enduro SuperSoft options across 27.5-inch and 29-inch platforms delivers maximum cornering bite on wet roots, off-camber rock, and loose terrain without forcing you to lug around a full-blown DH tire on transfer climbs.

On the flip side, bringing the Soft compound down to the lighter Trail casing solves a common headache for aggressive trail riders. The single-ply Trail casing offers a supple ride quality and lower rolling mass, but earlier options left riders wanting a stickier rubber option up front. Pairing the lighter Trail casing with Soft compound rubber delivers predictable cornering traction without making the bike feel sluggish on long, rolling loops.

View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article

Dialing in the Ideal Wheelset Setup

Tires remain the single most impactful contact point on a mountain bike, and tire setup is rarely a one-size-fits-all proposition. A tire combination built for dry, high-speed hardpack in mid-summer usually struggles when trails turn to wet, greasy winter loam.

With these additions, riders running mixed wheel (29/27.5) or full 27.5 setups gain significantly more freedom to fine-tune front-to-rear bias. You can now easily pair a fast-rolling Xynotal Trail Soft out back for pedaling efficiency with a sticky Argotal Enduro SuperSoft up front for steep, loose chutes. It eliminates the need to compromise between sidewall durability, rubber squirm, and rolling resistance.

Pricing and Availability

The expanded Gravity additions are rolling out globally through authorized Continental retailers.

• Trail Soft Options: $88.95 USD / €73.95 / £63.99
• Enduro SuperSoft Options: $104.95 USD / €86.95 / £74.99

Giving mountain bikers the flexibility to select rubber hardness independently of sidewall weight is a smart move. These 13 new options fill the remaining gaps in Continental’s gravity lineup, making it far easier to tailor tread performance to your local trails. Nice.

The timing couldn’t be harsher. Callaghan revealed the injury via Instagram, noting the crash happened roughly a week ago and effectively rules him out of the upcoming UCI Enduro World Cup in France – which he jokingly refers to as his “home race”. For a rider who is always one to watch, and has avoided serious injury for almost a decade, sitting out this race due to injury is a tough break (pun intended – sorry).

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Yet Callaghan’s response reflects the stoic attitude of a seasoned athlete. Acknowledging his remarkably clean seven-year run of health, he took a pragmatic view, noting he could “take one on the chin” given how lucky he’s been. Surgery to clean up and repair his elbow went smoothly, and early signs suggest his time away from the handlebars won’t be overly prolonged.

Rather than watching from the couch, Callaghan is seeking out the silver linings during downtime. He plans to channel his energy into Next Stage MTB, using the pause to mentor and support emerging talent. Experiencing the action of a race from behind the course tape offers him a rare perspective on the sport – one he almost never gets while locked in race mode during the Enduro calendar.

With support from partner Audrey Gianotti during his post-op recovery, Callaghan is already looking ahead to healing up cleanly and maintaining some cardio fitness on the trainer. His absence leaves a noticeable void on the start line this weekend, but expect to see the Irishman back between the tape as soon as he’s cleared to ride.

It’s a heated topic, and it seems like we’re being forced to embrace it in every aspect of our digital lives. Thankfully, riding a bike isn’t digital, and the mental crutch that is non-human thinking should not have a place in your routine. I’ll probably get some flak for this, but I honestly don’t care. I’m all for advocating for neurotransmission in the human brain.

Training Programs

Don’t use AI. Get a coach; talk to a human who understands humans and their requirements. Talk to someone who can actually ride a bike the way that you want to ride a bike or has actually eaten real food and been outside.

There are plenty of places to find an actual coach in your area, or get coaching help online. Websites like TrainingPeaks, GSMBC, and Fluidride all have options depending on what you’re looking for.

Maintenance

Go to a bike shop or learn to do maintenance at home. Talk to a real person and ask questions to real people who have ridden a bike before. Don’t ask a computer for answers to a bike-related question – there’s no need.

As a community, we are lucky enough to have had Park Tool put together a catalog of maintenance tips, guides, and walkthroughs on YouTube. We also have years of forum threads on topics that are likely directly related to the issue you’re having. If you can solve it at home, I bet a super knowledgeable person at a bike shop will be able to fix just about any issue.

Route Planning

Look at a map, ask other riders, and collaborate with other human beings to find the best places to ride. There’s a lot of ride tracking and GPS software out there that will give you a good idea of where to ride, plus local IMBA or trail organizations should have records taken and maintained by humans that will be super helpful.

Apps like RidewithGPS, Strava, Komoot, and even Google Maps can be used to manually plan out your own routes.

Also, getting lost on a ride can be super fun.

Diet Advice

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Please don’t use non-organic intelligence for this one. People eat food and have metabolisms; computers do not, and they won’t be able to help you here. Ride bikes and fuel the way you want to fuel. Of course, this isn’t any sort of diet advice, because I eat like a toddler on bike rides and try to eat plenty of real food when I’m not needing heaps of carbs.

Equipment and Component Suggestions

Again, you should not ask something that has never ridden a bicycle what gear, components, or accessories you should be buying. That’s why journalists and gear editors do what they do. Getting equipment advice and suggestions from a computer is like taking medical advice from the barber: they might have some interesting ideas, but that doesn’t mean they know what they are talking about.

Hope this helps.

I’ve been putting it through the paces for a few weeks this summer; I’m already stoked on it and feel like I have a good idea of who this is for. So let’s dig into the Rhythmus Equipment CZ 6L with some likes and dislikes.

Rhythmus CZ 6L Overview

If you’ve been following the stuff that I like, you’ve likely seen me praise the Rhythmus RP9L as the best MTB hydration vest that I’ve used to date. It checks the boxes I want in a vest to ride my bike in: a versatile layout, a comfortable design, and plenty of places to store gear. It’s great for bigger days, and I’ve even taken it on some overnighter bikepacking trips without complaint. But for the everyday ride, the Rhythmus RP9L is on the bigger side, and when not fully packed, it can be a little bit much. That’s where the CZ 6L comes into play.

Rhythmus Equipment is a newer player in the hydration vest game, and they hit the market with one hell of a first product. I came across the Rhythmus thanks to the ever-knowing Meta algorithm and immediately purchased the RP 9L because I liked what I was seeing. As Rhythmus was a newer brand on the scene, I didn’t want to take the “Hey, can I get one for free to review?” approach. Thankfully, I have zero regrets with the purchase of the RP 9L, and feel that I’ve made that known since the initial review. This CZ 6L is a little different, and I did receive it for free, although it does have some defects that make it unfit for selling to consumers. The defects are minor and haven’t impacted the use of the pack, but it’s something I wanted to disclose.

Features

• 2-Point Adjustable Harness
• Center Zip Main Compartment
• Two Zippered Harness Pockets
• Two Stretch Harness Pockets
• Magnet Hydration Clip
• Interior Hydration Sleeve
• Zipper Closure Accessory Pocket
• Modular Key Clip
• Elastic Lash Straps
• 70D Nylon/UHMWPE Fabric
• MSRP: $175 USD | Available at Rhythmus.equipment

Who is the CZ 6L For?

You guessed it: the RP9L is 9 liters, and the CZ 6L is 6-liters, so it’s smaller. It’s not just a downsized pack, though; with a smaller storage capacity come some tweaks to features and function that make sense for a smaller vest. The CZ 6L still has space for a bladder and uses the same chest pockets as the RP 9L, but the main storage compartment and external pockets have been reimagined to make the pack slightly more efficient for shorter rides.

Ideal for gravel, MTB, and really any type of riding where you need to carry some extra stuff but don’t want the bulk of a backpack.

