All

Surely Commencal has demos at Vallnord? I could swear I read that somewhere.

Since you are on a budget and the KTM isn't bad, that's the route I'd go. Use the funds you save for upgrades.

Question: When was the first e-bike race inevitable? Answer: As soon as they made the 2nd one. Someone should create an e-bike outlaw series with a bigger purse so all athletes concerned can tell UCI to go pound sand. Problem solved. (Easier said than done, I know.)

Yet, we motorcycle guys almost always refer to our engines as "motors."

I'm 48, so no thank you. I might be tempted to do something really gnarly these days, but that kind of gap is a big no. On a motorcycle, I've got a few years to go before I get too old for my age in meters, however; I've done some BIG gaps on one of those. Foolishly, perhaps. It's been...

You throw a 29" front and a 27.5" rear on a specially-made frame. And it has an all-new hub standard to go with a new BB size.

I like it. I still don't quite understand the hate for e-bikes. I mean, I understand the argument against them and I'm willing to concede that they are technically "motorized cycles," but to compare any e-bike to a true motorcycle is a big stretch, at least in terms of power and destruction.

Specialized is keeping their brand in the online game and also allowing shops to have a crack at that customer. Selling direct would have been a kick in the nuts to a shop owner, but at least this way he gets a shot at upselling that buyer or getting him to come back because of the cool vibe in the...

Nice. He's just checking the traction on the course tape.

I had a GoPro way back in the day. (When they were called "GoPro." This was even before GoPro HD, GoPro 3, etc.) Even then, you could orient the footage on that camera if necessary. I'm sure there's a setting for that on the new ones.

Two dudes. That would be "Devil's Threesome." Still a little inappropriate though....

You have a point there. But let's not forget that most motorcyclists call their machines "bikes," and HD may have been alluding to that when they call it a Mountain "Bike." Still, all ridiculous stretching of logic aside, it's a motorcycle. Like I said at the outset, I'm with the OP on this one.

Hmmm. I'm with you, OP. However, by the purest and most etymologically-correct definition, "bicycle" = "two circles." Maybe that's what they were going for, since that thing doesn't really fit into a category?

I know the engineers at the motorcycle OEM that I work for like to see 12mm of clearance between moving parts. I'm not sure how that relates to actual flex characteristics, how it would relate to bicycle parts, nor how much wiggle room is in there, but clearly half that amount is cutting it close!

EDIT: Ooops, I responded and totally missed your actual question! I like the Five Tens, for sure. I doubt you'll hear any complaints from anyone about that brand. I run the Maltese Falcon Race shoes myself.

Probably. My bike is 160 rear / 170 front and it is sweet. I think 150/160 would be essentially the same on everything but the biggest hits.

Bryce, I'm a motocross guy turned MTB rider also. I think you are right on track in thinking that your skills will cross over (they will, with some adjustments.) I like all the above advice, and I'd add that I went for the longer travel ("enduro") style bike. I'm glad I did, because the hits feel a lot like the...

I picked up (physically picked up, not purchased) a TLD Stage and it is insanely lightweight. That's my next helmet, period. I doubt I'll even miss the half helmet except perhaps on really hot days. As for MIPS, I spoke to an Arai rep about that product recently. We were on the subject of motorcycle helmets, but it was a...

No. I'm not that serious about my MTB prowess; I just do it as a fun way to train for MX. I don't care how much power I'm putting out.