Commencal now uses interchangeable cable guides to accommodate both mechanical and electronic drivetrains or dropper setups, keeping the cockpit organized and quiet while letting you run brakes on whatever side of the bars you deem “correct.”

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The geometry remains spot on for modern trail riding. A 65.5-degree head tube angle offers stability, while the 76.6-degree seat tube angle keeps you in an efficient pedaling position for steep climbs or long pedals. To ensure balanced handling for all riders, chainstay lengths vary by size across the lineup.

Suspension and Build Spec

The T.E.M.P.O. V2 uses Commencal’s Virtual Contact System (VCS) to deliver a suspension platform that pedals well enough while absorbing trail chatter. The flagship V2 complete build is anchored by a 140mm RockShox Lyrik Ultimate fork featuring the new Charger 3.2 damper. Out back, a custom-tuned RockShox Super Deluxe shock handles the 125mm of rear travel, fully matched to the frame’s kinematics.

The T.E.M.P.O. V2 is currently available in only one build, but it doesn’t leave much to be desired at $6,400.00 USD.

Drivetrain & Brakes: Shimano XT 12-speed shifting and Shimano XT 4-piston brakes paired with 200mm front and 180mm rear rotors.

Wheelset: DT Swiss XM 1700 wheels laced to a DT Swiss 350 rear hub. The hub features DEG DF technology to reduce pedal kickback and keep the rear suspension active.

Frame Details: Extensive molded protection on the chainstays, seat stays, and down tube, plus an integrated chain guide. The front triangle fits a water bottle and features an under-top-tube mount for tool storage.

Pricing and Warranty

Despite its short-travel classification, the T.E.M.P.O. V2 is built to take a beating. The frame is EFBE Category 5 certified, passing some of the industry’s toughest testing standards, and comes with a lifetime warranty (against manufacturing defects) for the original owner.

The T.E.M.P.O. V2 complete costs $6,400 USD (€5,950). For riders looking to assemble a custom spec, a frame-only option is available for $1,900 USD (€1,800), without a shock. With an Öhlins TTX1 AIR shock, the price jumps to $2,450.00 USD (€2,200), and it goes up further if you configure one in the à la carte menu.

Buying custom bikes is more involved than buying from a local bike shop, and it usually requires customization and tailoring to ensure you get the bike you want. But what if you wanted a handmade bike and also wanted to travel to the French Alps? Well, that’s what Selwyn is doing.

Selwyn doesn’t offer shipping; instead, buyers must pick up their bike in person at the workshop in Samoëns, Haute-Savoie, France. The handover also includes a guided ride with the bike builder, Alexander Plaisted, so you can fine-tune the setup on local singletrack, meet the maker, and see the trails that inspired the bike.

Handmade In A Cabin

Selwyn is a small operation, and the ethos behind the Trail Bike really resonates with me. It’s not always about performance or chasing the pinnacle of innovation. If that were the case, the Trail Bike would likely be made of some much more exotic material than steel. But steel is the material of choice, and paired with an aluminum rear triangle and a reliable 4-bar linkage, the Trail Bike takes the simple effectiveness of these humble materials and systems and turns it into a bike meant to be used for everything, forever. It’s repairable, comfortable, capable, and timeless in its aesthetics. Handmade, and made with intention.

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The Trail Bike wasn’t about creating something revolutionary; it was about creating something reliable, fun, and responsive on all trails. The bike could easily have been single-pivot, high-pivot, or any of the layouts we see on trail bikes, but that wasn’t the point.

Horst-link bikes have proven they work well; the steel feels amazing, and to match the utilitarian spirit, everything else is hand-picked and tailored to the bike, from the bolts that hold the rear end together to the silver used to braze sections of tubing.

The Trail Bike is the product of years of testing, so everything is well considered. No. You can’t run MX wheels. No. You can’t overfork it. And no, you can’t bump up the rear travel. You get what you get, from tube diameters to wheel size and travel numbers. But you can tailor the build kit that hangs off the frame, and customize the paint.

Details

The frame utilizes a mix of Reynolds 853, 631, and 931 steel tubing paired with 3D-printed stainless steel dropouts, yokes, and pivots. The Horst-link suspension delivers 140mm of rear travel, which Plaisted identifies as the right balance between pedaling efficiency and descending capability, paired with a 160mm fork.

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The bike rolls exclusively on 29-inch wheels, with Selwyn firmly opting out of mullet or longer-travel configurations to preserve the bike’s intended spirit. Custom-machined 7075 aluminum rocker links and hardware complete the chassis.

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Pricing and “Delivery”

Complete builds start at €8,850 and feature a custom-tuned FAST Fenix 2 coil shock, a RockShox Lyrik Ultimate fork, SRAM Eagle Transmission, and customizable Hope components. Frames are wet-painted in Metallic British Racing Green or Pearl Blue, with full custom paint available on request.

Frame and Shock from: €4650
Complete build from: €8850
Custom build from: €9000

You can commission your frame/bike now on the Selwyn website, with projected collection from the Selwyn workshop in spring 2027.

There’s no feeling in the world quite like riding an exquisitely-specced mountain bike in gnarly terrain at high speeds. It’s a moment where ridiculous levels of engineering, industrial design, and manufacturing come together to spoil the plans physics normally lays out for us. It’s a sensation the best racers in the world get to experience every World Cup race day, and it’s the feeling I felt while riding the Canyon Sender CFR. In short, it’s really addictive.

These days, dual-crown bikes tend to fall into one of two categories: freeride builds that cater towards jumping, slashing, and playing around, and race builds that focus on speed above all else. The Sender CFR falls squarely into the second category with a high pivot suspension platform, long wheelbase, and geometry aimed at beating the clock above all else. That’s not to say this beast isn’t fun to ride; it just wants to go faster than you’ve probably ever gone before.

With a build kit fit for elite World Cup racers, Canyon’s Sender CFR (short for Canyon Factory Racing, Canyon-speak for their highest-end team-issue bikes) is one of the fanciest downhill bikes on the market right now. The Sender name has been around for a long time, with various versions catering to both freeride and racing intentions. In fact, I owned the alloy version of the Sender a few years back as a bike park bike, and it’s nearly unrecognizably different. The current iteration of the Sender takes everything the engineering and design team in Koblenz, Germany, has learned over the past decade of elite World Cup wins to create the ultimate rig for going fast.

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TLDR Good & Bad

Good: shockingly smooth, proven race-winning platform, great out-of-the-box value, makes breaking the sound barrier really easy

Bad: Limited to mullet-only options, complicated linkage, chainstay length is not size-specific

2026 Canyon Sender CFR CLLTV Specs

• Frame: Sender CFR Carbon with KIS system
• Size Tested: L
• Rider size: 6’0” 200lb
• Sizes Available: S, M, L, XL
• Groupset: SRAM X01 DH
• Brakes: SRAM Maven SLV, 200mm HS2 rotors
• Fork: Fox 40 Float Factory
• Shock: Fox DHX2 Factory
• Tires: Maxxis Assegai/DHR2 combo (DH casing)
• Wheels: DT Swiss EX1500, 29”/27.5” with DT Kickback rear hub

What’s Going On Inside:

Canyon’s Sender CFR is dripping with World-Cup level tech, so I’ll start with the basics. It’s a super-slack racing bike with 200mm of travel front and rear, a smart selection of in-frame adjustments, and a linkage-driven high-pivot suspension that forces the bike’s wheelbase to grow as you compress the suspension. I tested the 495mm reach size Large, which features a mullet-only wheel configuration, a 63-degree head angle, 438mm chainstays (that remain the same across all sizes), a 1303mm wheelbase, 635mm of stack, and a low 754mm standover height.

Given that across an entire World Cup season, tracks vary from Whistler’s crazy-steep and gnarly 1199 track to smoother offerings at, say, Whiteface, Canyon designed the frame to be highly adjustable. That means pro athletes (who this bike was designed for) can configure the bike to the huge variety of tracks on the schedule. Those built-in adjustments include swappable headset cups to change the reach by +/- 8mm, a flip chip to adjust +/- 5mm of bottom bracket height, and a flippable shock mount that alters shock progression.

The frame also includes Canyon’s polarizing K.I.S. steering stabilizer, which can be adjusted or removed entirely. I messed around with all these settings, and found that I preferred the bike in the middle reach setting, high progression, and low BB height. I ended up removing the KIS stabilizer since I found it didn’t do much, and it made swapping the headset cups super annoying. 

Component spec on the bike leaves pretty much nothing to be desired. Factory-level suspension, a carbon frame, heavy-duty DT Swiss DH wheels, DH casing Maxxis tires, SRAM Maven SLV brakes, even a more compliant 31.5mm alloy bar—these are all more or less the exact things I’d choose to put on a personal race bike if I had my pick.

Riding the Canyon Sender CFR:

Unless you live near a bike park, there actually aren’t all that many places to ride a bike of this caliber, but I was lucky enough to spend the summer riding it on Grand Targhee’s newly built DH track, riding the steeps and jumps at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, a few laps at Big Sky, and shuttling the DH trails on Teton Pass.

Watching Troy Brosnan, Aletha Ostgaard, and Henri Kiefer pilot the Sender CFR at the World Cup easily proves that this bike is among the fastest in the world. But those guys and girls possess godlike ability to ride bikes, so how does the Sender CFR fare under a mere mortal like me?

In short, I learned that the Sender CFR makes it wildly easy to ride really, really fast. The stability, traction, and damping are among the best I’ve ever experienced. I’ve quite literally never ridden a bike this smooth. Thanks to the high-pivot linkage and the added DT Kickback rear hub, there’s zero pedal feedback, but the bike doesn’t feel unnecessarily squishy—there’s always support there when you need it, but it takes the edge off everything. I found that pumping the bike for speed generated acceleration, though I quickly learned that the easiest way to go fast was just staying off the brakes and letting the bike handle the trail below.

I found myself consistently blowing my Strava times out of the water on familiar trails, all while thinking the bike actually felt “slow.” The bike feels very balanced front to rear, which makes the whole experience feel very intuitive. Kind of like, “oh, I’ve always been good at riding really fast.” 

Interestingly, the short chainstays, mullet configuration, and the overall body position it encourages in corners doesn’t lead to as much understeer as I’ve experienced on other high-pivot bikes, which tend to require much more body language to corner properly. For me, that was especially true with the shorter reach setting, but I ultimately liked the middle setting for all-out stability. 

In steep, loose, scary terrain, the bike feels really composed under braking. There’s no twitchiness, bucking, or unpredictability–but it still feels agile enough to get the rear wheel loose and place it where you need to in corners and ruts. There are certainly more playful bikes out there, but those mostly start to feel scary when things get really rowdy, which the Sender CFR does not.

On smooth, flowy trails, the bike feels alive at speed, but definitely feels a bit dead and boring until you get up to pace. It’s not what I’d prefer to ride on a blue flow trail, but it’s still super fun on jumps and sidehits. 

Who’s It For?

As a bike clearly aimed at downhill racers, the realistic user group for the Canyon Sender CFR is fairly small. However, if you’re a bike park rider or someone who frequents downhill races, this is easily one of the best options out of the box for a pro-caliber race bike. The spec is on point, the $7800 price is actually quite competitive for the build spec you get, and it’s got all the bells and whistles that make going really, really fast easy.

So if you’re on the fence, remember: it’s probably a good idea to bring the camera.

It’s always surprising what mountain biking content I find inspiring, and lately, it’s not the ultra-produced, high-speed shreddits and bike park riding that make me want to get out and ride. It’s the soulful storytelling and adventures that show the sport’s slower, more relatable side. Stuff like this makes me appreciate the many sides of this sport. 

“4 friends. 3 days. 2 nights. A camera. Zero bike-packing experience. Memories forever.”

“Been dreaming this trip up for a couple years after being sidelined with injuries, but the stars finally aligned and it was a go. We figured out the group, started planning the route, acquired gear and we were set. Once it came time to pack I was astonished how fast the weight adds up. Spent way too much time contemplating bringing the camera, it was a good amount of weight added in the pack, even with a barebones setup. However, the potential existential dread of not having it, and wanting it, seeped in. Now as I sit here typing this, boy am I glad I brought the camera.<br><br>Huge thanks to the homies for the continued stopping to get shots even when we were redlined every day. It is tough country out there, but worth every bit it.”

For a more XC-focused perspective, I handed this bike to someone who has raced UCI World Cups, so I suggest you read Carson’s take on the Specialized Epic 9.

Getting Going

Not all 120mm travel mountain bikes are the same. It would be crazy if it were that simple, but it isn’t. You can’t compare the Forbidden Reya, Norco Revolver, Transition Spur, Revel Ranger, and the Specialized Epic 9. While they might all share the same travel numbers, I don’t think they all fall into the same category. Some are XC bikes, and some are true XC bikes, and the Epic 9 is unapologetically a pure XC bike built for XC racing.

I’ve ridden a lot of 120mm bikes, and I really love the versatility of this travel category; while the Epic 9 is vastly different from many other 120mm bikes, it’s maybe one of the fastest-feeling bikes I’ve been on in a long time.

On the first few rides, I struggled to feel comfortable on the bike. It’s aggressive, to say the least, and obviously feels more aggressive than the bikes I normally ride. But the more time I spend on it, and the more I tweak it, the better it feels, and after a few months and hundreds of miles on the Epic 9, I’ve got some thoughts. 

The Build & What I Changed

The bike I was sent to review might not be the one I would buy if I were in the market for a Specialized Epic, but it’s the one that arrived, and I’m not complaining. The S-Works Epic 9 is a race bike that costs $15,249.99 USD. Clad in RockShox Flight Attendant, SRAM XX SL, Roval Control World Cup wheels, a one-piece Roval Control II Cockpit, and a Quarq power meter. The bike feels a little out of place underneath me, but it’s still a blast to ride, and I feel like I should be much faster, or at least fitter.

The wheels that came on the S-Works Epic 9 are the Roval Control World Cup; they have 20 carbon spokes front and rear, and at 998g for the pair with valves and tape, they don’t exactly inspire confidence on descents, especially when wrapped in super-light tires.

The build is a mixed bag of “holy shit this bike is fast” and “oh shit, I’m going to get myself into trouble.” The wheels and tires make for a bike that absolutely rips uphill and on mellow terrain, but they are so light that I find myself being extra careful with line choice, even when I’m just riding to and from the trailhead.

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I rode the bike as-is for quite a while, and after getting sick of being scared to blow up a wheel or tear open a tire, I made a few changes to make it feel more like some of the other 120mm bikes I’ve been on. Blasphemy, I know. 

I swapped the Control World Cup Wheels for the Roval Traverse SL II, and I changed the tires from the Fast Trak and Air Trak to the Purgatory in a trail casing and a slightly softer compound. Yes, it was noticeable almost immediately on both the climbs and the descents. The beefication of the S-Works Epic 9 was working, and I was working harder on the climbs, but I could keep the worry of slicing a sidewall or breaking a carbon spoke out of my mind, which let me push the bike just a little bit more.

I knew the heavier wheels and tires would have this effect, but I didn’t think it would be as dramatic, positively and negatively. I thought I might have taken the sparkle out of the Epic, but after the first few rides on the new configuration, I think I’m getting it more in the realm of something I would ride more often.

Living With and Riding the Epic 9

I could still swap the bars and stem for a more adjustable cockpit because the brake hoses aren’t run through the stem, and there are ports if I wanted to run a mechanical dropper post. Being able to make these changes without a headache is nice.

The Epic 9 climbs with vigor. That was one of the first things I noticed about the chassis. Wheel, tires, drivetrain, and suspension aside, the bike loves climbing. Even after I swapped to heavier wheels and tires, the Epic 9 still froths for climbs. Every bit of the rider’s power gets pushed through the back wheel, and the longer rear-center with the ridiculously firm suspension behavior makes for a very planted feeling on climbs.

The Epic 9 takes the Epic 8 and the Epic World Cup and effectively makes one bike, a bike made for racing, but with 120mm of travel up front and in the rear, it still does just fine if you aren’t racing. Part of the magic with the Epic 9 is the new suspension kinematic rework, and Specialized has tweaked things to give a pretty cool-looking curve. 

To simplify it, the first part of the travel is stiffer than it is once you hit sag, then it gets easier to move before ramping up toward the bottom of the stroke. On paper, this means pedaling feels responsive and rigid, but that means you end up losing a lot of small bump sensitivity. And it’s quite noticeable on trail. The Epic 9 just feels stiff in all aspects, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun to ride; you just have to be ready for it.

Some of the qualities that make the Epic 9 climb great also make it a pretty responsive descender. To be clear, the Epic 9 doesn’t feel like a trail bike at all, but it’s not terrible downhill, and after swapping the flip chip over and putting on beefier wheels and tires, the bike felt comfortable for most of what I subjected it to.

The geometry is maybe a little outside of what I would be comfortable with, and the 175mm AXS Reverb was slammed from the factory and still felt like it was up in my business pretty often, and the 70mm stem on the one-piece cockpit was a little long for my liking, but these are problems localized to the S-Works build. 

The bike is light as hell, and it shows. It’s quick, but also a little twitchy, and I found that it can feel a little nervous depending on how you’re riding it. The leverage ratio means the shock can get overwhelmed somewhat quickly, and the head tube angle is only 65.9 degrees at the slackest, so that should be an indication of how the bike will handle anything steep.

The Epic 9 is more aggressive across the board than most of the “XC” bikes I’ve ridden recently, and it’s a level up from the Epic 8. The head tube and seat tube angles are steeper, and the reach numbers are longer across all sizes, but the stack is a little higher, and the rear center has been lengthened. These are trends we’re seeing on trail bikes, and modern XC courses are clearly driving demand for more capable XC bikes, and the Epic 9 seems to meet the demand really well. 

Minor Conflicts

I don’t know if it’s just me not being an XC guy, or if the bike is a tad too big, but I found I needed to change a few things on the Epic 9 to make it work for me. I swapped the cockpit for a shorter stem and a 20mm-rise bar; I changed the wheels and tires, and I quickly swapped the flip-chip once I remembered it was there. After I totally bastardized the bike, it did start working really well for how I ride.

I know these changes wouldn’t be mandatory if I were on a build tier below the S-Works outfit. Something like the Epic 9 Pro or Expert, I would feel a lot less guilty swapping out the wheels and cockpit, and I likely wouldn’t feel the need to change the wheels.

I didn’t hate the bike before making these changes; in fact, I had a lot of fun on it and was pretty impressed with how well it climbed and handled mellow stuff. I could honestly see this bike replacing my gravel bike. But on a mountain bike, I want to go uphill so that I can go downhill fast and comfortably, and that wasn’t always the case on the Epic 9.

It’s hard to complain about the bike, because I don’t want to whine about the lightweight wheels and tires or the exposed dropper, because honestly, that’s absurd. This is a premium XC race bike, and the build fits that bill. However, I hate headset cable routing, and this bike has it, so I will complain about that. 

Parting Thoughts

It’s important to look at the bike from two perspectives. The things I didn’t really get along with are likely the things Carson loved about the bike, because he’s coming at it from a different background. But the fact that we both really like the bike speaks volumes about what Specialized has done here. It’s a perfect example of a modern XC bike that isn’t trying to bleed into the trail-bike category. It’s just fast.

I felt a lot of imposter syndrome on the Epic 9, and I think it partly fueled my need to do 100+ mile weeks back-to-back to feel a little better about riding a bike meant to carry athletes to the podium at World Cup races.

The finish and details on the Epic 9, like almost all other S-Works bikes, are without fault, and Specialized has cooked with this updated chassis. It’s pretty accessible in terms of how it rides, not very accessible in terms of price point (the S-Works specifically), and pretty surprising in versatility. I could see the Epic 9 Sport, at $4,699.99 USD, as a great bike for a wide range of riders, but if you’re looking for ultimate versatility, there are better options. If you’re after hot, nasty speed, then the Epic 9 is a bike seriously worth considering.

It’s not the lightest, nor is it widely available or offered in anything but 40mm of travel, but it is eye-catching, and I’d bet the new gravel-specific damper feels pretty good.

The fork is now available at a retail price of $995 USD, but in limited numbers; Just 300 units will be available worldwide through Öhlins’ Fast Forward Program. Learn more about how to get your hands on one on the Öhlins website.

Details

• Travel: 40 mm
• Stanchion: 30 mm
• Axle-to-crown: 445 mm
• Damper: FTX14
• Compression adjustment: Multi-position | manual lockout
• Weight: 1,249 g
• Brake mount: Flat Mount | 160 mm
• Tire clearance: 52 mm without fenders / 47 mm with fenders
• Accessory mounts: Integrated threaded mounts
• Color Options: Öhlins Racing Yellow

The Öhlins GXF30 makes the decision pretty easy. It offers no options for rake, travel, or dampers. The weight is pretty competitive and falls right in line with other forks in this category from RockShox and Fox, but isn’t nearly as svelte as something like the Cane Creek Invert or Lauf suspension forks. 

Many are familiar with the brand’s gravity and cross-country options and will recognize its emphasis on chassis rigidity, which carries over into this new gravel fork. Öhlins says the 30mm stanchions deliver steering stiffness comparable to its 100mm XC mountain bike platform, while weighing significantly less. One would hope so, since there is a lot less going on internally. With narrower hub spacing and less travel, gravel forks are naturally less prone to torsional stiction than longer-travel forks, and the chassis resists deflection, preserving steering precision through washboard, ruts, and roots.