The rear pocket has been simplified with a full-length zipper and an offset pocket for smaller items like keys or repair kits. The CZ 6L doesn’t feature the magnetic flap like the RP 9L and, of course, has slightly less space, but it honestly feels like a pretty ideal amount of space for the shorter rides where the RP 9L could be seen as overkill. 

Despite the small differences between the two packs that Rhythmus offers, the CZ 6L has been a very impressive vest-pack. Before getting the CZ 6L, I had been riding in the Rhythmus RP 9L, which is obviously a bigger pack, both in storage and in terms of weight.

How Does it Fit?

Between the RP 9L and the CZ 6L, the fit is pretty similar. They both use very similar harness straps at the front, although the CZ does away with the adjustment straps at the shoulders, making it slightly less adaptable to different body types.

For reference, I have mostly had the RP 9L fully tightened, with maybe a little slack at the shoulder harness from time to time, depending on the load being carried. The lower harness straps on the RP get a lot more use than the shoulder adjustment, so seeing those omitted from the CZ isn’t much of an issue for fit.

View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article

Living With the CZ 6L

The major changes come when you move to the main compartment of the pack. The RP uses a combo of magnets and a zipper for the smaller pocket, and a zipper for the main compartment. I haven’t had any issues with the smaller pocket or its unique closure system, but I could see this being a knock against it for some people.

View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article

The front harness pockets have been slightly updated on the CZ 6L, but that change is mostly seen on the larger zippered pocket on the left harness strap. It’s now larger, and can fit bigger smartphones, or in my case, an action camera with a wide-angle lens or smaller point-and-shoot camera.

The CZ now uses a top-down vertical zipper to close up the pocket, along with an offset side pocket for storing smaller items like keys and tools, which has been really easy to live with. The main compartment feels about the same size as the pocket found on the RP 9L, and the dividers and organization are intuitive, secure, and make a lot of sense, especially when paired with a tool pouch (like the Rhythmus Tool Roll). As with the RP, the CZ has integration for a hydration bladder via a separate compartment, and uses a magnetic hose clip that can be run through either the left or right shoulder.

View the 3 images of this gallery on the original article

On the outside of the CZ, there are two minimalistic elastic straps that can be used to carry extra layers, kneepads, or anything else that you need to haul around. Although the elastic leashes are minimal, they feel pretty secure, and I have yet to lose anything trailside.

I do feel that the CZ breathes slightly better than the RP 9L and sits a bit closer to the body, and those factors, paired with the lighter overall weight, make it a no-brainer for my everyday rides, especially while facing triple-digit temperatures during the summer. For $175 USD, the CZ 6L is slightly more expensive than the RP 9L, but I think it’s also a better fit for more riders. The RP 9L is very versatile, and if you’re looking for a pack that can be used daily and accompany you on bikepacking trips, ultra-adventures, or you just want a bit more room, it’s still a fantastic option. But if you want the same fit and feel but without the extra cargo space, the CZ 6L is definitely worth considering when shopping for a hydration vest.

I’ve been testing the CZ 6L in a variety of scenarios, from after-work gravel rides to an eMTB enduro race, and I have yet to find a situation it doesn’t meet my needs for. While I’ll still use the RP 9L for bigger days in the saddle, the CZ 6L has quickly slotted into the #1 spot for my go-to vest.

Pros & Cons

Overall, very impressed with this pack, but nothing is perfect. There are very few things to ding the CZ 6L for, but they do matter, and it’s important to address the small faults.

Pros: Comfortable fit, easy-to-access harness pockets, breathable materials, lightweight (450g), great internal organization.

Cons: Only comes in black, no adjustability for shoulder straps, zipper pulls can snag adjustment dials on the back of helmets sometimes.

The press release is packed with corporate bush-beating, but it’s clear that this is a result of the COVID-19 bike boom and the prediction that infinite growth is possible in a finite industry. Who would have ever guessed? It’s been a while since we’ve seen news like this in the industry, but it’s a sign that the bike industry ship isn’t totally out of the storm. It’s somber news, as this directly impacts the lives of all the employees building, manufacturing, and getting these bikes out into the world.

A statement from Jonas Nilsson, CEO of Accell Group, can be found below. 

“This is a deeply sad and frustrating situation given all the hard work and everything we have achieved, with the support of shareholders and lenders, to restructure Accell’s operations and finances. It is an especially difficult moment for our employees, creditors, customers, suppliers, and partners. Every realistic option for the future of the business has been tirelessly explored, and none have resulted in a solution to continue the Group in its current form.

Our immediate focus is to support an orderly process, provide clarity wherever possible, and work with the relevant court-appointed administrators to preserve viable activities and employment where circumstances allow.”

For more details, the Press Release from Accell Group is attached below if you feel like combing through it.

In February this year, following a fundamental operational restructuring, Accell reached an agreement with its shareholders and lenders on additional funding and a significant reduction in debt. As part of this agreement, ownership of Accell transferred to its lenders. This was not intended to be a long-term ownership structure.

Since then, Accell and its advisers have explored every possible avenue for the Group’s future, including discussions with several interested parties, the consideration of multiple offers and seeking regulatory approval for a potential merger.

Despite these extensive efforts, it has not been possible to reach a viable solution for Accell to continue operations in their current form. Having exhausted all the available options, the directors of the Group have concluded that it is no longer able to meet its financial obligations as they fall due and that initiating local insolvency proceedings of the relevant Group subsidiaries is the necessary next step.

The 2026 venue boasted a brand new trailhead parking lot with plenty of space for the vendors, podium, and an hours-long DJ-ed dance party (obviously), and the trails were in prime condition after the weeks of time crews and volunteers put into doing everything from clearing overgrowth to making accessibility improvements. A loam-inducing downpour two days prior to race day didn’t hurt, either.

Aid stations were once again under the tender purview of event sponsors evo, Transition, Crank Sisters, and SRAM, and courses were staffed with dedicated volunteers, whose presence and energy truly, deeply, madly made the event the success it was. Courses ranged from Open/Pro to Lite, included Adaptive categories, and took advantage of the full scope of variety and technicality at the Tiger Mountain system.

And the people, across the board, were hyped: “This is my second time racing Sturdy Dirty in the Adaptive category,” says athlete Annijke Wade. “For the first time, the Adaptive category had a Sport class in addition to a Beginner class. I raced in the Sport class this year and it was an extremely competitive class – all of our times were super close.”

Wade credits the Sturdy B’s with creating a challenging, full, four-stage course that didn’t make the Adaptive riders feel like an afterthought. “I loved the trail selection this year. They felt completely suited for our adaptive bikes, but there was still a challenging or two section for each of us to think about the night before race day and put together a plan of action. Courses like this and the inclusion of a Sport class are what’s pushing the sport of adaptive mountain biking forward.”

Winner of the Expert Youth category, Mayumi Wakefield, a multi-faceted athlete who often participates in freeride events, felt similarly pushed by the Sturdy Dirty course. “Sturdy Dirty was such a fun event. I love racing enduro because it challenges a different side of riding compared to freeride. In freeride, you’re thinking about tricks, style, and pushing your comfort zone, but in enduro you have to put together a whole day of riding. You have to be fast, consistent, and smart with your energy. It’s definitely a good reminder that going full send on the first stage isn’t always the best strategy!”

Wakefield said that the women’s-only environment at Sturdy Dirty was what drew her to the event. “It has such a special vibe. Everyone is there to race hard, but also cheer each other on and have fun. It’s really cool not having the dude yelling ‘Rider back, rider back!’ behind you or feeling like you’re holding someone up. You can just focus on your own ride and enjoy being around a bunch of awesome women who love bikes.”

