The Santa Cruz Tallboy is the short 120mm travel 29er but don’t let the travel numbers decieve you – this is a bike that’s designed to be aggressively fast, full-send…
Reviews
POC Kortal helmet review
When you think of Scandinavian firm POC, you likely think of a premium, safety-first brand with the high-end price tags to match. That’s fair comment considering this stylish Kortal lid…
Fox Proframe RS helmet review
Fox’s DH-certified lightweight full-face lid has already been a top-scoring helmet at MBR in its previous generation, so has Fox made it even better with this RS version, or has…
100% Altec Fidlock helmet review
The Altec is 100%’s only half-shell helmet and it has been around for a couple of seasons already. It boasts Fidlock’s rapid-to-fasten magnetic chinstrap buckle to boost what’s already a…
Leatt MTB Enduro 4.0 helmet V23 review
Leatt’s snap-together convertible MTB 4.0 Enduro helmet is one of only a couple of helmets with full DH certification that can still multitask as a lightweight open face trail lid…
Abus Moventor 2.0 MIPS helmet review
German brand Abus has really stepped up its MTB helmet game recently, with this Moventor 2.0 one of a trio in a reinvented range. Targeting the trendy down-country sector, it’s…
Dainese HGL Pants review
Dainese is an Italian company better known for its arm and knee pads, but it also has a range of riding clobber, including this new HGL Pant. Best mountain bike…
Yeti SB120 T-Series T1 review
The top-line Yeti SB120 T-Series T1 is now longer, slacker and has more travel – as the name suggests. And it’s comfortably one of the best down-country bikes on the…
Deity Speedway Carbon handlebar review
Designed for DH and enduro, Deity’s Speedway is the brand’s burliest 35mm carbon bar. It comes in a massive 810mm width, laid up with unidirectional carbon using in-house only moulds.…
Pivot Trail 429 Pro XT/XTR review
Boasting low weight and impressive climbing efficiency, the Pivot Trail 429 Pro XT/XTR is a 110/130mm 29er built for trail riding. This is the top-spec model, which features Fox Live…
Leatt Jacket MTB Trail 3.0
In addition to a good-quality waterproof jacket, it’s nice to have something like Leatt’s MTB 3.0 trail jacket in your armoury. A waterproof jacket is highly breathable and should be…
Maxxis Shorty Gen 2 tyre review
Originally launched in 2014, the Maxxis Shorty is a cut down mud spike in the same vein as Specialized’s Hillbilly. Released four years earlier, Spesh’s tyre brought to market downhill…
Canyon Hip Bag review
Money belts might have fallen out of fashion with the advent of wireless payment technology, but a little bit of their ‘style’ and function lives on in the Canyon Hip…
Sonder Signal Ti GX Eagle with Pike Upgrade first ride review
British brand Sonder creates a well-curated line of bikes, spanning road, gravel and mountain bike. The Sonder Signal Ti GX Eagle is an updated version of its popular hardtail, built…
Santa Cruz 5010 C GX RSV first ride review
The Santa Cruz 5010 has a reputation as the playful, capable bike in the stable that’s ready for fun times. Of course, it’s evolved over the years, and there are…
Scott Scale 965 hardtail review
Log onto Scott’s website, search for hardtails, and you’ll see the XC focused Scale dominates the options. With no long, low and slack hardcore hardtail in sight, it’s apparent that…
Trek X-Caliber 8 hardtail review
The Trek X-Caliber 8 is a sure-footed 29er hardtail mountain bike, with plenty of reliable elements that boost its score to impressive levels, but a few missteps that hold it…
Spank Oozy 280 saddle review
In a previous group test we reviewed the Spank Oozy 220 saddle side-by-side with the Oozy 280 and there are two minor differences – the rails on the 280 are…
Cube Reaction Pro hardtail review
Cube has just two models in its Reaction HPA range of hardtails. The longer travel TM with a 130mm travel fork and this, the Pro, with a more XC-orientated 100mm…
Selle San Marco Ground Dynamic saddle review
Although the Selle San Marco Ground Dynamic shares a lot of DNA with the Selle Italia X-Bow Superflow, there are some subtle differences that improve ride performance. Best mountain bike…