Santa Cruz has just unveiled the Vala – a brand new all-mountain e-bike that replaces the similarly intentioned Heckler. Instead of a Shimano EP801 motor like its predecessor though, the…
140mm-160mm Full Sus
The new Santa Cruz Hightower is an enduro weapon… and plenty of riders will hate it for that
The Hightower was designed as the Santa Cruz for everyone. Everyone with deep enough pockets, anyway. It’s got 145mm travel, 29er wheels and relaxed but not silly-slack geometry, and the…
Lightweight, lively and nimble: Cannondale’s Habit LT is a proper trail bike, not an overbuilt enduro rig
As one of a handful of trail bikes with a very similar shape and suspension design, Cannondale’s Habit LT had a hard job convincing me it was a truly unique…
Why the brilliant new Santa Cruz Bronson makes me feel sad… and safe, at the same time
Santa Cruz says it’s learnt a lot about mixed wheel bikes since launching the Bronson 4 as its first MX bike, and it’s loaded those lessons into the new Bronson…
Canyon pulls out all the stops on the new 2024 Spectral CF 9 trail bike with less travel, more sizes, internal storage and steering stabilisation as standard
Canyon clearly isn’t afraid to innovate. Because after just one year and a trial on just one model, it is back with a brand new range of Spectral CFs, all…
The new Pivot Switchblade doesn’t get trendy internal storage or a steep seat angle, but there are good reasons for not following the crowd
Squint, and you’d be hard pushed to tell the difference between the brand new Pivot Switchblade V6 and the one that was released in 2020. It doesn’t help that both…
No need to pedal: Canyon’s Spectral:ON CFR will change gear while coasting… but is it a gimmick or a genuine performance boost?
What attracted you to the Canyon Spectral:ON CFR? Given that the Spectral:ON CF 9 was mbr’s e-bike of the Year in 2023, I figured the CFR would be the perfect…
Forbidden Druid V2 X0 first ride review
One look at Forbidden’s currently unnamed downhill bike tells you everything you need to know about the direction the second generation Druid would take. Well, not quite everything, as not…
Bold Unplugged Pro first ride review
The Bold Unplugged Pro is an enduro bike from the brand famed for its clean, sleek design and hidden shock, and for 2023 it gets a redesigned frame, more travel…
Trek Fuel EXe 9.9 XX1 AXS review
Say hello to the brand new Trek Fuel EXe, a mid-powered electric mountain bike with some very interesting features, not least the TQ motor which is compact and quiet. With…
Bold Linkin 135 Ultimate review
The Bold Linkin 135 is a 29er-wheeled, 150mm-travel full-suspension trail bike packed with plenty of interesting features – hello on-board storage and interesting shock arrangement. That it looks damn good…
Forbidden Dreadnought XT review
Forbidden now has a big gun but who needs the Forbidden Dreadnought XT when the Druid is already billed as capable? In short... everyone. Let me explain.
Orange Stage 6 Evo SE first ride review
Tired of feeling disconnected from the trail thanks to miles of suspension travel? Well, the Orange Stage 6 Evo aims to deliver that frenetic, plugged-in feeling you get from the…
Focus Jam 8.9 review
Focus launched its redesigned trail bike last year with an alloy frame and an impressive price tag for a brand sold through a dealer network. Now the Jam gets a…
Salsa Blackthorn Carbon first ride review
Best known for its gravel and adventure bikes, Salsa has also spent years blending secret sauces for top-tier mountain bikes. The stealthy Blackthorn is its current 140mm travel rig that’s…
YT Industries Jeffsy Core 2 review
Whether you’re 5ft 1in or 6ft 4in tall, you won’t have any issues achieving a glove-like fit on the YT Industries Jeffsy Core 2.
Canyon Spectral CF 7 review
As a two time winner of our Trail Bike of the Year award the Canyon Spectral CF 7 has always been the bike to beat.
Trail Bike of the Year Winner! Vitus Escarpe 29 CRX review
With brand new carbon-framed 140mm-travel and revised geometry, can the new 2021 Vitus Escarpe 29 CRX eclipse its illustrious forebears?
Whyte T-160 RS V1 review
Whyte T-160 is a brand new addition to their trail bike range. Available in two models; entry-level T-160 S at £2,800 and top-end RS version we have here.
Focus Jam 6.9 review
The Focus Jam 6.9 is incredibly clean and it’ll stay that way for a long time because there are no cables scuffing the frame or fork crown.