The new FTX14 monotube damper, developed specifically for gravel, manages the internal pressures. Multi-position compression lets you fine-tune front-end support, and the fully manual crown lockout shuts off valves for long climbs on smooth roads. Öhlins chose 40mm of travel to balance bump compliance and tire traction without significantly changing modern gravel frame geometry. The resulting axle-to-crown measurement is 445mm.

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The GXF30 M.1 clears tires up to 52mm (47mm with fenders). It uses a flat-mount braking standard that is native to 160mm rotors. It’s not just for gravel racing, and Öhlins equipped the GXF30 with integrated, threaded accessory mounts on its lower legs.

The Coros Dura 2 won’t be available until November 3rd; The computer alone (without mount) will retail for $499 USD (499 EU/ $899 AUD/ 429 GBP/ $719 CAD).

There Are Many Like It, but This One Is Mine

Bike computers in 2026 can be hard to differentiate. They’re a lot like smartphones. Are you an Apple person, or Android? It comes down to the device ecosystem, but bike computers have less nuance. They all have to do pretty much the same things: record ride metrics, offer navigation, and connect to devices. All the flagship devices will do that, so it really comes down to the user interface and how well they do all these things. One of the big selling points, for me at least, is battery life, and Coros does it better than the rest. Another thing Coros has going for it is how easy it is to switch from whatever you use now, since they are really the only other brand besides Garmin that offers watches and cycling computers that truly feel integrated. Coros does it better, though. From the companion app to device communication, Coros might be onto something here.

At launch, the original Dura had a somewhat buggy UI, and the navigation was lacking. But years later, the Dura is a well-sorted machine that I can’t really knock for anything. Even better, it was super affordable ($249) for what it offered, and the battery life is still untouchable. So how do you follow up such an impressive GPS bike computer so soon after dropping one of the most talked-about options on the market? Well, you just make it better, but also a little more expensive.

Features and Specs

• Carbon and alloy construction
• 99 grams (device only)
• 3.5″ SHARP Memory-in-Pixel (MIP) Touchscreen
• Suite of navigation, performance, and customization features
• 120-hour battery with 2:1 solar regen (gain two hours of battery for every hour of sun exposure)
• Three ways to interact: buttons, voice commands, and touchscreen
• MSRP: $499 USD

The navigation features and connectivity are great, and I never have to faff around pairing devices. It just works, and that’s all we really want out of a bike computer, isn’t it? To be fair, I usually record rides with a watch because it’s easy enough and the HR monitor is built right in, but I have been using the Coros Dura 2 a lot over the last few weeks, and I have to say that I’m really impressed with what Coros has done with this new device. Albeit a little disappointed with the price since the first Dura was really, really competitively priced.

The new Dura 2 Solar isn’t quite as mind-blowing on price, but it’s still competitive and has a few things worth talking about. The build quality does reflect the increased price point, and even if this new Dura 2 Solar might not be as affordable as the Dura, it’s got all the other things going for it, and it’s found a way to bring all the things I want from a bike computer together in a package that looks great, works great, and has the same astounding battery life.

Comparison

Previously, my go-to bike computers have been the Dura and the Hammerhead Karoo. I chose the Dura for battery life and the Karoo for the user interface, so it depended on the ride. The Dura 2 Solar takes the strengths of both and combines them, which is why it’s well on its way to becoming my new favorite.

Bike computers are tricky to pick apart these days; they’re all pretty similar, and it really comes down to how we interact with them and how they work with the devices we use daily. This means Garmin has dominated the market with its watch and bike computer ecosystem, until recently, when Coros pushed into the space. And I’d argue that Coros might be doing a better job here. I do as Garmin watches for the most part, but my experience with their cycling computers is less than perfect. The UI is clunky, and their software isn’t the most reliable, with connections and battery life also lacking a bit.

What Coros is doing with its watches and bike computers feels very intentional, and the Dura 2 Solar puts some emphasis on that. After the unboxing of the Dura 2 Solar, something that Coros also does exceptionally well, I decided to also move back to a Coros watch to keep things all “on brand”, and I’ve been really impressed with how easy the transition away from the Fenix 8 has been (I do miss the flashlight, though).

User Interface

This is the big one for bike computers, and if the device is clunky to use or confusing in the layout or companion phone app, it’s kind of a hard sell. Coros has that down to a science, and although you do need a phone connection to use the Dura 2 Solar, the companion app and device interface is really well baked.

So far, I’ve mostly been on the gravel bike while testing the Dura 2, with a few mountain bike rides sprinkled in, and the overall impression has stayed positive. There are two side buttons: the right side starts and stops the ride and selects menu items if you aren’t using the touch screen, and the left side lets you lap and cancel. The new haptic buttons replace the Dura’s scroll wheel, and I’m glad for that, since that wheel, although unique, was a little clunky to use. The haptic buttons work with gloves and won’t get confused by water or sweat, and neither will the new MIP touchscreen, which is great since you can’t disable the touchscreen like you could on the first Dura.

View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article

One interesting feature added to the Dura 2 Solar is voice commands. It’s interesting, and I’ve messed with it a bit, but I don’t really use voice control on any of my devices, so I don’t see much personal need for it; but hey, it’s there, and it actually works really well. The voice command works like any other smart device and activates with a long press of the left button.

Connectivity

Pairing the Dura 2 Solar with devices is dead simple, especially with a smartphone. Just scan a QR code, and you’re done. Pairing ANT+ and Bluetooth is just as easy: pop into the accessories menu and pair devices. The unit remembers them and applies them to different ride profiles, and you can pair up to 32 sensors, so even if you have multiple bikes with different drivetrains, sensors, and cameras, go ahead and load them up.

I haven’t had any issues with devices connecting or spitting out weird data, so it seems Coros learned from the Dura launch and got this new device well sorted for launch, and the phone connection is consistent, with map sharing and route planning being a super easy process. I don’t love needing my phone always connected to the device, but oh well, that’s the world we live in, and thankfully, once a map is loaded and a route is set, I can keep the phone put away almost entirely. 

One feature that I really love that Coros has added is the ability to control cameras and music via the Dura 2 Solar. It might seem minor, but I’ve actually become really used to it after using the new Wahoo computers and the Karoo, so I really didn’t want to give that up.

The Dura 2 Solar In Action

This is where things get tricky. It’s just a bike computer. It sits on my bars and shows me what I need on a ride. From navigation to power, heart rate, and all the other metrics that matter. It’s the bare minimum these days, but one thing I really like about the Dura 2 Solar is the slightly underwhelming screen. I don’t want some pixel-dense display to stare at while I ride – that’s not why I’m riding my bike. I want something understated, something that doesn’t demand attention, and that’s what you get with the Dura 2’s MIP screen. I can glance down from time to time to see where I need to go or what my heart rate is, then get back to the task at hand.

The buttons are easy to use, with or without gloves, and although I don’t normally use voice controls on my phone, the Dura 2 seems to do a really good job at listening to me, even when there’s a lot of wind noise, and I can spout out my commands and know that it’ll understand what I’m saying (for the most part). There has been a weird prompt from the device if I don’t say anything, that brings up “xiaoyuzhou”, which, from what I can tell, is a popular Chinese podcast app. I’m assuming this is just because I’m in the device beta, but it’s still bizarre.

The build is premium, that’s for sure, and the design looks very futuristic compared to the other devices out there, which I really appreciate. I have a drawer of black bricks in my shed that all look pretty much the same, so it’s really easy to tell this one apart.

I can’t say much about durability, but I often glance at that tiny carbon-backed screen and wonder how it would hold up in a crash. The bezel is alloy, and it all seems quite sturdy, but I still wonder about it from time to time. The device has taken a few rock strikes, and somehow one knocked the display pretty good without leaving a mark. It is hardened mineral glass, so that might have something to do with it.

The Dura 2 Solar came with a new mount that Coros will sell for $79 USD, made of aluminum and compatible with most bars on the market, but not the bars I’m running with my current stem. Coros does have an out-front mount for integrated bars on the horizon, but it won’t be available at launch. It uses the standard Garmin-style quarter-turn mount, so most other computer mounts should fit.

Another small detail that I’ve enjoyed is the bell. I know, it’s small, but if you’re like me and commute from home to the trailhead on busy bikepaths, being able to double-tap the screen to ding at someone is a really handy feature. 

Final Take

Bike computers are good these days. As I said before, they all do the same thing, but some do it better than others, and the Dura 2 is right up there for me. It checks all the boxes for my needs, and I haven’t found any serious faults with it. The only thing that gives me pause is its long-term durability, but other devices have proven to be pretty fragile.

The Dura 2 Solar feels robust, is super easy to use, and has nuts battery life with the solar panels harvesting for you on rides. The form factor fits my needs, and I don’t want anything bigger than this on my bars. The screen is easy to read, the UI feels intuitive, and it works seamlessly, even with devices outside the Coros ecosystem. They’ve really nailed it. 

This marks a major shift for the brand, and the press release says operations at Cannondale’s historic office in Wilton, Connecticut, will wind down by mid-2027. This move will affect the 140+ employees, including a number who are currently working remotely.

As part of this restructuring, Cannondale will introduce a new North American sales model in which outside reps support multiple Pon.Bike brands, including Santa Cruz and Cervélo. Retailers carrying several brands will have one contact for easier ordering and support. A dedicated West Coast team will provide specialized expertise for commerce, retailers, and riders.

The restructuring also brings significant changes to global leadership. Cannondale’s current European headquarters in Woudenberg, Netherlands, will become its official global headquarters, while research, development, and engineering will remain based in Freiburg, Germany.

This announcement follows a string of other operational changes across Pon.Bike in 2026. In June, Pon.Bike announced plans to close Cannondale’s exclusive assembly factory in Almelo, Netherlands, by late 2027, and shift production to facilities in Germany and Lithuania. Earlier this summer, Cannondale also revealed it would end its historic Cannondale Factory Racing (CFR) World Cup program after the 2026 season, shifting its marketing focus in 2027 to a broader community focus and the recently announced influencer-based “Rogues” program.

Cars is one of my favorite movies of all time and has one of the best intros in cinema history. A black screen accompanied by Lightning McQueen saying “Speed, I am speed… I’m faster than fast, quicker than quick. I am lightning,” followed by the beautiful sounds of a race car, Cheryl Crow’s “Real Gone”, and a montage of some fantastic, animated NASCAR racing. Something about the intro to Cars gets me hyped up and makes me want to go fast; the new Specialized Epic 9 evokes the same feeling. Getting on the bike, initially, I could tell that this bike was a purebred race machine with the ability to do more than just race cross-country.

First Impressions

My first ride on the Epic 9 was a go-to Boise lunch loop with some moderate climbing and fast, wide-open descents. Fresh off a men’s elite Short Track Mountain Bike World Championship win, I was very excited to put the Epic through its paces. The moment I hit the dirt, the Epic felt right at home, and the efficiency was mind-blowing. When looking at the whole “ecosystem” of the bike from RockShox Flight Attendant to the Air Trak/Fast Trak tires, it’s evident that Specialized designed this bike with speed in mind.

My 1.5-hour lunch loop transitioned into me wanting to ride longer and harder as the Epic 9 craved speed and constant input from the rider. Sometimes, a bike can begin to feel dull, but that is never a feeling that occurs while riding the Epic. Micro-inputs while riding are instantly met with a reaction, which is something that I was initially hesitant about but began to love. Whether those inputs transpired while climbing or descending, the twitchiness and reactionary feel were a unique but welcomed feeling. That first ride really showed me that the Epic 9 could handle everything that was thrown at it from low- speed tech to fast descents, steep climbs, and fast singletrack.

Climbing

Coming in at ~22.5 lbs on the scale at home (Including bottle cages and a rear tire insert), the weight is evident while climbing. The Epic 9 loves to climb and is very efficient at doing so. One of the key features on the S-Works and Pro Epic 9 models is the RockShox Flight Attendant suspension, which takes out the mental effort of putting the suspension in the right mode and allows the rider to focus on the effort and trail ahead.

What surprised me most about the Epic was how composed and centered it is while climbing. Normally, those are words that I would use to describe the descending ability of a bike, but those adjectives are fitting for the climbing abilities of the Epic. In the sandy Boise, ID foothills, it’s common to lose rear-tire traction while standing and putting down power, especially on steep singletrack kickers with lightweight, fast-rolling XC tires. The Epic 9 never faltered under those conditions, which is something that surprised me.

The flex-stay layout of the rear triangle and nice small linkage helps keep it light while being madly efficient. Another aspect of the Epic that separates it from most XC bikes is the acceleration. Whether it be the geometry or lightweight build spec, stomping on the pedals out of a stoplight, riding to the trail, out of a switchback or over the top of a hill is met with instant acceleration that feels much faster than most bikes. Weight and geometry both play a factor in this feeling, but I also noted that the flex-stay and supportive suspension layout also helped.

For someone racing cross-country competitively, the Epic 9 would be a worthy platform to race on. Lightweight and fast, with a leverage ratio that is firmer on the top end, rewards any power and torque that the rider puts into the pedals. For the everyday rider, this same platform translates nicely into an accessible pedaling machine. Fast and efficient on the climbs to help encourage riding and climbing longer and faster, but saving energy in the long run due to the efficient nature of the Specialized Epic 9.

Descending

Initially, I was wary about the descending abilities of the Epic. The lightweight-ness of the bike and the VERY light wheels/tires were not the most confidence-inspiring, and sometimes it felt like riding on the knife’s edge of traction.

As I became more accustomed to the ways of the Epic, I started to fall in love with the descending abilities. Is it as plush as other “XC” bikes such as the Yeti ASR or the Scott Spark? No. Is it still a fun and capable descending machine? Very much so.

I have had the experience of racing some gnarly World Cups from Mount-Sainte-Anne in the wet to Val di Sole in the dust, and the Epic is a bike that can hold its own with some gnarly terrain. You can tell that Specialized had these technical tracks in mind when designing the new Epic 9, as the 120mm of travel front and rear follows the new norm for XC bikes. The Epic does a great job with the 120 of travel front and rear and feels very composed on the downhills. I would describe it as a very firm and supportive ride while remaining stable and predictable. I never felt like I was “underbiked” even while riding some of the most technical and steep trails in Southern Idaho.

The leverage ratio that makes the Epic 9 such a wonderful climbing machine has its drawbacks on the downhills. The small bump sensitivity doesn’t seem to be as good as the Epic 8 predecessor. Once the suspension breaks into the middle and end stroke; the suspension becomes much more consistent and confidence-inspiring.

During my time on the Epic, I never swapped around the flip chip on the rear shock. I got along just fine with the “high” mode as I’m used to XC geometries with steeper headtubes and higher BB. I’m positive that flipping into the “low” mode would further increase the downhill prowess of the Epic, and the slacker headtube would make for a great feeling ride when things get extra steep or technical.

Throwing on some beefier tires, slightly heavy wheels, and swapping the flip chip into the “low” setting would turn the Epic 9 into a “downcountry” beast. I would love to see Specialized come out with an Epic 9 EVO that combines the climbing efficiency and lightweight-ness with a 130mm fork and more trail-focused spec. I think that a bike like that would become a “quiver killer” and be one of the best all-rounded trail/down country bikes out there. As it stands, the race-focused Epic 9 is a wonderful descender and is a very comfortable and confidence-inspiring ride.

Things I liked

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Suspension layout

Nice and clean. I am a sucker for a good-looking frame and suspension layout, which is something that the Epic 9 does a great job of. The Specialized Epic World Cup had a very neat rear shock with 75mm of travel that tucked right under the top tube. The Epic 9 shares some similarities but boosts the 120mm of rear travel.

Saddle

I’ve always been a huge fan of the Specialized Power saddles. The 3D-printed version takes that comfort to the next level while keeping things light. I would highly consider running this saddle on all my bikes, although the price tag comes with a bit of a gut punch.

Bars (Contact Points/cockpit)

Piggybacking on the saddle, all the contact points on the S-Works Epic 9 are fantastic. The one-piece bar and stem were a nice addition, and I liked having the extra angles of the bars, which allowed for another hand position while climbing. I’m not sure that it’s a feature that Specialized had in mind, but I enjoyed it.

Flight attendant, 170mm cranks

As someone with a 36-inch inseam, I’ve been a 175mm purist and hesitant to switch to shorter cranks. With Specialized stocking 170mm cranks in the M-XL sizes, I was impressed with how they felt across a variety of terrain and situations.

Flight attendant is also a wonderful upgrade to any bike. The simplicity of having technology do the work and make micro adjustments depending on the terrain, power, and suspension input makes this bike even more of a high-tech rocket ship. As someone who has raced cross country competitively for the past 6 years, I’ve used every manual lockout available, from the Twistloc to the TwinLoc.

Flight Attendant is second to none in the lockout category, and its number of adjustments and suspension-bias features make it something I thoroughly enjoyed and could see myself purchasing in the future.

Things I Disliked

Motive Brakes

The S-Works Epic 9 comes stock with the newest 4-piston SRAM Motive Brakes. I really enjoyed the old 4-piston SRAM Levels when they first came out and was hoping that the Motives would be the next great upgrade as they would have time to improve on the first edition. The Motives did not have as much power as I would have expected.

There were definitely some situations while riding where I would have liked more power, and I would even go as far as saying that 2-piston Shimano XTR brakes or the old 4-piston Levels have more power. On top of the lack of power, they were very noisy, and I felt as if the pistons were getting sticky and not wanting to retract back into position. I was running organic pads to quiet things down and had the calipers perfectly aligned over the rotors. No matter what I tried, there would be the occasional “zing” here and there and some rubbing after any sections of braking.

View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article

Stock Tires

The tires that are spec’d on the S-Works Epic 9 are a double-edged sword. They are very fast and light, which work great for XC racing but not as good for everyday riding. I was impressed with the flat protection but would have liked something with a little bit more tread and grip for the everyday ride and rider.

Headset cable routing

Does any consumer actually want headset cable routing? I am not a fan, but it keeps showing up on more bikes. I understand it for road and gravel applications, but keep it away from the MTB world.

Lack of in-frame SWAT Box and derailleur cable housing

I get keeping frames light by removing in-frame storage and derailleur-housing ports, but it would be nice to have that option on at least some trim levels. I can deal with the small SWAT tool mounted under the bottle cage because it is small and discreet, but the SWAT toolbox that mounts beneath the bottle cage looks silly, and I would much rather have the option to store things in the frame like tools or maybe a vest and arm warmers.

Overall Impression

Over the month I rode the Epic 9, I was very impressed with how it climbs, descends, and does it all. Specialized clearly made this bike with speed and racing in mind, but it does so much more than that.

The Epic 9 is a bike that anyone can throw a leg over and feel both confident and fast, without being uncomfortable and overwhelmed. I thoroughly enjoyed the composed descending abilities and snappy nature of the Epic 9, while also being able to fly uphill on the sub-23 lb bike. As a racer, the Epic 9 might as well be the gold standard, but for the everyday rider, it is still a bike that will leave you in awe of the lightweight, highly efficient, and capable ride that the Epic 9 is.

For those who aren’t familiar with the North Shore Triple Crown, it’s a simple concept. You start at Deep Cove, end at Horseshoe Bay, dunking your tires in the ocean at each end. The journey from start to finish takes you up and down each of the major North Shore mountains: Mt. Seymour, Mt. Fromme, and Cypress Mountain. On any given day, a single Triple Crown is a big task.

Matthew Fairbrother is one of mountain biking’s most impressive talents right now, and what makes him so unique is his calm, calculated, humble demeanor in a sport often dominated by ego and bragging rights. Over the years, Fairbrother has set his sights on ticking off many truly spectacular feats, and his latest epic is nothing short of remarkable.

What’s one more? One more lap, one more climb, one more descent, one more hour. 

It’s a simple question, but after nearly 23 hours, the answer isn’t as simple as it may seem. At a point, it stops being a physical limit and becomes a conversation with yourself. How far are you willing to go, and how much more can you squeeze out of the already nearly empty tank? Fairbrother answers this question as only he could, and shows just how far the body can go if the mind is willing.

“A couple of years ago, I rode the North Shore Triple Crown three times back-to-back. That was a huge challenge for me at the time, but it also left something unfinished in my head. I’d done three, so naturally I started wondering about four.”

<strong>“Eventually, curiosity became louder than my common sense, and I knew I had to come back.” </strong>

“The North Shore has always held a special place in mountain biking alongside my own journey within the sport. It’s where so many of the sport’s ideas were born, and where the culture runs just as deep as the roots covering the trails. Linking Seymour, Fromme and Cypress once is already considered a bucket-list ride. Repeating it over and over strips away the novelty and leaves you with something much simpler.” 

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Throughout our time with Matthew, one thing was clear – he’s not one to make a big song and dance about things. He quietly goes about things, getting on with the job at hand. 

“The original plan this time was four laps. Five only became part of the picture during the fourth loop. That’s probably the detail that best explains the whole project: I was already working toward something bigger than I’d done before, and somehow another question was still forming. I’d come back to answer whether I could do four, and now I was wondering about five.” 

