First Ride

Bell Super DH Helmet (product)

2019 Santa Cruz Megatower CC X01 29 Reserve (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)

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

DEITY Knuckleduster Grip (product)

Ask anyone with lots of carbon wheel experience and they'll express a preference for stiffness or compliance. It's a surprisingly polarizing topic. What happens when you combine those two worlds into one wheelset, with a stiff rear and compliant front? Agreement across the board during bl...

Posted by bturman on 10/1/2018 10:18 AM

Crankbrothers Synthesis E 11 Wheelset (product)

The Good:

Pretty comfortable (can easily be pedalled in all day, IMO).
Extra long for some shin protection.
Breathable aka not /too/ hot.
Stay in place quite well.
Sizing seems pretty spot on.

The Bad:

Warmer than a knee warmer.
Some bunching behind the knee.
RIDICULOUSLY expensive for what they are (but hey I'm the sucker who bought 'em).
Concerns about level of protection with EN level 1.

Overall Review: I took the plunge on these (a very spendy, especially for me, 90€ plunge) after trying a couple of contenders to start with; I started with a pair of Alpinestars Paragon knees as they were the cheapest. I really liked them as they were really breathable, as well as being pretty damn comfy. So ...

Posted by stepot on 9/13/2018 8:37 AM

FOX Live Valve Suspension: Robots, MTB and the Rise of the Machines (feature story)

Posted by dstucki on 8/28/2018 8:00 AM

SB150 Highlights 29-inch wheels High-modulus carbon fiber frame and swing arm with C-Series and TURQ material options 150mm (5.9-inches) rear travel // 170mm (6.7-inch) travel fork with shorter 44mm offset Switch Infinity suspension system with two-piece wishbone-style shock ext...

Posted by bturman on 8/27/2018 3:30 AM

The Good:

Fast, corner slayer, does not feel like a big bike at all

The Bad:

brand name

Overall Review: I had a chance to ride this bike in Crested Butte last weekend. The bike is amazing, corners like a bmx, I was laying this puppy side ways on the berms and the rear just railed. Very impressed by the new design, chatted with Tyler for a while. A very passionate and knowledgeable individual. Bike...

Posted by Alta_Racks on 8/26/2018 11:27 AM