Latest Product Reviews

The Good:

Climbs efficiently
Hover bike effect
Amazing traction
Fast up very fast down
Fun just about everywhere

The Bad:

Expensive.
Higher maintainance bushings

You Set Up: Size L X01 build 32t chainring Fox Dpx2 Shock 20% sag 1 volume reducer Fox 36 performance fork 20% sag Ibis alloy 34mm inner wheels with ibis hubs Sram guide brakes 200mm front 180mm rear Climbing: Efficient suspension and nice firm pedaling platform. This bike has incredible traction up and downhill. I liked the dpx2 rear shock on this bike for the climbs. It sat high in its travel and provided lots of small bump sensitivity. The wide rims allow you to run very low tire pressures. At 5’11” 175lbs I was running 16 psi in the front tire and 17psi in the back, far lower than my usual pressures. This Read More »

The Good:

Smooth, light, lovely

The Bad:

Doesn't come with tubeless valves

So I've been on the bike a few times now, both wet and dry conditions. Its blown me away so far, really comfortable attack position, comfortable climbing position. First 29" bike and i'm loving it, corners well, jumps well, goes over everything. I do think its easier to ride than my 27.5 so that in my eyes is a good thing. Spec is really nice, the brakes did take a bit to bed in but their working really nice now. Rear shock is mint! smooth, doesn't blow through the travel and has a shed load of grip. Gx is good, i love a bit of Shimano but so far so good with the sram stuff. Wheels are nice and stiff. The tires are really Read More »

The time has come to unveil the latest weapon in the Santa Cruz Bicycles arsenal. Meet the Megatower – a bike that is a big enough departure from its predecessor that it deserves its own name. From some perspectives, the Santa Cruz Hightower LT was a compromise, and the race-driven brand knew they could do better. The Megatower is their answer. Strengths Weaknesses Absolutely hauls in wide open bits Added shock compatibility Great tuning options for trail/rider demands Calm, quiet pedaling response that feels very efficient for a 160mm bike Uninterrupted pedal strokes over roots and rocks Finish and Read More »

German sportswear giant Adidas purchased Five Ten all the way back in 2011, but despite many synergies on the marketing and manufacturing side, any visual cross-branding has until now been all but non-existent. Sure, the three stripes have been working their way into the outdoors and MTB realm for some time, but the all-new Sleuth DLX marks the first time that the famous Adidas logo has actually appeared on a Five Ten shoe (coincidentally just as TLD is releasing their all-new, Adidas co-lab Ultra kit). Read on to find out more! Five Ten Sleuth DLX Highlights Regular fit Lace closure Suede upper, weather Read More »

The Good:

Price, quality of components

The Bad:

Swingarm design

I don't know if someone else is having problems with the swingarm, but in my case the screws were loosen at least 4 times, the first time the screw of high/low came out!! I don´t know if is design problem, I checked with the dealer several times this issue, they jut torque again, the last time they put loctite in the screws, hope this improve

The Good:

Climbs great, suspension feels bottomless, 2x11 drivetrain still rocks.

The Bad:

Not the best saddle on the bike.

So I bought this bike at a trek superstore on sale. This is the first trek I have owned and I’m happy with the purchase. It climbs really good and descends better. The suspension is great and the weight for my bike is at 27lbs for the 17.5 29er. I have to say this is my favorite bike so far. It does everything I need it to from an occasional XC race to long trail rides.  Previous owned- Specialized Epic 29expert evo, Scott Spark 29, Santa Cruz Nomad, Specialized Stumpjumper expert 29er. 

The Good:

Ventilation, protection, looks, fit.

The Bad:

A few important compromises compared to a regular bicycle helmet.

OK, so I purposefully did not re-read the official Vital review for this product so my own impressions would be untarnished. I'm a motocross rider, and I use MTB to train and have fun. With that said, I've been more and more involved in mountain biking lately and I felt the need for some better protection. Most of what I do is climb so I can find awesome downhills, and I have enough 2-wheel talent to really get moving downhill. I was feeling a little underprotected in a typical "halfie" helmet. So first, the Stage Helmet is light- really light. I have a pretty weak neck, so this was an important factor for Read More »

The Good:

Excellent climbing position and pedaling platform.
Cutting edge geometry seems to work.
Plows through any line, but still pops and plays.
Quiet, and the internal routing is clean and easy.
Can race enduro almost out of the box.
Highly tunable suspension.
Truly a bike to progress on.
Can run a coil(trying a push shock soon)
Water bottle!

The Bad:

Expensive, particularly this build with no carbon wheels.
Tires are not up to race spec for most tracks.
Did I say expensive?
Sizing could be tricky.
Definitely requires an aggressive riding style and position to really attack the corners( this is also a pro I think)

I don’t have time to type up a full review, but I have put about 100 miles on a demo SB 150 in the mountains of Santa Cruz, CA. I have also been on the SB 130 an equal amount of time and I will give thoughts on that bike another time. My experience on the SB 150 has been really fun so far. I have been privileged to demo a lot of bikes and tend to favor long travel bikes for the riding around here. Climbing: This bike climbs well, particularly up long fire roads. It has excellent traction up rocks roots and loam. The front end stays down really and drives precise up technical sections, but that could be sizing. Read More »

The Good:

-Nice choice of colors
-Comfortable and well-ventilated

The Bad:

-No velcro closure means that they "slip" a bit
-Flimsy materials in the palm

I bought those gloves to replace old worn out Dakine gloves that I had been using for 6 seasons. I didn't even check other brands since I knew that they would be durable and comfortable. The fit was good in store, the price was right and I liked the colors so I bought them. After three short rides, no crashes and no bike maintenance done with them, the palm on one hand started tearing near the handlebar's end. It's only a small hole for now, but still, I didn't have this happen in 6 seasons on my old pair so I was a bit sad to see that the quality wasn't up to par with previous products. Maybe their more expensive models are Read More »

The Good:

-Durable materials
-Doesn't move when riding
-Comfortable to wear even on climbs

The Bad:

-A bit stiff when standing up (2018-2019 version)
-Can be hard to pull over the feet

The Dakine Hellion knee pads are one of the best-fitting knee pads I've tried yet. I was previously using Kali knees which were fine for uphill but kept creeping down on the way back down. The FOX Launch didn't fit me, and when I tried the Hellion I knew they were onto something. First, I have to say that the 2017 and 2018/19 version don't fit the same. I have both and they are a bit different. Due to the materials used for the shin part, the new version can be a bit stiffer to walk/straighten the legs in, but the rest is similar. The 2017 version has silicone lines on the top and bottom parts which help to stay put, Read More »