“There’s something interesting about making that decision while you’re already deep into a ride. Before starting, everything is hypothetical. During the fourth loop, I had a much better understanding of what another one would involve. It meant committing to the same three mountains again, with all the riding already in my legs. “What’s one more” sounds quite casual until you think about what that one actually contains.”

“This ride wasn’t about numbers or records. It was about following curiosity wherever it leads, even when it takes far longer, hurts far more, and makes far less sense than anyone, including yourself, could imagine. That’s the story I want to share. The finish matters, but so does the thinking that gets you there: where the idea comes from, how the goal changes, and the decision to commit again when you’ve already done a huge amount. This ride started with wanting to know whether four was possible and somewhere along the way, that became five.” 

So, what’s one more? Well, in this case, it was another 6 hours 56 minutes and 47 seconds, 88.2km, and 3001 meters.

Ride Statistics

• Distance: 453.33km 
• Elevation: 15,005m 
• Moving Time: 27:43:29 
• Elapsed Time: 29:38.31 
• Average Speed: 16.4 km/h 
• Max Speed: 63 km/h 
• Average Heart Rate: 137 BPM 
• Max Heart Rate: 195 BPM 
• Strava KOMs: 5 

Lap Times

• Lap 1: 4:52:03 
• Lap 2: 10:06:38 
• Lap 3: 15:22:17 
• Lap 4: 22:41:44 
• Lap 5: 29:38.31

Rider: Matthew Fairbrother 
Produced By: Lazy Sundays Studio 
Videography, Editing & Color: Aedan Skinner 
Sound: Futurebarn Audio 
Photography: Jake Paddon

Just last week, we heard that Continental is also joining the fray with a 32″ Dubnital tire, so it’s safe to say 32″ is no longer just a passing fad.

Details

The complete Reserve 30|XC wheelset retails for $1,799 USD, $2,499 CAD, €1,799 EUR, $2,199 AUD, or £1,600 GBP. Prefer to buy just the rims? They’re available for $699 USD each. Find out more at reservewheels.com.

View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article

The Reserve 30|XC rim features a 30mm internal width, creating an ideal tire profile and providing ample sidewall support. Reserve recommends pairing it with tires between 2.0 and 2.4 inches wide. It also has a 37mm external width, a 28mm depth, an effective rim diameter (ERD) of 649, and a 3mm asymmetric offset.

The complete wheelset uses DT Swiss 350 hubs with boost spacing, six-bolt brake mounts, and is available with XD, MS, or HG driver-body options. The total wheelset weight is 1,911 grams, including rim tape, Fillmore valves, and an XD driver body. The front wheel weighs 882 grams, while the rear wheel weighs 1,029 grams. Each standalone rim weighs in at 523 grams.

To accommodate the larger 32-inch diameter, Reserve reinforced the rim and refined its profile. This design helps the 32-inch model deliver the same stiffness and responsive ride feel as the existing 29-inch version. The rim profile balances radial and lateral stiffness, while 28-hole lacing helps preserve ride quality without adding unnecessary weight or compromising performance.

Like with their other wheels and rims, Reserve backs the 30|XC with a lifetime warranty, so you can ride with added peace of mind. If a Reserve rim or Fillmore valve breaks while you’re riding, the company will replace it or find a solution.

Available now at Reservewheels.com

If you search for an affordable kids mountain bike, your search results are likely going to return with big box store bikes that are not designed for actual mountain biking. They’ll be kid sized bikes with components that are heavy and unreliable, and geometry that is awkward which results in a frustrating ride for kids. But if you are looking for a kids mountain bike with quality components that can handle the trails yet doesn’t break the bank, the Specialized Riprock is that bike.

Note that there are two separate Riprock series. The Riprock 20 and Riprock 24 which both come with rigid forks and the comp version that has an X Fusion or Manitou fork with 100mm of travel. This review is based on the budget friendly Riprock which is the rigid fork model.

Riprock 24

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Riprock 20

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SPECIALIZED RIPROCK OVERVIEW

• Wheels: 20”, 24”
• Fork:
  • 20” model is a rigid fork, A1 Premium Butted Alloy with alloy steerer and 15x110mm spacing
  • 24” model is a rigid fork, A1 Premium Butted Alloy
• Brakes: Promax DSK-926 hydraulic disc brakes with adjustable reach levers
• Frame: A1 Premium Butted Alloy, internal cable routing, 148mm thru-axle, dropper-post compatible
• Weight: 21.1 lbs (20”), 23.2 lbs (24”)
• MSRP (USD): $699.99 (20”), $799.99 (24”)

THE DETAILS

Specialized recently upgraded their line of kids bikes to be bikes well suited for young riders rather than just child sized bikes. The Riprock is best compared to the woom OFF series bike, another trail ready rigid fork kids mountain bike that we have reviewed previously, however, the price point for the Riprock is considerably less. 

Both bikes feature an alloy frame, Promax disc brakes, and 9 gears. While the woom OFF is 2 lbs lighter mostly due to its carbon fork (we also tested the woom OFF Air which has a suspension fork), and has a better SRAM drivetrain, it is at the time of writing $500 more than the Riprock.

There is more to like about the Riprock than just its price point. Welcome additions on the Riprock include shorter 115mm cranks, a clutch on the derailleur, and a mini-fender on the fork which are brilliant trail ready features. Short cranks mean young riders will pedal efficiently and a little more effortlessly. A clutch on the derailleur will reduce chain slap, protecting the chain itself and the frame but also resulting in less dropped gears. The mini-fender may result in a little less mud on your kids face when they’re riding all day.

While there are some similarities with the woom OFF, the geometry of the Riprock does differs greatly. The Riprock has a lower minimum seat height, lower top tube but also a lower handlebar height than the woom. This means riders with inseams as short as 26” will fit the Riprock, but they will be sitting in a more aggressive forward position which isn’t as ideal for timid or beginner riders. 

What it is ideal for is trail riding. As the Riprock can accommodate smaller riders, these small riders on bigger tires will be able to enjoy high speeds with great traction on rougher trails. The lower top tube also means that kids can maneuver on the bike easier, which is handy for things like cornering or getting on and off the bike itself.

Of course the lower heights on the seat post and handlebars means that kids will outgrow this bike a little earlier, as we noticed with our 7-year-old who already seems to be at the max height allowance on her seat post on this 24” bike, whereas we’d expect the woom OFF to fit her for another year without concern.

There were only a few details we thought should be fixed on the stock Riprock bike. The lack of a quick release on the bike seat collar is an unfortunate oversight, however, it is dropper post ready which isn’t common for bikes at this price point. We’d upgrade the pedals to have a wider platform and metal pins, and grips that were a bit more robust than the stocked grips (we love the Brood Tenderriderz on Spawn’s Yama Jama).

While the hydraulic disc brake is certainly a noticeable upgrade from the bulk of budget bikes, it’s not without faults. We’ve had trouble with Promax brakes leaking or feeling spongy in the past, and it would be something that parents would have to keep an eye on with extended or rough use.

SIZE AND MODEL SPECS

• Wheels: 20” and 24”
• Frame material: A1 Premium Butted Alloy, internal cable routing, 148mm thru-axle, dropper-post compatible
• Drivetrain: 
  • 20” model has 40t chainring, 11-42T 8-speed microSHIFT Acolyte cassette, derailleur and trigger shifter 
  • 24” model has 40t chainring, 11-42T 9-speed microSHIFT Advent cassette, derailleur and trigger shifter 
• Fork:
  • 20” model is a rigid fork, A1 Premium Butted Alloy with alloy steerer and 15x110mm spacing
  • 24” model is a rigid fork, A1 Premium Butted Alloy
• Tires: 20” and 24” models, Kicker Wirebead with 2.1″ width 
• Rims: Alloy, 16mm depth, 25mm internal width, 28H
• Rear Hub: Alloy, 6-Bolt, 28H, 12×148 Boost, 11-speed compatable
• Headset: 1-1/8″ threadless steerer tube
• Stem: 35mm
• Handlebars: Double Butted Alloy, 40mm rise, 11deg back sweep, 2.5deg up seep, 31.8mm, 620mm
• Seatpost: Specialized, 6061 alloy, 2-bolt clamp, 0mm setback, 30.9mm
• Brakes:  Promax DSK-926, Hydraulic Disc Brake, 160mm Rotor, Adjustable Reach

Riprock 24

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Riprock 20

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RIDE IMPRESSIONS

The first thing we noticed on the Riprock 24 is something we’ve already mentioned: the geometry. The handlebar height is low, much lower than the woom OFF series which we have also reviewed, and combined with our tester being at the top end of height allowances with her seat post nearly raised to its maximum, her positioning was much more forward and aggressive than the woom. Since she is a confident rider, the aggressive position wasn’t a concern, but it wasn’t as comfortable. Therefore, if your child is very timid, a first time rider or not likely to be doing singletrack trails, this positioning might give me a reason to pause. 

With grippy 2.1” tires and a mini-fender up front, we hit the trails which included sandy and rooty cross country tracks. The shifters worked effortlessly and the Riprock glided over all the terrain well. Even though our daughter is used to bikes with suspension, she was still able to ride over rocks and roots without complaints of too much discomfort.

Overall, the Riprock handled well. It’s quick, nimble, and has just the right amount of frills without making it overpriced or overweight.

GEOMETRY

FINAL THOUGHTS

In a world where bikes get increasingly expensive, it’s nice to see a bike with quality components and trail centric geometry that is still at an accessible price point. As an established bike brand, Specialized is found in bike shops across the world and it’s great to see them taking kids bikes seriously.

The Riprock 24 as a budget friendly bike option has components similar to much higher priced bikes, and with geometry that will get a smaller rider in the saddle on tires that are capable of tackling rougher terrain and singletrack trails.

While this review was done by our 7-year-old daughter who was nearing the height maximum for this bike, the lower seat height and standover height made this ride accessible for our 5-and-a-half-year-old. Getting younger kids on bigger tires but staying on a frame that they can maneuver safely is a huge bonus.

There are a few upgrades I’d make on this ride like the pedals, but the Riprock is trail worthy for those who are already confident pedallers and ready for fun.

These new models lower the price with a new alloy rear end and more affordable build packages, but they keep the same Avinox M2S motor.

The Zendit For More Folks

The Zendit R and Zendit S pair the carbon front triangle with a new aluminum alloy rear end and rocker link. Mondraker says this combination makes the platform accessible to more riders at new price points and riding styles. Part of that equation is the post-mold 6-axis machining for the alloy components, and both models use single-size Enduro Max bearings with two extra rubber seals to better protect against dirt and water.

Both models use Mondraker’s Zero suspension platform, with 165mm of rear travel and 170mm up front, and have the same geometry flip chip near the lower shock mount. In the standard setting, the head tube angle is 63.5 degrees. The low setting changes the HTA to 63.1 degrees, lowers the bottom bracket, and shortens reach by 4 millimeters.

Chainstay length varies by frame size: 450mm for S, M, and M/L, and 455mm for L and XL. The key difference is that both options come standard with a dedicated mixed-wheel mullet setup. Clearly pointing to who the intended user might be.

The power matches the full-carbon models. Both the ZENDIT R and S come with the Avinox M2S drive unit and an integrated 800 Wh battery, and they nailed the aesthetics. Honestly, I think it’s one of the sleekest-looking eMTBs on the market.

Pricing, Builds, and Geometry

Zendit R

The Zendit R comes in Greyhound Grey and Ionite Blue and weighs 23.95 kg (53-ish lbs), but they don’t list the size; with a motor this powerful, it doesn’t matter much. The build includes a Fox 38 Float GRIP Performance fork, a Fox Float X Performance shock, a SRAM S1000 Eagle AXS T-Type rear derailleur, SRAM Maven Base brakes, and DT Swiss Hybrid H 1900 SPLINE wheels.

$9,799 USD / £6,799 / $10,999 CAD / €7,499

Zendit S

The Zendit S is offered in Obsidian Grey and Optic White. This model features a RockShox ZEB Base 29 fork, a RockShox Super Deluxe Select shock, a SRAM 70 Eagle T-Type 12-speed rear derailleur, SRAM Maven Base brakes, and Mavic E-Access XR30 wheels. Both models use the same E.13 Helix Core E Spec cranks and Maxxis tires.

$8,999 USD / £5,999 / $9,999 CAD / €6,499

Geometry

I woke up this morning to Devinci teasing what looks to be a new downhill bike. Something with a dual-crown fork, a horizontally mounted shock, and 40 years of learning behind it, or at least that’s what the website says. Whatever it is, we’ll have to wait until next spring to know for sure. For now, all we have is this video and some poetic verses from the brand.

“FOR FORTY YEARS, WE’VE LEARNED THE HARD WAY.
OUR WAY.
IN OUR FACTORY.
ON THE TOUGHEST TRACKS.
IN THE HARSHEST CONDITIONS.
AND AT FULL SPEED.

WE’VE DESIGNED, WELDED, TESTED, BROKEN, AND STARTED OVER MORE TIMES THAN WE CAN COUNT.

NOT TO RELIVE THE PAST.
TO BUILD WHAT COMES NEXT.
EVERYTHING FORTY YEARS OF PASSION HAVE LED US TO.
SOMETHING HAS TAKEN SHAPE UNDER OUR ROOF IN CHICOUTIMI, QUEBEC.

BORN FROM FORTY YEARS OF CANADIAN MANUFACTURING.
SHAPED BY RIDERS PAST AND PRESENT.
BUILT FOR DOWNHILL.
MADE TO BE PUSHED HARDER THAN ANYTHING BEFORE IT.

WE’RE NOT QUITE READY TO SHOW YOU EVERYTHING YET.
BUT YOU’LL KNOW WHAT IT IS WHEN YOU SEE IT.
40 YEARS ISN’T THE STORY. WHAT WE BUILT FROM THEM IS.”

Downhill racing and freeride are having a moment right this year, and many brands are releasing new and updated flagship DH chassis. This is interesting to me, considering most people who ride aren’t in the market for a DH bike, at least not in my circle. They’re not very versatile, and they don’t make much sense if you don’t live somewhere with immediate shuttle or bike park access, but here we are.

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Continental says its performance technologies in a 32-inch format will help riders tackle rough terrain with this larger wheel size. The new, larger wheel design helps build momentum and roll over obstacles more easily, while the wider contact patch improves traction and stability- who doesn’t want that? But, of course, the larger wheel size isn’t for everyone, and although it’s all over the news these days, it’s not ideal for smaller riders, and I would assume we won’t see this new wheel size forced on everyone.

To achieve its performance goals, the new Dubnital tire will feature Continental’s lightweight Race Casing paired with its fast-rolling Rapid Compound. This combination is engineered to boost rolling efficiency while reducing rider fatigue on longer, more demanding off-road rides. The Dubnital already excels at this, and a larger size will only amplify it. 

The launch of the Dubnital in a 32” variant reflects the cycling industry’s growing interest in larger wheels. Alexander Haenke, Continental Tires’ Product Manager for MTB and Gravel, said the company is staying ahead of the changing market. “Interest in 32-inch wheels is clearly growing, and we want riders to have access to Continental’s top tire technologies as soon as new wheel sizes arrive,” Haenke said. He added that launching the Dubnital lets Continental support new frame designs from the start and shows the brand’s commitment to developing tires specifically for this emerging format.

Cyclists ready to switch to the larger wheel standard can expect the 32” Dubnital Race Rapid to launch worldwide in April 2027.

Omata Details

• Imperial or Metric options
• GPS tracking records data without cluttering your ride
• ANT+ and iOS connectivity
• Compatible with all Garmin and Wahoo mounts
• Up to 17-hour battery life
• USB-c charging
• 83g
• MSRP: $800 USD
• Available at Silca.cc

Why I think It Matters

I’m doing a little detox from social media and excessive screen time, which is honestly pretty hard when my job is to stare at a screen, write articles, and edit videos. A bike ride is about the only time I really disconnect from the computer screen. There are so many beeps, dings, pings, and screens on everything these days, and the Omata has always been an alternative to that norm.

I’ve drooled over the Omata since it launched, but they were pretty rare in the wild, and the asking price was steep for someone deeply entrenched in food service and part-time at a bike shop. Then COVID hit, and supply chains suffered, and the Omata seemed to die off, but Silca has brought it back. After watching the new launch video, it’s clear the company’s ethos hasn’t changed, and it might actually be more appropriate given how inundated people are with screens these days.

Omata Features

The Omata isn’t cheap or designed for everyone, but it offers a unique interface that I think aligns more with the roots of adventure cycling. There’s no navigation, no screen, no notifications, no workout planner, and no touchscreen. It’s an analog device for those who like riding analog machines, and I think it still has a place and appeal for many riders.

I’ve been testing bike computers lately, and I keep struggling with pairing them all to my phone and the resulting screen time. I don’t want to look at a screen while I ride my bike – there’s a reason I don’t use Zwift. Omata lets you track the ride and all the data without it being in your face on a screen the entire time. 

The device is minimal, true, but it can still connect to ANT+ devices and your phone, and the UI is a little different from what most of us are used to. It’s all buttons and dials, and Seiko makes it beautiful. But we are still in 2026, and the IOS app is still required to download and upload ride data to your preferred app.

It might look less impressive than a touchscreen GPS bike computer, but if you know watches, you’ll know that the movement behind an analog device like this is more complex than the surface suggests. But a lot is going on behind the face. Underneath OMATA’s rotary dial is a 72-channel GPS tracking engine and hardware that communicates with accessories like heart rate, power, and cadence sensors. Instead of displaying data on a digital screen, a custom Seiko movement with four stepper motors drives physical hands to show the data. The Omata displays speed, distance, ascent, and time, offering precise tracking and easy readability at a glance.

The Omata is clearly more targeted at drop-bar riders, as it’s more common to use a bike computer for that application, but due to its small form factor and durability, it’s a viable option for anyone who’s sick of the screen time and clutter, or just wants a bike computer with more timeless aesthetics. 

The event was moved up to avoid approaching inclement weather and now takes place on Friday, October 16th; the riders are already looking ready for the madness the newly built track has in store, and the latest video from Red Bull is sure to get you fired up for the main event.

It’s not without hiccups, however, and the course has already claimed a couple of victims during practice, with Lina Frener of Norco Racing Division taking a slam on one of the gnarliest drops on track. Lina got right back up and seems to be in good spirits. Steve Vanderhoek, a local legend, beacon of positivity, and alternate rider for the event, took a spill, sustaining a concussion and a broken nose.

Spills are inevitable at events like this, and although it’s morbidly exciting to many onlookers, and great for headlines, we wish all the rides safe travels from the start hut to the finish line. We also want to give a huge shoutout to the dig crew who made the entire thing possible.

Aside from the couple of incidents that seem to come with events like this, the riders are on track and putting together full top-to-bottom runs in less-than-ideal conditions. The visuals are pretty damn impressive, too, and Red Bull put together a damn-fine video that shows just how absurd the Hardline events are. The scale of some of these features is hard to visualize, not to mention the speed at which these athletes ride them.

When Aventon released its first eMTB, no one really expected it to be this good, but the Aventon Current is pretty damn impressive. The brand started in track and fixed gear, then moved into affordable, commuter-focused e-bikes. The news that they were developing a competitive eMTB was intriguing, and so far, the Aventon Current has been a great example of a brand pivoting just enough from the norm to do something really cool.

At launch, the Aventon Current had two options in the US market, and the UK had a third. The Current came in the ADV and EXP build levels. The former is all aluminum, and the latter has a carbon front triangle, an alloy rear end, and a more premium build kit. There’s another build tier: the Current LTD.

The Current has been on the market for a while, and I see it pretty frequently, so it’s obviously appealing, but it lacked a truly top-end build package. Until now. Aventon has announced a super-limited run of the Current LTD. It has the same great motor and frame as the Current EXP, with more bling and a very limited run.

Details

The Current LTD retails for $7,999 USD / 7,999 € with just 99 units worldwide, each with individually numbered frames and a limited-edition colorway. Preorders open Oct 18 via the Aventon DTC website, but several dealers will also have units available.

Aventon Current Review

What Aventon released was impressive. It rides exceptionally well, doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, and it also doesn’t rely on a motor from one of the major brands. They developed their own powertrain and stuck it in a bike that they designed from the ground up, and it’s pretty great. They also have a super extensive, responsive dealer network to help if anything major comes up. And after who-knows-how many miles on my Current, I still haven’t had an issue.

When the industry is flooded with a certain category, it’s hard to stand out and differentiate, especially in one that is so damn opinionated, but Aventon has done a great job. I’ll say the Current isn’t perfect and has some quirks, but overall, what it accomplished in such a saturated market is admirable.

This new Current LTD has RockShox Ultimate suspension, SRAM Maven Ultimate brakes, SRAM XO Transmission drivetrain, Crankbrothers Synthesis alloy wheels, and a Truvative cockpit with carbon bars. This obviously means the Current LTD will demand a higher retail price, but with only 99 units available, it’s enough to pique the interest of those who might want the Current EXP in a slightly more boutique package.

I’m always a bit skeptical of folding e-bikes. How do you expect to get good ride quality from a bike that you can scrunch up to fit in a car trunk? You typically end up with one of two problems. Either the bike is flimsy, wobbly, and terrible to ride, or it becomes so bulky and heavy that it defeats the folding bike goal of easy portability.

