YT is a German direct-to-consumer mountain bike brand known for its offering of very reasonably-priced bikes with quality components. Reviewed here is one such example; the YT Capra MX Core 3. Priced at $4,599 USD (£4,599), this 170mm travel enduro bike fetches you a lot of bang for your buck.

A full carbon frame is fronted by a RockShox Zeb Ultimate fork paired with a Super Deluxe Ultimate shock. It rolls on a Crankbrothers Synthesis Enduro Wheelset, and is driven by a SRAM GX Eagle AXS drivetrain. These are just some of the highlight components on this build. In the context of a sale price of $3,499 USD, one might even call the YT Capra MX Core 3 an affordable MTB. Sure, it’s not CostCo affordable, or Decathlon affordable, but sat beside a similarly-priced Trek Slash, the value-for-money is undeniable.

But, value-for-money is in the context of overall performance, right? It may look good on paper, but if it leaves you wanting on the trail…

To better-equip prospective customers with an idea of that overall performance, we tested the Capra MX Core 3 over a two month period. Terrain varied from Bike Park laps in Leogang, Lenzerheide and Wales, to more pedal-focused loops of some EDR Tweed Valley tracks. Detailed insight below.

YT Capra MX Core 3 | An Overview

At risk of stating the obvious, the YT Capra MX has a 29″ front wheel and a 27.5″ rear wheel. This frameset is dedicated to that configuration. There is a full 29″ Capra. YT say that one is aimed at out-and-trail riding speed. Meanwhile, the MX tested here is the better option for Bike Park laps, or shorter riders like myself.

Kinematic

The Capra Core 3 runs a full carbon frame, with a four-bar linkage that positions the rear shock horizontally within the front triangle; YT call the platform the V4L, or the Virtual Four Link. The brand doesn’t don’t publish leverage curve information, but a trip to their website does yield anti-squat and anti-rise graphs. While we recognise these numbers are highly contextual, and don’t really paint a complete picture of how the suspension performs, we understand some readers will appreciate seeing them.

As for the leverage ratio, we do know the Capra MX is amenable to the progressivity of an air shock, as well as the linearity of a coil shock. While most models come with an air shock, the Uncaged 11 model released recently comes with an Ohlins TTX22 M coil shock.

Geometry

The Capra MX is available in Sizes S-XXL. The S-L frames all run a 433mm chainstay length, while the XL and XXL frames get a longer rear end of 438mm. Reach spans a 424mm to 504mm range, with the large coming in at 464mm. Seat tubes aren’t the shortest we’ve seen (445mm on the large), but should nevertheless be very workable for the vast majority of riders. The small gets a 125mm dropper, the medium a 150mm dropper, while the L-XXL run 200mm.

Geometry is adjustable by virtue of a flip-chip at the lower shock mount, though we rode the Capra MX only in the low position. That gives it a 64° head angle, 77.5° effective seat tube angle (71° actual) with the BB at 346mm. The high geo position doesn’t alter things too dramatically; the BB is raised by 5mm, the head angle steepened to 64.3°, and the effective seat tube angle moves to 77.8°. Click to enlarge the geometry chart below for more details.

Key Frame Details

• Press-fit Bottom Bracket
• ISCG 05 Tabs for Bash Guard and Chain Guide
• SRAM UDH (Transmission-compatible)
• Boost 148mm Spacing
• 31.6mm diameter seat tube
• Fully guided internal cable routing

Ride Impressions | YT Capra MX

At 163cm tall (5ft 4″), I tested the Capra MX in size small with a reach of 424mm and a seat tube length of 395mm. In the context of other bikes I have tested recently, that’s quite short. Honestly, the bike’s ease of handling has made me question my recent purchase of a frame with a 447mm reach, but that’s a story for another time.

I switched out a few fit-related parts. The 125mm YT Postman dropper was replaced by a 150mm OneUp V2, delivering 25mm more clearance in the context of my 621mm saddle height. I also cut the 800mm Renthal bar down to 740mm, and swapped the SDG Bel-Air saddle for an SQlab 60X Infinergy Ergowave Active 2.1 saddle.

While I ran the stock SRAM GX Eagle AXS drivetrain for the first few rides, I spent the majority of my time running the latest Transmission version thereof.

I opted to position the saddle forward on its rails. That’s not because I deem the effective seat tube angle of 77.5° terribly slack, but because I have sit bone discomfort associated with an old injury, and this position alleviates it somewhat. It does force more weight onto my hands, though. On flat fire roads, that can be a little annoying, but I spend most of the time winching up inclines, so it’s a bit of a non-issue.

Climbing

While this set up may be considered extreme by some, it comes in very handy on steeper climbs, helping to keep weight centered. It certainly goes some way to offsetting the wandering tendencies of a slack 64° head angle. I’ve had no trouble cleaning some steep, tight and technical singletrack climbs on the Capra MX. It is a good climber, but the Merida ONE-SIXTY pips it in this department, likely thanks to the reduced rearward bias afforded by a steeper seat tube angle.

The bike has a very neutral pedalling character. In the climbing gears, there’s no noticeable sucking down or extension of the shock away from sag. Indeed, my experience of the Capra’s climbing efficiency is consistent with the anti-squat values published on the YT website. On the flip side, laying down the power in the smaller sprockets of the cassette comes with pronounced pedal bob which can make it feel a bit sluggish in a sprint.

Descending

I ran the YT Capra MX in the low geometry position throughout the test period. The RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate shock comes with 2 volume spacers as stock, which I found to be appropriate. A pressure of 106 PSI put sag just shy of 30% for my 60 kg. I left the rebound and low speed compression damping fully open, with high speed compression at either one or two clicks from fully open, depending on the nature of the tracks.

Finding a sweet spot with the RockShox Zeb Ultimate fork proved troublesome. I removed the single token that is stock on this build, and went with 38.5 PSI for the vast majority of the test period. That is a little under the minimum recommended pressure from RockShox but I found it helped me use more of the fork’s 170mm travel. I ran rebound and HSC damping fully open, with LSC at 4 clicks from fully open.

For bike park laps, I bumped the pressure up to 42 PSI. On these faster tracks, I was happy to trade out travel usage for faster rebound speed over braking bumps. While this delivered a marked improvement in traction on rougher off-camber sections, it remained insufficient to deliver safe, consistent traction on the fastest sections.

The Capra MX is very intuitive to handle. The bike’s steering geometry rewards an aggressive stance, delivering a very natural feel that gives me a high level of control. In comparison to the slightly longer Merida ONE-SIXTY, another MX enduro bike of similar travel numbers, handling of the YT comes more naturally to me.

I felt no real need to deviate from the 50mm stem and 20mm rise Renthal bar. However, I did find myself benefiting from a more comfortable descending position that came with the 35mm rise bar from OneUp; it certainly enhanced my confidence in steeper terrain. It could be a good idea for YT and other manufacturers to leave the fork’s steerer tube a little longer; that will allow riders to experiment with ride height without having to shell out for a new bar.

Nevertheless, I got pretty comfortable on this bike early on in the review period, especially thanks to the ease of handling that comes with what feels to be a very good fit. I can really jam myself in between the pedals and the bar to make the bike respond to everything I give it.

While it’s not the most sensitive suspension platform, the rear wheel does track the ground pretty well over rough terrain, at least when I’m not braking. But, it does seem to get hung up on square-edged hits, stealing momentum. Indeed, the Capra is always going to struggle to compete with enduro bikes that have a higher main pivot – bikes like the Hope HB 916 or the GT Force that have a more rearward axle path, the former delivering something of a magic carpet feel.

The Capra makes up for that with its nimbleness, though. It’s more poppy and playful than either of the abovementioned. And the more comparable Merida ONE-SIXTY and Vitus Sommet 297, actually. For context, those two are MX enduro bikes of a similar geometry and price point.

A Downfall

The Capra’s anti-rise value of around 70% at sag suggests the suspension will have a tendency to extend under braking. I can’t say I felt the bike to be particularly tall under heavy braking. But, traction was certainly diminished while on the brakes, especially over braking bumps in the bike park. And, latterly, the rougher trails of the Tweed Valley, especially now that things have begun to dry out and speeds are increasing as a result.

The shock could be packing down due to insufficient rebound speed. However, I think it more likely that braking is reducing the suspension’s sensitivity. Of course, it could be a mix of the two, but i’m inclined to apportion blame to the braking, given that rear wheel tracking seems to be much better when i’m not pulling on the brakes. Either way, Bike Park Leogang saw my feet bouncing off my flat pedals a little too often for my liking. This issue was much less prevalent when riding the relatively slower enduro tracks of the Tweed Valley, but still an occasional feature.

Back to the Good Bits

In regard to travel usage, I felt the use of two tokens in the rear shock was spot on. On some of the faster trails of the Tweed Valley, those with big compressions, I was able to use all of the travel. The o-ring made it to the end of the shock’s 65mm stroke on almost every ride. There were only two occasions that I actually felt the bottom-out. On neither of those occasions was it particularly jarring, credit to the Super Deluxe Ultimate’s hydraulic bottom-out.

On smooth, carved out berms of the bike park, the YT Capra MX was truly excellent. It effortlessly held a line through berms at speed, with the shock offering heaps of mid-stroke support. The bike’s geometry remains consistent throughout the compression, making it feel very safe and predictable. As a result, there is little risk of under-steer or over-steer on the exit. In these scenarios, the bike excels.

Summary | YT Capra MX Core 3

Overall, I feel the YT Capra MX Core 3 is a good enduro bike at a very reasonable price point, particularly with its sale price of $3,499 USD (at the time of writing) – RRP is $4,599. And, I had a lot of fun riding it. This bike is most at home on slower, steep, technical singletrack, and smooth flow trails of the bike park, making it pretty versatile.

Sure, I believe there is room for improvement. For me, there’s some performance benefit to be had in a lighter rebound tune on the fork and shock. But, you’ll find that is a common complaint of mine, not really specific to this bike. Of course, the big brands aren’t optimizing performance for 60 kg riders as we are a small portion of the intended market. Sadly, the external adjustment dials only get you so far. Brands like Rocky Mountain are to be applauded for going the extra mile with a frame size-specific shock tune.

A couple hundred pounds spent on aftermarket tuning could turn this good enduro bike into a great enduro bike. Even then, you would still not have spent as much as if you’d bought a Rocky Mountain at an equivalent spec level.

Pros

• Great aggressive geometry
• Highly maneuverable and playful
• Very reasonably priced
• Cables not routed through headset
• Reasonable weight

Cons

• Suspension (especially the fork) feels over-damped for lighter riders
• Can feel unsettled under braking on rougher terrain

Component Performance

• Frame: No issues to report here.
• RockShox Zeb Ultimate Fork: The fork performance left me wanting. At the minimum recommended pressure of 42 PSI, rebound speed is insufficient to maintain consistent traction in rough terrain at speed. The fork’s CSU developed an appalling creak early on in the test period. We would have preferred the steerer tube to be left longer to allow for ride height adjustment.
• RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate Shock: At 60 kg, it’s possible I’d benefit from a lighter rebound tune on this shock.
• SRAM Code R Brakes: One bleed required over the 2 month test period. These offer sufficient power for their intended purpose, but they are certainly not as powerful as some other brakes like the Hope Tech 4 E4s.
• SRAM GX Eagle AXS Drivetrain: Derailleur performs well enough in terms of its shifting, but the SRAM GX Eagle AXS Transmission I replaced it with has the more effective clutch. As a result, it is much quieter on the trail.
• Crankbrothers Synthesis Enduro Alloy Wheelset: Rear rim sustained a considerable dent, but still maintained a good seal with the tire. Great otherwise.
• Maxxis Assegai, MaxxGrip, EXO+: Excellent.
• Maxxis Minion DHRII, MaxxTerra, EXO+: A DoubleDown casing tire would’ve been the more appropriate choice, given the bike’s intentions. One pinch flat to report, sustained at a pressure of 24 PSI while riding the bike park.
• Renthal Apex 35 Stem: No qualms.
• Renthal Alloy Bar, 20mm rise: The bar felt to be very stiff and unforgiving, but it’s entirely possible the underwhelming performance of the fork was partly responsible for the harshness transferred to my hands.
• YT Postman Dropper: Not tested.
• ODI Elite Motion V2.1: Excellent, with super tacky rubber.
• SDG Bel-Air 3.0 Saddle: Not tested.
• E13 TRS PLUS Chain Guide: No qualms.

Warranty

The YT Capra MX Core 3 is sold with a two year warranty which is transferable to a second owner. The original owner also benefits from an additional three-year guarantee.

yt-industries.com

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The 2030 is a short-travel MTB that was designed to pedal well, but SCOR prefers to look at it as a trimmed-down enduro bike rather than a beefed-up cross-country or ‘downcountry’ bike. Looking at the geometry and build specs, it’s clear this isn’t an XC race machine, but rather a fun and versatile trail bike that’s intended to be ridden to its limits.  

I got a chance to ride the new SCOR 2030 at Crankworx Whistler, so I’ve included my ‘first ride’ impressions of the bike below. I’m also lined up to get my hands on one for a few weeks this fall, so keep an eye on Bikerumor for a full review.

