Mar 17, 2024
There's a song in the 2008 wildlife documentary Madagascar 2: Escape to Africa - so cruelly overlooked by the Oscars committee - that goes something like, “I like ‘em big, I like ‘em chunky”, and upon setting eyes on the Ecomove Bird M we have to say that yes, Will.i.am, we do too. It’s certainly got a distinctive look.
Mar 17, 2024 · Stu Kerton
Real world aerodynamics and well-designed geometry create an excellent bike that is fast and easy to ride
Impressive aerodynamics
Easy to ride fast
Great balance of comfort & stiffness
Mar 17, 2024 · Ben Haworth
The YT Jeffsy Core 4 is a bike that arrives in a box that is not quite perfect out of the box. BUT... there is loads of potential here.
Mar 15, 2024 · Cass Gilbert
In our latest Rider and Rig, we chat with geologist and educator Seth Kruckenberg, author of several great routes published on this site...
Mar 15, 2024 · Cory Benson
The carbon Revel Rail 29er enduro bike gets fork spec update shifting geo slacker for more hardcore riding, plus shiny new 2024 colors...
Mar 15, 2024 · Julian Schwede
With its fat tires, the GasGas Moto 1 ebike looks a lot like a motocross bike. We tested GASGAS’ e-beach cruiser for you!
Chunky tires ensure a comfortable ride
Long, moto-style seat allows for different seating positions
Style points +100!
Very limited everyday use due to lack of lights, mudguards and storage room
Mar 15, 2024 · Di Marco
Cannondale presenta la sua prima ebike light, la Moterra SL, e lo fa a modo suo, cioé con un prodotto leggero ma dotato di una batteria da 600Wh e di un motore Shimano EP8 da 85Nm, quindi non depotenziato. Telaio in carbonio, formato mullet, cioè ruote da 29″ davanti e 27.5″ dietro (compatibile con 29″ tramite flipchip), escursione di 150mm al posteriore e 160mm all’anteriore. Aggiornamento: eccovi il video con il test completo. Ho avuto modo di provarla in anteprima sui sentieri di Braga, in Portogallo, e vi posso già dire che ho percorso più di 1300 metri di dislivello
Mar 15, 2024 · Revel Bikes
The Rail29 has been updated with fresh colors and a longer travel fork.
Mar 14, 2024 · Cory Benson
All-new affordable Basso Venta R all-road bike is faster, more integrated, and more versatile than ever, and still made 100% in Italy.
Mar 14, 2024 · Dave Everett
Rory Sutherland tracked down the Colnago from his first year on the Rabobank development team and has (mostly) restored it to its 2002 glory.
Mar 13, 2024 · Cory Benson
Vision’s new Metron 5D Evo handlebar reshapes the 1-piece aero carbon cockpit to be lighter, stiffer, faster, even more ergonomic & comfy…
Mar 12, 2024
Goodbye Brain, hello SWAT and Flight Attendant
Mar 12, 2024 · Guy Kesteven
Specialized’s cult favorite rowdy XC winner jumps up a whole weight category to burly downcountry, but does it still have the race speed our expert tester loved before?
Excellent tech taming longer, lower mainframe geometry
XC weight frame with punchy pedaling leaves trail competitors standing
Fox Factory Grip2 fork, Float shock and Transfer dropper
Puncture reducing rims and grippy T9/T7 Grid tires
Generous internal storage, SWAT stem and two bottle cage mounts
Nearly a kilo heavier than the previous Epic Evo Comp
Shock feels too firm at times
Limited rear tire space
Mar 12, 2024 · Guy Kesteven
With an Olympics to win 2024 is going to be a big year for XC bikes. Specialized has thrown down a serious challenge to the rest of the pack with its ultra-tech, ultra-fast, and freaky fun S-Works Epic 8
Superlight sub-1,800g frame with awesome geometry
Stiff, tough and practical enough to ride really hard
New kick-ass pedaling kinematics
Up to 1.7 liters of internal storage
Ultimate SRAM/RockShox AXS XC equipment
Excellent Specialized/Roval wheels, tires, and finishing kit
High tech is high-cost
Flight Attendant means more batteries, whirring, and weight
Mar 12, 2024 · Tyler Benedict
The new Specialized Epic 8 gets lighter, faster & way more capable with tricky suspension tuning, more travel & clever carbon construction.