In particular, Wakefield loved how welcoming the event felt. “Everyone was so supportive, and even though we were racing against each other, it never felt like anyone was against each other. There was so much cheering and encouragement throughout the day. It was just really cool being surrounded by so many women who are passionate about riding and creating such a fun, positive community.”

One of those passionate women is Delia Massey. Massey is no stranger to the Sturdy Dirty – or to racing, in general – but 2026 did mark a milestone for her: “This was my first time returning to the Open/Pro class since 2019. In the last seven years, I’ve given birth to two children and gone through a divorce, and while I was in the depths of early motherhood, I never thought I would return to race at this level. It seemed utterly impossible that I would ever have the skills, fitness, and willingness to take risks and go fast enough to be competitive in Pro.”

All that made Massey feel a bit “off” at the 2025 event – so much she wasn’t sure she’d be back again. But as she spent more time on the bike in 2026, Massey says things began to turn around, and a Valentine’s Day Dig Day with the Sturdy B’s did the trick of reminding her how much she loved the community surrounding the event. “I went home and registered for Expert.”

As Massey trained, she started to push herself and found her fitness “wasn’t as bad as I thought it was.” She revisited Predator – the hardest trail on the Pro Course – and cleared it, but didn’t have grand expectations about carrying speed. Attending a pre-event clinic, where she sessioned lines with other riders, including a new friend who went back to Predator with her a few days later for a full pull, changed that, and, less than a week before race day, Massey updated to Pro.

“My 2026 Sturdy Dirty experience was a night-and-day experience from the prior year. I was relaxed, I had fun, I rode smoothly, hit all my lines on Predator, and managed to pull off a mid-pack finish in Open/Pro, which was entirely unexpected. I am extremely proud of myself for taking on the challenge. I could not have done this without the supportive community of women that the Sturdy Dirty has created here in the PNW, and I am so grateful to be a part of it.”

Massey wasn’t the only parent at the Sturdy Dirty this year; the mom squad was rolling deep at the Sturdy in 2026 and included mama-to-be Liz Hawkins – who signed up to race before she knew she was pregnant and decided to keep her entry anyways. 

“If I’m going to do just one race a year it’s going to be Sturdy,” says Hawkins. “It was the first race I ever did back in 2021 and I’ve been hooked ever since! For one, it’s the most competitive women’s race there is. All the women show up! And secondly, it’s a freaking blast. We moved from Portland to Bellingham a couple years ago and I always get to reconnect with so many friends from Portland and Seattle and Bellingham at that race, so that’s amazing.”

Hawkins says she’d been on the fence about participating because she wasn’t sure what people would think about a visibly pregnant woman racing and worried she might be shamed. She also wasn’t sure she knew how to race “in a less competitive manner and keep it safe.” In the end, however, Hawkins decided to trust herself and her ability. “Plus, I didn’t want to miss out on the party that is Sturdy Dirty and a weekend of camping with some of my best friends from down south,” she adds.

Being pregnant definitely changed the experience for Hawkins: “I would typically race Expert, but the ups are getting significantly harder right now, so I decided to race Sport and just party pace. Even with the reduced mileage and elevation, it was a SLOG.” 

One transfer in particular, to a trail called OTG, was “a mental and physical battle. It felt like that trail would never end! Thank goodness for my ride buddies Landi, Jen and Jenny for keeping a turtle pace with me, and supporting my many pee breaks, snack breaks, water breaks, and glitter breaks to make it up there.” 

But even though the ups were difficult, Hawkins says the downs still provided their usual joy. “I absolutely loved Atlas and The Legend. We rode these trails blind in the race and they’re such fun, intuitive, fast trails. I know Transition’s slogan is Party in the Woods,” Hawkins continues, “but Sturdy couldn’t emulate this any better. Every year I’m in awe with the amount of badass powerful women racing mountain bikes in one location. The energy is insane. And, you know what, not one person came up to me and said anything negative about me racing while six months pregnant. Everyone was genuinely so stoked and supportive. And racing belly-out felt amazing and so free. I’m still living the high from participating this year, and can’t wait to show my little one pictures one day of their first mountain bike race in my belly.”

Hawkins wasn’t the only radass mom to thank for a kiddo’s participation: twelve-year-old Penny Pierce says she signed up for the Sturdy Dirty four years ago when she was nine because her mom had raced it way back in 2016 and wanted to do it again, this time with Penny. 

“I said yes and raced in the Lite category, with her following me. I got dead last,” Pierce recalls. But even though Pierce says she’d done better in other races that year, Sturdy stood out as the “funnest race,” of them all. “And I love racing with all women. I have done the Sturdy every year since then, and each one has been ever more fun than the last.”

This year, with her skill improving, Pierce decided to race Expert for the first time. Bumping up a category also meant she would get to ride some of her favorite trails at Tiger Mountain – and hit more Aid Stations, one of her favorite parts of the Sturdy Dirty. And while Pierce didn’t ride with any of the girls her age, she did get to ride with one of her coaches “and make more friends in the process, even if they are in their fifties and sixties. (Hi Janine and Cynthia!)”

And even though she came away a little bruised by the end, after a crash on Super T, Pierce counts the day as a success. “My goals for this race, as my first Expert race and my hardest race yet, were to finish the day happy and unbroken.” Overall, Pierce says she felt “happy, exhausted, and proud,” when she crossed the finish line. “Happy because it was a day full of aid stations and wonderful people. Exhausted, because it was a long day with a few really long stages and even longer climbs. Proud, because I finished the day and did my first Expert race.”

Personal pride in accepting and confronting challenges seems to be the single most unifying theme throughout all rider categories. Just ask Lily Bellak, who raced in the Adaptive 2W Beginner category just about two months into her mountain biking career.

“I was nervous and excited,” Bellak admits, “with my nerves mainly from how others would see me at the race. I race Adaptive due to invisible disabilities, and was worried that I’d feel out of place, especially since I was a new rider.” But Bellak says her fears evaporated when she arrived at the race.

“No one questioned why I was on an e-bike, said anything about my newness to the sport – coming from a competitive athletics background, I was nervous about looking like a ‘noob’ – or made me feel out of place or unwelcome. Everyone was friendly and supportive-hyping each other up on the climbs, complimenting bikes and outfits, and cheering whenever someone finished a stage. I came into the day feeling nervous and like I was out of place, and left feeling supported, valued, and welcomed into not only the women’s bike community, but as an adaptive rider and a racer.”

And that, perhaps, is the personal achievement that the entire Sturdy B Racing team should feel most proud about, themselves: that the environment they have created at the Sturdy Dirty Enduro allows everyone to feel what Bellak felt – a joyful sense of belonging – and to have one damn good day riding bikes in the process.