The Tern Vektron gets much closer to what all folding e-bikes should be. When folded, it’s actually compact and lightweight enough to easily lift into a car or carry onto public transit. When unfolded, the stiff frame, comfortable geometry, and smooth Bosch power make for a bike that’s surprisingly enjoyable to ride.

No, it will never be as fast or confident as a “normal” e-bike, but for a ride you can stow away in a cupboard, it does pretty damn well.

Vektron P5i

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Vektron P10

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Tern Vektron Build Details

The Tern Vektron (Gen 4) comes in two different build kits: the P5i and the P10. The only differences between the two are the drivetrain and the display.

• e-Bike Class: Class 1 pedal-assist (up to 20 mph)
• Motor: Bosch BES2 Performance Line mid-drive motor, 36V, 250W sustained (600W peak), 65Nm torque
• Battery: Bosch PowerPack 400Wh frame-mounted removable lithium-ion battery
• Controls: Controls: Bosch Intuvia display (P5i) or Bosch Purion (P10) | Integrated torque sensor
• Frame and Fork: Hydroformed 6061 Aluminum folding frame with patented OCL+ joint technology | Tern Tarsus 6061 hydroformed rigid aluminum fork
• Drivetrain
  • P5i: 5-speed Shimano Nexus INTER 5E internally geared hub paired with a Gates Carbon Drive CDC belt drive
  • P10: 10-speed Shimano Deore traditional derailleur drivetrain (11-36T cassette) 
• Wheels and Tires: 20″ x 2.15″ Schwalbe Big Apple puncture-resistant tires | Kinetix Comp aluminum double-wall rims
• Brakes: Magura MT4 hydraulic disc brakes
• Weight: 47.2 lbs (for the P5i) or 48.9 lbs (for the P10)  | 275 lbs max total payload capacity; 59.5 lbs rear rack capacity)
• MSRP: $4,099.00 for P5i | $3,699.00 for P10

The build kit on the Vektron is polished and well-rounded. The components aren’t all top-of-the-line, but there’s nothing that feels like it’s holding the bike back. The part selection leans heavily toward long-term reliability and ease of maintenance, especially on the P5i model we tested.

Tern uses Bosch drive systems across their entire lineup. Bosch makes some of the most reliable and refined e-bike systems on the market. The Vektron uses Bosch’s mid-range Performance Line motor and 400Wh PowerPack battery. This combination delivers ample power and range for this lightweight bike. More importantly, this system is going to work and keep working for a very long time. It is durable, highly water- and dust-resistant, and backed by a great warranty.

That motor comes hooked up either to a 10-speed Shimano Deore drivetrain or a Gates Belt Drive with a Shimano Nexus hub shifter. I’ll talk more about this tradeoff later in the review, but here’s the gist: The Deore setup will be more efficient while the Belt Drive is much more reliable, durable, and low-maintenance.

The only thing I don’t necessarily love about the build is the basic non-color LCD display. In practice, it is totally fine while riding. I’ve just gotten used to larger color e-bike screens that can display more information, like you’ll find on the Aventon Level 4.

One place city bikes tend to skimp is on brakes. Tern took the opposite approach by fitting this bike with heavy-duty 4-piston Magura brakes designed for hard mountain bike riding. You could argue that these brakes are overkill for this bike, but I will never complain about better stopping power and control.

Real-World Motor and Battery Performance

The Bosch Performance Line motor on the Vektron is rated at 65Nm of torque and 250W sustained power jumping up to 600W max power. That’s pretty standard for modern mid-drive commuters, so I wasn’t expecting anything out of the ordinary.

In practice, the motor feels very quick and responsive, but it lacks the punchy acceleration of some more powerful hub motor or Class 3 e-bikes. Riding around town, I averaged 125W coming out of the motor. The bike is limited strictly to Class 1, so it maxes out at 20 mph. I could sustain this speed easily on flats, but on gradual climbs I had to downshift and slow down.

The 400Wh battery is also on the smaller end for modern e-bikes, with 500–600Wh being common. Tern advertises that you can get 28-70 miles out of the battery.

In my testing, I rode 42 miles of relatively moderate riding (in a pretty hilly area). That’s better than I was expecting with the 400Wh battery. The bike is lightweight with smooth-rolling tires, which means the motor doesn’t have to work as hard as it would for a beefier bike.

Tern Vektron Ride Impressions

When I got the Tern Vektron out on the road, at first I thought that the pedal assist wasn’t working. Then I turned it off… suddenly I wasn’t as fit as I thought I was. The Bosch mid-drive system is one of the most natural feeling pedal assists I’ve ever tested. A lot of e-bikes tend to feel like mopeds that happen to have pedals, so for anyone who actually likes riding a bicycle, but you are in much better shape.

Once the pedal assist was off, the second thing I noticed was a slight but perceptible drag while pedaling. I was testing the P5i model with the Gates Belt Drive and hub shifter, and I quickly realized that the belt and gear hub drivetrain were the source of the drag. This is a known tradeoff of this style of drivetrain: it has more friction and is less efficient than a traditional derailleur setup.

To be clear, the drag is relatively minor and isn’t noticeable at all once you turn the pedal assist on. The main takeaway is that if you want the fastest, most efficient experience, the Vektron P10 with the Deore 10-speed derailleur is a better choice.

Of course, a belt drive and hub shifter have their own advantages. There are no finicky derailleur adjustments and no need for greasing a chain. The belt drive handles water, road grit, and winter road salt without rusting or gumming up, and it can last much longer than a typical chain.

If you want a bike that you can ride every day for years with very minimal maintenance, the belt drive setup is the way to go.

The Shimano Nexus hub is a lower-end hub shifter, so it only has five gears and a limited gearing range. I found that to be more than enough for city riding, especially with assistance from the motor. The hub shifter also has the advantage of being able to shift easily while stopped, so I could drop gears while waiting at a stop light.

While riding the Tern, I had to change my expectation from “an e-bike makes me faster” to “an e-bike makes riding easier.” At first, I felt myself trying to push the bike harder and faster. It didn’t have the punchiness of more powerful e-bikes, and the riding position wasn’t ideal for really cranking on the pedals to get up to speed.

Riding around town, I averaged around 16 mph, which isn’t much faster than how I ride on my light non-electric bike.

It took me a while to realize that this isn’t a sporty speed machine. When I took a more relaxed attitude, the Vektron instantly became more enjoyable. I could get up to speed quickly from stops, cruise at 15-20 mph. Sure, I wasn’t going much faster than my non-e-bike, but I was exerting much less effort.

Plus, I think the Class 1, 20mph limitation is a good thing on this bike. When I got the speed up to 25-30mph on some descents, the steering started feeling a bit squirrelly. The Vektron has little wheels, a long stem, and conservative geometry that make it less than ideal for high speeds.

While the Vektron doesn’t deliver much in terms of thrills, it can still be a fun bike to ride. I enjoyed taking it on low-key rides on the bike path near my house. Folding bikes can sometimes feel like riding a flimsy kids’ bike, but Tern built the Vektron with a very rigid frame and high-end components that make it ride like a real bike. Just know you won’t be pushing it for speed records.

I’ve been frustrated with some folding e-bikes in the past because the whole folding system seems a bit like an afterthought, as in: “let’s throw some hinges on this and call it a day.” Tern clearly spent a lot of time designing the folding mechanism to be actually useful for real life.

Vektron P5i

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Vektron P10

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When folded, a strong magnet secures the bike in the folded position, so it doesn’t swing open and bash you in the shins when you pick it up. The folded bike also stands up on its own either vertically or horizontally. Plus, it rolls easily on both wheels when it’s folded up, so you can wheel it around the office, onto public transit, or into your closet.

The last thing that makes the Vektron real-world practical is its weight. At around 48 pounds, it is over 20 lbs lighter than the most popular folding e-bike on the market—the 70-pound Lectric XP4. The Vektron was far more manageable to pick up, carry around, lift into cars, and bring on public transit.

Who It’s For

Like all folding bikes, the Tern Vektron is meant for people who are tight on space. If you’ve got a garage and a truck or hitch-mount bike rack, I would never recommend a folding bike. If you live in a city apartment and drive a smaller car, it starts to make a lot more sense.

Tern builds utilitarian bikes who ride to get places. They don’t sell any flashy race machines, they sell real-life A-to-B bicycles. The Vektron is a great example. It’s ideal for commuting, running errands, hopping over to the coffee shop—basically anything you might use a car for.

The ride isn’t particularly exciting, so if you’re looking for a bike mainly for fun, I’d look elsewhere. If you want a bike that will get up every day and get you where you need to go, the mellow and supremely reliable Vektron is a great choice.

Final Thoughts

The Tern Vektron isn’t the most powerful or speedy e-bike on the market, but it certainly is one of the best-designed for city living. It’s lightweight and compact for storage and transportation, but it still rides like a real bike.

The Vektron is expensive, and it’s important to realize what your cash buys you: not race-ready speed, but smart design and end-of-the-world reliability. If you value space-saving utility and want an everyday commuter that will quietly outlast every budget folder on the market, the Vektron is worth every penny.

At what point does your pump track obsessed kid need a dirt jumper over a trail bike? With 24” wheels, the P.2 bike is perfectly sized for my nearly 8-year-old daughter who loves pump tracks. The bike is so well built it could equally handle older, taller and heavier kids that are looking for something capable of intense tricks. Outside of the 24” wheel base window, the P series also has a P.1 in 20” tire size, a P.3 with 26” wheels, and a P.4 to round out the series with 27.5” tires. For this review, we only tested the P.2. 

Before we get into the details about geometry, specifications, ride impressions and how this bike compares to other child sized bikes, let’s get back to that first question. How do you know if your kid needs a niche bike like a dirt jumper?

If they are spending the majority of their time doing laps at pump tracks and jump lines, with a keen interest to whip or flip – the P.2 is a bike worthy of consideration. 

What the P.2 dirt jumper excels in is bike handling, quick and smooth acceleration, and a build that can take a beating. It’s a premium bike for a very niche market, but keep reading for our impressions and how it compares to other kids bikes that are pump track capable.

Specialized P.2 (24")

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P.2  OVERVIEW

• Wheels: 24”
• Fork: Manitou J-Unit Comp 24″, 100mm Travel
• Brakes: Tektro, mechanical disc, resin pads, 160mm  (front)
• SRAM Level T hydraulic disc, 2-Piston Caliper  (back)
• Frame:  alloy
• Weight: ~ 24lbs-26lbs Actual weights will vary based on colourway, frame size, and component variation. 

THE DETAILS

To the uninitiated, a dirt jumper looks like a hardtail. But these are vastly different bikes.

The dirt jumpers single speed provides simplicity for a bike that is designed to get air yet will often crash. The cloth saddle that’s slammed low is designed not for comfort but to stay out of the way while maneuvering mid air.  If you’re noticing a trend here, it’s this. The dirt jumper is made for tricks.

The 100mm travel on the Manitou fork absorbs hard landings but doesn’t steal energy from small riders on their approach to tackle big jumps. The geometry of a dirt jumper is just a touch more compact in the rear wheel base with steeper head angles making it nimble in tight corners of pump tracks, or easy to lift off of lips.

Given the 24” wheel size, the P.2 has a few design details that tries to bridge the gap between dirt jumper and a kids bike that can handle everyday riding.  

Most notable is a brake spec choice that has a mechanical front disc brake and hydraulics in the rear. Specialized states that the front brake is included for safety purposes, but it’s known the front brake is also commonly taken off by dirt jumpers which is why the front brake is a mechanical disc rather than hydraulic.

There are also several areas to customize the P.2. It’s dropper post ready and compatible for an upgrade to gears. Both are unnecessary if the P.2 is solely a dirt jumper, but definitely welcome additions if this were to become an everyday ride.

Overall, the P.2 feels solid and durable, two qualities that are extremely important for dirt jumpers. I’d say the only places where the P.2 felt lacking was in the grip and pedal choice. The soft rubber was comfortable, but did feel a bit slick in the rain while the platform pedals lacked metal pins and my daughters feet slipped on a few occasions. 

SIZE AND MODEL SPECS

• Wheels:  24” 
• Frame material:  Specialized A1 Premium Aluminum 
• Drivetrain:  Single Speed 13T Cassette, 30T chainrings
• Fork: Manitou J-Unit Comp 24″, 100mm Travel, DJ Tune 
• Tires: Specialized Kicker Sport, 24×2.1″ 
• Rims: P.Series, 32 Hole, 26mm ID, disc brake only 
• Rear Hub:  Bear Pawl, 6-bolt, 12x148TA, 32h, single speed 
• Stem: 35mm Specialized Alloy Trail Stem 
• Handlebars:  Specialized P.Series MTB Dirt, 6061 alloy, 9-degree backsweep, 6-degree upsweep, 38mm rise, 750mm width, 31.8mm clamp 
• Seatpost:  6061 alloy, 2-bolt clamp, 0mm setback, 30.9mm 
• Brakes:   Tektro, mechanical disc, resin pads, 160mm  (front)

SRAM Level T hydraulic disc, 2-Piston Caliper  (back)

RIDE IMPRESSIONS

Despite having kids that are bike testers, our family had taken a few weeks off biking before receiving the P.2. Life can get in the way sometimes. 

We were all stoked to find a smooth paved pump track after a few weeks out of the saddle. I had brought out both the P.2, which had significantly different geometry, components and purpose from the ride she is most accustomed to, the woom OFF Air 5. I convinced her to try the P.2 on the pump track first and the grin on her face was proof enough that the P.2 is a fun ride. 

The geometry had her in the perfect position with arms and knees bent but loose enough to handle tight corners.  She commented how easy it was to push down on the bike and gain momentum and kept repeating how smooth the ride felt and with wider handlebars she said she felt way more in control.

It was clear, in this setting which the P.2 was designed for, it excelled. Every pump track we visited after that day we only brought the P.2 out as it was her clear favorite.

As a kid that prefers more technical terrain on trails than big jumps, it’s a bit unfair to judge the P2’s capabilities based on our trials at the jump park.  But it’s worth mentioning. 

Having ridden geared bikes nearly exclusively for the past few years, our daughter wasn’t as keen on the P.2’s single speed set up. Even though it removes weight and makes the bike more durable, it proved an issue in getting her to climb back up to the start of the jump line. So we trialled the P.2 on an Intro MTB Hopper ramp on a nearly flat field to get a feel for how hops and jumps with a purpose built dirt jumper could be. It’s a 290mm ramp, perfect for a beginner, but not something she was breaking out backflips on.  

On these near level testing fields, the single gear ratio was perfect for the quick sprint and ensured there was no chain slap on the small hops.

With wide handlebars and a low centre of gravity, the P.2 proved fun to jump. It didn’t take long for her to master proper technique with a bike designed with proper reach, stack, head and seat tube angles for jumping. 

Similar to how smooth the bike felt at rollers on the pumptrack, the bike was responsive as she maneuvered from the attack position before the jump to popping off the ramp. It’s clear with more speed and experience, this would be an easy ride to flip or whip.

At the skill level we were testing, the Manitou J-Unit Comp 24″ fork with 100mm of travel was more than she needed but provided an incredibly plush suspension as it’s geared towards light youth riders. In the long term, I’d suspect this comfort would translate directly into the ability and desire to keep riding, pushing, pumping and jumping to the limits. This higher end fork translates into a higher price point, which then results in wondering if this very niche bike design makes sense for the rider and is worthy of the investment.

Specialized P.2 (24")

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GEOMETRY

Designed with a reach of 360mm, the shorter reach keeps the P.2 nimble while cornering or flying and with a slacker head tube angle at 68 degrees, the bike should feel stable at high speeds. The shorter chainstays make it easy to do tricks like manuals or spinning the bikes. 

As this bike caters to younger and lighter riders, the short chainstays also help to pop off lips, and jump more effectively.

FINAL THOUGHTS

There’s no question that a purpose built bike like a dirt jumper will allow a rider to develop aerial skills and progress better than a trail bike that tries to do it all. But I’d only recommend a niche bike like the P.2 for someone hyper focused in dirt jumping.

The alloy frame can take a beating while perfecting tricks, and with a few added frills like the Manitou J-unit suspension, it’ll make it easier to pop off the jump yet cushion the landings for lighter riders on harder impacts.

A single speed set up means this isn’t the ideal bike to take out on an everyday ride, unless your everyday ride is a short haul to the pump track. The shorter chainstay (360mm) will make it a fun ride to whip, the higher bottom bracket (290mm) will give the rider cleaner transitions and fewer pedal strikes, and the overall geometry will just make it fun to play on.

It wasn’t the bike for us, mostly because we tend to ride in a larger variety of settings than what a dirt jumper is meant for.  Built to take a beating and have fun while jumping, if you have the funds for a brand new bike for someone who rarely ventures further than a jump line or pump track – the P.2 won’t disappoint.

Fat bikes are a niche in the industry, but demand exists, and at just $1,199 USD, this is a tough deal to pass up if you’re already in the market for fatty tires.

Head to Statebicycle.com to see the new offerings

Built around an all-new hydroformed 6061 aluminum frame, the Trail+ v2 ditches its predecessor’s dated geometry for modern trail angles. The bike now features a slacker 66-degree head tube angle for better stability and a steep 74-degree seat tube angle to keep riders centered on steep climbs.

State designed the Trail+ v2 with both winter snowpack and desert sand in mind. It comes equipped with 26 x 4.5” Kenda Juggernaut tires and a set of Tektro HD-M275 hydraulic brakes. For those seeking the unknown or tackling multi-day trips, the frame and fork include cargo and bottle mounts, making it ready for loaded bikepacking right out of the box. If you’re a counter of grams, which does matter on a bike like this, you can also upgrade to a carbon fat fork for an additional $299.99.

For the Trail+ Fat Bike, there has been a shift in the drivetrain philosophy. Rather than a 12-speed drivetrain, State chose a durable 8-speed Shimano ESSA drivetrain. It may only have 8 speeds, but it delivers a 409% gear range thanks to the 11-45T cassette and a 28T chainring. The bike is geared for situations where you’ll likely be riding a fat bike, like soft sand, deep snow, or steep climbs while heavily loaded.

True to State Bicycle Co.’s goal of making cycling accessible to all riders, the Trail+ Fat Bike v2 enters the market at a highly competitive price point. Complete builds start at just over $1,000, offering a budget-friendly entry point for riders looking to extend their season into the harsh winter months.

Build Details

View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article

Drivetrain

• Shifter: Shimano SL-M315-8R Rapidfire Plus, 8-speed, optical gear display
• Rear derailleur: Shimano ESSA RD-U2000 GS, 8-speed, Shadow design
• Cassette: Shimano CS-HG400-8, 11–45T, 8-speed (11-13-15-18-22-27-35-45)
• Crankset: 28T steel chainring, alloy 170mm arms
• Bottom bracket: Sealed cartridge
• Chain: KMC Z8.3
• Pedals: 9/16″ platform with reflectors, included

Brakes

• Front and rear: Tektro HD-M275 hydraulic disc
• Rotors: 180mm front and rear, 6-bolt

Wheels & Tires

• Rims: 26″ double-wall alloy, 32h
• Spokes: 14g steel
• Front hub: 15mm thru-axle, 150mm spacing, sealed bearings
• Rear hub: 12mm thru-axle, cassette, sealed bearings
• Tires: Kenda Juggernaut 26 x 4.5″, 30 TPI
• Tubes: 26 x 4.5″ Schrader, installed
• Tubeless: Not rated
• Max tire size: 26 x 4.5″

Cockpit

• Handlebar: 740mm alloy, 15mm rise, 7° backsweep, 5° upsweep, 31.8mm clamp, State Bicycle Co. laser-etched
• Stem: 50mm, 7°, 31.8mm clamp
• Grips: 135mm with alloy lock rings
• Seatpost: 31.6 x 350mm alloy, State Bicycle Co. laser-etched
• Saddle: Black cover, steel rails

Wolf Tooth has already sold 130 pairs to dealers, so interested parties should move fast, but you can find all the dealers with pairs on the WTC to see where you could find these hyper-rare pedals. Online sales aren’t available, so you’ll need to shop local.

Check the dealer list at Wolftoothcomponents.com

So you might be asking, “What happened to the other 20 pairs that weren’t pre-sold to bike shops?” Well, Wolf Tooth set aside those 20 pairs for you, LBS. If you don’t see your shop on the dealer list, contact them and see if they can snag a set for you. Any shop can order them, but they are first come, first served, and they probably won’t last long.

Created in collaboration with anodizing wizard Ashley Anodized It, each pedal body features a unique anodized camouflage pattern in olive, tan, black, and brown tones, finished with a blaze-orange end cap. 

They also aren’t what I would call affordable, but what limited-edition component is? The Shift Camo pedals will retail for $289.95 USD, but to be fair, they are designed and engineered at the WTC HQ in Minnesota, and each one is totally unique. 

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Developed with heaps of lab testing and athlete feedback, the GRiTT lineup includes bike wash, bike shine, chain lubricants, degreasers, kit wash, goggle de-fogger, tubeless sealant, and more. The entire line is confirmed safe for use across carbon, chrome, anodized metals, and plastics.