SCOR 2030 – Frame Details:

SCOR’s new 2030s are available with a carbon frame only. They roll on 29” wheels, offer 120mm of rear travel, and all models are equipped with a 140mm fork. We’ll dive deeper into geometry below, but the frames were designed with long front ends to capably handle steep descents, and short rear ends to keep the bikes agile and playful.

Despite its shorter travel, the 2030 frame was built to be just as strong as SCOR’s 4060 enduro bike. SCOR says low weight was not the first priority in designing the 2030s (although the one I rode at Crankworx felt very reasonable to me). The frame was designed to be stiff against pedaling forces, while offering some lateral compliance to help it squirm through rough terrain. To ensure the 2030 can handle any terrain, all of the frame pivots feature strong steel axles and weather sealing to protect the bearings.

Suspension Design

SCOR’s lower link-driven instant center suspension platform is designed to be efficient for solid pedaling, active for good traction and ride comfort, and progressive enough to handle rough terrain. SCOR followed the same principles as they did with their longer travel bikes, but the 2030’s suspension is tuned to provide their desired ride characteristics within its 120 mm of travel: The main takeaway here is that the 2030 offers a more progressive tune than most 120mm bikes.

It is possible to extend the 2030’s rear travel to 130mm (with a 52.5mm stroke shock) but SCOR feels 120mm is truly the sweet spot for this bike. If you do run a longer shock, it does not change the frame geometry, but you’ll wind up with a bit more sag versus the stock rear shock.

If you want to put a 27.5” rear wheel in the 2030, you can, but the frame does not have a flip chip to correct for MX geometry. Running a mixed wheel setup will lower the bottom bracket and affect several other angles and measurements… SCOR has not provided MX geometry figures.

Stash Hatch

While some of their earlier bikes had a small storage compartment under the frame’s down tube guard, SCOR has evolved their storage system into the new Stash Hatch. The Stash Hatch offers in-frame down tube storage, and an included waterproof stash pouch ensures your tools and essential items stay dry inside. Each bike also comes with a spare derailleur hanger in the waterproof pouch.

The 2030s come with SCOR’s proprietary upper chain guide, and the frames use SRAM’s UDH derailleur hangers. The rear axle spacing is Boost 148mm.

Bottle & Accessory Mounts

All frame sizes will fit a 500ml water bottle on the down tube, but side entry cages may be ideal for smaller frames or larger bottles due to the 2030’s low-slung top tubes. Bottle cages are not included with the bike, but the Stash Hatch cover has a standard mount. SCOR has included an accessory/water bottle mount on the bottom of the top tube to carry additional tools or cargo.

To protect the frame SCOR includes their unique chainstay protector, which is shaped to resemble a jump line! The rear shock also enjoys some mud protection from a bolt-on mudguard and the frame’s solid rocker link. The frames also feature fully guided internal routing to prevent cable rattles.

Like all of SCOR’s bikes, you can customize the look of your 2030 through their ‘Make It Yours’ program. Instead of offering custom paint jobs, SCOR prefers a more subtle aesthetic. They keep their frames looking clean and simple, but buyers can add some personal flair by choosing from a selection of graphics for the frame’s protective stickers, or even submitting their own unique designs.

Geometry:

The most notable feature of the 2030’s geometry is the head angle of 64.5°, which is very slack for a short-travel bike! For longer, less rowdy rides the head angle can be slightly steepened to 65.5° with the included angle adjust headset. Adjusting the head angle also alters the reach, seat tube angle, stack height, wheelbase, and BB height. Chainstay length is unaffected.

As many brands are doing these days, SCOR kept the standover heights low on the 2030 so riders can choose their size based primarily on reach preference instead of top tube clearance. They also went with low stack heights since it’s easy to raise your handlebars with spacers, but impossible to lower them beyond what the frame allows.

SCOR also designed the 2030s with corrected seat mast angles depending on frame size; the actual angles change with different sizes, but the effective angle at SCOR’s estimated seat heights remains the same across the board (except size small frames, which are slightly steeper than the rest).

To ensure every rider has the right weight balance and ride qualities, the 2030 offers size-specific chainstay lengths, but as the charts show they’re not different for every frame size; SCOR uses the same 429mm rear end for the small, medium and M/L bikes, but the large and XL frames do get their own chainstay lengths (432mm and 434mm).

Model Lineup:

You might notice there are no wireless drivetrains on any of the 2030 builds. SCOR says instead of jumping to include these high-end drivetrains, they prefer to spec their bikes with the best suspension components within each price range. The frames are UDH compatible so riders can easily upgrade if desired.

Some of the 2030’s components show the bike’s rowdy intentions, like wide 800mm bars, short 35mm stems, and powerful 4-piston brakes. Stock dropper post travel depends on the build; GX and X01 bikes get 125mm posts for small frames, 160mm for medium, and 185mm for M/L, Large, and XL. The NX build gets 125mm for small, 150mm for medium, and 170mm for M/L, Large and XL. Below is all the info provided; for complete build specs you’ll have to visit SCOR’s website.

The 2030 frameset includes a Fox Float Factory rear shock, a rear axle, the seat clamp, an angle adjust headset, a derailleur hanger, and the stash pouch (with a spare hanger inside).

The new SCOR 2030 will be available as of September through SCOR dealers and online.

First Ride Impressions:

During Crankworx Whistler, I got the chance to hop on a 2030 for a test ride. As I was just recovering from a leg muscle injury, I had to keep it mellow and rode some easier trails than I normally would. Although SCOR’s engineer Mauricio assured me the bike is a ton of fun on much more technical terrain, the trails I rode were actually pretty ideal for a shorter travel bike.

Thoughts on Geometry

Right away I liked the 2030’s geometry. The front end on the M/L frame I rode is lengthy at 477mm, and the 800mm wide handlebar spread my arms out comfortably. The slack head angle of 64.5° felt great (as a guy used to longer travel trail or enduro bikes). We did ride one steeper, rockier descent that proved how stable the steering feels on rough terrain. I have never found slacker steering angles to sacrifice much on climbs, and this bike was no different. At no point did I wish the head angle was steeper.  

The stubby 429mm rear end made it easy to lift the front wheel, so mid-trail wheelies and popping off jumps were a delight on the 2030. The bike doesn’t feel short overall, but the rear end felt quick in corners.

While the 2030’s rear end is short, with the slack head tube and steep seat tube angles the bike had a very stable ride. During the climbs, I felt nicely balanced between the wheels. On faster descents, I’m sure I would have enjoyed the 2030’s stability at high speeds. For steeper climbs I might have preferred a slightly longer rear end, just for the added traction… I almost slipped a wheel once or twice on our mellow loop, but conditions were dusty.

Suspension Feel

As for suspension, SCOR definitely provides a high degree of mid-stroke support and the 2030 was a dream to pop off jumps and pump through corners. Given more time with the bike, I might have dropped the rear shock’s pressure by a few psi but I wasn’t far off from being nicely dialed in. I didn’t bottom out on my mellow test ride; I probably only hit about 80% travel (bearing in mind the bike has a progressive curve).

Climbing with the shock wide open (which I did for the whole ride) I sagged about 70% into the travel, but this seemed to be because of bumps rather than pedaling inputs. The bike pedaled very well and felt noticeably fast on the climbs compared to longer travel bikes. I noticed a bit of bob from the rear end during standing climbs, but less than most bikes I’ve ridden. The 2030’s progressive curve keeps you from bobbing too deeply under stand-up sprints and helps the bike pop out of berms like it’s spring-loaded.

Final Thoughts

I’m not a heavy guy, but I thought the 2030’s frame felt pretty stiff, especially for its lean appearance. SCOR keeps their top tubes low, and standover height was no problem for me. I maybe tagged one pedal on our ride, despite the fairly low BB height of 332mm.

In my opinion, 29” wheels are absolutely the way to go on the 2030. The rear ends are already short and the steering is already slack, so why not enjoy the speed and rollover of the 29″ wheels. All in all, I think SCOR made this bike exactly what they wanted it to be. It’s a short travel bike that pedals very well, but it’s a great choice for long travel riders who might want to try smaller bikes. Or, short travel riders who aren’t in it to win races but want a versatile bike that’s capable on rough terrain and a blast to ride.

scor-mtb.com

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It’s not often that I find myself on a new version of a bike I just reviewed two years ago. But that’s exactly where I found myself with the Revel Ranger v2. After launching in 2020, I wrapped up my (extended) review in 2021. Now, here we are in 2023 with a new version of the Ranger. Naturally, I wanted to test it out.

I loved the original Ranger, but there were a few things that could be improved. If you care about having the latest drivetrain options, that included the need for a SRAM UDH. You can’t just add SRAM UDH compatibility to an existing rear triangle (for most bikes), so that sent Revel back to the drawing board to come up with a new frame member. Revel also revised shock mounting hardware and added a collet axle with larger bearings for the lower-rear suspension pivot. The result is an increase in stiffness you can really feel on the trail.

Sure, you can run the latest SRAM Transmissions on the new bike, but the real upgrade comes from the increased snap from the back end. The Ranger still has the ability to outrun its brakes when things get rowdy, but now it feels like the fast, short travel bike it should when you’re mashing the pedals. Ranger v2 is still just as capable when the trail points down, only now, it crushes the climbs as well.

That new swingarm also includes increased tire clearance (though still labeled as 29 x 2.6″), and a new mini-fender debris guard at the lower pivot. That mini-fender does a solid job of keeping bigger debris from getting stuck in the lower suspension links and is a welcomed addition. The tire clearance is also exceptional – most riders won’t ever use a 2.6″ tire on this bike, but you could. More importantly, that extra clearance really helps when things get muddy.

While Revel didn’t specify any changes to the front triangle, I’ve found that it’s even easier to run a full-size 26oz Specialized Purist bottle inside the front triangle with a side-load cage.

An Inauspicious Start

Based on my initial experience with the Revel, I thought this particular bike may be cursed. After the initial sample showed up with the wrong drivetrain, I swapped it for one that was fitted with SRAM X0 Transmission. Then, I found that the RockShox SID fork had issues out of the box. The fork wouldn’t compress properly as if it was hydro-locked, and the fastest way to get me riding was for Revel to send the only spare suspension kit they had – a Fox 34 Step-Cast fork and a matching Float DPS shock.

Suspension issues sorted, I set out for the trails and started dialing in the bike. Soon after, I started having issues with the SRAM Transmission. We’re still new to troubleshooting this drivetrain like anyone, and on a derailleur without most of the adjustments you’re used to, it can be tough to figure out what’s going on mid-ride.

My best guess is that the Full Mount Bolt on the derailleur wasn’t properly torqued from the assembly, and the derailleur was slowly slipping forward on the mount. By hand, the derailleur felt tight, but admittedly I didn’t bust out the torque wrench to verify that it was torqued to 35Nm before riding it (some bolts were originally printed with 25Nm, but 35Nm is the correct spec). Let that be a lesson to anyone with a new Transmission setup – even if you got it from a bike shop or direct from the manufacturer, make sure the bolt is properly greased and torqued before riding it.

As a result of the derailleur likely gradually slipping from the mount, the shifting slowly became erratic. What initially felt like something that could be fixed with the micro adjust feature turned into the derailleur starting to rub on the cassette when shifting to the biggest cogs. This all happened over the course of a long ride and by the time I had returned (early) to the trailhead, the damage had been done. I had tried to tighten the derailleur with the multi-tool I had on hand during the ride, but the mini 8mm Allen on the tool made it difficult to generate enough torque (keep that in mind if you have a Transmission derailleur, carry a big 8mm). On the trailside, it felt tight, but in reality, the bolt was probably under-torqued. I found out that it was also not greased during assembly, which could have added to the issue.

After discussing the issue with SRAM, they sent out a replacement chain, cassette, and derailleur stating that this is the same experience that they would offer to any customer that may have similar issues with a new drivetrain. SRAM has always had the best customer service in the industry, and it’s no different here.

After receiving the new parts and installing them by the book, I haven’t had a single issue since.

Well, there was one thing, but it’s hardly the fault of the drivetrain. Remember when I said I thought this bike may be cursed? On the first ride out on the new Transmission parts, a stealth ball of fishing line found its way into the derailleur before I made it 20 yards out of the parking lot. Before I even saw it, it was wrapped up in everything. I had to carry the bike back to the car, remove the derailleur pulleys, and use a knife to painstakingly cut out a massive amount of line (anglers – don’t litter parks with discarded fishing line, please).

Once I had the Transmission freed, it was like a veil had been lifted and the Ranger was flawless from that point on. I’m glad that I persisted as the Ranger V2 has delivered some of my best rides of the summer. On it, I’ve repeatedly bested some of my PRs on challenging trails, and while it’s just as happy on old-school XC tracks, I keep finding myself headed to more challenging and fun trails with the bike.

Components

At this point, it’s cliche to say that the bike can outride the travel numbers, but the Ranger absolutely can. It also may outride the brakes. That’s the case here with the SRAM Level Silver Stealth brakes included on the build. The Ranger gives you the confidence to tackle just about any terrain, but the brakes can feel a bit underwhelming at times. Something with increased stopping power would be very welcome here for more aggressive riders.

Other spec highlights include a 150mm travel CrankBrothers Highline 7 dropper post which continues to be smooth, easy to operate, and free of any excess play. The stock WTB Volt saddle was too squishy for my liking, but riders who prefer a softer ride may enjoy it. I also swapped out the Lizard Skins Charger Evo grips for my preferred Ergon GE1 grips. The stock SRAM X0 Eagle Transmission build includes a set of Industry Nine Trail S rims with I9 1/1 hubs – the Revel RW30 carbon rims with I9 Hydra hubs shown here are a $1,200 option. A very tempting option, as the wheels yield a great ride quality and seem to be quite durable.

