First Ride

2019 Niner RIP 9 RDO 27.5 4-Star Bike (product)

7iDP Sam Hill Knee Pad (product)

Crankbrothers Synthesis E 11 Carbon Wheelset Wheelset (product)

2019 Marin Alpine Trail 8 (product)

2018 Marin Wolf Ridge Pro (product)

DEITY Knuckleduster Grip (product)

2019 Santa Cruz Megatower CC X01 29 Reserve (product)

2019 Fezzari La Sal Peak Pro (product)

2018 Nukeproof Mega 275 Carbon Factory Bike (product)

Bell Super DH Helmet (product)

2018 Intense Carbine Factory (product)

2018 Scott Genius 700/900 Tuned Bike (product)

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 ...

Posted by bturman on 3/15/2019 5:07 AM

2018 Pivot Mach 5.5 Carbon Team XTR 1x (product)

2017 Pivot Switchblade Team 29/27.5+ XTR 1x (product)

2019 Yeti SB150 TURQ X01 Eagle Race (product)

2016 Yeti SB5.5 Carbon X01 (product)

Riding Marin's Completely Redesigned Mount Vision Trail Bike (feature story)

Posted by B.Radly on 3/4/2019 6:59 AM

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)

Overall Review: 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 fu...

Posted by yetimike2019 on 3/2/2019 8:42 AM

Leatt DBX 3.0 Enduro Full Face Helmet (product)

2018 Giant Reign Advanced 0 Bike (product)

2018 Canyon Spectral CF 9.0 SL (product)

2018 Santa Cruz Nomad Carbon CC XX1 Reserve (product)

2018 Santa Cruz Hightower LT Carbon CC XX1 Reserve (product)

Itis time to lift the curtain on the new Niner RIP 9 RDO. This bike has 140mm of rear travel, 150mm up front, and it comes with a frame specifically designed around each wheel size. That means the 27.5 version isn't just small wheels slapped into the same frame, but a purpose-built frame to suit...

Posted by bturman on 2/5/2019 4:30 AM

e*thirteen Semi-Slick Tires (product)

Revolutionizing Carbon Bikes with Guerrilla Gravity - The Inside Line Podcast (feature story)

Posted by bturman on 1/30/2019 9:07 PM

Primarily made for use on the rear wheel, semi-slick tires have long been a favorite among mountain bikers in certain types of terrain. People often enjoy them for how quickly they roll, which is attributed to the countless miniaturized knobs running tight together down the center tread. For m...

Posted by bturman on 10/31/2018 3:17 PM

Within the industry, there have been countless products which have altered the way we perceive mountain biking. Well before Boost spacing, dropper posts, and even mountain bike specific 10-speed drivetrains, a motorcycle suspension company dabbling in mountain bikes pioneered suspension as we kn...

Posted by dirtworks911 on 10/14/2018 7:46 PM

Marzocchi Bomber Z1 Fork (product)