First Ride

Peaty’s launched their first grip, the Monarch, almost two years ago now . We were well impressed with it at the time , to the point that one of our testers has been running it on his trail bike ever since. Not ones to rest on their laurels however, Peaty’s thought they could make some further improvements, and the result is before you here today. Meet the all-new Monarch PRO. Peaty’s Monarch PRO Highlights 130mm grip body length Made from two different compounds: Upper half and inner flange: 15A durometer rubber Lower half and bar end: 30A Duralite compound Texture options: Knurl (Race...

Since acquiring Ochain last July, SRAM has been working on a few updates to improve the system's durability. The design and benefits of the crank-mounted active spider remain unchanged—providing dampened rearward rotation of the chain ring to isolate the rider from chain-induced feedback—but the tolerances and sealing have been improved to increase service intervals. They’re also introducing a new ‘External Travel Adjust Kit’ as an upgrade for internally adjustable models, and have reduced compatibility to just SRAM 3- and 8-bolt cranks, and the Bosch CX Gen 5 motor. Ochain B1 Highlights...

Pivot has once again expanded its Shuttle lineup with the Shuttle AMP'd—a souped-up version of the Shuttle AM built around the brand new Avinox M2S drive unit and 800 Wh battery. Intended to slot between the Shuttle AM and Shuttle LT, the AMP’d is a capable mixed-wheel all-mountain e-bike and Pivot’s first collaboration with an Avinox system. Highlights Full carbon frame 150mm of rear wheel travel // 160mm fork Mixed wheels (29" compatible, except size XS) Avinox M2S Drive Unit (150 Nm torque, 1300W Max power) 800Wh integrated battery Touch screen top tube display 63.7° head tube angle Sizes...

RockShox resurrected the Vivid in 2023 with bold claims of coil-like performance. You know, what most brands say about their large volume gravity air shocks. However, if there was ever a time that the marketing hype lived up to expectations, it's been with the Vivid. Incredibly light and active off the top, but supportive and controlled under compression, the Vivid has been one of the best, most coil-like-feeling air shocks we’ve ridden. For model year 2027, the Vivid receives a few changes aimed at reducing friction as much as possible to get the shock moving quickly and consistently, and...

When PNW Components launched the first generation of the Loam flat pedal, we were initially taken aback by the somewhat unusual shape and lack of pronounced concavity, but we were then quickly won over by the actual performance of the pedal out on the trails. The all-new Gen 2 version builds on the same general shape as its predecessor, but it has been reworked in every aspect to further improve on its performance and serviceability. The pedal hits the market today, but we’ve been testing it for a month or so already, so we can tell you all about how it has turned out. Strengths Weaknesses...

Launched in 2019, the Decoy was YT’s first foray into the e-MTB space. Whilst the online chatter often cited its geo as conservative, that did nothing to hold the bike back, whether in tests or in the web shop where it’s still sitting pretty as YT’s best-selling bike to date. Even the somewhat aging Shimano EP801 motor has done little to blunt its appeal over the past few years, driven as always by a strong price/value ratio underpinned by the direct-to-consumer sales model. With all that said, 6 years is an eternity in model years, and after launching two mid-power e-MTB offerings in 2024...

Fox famously dabbled with an inverted DH fork in 2011, and quickly scrapped the project due to negative rider feedback, including excessive weight and torsional flex. 15 years later, they’re bringing back the inverted idea, but upping the difficulty by moving to a single crown platform. The new fork is heavy, unconventional, expensive, and risky, but FOX thinks it’s going to blow your mind. In fact, they’ve already secured spec for the Podium on bikes from at least nine different brands for 2026, which includes a mix of e-bikes and normal bikes. You can hear more about why FOX chose to make a...

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 up with D3O last year to bring something novel to the table in terms of comfort and vibration damping...

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 than conventional mountain bikes for many manufacturers today. Specialized is still trying to make...

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 tube shapes, diameters and drive unit areas. Color options and component spec details aside, the other...

Marin is no stranger to the e-MTB market and just a few short years ago in 2021, their affordable, simple, fun Alpine Trail E2 was our favorite e-sled of the year. Not one to upset the apple cart, Marin continues their tradition of making bikes that won't break the bank while remaining enjoyable on the trail with the release of the Rift Zone EL line. The "Rifty" EL series use the lauded Bosch SX drive system with a 400wh CompactTube battery and is offered in three different builds. Prices are $6,999, $5,999 or $4,799, and when Marin reached out about a review, we asked for the budget-friendly...