A 40mm Raceface Aeffect R stem and 780mm bar with a 35mm clamp diameter felt right at home on the Ranger.

It’s been wetter with softer trails this time around, and I’ve had a much better experience with the Maxxis Dissector front tire. The Rekon is a solid rear tire, proving grip in most circumstances, and both tires are 29 x 2.4″ with EXO casing.

Actual Weight

In terms of the actual weight, the Ranger V2 weighs 27.51 lbs with 2oz of sealant in each tire. That seems respectable for the category, though this bike is running the upgraded Revel RW30 carbon wheels.

On Bike Storage?

We’re getting to the point where even some road and gravel bikes have built-in storage compartments, so it’s not out of the question to expect it here. While the Ranger doesn’t have any internal storage cubbies, there is an extra set of braze-ons above the main bottle cage mount which could be useful to stash tools and/or gear.

I ended up using the space for a Wolf Tooth B-RAD roll-top bag with the velcro strap mounting method. For me, this is one of the easiest ways to transfer my kit from bike to bike, and the strap keeps it nice and tight during the ride without rubbing on my knees.

Suspension Performance

Like the other Revel bikes that I’ve ridden, the Ranger V2 makes great use of the Canfield Balance Formula suspension system. Even on a lightweight bike like the Ranger, CBF provides a very efficient ride with a suspension curve that feels nearly bottomless when it gets rough. On most of my rides, I kept the Fox DPS shock in the fully open #1 position. Every now and then I would run it in trail mode #1, while the firm setting was only used when riding on pavement.

Ranger V2 Details

• 115mm rear travel
• 120mm front travel
• 29″ wheels
• Thermoset carbon fiber frame
• Canfield Balance Formula suspension system
• Price as tested: $7,999 + $1,200 for the RW30 Carbon I9 Hydra wheel set ($9,199 total)

Geometry

Perhaps more than any other bike category, “downcountry” bikes are still a bit of the Wild West when it comes to geometry. That could be a good thing depending on where you live and how you like to ride. Compared to something like the Santa Cruz Tallboy, the Ranger V2 is somewhat conservative with a head tube angle that’s 2º steeper, and a seat tube angle that’s more than 1º slacker.

There were times that I felt the bike could use a 1 or 2º slacker head tube angle, but I think many riders will find the Ranger’s geometry comforting – especially those who think modern bikes might be getting a little too slack up front. The current geometry makes it a great option for modern trails without losing its edge on old-school singletrack.

At 5′ 8″, I was right at home on the medium frame, which also has an average reach number for the category at 453mm.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Riding Home

The Revel Ranger v1 had already set a pretty high bar. It was a fun bike that had the ability to keep up with many other bikes and riders in varied terrain. The Ranger v2 is that as well, but it received the perfect upgrades to make it even more of a contender. Ranger v2 is just as capable as ever, but it’s faster and feels more laser-focused whether carving lines through singletrack or hunting down a technical KOM. Now with the ability to run SRAM Transmission, regardless of the drivetrain you choose, the Ranger is ready.

For more tech details on the Ranger V2, check out our first post here.

The post Revel Ranger v2 Review: The Right Updates at the Right Time appeared first on Bikerumor.

Let me preface this by saying this Engwe Engine X 250 folding commuter ebike is both over-the-top and also not even close to the best ebike that I’ve ridden in the past year. But as silly as a 1300€ aluminum folding full-suspension ebike with 20” wheels and fat 4” wide tires, solid hauling capacity, and quick swappable batteries can be… it’s actually fun to ride, and really hit the mark in replacing short car trips on two wheels.

Engwe Engine X 250 folding 20″ fat-tire ebike

There’s plenty of low-cost direct-to-consumer ebikes out on the market these days. And while big-name ebikes from trusted bicycle companies might be the first choice for most of our Bikerumor readers, not everyone can afford the latest tech in ebikes. Seriously, most performance ebikes we write about easily climb over $10,000 or €, some over $15k. It can be a bit crazy, really.

When I write about how Shimano’s AutoShift & FreeShift are truly revolutionary in how we ride eMTBs, when I talk about how Scott’s Solace e-gravel ebike is lighter than my steel bikepacking bike, or when I ride a crazy light TQ-powered Rotwild eMTB that weighs less than my carbon trail bike at home… all of these are just really expensive toys for people with lots of disposable income. They are all great technologies and evolutions that are making it more fun and more natural to ride ebikes.

But they aren’t solving transportation problems.

This Engwe Engine X on the other hand is exactly that.

This is not a high-performance ebike. It’s pedal-assisted transportation, and an alternative to driving a car down to the local grocery store. Also with a bit of bootleg throttle-assisted transport, too. But we’ll touch on that a bit later.

What is this folding ebike about?

Engwe is a direct-from-China ebike company, with EU and US consumer-direct distribution of their rear hub drive ebikes. I tested the 1299€ Engine X 250 model (with a 400€ extra 768Wh battery) because it is the only version that you actually are legally allowed to ride on public roads in Europe. And my rationale for trying the ebike was to have something I could ride the 700m up the road to our neighborhood recycling drop-off point, 9km to the grocery store, or 13km to the train station.

I also didn’t want a 9999€ ebike that I would be afraid to leave locked up for a few days at the station until I got back.

What’s the deal with all the crazy features?

Starting off, the Engwe Engine X is powered by a 250W brushless motor in the rear hub and a 624Wh swappable internal battery with 25km/h limited pedal-assist through a low-cost Shimano 7-speed drivetrain, and stopped by basic mechanical disc brake with 160mm rotors.

It has 20” diameter paired-spoke alloy mag wheels. Would it be lighter, a smoother ride, and more serviceable with regular spokes?

Sure. But it probably wouldn’t be cooler.

It also has mini 20×4” fat bike tires, because why not.

In theory, Engwe says that’s so riders can take it on- or off-road. It has tubes (and isn’t ready for tubeless), so the big tires mean you can run low pressure for good comfort and grip.

I’ll admit that I probably have taken it off-road a lot more than Engwe ever anticipated – I rode a lot of snow with it this last winter – and those little fat tires do a great job of finding grip and taking this ebike anywhere you want to go.

The 6061 aluminum Engine X is also a faux-bar full-suspension bike, because…

OK, this one I don’t really know.

The fork is officially 60mm of travel, and I would put the rear travel about the same or maybe 80mm. It’s not well-damped long travel, but instead, something to take the edge off and I guess look cool. It also is in no way adjustable. I certainly would have preferred a simpler hardtail and the cost of the extra complexity spent on making a better fork.

But it wasn’t an option. Yet oddly, it hasn’t been such of a problem in 8 hard months, either.

Oh yeah, it also folds. With a pivot in the rear third of the massive boxy toptube, the ebike collapses on itself to take up less space. The overly tall stem extension shaft folds down with the handlebar next to the fork leg, and the ultra-long seatpost drops low. It even has folding flat pedals, but I replaced those with a proper set of spiky MTB platform pedals for better grip early on.

And it doesn’t really get that small. Sure if you are cramped for space, the folding handlebar/stem shaft thing really takes up less space. The only reason you might fully fold it is so it will fit in the trunk of a car – or to stick it in a really big bag to smuggle it onto a German train as ‘luggage’ and not as a ‘bike’ not that I would know anything about that.

It also gets roughly 3/4 coverage aluminum fenders that do a good job of keeping you dry and clean-ish in all conditions. The Engine X also has a solid tubular alloy rear rack that can haul a pretty big load (max rider + gear rating is 150kg/330lb). It has a kickstand. And it has a wired-in headlight and taillight with brake light function.

One important thing to note is that the Engwe Engine X 250 weighs about 34kg (75lb). That’s too heavy for my Park bike scale, so I had to stand on my bathroom scale, accept how much weight I gained over the winter, then pick this behemoth up, and calculate the difference. My semi-customized setup with bigger pedals, bar, extra Pelago fork rack, bar bag & toolkit like I ride it, is actually 36kg/80lb.

It takes work to pick it up, and I try not to.

Engwe Engine X Review: So, how does it ride?

Loudly – clattering, rattling, and groaning.

There are a lot of accessories attached to this ebike, and the suspension has a lot of moving parts. Ride it off-road and it kind of sounds like there is always something a little loose. Even riding on a gravel road sounded kinda scary at first with all the rattling.

I tightened a bunch of bolts before the first ride, and after roughly 5 off-road rides I had to go back and retighten pretty much everything in the rear end.

But then it stayed put, and nothing has fallen off (yet).

The other scary noise is the motor. Engwe officially describes it as a “strange noise when accelerating, which is a little like vibration” but I would call it a mildly terrifying groan like the rear hub internals are on the verge of dying. They say it is normal, and nothing to be worried about.

I was worried, and would usually brake (which immediately stops the pedal-assist) or simply stop pedaling (which stops the support also after little normal ebike lag, just a bit slower) to make it stop.

But ultimately it kept making the noise and it kept working. Everything is fine (I guess). It just sometimes makes some scary noise under heavy load, especially up steeper hills.

The geometry of the Engwe ebike is also a bit wacky. It has the ultra-high handlebar Stack you would expect from a chopper motorcycle, and little provision to get the bar any lower than 33cm above the top of the headtube. But you can make it higher, if you wanted that for some reason. (The lowest handlebar Stack is ~ 860mm combining the 528mm frame Stack with that bar height.)

Its headtube angle is also a wacky-sounding 86.5° that combines with the fork offset to give it a reasonable 48mm of Trail. It still flops over to the side on steep hills at ultra-low speeds or when sitting loaded and leaning to the side on its kickstand, which generally seems odd.

But once riding, it does actually work fine, going to show that there’s a lot of wiggle room in building bikes with different wheel & tire sizes.

How did it survive?

Well, every bolt came loose, but it came with a tool kit.

Not a good quality tool kit, but all the wrenches you needed to tighten the bolts that rattled loose were there. (Better tools work better, though.) And I’ve ridden it hard, wet, and in the snow, then in the mud.

And it keeps on going.

The only maintenance I’ve done in 12 months, has been lubing the chain, charging the battery, and occasionally wiping it clean.

And not only has it survived, but my teenage daughter thinks it is fun to ride and wants to run errands with me sometimes now. Weird.

That means I need to find another bike to ride, and sometimes means I do not get pedal-assist. But at least I have better luck getting her to haul the recyclables.

What did I upgrade & adjust, and why?

Out of the box, the Engwe Engine X was rideable, sure. But as a modern cyclist, I wanted a bit more modern creature comforts. I didn’t buy any components to make this ebike a better ride, I simply dug into the used parts bin.

The first thing I swapped in was a less squishy saddle. You have a very upright position on this ebike so a padded seat is not a terrible idea, but I wanted literally anything firmer. I opted for the most padded PRO saddle I had with round rails that fit into the classic ‘guts’ at the top of the seatpost.

Then I had to deal with the cockpit. The telescoping stem shaft is super high. I slammed it all the way down – still a good 20-25cm higher than the saddle – and it still feels like riding a chopper. A shorter shaft would make serious cyclists more comfortable. Next, I ditched the tiny 57cm wide handlebar and put on an old 71cm bar, aided by some proper lock-on grips for much better off-road control to balance the wacky/washy geometry.

Then, bigger pedals. The stock folding pedals are fine for city use, but I live on a gravel road and was going to take this monster off-road, so it got a set spiky composite platform pedals for everyday use. And I even popped on some clipless crankbrothers pedals for a 65km when I strapped a gravel bike onto the back and commuted to a 3-day riding event.

I also added a medium Pelago Commuter front rack, because I like to balance my load hauling. This isn’t super necessary as the rear rack is solid, but it meant I could try to do something stupid by strapping a real bike on the back, but still carry more gear up front.

Lastly, one of the only truly annoying bits about the Engine X is that it needs a key to operate and that key is hanging under the middle of the main/toptube. I looped a tradeshow lanyard around it with the key so I wasn’t worried I would lose it, and it’s stayed there since day 1 when I’m riding (then removed when I have to lock the ebike) somewhere.

Is it worth it?

The reason I picked this one out of the Engwe lineup was that it was the only official street-legal version, with a 250W rated motor, a 25km/h limit, and pedal-assist only. It comes out of the box with a non-functional throttle also installed, and Engwe even offers instructions on the EU ebike’s product page on how to reactivate the throttle.

:facepalm

If those aren’t limiting factors and you want to live in the grey zone of legal approvals, I can only imagine that their simpler hardtail version would work just as well, but be lighter and less prone to failure over the long-term.

Range-wise, one full battery charge got me around 55km and almost 600m of climbing on a mix of road and gravel is medium pedal-assist. That’s with a pretty loaded-down setup that was pushing 120kg – including me and all my gear for a long weekend (including my proper gravel bike strapped to the rear rack).

My daughter on full assist easily gets the 25km and 350m of climbing it takes for our scenic grocery runs, even in the dark. If you need more range, Engwe will also sell you a second battery which is an easy 15-second tool-free swap.

Any way you look at it, I expected this to be a cheap commuter ebike that would not ride well, would be lacking in quality, wouldn’t be very fun to ride, and wouldn’t last long under my regular use/abuse.