Key Technologies

• Drivetrain Efficiency: The products incorporate Advanced Ceramic Technology and Hexagonal Boron Nitride (h-BN) to reduce metal-to-metal friction, ensuring quieter drivetrains and more efficient power transfer.
• Anti-Corrosion Additives: Formulated to protect metal components from rust and wear, extending their overall lifespan.
• ViscoClean & Shake To Activate: Cleaning products feature increased viscosity, while other liquids transform into gels when shaken, allowing formulas to cling to surfaces effectively with minimal run-off.
• Next-Gen Polymers: These leave a smart protective layer that helps dirt and water easily slide off the bike.

Sustainability and Packaging

Bike cleaning and gear protection often use pretty nasty chemicals, especially for drivetrain cleaning and apparel waterproofing, but GRiTT seems to have taken that into account.

The GRiTT range features a TrueBIO formulation, meaning all ingredients are carefully selected to break down naturally in the environment without leaving harmful residues behind. The products finish with a cherry scent to lift the senses while you clean up, because who doesn’t love a little pop of flavor when you’re washing up? The packaging uses fully recyclable rPET bottles designed for better grip and usability, while chrome-effect labels maintain a premium shelf presence – nice.

The full GRITT by Leatt range is available to order now at grittbyleatt.com

Sure, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s definitely an intriguing offering, especially given Revel’s history and expertise with titanium and making bikes that are terrific to ride all around.

Revel probably wouldn’t exist without titanium, although most of its bikes are carbon; Why Cycles paved the way for Revel. Its founding team launched Why Cycles in 2016 to build modern titanium bikes and merged with Revel in 2023, continuing its titanium program with hardtails, gravel bikes, and the El Jefe Grande.

If a material can be messed around with, Revel will mess around with it, and lately, Revel has been on a roll with titanium projects. Last summer, Revel unveiled Project RaTical, an exciting titanium bike and its first foray into 3D-printed titanium full suspension. Although it was just a test of what could be done with titanium and never really intended for production, it opened the door to the next project, one that’s even more exciting because it will actually go into production.

While titanium mountain bikes are relatively common, few blend titanium and carbon in a full-suspension chassis, and the Ranger Ti does it with impressive execution. This is obviously a pretty niche market that Revel is aiming for, but Ti does sell, and Revel understands the small slice of the pie. The first batch of Ranger Ti frames is limited to just 10, each individually numbered, and available for reservation with an expected ship date before the end of the year. The Ranger Ti will retail for $5,969 in the USA and £4,999 in the UK.

“Our mantra has always been that we only build the bikes we want to ride, and this is no exception. Lately, the Ranger has become the bike I reach for the most, but I also love titanium. We’ve been experimenting with full suspension titanium quite a bit too, and decided that the combination of a stiff carbon rear triangle with the insanely supple ride feel of titanium in the front was the right direction.”
Adam Miller, Revel Bikes CEO

Geometry and kinematics carry over from the carbon Ranger V3. More anti-squat and progression preserve the lively character that has me riding it every chance I get. It’s oozing efficient pedaling, active suspension, and supportive, bottomless travel. A steep seat tube, slightly longer reach, slack head angle, and low bottom bracket suit long rides but don’t lack when things go down. These characteristics come together with an exotic blend of construction materials to make a bike that looks good, and I can only imagine it rides just as well as it looks.

Revel uses advanced 3D printing for key frame junctions (head tube, shock mount, bottom bracket, and pivots) to create complex shapes and precise pivot placement beyond what traditional machining or forging can do, without sacrificing weight, strength, or suspension performance. This lets Revel apply its “carbon engineering oversight” to titanium frames with modern carbon-bike features. Revel sleeves and welds stiff printed junctions to titanium tubing, blending titanium’s supple ride with the strength of printed parts.

Third-party ISO testing in California validates the frames, which combine materials engineering, 3D printing, titanium fabrication, and Revel’s carbon expertise and pivot hardware for a complete package.

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View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article

It sure isn’t the most practical, affordable, or appealing to everyone, but damn it if it isn’t pretty sick and exciting to see more brands experimenting with stuff like this. It just proves that bikes don’t always have to make sense; they just have to be fun.

If you’ve been waiting for a super-unique bike like this, head over to Revelbikes.com and put down a $500 USD deposit to reserve one. As a friendly reminder, these reservations are non-refundable unless extenuating circumstances delay your order. Revel expects to ship the first batch of frames before Dec 31, 2026.

Revel Ranger V3 Review

Sign the petition here, and help save the Exit 27 Trails

The push signals a broad policy shift from trail construction to strict enforcement following the completion of the Raging River State Forest recreation plan. Local advocates warn this aggressive approach threatens historic, rider-maintained networks across the entire I-90 corridor and would greatly reduce the availability of more advanced riding in the area.

“These trails are part of our mountain biking history and community. I learned to ride here before sanctioned trails in the area existed,” says one North Bend Local. “I’ve seen firsthand how these trails grow the sport and bring people together. Decommissioning them would cut off access and erase countless volunteer hours. Let’s work collaboratively with the Tribes, DNR, Evergreen, and builders to find solutions. Physical Therapy trail proves that sanctioning previously unsanctioned trails is possible.

For over 15 years, a passionate community has stewarded the Exit 27 network, logging over 1,000 volunteer hours in 2026 alone to clear storm damage and maintain trailheads. Like most of the really great places to ride in the PNW, these trails predate modern sanctioned building and provide crucial technical terrain for advanced riders, as well as local youth mountain bike clubs developing international competitors.

Crucially, targeted routes like Upper 27 and RRAZ are the only connection between DNR’s advanced trails and the town of North Bend. While a sanctioned replacement is planned, its construction remains years away. Decommissioning the current routes prematurely severs access that the DNR’s own recreation plan relies upon, heavily impacting mountain bikers, hikers, and trail runners.

Advocates also emphasize that these trails sit on the ancestral lands of the Snoqualmie People, urging the DNR to include tribal consultation in a transparent public evaluation process rather than acting unilaterally to bulldoze the network.

Because of the number of trails in the area, decommissioning them all would likely take a decent amount of time, and given the community’s pushback, it wouldn’t be a great surprise to see many more spring up to take their place. After all, mountain bikers are pretty resourceful. 

The Stewards of Exit 27 Trails are offering free volunteer labor for any corrective work required to bring these routes into the sanctioned system. For now, they are simply asking the DNR to pause the removals, open a public comment period, and evaluate the routes for official adoption.

Take Action: Don’t let decades of community stewardship disappear. Sign the Change.org petition to demand that the DNR evaluate these trails before destroying them, and actively advocate for preserving your local community trail networks.

The new Spectral:ON CF will be available in a handful of build kits coming later this year. Canyon says three more models will drop between November 2026 and January 2027. Global pre-orders open up on December 4th, with deliveries starting January 19th. If you live in the US and Australia, expect selected models to arrive in early 2027.

Want one? Get in line at Canyon.com

Quick Hits

• 160 mm front and 155 mm rear travel
• 64° head angle and 78.5° seat angle
• Category 4e-rated carbon chassis
• Size-specific chainstays (SM/MD: 442mm LG/XL: 447mm) 
• Mixed wheels as standard, with full-29er compatibility
• Weighing as little as 20.8 kg
• MSRP: $9,499

Canyon designed this all-carbon chassis from the ground up to accommodate the new motor and 700Wh battery, so they made sure everything was dialed. The frame weighs just 6.3 lbs (2.9 kg) and passed Category 4e Enduro-level strength and impact testing. Canyon also tuned the carbon layup to balance stiffness and compliance, and all the other buzzwords we’re so used to seeing with all the new bikes these days.

I am really glad to see full tube-in-tube cable routing on the Spectral:ON, along with slightly longer chainstays on the Lg and XL frames. Also, before looking into a Canyon, check the geometry charts because the bigger sizes run pretty big in terms of reach, and the same can be said for this bike.

Geometry and Suspension

Beyond the visual styling cues, Canyon reworked the newest electric Spectral to more closely match the Spectral CF and Strive. Head tubes are slacker, seat tubes are steeper, and you can choose to run mullet or full 29” wheels in the Spectral:ON’s variable-length chainstays.

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The bike comes stock with mixed 29/27.5-inch wheels, but a flip-chip lets you switch to a full 29er setup. Canyon revised the suspension leverage curve and increased anti-squat and anti-rise, improving pedaling efficiency and mid-stroke support while keeping the rear end planted under hard braking. I find this interesting because most people assume eMTBs don’t need much help climbing, but if you’re an idiot like me and ride them powered off from time to time, this assist is very welcome.

The 2.3km track drops more than 500m from start to finish, built mostly by hand over 5 months and around 7,000 hours of total dig time, and distills pure North Shore riding. With Hardline in its 12th year on this planet, the courses continue to evolve and combine elements of Freeride and Downhill racing, but this latest track seems to push things way further than we could have ever imagined. But at least there’s no creek gap…

Red Bull Hardline creators Gee and Dan Atherton have had a part in the course, but they have somewhat given the head builder Justin Wyper and his team carte blanche to create a track that had previously only existed in their minds.

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The Hardline British Columbia event spans two days this month. Friday, October 16, is dedicated to seeding, during which each rider completes a timed run that determines the starting order. The finals will take place on Saturday, October 17.

Finals will broadcast live on RedBullTV

I’ve been riding a lot of gravel and XC lately, and I’ve spent a lot of time in the S-Works Recon Evo shoes. They’re stiff, light, and made for racing; they even have “made in racing” printed right on them. But I’m not a racer, and I’m not looking to be the fastest on the Strava leaderboards. I am, however, a fan of comfortable shoes and trail efficiency. 

Given the S-Works Recon Evo’s position in the mountain bike footwear space, and my take on what mountain biking is, I feel a little conflicted about these shoes. They’re undeniably sick and fit really well, but at $550 USD, they are not shoes everyone would consider for daily rides, and since I’m not racing, I can’t help but feel like an imposter when tightening down the BOA dials.

Specialized S-Works Recon Evo

Check Price

Fit

This is where the S-Works Recon Evo shines, at least on paper, for those with foot-shaped feet. Which I assume is most of you reading this. Specialized has usually made shoes that fit well, at least with its more current offerings. I’ve had plenty of Specialized shoes over the years for both road, gravel, and mountain, and compared to the last S-Works Recon Lace shoes I had, these fit like Cinderella’s lost slipper.

The last is very much made to fit the human foot. It has a wider toe box and a secure heel cup with an upper that wraps around the top of the foot thanks to a well-thought-out BOA lacing pattern. Beyond the comfort, the S-Works Recon Evo is also stupid stiff.

The sole is carbon, of course, but Specialized and the Body Geometry team have really emphasized making these shoes as ergonomic as they are efficient, and that’s where many high-performance shoes fall short. All that carbon in the sole lets designers tailor the shoes to support the body’s natural biomechanics while pedaling.

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Impressions

All the marketing language can paint a picture of grandeur and marginal gains, but it means little if the shoes don’t ride well or feel great on long days in the saddle, and that was the first thing I ran into with the Recon Evo. To preface, I have a normal-shaped foot, so I don’t need a super-wide toe box, but I do have pretty strong arches, which often lead to pressure points on the tops of my feet.

I did run into this issue a bit with the Recon Evo at first, but it turned out to be user error, me cranking down on the dials like I would with other shoes that don’t have such a natural foot wrap. After I realized I didn’t need to strangle my feet, the Recon Evo felt great.

These shoes are made for racing, so they’re lightweight and have fairly sparse lugs, leaving a lot of carbon exposed. Naturally, that raises concerns when walking around, but after enough time in carbon-soled shoes, it’s not much of an issue. The soles are pretty scuffed from all the miles and occasional walking, but I’m not really worried about them long term.

One of the Recon Evo’s most impactful adaptations is the shape of the sole and upper. As someone who has experimented with Bont, Lake, and other heat-mouldable shoes to accommodate my higher arches, I have to say the Recon Evo does the best job of working with natural foot shapes of any shoe I’ve tested (at least in this high-performance category). 

Bottom Line

They’re crazy expensive; there’s no denying that, but for the price, they’re also crazy comfortable and offer more stability than other shoes in this genre, which could be reason enough to justify the purchase. And just because they’re a “race” shoe doesn’t mean they’re fragile. I’ve been pretty tough on them, and although they are showing signs of wear, there are no worrying signs.

Do all the positives truly justify the price? That’s entirely opinion-based, but footwear can be one of the trickiest things to get right, and much like ski boots, performance cycling shoes are almost always worth getting right. If you have a normal foot shape, need room for your toes to move, want an almost unnoticeable feel, and value stiffness and efficiency, the S-Works Recon Evo are certainly worth considering.

Trail bikes are now on a spectrum. That spectrum bleeds into XC and reaches a tiny bit into enduro-style riding, and these two bikes are perfect examples of how broad it is. In my eyes, both fall into the same category, just at opposite ends.

The Ranger is Revel’s take on an XC bike, but I see it more as a short-travel trail bike these days. Sure, the first two versions were XC, but the Ranger V3 is more than that. It has 130mm of travel up front and 120mm out back, but the suspension has also been tweaked to give it a more supple, active rear end. This adds to the bike’s mind-boggling versatility, and it’s part of what makes the decision between this and the Rascal so difficult for some people.

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The Rascal is kind of the bike that started it all for Revel, and it has stood the test of time as one of the best all-around trail bikes on the market. Although it has undergone slight changes since its 2019 release, the bike remains absurdly versatile at its core. It now sports a 150mm fork, with the same 130mm CBF rear end, well-considered geometry, and ride quality you have to ride to believe.

I have my Rascal set up with a 140mm fork to make it a little closer to the Ranger V3. They might be pretty similar, but they ride differently and check different boxes, and the overlap is hard to ignore. To put it plainly, the Ranger is a trail bike that leans more toward XC, and the Rascal is a trail bike that leans more toward aggressive trail riding and kinda of flirts with the enduro category, especially with the 150mm fork.

Rascal SL

The Rascal isn’t as supple off the top in terms of suspension; it’s marginal, but noticeable if you ride these two bikes back to back. The riding position is also less upright, as the Rascal has a slightly slacker seat tube angle and a slightly shorter rear center than the Ranger. That makes sense. But in my review of the Rascal, the slack STA is one of my biggest complaints.

Other than that, the Rascal climbs amazingly well, and it’s one of my favorite bikes for the balance of efficient yet comfortable climbing and confident descending. It’s a really impressive chassis, and for someone who wants a little bit of everything, I can’t imagine a better bike for the job if you can look past a couple of quirks. The cable routing isn’t as wonderful as the Ranger V3, and the chainstays aren’t proportional, so all sizes have the same 436mm chainstays.

With the ability to run both a 140 and a 150mm fork, the Rascal is absurdly versatile, with no flip-chips or geometry adjustments, and depending on what tires you’ve got mounted, it can do just about anything without letting you down. 

Ranger V3

The Ranger V3 is an enigmatic bike on paper, but in the real world, it’s a short-travel trail bike. It doesn’t feel like an XC bike going downhill and doesn’t feel like a trail bike going uphill. It pedals exceptionally well and descends way better than any other 120mm bike has any right to. I’ve built it up with burly wheels, tires, and oversized brakes, but I’ve also swapped in lightweight wheels and XC tires to shave a few pounds and let it lean into the Ranger’s XC lineage, and in both configurations, it feels top-notch.

On most 120mm bikes, I find myself being somewhat tender with line choice and descending scenarios. Not on the Ranger. It doesn’t feel like a 120mm bike when pointed downhill, and in the best way possible. The suspension feels plush at the initial stroke and provides more support as you get closer to full travel. It feels like a trail bike.

But that all changes when you head back uphill for another lap. The pedaling position is centered, the BB is lower, and the head tube angle is slacker, which lets you sink into the bike, but the CBF suspension keeps everything stupidly tidy and responsive. You lose no traction or slop when powering uphill, and those same qualities keep it composed and accurate on the way back down.

It might all sound perfect. A bike that climbs well and descends well is what we’re all after, and both of these bikes check that box, but one is definitely more descending-oriented than the other.

Verdict

The bottom line is that the Rascal is the right choice for anyone who wants more trail variety without worrying about the occasional shit line choice. It has more travel, so you have a little more room for error. The Ranger is a lightweight, short-travel trail bike, and although it can handle more than other bikes in this category, I still find myself questioning some choices, and the angel and devil on my shoulder are always quarreling over where my tires are pointed.

Get the Ranger if: You want an XC-ish bike that can confidently handle 80% of trail rides without issue.

Get the Rascal if: You want a trail bike that can do pretty much everything, but you aren’t as worried about weight and like a little more diversity in line choice.

Based on the brand’s popular titanium 29er El Jefe, the El Jefe Grande is a titanium hardtail built around the hottest trend in MTB going: 32” wheels. But rather than push the trend on everyone who doesn’t need it, Revel has made the El Jefe Grande in full 32” and 32”/29” options for shorter riders.

The biggest hurdle with 32-inch wheels is making the bike feel like the bikes we’re used to. A 32-inch wheel paired with a matching 100mm fork creates a massive lever arm, and that leverage puts immense stress right at the head tube junction. According to Revel, standard titanium welding techniques weren’t strong enough to handle those forces over the long haul.

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Their solution is arguably the coolest piece of tech on the bike: a super clean 3D-printed titanium head tube. Smooth-welded to the top and down tubes, this 3D-printed junction is significantly stronger and stiffer than a traditional setup. It’s the first time Revel has used this tech on a production bike, and it easily passed ISO testing beyond standard mountain bike requirements. As a bonus, the 3D printing process let them integrate incredibly clean internal cable routing.

Geometry-wise, Revel’s Founder and CEO Adam Miller admitted many early 32-inch bikes felt awkward and stretched out. The brand went through multiple prototypes specifically to dial in the handling so the Grande feels like a proper trail hardtail instead of a novelty cruiser.

“A lot of 32″ bikes have pretty strange geometry. To me, most of them feel awkward like they’ve just been stretched out to fit the wheels. Figuring out how to get the handling right with these big wheels took a lot of trial and error,” Says Miller. “When we showed the Concept Labs bikes at Sea Otter, we knew it wasn’t quite ready to bring to market, but it was a good way to share some of our development process. We wanted to make a proper hardtail mountain bike and we only want to sell bikes we’re truly excited about. So, after more prototypes and a lot of tweaking to the geometry, we’ve made something that we are really proud of, and we’re psyched to get it out there.”

The frame reflects Why Cycles’ practical roots (the company merged with Revel in 2023). UDH-compatible sliding dropouts offer 17mm of adjustment for singlespeed riders. Tire clearance accommodates a 32 x 2.4″ tire—or 29 x 2.6″ on size small—with room for mud. All sizes have five sets of bottle and accessory mounts, ideal for frame bags.

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Pricing, Availability, Details

A size Large frame weighs 4.76 lbs (2.16 kg)—not featherweight, but just right for a bombproof titanium hardtail built to roll over anything. The El Jefe Grande is available frame-only for $3,499 USD (£2,999 UK). Reserve your place in line with a $500 deposit on Revel’s site. Frames are slated to ship this December.

Key Features​

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• Frame: Titanium with 3D-printed head tube, smooth-welded
• Fork travel: 100mm (550mm axle-to-crown)
• Wheel size: SM 32″/29″, MD–XL 32″/32″
• Sizes: SM, MD, LG, XL
• Rear spacing: Boost 12×148, UDH-compatible sliding dropouts (17mm adjustment)
• Rear tire clearance: MD–XL 32″ x 2.4″, SM 29″ x 2.6″, with plenty of mud room
• Head tube: Tapered, IS42 upper / IS52 lower
• Bottom bracket: 73mm BSA threaded
• Max chainring: 34T
• Rear brake: 160mm post mount, 180mm max rotor
• Seatpost: 31.6mm, 34.9mm seat clamp
• Max seatpost insertion: SM 275mm, MD 280mm, LG 285mm, XL 295mm
• Bottle/accessory mounts: 5 sets on all sizes
• Finish: Two-tone bead-blasted and polished graphics
• Frame weight: 4.76 lb / 2.16 kg (size Large)
• Complete bike as shown: 24.9 lb

Adjusting the cockpit can be expensive, especially if you aren’t sure which setup will feel best on the bike, and no one wants to spend a lot of money buying a bunch of different stems in the process. That’s where Evidince Engineering comes in with a 12-in-1 stem. It’s more than just the length and stack; it also has an adjustable width clamp that lets riders swap between a 58 and 70mm clamp area for more tunable compliance at the bars.

While it might look like a direct mount stem that you’d see on a dual-crown fork, it isn’t, although it does borrow some of the tech in a really neat way, and it certainly has my attention. The initial launch will include a very limited number of stems, which are expected later this month (10/23) at 199 € (incl. 23% VAT).

Get on the list for the pre-order here

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Michał Piórkowski, the founder of Evidence Engineering, has 20 years of mountain biking experience and has spent 10 years designing motorsport suspension and chassis. Now, after two years of development, he’s bringing his adjustable mountain bike stem to market. You can follow along with the process on Evidence’s Instagram.

