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2025 Orbea Rise LT M10 E-Bike

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Overall Review

When Orbea launched the Rise five years ago, it defined the emerging category of lightweight eMTBs, offering just enough motor support while preserving the feel of a traditional mountain bike. Its blend of agility, efficiency, and subtle power delivery set a benchmark that took others years to match. Although it took years for the competition to catch up, the eMTB category has gained traction with lighter SL offerings and bigger, full-power bikes at reduced weights. As the eMTB landscape

2025 Orbea Rise LT M10 E-Bike

8

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Mountain Jerk

5/7/2025 2:12pm

Ibis Ripmo V3 Frame

The Good

Stunner To Look At
Chainstay Protection
Storage Compartment
Marked Hardware
Free Bushings
Ibis Support

The Bad

Replacement Bearings Not Spec'd
Little Harder To Work On Upper Link
Frame Bag Can Smell

Overall Review

By now, many of you have already read each and every review available online from the major media sites. My goal with this is to inform you of what the Ibis Ripmo V3 is like to live with on a day-to-day basis and beyond. What is the V3 like to work on, what quirks have I found, or what recommendations do I have for others? In this article, I will be able to share past experiences with the Ibis Ripmo V2 and what one can expect when contacting Ibis directly. You will not find information on

Ibis Ripmo V3 Frame

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Carraig042

5/2/2025 7:01am

Schwalbe Tacky Chan Tire

Overall Review

When Schwalbe released the Tacky Chan in June 2023, I wasn't super impressed. I racked up just enough rides to write it off for anything but firm, consistent conditions, and that was that. But after seeing plenty of fast riders ripping on TCs in deeper, steeper, sloppier conditions (and reading some mixed reviews in our tire forum), I began to question if I'd done my due diligence. I felt like I owed Mr. Chan a second chance and our audience further insight into when and where this tire rips and

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Schwalbe Tacky Chan Tire

20

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Jason_Schroeder

4/28/2025 2:03pm

SRAM DB8 Hydraulic Disc Brake

am-db-db8-stlh-dfba-dir-950-c-lever-side-s-v01

Overall Review

In the spring of 2022, SRAM quietly released the DB8, their first-ever mineral oil brake, after decades of using DOT fluid exclusively. Initially sold as an OE-only product, the DB8 was featured on price-conscious builds as a cheaper alternative to their go-to gravity brake at the time, the DOT 5.1-powered Code. Three years later, SRAM's entire brake lineup has moved over to mineral oil, with the addition of Maven and the recently released Motive. The DB8 holds an odd space in SRAM's lineup. It

am-db-db8-stlh-dfba-dir-950-c-lever-side-s-v01.jpg?VersionId=Cfi3u

SRAM DB8 Hydraulic Disc Brake

25

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TEAMROBOT

4/28/2025 12:07pm

ODI Vanquish Lock-On Grips

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Overall Review

If you’ve been in the sport for a while, chances are pretty good you’ve ridden your fair share of ODI grips over the years. ODI was first to market with the lock-on design, and their Ruffian and Rogue grips were close to standard issue for anybody looking for a grip upgrade back when they were first introduced. The market never stands still though, and there are plenty of players in this space today, with more being added regularly as well. ODI has not rested on their laurels, and they teamed

ODI Vanquish Lock-On Grips

2

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iceman2058

4/22/2025 4:08pm

2026 Specialized Turbo Levo 4 S-Works E-Bike

Overall Review

Nine years ago, Specialized whisked us off to the Austrian Alps without even telling us what we were going to be riding. It was of course the first-generation Turbo Levo, which launched to equal amounts of fanfare and handwringing at a time when the very concept of E-MTB was still a gimmick to many or seen as a threat to the sport of mountain biking in some parts of the world. Fast-forward to 2025, and E-MTB has conquered the mainstream, to the point that it makes up a larger portion of sales

2026 Specialized Turbo Levo 4 S-Works E-Bike

20

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iceman2058

4/6/2025 8:07am

2025 Transition Regulator SX XT E-Bike

Overall Review

Transition released two new eMTBs that are essentially a motorized version of their highly praised do-it-all Sentinel V3. The 150/160mm-travel Regulator as its called, comes in a light and not-as-light version using Bosch SX and CX drive systems. Besides the 400wh vs 600wh battery capacities and differently powered motors, the Regulator SX and CX appear to be identical. But don't let the appearances fool you. While the nuances may be subtle, each front end is uniquely designed with different