Color me surprised.

Sure, it is kinda cheap – let that describe both the retail price and the level of the components.

But that’s probably what actually makes it work.

It’s cheap, but it is fun to ride, year-round. It’s cheap, but it turned out to be pretty durable. It’s cheap AND that makes it a great option for someone looking to turn some of their short car trips into more smile-inducing trips on two wheels.

Oh, and did I mention that I am only recharging it with the solar panels on the roof of my house, making it zero-emission transportation, too? (But being realistic, let’s not go LCA on it to get into the embodied energy or emissions from its manufacture, delivery, and end-of-use recycling/recovery.)

You don’t need a 15,000€ ebike to get groceries. I don’t want a 10,000€ ebike to zip around World Cup venues hunting mountain bike spy shots and fresh cups of coffee. And you certainly DO want a cheap ebike when you are going to lock it up and leave it unattended all day long at the train station. So, maybe it’s worth reconsidering the value and versatility of a budget fat-tire folding ebike.

Engwe-bikes-eu.com or Engwe-bikes.com

The post Review: Engwe Engine X is a Silly Low-Cost eBike, but Kinda Great for What It Does appeared first on Bikerumor.

When you’re bombing down a rough, technical descent, keeping your handlebars pointed where you want them can wear down your arms quickly. Enter the KIS (Keep It Stable) steering stabilizer.

Created by Jo Klieber, the founder of Syntace and Liteville, the KIS system helps automatically re-center your handlebars as your wheel deflects off rocks and roots, especially when they’re off-camber. Since Canyon helped work on the integration of the KIS system, they’ll be the only brand (aside from Liteville) to offer it on their bikes until next year. Canyon debuted the system on their Spectral all-mountain bike, but they now have it on a demo fleet of Strive:ON eMTBs too.

Last fall, our EU Tech Editor Cory Benson got the chance to ride both Canyon’s Spectral MTB and Liteville’s 301CE eMTB with the KIS steering stabilizer, so you can check out his initial impressions of the system. Since Canyon was at Crankworx Whistler, I took the chance to get a feel for the steering stabilizer myself. After one ride my perspective on the idea went from “If no one has done it yet, is it worth doing?” to “This is something that could catch on”.

KIS System – The Basics:

If you’re not familiar with the KIS system, check out Cory’s article covering all the technical details here. To sum it up, it’s basically made of a sliding tension adjuster, two springs, two straps, and a cam that clamps onto the fork’s steerer tube. In finished form, all of this is hidden inside the bike’s top tube except for the small slider that sits on top. The entire system does add weight to a bike, but nothing crazy at about 120g.

The system shown on the demo bike I rode is not the finished product consumers get: The demo bikes were all set up with an external version of the KIS system that allows test riders to see how it works, and make easy adjustments without the Allen key the integrated version requires. I should also note the external system I rode looked a bit different from the one Cory tried on the Liteville (which uses lighter springs than Canyon’s KIS bikes).

Ride Impressions: Climbing

While my intro line suggests the KIS system is mainly beneficial on descents, it does help on climbs too. When I first hopped on the bike, the system’s tension was set in the middle position and I barely noticed any effect from it. I didn’t feel any extra effort while steering the bike, and overall handling seemed pretty normal. Then, at Canyon’s MTB Gravity Brand Manager (and my ride guide) Jack Noy’s suggestion, I completely de-tensioned the steering. Right away I could tell the KIS system was indeed helping me out.

We started our climb on a steep road filled with loose rocks, and when I removed all tension from the KIS system I immediately noticed my front wheel squirming left and right more than it did with the system engaged. Those loose, rolling rocks were pulling my front wheel left and right, and my arms had to work to keep the wheel pointed straight.

Once I put the tension back to the middle position, it was obvious again that it was helping. The front wheel floated nicely over those loose rocks and clearly wanted to stay straight, even when I purposely kept my hands light on the grips. We only did one shorter ride, but I’m convinced on longer loops this system would reduce arm fatigue. It definitely requires less effort to keep your wheel straight, and with the KIS system, it becomes easier to sit upright and give your arms a break as the bike will resist wheel flop. Overall it takes less energy to keep the bike pointed, yet the system works subtly enough that I didn’t feel like I had to change the way I was riding at all.

Descending:

When we pointed the bikes downhill, I kept the KIS system in the middle position to start. The trail we rode was a perfect test for the system, as it is littered with rocks and off-camber roots from start to finish. In the middle tension position, I noticed some very slight resistance in the steering, but not enough to require extra effort. I could feel how my front wheel was lightly resisting deflections, but again the effect was subtle enough that I was handling the bike normally. 

In an effort to make the system’s effects obvious, I bumped up the tension by two notches. At this point, I could really feel the difference it was making. This setting produced noticeable steering resistance (although still a long way from making it hard to steer), and I did detect something Jack mentioned about cornering: If the system is set up too tight, it slows down your steering slightly and the bike doesn’t lean in as nicely as a normal bike would. I felt this on one corner, so I dialed the system back one notch.

With the KIS system, it is important to find the level of tension that works best for you. I expect most riders should be able to accomplish this, as I (at 150lbs) wasn’t even close to maxing out the tension. I’d expect the range of adjustment would be ample for much larger or stronger riders than me.

The setting I was now in seemed perfect for me – I could feel the wheel fighting to stay straight over rocks and roots, and it was easier than usual to hold a line through the rough. It took no noticeable extra effort to steer, and the cornering felt normal. On the descent, it occurred to me that like the climb, this system makes it a bit easier to take a break when needed. On moderate sections of trail, you could get away with sitting up and lightening your grip more than a normal bike would allow. This could be great for enduro racers tackling several long descents in a row.

One thing the KIS System was designed not to do is make it feel harder to steer the more you turn the handlebars. I’d say Syntace achieved this, as I didn’t feel a difference between tight corners or wider berms. The KIS system was also designed not to straighten the wheel with any obvious clunk or engagement in the middle, and I would agree I did not notice any such effect.

One thing Cory mentioned is how the auto-centering steering gave the Canyon Spectral an odd tendency when jumping. The trail I rode was a technical descent that didn’t offer much airtime, so I can’t comment on the bike’s handling in the air… give Cory’s article a read for his explanation of how the KIS system attempts to straighten the bike out if you turn your handlebars in mid-air. 

My only final thought is this; I wonder if a two-position KIS system would be beneficial. I was quite happy climbing with the tension set dead in the middle, but when I got to our highly technical descent I preferred a bit more tension to help fight off wheel deflection. I liked how subtle the effects were on the uphill section, but also enjoyed feeling that something was definitely happening on the downhill. The bottom line is I do think Syntace and Canyon are on to something, and wouldn’t be surprised to see the idea gain traction in the MTB world.

canyon.com

The post Can the KIS Steering Stabilizer Keep Canyon’s Strive:ON eMTB Steady on Whistler’s Trails? appeared first on Bikerumor.

I got the chance to join Pivot in Crested Butte, Colorado for two test rides aboard the new Shuttle AM. I came home pretty impressed with Bosch’s motor and battery, not to mention the stable geometry and capable build spec of the Shuttle AM Pro model I rode.  

2024 Pivot Shuttle AM Pro – Basic Specs:

You can find all the details of the new Pivot Shuttle AM lineup in my launch article, but here’s a quick rundown on the bike: The Shuttle AM was designed to be a well-rounded ‘all-mountain’ eMTB. Its full carbon frame’s flex pattern is identical to Pivot’s Switchblade MTB, although geometry is not the same between the two bikes. The Shuttle AM’s slack head angle and longer chainstays lean this bike toward the more aggressive side of the all-mountain class.

The Shuttle AM offers 148mm of rear travel controlled by a DW Link suspension platform, and all models come with 160mm forks. The bikes roll on 29” wheels, but can be converted to mixed-wheel setups if desired.

Drawn in by their wireless remote and wheel sensor, top tube display, and power delivery, Pivot decided to partner with Bosch for the Shuttle AM’s power plants. The lineup features the Performance Line CX motor on two models and the Performance CX Race motor on the top-spec Team build. The Pro model I rode had Bosch’s Performance Line CX motor and Powertube 750wh battery.

The Shuttle AM Pro model’s weight is listed at 49lbs.  

Ride Impressions – Suspension:

Our first demo ride started with some dirt road riding, then continued up a smooth, dusty singletrack for a while. Closer to the top we came through a forested section with some uphill rootbeds (and still plenty of dust).  I climbed with the Fox Float X Factory rear shock in firm mode, and found the bike pretty supportive against pedalling efforts. Pivot says the DW linkage is ideal for eMTBs as it fights squat effectively, especially as the motor’s power kicks in. I would agree the linkage was an efficient climber, yet it was happy to absorb bumps too.

In firm mode, I still found the rear shock was willing to dive into its travel when required by the terrain. I had dipped around 75% into the travel by the top of the climb, which did provide good traction. Pivot is using small volume spacers in the rear shocks for the 2024 AMs, and the shock did feel pretty linear through most of its travel. Even on those dusty roots the rear wheel clung to almost everything; I only slipped a wheel once during this lengthy climb (when I got stuck in a bad line). The climbs on our second ride were mostly smooth but had a few nasty rocky uphills (as seen above) and the rear shock handled them similarly to day one. 

My suspension setup was definitely within the correct range, as I was not quite bottoming out on the descents. The first day’s downhill sections only had a few rough patches, yet I still used most of the shock’s travel. While mostly linear, the stroke does ramp up nicely at the end; our last descent was a rough, rocky one that challenged the bike’s 148mm travel, but I still didn’t harshly bottom out at any point. The Shuttle AM’s bottom-out resistance helped the bike float over the rough stuff and save a bit of travel for any significantly hard impacts. The Shuttle AM felt well-supported in the corners, and despite the eMTB’s inherent weight I did manage to pop it nicely off a few bumps.

Geometry:

First off, there is a flip-chip in the Shuttle AM’s rear linkage, and our demo bikes were all set up in the ‘low’ position so all numbers listed here refer to that setting. Moving into the ‘high’ setting raises the BB by 5mm, and steepens the head and seat tube angles by 0.4°. See the charts above for all geometry figures.

At 5’10”, I was immediately comfortable with the medium frame’s 461mm reach. It’s long enough to provide a roomy front end while leaving a little bend in my arms. I liked the Shuttle AM’s steering angle of 64.1°, as I don’t find slack steering angles much of a penalty on climbs and they feel very stable on descents. The chainstays are the same for all frame sizes at 444mm; I do like the boost in climbing traction from longer rear ends, but the trade-off is I didn’t find the bike amazingly agile in the tight switchbacks we descended.

The seat tube angle of 76.4° is in-line with today’s norms and left me in a comfortable position for powerful pedaling. I’m on the taller side for riding a medium frame, but as Pivot intended the Shuttle AM’s standover height was easily low enough for me. The frame’s stack height isn’t particularly low and my demo bike had one spacer under the stem, so it was a comfortable setup for our lengthy rides. A BB height of 345mm isn’t super low, but that’s ideal for an eMTB; still, I did tag my cranks and pedals several times during our second ride’s climbs.

Drive System:

It’s been a while since I rode a very early model Bosch drive system, and it’s clear they’ve come a long way. The Shuttle AM’s Performance Line CX motor was acutely sensitive to torque inputs, and provides plenty of power (85Nm max) in its Boost and self-regulating ‘eMTB’ modes. I was pretty impressed with the eMTB mode, as it proved intuitive and responsive. With a hard push on the pedals, extra power comes on within about a second, but when you’re traversing along with ease it reduces its output without leaving you working too hard. I didn’t toy with the lower power settings – we had two solid rides to finish, and I’ve just recovered from a leg injury. I also wanted to test the 750wh battery’s run time, which turned out to be impressive. 

On our first ride, I only used one out of five bars of battery life, going between eMTB mode and using Boost for a few steep pitches along the way. This ride was about 3hrs long including several photo stops and a short break at the top, and we covered roughly 3600ft elevation. On our second ride, I was generous with the Boost, using it probably 40% of the time, and staying in eMTB mode for the remainder. After about 3800ft of elevation and over two hours of ride time, I got the bike down to two bars of battery life. I should note after getting down to one bar, the bike then gives you two ‘low power’ bars lit up in red, so I wasn’t even close to running out of juice. 

I found Bosch’s compact wireless remote very ergonomic and easy to use. The top tube display is easy to check, and it’s pretty easy to see the different colors for each mode (red = low, blue = med, purple = emtb, orange = boost ). One thing you may not notice right away is that each power bar (shown in blue) turns white before shutting off; it’s not blatantly obvious if you’re unaware, but once someone mentioned it I could see it easily.

The motors were fairly quiet while operating in any power mode, and only made some extra noise after surviving a quick submerge as we crossed a river deeper than our BB’s! The motors are not completely waterproof, but apparently, they can take a short swim. I noticed the drive system shuts down automatically after the bike sits for 10 minutes, which is great for preserving power.

Components:

Finally, some quick notes on components: Throughout both rides, I only experienced one rough shift from the SRAM XO T-Type transmission, and it was under considerable load while I tried to shoot up a sudden incline.

Also, while I didn’t love the position of the shifter pod on the Yeti SB135 I recently tested, that bike came with a matchmaker style shifter mount. The Shuttle AM came with SRAM’s Infinity clamp, and it got the shift pod into a position I was much happier with.