Mar 12, 2024 · Cory Benson
Dangerholm returns in creamy Ivory to show us the integrated future of mountain bikes with a sick custom Scott Genius ST….
Mar 12, 2024 · Ron Frazelle
Mosaic Cycles tops off its lineup of handcrafted, fully integrated bikes with the new GT-1 i45 gravel bike with reptilian inspiration.
Mar 12, 2024 · Rudolf Fischer
GIANT presents the new AnyTour X E+ trekking e-bike. We tested the "all-round tourer" with a large 800 Wh battery for you.
Great comfort over long distances
Low maintenance
Easy handling
Stylish frame with high quality workmanship
Spongy remote control buttons
Gear hub makes cracking noise under heavy load
No water bottle holder
Mar 12, 2024 · Simon Kohler, Robin Schmitt
We tested the 2024 Specialized Epic 8 EVO. But what is the big brother of the XC race bike capable of? Read on to find out.
More confidence inspiring than the Epic 8
Short-travel bike with an integrated storage compartment
Shock tune
Lack of comfort on rough gravel roads
Mar 12, 2024 · Simon Kohler, Robin Schmitt
We tested the 2024 Specialized Epic 8. How does the electronic RockShox Flight Attendant suspension perform on a thoroughbred XC race bike?
Capable on the descents, yet highly efficient
Flight Attendant significantly increases its versatility
Racy character with the convenience of an integrated storage compartment
More affordable models don’t come with RockShox Flight Attendant
Mar 12, 2024 · Guy Kesteven
Specialized’s new S-Works Epic 8 is possibly the fastest XC MTB ever made and definitely the most high tech. It’s not just the latest RockShox Flight Attendant Ai suspension that makes it radically rapid. This rad new superlight but steezy racer is also fully loaded with the ultimate race spec. It joins the Epic 8 Evo as one of two new Epics launched by Specialized, we’ve got all the details right here if you want to check out the details, prices and spec. I’ve also had the chance to ride the Epic 8 Evo, and witness first hand the bike’s transition from XC race machine to down-country weapon, check it out right here. Specialized S-Works Epic 8 Need to know Sub 1,800g yet impressively stiff 120mm travel XC frame RockShox SID Ultimate Flight Attendant Ai suspension technology Progressive XC race/downcountry geometry Top line SRAM AXS SL transmission with power meter Superlight Specialized/Roval wheels and kit High volume internal storage and titanium bolts Epic is in it’s eighth generation as Specialized’s flat out full suspension race bike. Epic 7 had already been overtaken by the slacker, longer travel but lighter Epic 7 Evo as the World Cup winning weapon of choice for the Specialized pro team. No surprise then that Epic 8 is effectively a progressive evolution of the Evo then, with a 66.4º or 65.9º head angle, 75.5º seat angle, 15mm longer reach (475/480mm in large) and 120mm of rear wheel travel to match the fork. The S-Works frame also uses top spec 12M carbon fibre, a carbon shock linkage and titanium bolts to keep it one of the lightest race frames available, at 1,795g for frame and conventional SIDLuxe shock. That’s 150g more than the previous ultra light Evo but the bigger, stiffer down tube now has full SWAT internal storage. You also get chainstay and belly armour, a removable steering stop and fully plumbed head tube routed controls. Suspension The S-Works is the first production bike to debut with the latest version of RockShox’s Flight Attendant Ai suspension. This uses sensors in the SID Ultimate fork, SIDLuxe Ultimate shock, Quarq XX SL power crank, XX SL rear mech and XX shifters to build a comprehensive ride ‘picture’. It then automatically switch the fork and shock between open, pedal and lock modes depending on incoming impacts, bike orientation, pre-emptive shift signals and rider referencing ‘effort states’. You also get a RockShox Reverb AXS seat post to complete the wireless kit out. With the hoses of the Level Ultimate Stealth 4 pot brakes hidden by the bars, the one piece Roval SL down swept ‘stem’ carbon bars look super clean as well as being very light and stiff. That also describes the sub 1,300g Roval Control SL rims, but the Specialized FastTrack and Renegade tyres use a tougher Control carcass than the ultralight S-Works options used on the Epic World Cup. You also get proper Trail grips and a comfortable Body Geometry S-Works Power saddle, albeit with carbon rails. Despite …Continue reading »
• Superlight yet impressively controlled and practical frame
• Automatic Ai suspension
• Perfect race componentry
• Premium performance comes at a premium cost
• Flight Attendant is bound to be an opinion divider
Mar 12, 2024 · Guy Kesteven
