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These bikes are great, but if you can only have one bike, I say move up a class. Awesome bikes though if you can have a big bike for park days, travel, etc.

I agree that there are weight, cost, travel, and component differences between the four bikes. And that is part of the reason we tested the bikes we did - they are all short-travel bikes that due to their subtle nuances provide differences in performance. I'll reiterate that the goal here was not to pick a 'winner' or 'the best bike.' Our goal was to test bikes within certain parameters (100 and 130mm of travel, rolled on 29-inch wheels, and shared similar components) and find out where each really shined to help riders understand which bike would be best for them...

I'm about to decide the frame size for my next bike and found some interesting points in that discussion. I'm 175cm (5'9) tall with a 82cm (32') inseam and 184cm (6'05) wingspan, which means I've got fairly long arms & legs for my height. My current trailbike has a 432mm reach paired with a 50mm stem and feels smallish for me and my regular riding terrain. The downhill bike feels spot on with 445mm and a 45mm stem, although it's hard to compare because of the different front- and rear-centre measurement. A significantly slacker head angle and/or longer chainstays will...

If I lived near big mountains and a bike park, likely go for the 490. For tighter, old school free ride stuff, 465.

Their pros don't run them...so neither will I.

My animosity towards e-bikes has waned in the last few years, mostly because it's obvious they are here to stay whether I like it or not. But I have a legitimate question about their seemingly quick acceptance. Would other outdoor sports accept (electric) motors being introduced to their sport as widely as e-bikes? Would whitewater kayakers suddenly be ok with kayaks with motors? Would hiking areas start allowing offroad electric segways for people who aren't able-bodied enough to hike? Electric cross country skis to get into the backcountry quicker? I'm not being a smart ass, this is something I've thought...

As always, the peanut gallery again looks like we have zero idea what we are talking about (because, we don't). Nuance, turns out, is everything. Thanks for taking the time to update us superfans, best of luck recovering. Keep your head up.

Hey Guys, another update. Austin was one of the first people I called after getting hurt. We're buddies and talk/ride together fairly regularly. I let him know what was up and wanted to confirm that he was staying in Europe for the next month like I thought he was. He's racing Maribor this weekend and isn't planning on coming back home until after the WC in Switzerland next month either way. That was good news as he's easily ready to go if I pull out. I also contacted USAC to make sure they get him everything he needs to compete...

You're a prick. He's not greedy you self righteous nitwit. He got his value on the market when he could based off what he rightfully produced on course and off at the time. He and most others are going to starve next season and probably a few to come because of all this Covid crap. Thanks to being smart and not letting the dangerous physical risks he takes to promote their brands go uncompensated should he get a devastating injury...he may have income left to live on after his career is over. Amazing what stupidity, ignorance or flat out poverty...

What does your shoe look like?!

I was a Pinkbike user from the early 2000s. I'm already digging the Vital vibe.

Enoying the content for years, Now i signed up.

Bike reviews are better over here anyway! I ve been a fan since the long 29ers shoot out

Greetings my fellow Pinkbike refugees!

If they got bought out by a company known to put up paywalls and say 'all our content will be free', it would be a ticking time bomb before the site went paywall. Considering they openly said 'most of the content will be free', I think it's quite clear things WILL change.