Pivot stuck with Shimano for brakes, and their 4-piston XT calipers with 203mm rotors offered more than adequate power for this eMTB. Long travel dropper posts (175mm for the medium frame) should keep anyone happy, and Pivot sticks with tried-and-true Maxxis Minion 3C EXO tires front and rear. A Pivot carbon handlebar is a nice touch, with the small/medium frames running 780mm widths and larger sizes going to 800mm. Throughout both rides, I had no functional issues with any of the Shuttle AM Pro’s components.

The 2024 Shuttle AM Pro is available at Pivot dealers as of today. MSRP is $11,799, and frame color options are Blue Neptune or Mojave Willow Green.

pivotcycles.com

The post The 2024 Pivot Shuttle AM Has the Stance, Travel & Power for All the Mountains appeared first on Bikerumor.

Do you really need a suspension fork on a gravel bike? The obvious answer is, no, you don’t really need it. Even with a rigid fork, modern gravel bikes are fantastically versatile. Yet, like so many things that you don’t really need, a gravel suspension fork can unlock the potential for new terrain or increased rider comfort.

To test that theory, I jumped at the chance to test out the new X3-S from T-Lab in Montreal. More than just a suspension fork-specific gravel frame, T-Lab specializes in building unique titanium bikes. Take the inherent ride comfort the aerospace material is known for and add in custom-shaped titanium tubing, and you have what T-Lab views as the “future of Ti.”

No matter what frame builder you’re talking to, they all seem to agree that titanium for all its magic, can be very tricky to work with. Over the years, T-Lab has perfected their proprietary process for shaping seamless titanium into the aggressively shaped tubing used to make their bikes. T-Lab refers to the process as their Ti-Morph technology, but more importantly, it’s this shaping of the tubeset that results in a claimed 30% increase in stiffness over titanium frames from other builders.

Stiffer Titanium

While titanium is known for a magic-carpet-like ride feel, some titanium frames throughout history have had a reputation for being a bit noodly. Not here. The stiffness claims are instantly apparent when you first push the pedals. Even for a bike fitted with 45-50mm wide tires, the X3-S surges forward with each pedal stroke.

For me, this sensation was most noticeable on long road climbs. On one particular ride, I wasn’t feeling that great and as a result, didn’t feel like I was trying all that hard on the climb. The surprise came later while uploading my ride and realizing that I had set my personal best time on that climb that day – a climb that I have frequented with lightweight, purpose-built climbing road bikes.

That trend continued with subsequent rides. Keeping in mind that this is a titanium gravel bike with 700c x 45 to 50mm tires, a suspension fork, a dropper post, a mini frame bag, and two bottles, It seems to be faster on the road than it has any right to be.

That stiffness carries off-road as well, in the best way possible. As soon as you put a suspension fork with wide tires on a gravel bike, you open yourself up to far more aggressive riding, especially when it comes to light singletrack.

One of my favorite ways to use a gravel bike is to ride from my house to some of the easier mountain bike trails in town, session the trails, and ride back. Depending on the trail, when you’re riding a gravel bike like the X3-S, you can almost build up more speed than you would on a mountain bike. Before you know it, you’re deep into a corner needing to change direction in a hurry – one of the areas the X3-S really shines.

The added lateral stiffness sets the frame apart from other titanium bikes, and even some other carbon bikes, with razor-sharp handling on tricky rock or root-filled zones. The bike never feels like it’s pushing through corners, and allows you to easily set up for technical moves or quick bursts of power. The torsional frame stiffness also makes the X3-S a great candidate for bikepacking duties – loading a ti frame up with a bunch of heavy gear can make for an interesting ride if the tubes aren’t up to the task.

Dropper Post or Seatpost Compliance, Pick One

With all the talk about frame stiffness, when I first got out for a ride on the X3-S, I thought the frame might be too stiff. In actuality, it was just the spec choice. At my request, the X3-S was fitted with a RockShox Reverb AXS XPLR dropper post, which is a fantastic dropper. However, it turns out that dropper posts have a substantial impact on the ride quality at the saddle. I’m so glad I swapped it out for a carbon post to feel the difference because while I expected there to be some difference between the two, I was blown away by how big of an impact it had.

With a carbon Zipp SL Speed seatpost installed (and the same saddle), the ride quality completely changed. Instead of bracing for every little impact, you’re able to stay seated more comfortably, and I swear you can put more power down. I felt inexplicably faster with the rigid post installed – though I still missed the dropper in certain situations.

The Reverb AXS XPLR dropper does have “ActiveRide” which means that when the post isn’t fully topped out, there are a few millimeters of ‘suspension’ built in for compliance. Even with ActiveRide engaged, the ability of the carbon post to flex fore & aft makes for a more comfortable ride.

To me, that’s the beauty of the Reverb AXS XPLR dropper though. It’s so easy to swap it out for a rigid post and vice versa that you can truly run the post you need on a per-ride basis. Without any wires, cables, or additional remotes to worry about, swapping for the dropper is as simple as loosening the seat post binder, swapping the post, and tightening it down. Based on this experience, I’d keep the dropper post for any more technical rides, but otherwise, I’d run it rigid.

Suspension Fork Surprises

Up front, it’s a different story. I went into this review thinking the 40mm travel Rudy Ultimate XPLR suspension fork would be good for the technical sections, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that it made a noticeable difference on flat gravel sections as well. The fork does a great job of taking the edge off – it never feels like something you’d find on a mountain bike. Rather, it feels and looks the part on a gravel bike that may venture into more challenging terrain.

The lockout on the fork works fairly well, but even fully locked out there is a bit of give under hard efforts. The fork also offers a rebound adjustment and the whole set up was very easy to dial into my liking. Perhaps more importantly for some riders, the shaping of the fork and the all-black colorway keep it from standing out on a dropbar bike. It’s still obvious you’re running a suspension fork, but it looks the part more than some other gravel suspension forks.

Geometry

Compared to the T-Lab X3.22, the suspension-specific geometry is one of the main things that set the two models apart. The X3-S geometry strikes a great balance between long-haul stability and quick handling in the woods. The X3-S is on par with a number of gravel bikes with “progressive geometry”, with a 69º head tube angle, and 73.5º seat tube angle. It’s not quite as long in the top tube as some bikes made for shorter stems, but for me with an 80mm stem, it seems right on the money.

The X3-S is offered in just three stock sizes compared to the X3’s five, but all of the T-Lab bikes are available with custom geometry as an upgrade. T-Lab has a very detailed process where they walk you through the build and touch on what you want or need in your next bike.

When I started this process with T-Lab Co-Founder Rob Rossi, the geometry hadn’t been finalized yet but I ended up on what’s basically the stock Small with a 384mm reach and 1049mm wheelbase. Those numbers are similar but slightly greater than an Otso Warakin Ti in a 54cm, just to highlight the fact that the X3-S sizes might be on the larger side for their name. But again, if you have any doubts, T-Lab will make sure you’re on the right size bike as they did for me.

Part Swaps

At 5’8″, I feel very comfortable on the small with an 80mm stem and a 44cm bar. The bike originally shipped with a 42cm FSA bar that felt too narrow. After swapping it out for the Easton EC90 ALX in a 44cm (with WTC Supple Lite Tape), I felt right at home. Note that the ALX is not a good choice if you love super-flared gravel bars, but at 10º, the flare is still plenty comfortable for gravel missions. It also offers a nice wide grip at the top of the bar which is a very comfy place to rest your hands on long, monotonous stretches of pavement.

The only other real spec change I made was the saddle. When this particular bike was built, components were still in short supply and T-Lab built it with what they could get. In this case, that meant a Selle Italia saddle without any markings at all. It looks like the Model X, but doesn’t have the markings of their production saddles, so I’m going to hope this was some kind of pre-production sample because it was one of the most unforgiving saddles I’ve ever tried (complete bikes now ship with a Fizik Terra Argo).

Swapping it out for the new WTB Gravelier proved to be a huge relief, and it’s been on the bike ever since. The Gravelier is a shorter saddle with a wide cushion and a cutout, making it comfortable for long days in the saddle without getting in the way on technical terrain.

Drivetrain

Complete bikes from T-Lab will include the choices of Shimano GRX 11spd (mechanical or Di2), SRAM Force AXS eTap, or Campagnolo Ekar, all with 1x builds. For this build, SRAM provided their Force AXS XPLR group with a 1x crankset and a 10-44t cassette. Overall, the group has been nearly flawless with the exception of some noise from the disc brakes. While a bit noisy at times, the brakes provide impressive stopping power, and are easy to modulate in situations where traction is at a premium. At this point, I’ve put this bike through the wringer and while I’ve had some issues in the past with Flattop chains, I’ve had zero issues this time around.

That includes the rear derailleur taking a substantial hit – big enough that I bent the derailleur hanger badly. I was able to limp home making sure not to shift into the easy gears so the derailleur wouldn’t go into the spokes. Once at home, I was able to straighten the hanger with my Abbey HAG, and it’s been shifting well ever since. If this was my bike, I’d replace the hanger to be safe, but it’s good to know that the hanger will do its job, and is actually able to be straightened.

About those dropouts: T-Lab says that they’ve been designed to improve frame stiffness and shifting precision. When asked, T-Lab told us that they have no plans to offer a SRAM UDH-compatible dropout in the near future.

I’ve run a few different wheelsets on this bike, but the Reynolds Black Label G700 Pro wheels have been on the longest. The wheels were easy to set up tubeless, have taken a true beating without ever touching a truing stand, and roll on straight pull hubs made by Industry Nine. There’s a lot to like here, plus they look great on the bike with the custom paint.

Painted Titanium?

Admittedly, I was a little unsure about paint on a titanium frame. I expected it to quickly wear and not have that enduring finish titanium frames are known for. Fortunately, I was completely wrong about that and the finish on the paint is holding up beautifully.

Even under the Restrap frame bag I’ve been running most of the test period, the paint is in great shape (which is also a testament to how well the Restrap bags fit). If you look close enough, there is some light marring, but overall it has to be one of the more durable paint finishes I’ve seen on any bike, not just titanium. I should point out that titanium purists can choose from their Pure or Lux finishes which are without paint, and offer a beadblasted/brushed or brushed/beadblasted raw Ti finish.

Those WTC Morse Cage Ti bottle cages with Cerakote finishes have also held up better than most painted cages, though the Cerakote finish has started rubbing off where the bottles meet the cage. We’ve had a pretty wet season so far, and there has been plenty of grit from mud, sand, and dirt to accelerate the process. The cages still look good though, since the bottles cover up any spots where the finish is missing.

Press-fit BB… Or Not

Another question mark I had going into the review was the use of a BB-386 bottom bracket. That spec choice was driven by T-Lab wanting to increase stiffness at the bottom bracket. To ensure the fit is perfect, the bottom bracket shells are post-machined after welding. On this bike, the bottom bracket has been silent – not all that surprising for one season on a frame. Still, given the care put into making sure the BB bore is perfectly machined and aligned, you should have no problem with the BB-386 in the future either. Still can’t get over a press-fit bottom bracket? T-Lab will build your bike with a T47 threaded bottom bracket for another $200.

Actual Weight

As shown above with the Reynolds wheels, Pirelli tires, SRAM Force AXS XPLR drivetrain, and the Easton cockpit, the complete bike weighs 20.5lbs (9.3kg) with the rigid carbon post, or 21.10lbs (9.57kg) with the Reverb AXS XPLR post. You could definitely get the complete bike under 20lbs with a suspension fork if you tried.

Tire Clearance

If there is one area that T-Lab could improve the X3-S, it would be the rear tire clearance. The maximum tire size is listed as 700c x 45mm, but even with 45mm tires installed, it can get a bit tight when things get muddy. To be fair to T-Lab, the 700c x 45mm Pirelli Cinturato Gravel RC tires I have installed on the Reynolds rims measure 48.5mm once stretched. But to me, the frame tire clearance should match that of the fork, which in this case is 700c x 50mm.

That’s being hyper-critical though, as I’ve been riding the Pirellis a lot recently, and even at 48.5mm, there isn’t any tire rub on the frame, and mud still clears moderately well. I’ve even run some 700c x 50mm tires like the Schwalbe G-One Overland tires without rubbing. The Pirelli RC tires seem to have a bit more rolling resistance on pavement, but all of that is forgotten as soon as the tires venture off-road. Traction in everything but the muddiest conditions is incredible, and even when the tires are completely caked in mud, they shed it quickly.

Riding Home

At the end of the ride, the T-Lab X3-S left me a bit surprised. Surprised that a titanium bike can be this stiff in the right ways, surprised what 40mm of suspension travel can do for the overall ride quality, and surprised that I would consider a painted finish on a Ti bike. With the exception of riders who want to run the biggest tires in sloppy conditions, the X3-S checks nearly every box a gravel / ATB / adventure rider could look for. From nearly stock bikes off the shelf to full custom, T-Lab’s made-in-Canada titanium bikes are also reasonably priced with complete Shimano GRX600 builds starting at $4,875.

And while you don’t need a suspension fork on a titanium bike, the X3-S makes me want one.

For more technical details on the T-lab X3-S, check out our first look here.

t-lab-bikes.com

The post T-Lab X3-S Review: Fast, Capable, & A Surprising Blend of Stiffness & Comfort appeared first on Bikerumor.

