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Vital MTB's 2016 Bike of the Year went to the previous Pivot Switchblade. How do you improve on that? Give it a few years and some fresh ideas. With 142mm of rear travel and 160mm up front, this all-new 2020 version one-ups its predecessor pretty much across the board. Join Vital MTB's Product Editor, Brandon Turman, in the video above for a look at everything that's been updated and his in-depth ride impressions. Strengths Weaknesses Direct, snappy attitude at the cranks Excellent traction Custom shock tune improves support without hindering high-speed bump absorption Great manners on technical uphills Maintains speed...

Kind of strange they're promoting the shock pictured on a Ripmo, when Ibis says it's not a good platform for a coil shock.

Also test runs with flat and clipless pedals. I'd also like to see runs with tight fitting clothing and looser clothing to see if that actually affects times. If you end up doing varying body types could you be sure they have significantly different shoe sizes? I'd be curious if the extra weight of having big feet slows down your pedaling. I also noticed that in the video sometimes Steve was wearing a half-shell helmet in practice. Could you do timed race runs with full faces vs. half shell helmets to see if a full face gives you more confidence...