The new Epic 8 Evo isn’t the pumped up race machine it once was, weight and stiffness are no longer the driving forces any more and really it’s impossible to call it an XC bike. Instead we’re looking at potentially one of the best down-country mountain bikes on the market, a short-travel trail bike with 130mm travel, sticky tyres and proper dropper post. Sure it still gets a modestly lightweight frame and flex stay suspension, but this is now a bike that’s built to shred. If this is sad news for you there’s an XC race alternative in the Specialized Epic 8 that hasn’t abandoned its uphill prowess, and you can read all the stats, design ideas, range focus, sizing and details on the two new Epics right here. Need to know Superlight 120mm travel XC frame with trail hungry geometry 130mm fork, big brakes and sticky front tyre are ready to riot Efficient and effervescent rather than smoothly damped High volume internal storage, and SWAT multitool in the steerer tube Full Fox Factory suspension, with Roval carbon XC wheels and trail bar Epic 8 Evo Pro frame and geometry With its top tube shock placement and flex stay rear suspension design the Epic 8 Evo looks very like the previous generation bike, but there’s a whole lot going on here under the surface. The mainframe is 10mm longer in the large I tested, and slacker by over a degree in the low flip chip setting. The fresh rear end also uses a longer stroke rear shock for 120mm of travel. Anti squat values are also increased for “20% less bob,” Spesh says. The bigger down tube gets SWAT internal storage and the internally plumbed cables/hoses are all threaded through the head tube front, and not the headset. There’s a steering stop to prevent the bar rotating into the frame and you also get rubber armour on the belly and chain stays. That leaves limited rear tyre room as the only obvious gripe. The composite lay up is all new, with a focus on vibration damping – Specialized claims a 12% decrease – as well as low weight. A hollow in-moulded front shock mount also saves 24g over the previous solid, bonded on mount. But the use of Spesh’s heavier 11M carbon, extra length and strength, steel fixtures, internal storage and 75g of rubber armour means claimed frame weight is now 2,105g, some 446g heavier than the old S-Works Epic 7 Evo. Components It’s not just the frame that’s burler than previous Evos, the components are too. The RockShox SID is out and instead the bike uses a 130mm travel Fox 34 Factory fork with GRIP damper. You get a 970g Purgatory front tyre in sticky T9 compound and the Code brakes run extra thick, extra powerful HS2 200mm front and 180mm rear rotors. The rear shock is a Fox Float with oversized EVOL can and you get a fully adjustable Fox Transfer Factory dropper post rather than the two …Continue reading »
• Superlight frame for a 120mm trail bike, at 1,870g
• Aggressive geometry that's ideal for riding hard, and climbing well too
• Components are superlative, with 130mm fork, powerful brakes and sticky front tyre
• Rear shock tight in feel and doesn't quite match up with the plush 130mm fork
• Rear tyre clearance isn't the best
Mar 12, 2024 · Marco Toniolo
Specialized presents the new Epic 8, and with it the Evo version, i.e., the one with more travel. The number can only bring to mind the Tarmac 8, unveiled last year, effectively aligning two of the California brand’s most beloved models. Once again, the race version of the Epic differs greatly from the “downcountry” version, but, contrary to what happened in 2020, the Epic 8 Evo is unlikely to be used in competition instead of the Epic 8, which you see in the photo below. In fact, the latter already has 120/120mm of travel, forgoes the Brain in favor of
Mar 8, 2024
The Ride1Up Prodigy XC is one of the best deals you can get get on a well-equipped E-hybrid bike. But don't let the "XC" moniker ...
Feb 20, 2024
The Cannondale Moterra SL is a full-powered E-MTB that rivals the weight of some of slimmest lightweight e-bikes on the market.
Jan 19, 2024
The State Bicycle Co 6061 Trail+ is one of the least expensive fat bikes on the market these days, and in this video we test it on ...
Jan 19, 2024
The 6061 Trail+ is a great option for someone looking for an affordable way to extend their urban commuting or recreational riding into the off season, but the “Trail” moniker might be a bit of an overstatement.
Low price
Fun around town and in mellow, low-incline terrain
Shimano Altus drivetrain
Outdated geometry
Not compatible with a dropper post
Jan 12, 2024
The Yuba Spicy Curry AT is a long-tail e-cargo bike designed to be ridden offroad and in inclement weather. But we wanted to ...