A few months ago I wrote a story about the collaboration of Montana’s Sklar Bikes, The Pro’s Closet (TPC), and The Radavist. The three had joined forces to release 25 limited edition Sklar Super Something complete bikes. It was a unique group of bikes available in 5 different builds from the top-tier model to the single-speed version, offering something for most.

John Watson of the Radavist conjured up these different builds, and the paint schemes. Through the builds, he was able to not only highlight the versatility of the Sklar Super Something frameset, but I believe he was also reminding us that we all ride a little differently and that there is no “right” way to spec and ride a bike.

After the dust had settled, a few months went by and TPC reached out and asked if I’d like to review the Sklar Super Something with the Tier Two build… yeah, damn skippy I would! When it came time to get the bike to me, it turned out that the only one I could get to review was the Tier One version. Fine by me!

Sklar Bikes

Adam Sklar has been building bikes in Boseman, Montana since 2014. For 10 years Adam was making only custom frames, working with customers through a lengthy process to get the fit and feel just right. But, after really honing in on what his customer’s needs are, he’s decided that it would be better to provide highly designed, hand-made, small-batch production frames.

The frames he is building now are for riders that are seriously unserious about riding their bikes. They’re riding to have fun, or “performance without racing in mind”. Every frame is still made by Adam, one at a time, in steel or titanium.

The Sklar Super Something Frameset

The Super Something retails for $1599 for a frame and fork and is Sklar’s gravel/all-road/light touring frameset, that is ready for anything and built for everything. It has a lot of versatility built into it allowing the lucky owner to build it up in a myriad of different ways.

Adam’s design philosophy on the Super Something is; “Keep it simple. In our eyes, every “Gravel Bike” falls somewhere on the spectrum between a fat tired road bike on one side and a mountain bike on the other. The Super Something is about 40% of the way along that spectrum“.

He kept the geo a nice mix of a little new school MTB but kept the feel of riding a road bike in the dirt. According to the Skar website, the Super Something has a slightly long-ish reach and was designed around the Simworks Anne Lee Stem, and meant to be ridden with a 50-90mm length stem.

The frame comes with Rocker Dropouts so you can adjust chainstay length or/and can set it up to run as a single-speed… adding to its versatility and allowing the Super Something to grow and change with your riding style.

Super Something Frame Geometry

Frame Tech Specs

• Frame & fork Material: Double-butted heat-treated Chromoly Steel, designed in Boseman, Montana, and manufactured in Taiwan
• 142x12mm rear, 100x12mm for the front spacing
• 27.2mm Seat post
• 160mm Post mount or flat mount rear (With Paragon Machineworks rocker dropout inserts), ISO front brake mount on steel fork.
• The frame is also compatible with ENVE Adventure Fork (not included)
• Clearance for 700×55 c or 27.5x 2.1”
• 3 bottle cages, one under the Down tube
• 68mm BSA Bottom bracket Shell
• Compatible with EC34mm/44mm Headset, 1-1/8” steerer Steel fork
• Clearance for up to a 44T single chainring
• External Cable routing
• Rocker Dropouts for adjustable chainstay length or single speed, use Paragon Machineworks Inserts

Superb Packaging by TPC

When the box showed up from TPC, it looked really big. When I opened it up, I was pleased to find the bike completely assembled, minus the front wheel to the fork. The packaging was pretty amazing. There was hardly any packaging but the bike was completely safe from unwanted shuffling that could cause damage.

I pulled the bike out of the box, loosened and pulled the seat post up, mounted it in the stand, and clipped off all of the zip ties. I then removed the spacer from between the brake pads, attached the front wheel, loosened and rotated the stem around to face the front, loosened and twisted the bars up into place, and Bob’s yer Uncle… that was it… the bike was assembled.

If this is any indication of how you receive a bike when you buy one from The Pro’s Closet, then a huge kudos to them for nailing the packaging.

To get the bike ready for me to ride, I removed the two spacers from on top of the stem to underneath to give me as much stack as possible, added my ancient, but amazing Shimano 747 pedals, and swapped the included Brooks C15 with my own C17 as the wider C17 fits my sit bones better.

The Limited Radavist Super Something Spec List

As mentioned earlier, the Super Something that was sent to me was the Tier One build of the limited Radavist Edition and retails for $5699. It is a beautiful build. And the color is very cool, with the speckles using so many different colors. John said that it was inspired by one of his favorite Swedish camping mugs while also using colors that are reminiscent of the soil of the Southwest

• Enve Foundation Wheelset
• Enve bar and stem
• Force AXS Drivetrain
• Enve Carbon seat post
• Wolftooth Components headset
• Brooks C15 saddle
• Hope RX4 Brake Calipers
• Ultradynamico Mars 29″ x 2.2″ tires

You can see all of the other Limited Edition builds and prices here.

So, How’d it Ride?

No fluff here, I really loved the way this bike rode. Like love, loved the way it rode. I let my pal Dave ride it around a bit, and when he returned he said, “What’s the deal with the geo? It handles so well!”

There is something about the geometry that just works so damn well. It’s not groundbreaking by any stretch of the imagination, but man, it just handled beautifully. It was very point-and-shoot when it came to the few technical descents I rode it on.

I like to keep a review bike for a little longer than a month and a half or so. But, TPC needed the bike back, so I had a hard return date. Plus I had just moved when the bike arrived and my shop/office was in chaos… it took me a few weeks to destress, get my bearings and get organized.

But, I believe I made good time with the Super Something in the short-ish time we shared together. When I had it, I rode it a lot on the pavement, on groomed pea gravel, buffed and not-so-buffed singletrack, and a few techy descents.

I received a 58cm bike, and the Super Something’s signature arching top tube made the bike feel big, but in reality, the 58cm fit me perfectly. I would’ve swapped in a shorter stem by 10mm, but other than that, the bike fit me well.

The extra volume and cushiness of the Ultradynamico Mars 2.2 tires ate up all the chonk. Combine that with the carbon bars, stem, and seat post, and the bike felt very vibration-free, even on the rougher stuff. Some of that would be the compliance of the steel frame and fork as well.

On one of the last rides on the bike, I noticed that the tire was ever-so-slightly rubbing on the chainstay at 32psi. It looked like it had been doing so for a while. Moving the rear dropout may fix that, but the dropout was already most of the way back.

I think the choice of tire size was a bit ambitious. Tires measuring 29 x 2.0″, or 29 x 2.1″ would probably feel the same and would eliminate the rubbing.

I found the bike climbed very well, was comfortable while seated, and when out of the saddle on harder efforts, the bike felt confident. Super Something’s geometry felt neutral and didn’t need a lot of babysitting on the long sweeping corners and slow climbs, while still feeling very nimble and spry on my favorite fast, tight singletrack run.

SRAM’s AXS XPLR group was impressive – this was my first time running the AXS XPLR group, and I can see the appeal. It’s pretty intuitive and smooth.

The Frame Bag

Let’s talk about the frame bag. It’s a custom half-frame bag that was handmade exclusively for this project by Marin, California’s VRNCLR. These bags are coyote tan, with lavender lacing and accents. VRNCLR’s bag was purpose-built for this bike and this project with the lace mounting method, and hugged the Super Something’s unique arched top tube perfectly.

It uses one large pocket on the drive side that safely held my camera for photo shoots and a shallow pocket on the non-drive side for smaller items like your phone or wallet, and seems to be a really well-built bag.

In Conclusion

Adam Sklar clearly knows what he’s doing. This bike’s geometry is the story here. Not because it’s some Earth-shaking new idea that throws caution to the wind, and bucks all conventional ways of thinking. It’s the real story here because it’s not that. It’s not something trendy or fly-by-night. It’s not a geometry idea that needs to be “sold” to you. It’s just good, solid, proven bike geometry with Adam’s Super Something twist to it.

For the short-ish time that I had the Super Something, it felt great. It had me wishing that I had one of my own. I found myself wishing that my current gravel bike, had some of the Super Something’s geometry attributes.

I will probably be ordering a Super Something of my own in the near future. It moved me. It’s a really unique-looking, beautifully crafted, great riding frame, and at $1599 for a unique and well-designed steel frameset, I feel it’s a great deal. If bikes like the Super Something are your jam, I would suggest you look into it.

SklarBikes.com

TheProsCloset.com

The post The Sklar Super Something Really is Something Super appeared first on Bikerumor.

Yeti sees a place in today’s world for a playful 27.5” wheeled trail bike, so they created the SB135.

This versatile MTB has everything it needs to handle technical trails, but it keeps its dimensions on the smaller side allowing it to rail tight corners, whip around pumptracks, and jump with a lot more agility than a big ol’ 29er. For those who use their MTBs as all-purpose bikes (or for smaller riders), bigger is not necessarily better.

Below, I’ll cover my impressions of how the Yeti handles itself on-trail, but check out my launch article for all the details and specs on the new SB135s.

2023 Yeti SB135 TURQ TLR Transmission T3 – Basic Specs:

All models of the new SB135 boast full carbon frames, but the TURQ TLR Transmission T3 model I’m testing is built from Yeti’s higher-end TURQ carbon fiber (which is lighter than the C Series carbon used on lesser models).

The SB135 provides 135mm of rear travel via Yeti’s Switch Infinity suspension platform, and Yeti recommends every rider check out their suspension setup calculator to get dialed in. Yeti does tune their shocks for each frame size, and at 145lbs the medium frame’s tune was pretty much dialed for me.

Up front, you’ll find 150mm forks on standard models but given the rough and steep terrain in my area, I tested the beefier ‘Lunch Ride’ build with a 160mm fork. While the SB135 was purposefully designed around its 27.5” wheels, the bike can be mulleted with a 29” front wheel and fork if you desire.

The updated SB135 frames use SRAM’s UDH derailleur hanger and are compatible with SRAM’s new T-Type transmissions. I was stoked to try one out on this bike, and was not disappointed!

The size medium SB135 TURQ TLR Transmission T3 weighed exactly 33 lbs with pedals.

Geometry/Fit:

With a reach of 455mm on a medium frame (on the Lunch Ride build; it grows to 460mm on the standard models), the SB135 is not particularly long for a modern trail bike. That said, 455mm is not that short and the bike doesn’t feel like it lacks anything in front-end length or wheelbase when you’re riding trails. Out back the 433mm chainstays strike a mid-point that ensures a decent amount of stability without losing the snappy handling Yeti intended for the SB135.

With a 65° head tube angle (with the 160mm fork), the SB135 is also just as slack as you’d want a mid-travel trail bike to be. To ensure solid pedaling prowess, the effective seat tube angle is a steep 76.5°. At 340mm the BB height is low enough to provide a stable ride, but I seemed to avoid pedal strikes quite easily with the SB135.

The shorter travel and 27.5” wheels place the SB135 in the playful/whippy category. Still, as far as angles and measurements go, it is basically in line with today’s trail bikes. It definitely feels smaller than a 29” enduro bike, but not too short, small or steep to shred gnarly singletrack.

Climbing:

The SB135 is definitely a solid climber. With the shock in firm position, the bike strongly resists pedal bob and doesn’t wallow in its travel on anything from paved roads to moderately bumpy singletrack. As I recovered from a leg muscle injury, I spent many rides cruising dirt roads and gravel pathways with the SB135, and on this terrain with the shock firmed up the linkage barely flexed under pedaling efforts.

On bumpy singletrack climbs, the shock (in firm mode) resists pedaling forces very well but will move for trail inputs, which provides a great balance of traction and efficiency. Pedaling efforts are very well supported by the shock/linkage, yet the shock will use more than half of its travel on a climb to keep the rear tire glued to roots and rocks. In firm mode, you get a fairly aggressive feeling climb out of this bike; its 135mm travel is enough to ensure good grip but you will feel the 27.5” rear wheel lumping up and over obstacles instead of plowing through them.

If a soft ride is your preference you can climb with the shock left open: In the open position, the bike will bob more and with some stand-up pedaling the shock will dive a bit. You are giving up some pedal support in exchange for increased traction or ride comfort, but this mid-travel machine can still climb pretty well with no help from the shock.

The SB135 is just long and slack enough to provide a well-balanced, ‘between the wheels’ feeling and solid traction at both ends. I noticed the rear wheel feeling slightly light on a few steeper uphill bursts, but I never spun out. I do enjoy how much traction longer rear ends provide on steep climbs, but long chainstays wouldn’t suit the SB135’s playful character, so I like how Yeti’s dimensions keep this bike trail-capable yet agile.

One advantage of the Yeti’s small-ish frame dimensions is it’s easy to shift your body forwards or backward over the bike when required. The SB135’s reasonable weight also makes it easy to heave up over big roots or uphill steps during a climb. The 65° head tube angle was a wise choice for the SB135; it is slack enough to handle steep downhill trails yet keeps the handling fairly nimble for climbing tight switchbacks.

Descending:

Following Fox’s recommendations I achieved a proper rear shock setup right away. After a bumpy descent, I’m typically using 90-95% travel. The linkage does ramp up substantially close to the end of its stroke, which provides ample bottom-out resistance for rough trails, but it’s not so progressive that I couldn’t reach full travel on a drop landing or a hard compression. As a lighter-weight rider, I’m happy when a bike isn’t too progressive for me so I think Yeti hit the nail on the head with their suspension tuning.