PODIUM PLACEMENTS

(Full results here)

PRO/OPEN
P1: Jill Kintner
P2: Chloe Bear 
P3: Amanda Vansant
P4: Bekah Rottenberg 
P5: Jane Livingston

Expert 18-29:
Sophia Lymberis
Maggie Stoegbauer
Mel Koziol
Claire Christensen
Sadie Smith

Expert 30-39:
Jane Shook
Campbell Steers
Steph Miller
Michelle Guy
Madison Westfall

Expert 40-49:
Stephanie Choplin
Jasmine Eucogco
Andi Zolton
Ariel Kazunas
Camilla Chalmers

Expert 50-59:
Angela Bohren
Michelle Bostick 
Janine Robinson
Kelly Constable
Shannon Lindner

Expert 60+
Cynthia Krass

Expert Youth
Mayumi Wakefield
Clare Logan
Sophia Balsiger
Ora Monton
Penny Pierce

Sport 18-29
Mikaela Balkind
Coral Ng
Skylar Mcloughlin
Amelia Goode
Avery Daubert

Sport 30-39
Sunny Nelson
Aileen Cotton
Casey Westbrook
Chandler (C.C) Peddle
Chelsea Darsney 

Sport 40-49
Candice Rodriguez
Danielle Walker
Sandy Ward
Abby Purdy
Alison Chase

Sport 50-59
1 Marnie Zirbel
2 JoAnne Balsiger
3 Dawn Eldridge 
4 Lisa Rasmussen
5  Hahn

Sport Youth
1 Helena Piaseczny
2 Brooke Tu
3 Sabine Lim

Adaptive MTB – Sport
1 Annijke Wade
2 Erin Martin
3 Ryan Barbee

Adaptive MTB – 2W Sport
1 Rebecca Johnston

Beginner 18-29
Jillian Campbell
Alexandra Martinez
Isa Culver
Kelsey Shaw
Kendall Schmidt

Beginner 30-39
Afsaneh Vaez
Ashley Leiker
Megan Powell
Ashley Mcdonald
Carly Johannes

Beginner 40-49
Robin Deligeannis
Ashley Reid
Ashley Paintner
Nancy Fullman
Cindy Dilg

Beginner 50-59
Holly Schroeder
Ashley Kangas
Kristen NyQuist
Elain Irons
Barbara Culver

Beginner Youth
Zosia Piasczny
Lola Gonzalez
June Bennet-Cumming
Alidalyn McDonald
Asa Pierce

Adaptive MTB – Beginner
1 Tammie Thompson

Adaptive MTB – 2W Beginner 
1 Lily Bellak

Enduro Lite
1 Raya Koller
2 Alex Belmaachi
3 Ammy Gluchuk
4 Kellie Henwood
5 Rebecca Earl

COMPLETE RESULTS

Designed with plenty of space for up to 55mm (700c x 2.2”) tires, this new platform features a thoughtfully reimagined rear triangle with a new 3D-printed yoke, a fresh Mosaic-designed gravel fork, updated frame standards, and a geometry that’s been refined over years of experience building race-worthy titanium gravel bikes.

Mosaic GT i55 Details

• 700x55mm Tire Clearance
• Fully Integrated IS52 Cockpit
• Double Butted Titanium
• Gravel 1X chainline only
• T47 Bottom Bracket

“The goal was never simply to build a bike that fits bigger tires,” says Aaron Barcheck, Founder and Lead Designer at Mosaic Cycles. “Every change had to earn its place. The rear end, the fork, the frame standards, everything was designed together so the bike would feel every bit as lively and responsive as our previous gravel bike while giving riders the capabilities they’ve been asking for.”

The GT i55 Updates

• 55mm Tire Clearance: Mosaic’s most capable gravel platform to date
• New Mosaic-Designed Gravel Fork: Designed in-house with 55mm tire clearance, fully internal routing, suspension-corrected geometry, and fender mount-ready
• Ground-Up Rear Triangle Redesign: New frame architecture increases capability while preserving responsive handling and ride feel
• First 3D-Printed Titanium Component: An exclusive titanium rear yoke meets the tire-clearance demands of modern gravel bikes while maintaining stiffness and drivetrain clearance.
• Modern Integration: Updated routing, UDH compatibility, T47 bottom bracket, and clean cockpit integration across both models
• Batch Built or Made to Order: Available for fast delivery through the Batch Built program (ships in 3-5 business days), or offered as a Made to Order bike where riders can fully personalize the build with custom geometry and finish work

View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article

Availability and Ordering

While engineering has evolved along with the sport, the philosophy behind every Mosaic bike remains the same. Each GT i55 is still hand-built in Boulder, Colorado, and can be tailored to its rider through Mosaic’s Made to Order program with custom geometry, personalized builds, and any current finish work, including Mosaic’s Artist Series colorways. Visit mosaiccycles.com for availability, lead time, and to find a partner near you.

• GT-1 i55 framesets start at $8,250
• GT-2 i55 framesets start at $5,000

For riders looking for faster delivery, both models will be added to Mosaic’s Batch Built program later this fall, which offers eight standard sizes and several paint options. Once available, in-stock bikes ship within 3-5 business days, with backordered models shipping in approximately 4-6 weeks.

Batch Built bikes will be available through Mosaic’s new e-commerce platform. Color options and pricing will include:

GT-1 i55 Batch Built framesets

• Pearl Dark Graphite Matte
• Starting at $7,500

GT-2 i55 Batch Built framesets

• Ghost Finish
• Starting at $4,250

“San Francisco is a city built on progress, structure, and systems. It sits at the edge of technological development, but beneath that polished exterior is a landscape full of hard edges, industrial scale, and unlikely opportunities.

For Teddy Hayden, that is where things get interesting. This new video follows Teddy as he moves past the city. Not the cleanest route. Not the most obvious answer. The stranger one. The one that takes a bit more imagination.

In Teddy’s world, a wall is not just a wall, a ledge is not just a ledge, and a dead end is rarely the end of anything. When reality imposes boundaries, the bike offers a different equation.”

• Riders: Teddy Hayden
• Video: Spencer Miller
• Logos: Shredder’s Digest 
• Music: Talisa – Danielle Luppi, Parquet Courts, Karen O Empty and Silent – Mount Kimbie (feat. King Krule)

When most people think of E-mountain biking, they think of taking the easy route, cheating on climbs, and a rider who puts in no effort to work for the descents. And that’s wrong. I might be in the small group of people who ride eMTBs a little differently and see them as much as a tool as they are super fun for unlocking more rides, but my recent trip to British Columbia, Canada, to race the Bosch eMTB Challenge at Crankworx reminded me of some things I’d forgotten: Racing is really fun, E-Bikes are very different than mountain bikes, and when you step back from the comments section, people seem to hate eMTBs less.

To be fair, the Bosch eMTB Challenge isn’t technically a “race”, but it does have timed stages, a feed stop, and you need to get to the start of each stage with some navigational know-how and the spares to keep you rolling if anything goes belly up. It makes for a really interesting event, with a similar vibe to that of a traditional MTB enduro race mixed with motocross enduro elements, thanks to timed uphill sections and route navigation.

Overall, the experience was super engaging, a ton of fun, and pretty eye-opening. This was the second year that Bosch has held the EMTB challenge at Crankworx Whistler, and I’d say it’s well worth considering if you’re curious about racing e-bikes on some of the best trails around. Hell, I even got to ride some laps with Hans “No Way” Rey, which was pretty special.

View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article

The Bosch EMTB challenge consists of three groups: Amateur, Advanced, and Elite, each of which rides a slightly different course than the other. I rode in the Advanced group, which was packed with notable names from all over the world. Despite some missed turns and riding most of the trails totally blind, I wasn’t dead last, which was a win in my book.

Thanks to Bosch for putting on such a cool event, EVO Whistler for the rental, all the volunteers on course, and the weather for letting up for race day.

With XC bikes all getting “bigger” and “better”, it’s no surprise to see Santa Cruz give the Blur a refresh to follow suit after almost five years since the last iteration. It might seem like the Blur is straying from the XC race bike palmares of the last version, but from my perspective, it’s just becoming more versatile without abandoning its lineage of lightweight speed, even if it’s now running a shorter stem, more travel, and downtube storage.

Blur V5 Geometry Updates

• 66-degree HA
• 75-degree STA
• 475mm reach (large)
• Short seat tube for more insertion
• Lower BB (334mm/13.15in)

The biggification of Cross Country bikes is a trend right now, and many brands are now positioning what was once their XC race bikes as genre-bending bikes that can pull double-duty as both trail and cross-country (within reason). That seems to be what Santa Cruz has just done with the Blur V5.