2025 Transition Regulator SX XT E-Bike

2

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sspomer

3/12/2025 8:29pm

Leatt ReaFlex 6.0 Grip

Overall Review

Leatt’s product catalog has been growing steadily ever since the company was first founded, and they’ve kicked off 2025 by introducing a cockpit line comprised of a grip and a handlebar – their first foray into the world of bike components. Leatt used their experience with the energy-absorbing ReaFlex gel from their protection line to give the new grips some vibration damping characteristics, and they’ve put a lot of thought into the rest of the design as well. Keep reading to learn more and

Leatt ReaFlex 6.0 Grip

6

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iceman2058

2/26/2025 10:53am

2025 Rocky Mountain Reaper Powerplay 26 Shimano E-Bike

Overall Review

This is a first for Vital as we review a full-suspension e-MTB aimed at kids - the Rocky Mountain Reaper Powerplay 26. We won't be surprised if a bulk of your response to this bike is something along the lines of "Don't make kids soft by giving them a motor! Make them earn their laps." That's how we generally feel too, but we wanted to A) test this bike and B) see if our pint-sized punters would shun regular mountain bikes altogether after motorized assistance to the top of the hill. At the time

2025 Rocky Mountain Reaper Powerplay 26 Shimano E-Bike

7

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sspomer

2/25/2025 5:58pm

2024 Specialized Turbo Levo SL Expert Carbon E-Bike

The Good

Absolutely insane how silent this bike is, motor as well as freehub, what a dream!
Fully customisable motor performance (via the Specialized app)
Very nice component selection
Sensational downhill performance; tracks the trail insanely well (<img data-caption="" data-image-style="ckeditor_fullscreen" src="https://www.vitalmtb.com/sites/default/files/photos/users/56335/product_reviews/2025/02/IMG_5035.jpg" width="1500" height="2000" class="img-fluid" data-insert-type="image" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7e0b62bc-acba-4fcd-9029-23695562fd29" data-insert-attach="{"id":"7e0b62bc-acba-4fcd-9029-23695562fd29","attributes":{"alt":["alt","description"],"title":["title"]}}"><img data-caption="" data-image-style="ckeditor_fullscreen" src="https://www.vitalmtb.com/sites/default/files/photos/users/56335/product_reviews/2025/02/IMG_5035.jpg" width="1500" height="2000" class="img-fluid" data-insert-type="image" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7e0b62bc-acba-4fcd-9029-23695562fd29" data-insert-attach="{"id":"7e0b62bc-acba-4fcd-9029-23695562fd29","attributes":{"alt":["alt","description"],"title":["title"]}}"><img data-caption="" data-image-style="ckeditor_fullscreen" src="https://www.vitalmtb.com/sites/default/files/photos/users/56335/product_reviews/2025/02/IMG_5035.jpg" width="1500" height="2000" class="img-fluid" data-insert-type="image" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7e0b62bc-acba-4fcd-9029-23695562fd29" data-insert-attach="{"id":"7e0b62bc-acba-4fcd-9029-23695562fd29","attributes":{"alt":["alt","description"],"title":["title"]}}">the combination of the performance elite shock and fork is tough to beat)
Solid brakes
Corners very well thanks to the mullet set up
The range extender
Tubeless set up from Roval (Game Changer!!)
Frame already protected with a frame specific invisible wrap (in the most exposed places)

The Bad

The price maybe (if you pay full price it's your own fault)
Relatively short dropper for long legged individuals
Lower ground clearance thanks to the mullet set up
Wireless derailleur not connect to bikes battery

Overall Review

Really mentioned all my impressions above. I think this is the most fun bike I've ever had, even a lot better and faster than the previous iteration. For my personal preference I would only maybe swap out the dropper for one with a bit more drop and I will definitely swap the brakes for my all time favourites: Hope Tech 4 V4. The rest of the components are rock solid. I also like how the cable of the rear brake is fixed with a little clip to the stem. A nice touch to make a quiet bike the most

2024 Specialized Turbo Levo SL Expert Carbon E-Bike

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Lukas_Nehrer

2/14/2025 10:01am