The SB135 has less travel than I’m used to riding (150-170mm is typical for B.C.’s Sea-to-Sky Corridor). Given that Yeti’s SB series of MTBs offers several travel options, I don’t think Yeti was shooting to make the SB135 one of those bikes that feels like it has more travel than it does – it’s supposed to be your mid-travel option and it rides accordingly. That said, I think Yeti’s linkage does a great job of rounding off hits of any size, so the SB135 plows through rough terrain a bit better than I expected.

Most of the way through the travel the shock feels fairly linear, so the SB135 gives you the squish you need to smooth out small and medium-sized bumps nicely. Bigger hits are only limited by travel; the linkage still dulls big impacts nicely but it simply can’t absorb what a 150mm or 160mm bike can. Yeti’s Switch Infinity linkage reminded me of Trek’s ABP linkage (which I think is excellent), but a little more poppy and a little less plowy through the rough.

A playful bike like the SB135 should offer good mid-stroke support, and this bike definitely pops nicely (and predictably) off bumps or jumps and joyfully springs out of berms and tight corners. Yeti has delivered the lively ride you’d hope for on a mid-travel bike like this. The wheelbase is short enough to make cornering downright dreamy, so I really enjoyed railing the SB135 through twisty trails. Yeti increased the new SB135’s frame stiffness, but didn’t go nuts. Bearing in mind that frame stiffness is size-specific, I found the medium stiff enough to stay pointed through rocky trails, but there is some forgiveness keeping the ride from feeling excessively harsh. I hopped on a Trek Fuel EX for one comparison ride, and the Trek’s carbon frame is definitely stiffer and less forgiving.

Components:

As for components, let’s start with the SRAM XO Eagle T-Type transmission. Right away I thought “If I can get through this whole review without ever adjusting this drivetrain, I’m going to be really happy,” and the T-Type came through.  After zero out-of-the-box setup, I only experienced some slight skipping in two different gears during all my test rides, and neither gear became consistently problematic. I easily went weeks without any rough gear changes, and shifting was always fast and precise. I’m also impressed with battery life, as I’ve only recharged the derailleur battery once.

I don’t love the ergonomics of the new T-Type shifter pod, but I got used to it quickly. I loved the first AXS shifter, because it keeps its paddles in the same place as SRAM’s cable shifters (which I find perfectly ergonomic). The compact shifter pod looks great, but I think putting both shift buttons on the same plane is a flawed concept – I’d be happier with one button higher up and further back than the other. That said the pod wasn’t annoying or difficult to use, just different from what I’m used to… and I will give SRAM credit for making the pod’s mount highly adjustable. I did nearly kill a battery in the shifter, but even with the battery light flashing red, it got me through quite a few rides.

FOX’s suspension components did their job well. I’m happy Yeti stuck with a 36mm stanchion 160mm Fox Factory 36 Grip 2 Fork, which holds stiff through rough terrain. I was glad to have the longer ‘Lunch Ride’ fork, as it’s definitely suitable for my local trails, and getting the integrated fender included on the stock bike is a nice touch. I’ve described the ride qualities of the Fox Factory Float X rear shock above, and I had no mechanical issues with it or the fork.

I was pleased with the Lunch Ride build’s wide 800mm Yeti carbon handlebar (760mm bars are stocked on non-Lunch Ride builds), and the bigger brake rotors. With 200mm rotors, the Code RSC brakes were actually a bit grabby at times, but mostly felt like typical SRAMs with great modulation and tons of power.

The SB135’s DT Swiss EX1700 wheels held up extremely well, with no warping or hopping at all to report. Of course, the Maxxis Assegai/Minion tire combo provided the solid grip they’re known for and survived my test puncture-free.

The Fox Transfer dropper post has proved reliable. It’s occasionally a bit sticky on the first lift of a ride but it always works fine afterward. Also, getting a 175mm post on a medium frame should keep any rider happy. WTB’s Silverado Custom saddle is familiar to and friendly with my behind, so I wouldn’t rush to swap it out.

The Yeti SB135 TURQ TLR Transmission T3 sells for $9500. Frame color options are Cherry, Turquoise or Rhino (grey), and sizes M/L/XL are available.

yeticycles.com

The post Yeti’s New 27.5” SB135 is Playful and Agile Without Sacrificing Trail Capability appeared first on Bikerumor.

The Jari is Fujis’ do-it-all gravel bike that is available in a variety of build options. It’s for any drop bar terrain, but the best expression of the Jari’s talents is gravel paths and forgotten roadways.

After many (many) miles on the Jari 1.3, we can safely say — this bike performs well beyond its price point and would be welcome in any rider’s bike assortment.

Fuji Jari 1.3 — The Frame

The Fuji Jari’s frame is a standard, hydro-formed alloy outfit built for daily abuse. However, the look is more on the boutique side, especially when you examine the tubes. The sculpted frame has sleek internal routing (including routing for a dropper) and enough mounts to satisfy the touring-curious. The Jari line employs the same alloy frame for the 1.1, 1.3, and 1.5 models.

The top tube is stout but hides a shoulder pad near the seatpost junction, perfect for when you need to hike and can’t push the bike. It joins neatly to the seat stays, with an extra bit of beef connecting the seat tube, which gives the frame some extra stiffness.

Geometry-wise, the Jari doesn’t break any barriers; the ride is endurance-focused but pedals under powerful effort nicely. The unique tube shapes offer plenty of get-up-and-go and a surprising bit of compliance when roots and rocks are on the menu.

Tire clearance is ample. Our review model arrived with Maxxis 40mm Rambler tires but had enough room to clear at least 45mm tires and full fenders.

The fork is beefy and is one of Fuji’s in-house designs. The fork offers Dynamo hub compatibility, with extra drilling for fenders and mounts for bike packing. Jari’s second-best bicycle personality is that of a more than capable commuting machine.

Fuji Jari 1.3 — Specs

Spec-wise, the Jari 1.3 is right on the money — less money. The GRX 2×10 spd groupset is happy to take on the hills and gravel with a smile.

The levers are the same shape as the GRX 11spd and have a great hand feel when riding pavement or gravel. The brake performance is superb and fits well with Jari’s dynamic personality.

Fuji Jari 1.3 — Ride Impressions

I live close to rail trail access, so most, if not all, my rides start or end with a little bit of crushed limestone. The Jari was the perfect candidate for an extended “nice to meet you” first ride on the Montour Rail Trail.

On the ride, however, I was distracted by the bike’s fast feedback and punchy feel. Instead of my scheduled easy ride, I took a detour to the forest and hit some of my local single track.

The Jari is outfitted with decently wide (meaty) gravel tires, which are voluminous enough to take on root rumble sections without much hand pain.

A Beast on the Flats

In the single track, the Jari was slightly slow in the twisty bits (it is a long bike) but comfortably stable and downright fast on wide-open sections. Now that I got the underbiking out of my system, I took the Jari for some actual gravel (not MTB).

Most of my gravel rides’ routes incorporate climbs, long heavy flats, and chunky descents. The Jari was capable overall but came to life on the long chugging flat sectors. The Jari performs like a diesel on the flats by eating big chunky gravel and plowing through potholes.

Downhill, the positioning and geometry lend confidence to the pilot, feeling capable of sailing through unstable terrain. The longer wheelbase helps with this confidence-inspiring ride and eats up road chatter.

The Jari’s pedaling position is neutral but not slack and inspires (to me) steady pedaling and a feeling of being over the gear.

Conclusion

After my time on the Fuji Jari, I wonder why more bike companies don’t release premium alloy gravel bikes. The Fuji Jari is inspiring with a sea of matte carbon gravel bikes ranging from $4K upward that would have difficulty matching its performance. The Jari 1.3 comes in at $2,000 — a more approachable price. The weight for this bike is more on the exploration/touring side at 21 lbs, but most of the added weight comes from the wheels and components (stem, seatpost, and bars). One could easily shave a few pounds off with smart upgrades.

For anyone looking for a drop bar bike that can do nearly everything, the Jari is it. The 1.3 model has a perfect build for gravel, exploration, cyclocross, and more.

It would be cool to see the Jari available as a frameset-only for those who already have most of a build kit at home.

The Fuji Jari 1.3 comes highly recommended for any rider looking for performance without a price tag to match.

For more info and to check out the full Fuji Jari line, roll over to Fujibikes.com

The post Fuji Jari 1.3 Gravel Bike Review: Performance Well Beyond its Pricepoint appeared first on Bikerumor.

Imagine showing up for a hilly century ride and being presented with a singletrack-loving gravel bike with 700×50 tires. That was the scenario for my Alchemy Lycos test ride, and it was the new, more affordable stock builds introduced just a few days prior…not the handmade-in-Colorado Ultralight model.

Always one for an adventure, bottles were filled, pedals installed, and we were off for a mostly pavement loop in the hills inland from Monterey, California.

Buy Now at AlchemyBikes.com

Quick background: Alchemy’s first gravel bike, the Ronin, is more of a race bike, with geometry closer to a road bike and a short headtube that allows aggressive body positioning. The Lycos is their sophomore effort, aimed at riders who like to mix mountain bike trails into their rides, with slacker geometry and much larger tire clearance (which we were maxing out with 700×50 Maxxis Ramblers).

Both bikes feature top tube bag mounts and three bottle mounts, one being under the downtube near the BB shell. The key difference is the geometry and layups.

Once we rolled out, any concerns about the Lycos’ road manners quickly dissipated. Starting in a paceline full of strong riders, it held a line and behaved well riding two abreast once we reached low-traffic country roads.

The real fun began once we hit dirt, with a long, gradual climb through the hills before a ripping fast descent that had its share of stutter bumps, loose pebbly ground cover, and winding curves.

Handling was stable and predictable, allowing me to look around and enjoy the scenery a bit.

The Lycos’ fork has three mounts for extra storage, plus fender mounts for foul-weather riding. It’s not pitched as an “adventure” or bikepacking bike and lacks the extra frame mounts to support racks or fixed bags, but there’s no reason you couldn’t strap a variety of frame bags to it and head out for multi-day excursions.

The thin seatstays are set low, and the bottom half of the seat tube thins and flattens, adding compliance and comfort over rough roads. I’ve found that the Ronin is surprisingly comfortable for having a racy attitude, with seatstays that go straight to the top, but the Lycos improves upon this while maintaining spirited performance when you need to beat your buddies to the county line.

Alchemy offers stock colorways with your choice of stealth or standard logos, plus custom paint from their in-house studio.

I rode the GRX Di2 build ($6,499), which even with a 1x drivetrain was fine on the road sections and gravel…which is good, because the frame has no accommodation for front derailleurs. Just change the front chainring size to suit your needs, or swap to a MTB cassette and derailleur for more range.

Complete bikes start at just $4,999, and other than the GRX build, all others are SRAM with your choice of XPLR gravel or Eagle MTB cassettes and derailleurs out back. All frames use a UDH rear derailleur.

It’s something I could see riding long miles, on road or off. If you’re looking for a single drop-bar bike to pull double duty, it’s worth a look. I certainly wouldn’t mind one of these in my own stable.

Buy Now at AlchemyBikes.com

The post Review: Alchemy Lycos Gravel Bike is Road & Trail-Worthy appeared first on Bikerumor.

Canyon has a new Neuron:ON ebike. I know that’s a little tricky to say, but if you are actually looking for an ebike that’s just as much fun to ride and as versatile as a regular pedal-powered all-rounder trail-shredding mountain bike, the new Neuron:ON is worth a closer look. With more travel and slightly slacker geometry than the standard Neuron, the Neuron:ON ebike is more capable, more playful, and will help carry you through bigger adventures with a powerful Bosch eMTB powertrain.

Canyon Neuron:ON CF carbon all-mountain ebike

Canyon’s updated carbon version of their popular mid-travel trail ebike gets even better with a more capable upgrade inspired by bigger eMTBs like their Spectral:ON & new Strive:ON. With a bit more travel and a bit more progressive geometry than the standard human-powered Neuron that was updated earlier this spring, the new Neuron:ON CF is truly more of an all-mountain ebike built for all-day off-road adventure trail riding.

What’s new?

First off is a 10mm bump up to 140mm of travel front & rear. While the new frame material is the most obvious outward change, I think it is the extra travel that really brings the new Neuron:ON CF into its own, giving it just enough more to edge firmly into the heart of the Trail category where you can literally ride this ebike wherever your own technical skills can take you. For me, it became a playful light all-mountain ebike.

Next is that new full carbon frame. The new ebike gets cleaner looks for sure, but Canyon managed to save quite a bit of weight here. Canyon claims they were able to shed almost 2kg, while increasing frame strength. And even with longer travel, the lowest spec complete CF carbon eMTB weighs a claimed 1.7kg less than the remaining shorter-travel alloy model. Plus, not with a stiffer AND lighter platform, it really can go anywhere.

Progressive geometry boost

Then, more progressive enduro-inspired geometry with a full two-degree slacker head tube now at 65.5° and up to 35mm longer reach depending on size (but lower standover). It’s also all 29er now with ten-millimeter longer chainstays at 450mm and slightly lower bottom bracket height for more stability in rougher terrain. But there’s now just four S-XL sizes (no longer an XS).

Combined with more travel and a stiffer chassis, the progressive geometry shift really upgrades the capability of this ebike. It’s noticeably more playful, and certainly more technically capable than ever.