They’ve increased travel, added a glovebox, and adjusted the geometry to really blur the lines. The new Blur has a slacker HTA up front, a steeper STA out back, and chainstays that are somewhat proportional throughout the sizing. One thing that remains unchanged is the flex-stay suspension, but there has been some weight saving in that department with a new machined-out linkage to drive the shock.

View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article

Okay, to be fair, the Blur hasn’t strayed too far from the XC path, and Santa Cruz still says this is the XC bike of the bunch, but it’s just a tad bit more capable. It still has a long front-center, it’s still quite light, and the suspension curve is still very progressive. They even offer the Blur V5 in dedicated “Race” build kits with remote lockout suspension, lighter wheels, and racier tires.

Blur V5 Frame Details

View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article

• BB Shell: 73mm Threaded
• Brake Mount: 180mm
• Shock Specs: 190×45
• Fork Offset: 44mm
• Headset: Integrated (IS41/52)
• Chain Guide: ISCG05
• Max Chainring: 36t
• Max Tire: 29×2.4
• Spacing: 148mm Boost
• Suspension: Superlight Flex-Stay

The Blur comes with the Santa Cruz Lifetime warranty. This also includes pivot bearings and the Reserve Carbon wheels, so riders have peace of mind while hammering the extra credit that this bike is capable of.

View the 3 images of this gallery on the original article

All Blur V5 frames now feature tube-in-tube cable routing, a lighter carbon construction, and glovebox storage in the downtube. It’s also only available in the CC carbon configuration with routing for mechanical drivetrains. All sizes can also fit two bottles in the main triangle, even when running the Flight Attendant suspension. Santa Cruz has also added a top-tube accessory mount and integrated chain-guide and downtube protection, which hints at the targeted versatility of the new chassis.

Blur V5 Build Kits, Weights, and Pricing

The Blur V5 comes in 7 build kits, including the two “Race” variants, and is also available as a frameset. The builds range from $4,899 USD for the Shimano Deore Mechanical build, all the way up to $13,399 USD for the XX AXS Race build with Reserve 28 | XC rims laced with carbon spokes to DT Swiss 180 Hubs. 

Explore more at Santacruzbicycles.com

The Sun Dog shorts and Ramble Scramble shorts have been updated with new colors and subtle design tweaks to make them even better without changing the objective. But what is that objective? It’s pretty simple: Make clothing that works with you. It’s nothing super flashy or packed with “the next-best-thing” because constantly pursuing innovation is a bit of a snooze these days. We all just want pants, shorts, and jerseys that fit well, function great, and honestly, we want them to look good – and everything Curious Creatures makes checks those boxes, both on and off the bike.

View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article

Check out all the new goods from CC at Wearecuriouscreatures.com

A big part of this new drop is the updates, which are mostly cosmetic, and a good thing because there weren’t many issues with the older kit. The main thing I notice the pants and shorts have been made a little bit baggier, and the cuffs and tech details have been refined to improve the feeling on the trail. The only thing I could fault the Men’s Sun Dog pants for initially was the cuff and lack of a traditional zipper closure, but the more I rode in them, the more I began to understand the why behind the design choice, and I really appreciate the improved venting that the lack of a zipper offers.

Both the Ramble Scramble and Sun Dog Shorts are some seriously comfortable britches, and while the Men’s Sun Dog doesn’t see an overhaul this year, the Ramble Scramble does with an updated fit that now lands more true-to-size than the version.

CC has also dropped a new men’s and women’s tech-tee, one more casual t-shirt, and a comfy-looking tank top ferda ladies. The new tech-tees are really great-looking, and I’m super excited to get my hands on the new clothing from Curious Creatures for the last leg of the summer miles.

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It might be a little hot (and the sky might be filled with smoke), but CC has also dropped a new hoodie that has me dreaming of fall rides, moist soil, and hot cocoa in the trailhead parking lot. The Grit Goblin is the brand’s second offering, following the Hungry Horse Jacket, and shows that Curious Creatures is still growing and developing new stuff that kicks ass.

The bikes that No.22 makes are expensive, and titanium is not everyone’s cup of tea. About halfway through writing this article, I realized that I should check my privilege here and refocus. This is likely not a bike that the majority of people reading this could ever justify. But for that reason it’s special, and regardless of your interest in a $15,000 USD gravel bike, it’s a work of art.

Looking past the similarities between the No.22 Drifter and mountain bikes of the past, and the steep barrier to entry, this is still very much a great modern gravel bike, and it might just be the most exquisite gravel bike I’ve ever swung a leg over.

For the uninitiated, let me introduce the No.22 Drifter. A decidedly bespoke and truly luxurious gravel bike made from titanium and littered with details that tickle my love for the small touches. The Drifter boasts clearance for massive tires (700 x 56mm or 29×2.2), butted titanium tubes, suspension-corrected geometry, and so much soul it feels alive. 

No.22 Bicycle Company is nestled in Upstate New York, in the town of Johnstown, and they are responsible for bikes that have been objects of my desire for years. Back when I had no respect for my knees or traffic lights, the Little Wing was the ultimate bike for me. I lusted after the simple decadence of this titanium track bike for years, and although I’ve given up on riding fixed gear, I still swoon at the sight of No.22 bikes. The Drifter, most recently, has been a bike that, if I could justify the purchase of, would be a forever bike for me. They say not to meet your heroes, and I don’t know if that really applies to bikes, because the No.22 Drifter is everything I expected it to be, in both the great ways and the less-than-great ways.

Overview

To the layman, there’s nothing that stands out about the Drifter – it just looks like another gravel bike – but to someone who has been intrigued by the small builders making bespoke bicycles from exotic materials, No.22 is a brand you’d recognize for innovation in titanium 3D printing and some drool-inducing machines.

Fun Fact: Titanium is the 22nd element on the periodic table, and Carbon is 6th. Hence No.22 Bicycle and No.6 Composites

• Tire Clearance: Up to 56mm rear (45mm w/ 2x), up to 61mm in the fork
• Fully Internal/Through-Headset Cable Routing
• Fender mounts
• Sintered Titanium UDH Dropouts
• Custom Paint and Finish Options
• T47 Bottom Bracket / 85.5mm wide
• Frameset Prices Start at $6,499 USD
• Weight (58cm): 21.5lbs with carbon No.6 Composites fork / 22.9lbs with RockShox Rudy XPLR

Framesets for the Drifter start at $6,499 USD, which is an almost exhausting number to see for a bicycle, but if you’ve got the money (and the desire) to get a bike that could quite literally outlive you, then maybe it starts to make sense. From my experience riding this bike, I feel like I’m riding around on a unicorn. I’ve never seen another No.22 out in the wild, and from the reactions I’ve received, not many other people have either, so maybe the money is worth the aura points as well as the exceptional ride quality and versatility.

The Why of Ti

Overall, the first hundred miles on the Drifter have been dreamy. This is a dream bike after all. It rides like magic, looks like magic, and considering what I know about additive titanium manufacturing, it might as well be magic. But what makes titanium seem so much better than steel, carbon, or aluminum?

In terms of frame material, titanium is one of hype and mystique that often demands a much higher price tag without much concrete evidence that it’s always that much better than an equivalent frame in steel. It’s obviously lighter, but titanium is also more brittle than steel and requires more resources to create. From my lifetime in the industry, the allure of titanium has always been one of romance, soul, and buying into a brand that you appreciate and trust. Titanium is a material surrounded by nuance, and if the average person were to ride identical steel and titanium bikes back-to-back, they would be hard-pressed to point out the major differences in most situations. It all comes down to the tubes, butting, the design methods used by the brands, and the skill of the person welding the frames together. When it all falls into place, the result is a pretty special bicycle.

