Recent Reviews

The Sunset Bar from the Minnesota bike deviants, Surly Bikes, is wide and tall and resembles a huge BMX bar – perfect for upright riding.

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If you’re looking for a radical hardtail, at a down-to-earth price, one bike stands head and shoulders above the rest. That bike is the Marin San Quentin. Clearly inspired by the dirt jump bikes ridden by Marin-sponsored Matt Jones, and with a hint of Sick Bicycles (remember them?) about it, the low-slung top tube and steep seat angle scream style and amplitude, while the slack head angle and generous sizing look primed for high-speed bombing. Marin San Quentin 1 need to know Alloy frame with low standover and progressive geometry SR Suntour XCM34 fork with 130mm of travel 1x drivetrain with 9-speed Sunrace cassette and MicroShift transmission Fixed seat post, but frame is dropper post-ready It comes with 27.5in wheels with big volume Vee Snap tires, which I know from testing the Calibre Line T3-27 and other plus bikes, is a surefire way of introducing comfort and composure to the ride of any hardtail. The fork is only 130mm in travel, so there are no radical swings in geometry as the fork compresses, causing unpredictable handling. Sounds like Marin has all its ducks in a row. So, why doesn’t the San Quentin deserve a place among the best hardtails currently on sale? Frame and geometry Marin has really gone out on a limb with the San Quentin’s 6061 T6 double-butted alloy frame. It has perhaps the most progressive styling and geometry of any hardtail under £1,000 (maybe even more), and (from a distance) looks more like a boutique, hand-crafted, hardcore hardtail that you’d see somewhere like the Bespoked show, than a mass-produced model. The hallmarks of the small volume, boundary-pushing, backyard bike builder-look start with the knee height top tube, offering acres of standover clearance for chucking the bike around in the air and on the ground. Then there’s the steep 77º seat angle, aping modern enduro bikes to improve climbing, and allow Marin to tuck the rear wheel in obscenely tight for maximum agility. Up front, the head tube reclines lazily forward at 64º in a chopper-like stance. But, as soon as you stand on the bike to descend, and your weight moves forward – compressing the fork, and steepening the head tube – this extreme angle makes complete sense, keeping the steering stable and controllable at speed. For a final flourish, there are swoopy, curved seat stays, designed to encourage flex and compliance. The San Quentin’s utilities (brake hose and gear cable) are mostly routed through the frame, entering behind the head tube and exiting at the bottom bracket, before continuing to their final destinations externally and held by cable ties. Marin has made a good job of this, and the cables are secure and silent inside the frame. Although it doesn’t come with one, there’s a port at the base of the seat tube to allow the installation of a dropper post. Given the compact frame, Marin has only been able to add a single bottle cage mount on the down tube. At the bottom bracket, there …Continue reading »

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As a sub-£2k urban e-bike, the Tenways CGO600 Pro has a bit of competition. An upgrade to the existing CGO600, it’s up against the likes of the similarly-priced Honbike Uni 4, which also boasts a carbon-fibre belt and a rear hub motor. The Tenways’ more conventional frame arrangement (it looks more like somebody set out to make a bicycle rather than an art installation at the local builder’s merchants) may however endear it to traditionalists, or at least those who might want to throw it on the back of a car.

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It's just as well the Orbea Laufey H-LTD handles so well because if we turn our attention to the build kit, it's something of a harder sell.

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The new FLYER Uproc SL:X light eMTB has a Bosch Performance Line SX motor and 400 Wh of battery capacity. We took one for a spin to see what it’s like!

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They’re not for most riders, but I do think there is still a place for them

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Ridley's racy new all-road bike delivered strong performances on both road and gravel during initial testing

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La nuova Orbea Rise è più potente, ha più batteria ed è migliorata in discesa. Ecco i dettagli e i prezzi, oltre ad una prima prova.

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A few months ago, I wrote an article about a great bike that didn’t exist and how the Orbea Rise could be that bike. The new Orbea Rise is here, did they hit it out of the park with this one? The Shimano EP801 RS+ motor and bigger batteries...

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All-new 2024 YT Tues upgrades carbon DH bike with adjustability to transform from bikepark freeride to downhill race mode in 3 easy flip-chips

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The new E-Grifn uses the rear hub-mounted Mahle X20 drive system to deliver power in a controlled way

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Martin's racing Fort William on another not-quite-a-DH-bike from Orbea.

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A rainy ride on Colnago's refreshed gravel race bike

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Built from the DNA of the V4Rs, the Colnago G4-X now lists cyclocross as a secondary consideration.

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Schindelhauer delivers uniqueness in 4 Wilhelm Gravel bikes that let you pick gearboxes or internally geared hubs for your adventure bike!

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Colnago is having a banner year. The company just reported sales of 55.7 million euros ($59.6 million) in 2023 and is on its second gravel…

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Classic titanium frame profile and styling meets all-road capability with gravel bike levels of clearance in the Merlin Sandstone 40.

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A new Cervelo Aspero gravel race bike bring more speed and versatility with aero updates, integration, bigger tire clearance & a T47 BB…

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This new second-generation Cervelo Aspero gravel bike is easier than ever to live with thanks to new Reserve wheels, SRAM UDH, and more.

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Cervelo introduces an update to the race proven Aspero Gravel Bike. What's new? Read on to find out.

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The Cervélo Áspero is one half of the US brand’s gravel offering, providing a more affordable carbon-framed gravel bike that

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Tom Pidcock's 2022 Pinarello Dogma F has gone on sale at Bikeroom alongside a host of former bikes used by

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We love long-travel electric-assist bikes that allow us to lap our favorite downhill trails without a shuttle vehicle, but a few things kept the Fantic from being universally adored by the wrecking crew.

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The Prevelo Zulu Five is the perfect 26 inch "bridge bike" before a small Adult MTB. Is it a good fit for YOUR rider? Read our review!

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In our final day of coverage from the 2024 Sea Otter Classic we take a look at new bikes from Stanton (featuring Hardtail Party!)

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The all-new BMC Roadmaster might be the most versatile bike they've ever made, with all-road luxuries like 40mm tire clearance ...

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E-MTBs have evolved more than just about any cycling category over the past few years, and over the past couple weeks we ...

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Welcome to our fifth and final review from our lightweight E-MTB Head to Head test! Today we're looking at the Transition Relay ...

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The Transition Relay PNW edition, dubbed an "E-Downhill Bike" in our test, excels in aggressive riding but demands effort to reach its peak performance, boasting a battery-optional design for versatile use.

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