May 8, 2024 · Guy Kesteven
Does this stunning-looking Spanish hardtail deliver on its downcountry promise, or do confused spec, backward geometry and niche frame features choke it’s obvious potential? Guy Kesteven finds out…
Gorgeous looking, sweet flowing, lightweight trail frame
Top spec lightweight XC trail fork
UDH rear hanger
Backward rather than Forward Geometry
Inset Fidlock mounts limit seatpost stroke
Heavy wheels and cassette
Crowded lockout and dropper controls
Harsh, flat bars don’t fit the DC vibe
Expensive component mix
May 8, 2024 · Ron Koch
The SB160 really comes alive when thrown into the gnarly stuff and holds lines with the best of them.
May 8, 2024 · Nick Bentley
Privateer looks to be working on a full-fledged DH rig to round out their gravity lineup.
May 8, 2024 · Jamie Williams
road.cc co-founder Dave has a new ultra-endurance challenge... or more precisely, some unfinished business. Let's take a tour around the bike he's chosen to (attempt to) complete it on
May 8, 2024 · Stu Kerton
Perfect geometry and comfort for those far-flung adventures on the road or away from it
Comfortable, stiff frame
Fully equipped
Loads of mounting points
Front mudguard needs a mudflap
May 8, 2024 · Will Jones
There's a price to pay for the cool Scandi brand cachet though
Beautiful aesthetics
Endless cockpit options for perfect fit
Responsive but not skittish ride
Reversable seatpost
Wheels are outdated
Tyres not the best and could be wider
Spec could be better for the price
May 7, 2024
Coming with some big aero claims when it was launched back in 2018, Cannondale’s first aero road bike is well overdue an update
May 7, 2024 · Dario DiGiulio
This showcases the outstanding riding characteristics of a "Mid-High Pivot Design" without having to accept the significant drawbacks of a High Pivot Bike (such as highly varying chain stay length, very high Anti-Rise).
May 6, 2024 · Ron Frazelle
The Sunset Bar from the Minnesota bike deviants, Surly Bikes, is wide and tall and resembles a huge BMX bar – perfect for upright riding.
May 6, 2024 · Danny Milner
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 »
• Progressive frame offers loads of room to get loose
• Slack head angle increases stability and confidence on descents
• Fun, agile handling
• Loves to get airborne
• Clunky coil fork lacks support and adjustability
• Constant risk of slipped gears from the drivetrain
• Tyres are vague and unpredictable in corners
• Square-taper cranks won’t last long
May 6, 2024 · Carrie Wren
Schwinn balance bikes are offered in three unique models with different price points and different features. Read the comparison review!
May 6, 2024 · Griffin Hales
The fifth generation of this cargo e-bike continues refinement and usability. It may not be perfect, but at this price, it's as appealing as any cargo e-bike like it. Rad Power Bikes had quite a hit on their hands with the RadWagon 4. It was one of the more popular cargo e-bikes on the market,
New 720Wh Safe Shield battery provides an unusual level of safety and is certified to UL 2271 & 2849
New 750W brushless, geared hub motor now produces 90Nm of torque, making it a better climber
Tektro hydraulic disc brakes offer exceptional stopping power. It’s one of our top cargo brake tests to date.
The wide range 11-34t freewheel makes the 7-speed Shimano drivetrain much more effective than we find on many other 7-speed e-bikes
Rear cargo deck has a 120-lb. carrying capacity
Rad Power offers a wide range of accessories to outfit the RadWagon 5 for hauling both kids and stuff
The big handle on the rear of the saddle make this cargo e-bike much easier to handle
The change to 20-in. wheels from 22-in. wheels means that replacement tires (and tubes) will be much easier to source
We would like to see the charger upgraded from 2A to speed charging
Cable management could be cleaner
May 5, 2024
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.
May 5, 2024 · Ben Haworth
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.
May 3, 2024 · Mike Hunger
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!
Integrated mini-tool in the headset
Clean look
Agile handling
Tires don't do justice to the bike's intended use
Experienced rider required for technical terrain
May 2, 2024 · Cory Benson
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
May 2, 2024 · Tom Wieckowski
The new E-Grifn uses the rear hub-mounted Mahle X20 drive system to deliver power in a controlled way
Natural ride feel and experience
Mahle system is easy to use and get to grips with
Tidy and clean e-integration helps aesthetics
I felt my bike's 160mm discs took a touch longer to slow the bike down
May 2, 2024 · Tom Wieckowski
Ridley's racy new all-road bike delivered strong performances on both road and gravel during initial testing
Geometry strikes a great balance between exciting and Comfortable
Attractive styling and paint options
Capable of doing the job of multiple bikes well
May 2, 2024 · Di Marco
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.
May 2, 2024 · Peter Walker
The 2025 Orbea Rise rolls into the new season with more suspension travel, a more powerful motor and a bigger battery. We’ve tested one for you already!
Strong all-rounder
Great overall concept
Versatile MyO configurator
Huge fan factor, both up and downhill
FOX fork and Shimano motor are quite loud
Permanently integrated battery requires a plug in your bike cave
Big gaps between frame sizes
May 2, 2024 · Mike Hunger
We tested the new ROSE BONERO Plus hardtail eMTB with TQ-HPR50 motor and 360 Wh battery for you.
Beautiful motor system integration
Stylish design
Shallow profiled tires
Demanding on technical trails
Narrow range of use
May 2, 2024 · Dario DiGiulio
Martin's racing Fort William on another not-quite-a-DH-bike from Orbea.
May 2, 2024 · Will Jones
They’re not for most riders, but I do think there is still a place for them
You can actually see your data without having to look down
The glasses are actually O.K.
Cumbersome hardware sits in eyeline
Data is pretty distracting when you don't want it
Not overly comfortable
May 2, 2024 · Knut Nes
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...
Apr 22, 2024
In our final day of coverage from the 2024 Sea Otter Classic we take a look at new bikes from Stanton (featuring Hardtail Party!)
Apr 12, 2024
The all-new BMC Roadmaster might be the most versatile bike they've ever made, with all-road luxuries like 40mm tire clearance ...
Apr 5, 2024
E-MTBs have evolved more than just about any cycling category over the past few years, and over the past couple weeks we ...
Mar 29, 2024
Welcome to our fifth and final review from our lightweight E-MTB Head to Head test! Today we're looking at the Transition Relay ...
Mar 29, 2024
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.
Extremely composed on steep, fast, and technical descents
Designed to be ridden without the battery installed
Soaks smaller trail features, numbing less extreme terrain
Battery must be removed to charge
Heavy