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When considering a titanium bike at this price, riders are likely considering the vibe and soul of the bike as much as the ride quality, features, and intended use case. Titanium isn’t inherently better than steel, but it can be depending on what you’re going for and the emotions that the builder and brand evoke, and that’s part of what makes it special. It also doesn’t need to be so expensive, and there are a number of brands that offer off-the-shelf titanium bikes at a fraction of the price (State Bicycle, Eskar, Ritte, Stinner, and more). A titanium bike could last forever since it won’t rust, and it can be repaired (although it requires much more skill and work to put together, so that is another thing to consider).

From road climbs to the trailhead to washboarded fire roads and all the singletrack ridden, the bike feels confident and comfortable. I’m a lucky duck to get to spend time on this bike, and it’s definitely the nicest gravel bike I’ve ever been allowed to ride, and it has me analyzing why titanium is so desirable. Titanium is an exotic material, and not many people realize why, because it’s kind of a hard thing to put into words that make sense to people who haven’t ridden a ton of different bikes over the years.

I see titanium as a pretty versatile material, and the best way I can describe it is that it blends the best qualities of every other frame material into one. It’s light and stiff like carbon or aluminum, yet comfortable and snappy like steel, and since it has a much longer life, it will show a patina and tell an aesthetic story as it ages. But more than ride quality, it’s the mystique and connection between the brand and the rider that seems to be so enticing with titanium bikes. They’re just special and make a statement that embraces aesthetics, connection, and longevity in a unique way that appeals to individuals.

This particular model is a blend of Cerakote and anodized titanium, which is an interesting pairing. The Cerakote will not fade, but the anodizing of the raw titanium will weather, shift, and evolve as the bike carries the rider on more adventures – something that really appeals to me. 

Out of the Box

I received a 58cm bike, and the assembly was a breeze; the bike showed up well packaged and about 90% complete. All I really needed to do was put wheels on, straighten the bars, plug in the battery, and slide in the seatpost. The Drifter arrived with a RockShox Rudy XPLR fork installed, but a No.22 carbon fork was also in the box, with a caliper mounted, the housing run through the internal routing, and a Zeno Q-connector installed for really easy swapping between the forks.

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The build kit, of which I’m lucky enough to enjoy, consists of a SRAM Force XLPR groupset and brakes, 5Dev titanium cranks, Zipp 303 XPLR SW wheels, a No.22 stem and seatpost, Enve bars, some massive Vittoria Terreno tires in 29×2.0”, and a choice of RockShox Rudy 30mm fork, or a rigid carbon fork (No.6 Composites – No.22’s fork brand). I can’t fault it at all, and if I was ordering a custom bike from No.22, this might be the build I would go with, save for the groupset. Given the bike’s intended use case, I may have gone with something with a wider gear range, as the 42t chainring and 10-46t cassette is a little heavy for some longer, looser, and steeper climbs in my area. I have thought about swapping it out with a GX derailleur and cassette, but maybe I should just get stronger.

Ride Impressions

So far, I have about 150 miles on the No.22 Drifter, and I have no complaints about the quality of the ride, which you might hope for from a bike of this caliber. On the first ride, it was a little hard to tell if the absurdly comfortable ride feel was due to the suspension fork, abundance of tire, or the titanium frame, or all three of these factors coming together in unity. Whatever it is, the Drifter is hands down one of the most comfortable gravel bikes I’ve been on, but I still wanted to explore swapping out the fork to see if that was the biggest factor.

I’ve done the same rides with both rigid and suspension forks, and the most noticeable benefit of the suspension comes on washboard and some of the less manicured sections of singletrack. There’s no major drawback with the suspension fork during the climbs, and the Drifter remains very stable and composed when climbing out of the saddle, especially with the lockout engaged on the fork.

In terms of character, the bike seems a little confused with the suspension fork, and that might be influencing my desire to swap the drivetrain to an MTB derailleur. With the Rudy, the Drifter wants to get rowdy, and the geometry definitely helps, but I think the price tag and exotic nature of the bike have me hesitating from really letting it eat, but that is quickly changing.

After a few rides on the RockShox Rudy XPLR and playing with tire pressure, saddle angle, and bar roll, I felt like the bike was in a great place to start tinkering more and get the Drifter feeling a little bit “faster”. I swapped the suspension fork for the rigid carbon fork and began the experimentation to get to the bottom of why this bike is so delightful to ride. Honestly, the difference is barely noticeable, except in a few situations, and I’ve come to the conclusion that the tires and frame material are the major players when it comes to how the bike rides.

With the rigid fork, the Drifter feels just a tad bit racier, although that might just be a placebo or aesthetic influence, but it does shave some weight. The Drifter, in size 58, weighed in at 22.9lbs with the suspension fork and a scant 21.5 with the carbon fork – and this is with bottle cages, pedals, and a computer mounted to the stem – as a bike should be weighed.

Complaints

The only complaints I could really find are pretty personal, I’d imagine, and they are both in the cockpit area. The first was just the computer mount options, and that wouldn’t be an issue with different bars, to be fair. I ended up finding an out-front mount from an Easton stem that worked with the 3D-printed No.22 stem (shoutout to Kevin at Georges Cycles here in Boise).

The second complaint is just the internal cable routing that travels through the stem and headset. Although this is pretty tidy, and I don’t need to mess with it too much, it’s still always a drawback for me as someone who works on my own bikes. No.22 has done a really good job here, and the 3D-printed stem has some really impressive channeling to make this easier on the end-user or mechanic who needs to do maintenance.

When swapping the fork, I did need to go in and move some things around, and I ended up dropping one of the spacers underneath the stem; it bounced on the shop floor and found a resting place somewhere sneaky, and that brings me to the third issue that I’ve run into: the price. 

This is a niche bicycle, and as I haven’t ever seen another one out in the wild, no shop carries spare parts, and the stem spacers are absolutely proprietary; losing this spacer was a small but not insignificant delay in swapping the fork. In the same vein, the options for finding a computer mount were pretty limited, and the only real option that is explicitly supported for this stem is the $199 3D printed No.22 mount. Obviously, if you’re in the market for a bike like this, money isn’t a huge concern and forking over the extra coin for a beautifully made computer mount isn’t something to worry about; it’s likely that you have the means to work on a bike with through-headset cable routing or pay someone to work on your bike for you. Hence why I say these gripes are personal. 

I also mentioned that I have been riding this bike with a small amount of reservation due to the price associated with it, but I think that is mostly in my head, and the more that I ride it, the more confident I am in its ability to handle what I push it into.

Geometry

Diving into the geometry more, we see the Drifter has size-specific-ish geo for head tube angle, chainstays, seat tube angles, and BB drop. The Drifter comes in 7 pre-built geometry configurations, but there is the option to go fully custom if you want to go that route. No.22 will also help cover a portion of the bike-fit process if you take the custom geo approach for your frame, which is a nice offer.

Gravel bike geometry is slightly more refined than mountain bikes, and the debates online are far less opinionated, probably because geo has less influence on the suspension behavior and the bikes are designed to balance traditional road bike handling with characteristics that make them handle better off-road. And that is just what the Drifter does. I’ve spent a lot of time on drop bar bikes, both on the road and off-road, and the Drifter feels great on all terrain types, and even surprised me on singletrack and rougher roads. I had assumed that the Drifter would be slightly twitchy off-road, just because I’ve mostly been riding mountain bikes the last few months. The 70.5 head tube angle is pretty steep from an MTB perspective, but not that out of line for gravel bikes, and the seat tube angle is pretty steep to keep weight centered between the wheels.

