Winner of our 2018 Trail Bike of the Year test, the Canyon Spectral proved beyond a shadow of doubt that it really is the compete package.
Alan Muldoon
Bike Test Editor
Whyte T-130C R first ride
Whyte T-130C is still a really capable trail bike and can be ridden harder than the original, but has fun-loving personality has been traded for raw speed?
Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay A70: first ride
One pedal stroke on the 140mm travel Rocky Mountain Powerplay was enough to remind us why we love Rocky’s bespoke ebike system so much.
Ohlins RXF 36 Evo first ride
Hot on the heels of the recent launch of the RXF 36 Trail fork and TTX Air shock, Ohlins introduces the RXF 36 Evo.
Ohlins TTX Air shock first ride
Sporting the same proven twin-tube damping technology as the TTX Coil, the new Ohlins TTX Air version even mirrors the external damping adjustments.
Scott Ransom 700 Tuned review
The Scott Ransom replaces the old Genius LT and builds on the success of the shorter travel Genius and Spark (our previous Trail Bike of the Year winners).
Pedaling Innovations Catalyst pedal review
Let’s start by stating the obvious: the Pedaling Innovations Catalyst pedal is huge! Or, to be more specific, it’s much longer than a traditional pedal.
Trek Roscoe 8 review
Now in its third year of production, the Trek Roscoe 8 is a Plus tyred trail-hardtail that’s decked out with all the modern luxuries you could want.
Marin San Quentin 2 review
With progressive geometry, generous sizing and a sorted specification, we couldn’t wait to do time on the new Marin San Quentin 2.
B’Twin Rockrider AM 100S review
The B'Twin Rockrider AM 100S is available with three different wheel sizes. From smallest to largest, the same bike takes 27.5in, 27.5 Plus and 29in wheels.
Boardman MTR 8.8 review
With smooth double pass welds and a matt finish the alloy frame on the mid-range Boardman MTR 8.8 could easily pass for carbon.
Trek Powerfly 9 LT (2019) first ride review
Up hill or down, ebikes take an absolute beating, so the new Trek Powerfly 9 has a beefed up the parts package to handle the additional abuse.
First thoughts on the new Öhlins TTX Air shock and RXF36 Trail fork
Öhlins launches new RXF36 Trail fork and TTX Air shock for enduro mountain biking.
Giro Riddance shoe review
The Giro Riddance sports Vibram’s stickiest sole to date and a hexagon design sole that bears more than a passing resemblance to a rival brand.
Canyon Spectral:ON 8.0 review
The Canyon Spectral:ON is sporting 150mm of rear wheel travel and short 432mm chain stays that mirror the regular Canyon Spectral bike.
Specialized Turbo Kenevo Expert review
Most great ideas start with “what if?” The new Specialized Turbo Kenevo is how they answer the question, "What if we could have our own personal uplift?"
Shimano XTR M9100 review
It’s hard to know where to begin with the new Shimano XTR M9100 groupset. Not least because it’s essentially three groupsets in on!
Mondraker Dune Carbon XR (2018) review
Launched over three years ago, the Mondraker Dune XR is still streets ahead of its rivals in terms of sizing, our size L dwarfing most brands XXLs.
Santa Cruz Nomad CC X01 review
Hard not to love the Santa Cruz Nomad CC. It looks drop dead gorgeous, pedals better than most 140mm bikes but you have 170mm to get you out of trouble.
Giant Reign Advanced 0 (2018) review
The 2018 Giant Reign Advanced 0 has class leading sizing and geometry plus a race-tuned coil shock and revised suspension linkage.