Latest Reviews of Mountain Bikes & Parts

SixSixOne Comp II Full Face Helmet

“Affordable protection that works”

The Good: Great bang for the buck. Nice lid for the guy just starting out in the freeride/dh world. Pretty light and fits really well. Oakley goggles fit great with it.

The Bad: You get what you pay for. After my few first runs, the visor adjustment screw came off and the visor kept flopping around, basically blinding me at times. Duct taped it back into place and it works better now than it did. Venting isn't all that great and I'm not too fond of the D-ring set up, plus it would be nice to have removable cheek pads to wash. I'm not overly fond of the huge 661 logo on the side, but that's just personal preference. These features don't come at this price point.

Overall Review: Overall, this helmet is great for the price and the guy that doesn't want to drop his shorts for a full face. It does what it says it will and it'll leave you money for beer after those shuttle runs.

Giro Remedy Carbon Full Face Helmet

“Excellent Helmet, poor sizing”

The Good: Has all you need, for a good price.

The Bad: What if your not small medium or large?

Overall Review: I am a bit of a baller on a budget, and after riding non carbon for 4 years i decided to upgrade, and immediately decided on the Remedy because of its iconic image. So many people have ridden the remedy and for good reason, its light, durable, and breathes quite well. I have had some long days with this on my head, and its the type of helmet you dont feel the need to take off going up every run. Also for me, the clip is much better than the D loop, i find that a hassle and the clip is all you need to keep it on. Also great fit for a wide range of goggles.The only issue i have with this helmet is the minimal Read More »

2013 Giant Trance X 29er 2 Bike

“Climbing and decending machine”

The Good: Climbs like a beast, descends like beast, comfortable geometry, solid stock tires, cheap price point.

The Bad: stock wheels are heavy, x7 front derailleur is shit and x5 rear isn't much better

Overall Review: I want to start off by saying that if you are looking for a bike that will do everything at under $2000 this is the bike for you. I have had this bike for 7 months now and have about 600 hard miles on it. I have had only one issue and that was the x7 front derailleur getting so out of whack it had to be replaced, but sram sent me a new upgraded x7 model for free and I haven't had a problem since. As for the riding experience this bike provides, it will do equally as well on a long steep climb as it will on a easier DH trail. I have ridden everything from the slick rock of Sedona and Moab to the high alpine trails of Northern Read More »

2013 Specialized P.26 AM Bike

“Sweet Bike!”

The Good: The forks are pretty dialed along with most of the bike.

The Bad: The only few things I'm not impressed with is the wheels. I have had some hub issues but I also have to factor in the amount of use and just need to keep things adjusted and same with the headset. The tires I have crashed on from sketchy traction for skatepark use but other than that its an amazing bike.

Overall Review: This bike is seriously a beast. I love it. For being a taller rider the front of the bike is a little short. But with bars and a stem and eventually a fork upgrade it will be 10x more dialed. I would highly recommend this bike :D

2013 Cannondale Jekyll MX

Vital Review

“2013 Test Sessions: Cannondale Jekyll MX”

Reviewed by Steve Wentz, Joe Schneider, and Brandon Turman // Photos by Shawn Spomer and Brandon TurmanIntroduced in 2011, the Cannondale Jekyll has a very fitting name given its two-sided personality. With the flip of a switch, the custom DYAD RT2 pull shock transforms the ride from a 150mm travel bump gobbling machine to one with just 90mm of rear travel and steeper angles ready to haul you back to the top for another run. Of the five models in the Jekyll lineup, the Jekyll MX was most inspired by the builds used by Cannondale's professional OverMountain enduro race squad and is the burliest of them all. Ready to rally, Read More »

2013 Specialized P.26 AM Bike

“Great Starter Bike”

The Good: I have been using this bike for about 5 months now and has only brought fun the Fork is great and the tires work well on Trials and Parks but i mostly use it on dirt tho but they work great for both and the frame is awesome frame its the p.2 frame i love the bike!

The Bad: The only thing iffy about this bike is the brakes they are not working that well they cut in and out when stopping. But most of the time they work fine. Cant complain for a only $850 bike.

Overall Review: This bike a great overall starter tointermediate bikebut i plan on upgrading the breaks and bars and stem but once i get those upgrades this will be the perfect bike! I would highly recommend this bike to my friends and anyone with a passion for dirt jumping.

Fly Racing Default Full Face Helmet

Vital Review

“TESTED: FLY Default Helmet - Affordable Protection”

Review by Johan Hjord // Images by Tal Rozow and Johan HjordEstablished in 1996, FLY Racing began as a manufacturer of motorcycle handlebars and helmets, and they remain heavily focused on powersports to this day. They offer a broad catalogue covering everything from riding apparel to protection and even grips and handlebars, and the company counts a few high profile Supercross riders on its roster – Trey Canard and Andrew Short both ride for the brand. More recently, FLY introduced a mountain bike specific range of products, and we were keen to lay our hands on their bike-specific full face helmet to see how Read More »

2013 Trek Fuel EX 9.8

Vital Review

“2013 Test Sessions: Trek Fuel EX 9.8”

Reviewed by Steve Wentz, Joe Schneider, and Brandon Turman // Photos by Shawn Spomer and Brandon TurmanFrom its creation, the Fuel EX has been the "go-to trail bike" in Trek's lineup. They say it's for the rider that "can't decide between a rugged, capable long-travel trail bike or a nimble, lively XC bike." That's a big slot to fill, especially for a bike with just 130mm of travel and a 68-degree head angle. Curious if it really could meet the needs of both ends of the spectrum, we had the boys from Wisconsin send out a recently updated Fuel EX 9.8 for our 2013 Test Sessions in Southern Utah.Fuel EX 9.8 HighlightsOCLV Mountain Read More »

Chromag Trailmaster DT Saddle

“2012 Chromag Trailmaster DT”

The Good: Light and Durable

The Bad: Can be uncomfortable

Overall Review: The seat is light and very durable due to the kevlar corners. The color I got was green which I like but I wish there were more color options also the seat can be a bit uncomfortable. The balance between comfort and weight is almost perfect as far as I'm concerned. Overall this is a great seat.

2011 Cove Shocker Bike

“Best Bike I Ever Owned...”

The Good: Almost everything. Awesome bike!

The Bad: There was nowhere to review the 2010 model, which I had, so I'm reviewing here. My only beef was the short seatpost, but that has been amended in this model.

Overall Review: Best bike I've ever owned. Bought a frame and built it up. Great bike, but had to sell it due tofinancial circumstances and the fact it was a full on race ready bike, and I'm not into racing. I have missed it ever since...