Honestly, I’ve been really impressed with how the bike handles in all situations, and I’ll admit I was a little nervous about the wheels at first. A 54mm deep wheel is very deep for me, and having ridden a lot of road bikes in the past with deep section wheels, I’m familiar with the amount that wind can influence the direction of travel, especially when it gets blustery. Boise is pretty windy, and I was bracing myself for some “oh shit” moments on the first ride, but the geo lets you stay planted and stable, even when a gust tries to motivate your front wheel in another direction. Thankfully, the frame isn’t attempting to be overly aero, and it sticks to mostly round tubes. The top tube and downtube are tapered and formed to optimize stiffness and compliance where it matters most, and I’d say everything feels sorted and pragmatic.

Takeaway

Holy shit. It’s just an amazing bike. The ride quality of titanium might be a hard thing to grasp, but it is something else compared to alloy and steel. It’s light, responsive, efficient, yet still super comfortable. The ability to run big ol’ tires and a suspension fork makes what is already a comfortable bike even more supple, and the small touches elevate things even further.

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Sure, I had my initial reservations about pushing the bike for fear of messing something up, but after a few rides, convincing myself it wouldn’t be an issue, the doors opened to what this bike is made for. It’s made to ride. It feels strange to baby a bike that is this capable, but if you’re paying for all this, you should be able to push it. It’s a gravel bike and wants to be ridden as one. They wouldn’t have sent a suspension fork if they didn’t want me to take it on some singletrack, right?

I’m thrilled to be on this bike and will report back as I continue to put it through some more life experiences. But for now, here’s a quick summary of praise and faults about the No.22 Drifter. 

Praise

• Ride quality
• Finish
• Attention to detail
• Versatility

Faults

• Computer mount was tricky to source without the No.22 option
• Cable routing is through the headset
• Price is high

Hope is calling this the 20mm Gravity Stem, thanks to its puny 20mm reach number. It pairs that reach figure with a 35mm stack height and is machined from a solid chunk of 2014 T6 Aluminum, with a robust 5mm clamping area to combat the unique forces applied to such a tall stem. 

The 20mm Gravity Stem uses an integrated headset cap to solve the issues of the bars clamping directly above the steer-tube, and Hope says it will work with oversized 31.8mm as well as the more common 35mm bars.

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“A super short 20mm Gravity stem has been developed with control and optimized rider positioning in mind. Following feedback from some of the fastest World Cup Downhill and Enduro riders, Hope set out to design a stem that brings the riders’ grip position more in line with the steering axis of the fork. This gives riders a more upright riding position, distributing weight to the center of the bike.“

• 20mm long
• 35mm stack  
• Increased 5mm clamping width for additional system strength and stiffness.  
• Integrated headset cap (headset bolt included)  
• Available in Black, Silver, Smoke, Blue, Red, Purple & Orange
• All stems are CNC machined from a solid billet of 2014 T6 aluminum
• Designed for oversized 31.8mm and 35mm bars
• MSRP: £115.00 /  €144.50 / $159.40 (pre-tax)

Check them out at Hopetech.com

There’s no denying that the higher-stem, shorter-reach trend is continuing to pick up traction. Reece Wilson even got a podium spot this year at a UCI DH World Cup with one bolted onto his bike. The Hope stem isn’t as aggressive as the RR Stem from BMB (BeMoreBikes), which likely means you won’t need to make as many setup changes to your bike, and it will be visually less polarizing on the average bike. 

Slug Bicycles just dropped its new Earthling gravel bikes as an affordable, straightforward adventure platform for riders who want to keep things realistic. Gravel cycling has a special place in the industry right now, and I’ve been really loving the freedom it provides these days, and the Slug Earthling is a great example of how easy it is to keep things simple.

External cable routing, BSA bottom bracket, UDH, fender and rack mounts, dropper post routing, and butted chromoly tubes with room for some substantial tires; not much more you could ask for from a do-it-all bike like this. Pairing all these features with Slug’s own Frequency fork means that you get the best of steel and carbon in either a complete build or frameset.

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Framesets start at $1,850.00 USD, and complete builds, which come with mechanical Shimano GRX 12-speed, DT Swiss G1800 wheels, and 700 x 55mm tires, run just $3,500.00 USD. The Earthling is offered in Jade and Iris paint, and each frame is handmade in Taiwan from custom-drawn chromoly tubes.

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The Earthling is available in 6 sizes, ranging from XS to XL, with an extra-medium thrown in the mix for a broader size range. Top tube lengths span from 52cm on the XS to 62cm on the XL, with 2cm of growth between each size, and thanks to the lower-slung top tube, steep seat tube angle (74 degrees), and 435mm chainstays, the riding position looks to be pretty ideal for all kinds of terrain choices.

Check out the Slug Earthling at Slugbicycles.com

Both being absolute legends in their fields, Danny on his street trials bike and Kriss on the BMX, they agreed to ride it on a mountain bike to even things out. After a diverse crew of UK bike riders had already taken their chance ahead of Danny and Kriss, with none of them making it to the other side dry, it was about time for the two Red Bull athletes to take on the course.

We built a WILD bike obstacle course for Danny MacAskill and Kriss Kyle to try and conquer. Spanning over 200m, the floating track featured seesaws, log skinnies, wall rides, a ladder bridge, and a gnarly tightrope where one slip means you’re taking a cold dip. 

Kriss Kyle showed his diverse skillset by opting for a mountain bike over his BMX, while Danny also swapped his trials bike for his trail bike. Watch as two of the world’s best riders battle an obstacle course that basically refuses to be beaten.

Words: Red Bull Media / RASOULUTION 

I was pretty surprised to see the results come through after I published this poll, and although the sample size was relatively small (118 responses), I think these results suggest that solo rides are much more popular than I previously thought. This prompted me to pay more attention to the riders out on the trail and really see if the poll results reflected what I was seeing out in the wild.

When out on the local trails, the poll results and real-world statistics seemed to be correlated: most riders were on their own, but it wasn’t as imbalanced as the poll results. On the trails, it seemed more like a 50/50 split, or maybe 60/40, and I noticed far more people riding in groups of 2-3 riders rather than larger groups.

I posed a second question in that poll asking, “Do you feel like elitism in cycling prevents you from riding with a group?” and the results for that question were even more surprising, and honestly, I’m glad to see things are changing, because when I started getting into cycling way back in the day, there was definitely a lot more elitism in the sport.

71% of voters said they don’t feel elitism is a barrier to joining more group rides, and that’s truly great to hear; I would have to agree. Group rides, these days, are really welcoming and are a great way to meet up with friends and meet new people in the community. Only 29% of voters thought that elitism prevents them from joining more group rides. This poll received far fewer votes than the solo vs. group rides poll, with only 72 responses. I guess it’s a harder question to answer, or maybe it was just too far down and covered by ads. Either way, I think it was an important question to pose.

This was a little surprising, seeing as the GENIE shock was developed in partnership with Fox when the new Stumpjumper 15 was announced in 2024. This rather unique shock is part of the equation that makes the Stumpjumper 15 such a versatile bike, and I would have assumed that this was technology that was exclusive to Fox – looks like I was wrong. 

There aren’t many details on the new partnership with Rockshox, but considering the innovations made with the new suspension they rolled out this year, it does make sense to pair the Genie tech with a fork that behaves similarly.

It looks like all the Stumpjumpers with this new shock use the same option: a new Rockshox Super Deluxe Ultimate GENIE equipped with the RC2T damper, which uses the same dual air spring that closes off after the shock reaches 70% of its travel.

