Alan Muldoon

Bike Test Editor

Vitus Sommet CRX

There are three levels of Vitus Sommet 29 and all share the exact same frame with its carbon front end. Impressive, given that the entry-level CS retails for £2,399.99 with…

Privateer 161

If imitation really is the highest form of flattery, then the engineers at Raw must have blushed when they saw the Privateer 161, because when we first set eyes on…

Scott Spark RC WC

Name an XC event, and chances are that the unstoppable force that is Nino Schurter has probably won it on a Scott Spark RC WC.

Santa Cruz Blur

No one can accuse Santa Cruz of jumping on the XC bandwagon; along with the V10, the original Santa Cruz Blur helped pioneer its VPP suspension.

The Forbidden Druid is a 130mm travel high-pivot trail bike with an idler pulley

The Forbidden Druid XT gulps up big hits like a basking shark, but does this high-pivot rig satiate our hunger for singletrack smash-fests?

The Deviate Highlander 140 is a 140mm travel high-pivot idler bike

The Deviate Highlander 140 looks remarkably normal; from the non-driveside you'd be hard-pushed to tell it was such an unconventional design.

banshee titan

A 29er enduro/trail bike boasting 155mm travel, the Banshee Titan is one of several models in the Banshee range to use the latest KS2 suspension layout.

roadon swoop 10.0

Radon Swoop 10.0 is a 29er enduro bike with 170mm travel at both ends. Carbon front triangle with alloy stays. M, L and XL frame sizes.

Third generation YT Capra moves the needle once again with an asymmetric bracing wing to make space for a full size water bottle.

Whyte G-180

Progress is relentless and for 2021 Whyte has turned up the 29er heat once again with the Whyte G-180. 167mm rear travel married to 180mm RockShox Zeb fork.

nukeproof giga 290

For when Mega just isn't enough, here's the Nukeproof Giga 290 – a 170mm travel 'super-enduro' bike. But is it 1,000 times better? We find out.

Most rotors will also get worse before they get better, so expect to spend at least 15-20 minutes, maybe longer, on this job.