Everyone says that SL e-bikes are supposed to offer a more analogue-like ride experience. So what better way to make a great SL e-bike than taking a great analogue bike…
140mm-160mm Full Sus
The Gen 2 Specialized Levo SL is adaptable, capable, and genuinely lightweight for an e-bike, but it’s lacking two key ingredients…
I think we can all agree that while Specialized’s Turbo Levo SL wasn’t the first lightweight e-mountain bike, it’s definitely the one that kickstarted the whole SL e-bike trend. And…
Silent, smooth, and streamlined – The Trek Fuel EXe 9.7 with TQ motor looks, sounds, and sadly feels, a lot like an analogue bike
Back in 2022, Trek was the launch partner for the ultra-compact TQ-HPR50 motor. The bike in question was the brand new Fuel EXe, and in many ways the TQ eco-system…
I was totally won over by the Cannondale Moterra SL’s raw power and range, but it doesn’t have the suspension response to capitalise on its extreme geometry and relatively lightweight build
The Cannondale Moterra SL truly is a hybrid bike. It shares its name, travel and Shimano EP801 motor with the full-power Moterra, but the sleek full-carbon frame has more in…
Santa Cruz ditches the Heckler (and VPP!) for the new Vala: Bosch powered, two flip chips and a smaller battery
Santa Cruz has just unveiled the Vala – a brand new all-mountain e-bike that replaces the similarly intentioned Heckler. Instead of a Shimano EP801 motor like its predecessor though, the…
The new Santa Cruz Hightower is an enduro weapon… and plenty of riders will hate it for that
The Hightower was designed as the Santa Cruz for everyone. Everyone with deep enough pockets, anyway. It’s got 145mm travel, 29er wheels and relaxed but not silly-slack geometry, and the…
Lightweight, lively and nimble: Cannondale’s Habit LT is a proper trail bike, not an overbuilt enduro rig
As one of a handful of trail bikes with a very similar shape and suspension design, Cannondale’s Habit LT had a hard job convincing me it was a truly unique…
Why the brilliant new Santa Cruz Bronson makes me feel sad… and safe, at the same time
Santa Cruz says it’s learnt a lot about mixed wheel bikes since launching the Bronson 4 as its first MX bike, and it’s loaded those lessons into the new Bronson…
Canyon pulls out all the stops on the new 2024 Spectral CF 9 trail bike with less travel, more sizes, internal storage and steering stabilisation as standard
Canyon clearly isn’t afraid to innovate. Because after just one year and a trial on just one model, it is back with a brand new range of Spectral CFs, all…
The new Pivot Switchblade doesn’t get trendy internal storage or a steep seat angle, but there are good reasons for not following the crowd
Squint, and you’d be hard pushed to tell the difference between the brand new Pivot Switchblade V6 and the one that was released in 2020. It doesn’t help that both…
No need to pedal: Canyon’s Spectral:ON CFR will change gear while coasting… but is it a gimmick or a genuine performance boost?
What attracted you to the Canyon Spectral:ON CFR? Given that the Spectral:ON CF 9 was mbr’s e-bike of the Year in 2023, I figured the CFR would be the perfect…
Forbidden Druid V2 X0 first ride review
One look at Forbidden’s currently unnamed downhill bike tells you everything you need to know about the direction the second generation Druid would take. Well, not quite everything, as not…
Bold Unplugged Pro first ride review
The Bold Unplugged Pro is an enduro bike from the brand famed for its clean, sleek design and hidden shock, and for 2023 it gets a redesigned frame, more travel…
Trek Fuel EXe 9.9 XX1 AXS review
Say hello to the brand new Trek Fuel EXe, a mid-powered electric mountain bike with some very interesting features, not least the TQ motor which is compact and quiet. With…
Bold Linkin 135 Ultimate review
The Bold Linkin 135 is a 29er-wheeled, 150mm-travel full-suspension trail bike packed with plenty of interesting features – hello on-board storage and interesting shock arrangement. That it looks damn good…
Forbidden Dreadnought XT review
Forbidden now has a big gun but who needs the Forbidden Dreadnought XT when the Druid is already billed as capable? In short... everyone. Let me explain.
Orange Stage 6 Evo SE first ride review
Tired of feeling disconnected from the trail thanks to miles of suspension travel? Well, the Orange Stage 6 Evo aims to deliver that frenetic, plugged-in feeling you get from the…
Focus Jam 8.9 review
Focus launched its redesigned trail bike last year with an alloy frame and an impressive price tag for a brand sold through a dealer network. Now the Jam gets a…
Salsa Blackthorn Carbon first ride review
Best known for its gravel and adventure bikes, Salsa has also spent years blending secret sauces for top-tier mountain bikes. The stealthy Blackthorn is its current 140mm travel rig that’s…
YT Industries Jeffsy Core 2 review
Whether you’re 5ft 1in or 6ft 4in tall, you won’t have any issues achieving a glove-like fit on the YT Industries Jeffsy Core 2.