Specialized has also dropped some new colorways to accompany the new shock, with the S-Works trim getting a frameset option in a really cool-looking sandstone paint. The S-Works Stumpjumpers with the RockShox Genie shock are available in a metallic white/silver and a glossy charcoal tint that really lets the carbon layup shine through. The new Evo Pro build now comes in a satin silver finish or a dark brown gloss color that Specialized is calling “Stallion”. The Alloy build is in a dusty brown called “Satin East Sierras”, which seems fitting.

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Overall, this is a pretty quiet rollout for such a big shift, but it doesn’t look like it’s marking the end of the Fox Suspension Genie shocks, as they are still available. This is likely a move to spec SRAM drivetrains alongside the RockShox suspension to keep things “all in the family”. I’m not sure what the reason is, but I have reached out to Specialized and have not heard a response as of publishing this – I will keep this updated as I learn more.

For now, you can check out the new builds and colors at Specialized.com

When getting into cycling, bibs or padded shorts are something crucial, but knowing which one to go with can be an expensive process of trial and error, and for mountain biking, there can be even fewer options out there, with most of the available picks being padded shorts without the straps to keep the chamois in place (the chamois is the padded part).

Don’t want to read the whole thing? Here’s my vote for the best bib and padded shorts for gravel and mountain biking:

My favorite padded shorts:
Velocio TRAIL Mesh Liner

My favorite bib for Gravel:
Ornot Cargo Bib

My favorite bib for mountain biking:
Specialized SWAT Bib Liner

To kick things off, if your seat doesn’t vibe with your anatomy, then there’s nothing a chamois can do to really help with comfort. It can make a small difference, but it can also make things worse, and some chamois paired with the wrong saddle or position on the bike are a recipe for a huge pain in the ass. 

What Is a Bib, a Padded Short, and What Is a Chamois?

A chamois is the most important part. That’s the padded part that creates a barrier between you and the saddle. They come in different shapes, cuts, materials, and densities, all to accommodate different bodies and riding styles. There are thicker endurance chamois, channeled chamois, and single-material “budget” chamois that offer a ton of padding to disguise the fact that they will quickly pack down and become horrible to ride in.

Chamois can be found in shorts and in bibs, the latter being a padded short with two straps that go over the shoulders to keep the short part of the garment in place. For mountain biking, a padded short is the most common that you’ll see, and they often come attached to riding shorts. A bib with a chamois is more common in road and gravel cycling, but there are still great options for mountain biking, and you can, of course, use a road or gravel bib for mountain biking.

Note: Over time, a chamois will pack down and become less comfortable, so it’s good to keep this in mind when shopping around. However, nicer chamois will last longer.

Trial and Error

Throughout the last decade, I’ve gone with and without a chamois, used various chamois creams, and explored both shorts and bibs with various chamois to see what works best, and while this is a pretty expensive thing to do for the average person, I’ve come to a conclusion that you get what you pay for when it comes to a chamois and bib, and you should not go with the cheapest option. This is both a drawback and a good thing, in my opinion.

For padded shorts, I’ve found them to be a viable option for shorter rides. Think 15-20 miles, which is a pretty decent distance for most folks. I usually find that I get along well with the padded shorts that come with Troy Lee Designs shorts or Fox Racing shorts, as they tend to be a little thinner. I do notice a thicker chamois, and it might be counterintuitive to go with less padding for more comfort. If you think about it more deeply, it does make sense, though. More padding = more movement = more chaffing. There’s a sweet spot here.

For longer rides, both on the mountain bike and on the gravel bike, I always prefer a bib with a chamois. The bib straps keep the chamois where it needs to be, and the right bibs will often have pockets for extra storage space. All bibs aren’t created equal, though, and depending on what type of riding you trend towards can influence what bib works best.

There are a few options to pick from if you want to go with bibs for mountain biking. On one hand, you can go with the normal cycling bib. Sometimes with pockets. Thicker material. Full-sized chamois. Totally comfortable and functional.

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On the other hand, there are bib liners out there that have a chamois, more pockets, thinner materials, and a smaller chamois. Although it’s a small difference, I do notice the improved comfort of an MTB-specific bib when on longer mountain bike rides, and I always appreciate the sheer material and extra pockets.

Favorite Padded Shorts

Some of my favorite shorts with a chamois are actually the liners included with the Troy Lee Designs liners that come with their Skyline Trail Short. They’ve been consistently comfortable and durable and agree with most shorts that I’ve ridden in. Given that I love the Velocio TRAIL Mesh Bib so much, I would put my money on the TRAIL Mesh Bib Short being a pretty great option.

The second place goes to the included liners that come with some Fox Racing Apparel shorts. Although decent, they aren’t as durable as the ones found in the Troy Lee Designs shorts, and tend to fall apart a little bit quicker. 

There’s a trend here: both my favorites are ones you get with other shorts, and there aren’t a lot of aftermarket options that really make sense other than a few from Pearl Izumi and Rapha. From my testing, I’ve also found the options from Pearl Izumi to be pretty disappointing with a rather thick chamois and bulky fit. Honestly, padded shorts aren’t as popular for men since we have it pretty easy when nature calls and can more comfortably get away with a bib.  

Favorite Bib Short

Ornot Cargo Bib

Hands down, the best bib shorts I’ve ever ridden in are the Ornot Cargo Bibs. They’ve ruined all other bibs for me. Okay – that might be a little dramatic, but they’re just the best ones I’ve found. They have pockets a plenty, a world-class chamois, and all the details make for a perfect fit and comfortable ride no matter the mileage.

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I always reach for the Ornot Cargo Bib for gravel and road, and even some mountain bike rides if they’re up there in terms of distance, but the fabric is a little much when paired with shorts, so they are mostly worn on gravel or cross-country rides.

Specialized Swat Bib Liner

When mountain biking, I almost always reach for the Specialized Swat Bibs for their ample pocket space and sheer fabric that breathes exceptionally well with a layer on top – and trust me, you’ll want one with these because that fabric is VERY see-through.

Velocio TRAIL Bib Liner

If I don’t need the extra pocket space, I’ve been really liking the Velocio Trail Liner Bib. It’s sheer, has a great chamois, and comfortable straps for an unobtrusive fit with a backpack or vest.

We all want our shoes to last and benefit our riding, obviously, but sometimes we might be paying a premium for a brand name instead of features. I’ve been stoked on my FiveTen Freerider Pro shoes, and the BOA Fit System is clearly a highlight, but I still find the comfort of a skate shoe to be ideal when on flat pedals, and given the findings from Rose Anvil, there seems to be a reason.

Obviously, this conversation is different when looking at clipless shoes, because there is a major difference between a flat pedal shoe and one that needs to mount cleats to the bottom, and there are tons of variations in construction depending on the intended use.

I’ve been following Rose Anvil for a while, and when they posted a dissection of the Adidas FiveTen Slueth DLX and Freerider Pro, I was obviously interested in what they found. For those who aren’t familiar, Rose Anvil cuts boots and shoes in half to take a look at the construction and composition of footwear. They take a look at value and explain features of shoes to see if the price is really worth what you’re spending, and it can be pretty enlightening, to say the least.

Seeing Rose Anvil take the Adidas FiveTen shoes to the sanding belt and band saw is eye-opening and validates not just my perspective on flat-pedal MTB footwear, but others’ thoughts on the high price-to-value seen with FiveTen shoes in recent years. I’ll let you watch the video and form your own opinion, but it seems that it might not always be worth the extra spend for MTB-specific flat pedal shoes these days, and a skate shoe might actually offer the same features, save for the tackier outsole.