Since high school, Michał has dreamed of launching a bicycle components company. He didn’t want to just make another brand whose products differ only in appearance – he wanted there to be a reason. With his background in MTB and engineering, combining them felt inevitable (it’s also a formula that typically results in a great product). He took his time with this stem, developing, testing, and bringing it to market, and I think he nailed it.

Evidence Stem Details

• Length Configurations: 20 / 30 / 35 / 45 mm
• Stack Configurations: 33 / 45 mm
• Tunable Clamp Width: 58 / 70 mm
• Low Steerer Clamp: 24 mm
• Tested for Category 5 gravity use
• Price: 199 € (incl. 23% VAT)

I’m a fan of the traditional tire, and I’m lucky to test a shit-load of tires, but the one I keep coming back to is the Continental Kryptotal – and it’s for a reason. I’m not trying to sell anything here; I have no affiliate links or personal incentives. I like the tires, and I think they are an option worth considering for anyone who wants a tire that lasts a long time and stays consistent across a wide range of riding conditions.

Context

I’ve been on and off the Kryptotal for a year now, and I have ridden every compound and casing the tire is offered in, on almost every type of trail and condition you’d encounter. What I’ve found is that it is one of the most consistent tires on the market. Although it’s not the softest (even in the Super Soft compound), it is one of the longest-lasting and most reliable across a range of conditions, while still balancing grip, longevity, and durability.

I just got back from a trip to Whistler for the UCI DH World Cup with Continental, but this review isn’t influenced by the brand. I just really like this tire and figured now would be a great time to wax poetic.

The Consistency Perspective

Radial tires are great in certain scenarios, but not every scenario; it also depends a lot on the manufacturer and tire construction. I’ve found that I get along well with the Vee Tire Co. RadCore tires and the Specialized Radials, but that is because they behave more like a traditional tire on the trail, with some fringe benefits from the radial carcass. They also use a stiffer casing, which adds to the support. 

Support is the main factor here. I’ve found that trail and enduro radial tires lack cornering stability, which can feel unreliable when you’re really pushing the tires. Because the tires deform more on the ground, they can feel a bit squirmish, and that isn’t something you want all the time. Sure, it can feel great when you’re trying to squeeze every bit of traction out of a contact patch in a straight line or over tech, but when you’re leaning into a corner or riding hardpacked trails, a radial tire can become a little scary and unpredictable.

We all want a consistent tire. A tire that can handle a huge variety of conditions without feeling like a compromise, and from my experience, a radial tire isn’t always the best choice. A lot of marketing has pushed radial tires on consumers, but just because it’s the latest trend doesn’t mean it’s better.

Existing Preferences

Maxxis, WTB, Specialized, Schwalbe, Continental, Etc. The list of mountain bike tire brands is long, and almost every rider on the trail has a tire they swear by. We’re all a little biased, just like the ply of our favorite tires. Over the last year, I have been riding tires from all the aforementioned brands, and I certainly have my preferences when it comes to tread patterns and casing construction.

For most of the season, I have been on Continental tires, and I have gotten along with them really well. I have been a big fan of the Xynotal and Kryptotal tires for most of my riding, and I find they last a long time and have a very consistent feel on the types of trails I ride most often. I use the Xynotal for most of my riding around here in Boise, and when I head back home or up north, I mount up the Kryptotal.

What I haven’t experienced yet is the Kryptotal DH casing with the Super Soft Compound, and after a week of testing them in every possible condition, I have to say they have left a really positive impression.

Variables Matter

Whistler Mountain Bike Park in September can be a mixed bag, that’s for sure, and the week spent in Whistler Village leading up to the UCI DH World Cup there was a perfect example. We rode everything from dry, bombed-out bike park to super-saturated roots and rocks off-piste, and the Kryptotals stayed mounted through it all.

Even as the tire pressure changed, I never added any pressure. I didn’t get a single flat or noticeable burp of air, but I kept dropping pressure until it got questionably low; they just kept feeling better. I never had them pack with mud or dirt too badly, and they shed what did pack into the tread really easily.

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I figured it was better to be safe than sorry and landed on 19psi in the front and 22psi in the rear tire. That seemed like the perfect window for the riding I was doing, and I didn’t dare go any lower. Typically, I run the Enduro casing and Soft compound for these tires, and I wouldn’t dare ride those at these pressures, but the DH casing and Super Soft compound selection was happy to indulge my curiosity.

After so much time on radials over the last couple of months, being back on a familiar, traditional casing tire felt like a warm hug. Everything felt consistent and familiar, and that is one of the best ways I can describe the Kryptotal tire.

Takeaway

Tires are one of the easiest things to change and can have the biggest influence on how a bike feels. Picking the right one is key to getting a bike to feel consistent. Finding the one that works for you and the conditions that you ride most will be a game changer. 

There will never be total agreement on which tire is the best, but I’ve found a sweet spot with the Continental Kryptotal tires. I can’t remember ever having a flat or any major issues with seating them, a wonky casing, or anything that would cast them in a negative light.

They aren’t the cheapest, nor are they the softest on the market, even in the Super Soft compound, and yes, deciphering the hieroglyphics on the sidewalls can be confusing at first, but they hold up for a long time and are absurdly consistent in all manner of riding conditions.

The Kryptotal is Continental’s all-around tire, and it comes in a mind-numbing array of compounds, sizes, casings, and front- and rear-specific tread patterns. It’s the only Conti MTB tire that spans the entire periodic table. It comes in 20″ through 29″ in endurance, trail, enduro, and downhill casings, with varying levels of softness, so whatever you ride, you can find a Kryptotal that fits your needs.

With so many variations comes a wide range of prices. The Kryptotal ranges anywhere from $88 USD to $122 USD, depending on casing and compound. Considering how long these tires tend to last, I would say it is well worth it. I have spent my own coin on a few sets, and I’m lucky enough to have been given plenty of tires to review, but I wouldn’t suggest a tire that I don’t stand behind.

Loam Pass Destinations

The formula remains the same: you get two days of riding at each partner destination. Right now, with the early-bird launch window (October 1–14) for the 2027 pass, you get the rest of the 2026 season for free. That means you get a 2026 pass to use through December 31 at currently operating destinations, so you can squeeze in some late-fall laps before winter shuts things down.

Get the Loam Pass Here

New Destinations for 2027

Loam Pass already had a solid roster, but the 2027 expansion adds even more value, especially for those heading to the Pacific Northwest and BC, but it doesn’t forget about the Mountain West or East Coast riders.

• Revelstoke Mountain Resort, BC: Revy is finally on the pass. Known for massive vertical and long descents, including the legendary Fifty Six Twenty trail, this alone justifies the pass cost for anyone planning a British Columbia pilgrimage.
• Grouse Bike Park, BC: Vancouver’s North Shore just got chairlift access via the new Grouse Mountain bike park. Expect everything from approachable flow to the steep, technical lines the Shore is famous for.
• Blue Mountain Resort, PA: Holding the title for Pennsylvania’s biggest vertical drop, Blue Mountain brings proper East Coast rock tech, jumps, and flow in the Poconos to the network.
• Brian Head Shuttle, UT: Southern Utah backcountry just got easier to access. The pass now covers shuttle runs to high-altitude favorites like Blow Hard, Dark Hollow, and Bunker Creek.
• Flow State Biking, WA: PNW riders get shuttle access to the trail networks of North Central Washington, opening up another crucial stop for road-trippers.

Passholder Perks

Beyond the lift tickets and shuttle bumps, the Loam Perks program is expanding to help offset the inevitable cost of keeping your bike running. Passholders now get 20% off VEE Tires, Tannus, and Cache Pads.

If you’re in the market for a whole new rig, this month offers a serious incentive to pull the trigger. During the October 1–14 launch sale, passholders who buy an ARI bike get an extra $200 off, which stacks with the standard 10% passholder discount. That discount effectively covers the $229 pass cost before you’ve even finished planning your next trip.

The $229 early bird pricing is live now at LoamPass.com and runs through October 14, 2026. If you want to ride out the rest of this fall on the house, lock it in before the window closes.

My dream just came true!! No more words needed.

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The iconic Troy Lee Designs and Red Bull combo helmet represents more than just a sick look; it signals access to elite athlete support, recovery centers, and performance resources. As Ostgaard prepares to make her eventual jump to the Elite Women’s field, where she will face off against established heavyweights like Vali Höll, she now rides with the backing of one of downhill racing’s most influential brands.

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The 18-year-old Ostgaard secured the Junior Women’s season championship with a dominant win at last week’s penultimate event in Whistler, Canada. Less than a week later, Gwin surprised the young phenom with her Red Bull gear before the final race of the year.

As of October 3, 2026, Ostgaard has secured P1 in Lake Placid’s qualifying round, with finals set for later this weekend, and with Ostgaard not missing a podium (1st in all but two races) at any race this season, she’ll likely be ending the season with another medal. 

Her victory at Whistler on the notoriously challenging 1199 course stands out as her defining run of the year. Ending her finals run over nine seconds clear of the competition, she sealed her Junior World Cup overall title in dominant fashion before heading into the Elite ranks in 2027 sporting a new lid.

The Pace 5 Rec is Aventon’s cruising e-bike built for casual riding and simple commuting.  It has a classic, European-inspired step-through frame.  Plus, it’s equipped with swept-back handlebars, an adjustable stem, and a wide saddle to position you in an upright riding posture. 

Aventon combined that bike’s classic construction with modern e-bike features. They upgraded the motor, which now pumps out 1440 watts in Boost mode, added electronic brakes with regenerative braking, and loaded the bike’s computer with smart features designed to attract tech-minded riders. Honestly, between the bike’s geometry, components, and feature set,  it’s like a souped-up Citi Bike from New York City’s bike-sharing program. 

Where to get the Aventon Pace 5 REC

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Build Details for the Pace 5 Rec

Aventon has two Pace models. Compared to the Pace 4, the Pace 5 Rec is their bigger and more powerful option with longer range. It also has some features designed for more comfort.

For the Pace 5 Rec, you can choose between two frame sizes.

1. Regular, for riders 5’0”-5’9”.
2. Large, for taller riders in the 5’9”-6’3” range. 

Color-wise, the Pace 5 Rec comes in a fun variety of colors like Glacier Mint, Sakura, Koi, Anvil, and Lagoon. I’ve been rocking the Pace 5 Rec in the Koi colorway, and I must say, I’m really loving the burnt orange and rust-colored aesthetic. 

• Motor: 750-watt motor with a 1440-watt peak in Boost mode
• Battery: removable internal lithium-ion, 36V, 20Ah, 733Wh battery with up to 75 miles of range.
• Controls: Aventon A280 display and Aventon LH handlebar-mounted throttle
• Frame and Fork: 6061 Aluminum, Gravity Cast Front Triangle and 
• Aventon Rigid Alloy front fork.
• Drivetrain: Shimano 8 Speed trigger shifter,  Shimano Altus rear derailleur, and Shimano 8 Speed cassette.
• Wheels and Tires: 27.5 x 2.1 tires laced to double-wall aluminum rims.
• Brakes: Tektro HD-E3120 hydraulic disc with regenerative braking
• Weight: 60.48lbs with an 8.7 lbs lithium-ion battery. 
• MSRP: $1,799.00

From the moment I started unboxing the bike and pulling off the frame-protecting packaging, I could tell the quality of the machine I was about to assemble. I already spoke about the color,  but what also stuck out right away was the Pace’s geometry. It boasted the classic clean lines, shape, and aesthetic that have become a motif across Aventon e-bikes. 

Components-wise, Aventon opted for more name-brand parts compared to some other e-bike manufacturers. For example, the Pace 5 Rec came stock with a full, front-to-back Shimano drivetrain. And up in the cockpit, I found Tektro electronic and hydraulic disc brakes. 

The Tektro brakes were a highlight. They functioned great – very snappy and powerful. Because they are electronic, you can enable regenerative braking mode. Regenerative brakes recover small amounts of energy every time the brake levers are squeezed. Aventon claims you can earn up to 5% more range when you use the brakes with the regenerative mode enabled.  

There were still some no-name parts. The aluminum handlebars and stem were mystery parts. Plus, the rims and tires were no-name. As a tire snob, I’m skeptical of the long-term viability of the stock rubber on the Pace 5 Rec.  And I was annoyed by the cheap plastic pedals.  

Ironically, I found Aventon’s 250mm-wide saddle, designed specifically for “more comfort,” uncomfy. I’m of the opinion that bigger is not always better when it comes to saddles. I don’t need wide coverage. Instead, I want precise support for my sit bones. Plus, I feel like the giant saddle negatively affects the otherwise sleek aesthetic of the Pace 5 Rec. 

Beyond the componentry, Aventon loaded the Pace 5 Rec with a ton of “smart features.” With all these features, it seems they’re really trying to reach tech-minded people who want to ride bikes, not cyclists looking to add an e-bike to their stable. 

I’m not a particularly techy guy, so certain features, like the Apple Watch connectivity, made my eyes roll. And cruise control? I mean, we’re here to pedal bikes, right? Anyway, here’s how it works:

You can activate Aventon’s cruise control feature by pressing and holding the “>” button when cruising at your preferred speed. When activated, the speedometer icon appears above the Assist Level on your display. To disengage cruise control, pull your brake levers or press and hold the same button a second time. 

I don’t have an Apple Watch, but with the Aventon Apple Watch app, you can power your bike on or off, lock and unlock your e-bike, and track your ride in real time. While you ride, your watch can display ride duration, distance, current speed, and your heart rate.

Of all the smart features, the e-lock is my favorite. It was particularly helpful for quick stops or when I forgot my lock. And I could see how the activity detection and built-in alarm could deter thieves. 

Real-World Motor and Battery Performance

Aventon claims the Pace 5 Rec has a 75-mile range. This is based on their testing with a 165-lb rider on a paved, flat road, in Eco mode. Sounds pretty impractical to me. 

I feel this way because I felt the need to ride the bike exclusively in Turbo or Boost pedal-assist modes. The less powerful modes, Eco and Sport, didn’t offer me the ride experience I was after. This may be because of my need-for-speed riding style, but I suspect other riders like me will feel similarly. To be fair, however, the Pace 5 Rec isn’t really marketed toward aggressive riders in the first place. 

As I mentioned above, a unique feature of the Pace 5 Rec is the bike’s regenerative braking. Aventon says you can gain back 5% of range when you use the regenerative brakes. The precise amount of energy gained would depend on terrain, riding style, and rider weight. I suspect the regenerative gains are minimal, but even marginal gains will compound over time, especially in hilly cities with lots of stop-and-go commuting. 

It’s worth noting you can switch the regenerative feature between only-braking and coasting. In the coasting mode, the bike can regain energy during deceleration while coasting down big hills. 

Ride Impressions: comfortable, stable, easy to ride

Aventon nailed the Pace’s size and shape. With the adjustable seatpost and stem, and the swept-back handlebars, I was able to position myself super comfortably while riding. The Aventon lock-on grips fit nicely in my hands also and had a spacious flange to support my palms. This comfortable riding position made wanting to ride the Pace 5 Rec a no-brainer. 

The Pace 5 Rec felt stable and easy to navigate. It reminded me of riding my mountain bike. Sure enough, when I looked into the geometry data, I found out it has a very long wheelbase and slack head tube angle, similar to my Salsa Timberjack. 

Unfortunately, when I got the Pace 5 Rec up to speed, I found the aluminum frame to be rattly. Vibrations from the uneven pavement and the normal bumps on my routine commuting routes seemed to diffuse straight through the bike and into my body. Perhaps a fork with front-end suspension or at least a suspension seatpost could smooth out the ride experience. 

The worst part was the clunky shifting. The Pace 5 Rec comes with a Shimano Altus rear derailleur and an 8-speed Trigger shifter. While not top of the line, one would think this Shimano drivetrain could do the trick. And most of the time it did, but unfortunately, it seems the bike arrived out of spec or poorly tuned. 

When I ride the bike in its biggest gear, the drivetrain skips, clicks, and performs poorly. I’ve had to avoid that gear altogether. On hill climbs where I need that gear, I now just change the pedal-assist mode and throttle through it. 

I assume a rear derailleur adjustment will fix the problem, but for an e-bike just shy of $2,000 dollars, I expect it to be fully functioning out of the box. 

Who is the Pace 5 Rec For?

Aventon’s Pace 5 Rec is for urban commuters who want to casually get around town. The Pace 5 Rec is also perfect for recreational cyclists going for long, easy rides on bike paths. It’s even a viable option for riders who cannot ride out from their homes and need to transport their e-bike to access the local beach path or rail trail. Despite the long wheelbase, it fit just fine on my Kuat hitch rack.  

Where to get the Aventon Pace 5 REC

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In addition, with all the smart features, Aventon really seems to be aiming the Pace at a tech-friendly market. Interestingly, I noticed the media on Aventon’s webpage for the Pace 5 Rec is almost entirely composed of cyclists from an older age group. If not advertising the tech built into the Pace 5, all their photos and videos feature folks who seem to be in their 50s or older. Therefore, Aventon seems to have positioned the Pace 5 Rec perfectly in the intersection of older, tech-savvy individuals, like, in all honesty, my mom.  The Pace 5 Rec would be perfect for her. 

Final Thoughts: tech-forward e-bike for very casual riders

Aventon’s Pace 5 Rec exudes the classic design style and aesthetic that has helped make Aventon a higher-end e-bike manufacturer. It comes stock with solid components and is packed with smart features built to enhance your ride experience. 

But to get this thing really road-ready for running errands or commuting, you’ll need to add some accessories like a rear rack or front basket. In comparison, competing (and cheaper) e-bike manufacturers already equip their commuter-style bikes with a front fender and rear rack. For example, the Lectric XPress.

You can expect to be comfy when you ride the Pace 5 Rec, but don’t expect it to be fast or sporty. If you’ve got a need for speed, or are looking for a more shreddable e-bike, look elsewhere.

A recent video by Kona Bikes, titled Sophie Allen’s Field Notes, offers an honest look at Allen’s dual life. While Allen is a huge fan of riding bikes of all kinds, from cross-country and gravel to enduro, riding is only part of her story. She is a full-time lover of the outdoors and a full-time environmental consultant. In the video, Allen explains how her day job conducting surveys perfectly intertwines with her time outside.

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Whether exploring the hidden oases scattered around Los Angeles or the ribbons of singletrack, Allen is always down to stop mid-ride to examine or ID flora and fauna. “When you notice the small things, you tend to slow down in life, and you just get to appreciate things one by one,” Allen notes in the film.

This profound curiosity about the ecosystems she rides through sparked her recent partnership with POW. As an Athlete Ambassador, Allen is using her platform to advocate for protecting the natural playgrounds she treasures.

Her message to the outdoor community is clear and actionable: “One of the best things people can do to protect these open spaces would be just to get out there and vote and advocate for the places that they love most”. Allen continues to lead by example, both on and off the bike.

“As a freerider, I’m no stranger to huge jumps, but this was one of my biggest challenges yet. Ahead of this year’s Red Bull Rampage, I put together a team to build the world’s longest manmade dirt-to-dirt feature and attempt to land the more than 100-foot jump.

This one has been years in the making, and it wasn’t easy. Excited to share this journey to progress the sport I love and push what’s possible on natural terrain.

Don’t forget to tune in Sunday, October 10th on the Red Bull Bike YouTube and Red Bull TV to watch me compete in the 25th anniversary of Red Bull Rampage.”

The concept might seem “normal” in the modern age of freeride, but jumps of this size are always machine-built, as are the massive run-ins they require. The magic is the work and time that go into manipulating and using the natural terrain to build a jump this size. Not to mention the mental clarity required to be the first person to hit it. 

“I always have the most respect for the person who hits the jump for the first time and unlocks it for everybody,” says freeride legend and friend, Tyler McCaul. Every tiny detail matters when hitting a jump this size for the first time. Jaxon is sending himself into the unknown, and oftentimes that results in trial and error. From speed checks in excess of 45 mph to the first attempt that put Riddle out for a few weeks with a broken ankle, the project progressed and eventually earned a full top-to-bottom rework that extended the run by 400 feet and reshaped the takeoff.

In the end, the mission is inspiring, and seeing it all come together reinforced the roots of freeride: Build something no one has ever ridden before, then ride it. As crazy as that sounds, that’s what has, and always will, push the sport of freeride mountain biking, not packing the most amount of rotations into a gap, or seeing how many tricks can be done before touching the landing. It’s about going huge into the unknown and coming out the other side. 

The 140mm of travel out back, 160mm up front, 29” wheels, and single flip chip for shock progression make for a bike that knows what it is, but isn’t terribly uncomfortable getting a little outside of its comfort zone.

The first rides on the Yeti MT were also my first “real” rides back after a shoulder injury, and my hesitations to take a bike with 140mm of rear travel straight into a bike park were valid. But in the end, it really wasn’t too bad.

TLDR Good & Bad

Good: Light and responsive, versatile amount of travel, balanced geometry, excellent climber, competent descender.

Bad: Costs a pretty penny, not the most forgiving in terms of compliance, lots of tight spaces and bearings in the linkage, seatpost insertion can be limiting on smaller sizes.

