Reviews

Review: Xentis Kappa2 650b 4-Spoke Carbon Wheelset, Unlike Anything Else

The Austrian-made Xentis Kappa2 650b 4-spoke carbon wheelset stands out from the crowd. It is a throwback to the days of composite tri and quad…

Written by Jayson O'Mahoney September 17, 2018

When bigger isn’t better: DMR Vault goes 10% smaller with MIDI for smaller feet

The DMR VAULT MIDI pedal is a scaled down version of DMR’s award winning VAULT platform. Whether you have smaller feet or prefer a smaller…

Written by Jessie-May Morgan September 17, 2018

Review: SeaSucker Talon Rack – how to carry your gravel bike on a Porsche 911

In a market crowded with options to carry one’s bicycle to and fro behind or on top of a vehicle, the SeaSucker Talon single-bike rack…

Written by Jayson O'Mahoney September 17, 2018

Review: Hammerhead Karoo is a big, bold GPS cycling computer with a bite

What started out as a simple navigation beacon that used lights to guide you updated to one of the most fully featured and impressively sized…

Written by Tyler Benedict September 14, 2018

Review: Showers Pass’ Apex Merino Tech Tee and IMBA Shorts make a cool combo

I love hot weather but the more the mercury rises, the more careful we riders have to be about keeping cool out on the trails.…

Written by Steve Fisher September 13, 2018

Review: Bontrager Circuit MIPS combines comfort, safety, & magnetic light mounts

Like clockwork, as soon as September 1st rolled around, our days have gotten shorter. It’s during these dark, often stormy days that I start to…

Written by Zach Overholt September 10, 2018

Review: Leatt DBX 2.0 mountain bike helmet spins up comfortable protection

Leatt’s mountain bike helmet scheme is simple to understand, the higher the number the higher the helmet sits in their lineup. The DBX 2.0 reviewed…

Written by Tyler Benedict September 10, 2018

Finish Line Tubeless Tire Sealant check in – still liquid, but lifetime claim dries up

Diamonds are forever. Finish Line’s Tire Sealant? Well, that depends on who you ask. Greatly. After 6 months of testing, the sealant in my bike…

Written by Zach Overholt September 07, 2018

Review: Smith Forefront 2 offers more room, protection, & better ventilation

The original Forefront put Smith on the map in the cycling helmet world. It combined unique looks with a compelling protection story and of course…

Written by Zach Overholt September 05, 2018

Otso Plus-Fat: Can you make a fat bike a plus bike by only changing the tires?

Not long after the first production plus bikes started popping up, fat bikers began to experiment with plus tire sets ups of their own. The…

Written by Zach Overholt September 04, 2018

Just In: Alpitude Superleggero ultralight 9g carbon bottle cages – Actual weights!

When we last caught up with custom frame builder Andrea Sega of Werking bikes and Alpitude components this spring, he showed us his Ultra carbon bottle…

Written by Cory Benson September 04, 2018

Ride Concepts stomps the landing in new shoe line w/ D3O insoles & Rubber Kinetics

It may seem like flat pedals shoes are a dime a dozen these days, but you’ll want to see these. An all new line up…

Written by Zach Overholt September 03, 2018

Crankworx 2018: Devouring a descent with the Specialized Stumpjumper Evo 29er

One bike I was pretty excited to get on at Crankworx Whistler this year was the new Specialized Stumpjumper Evo. Zach rode the regular version…

Written by Steve Fisher August 27, 2018

Review: Ass Savers Mudder, Mullet & Fendor Bendor strap-on mini fenders

We’ve had a number of Ass Savers and other assorted, low-cost clip-on plastic fenders for quite some time. While never a real substitute for actual…

Written by Cory Benson August 27, 2018

Hands On: Cane Creek eeWings titanium 1x crankset for mountain bikes

Every once in a while, a product comes along that manages to blend old school and new school in a seemingly perfect way. Judging by…

Written by Zach Overholt August 22, 2018

Review: UK-based Flare Clothing Co. illuminate hillside with unusual designs

England’s Peak District is home to the design base of Flare Clothing Co. who, since 2013, have been churning out rad-looking, functional, and rather reasonably…

Written by Jessie-May Morgan August 21, 2018

First Ride: Fezzari La Sal Peak 29er enduro bike bombs drops, rips climbs

Fezzari’s first long travel 29er, the La Sal Peak, took a slightly different approach to creating a bike that could handle the ups, the downs,…

Written by Tyler Benedict August 17, 2018

First Ride: Orion suspension exceeds expectations on new Esker Elkat

It’s always exciting to get to ride and review a new bike, but every once in a while something comes along that gets us really…

Written by Zach Overholt August 17, 2018

Esker Cycles first w/ Weagle’s Orion suspension on all-new 150mm Elkat MTB

Four years ago, while interviewing Dave Weagle we got a hint at what was to come. There were no definitive plans at the time, but…

Written by Zach Overholt August 17, 2018

First Look: Kona Libre & Libre DL crush gravel, road, and everything in between

The time is finally here. It’s the official launch of the Kona Libre and Libre DL. First unveiled to the world at the Sea Otter…

Written by Zach Overholt August 15, 2018

First Ride: Rolling through Glencoe on the new Polygon XquarOne DH

Upon arrival to Scotland, I still wasn’t sure where we would be riding. All I knew is that we were there to ride the new…

Written by Zach Overholt August 14, 2018

Review: Dakine’s Hot Laps 2L Waist Bag keeps you cool on short loops

While many have ditched the backpack, I’ve been a holdout when it comes to wearing hydration packs. That said, I was pretty curious to try…

Written by Steve Fisher August 13, 2018

Review: Strider 14x makes it easy to switch from balance bike to pedal bike

New to Strider’s lineup for the 3-7 year old crowd making the transition from striding to pedaling, the 14x is a unique machine that morphs…

Written by Brendan Collier August 12, 2018

Review: Dainese’s Trail Skins 2 knee pads offer the holy trinity of comfort, protection, & ventilation

Looking at the little triangles on their clever pad design, I couldn’t help but thinking how with the Trail Skins 2 kneepads, Dainese has achieved…

Written by Steve Fisher August 09, 2018

Review: Trailcraft Maxwell 26 premium kids full suspension mountain bike

What started out with a cute (albeit high end) little premium youth mountain bike has turned into a premium brand for kids of all ages…

Written by Tyler Benedict August 09, 2018

Review: ENVE Composites G23 wide carbon disc brake gravel wheelset

ENVE is a name synonymous with high-performance carbon fibre wheelsets. The Utah-based operation has been manufacturing carbon-rimmed wheels and cockpit parts for years, and has…

Written by Jayson O'Mahoney August 08, 2018

One Ride Review: BH Lynx 5 29er trail bike rips, skips the stutter step

I wanted to ride the new BH Lynx 5 LT version, and the folks at the demo tent knew it. But so did everyone else,…

Written by Tyler Benedict August 06, 2018

Review: Going solo with Yakima’s SingleSpeed one-bike hitch rack

Where there was but one single-bike hitch rack available last year, now there are several. As someone with a weird work schedule and inclined to…

Written by Christophe Noel August 06, 2018

Review: Trek Checkpoint SL 5 WSD gravel bike challenges a Quiver Queen’s throne

I must admit, I once was skeptical of the dedicated gravel bike category that has recently emerged, characterized by strange chainstays, oversized tubing and seemingly…

Written by Brooke Summers August 05, 2018