For almost as long as I’ve been testing bikes – quite a while, as my aching bones regularly remind me – the Trance has been Giant’s go-to trail bike. It…
Reviews
I tested Shimano’s new wireless groupset: it shifts faster than SRAM, uses a hidden battery, and boasts a party trick XC racers, enduro riders and weekend warriors alike are going to love
Shimano invented electronic shifting for mountain bikes, but it’s hard to remember because it’s been more than 10 years since we first clapped eyes on it. In the decade since…
Yeti’s new MTE doesn’t have the hottest e-bike motor, and needs a few mods to unlock its full potential, but I couldn’t help falling for its brilliant suspension
Yeti’s new MTE e-bike comes with only 145mm of travel, unfashionable 29in wheels, and a puny motor (compared to the DJI Avinox). Has this iconic brand misread the room, or…
Marmite on wheels: the Pivot Trailcat LT is either a short travel enduro shredder, or an overdamped and overbuilt trail bike, depending on which of us you chat to
Pivot’s Trailcat comes in two formats, the 140 / 120mm travel SL and the 150 / 135mm travel LT here. Both share the same relatively light, ultra high quality frame…
After 20 years testing, Yeti’s SB140 Silverfish is the one bike I’d actually buy… and with cheaper models in the range you don’t HAVE to spend £9,000
Colorado-based Yeti is one of the true OG American bike brands, having been around since George Michael and Wham were Careless Whispering in 1985. It’s not overstating anything to say…
Every packless rider should know about Topeak’s Nano shock pump: it’s cheap, pocket sized, and perfect for suspension tweaks
If you’re anything like me, you’ll have long ago ditched carrying a pack, and now I’m even at the point of ditching the hip belt, if I can help it.…
These 7Mesh Glidepath pants cost a pretty penny, but they scream quality, and work come rain or shine
Waterproof riding pants are a necessity here in the UK, unfortunately, and while there are some excellent options on the market, it’s hard to get away from the sensation of…
The most supple Öhlins RXF fork I’ve ever tested: the latest M3 update is a true rival for RockShox and Fox
The Öhlins RXF 36 is the Swedish brand’s mountain bike suspension fork with, you guessed it, 36mm stanchions. It gets 140mm, 150mm or 160mm travel (170mm with a 27.5in wheel)…
I rode down an active volcano to test the new Ghost Poacha freeride bike, and one thing really surprised me
Ghost’s new Poacha is a freeride and bike park bike, it gets 180mm travel and is the launch vehicle for the German brands more gravity-focussed attitude. The Poacha is a…
Thule’s new Epos is the best bike rack I’ve used in 10 years testing – with a 60kg capacity, folding design and space for three bikes it’s almost as good as a van
I’ll come right out and say it, Thule’s new Epos is the best bike rack for mountain bikes I’ve ever tested. And at mbr we’ve tested pretty much everything going,…
I rode the new Bosch CX power upgrade and the flagship Race motor, and now I’m considering a new e-bike purchase!
Bosch has just launched a suite of new products, including an exotic CX Race motor, integrated top tube display, and even a free power upgrade for existing owners. You can…
I’m a professional bike tester, and while the DJI-powered Amflow PL Carbon isn’t perfect, it’s the only e-bike I’d buy with my own money
It’s fair to say that the Amflow PL Carbon is the most exciting e-bike of 2025. Not only that, it’s the only e-bike I’d happily spend my own cash on.…
I’ve guinea pigged dozens of bikes on my kids in the past 10 years, and the Early Rider Hellion is the best blend of price and performance I’ve seen
Is suspension a good idea on a kids mountain bike? We all grew up with fully rigid bikes, and “it never did me any harm”, the internet roundly told me.…
The Ra Bikes Bergsra is like steam punk on wheels: hand welded in Yorkshire from T45 steel, this enduro bike is packed with modern tech
Ra Bikes has been making frames by hand for over a decade in the rolling Howardian Hills of North Yorkshire, but while it’s rooted in James Herriot Country and uses…
I loved Wolf Tooth’s 8-Bit Pack Pliers when removing pedals, and they’re exquisitely made, but I still needed a chain tool
Wolf Tooth’s pliers don’t fit the conventional mountain bike multi tool mould, so can sink their teeth into a wide range of repairs as a result. There’s some howlers when…
Fox’s Enduro D30 pads haven’t slipped down once in months of riding, and they’re my new favourite knee guards
I always ride in knee pads, and feel really exposed without them. For me, the best knee pads are light and flexible, so they don’t intrude on my ride. Until…
The new Santa Cruz Bullit made me feel cocky enough to try chasing Steve Peat, but I’m worried the small battery won’t keep me satisfied for long enough
Wind the clock back to last year and one of the biggest stories in mountain biking was Santa Cruz throwing out its own rulebook and a 20-year history by ditching…
The Race Face Era carbon bar is my pick for riders over 80kg, it’s well damped without being flexy, and has the perfect natural shape
The fashion for low or high bars swings to and fro as frequently as the trend for skinny or flared jeans, and right now we’re squarely in high bar country,…
YT’s fleet-footed Decoy SN 29 isn’t the lightest SL e-bike on the market, but it dances like Swan Lake rather than Daffy Duck
With the mid-power Fazua motor and trail-optimised build, the YT Decoy SN 29 is the e-Jeffsy to the Decoy SN MX’s e-Capra. How has YT differentiated these two bikes, when…
The new Specialized Turbo Levo has a unique party trick that I love, but only the S-Works bike gives you full power, and that’s not cool
Specialized’s Turbo Levo is so successful, so ubiquitous, and so dominant at the top of the e-bike hierarchy that launching a new version is a momentous event, with millions of…