The Details You Should Know

Frame Storage: Yes, and it’s well done, but I didn’t use it.
Flip-Chips: One, and it changes shock progression between 10, 15, and 20%.
Travel: 140mm rear, 160mm front.
Wheel size: 29” front and rear
Size Tested: Large
(Stack: 635mm, Reach: 480mm, STA: 71.5, CS: 446mm, BB height: 342mm)
Build Kit Tested: X0/90 ($8,000 USD)
Complete build MSRP: $8,000 – $11,500 USD | Frame: $4,600 USD
Yeticycles.com

Ride Impressions

The Yeti MT wants to be pushed. It wants to be ridden hard, and if you can manage that, the bike gives back with a supportive ride. It’s not a bike you can just sit on and meander down the hill, and compared to the trend of super-supple suspension, the Yeti MT is a little different. The more you push into the bike, the more it gives you what you want.

The Yeti MT has a responsive chassis, to say the least, and for the most part it lands above its category on paper for both descending and ascending. It is really well-rounded, and could easily be a bike that the right person could ride almost everything on. It pedals great without the climb switch, and it goes downhill with enthusiasm that the rider needs to match.

It’s a prime example of a modern trail bike and a bit like a multi-tool: great for most everything, but not amazing for every job you might face day to day. But that also is entirely dependent on what you ride every day.

Maybe it was taking it right into laps of Whistler tech and bombed-out corners, but I definitely found the limits of the travel and comfort. On smoother flow trails, it was happy to provide a responsive platform, but a responsive platform isn’t always comfortable, especially in the bike park; that isn’t really what this bike has been built for. 

The bike really fell behind in fast tech, where I felt the suspension was easily overwhelmed and packed down quickly, creating a few huck-and-pray situations and forcing me to stop to make sure I didn’t blow anything up (nothing blew up).

At first, cornering felt a little strange, but the more I rode it, the more it made sense. You need to ride the bike all the time. Some bikes you can point, shoot, and wait for the bang. With the MT, you need to point, shoot, and guide it all the way through. This was most noticeable in corners and tech that other bikes might plow through; the MT wanted to ping and glide, and it could be easily influenced by the trail, regardless of what I wanted.

Over time, it started to feel a little better after adjusting the cockpit and pressures. I settled into the right PSI in the tires, which I kept dropping on the DH Casing Super Soft Continental Kryptotals before settling at 19 psi in the front and 22 psi in the rear. As for suspension, I went back and forth between 180-185 in the shock (Fox Float X) and 78-83 psi in the fork (Fox 36 SL). For reference, I am 175 lbs, and probably close to 182lbs with all my gear on.

The lower suspension pressures felt ideal, as the frame is pretty far from compliant. I felt this bike should be “over-tired”. I feel this way about most bikes, and I was happy not to be on radial-casing trail tires for the riding we were doing, given how reliant I was on my tires to pick up the slack of the 140mm rear end.

The chassis is certainly on the stiffer side, and the rear end doesn’t lack lateral rigidity, which seems to invite pushing it even harder than you might think is doable. For the first day, I was riding the Yeit MT with its single flip chip in the middle progression setting, and I’ll be the first to admit that I should probably have put a few more PSI in the shock, but it wasn’t terrible, and I really only found the absolute bottom of the travel once or twice throughout the day of riding in the park. But the 180 psi mark on the shock was a savior outside the park, and a softer fork saved my poor AC joint from extra pain on some of the steeper trails we rode outside the lift-accessible zone.

Day two included some out-of-the-park excursions to ride the world-class singletrack Whistler offers those who don’t mind a bit of a pedal up. But the juice is always worth the squeeze, and the squeeze yielded a lot of juice on the Yeti MT. Overall, it pedals great, maybe not as precise as other bikes in the travel category, but I wasn’t complaining at all. The pedaling platform feels responsive, and the power drives you forward. There is still some suspension movement, but just enough to keep the wheel tracking the ground and grip in the right spot. For whatever reason, the stack on the size large MT felt a tad short for my liking, but it also had the stock bars, which aren’t the tallest; the trade-off is slightly less confidence descending on steep trails, but a nice, aggressive position while going up and a playful way about it while on flow trails and jumps.

Comparison Is the Thief of Joy

I’ve been riding the Specialized Stumpjumper 15 Evo quite a bit lately, and at 145mm of rear travel and a 160mm fork, the bikes are similar in travel, but that’s about it, and I think that spotlights the spectrum of what a trail bike is. The SJ15 is almost sluggish compared to the MT’s spirit.

The MT rides with no wallow or super-squishy feel, and that could be a selling point or a negative, depending on what you’re looking for. I’ve also been riding the Revel Rascal SL a lot, and with 10mm less travel than the MT, both at the fork and rear end, the MT feels more like the super supportive Rascal than it does the Stumpjumper 15 Evo, but it finds a balance that I would say blends the spectrum of what a trail bike can be in a really great way.

The MT chassis is stiff and accurate on the way down the hill. The MT has an obvious return on inertia, and cornering feels incredibly rewarding. It locks into the arch of where you’re pointing and follows through with energy. On jumps and flow, the MT wants to play around, and although the rear center is fairly long, it likes being balanced on one wheel and guided on the trail. Because of the longer rear end, cornering can sometimes feel vague, but only if you point it and then hope the bike will do the rest. If you tell it what you want it to do, it will. There are no passengers on the MT.

Towards the end of my time with the MT, it all started to click. It’s not a bikepark bike, and riding it like it is won’t give you the ROI you’re looking for. So I dialed it back a bit and embraced the blue flow and off-piste riding with open arms. 

The bike goes where it is pointed, and as I said before, it does require some encouragement from the rider in those more technical situations. But the MT really shines on faster, flowier trails that let you set up and execute turns and undulations. The MT went from vague and easily overwhelmed in the bike park and double-black tech outside of the park to a precision instrument on the less aggressive trails. I’m sure that with a bit more time on it, the bike would become more comfortable, but my time was short, and the legends at Arbutus Routes in Whistler, BC, where I borrowed this bike, didn’t have flip-chips on hand for me to tinker with.

Overall, the combination of 140mm out back and 160mm up front makes the bike more capable than one might assume, but throughout testing, I felt like I needed to keep dropping pressure from the shock and fork to make the bike feel more composed on more technical sections of trail.

I appreciate the MT’s straightforward nature compared to the LT, which has a ton of adjustments, and I felt the MT was dialed right out of the box in terms of geometry, riding position, and behavior. Both up and down, the MT is consistent and pretty familiar, with no glaring issues. I think if I had been at 100% in terms of shoulder recovery and had more time to fully dial the bike in, the MT would have handled everything accurately and left me with no complaints.

Parting Impressions

It’s clear a lot of work went into developing this new suspension platform, and it shows on the trail. From an efficiency standpoint, the MT doesn’t demand a climb switch; in fact, I never touched it, and I think locking out the rear would detract from the feeling Yeti was going for. It feels reactive to the terrain and just keeps going if you keep going. It’s not a missile up the hill, but that’s not really the point because it’s not an XC bike – it’s a trail bike.

Given the bike’s character, I was glad I wasn’t running the stock Schwalbe Radial tires, and instead opted for some DH-casing, Super Soft compound Continental Kryptotal tires with about as little pressure as I could comfortably get away with. Other than that change, I also put on narrower bars (760mm), which made the bike feel a little more familiar.

The MT feels really well-rounded, and for a bike with 140mm out back, it handled pretty much everything in the Whistler Bike Park that I pointed it towards, with the only place it really felt unsettled being the braking bumps and consecutive impacts on more technical black trails. Neither of which are that surprising.

The takeaway is pretty simple: modern trail bikes are really damn good, and if you can afford it, the Yeti MT is one of the most capable options on the market right now, but don’t expect the plush, forgiving chassis of something like the Stumpjumper 15.

With a recent partnership formed between adidas and the Norco Race Division, it’s not totally out of the blue that the iconic footwear brand is making another push into the mountain bike space with more impactful branding, and it’s also nice to see the 5.10 image not completely fading into the backdrop.

adidas unveiled its next-generation Freerider mountain bike shoes, a reimagined lineup launching in March 2027. It includes flat and clipless options, led by the Freerider Pro BOA and Freerider Pro BOA Clipless. Althought he 5.10 branding isn’t as prominent, the ingredients that make them one of the most popular mountian bike shoes remain a core of the new footwear line.

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Since debuting in 2009, the Freerider has been a flat-pedal staple, known for its grippy Stealth rubber. The new lineup combines the original’s off-bike style and traction with the Hellcat’s proven clip-in performance. It’s also the first to feature both adidas’ 3-Stripes and the Five Ten logo, reflecting deeper integration of the label into adidas’ cycling category.

The flat-pedal Freerider Pro BOA was created with Rampage favorites Brendan Fairclough and Vero Sandler, and Mountain Bike Hall of Famer Danny MacAskill. The Freerider Pro BOA Clipless, recently debuted at the Whistler World Cup, was developed with Norco adidas Race Division, drawing on input from World Champions Greg Minnaar and Vali Höll, and USA Cycling Elite Downhill National Champion Dakotah Norton.

Details

“For more than 15 years, Freerider and Stealth rubber have set the standard for flat pedal performance,” said Luke Hontz, Senior Product Manager for Bike at adidas. “But rather than making incremental updates, we took a step back and reimagined what Freerider could be. The result is a new range of products, including the first-ever clipless Freerider, giving riders at every skill level a shoe tailored to how and where they ride.”

A five-layer toe box featuring Poron impact resistance and an asymmetric construction provides a little bit of armour for side impacts, and a secure, micro-adjustable fit comes from an asymmetric PERFORMFIT™ WRAP and Li2 BOA® dials, a single dial on the flat model and a double dial on the clipless version. An integrated debris shield provides additional trail protection.

The flat pedal shoes still utilize the beloved Stealth rubber compound while the clipless model employs the harder-wearing Stealth Marathon compound and features a redesigned cleat slot with 5mm of extra adjustability, allowing riders to position cleats further back.

The full Freerider range will start at $120, with the PRO BOA® and PRO BOA® Clipless priced at $180 and $250, respectively. The collection will be available in March 2027 through the adidas website and app, offering sizes ranging from US 5.5 to 10.5 for women and US 5.5 to 14.5 for men.

The Team DH’s core is Norco’s patented High Virtual Pivot Six-Link (HVP6) suspension, which isolates braking forces and manages axle path for maximum traction and predictable handling.

Construction

What sets the Team DH apart is its extensive structural and mechanical tuning. Norco’s patented Progression Adjust system lets riders switch shock-eyelet chips between two leverage curves. The P+ setting adds 2.5% progression for greater bottom-out support without sacrificing initial-stroke sensitivity. An adjustable idler with licensed i-Track technology also lets racers tune anti-squat: switching from AS+ to AS- reduces it by 20%, balancing pedal feedback and suspension tracking for track conditions.

Norco gave the Team DH a durable aluminum front triangle and a carbon rear end, balancing responsive cornering with impact strength. The Team DH comes in five sizes (S1–S5) to fit riders from 5’0″ to 6’6″. Size-specific rear centers keep riders balanced between the wheels, while reach-adjust headset cups offer a centered 0mm setting or a ±5mm offset.

Availability and Support

The Team DH platform integrates seamlessly with Norco’s Ride Aligned Setup Guide, which provides riders with personalized baseline settings for suspension, cockpit, and tire pressures based on their physical metrics and terrain preferences.

Backed by Norco’s “No Other Way” limited lifetime warranty, the Team DH brings World Cup engineering to privateers and downhill enthusiasts alike, proving that top-tier speed and precision tuning are no longer confined to factory racing tents.

Geometry & Fit

• Sizing: Five sizes (S1 through S5) accommodating riders from 5’0″ to 6’6″.
• Chainstays: Size-specific rear centers across the size run.
• Reach: Adjustable headset cups provide a centered 0mm position or a +/- 5mm offset.
• Setup: Supported by the Norco Ride Aligned Setup Guide for baseline suspension and cockpit metrics.

Build Kits and Pricing

The course got its name after Stevie Smith, who racked up 1,199 points in 2013 and won the overall title that season. The course is legendary, as is the man it was named after. A fitting venue for the penultimate stage of the 2026 UCI Downhill World Cup season before it heads to Lake Placid for the final race.

Anticipation is high for this race, and the track is a seriously impressive ribbon of dirt, rock, and roots that stretches from the top of Whistlers Creekside Gondola all the way down to the finish corral, which recently hosted the Canadian Open DH race at Crankworx earlier this year.

We’ve already seen a list of top names tackle this course, but we have yet to see this many high-level riders gun for the top step on the same day, and depending on the weather, it could be anyone’s race to win or lose.

We took the morning to walk the track with Frameworks Racing as the All-American team scoped it from top to bottom the day before practice kicked off, just hours before the skies opened up for what looks like a few days of heavy rain.

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The Abound LR is Aventon’s long-tail cargo e-bike supporting up to a 440-pound payload and propelled by a 750-watt motor. Thanks to Aventon’s robust accessory ecosystem, the rear rack can carry passengers or a week’s worth of groceries. Maybe even both! 

The Abound LR fits right in the middle of the cargo e-bike market– it’s not the cheapest, and it’s far from the most expensive. For the price, you get what you pay for. When you unbox the Abound LR, you’ll find a good-looking machine with solid components. But be wary of your body size and how it compares to Aventon’s recommended sizing. If you can, test-ride the Abound LR before buying. 

Where to get the Aventon Abound LR

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Build Details For the Abound LR

Aventon’s Abound LR comes in a single size. They claim it fits riders from 4’11” to 6’3”. One of my biggest problems with the bike is that I don’t think that’s true. But more on that later. 

Two colorways are optional: Sage and Matte Stealth. When I deboxed my Abound LR, I found out I got sent the Matte Stealth option. The black color is classic, and I think the matte finish is unique and looks fantastic. 

• Motor: Shengyi 36V 750W hub drive with 6-speed sensors and a 1188W peak.
• Battery: Removable Internal Lithium-ion. 36V, 20Ah, 733Wh, LG 21700 cells.
• Controls: Aventon BC147 display, 46V controller, and Aventon LH handlebar-mounted throttle. 
• Frame and Fork: Gravity Cast 6061 single-butted aluminum alloy frame with adjustable lockout, black stanchions, and 51 mm of travel
• Drivetrain: Shimano 8-speed cassette, Shimano Altus 8-speed rear derailleur, and Shimano trigger shifter 
• Wheels and Tires: Double-walled aluminum 20” wheel laced to 20×3.0 Innova urban tires with reflective sidewalls
• Brakes: Tektro HD-E3520 hydraulic disc brakes with  EJ1 quick-disconnect wire
• Weight: 88 pounds (not including the 8.7-pound battery) 
• MSRP: $1,999.00

The build quality is top-shelf, and the techy features make the Abound LR feel modern, capable, and fun to ride. 

One of my favorite cargo-related features that really improved my hauling was the front-end suspension and suspension seat post. The front fork offers 51mm of travel while the seat post gives 50mm of travel, perfect for bumpy roads.

Aventon’s saddle also came equipped with an integrated saddle handle made by Selle Royal. This thoughtful feature makes walking, parking, and handling the bike much easier. 

I also liked the fat 3” wide Innova tires for cargo riding. They made the riding feel cushy. Plus, the double-walled aluminum wheelset looks and feels beefy, which inspires confidence for heavily loaded riding. In addition, the tires have reflective sidewalls, which is a nice safety-conscious design. 

The components that come stock on the Aventon Abound LR are higher quality than some competing cargo bikes. You get a full Shimano drivetrain, including a Shimano cassette, Altus derailleur, and 8-speed trigger shifter. The hydraulic brakes are Tektro, and the tires are manufactured by Innova. 

The included front fender was made from aluminum, which I liked, compared to the XPedition 2. But like with other Avneton e-bikes, you get stuck with cheap plastic pedals. At least the bike comes with some bike grease for pedal installation. 

Function-wise, the handlebars were okay. But aesthetically, I really disliked the BMX-style riser handlebars. I would have been much happier with an adjustable stem and flat bars with some sweep like Aventon runs on the Pace 5. 

Like all Aventon e-bikes, the Abound LR comes with a series of thoughtful smart features. The most practical, in my opinion, is the kickstand lock. The kickstand lock prevents the wheels from rolling. This is helpful when loading passengers. And it prevents thieves from rolling the bike away. A programmable start-up password can also prevent unauthorized use of your bike. 

The least practical feature is the cruise control. Maybe it’s because I don’t ride in an area with enough uninterrupted terrain. Or maybe it’s because I enjoy actually pedaling bikes. 

If you like getting into the weeds, the Ride Tune feature can be nice too. The Ride Tune feature connects to your smartphone and lets you customize torque, assistance, and pedal response for each pedaling mode. I found this helpful for starting from a dead stop with heavy loads and for riding more efficiently. 

Real-World Motor and Battery Performance

Aventon claims the Abound LR gets up to 60 miles of range. But if you read the fine print, you learn that the “max range is estimated based on a rider weighing 165 lbs (75 kg) on a paved, flat road, in Eco Mode, with Ride Tune set to the default settings.” 

They make it clear that your “actual range will vary depending on rider weight, terrain, weather conditions, tire pressure, and cadence.” 

I think the 60 miles is an unrealistic overstatement. Considering this beast weighs almost 100 pounds by itself, not including the rider’s weight or any of the cargo weight, it was never realistic for me to ride in Eco Mode. Not to mention the hills I have in my hometown. 

I almost always rode in Tour Mode. And I frequently used Boost Mode, which I thought was cool. Boost Mode let me unlock up to 120% of stock torque and peak power for up to 30 seconds. It was ideal for blasting up hills when I was loaded down. 

Another nice motor feature of the Abound LR is the sensor switch. The switch allows you to toggle between a torque-sensor system and a cadence-sensor-based system. A torque-sensing system provides pedal assist based on how hard you pedal. On the other hand, a cadence sensor provides power with every pedal revolution. 

Where to get the Aventon Abound LR

Check Price

A surprising characteristic of the Abound LR is how loud the 750W motor can be. It’s like a constant electronic humming sound. This was enlightening because I realized how much I appreciated a quiet machine. For example, Lectric calls their motor on the XPress 2 “Stealth”, and for good reason – you have no idea it’s running.

But the Abound LR was noisy. And there’s something to be said about a noisy machine.   

Ride Impressions: somewhat capable but disappointing 

When looking at the Abound LR after assembly, I couldn’t help but get excited to ride it. It looked good and came stocked with name-brand components. Unfortunately, when I saddled up for my first ride, I was disappointed. 

My biggest qualm with the Aventon Abound LR is that the bike fit is all wrong. I’m 6’2”, so I should fit Aventon’s advertised sizing. And sure, I can sit on it and pedal it, but I couldn’t get my 6’2” frame to feel comfortable on the bike. 

My reach felt okay. But for a one-size-fits-all e-bike, I would have liked to see an adjustable handlebar stem to fine-tune my reach. My biggest problem was that I couldn’t get a complete pedal stroke, even with the 380mm (15″) seat tube maxed out. 

I looked at the geometry specs that affect pedal stroke, like crank arm length and bottom bracket height. They are comparable to other cargo bikes I’ve ridden, but the seat tube is just too short.  

When loaded, the Abound LR rode okay, so long as I had my hands on the handlebars. That sounds obvious, but when I test cargo bikes, I always ride no-hands to gauge the machine’s stability and to see how the bike tracks. When I go hands-free on the Abound LR, it immediately generates speed wobbles.

Of the bikes I tested, Aventon’s kickstand is by far the easiest to use. It’s much easier than Lectric’s XPedition 2. But when I came home after my first grocery run and parked the Abound in my driveway, it completely tipped over and launched my groceries. Even if the XPedition 2’s kickstand is a pain in the butt to deploy, at least it supported a fully-loaded bike. 

Who Is the Aboud LR For?

The Abound LR is for urban cyclists who want cargo capacity on their daily driving e-bike. After you equip the Abound LR with supplemental accessories, like rear panniers and a front rack,  it’s a far more capable machine. You can commute to the beach with a day’s worth of supplies, or carry food and drink to the park to set up a picnic. 

The Abound LR is also an option for families that want to handle more of their commuting via e-bike. It can carry up to three children with Aventon’s child carrier kit or a single adult with the passenger’s chair. And for the real youngsters, the Abound LR is compatible with the Thule Yepp Nexxt 2 Maxi seat. 

Final Thoughts: A high-quality cargo bike NOT for tall riders

Aventon made a good-looking, high-quality cargo e-bike with the Abound LR. It has good components, smooth performance, and top-shelf smart features that beat competing cargo bikes. 

But in my opinion, they missed the mark with the Abound LR’s geometry. Yes, smaller-bodied riders will feel right at home on the bike. But tall riders like me, who strive for an ergonomic riding position, including comfortable reach and a complete pedal stroke, won’t feel comfortable on the Abound LR.   

The bottom line is, if you’re going for one-size-fits-all, you need more adjustability in your componentry, including seat post length and handlebar stem. 

DF Technology’s core function is to reduce pedal kickback. By allowing the freehub a specific range of rotation before engagement, it isolates chain forces from the rear suspension, enabling the bike to absorb trail impacts more freely. The system is easy to adjust, entirely tool-free, and adds no extra weight to your wheel setup.

With the new Ratchet DF Upgrade Kit, this technology is no longer exclusive to high-engagement DEG hubs. It retrofits onto classic DT Swiss Ratchet and Ratchet LN hubs, meaning riders can upgrade wheelsets built up to nearly 30 years ago with modern suspension-enhancing tech. Featuring a fully e-bike-approved 54-tooth ratchet, it lets riders toggle between a 0° and a 14° setup by swapping the inner and outer ratchet positions. (Note: This upgrade does not apply to weight-optimized Ratchet EXP systems).

For the competitive crowd already utilizing DEG DF hubs, the new Ratchet DEG DF Race Kits provide hyper-specific tuning. The 0/40 option suits downhill and gravity racers who need maximum suspension freedom on punishing descents, while the 10/30 kit is designed for enduro racers looking to fine-tune engagement and pedal response between high-speed stages.

By bringing advanced deadband tuning to both legacy and modern hubs, DT Swiss continues to solidify its reputation for backward compatibility and rider-focused innovation.

As the last man down, Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate) unleashed a descent for the ages – charging full gas, executing splendidly, and clocking faster-and-faster intervals as he blazed down the revered course, securing a decisive seven-tenths-of-a-second world championship victory. He left his opponents in cold blood on a steamy day in the Italian Dolomites.

Two consecutive UCI World Championship titles for the undisputed 22-year-old Canadian downhill king from Squamish, British Columbia. Seventy-seven downhill mountain bike racers were essentially competing for second place in Val di Sole, on August 29th. Goldstone’s winning time was 3:28.78. His top speed was nearly 60 kilometers per hour, second fastest in the field.

Bike Mag asked Goldstone a simple question after his high-octane victory celebration that everyone wants to know, expecting a complex answer – what makes him tick?

“There are a few things that make me tick, and I think it’s mostly just enjoying myself on the mountain bike; to get that feeling and motivation to go fast, and it’s a different vibe when you’re at that limit and pushing as hard as you can,” Goldstone told Bike Mag in an exclusive interview in Val di Sole. 

“That’s why we do this sport, and it’s a really insane one because sometimes you just know when you’re on that winning run or when you’re not,” he said.

The 5-foot-7-inch, 140-pound fiery competitor, who rides like a giant when the stakes are high, described his world championship feelings after slaying the 1.5-mile Black Snake beast.

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“That was a crazy day for me, but I felt like I was on it all week here, just enjoying myself while practicing – I was kind of calm and not as nervous as I was expecting,” Goldstone revealed. “To pull that run off and get that feeling back, that moment of realization at the finish line, that is what we all dream of.

“It’s a pretty special moment and a pretty special place here,” he said about the Italian Dolomites course and venue. “Everything was just meant to be.”

Onward to the ‘Great White North’

Goldstone will seek to bring that adrenaline into his next World Cup race, on very familiar home terrain at Whistler Mountain in British Columbia, Sept. 25-27. Fan support and the excitement infused from the Canadian crowd are expected to be Stanley Cup level.

“The energy in Whistler is insane, and there’s so much history there in mountain biking, but not as much from the downhill side of things, so I’m really excited to bring that energy in downhill into Whistler in a really big way,” Goldstone proclaims. 

“Especially coming off this win (Val di Sole), I think it’s gonna be just as motivating for me to get there, and 1199 is one of my favorite tracks,” he says about the legendary 1.5-mile Canadian course, with its 1,600 feet of vertical drop that runs just over three minutes.

“This one (World Championships) was for Stevie, and Whistler will be too,” Goldstone says, honoring the late, legendary Canadian downhiller Steve Smith. The 1199 name represents the number of points Smith accumulated en route to becoming the first Canadian rider to win a World Cup downhill title in 2013.

The 2026 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup season concludes the following weekend with the ninth of nine races, in the 1980 Olympic town of Lake Placid, New York, Oct. 2-4. Despite Goldstone riding like a well-oiled machine, his American opponents will be shooting to pull off a ‘Miracle on Dirt.’

From Young Gun to Fastest in the World

Goldstone is undoubtedly flying high entering the season-ending North American swing of the circuit. Overcoming a sluggish start to his 2026 season, he has rallied into top form, speeding to third-place finishes in two of his last three races (La Thuile & Les Gets) preceding the world championships. Jackson currently stands sixth in the UCI World Cup downhill standings, trailing leader Jordan Williams by 302 points.

Over Goldstone’s young career, which kicked off racing as a junior on tour in 2021, he has amassed 16 World Cup wins. In his debut junior season, he immediately delivered, winning his second-ever World Cup race in Les Gets and proceeded to add two more victories to clinch the overall Junior World Cup title, along with a Junior World Championship gold medal.

He sustained a nasty crash at the first Red Bull Hardline Australia event in early 2024, which abruptly ended his entire elite-level season with a torn ACL. However, Goldstone rebounded successfully the following season and now boasts the two world championship downhill victories and an overall World Cup title in 2025. One need not be a visionary to predict that the Canadian top gun will only become faster and tougher to take down over the years ahead.

Goldstone addressed his early career success and how he has carried that momentum and trajectory to the elite world championship level.

“It all comes with experience and I feel like I’ve gotten a lot of it at a young age, which I’m really lucky for,” he says. “I started riding bikes when I was two-years-old, so I’ve got 20 years of experience on the bike already now, so it’s not like this is new stuff to me, but to become a two-time world champ, in Val di Sole, after winning Champéry (World Champs) last year, this is just an insane stat. 

“Little me would be pretty mind-blown to hear what those stats are.”

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The core of the Aria V2 remains EXT’s patented AS3 technology, which ditches the traditional single air chamber for a dual positive chamber design paired with a massive, self-equalizing negative chamber. Instead of tearing into the shock to reduce the volume with plastic volume tokens, you tune the progressivity entirely with a shock pump.

The primary positive chamber (+) handles the dynamic sag position and dictates the feel for the first 60 percent of your travel. The secondary positive chamber (++) controls the ramp-up. Add pressure for mid- and end-stroke support, or bleed it off for a more linear, coil-like response. According to EXT, separating these chambers with just two seals minimizes friction while letting riders dictate exactly where in the stroke the support kicks in.

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The Updates

To make the V2 a genuine upgrade over the original Aria, EXT focused heavily on refining the air transfer system and chassis footprint. EXT redesigned the bypass between the positive and negative chambers to eliminate mid-stroke feedback, creating a smoother transition deep into travel. They’ve also optimized airflow along the inner tube to keep the shock’s behavior predictable and linear during high-speed, rapid-fire impacts.

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Friction is the enemy of any air shock, and EXT addressed this by altering their seal profiles and moving the upper bushing internally, putting it in direct contact with the damping oil for constant lubrication. Fitment issues on modern frames should also be less of a headache thanks to a new vertical piggyback orientation and a reduced valve block footprint designed to increase frame clearance.

On the damping side, the Aria V2 utilizes EXT’s Hydraulic Bottom-Out Control (HBC), which uses a secondary piston to manage the final 15 percent of the stroke without messing with your carefully tuned air spring curve. The enduro and trail model also features LOK 2.0, an independent, shimmed lockout circuit designed to provide a firm pedaling platform that will still blow open over rough terrain. Everything slides on a 14mm chromoly steel shaft and runs on EXT’s EV2S fluid, formulated to handle massive temperature spikes without suffering from stick-slip or expansion.

For the downhill and freeride crowd, EXT is launching the Aria V2 DH. This version ditches the LOK 2.0 climb switch to maximize frame compatibility and utilizes a dedicated tune optimized for longer shock strokes. The DH model also gets a beefed-up HBC system, generating 20 percent more end-stroke force to handle heavy impacts and flat landings.

To take the guesswork out of the complex dual-chamber setup, the Aria V2 integrates with RideMaster, EXT’s web-based platform. Enter your bike, rider weight, and terrain, and it spits out a baseline for pressures, damping, and sag in minutes.

Both the Aria V2 and Aria V2 DH retail for $1200.00 (€1100.00) and come with EXT’s five-year warranty program. The trail/enduro model weighs 622g in a 210 x 55mm size, while the DH version weighs 667g in a 250 x 75mm size. Both shocks are available in a massive range of Metric Standard and Metric Trunnion lengths to fit nearly any modern full-suspension frame.

ARIA V2
Trail, Enduro, and eMTB

PRICE: €1100,00 | $1200,00

•  AS3 dual positive chamber technology
•  Monotube design
•  High-Speed and Low-Speed compression adjustment
•  Rebound adjustment
•  LOK 2.0 independent and customizable lockout circuit
•  Adjustable Hydraulic Bottom-Out Control
•  V4-series compression valve
•  Ø14 mm chromoly steel shaft
•  EV2S fluid
•  High-volume bladder reservoir pressurized to 55 psi
• Actual weight: 622 g in 210 x 55 mm

AVAILABLE LENGTH / STROKE

Metric Standard: 210 / 47.5 mm, 210 / 50 mm, 210 / 52.5 mm, 210 / 55 mm, 230 / 57.5 mm, 230 / 60 mm, 230 / 62.5 mm, 230 / 65 mm, 250 / 67.5 mm, 250 / 70 mm, 250 / 72.5 mm, 250 / 75 mm

Metric Trunnion: 185 / 47.5 mm, 185 / 50 mm, 185 / 52.5 mm, 185 / 55 mm, 205 / 57.5 mm, 205 / 60 mm, 205 / 62.5 mm, 205 / 65 mm, 225 / 67.5 mm, 225 / 70 mm, 225 / 72.5 mm, 225 / 75 mm

ARIA V2 DH
Downhill and Freeride

PRICE: €1100,00 | $1200,0

• AS3 dual positive air chamber technology
• Monotube design
• High-Speed and Low-Speed compression adjustment
• Rebound adjustment
• V4-series compression valve
• Ø14 mm chromoly steel shaft
• EV2S fluid
• Large-volume bladder reservoir pressurized to 55 psi
• DH-specific Hydraulic Bottom-Out Control with 20% more end-stroke force
• DH-dedicated tuning
• No LOK 2.0
• Actual weight: 667 g in 250 x 75 mm

AVAILABLE LENGTH / STROKE

Metric Standard: 230 / 57.5 mm, 230 / 60 mm, 230 / 62.5 mm, 230 / 65 mm, 250 / 67.5 mm, 250 / 70 mm, 250 / 72.5 mm, 250 / 75 mm

Metric Trunnion: 205 / 57.5 mm, 205 / 60 mm, 205 / 62.5 mm, 205 / 65 mm, 225 / 67.5 mm, 225 / 70 mm, 225 / 72.5 mm, 225 / 75 mm

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This week at Sea Otter Europe in Girona, Spain, Honda lifted the veil on a brand-new eMTB prototype. This example, dubbed the RN0, is slated for a 2027 launch. While details are not plentiful, from what we can see, they aren’t just putting their logo on an open-mold catalog frame. Could they also be working on their own motor and battery for eMTB, or is the future of e-bikes a 50:1 ratio?

Honda tapped ADP Engineering, the German firm behind Rotwild, to co-develop the frame. It’s a full carbon monocoque design built around a mullet wheel setup. Out back, Honda is using a Gullarm at the rear end of the RN0, essentially a single-pivot design most commonly found on motorcycles, most notably the Honda CBR, but this time on an eMTB. 

Honda appears to have gone with a full Shimano ecosystem: from the initial images, the RN0 seems to have a Shimano mid-drive motor paired with a Di2 electronic drivetrain. What is concealed beneath the fairing is still a mystery to the public, and since this is still in prototype form, there are likely to be a couple of changes before it hits production. 

We don’t yet have a price tag, geometry charts, or confirmation of the North American dealer network. Given the Rotwild partnership, expect this to be positioned as a premium-tier e-MTB. We’ll be watching closely to see how the thing shakes out, but an e-bike with Honda engineering is coming as a bit of a surprise.

The US relaunch brings YT’s full mountain bike lineup – including the Capra, Jeffsy, Izzo, Tues, and Decoy platforms – back to American riders, complete with localized component sales and dedicated technical support. Addressing the company’s recent structural hurdles, leadership emphasized a renewed commitment to its customer base.

“The United States has helped shape YT’s identity, and I’m excited to reconnect with our strong fan base,” said YT founder Markus Flossmann. “As we return, our priority isn’t just to sell bikes; it’s to deliver dependable service, responsive support, and to build a stronger connection with our US rider base.”

Coinciding with the US revival is the launch of the Decoy X, representing a major leap in the brand’s e-MTB offering. The new model steps away from traditional drive systems in favor of the Avinox M2S motor. Like previous YT Decoys, this 170/160mm bike is built for aggressive riding; the Decoy X features a hydroformed aluminum frame, MX wheels, and YT’s signature Virtual Four Link suspension design.

The flagship Decoy X Launch Edition is available immediately for US consumers, equipped with a FOX Podium Factory fork, FOX X2 Factory shock, and SRAM X0 Eagle Transmission. The standard, more affordable Core model lineup (Core 1 through Core 4) is officially slated to follow in November.

Decoy Core 4: $7,999

Decoy Core 3: $6,999

Decoy Core 2: $5,999

Decoy Core 1: $4,999

It ain’t perfect, but it’s pretty darn close, and I’ll tell you why I went back to a hip pack after years of staunchly advocating for vest packs.

I separated my Acromioclavicular joint in August, and after 6 weeks of no bike activity, I was finally cleared to get back on the bike, but wearing one of my newest vest packs didn’t seem like the best option. Luckily, I had received the High Above Cascadia in the mail just a few days after my accident, and what better time to check out how far hip pack design has come than right now?

For the longest time, I was a hip pack enjoyer, so I’m not an outsider when it comes to using one, and from the jump, the High Above Cascadia impressed me – as does everything that the Seattle outfit makes – the construction, attention to detail, and selection of materials, but most of all the fit. 

Cascadia Details & Features

MSRP: $169.99
Capacity: 4L
Weight: 400g
– Cinch designs magnetic hip buckle
– YKK waterproof exterior zipper, integrated bungee carry system, key clip inside.
– Lifetime Guarantee: Repaired or replaced. No questions asked.
– Made in the USA
– Available at Highabove.net

Construction & Fit

I’ll start with the buckles, because this can be the hardest thing to get right on a hip pack, but the Cascadia seems to have done it right. This is my first encounter with Cinch Designs’ magnetic hip buckle, and it’s intuitive and easy to pop open with one hand, even with gloves on. It’s unobtrusive and doesn’t conflict with the waist of whatever apparel I have on my legs, even with an Arcade Belt. This gets points in my book.

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Dialing in the fit is also super easy, with both adjustment buckles sitting where the straps meet the bag, instead of at the buckle, which makes it really easy to tighten and loosen with one hand to pivot the pack to the front to grab a snack, a camera, or whatever.

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The Cascadia’s form is also impressive. Most hip packs can feel a little floppy and unsupported when not fully loaded, and bulbous and saggy when packed to the brim; the Cascadia does neither, but it also doesn’t feel overly rigid or overbuilt. This is achieved with High Above’s proprietary M200 Molecular fabric used as the outer shell, paired with the 210D liner and open-weave mesh liner on the back portion of the pack. It stays secure without restricting movement.

The M200 Fabric blends ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) and nylon, and HA says it’s stronger, lighter, and more abrasion-resistant than anything they have used before in their bags. Stronger and lighter than EPX400? Sounds good to me.

Size & Function

The pack sits perfectly below the threshold of being too big and is a great size for medium and short rides, but with the added bungee and hydration bladder integration, I wouldn’t shy away from a longer voyage with the Cascadia. There’s enough storage for everything to stay organized and easily accessible, but it doesn’t bounce around or feel like there’s too much gear hanging on your rear – an impressive achievement for a 4L hip pack, if you ask me.

Internally, there is space (and routing) for a 1.5L hydration bladder and 2.5L of gear, all meticulously planned. A large zipper pocket for valuables with a key leash, two stretch pockets for items that shouldn’t jostle around in the pack, and a large main compartment that holds all the essentials and then some. It also has an outside gear strap for kneepads, a jacket, etc. This easy addition has a profound effect on what you can carry.

My main ride kit these days includes an Insta360 Ace Pro 2, camera mounts, a shock pump, hand pump, multi-tool, electric pump, tubes, tire plugs, spare links, spare UDH, a small first aid kit, and maybe some snacks depending on the ride length. This is kind of a lot, and it can be borderline too much in some vest packs, but it all disappears into the Cascadia – something I did not expect. Even with all the weight on an unfamiliar place on my body, I found myself really happy with the form and the function.

It does take some time to get used to a hip pack again after so long with vests, but I do really like being able to keep the bag on while accessing everything. One of the main draws of a well-designed hip pack.

“Complaint”

My only complaint about the Cascadia is its tiny side pockets. This might stem from my love of vest packs and shoulder-strap pockets, but I wish the Cascadia had more (or better?) external pockets I could access quickly.

The side ones are pretty minimal, and other than holding a lens cap, a small pack of gummies, or a cool-ass rock found on the trail, I can’t see myself using them much. Granted, adding more robustness to these pockets would add weight and likely make for a less comfortable pack, so I’m slightly conflicted about this complaint.

I know Spencer at High Above does an exhausting amount of R&D for each pack he brings to market, so there is 100% a reason these side pockets aren’t bigger or equipped with a zipper.

This is one of the best hip-packs on the market, and it does a great job of solving the bounce and discomfort I’ve encountered over the years with other fanny packs, and it’s been a VERY welcome addition as I make my way back to 100% health – I might even keep using it even after I’m all better, and that’s saying something.

It seems Magura has seen the comments and criticism, and they’re addressing it with the Race Pro, calling it “the aluminum masterpiece our fans and haters have been waiting for.” That might address one critique, but it’s not the whole story. The Race Pro might have alloy levers and stopping power close to the Gustav, plus tech that makes swapping and bleeding pretty easy; still, it lacks bite-point adjustment, which is a huge miss on a brake at this price point ($699.00 | 699.90€).

Race Pro Details

• Weight: 310 g (1m hose length)
• Caliper: Aluminum, forged & CNC machined, 4 pistons
• Brake master material: Aluminum, forged & CNC machined
• Clamp: Aluminum, Integrated Shiftmix IG option
• Lever: PRO lever, Aluminum CNC, ball bearing
• Reach Adjust: toolless
• Brake pad: MDP 13 SILVER
• Rotor thickness: 2.0 mm

The master piston in the lever is still radial and uses a replaceable ball bearing, but it uses an axial reservoir design, which reduces size and makes the cockpit slightly less cluttered. For better cockpit organization, the Race Pro uses the same ShiftMix mount found on the Gustav, which lets you mount a shifter or dropper lever to the brake-lever clamp.

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Magura claims that the Race Pro brakes offer more stopping power than the Gustav, but on their own website lists them as “heavy duty” rather than “extreme duty”, like the Gustav. I assume this is because the Race Pro targets mountain bikes rather than eMTBs, and is built for a 2mm thick rotor instead of the 2.5mm rotor that the Gustav is compatible with.

Installation and maintenance are pretty simple on the Race Pro, highlighted by the EASY LINK hose coupling that lets you disconnect the brake hose from the master cylinder without special tools, a major plus for routing cables through frames. The EASY BLEED system simplifies routine maintenance with a continuous, dead-end-free oil channel for quick lever bleeds.

Inside the whole deal is a 12mm master piston, and four 19mm caliper pistons operate at a reduced hydraulic pressure to prevent hose expansion under heavy braking. That means a firm, consistent bite point that Magura shows as VERY linear. So no, there’s not much modulation with these, and there’s no way to adjust that bite point. If you’re a fan of the adjustability offered by Shimano, SRAM, TRP, or Hayes, the Magura Race Pros are likely not the brake for you. There is, however, a workaround for bite-point adjustment, thanks to aftermarket levers. 

The Selling Points

Downhill Power at XC Weight: The complete system weighs just 310 grams per brake, yet outputs 16% more braking power than Magura’s heavy-duty GUSTAV PRO model.

CNC Skeletonized Construction: To achieve a best-in-class weight without sacrificing large pistons and high oil volume, both the master cylinder and caliper are one-piece forged and then extensively CNC post-machined. This removes excess material and gives the brakes a highly sculptural look.

Increased System Stiffness: The uniquely stiff one-piece caliper and reduced hydraulic pressure deliver 20% less unwanted lever flex than the Magura MT7.

Explore more at Magura.com

The WTC hubs will retail for $729.90 USD per hubset ($239.95 front / $489.95 rear), with inventory available now, directly from Wolf Tooth and authorized dealers worldwide. 

Alongside standalone hubs, Wolf Tooth is offering factory-built complete carbon wheelsets paired with North American-made rims from ENVE (SES 4.5, G SES 4.5, M6, M8) and We Are One (Whisp, Triad).

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Core Drive & Engineering Features

ENVE INNERDRIVE System: An oversized 42mm ratchet ring with interchangeable options (40T PRO, 60T, 80T, and 100T), achieving engagement as fast as 3.6°. The drag-reducing 40T PRO comes stock on all Road/Gravel models.

Perfect Preload System: A tuned wave washer that automatically sets and maintains proper bearing preload upon torquing, eliminating manual preload adjustments and special tools.

Service-Friendly Design: Standardized bearing sizes, uniform spoke lengths per wheelset, anti-twist straight-pull drillings, and a retaining circlip that keeps internal components secured during maintenance.

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Hub Specifications