Bosch motor swap

Lastly, a new Bosch powertrain. The new Neuron:ON CF jumps to the fourth-generation Bosch Performance Line CX motor which puts out industry-leading torque. Shimano vs. Bosch is often a personal preference, but there’s no denying that this Bosch motor really gets this eMTB going when you put power into the pedals. Paired with either 625Wh or 750Wh internal Bosch Powertube batteries, you get also get bigger long-lasting pedal-assist support for big rides.

You also get a super simple interface that lets you focus on the ride. No ebike display needed, just a color-code set of LED lights in the toptube that signal the pedal-assist mode selected and battery life remaining.

Bosch eBike Flow app & anti-theft system

With that also comes added Bosch connectivity and security via their eBike Flow app. Connecting the ebike’s built-in Bosch ConnectModule to your phone, you can wirelessly lock the motor of the bike like a digital key, turn on a motion-activated anti-theft alarm (with an annoying siren), receive notifications if it is moved ‘significantly’, and allow position tracking if it is stolen. Plus, you can use the eBike Flow app for more regular functions like motor settings configuration, ride navigation, or even route planning together with Komoot.

The Bosch ConnectModule functionality comes stock on all carbon Canyon Neuron:ON CF models, including a free 12-month eBike Alarm subscription good from when the buyer activates it (which automatically stops unless renewed). After that, tracking subscriptions cost 5€ per month or 40€ per year.

One+ Ride Review – First Impressions

There’s only so much you can tell with one ride on a new ebike. But I was so pleasantly surprised by how capable the new Neuron:ON CF felt on a long trail ride, I kinda managed to sneak in a bit of a second ride on some burly all-mountain / enduro trails when the Canyon crew was looking the other way.

After having ridden the all-new 130mm travel pedal-powered carbon Neuron CF that launched earlier this spring, I came away thinking I personally really preferred a slacker bike like the Spectral 125 for my typical technical trail riding. So I assumed the new Neuron:ON would feel the same. Instead, that extra 10mm of travel, 1/2° slacker head angle, 10mm extra chainstay length, and full 9 1/2 kilos of extra heft actually make this ebike feel more capable AND more playful.

My size Large CF8 test bike weighed a real 23.05kg with flat pedals and a single side loader bottle cage – only 450g above the bare M ebike claim, which sounds reasonable.

It flies up the hill with Bosch power-assist, yet is still manageable in tight switchback climbs by flipping through pedal-assist modes with the thumb remote. Its balanced weight and 140mm suspension is easy to boost in the air off trailside kickers, and to just fly through twisty singletrack. And its updated geometry is stable while flying down rough & rocky trails, just as it feels composed swooping through high-speed berms.

While there are plenty of bigger ebikes in the Canyon line-up for riders seeking to race e-enduro or run back-to-back self-shuttled bike park runs, this Neuron:ON just feels more fun to ride.

Canyon Neuron:ON CF ebike – Pricing, options & availability

The most affordable of the new carbon ebikes is the 4800€ Canyon Neuron:ON CF 7 that comes with RockShox suspension, a Shimano Deore drivetrain, and the smaller, but also lighter 625Wh battery. Step up to the bigger 750Wh battery on the same ebike build for just an extra 200€ to extend your trail riding range.

Then, if you want to upgrade your component spec to Fox Performance suspension and an XT groupset, for 5600€ the Neuron:ON CF 8 (like I tested) also adds the bigger 750Wh internal battery for longer pedal-assist supported riding.

There’s also still a cheaper alloy Neuron:ON AL 6 version from 3800€ still with a Shimano motor, the shorter travel & less progressive geometry for potential riders looking to wet their ebike whistle. But, with how good the new carbon bike rides, I would definitely suggest stepping up to that first CF model, which is only a bit more expensive.

All of these new Neuron:ON models are available now, direct from Canyon.

Canyon.com

The post Canyon’s All-New Carbon Neuron:ON CF Transforms into a Most Versatile Trail eBike appeared first on Bikerumor.

The new Pivot Mach 4SL is a revolutionary XC bike in the most understated way. Its predecessor was also a ripper, giving the brand a much-needed aesthetic update while delivering respectable performance. But that was four years ago, and bikes and courses have continued to evolve toward the rowdier, more aggressive end of the cross-country spectrum.

So Pivot evolved, too.

The longer, lower, slacker treatment that so many modern bikes have is here, and the geometry felt dialed. Suffice to say that throwing myself into blind high speed corners and un-recon’d rock drops never felt (too) scary, because the bike felt up to it.

Handling is dialed for XC racing, and with the longer travel Team XTR model I rode, the bike felt capable of “downcountry” exploits, too.

Meaning, it’s perfectly suited for marathons, epics, stage races, and other fast forward adventures.

But the real highlight is the suspension and it’s ability to shapeshift to fit any course and any rider.

The new 4SL’s multi-travel, multi-mode suspension is brilliant in its simplicity, and brilliantly effective. By swapping between 40mm or 45mm stroke rear shocks, and selecting one of two upper mount positions, you get four distinct travel modes. Yes, you’ll want to swap the forks, too…maybe.

If you’re starting with the longer travel models, shortening the rear travel while keeping the 120mm fork may work out just fine. But you wouldn’t want to go the other way, putting the longer stroke (and thus getting longer travel) shock on the World Cup models with their 100mm forks.

For most riders (and Pivot knows this, with sales forecasts saying 97% of riders will opt for the long travel bikes), the Team, Pro and Ride editions will be the ones you want, offering 106mm or 115mm of travel depending on how you flip the chip.

We rode Phil’s World trails in Cortez, CO, which offered the perfect testing ground. Short punchy climbs and sustained ascents showed off it’s climbing prowess, and long flow trails and rocky technical drops and descents showed it could go down just as well.

I rode most of the time in the longest travel mode, which kept things soft off the top for better small bump compliance and a more comfortable ride. Looking down, pedal bob was minimal, but never felt like it was robbing energy.

In fact, Pivot’s version of DW-Link is very effective at transferring power to the ground, clawing its way into the terrain for excellent traction over almost anything.

And that was a big goal with this new bike. Pivot’s founder Chris Cocalis said “tractability” was high on the list for performance goals, and I’d say they succeeded. The rear tire, aided by a bit of anti-squat, bites into the ground and motors through chunder without skipping a beat.

When switched into the shorter travel mode, the bike becomes markedly racier. It’s not just that it loses 9mm of travel, the entire kinematics change to make it sit higher and firmer.

Pedal bob all but disappears entirely, but so do the cushy landings.

I’ve never felt a bike change so dramatically with such a simple adjustment. While it’s not something you’d do during a Short Track or XCO event, it really does take only 60 seconds to flip the upper shock mount to the other position, so it’s easy to try both, and something you could do stage by stage or section by section on less intense races.

And you still have the lockout, although I’d argue this bike (and many others) really don’t need it. But, Pivot is a global brand and Germany wants its lockouts, so the fact that the longer travel bikes “only” come with a rear remote lockout and not both (like the shorter travel World Cup models) was the concession Pivot and their German distributors could agree on.

(Hilariously, to me anyway, apparently an XC bike is “unsellable” in Germany without a lockout. But Germany buys a LOT of bikes, too, so…Germany gets what Germany wants in this case).

The downside to this, for me, is that it somewhat locks me into using the Rockshox TwistLoc. Which, admittedly, is one of the best remotes for locking out a rear shock, but it pretty much locks you into using their companion grips, which are not my favorite. And that’s because all models of the Mach 4SL come with a dropper post, so that lever sits under the bar where it should…and takes up the spot for lever-based remote lockouts.

Other than that, the spec on the Pivot Mach 4SL lineup is really good. Their housebrand carbon bar was good (in that I didn’t notice it, which, again, to me, means it’s compliant and damping like a good carbon bar should be), which is important because that’s often one of the first things I look to replace.

Granted, I rode the top-level XTR bike, and it’s fantastic, but down the line Pivot offers both Shimano and SRAM equipped models at each price point, letting you choose which one you like better. And, for now, that means you can still get a really high end mountain bike with mechanical shifting, which is nice.

Overall, the updates (did I mention the frame is almost a pound lighter?) are welcome and make for a dramatically better bike. Which is saying a lot considering how good the last one was.

Check the full launch story for tech details and closeup pics of the bike’s features.

PivotCycles.com

The post First Ride! New Pivot Mach 4SL makes XC way more fun appeared first on Bikerumor.

Specialized’s latest aluminum Allez road bike continues to make us rethink how much performance you can get out of an affordable entry-level bike.

The high-performance metal Specialized Allez road bike first hit the tarmac nearly four decades ago, having first debuted in 1981 as the top-tier steel race bike from Specialized.

And many years later, 42 to be exact, it’s still going strong – now as an entry-level alloy road bike.

The performance, however, is beyond entry-level.

Specialized Allez aluminum road bike redefines performance

The Allez has been an affordable staple in the Specialized lineup for years and is a mainstay at dealers around the globe. It’s an excellent way for riders to experience the Specialized brand offerings without committing to S-Works level pricing.

In a world of ubiquitous carbon road bikes, the Allez has even carved a niche out for itself for roadies looking for high-end stiffness, handling & light weight from a metal bike.

The ethos of the new Specialized Allez is ‘Confidence, Versatility, and Performance’. The Allez has since grown from a race-only ride to a do-it-all/gateway bike. A road bike that will help you decide your cycling future. The new Allez leans hard into its new identity, offering a premium alloy frame with new contemporary design features.

Plus, wider tire clearance, rack capabilities, and much more…

Specialized Allez Frame Tech Details

The new Allez frame begins with Specialized butted and double-butted E5 alloy aluminum tubing to create a respectable light frameset. Adding a full carbon fork reduces weight even more (no hidden alloy steerer tube), while helping smooth out your ride. The bare Allez frame tips the scales at just 1,375 grams, which is honestly just one water bottle heavier that their carbon road frames.

FEA (Finite Element Analysis)

Designed in computer simulations, Finite Element Analysis isn’t just for high-end carbon frames. This new Specialized Allez underwent extensive FEA to ensure it would provide a light and lively ride. The result is a highly stiff frame, and the best-performing alloy Allez to-date.

Roubaix-inspired Geometry

Specialized borrowed from its legendary Roubaix bike’s endurance geometry for the new Allez. Why? The Roubaix geometry delivers unrivaled comfort for long miles and stable handling – yet it’s still race-ready. Perfect for the seasoned rider or the new roadie looking to finish their first century.

That all-day endurance race geo starts with a taller head tube and a more relaxed head tube angle. The Roubaix-inspired geometry on the Allez takes the weight off the rider’s hands while supporting sit bones to give a balanced, stable ride.

The new Specialized Allez is available in seven sizes, from 44cm to 61cm. Whether you’re 4’8″ or 6’5″, chances are, there’s an Allez your size.

Two Stock Builds, But Infinitely Upgradable

The new Allez is versatile; we’ve covered that. But how versatile?

The tire clearance is a beefy 35mm (32mm with Fenders). The spec for both models includes wide-range gearing more focused on the easier-side for steep hills and comfortable spinning. Plus — rack mount for those seeking extra commuter style with a road flare.

Specialized Allez Build: Details, Pricing & Availability

2023 Specialized Allez Sport

• Groupset: Shimano Tiagra 2x 10-speed
• Wheels: Axis Sport Disc
• Crankset: Praxis
• Price: $1750
• Weight: unlisted

2023 Specialized Allez

• Groupset: Shimano Claris 2x 8-speed
• Wheels: Axis Sport Disc
• Crankset: Shimano Square tapped
• Price: $1200
• Weight: 22 lbs 12oz. actual (size 54) with Shimano 105 SPD-SL pedals & bottle cages

The all-new Specialized Allez and Allez Sport are available now from your local Specialized dealer or online at Specialized.com.

First Ride Impressions on the new Specialized Allez

It’s been a while since I’ve checked out a Specialized Allez myself. I know the bike well from working in bike shops, and I’ve always thought it was a great design. Now, this newest iteration is the most eye-catching and impressive (IMO).

The aluminum frame really looks great (especially the seat stays), and could easily pass for a race bike with a different component build kit.

The stock build is entry-level, but still, the performance is solid and reliable. Eight-speed is enough to climb anything, as long as you have a suitable gearing spread, and the new Allez does. The designers & product managers thought out the spec well on the base model. They keep the price just above $1k but pack enough value for the long haul.

My time on the Allez has mainly been on short road rides and the rail to trail. The frame is responsive, and the ride quality is solid, not what I expected from something with an “entry-level” attached.

On the climbs, the wheels are the only thing that holds this Allez build back. They are pretty heavy, but I’m being very picky here since I ride a lot of nice light carbon wheels. The base build weighs in at a real 22.12lb (10.0kg) with Shimano 105 SPD-SL pedals (~265g)and two bottle cages. Not outrageously heavy, but more than I thought with the super light frameset.

I wanted to see how the bike would perform with a lighter set of wheels, so I opted for the Roval Alpinist SLX Disc launched earlier this year. Swapping in those Roval Alpinist SLX Discs and some lighter rotors that were already on the wheels, the Allez lost nearly 2 lbs (down to 21lb even).

With lighter carbon wheels, climbing vastly improved – next-level get up and go for the bike.

We still have many miles to go on this updated Allez that just dropped into our test fleet recently.

But all signs point to this bike being an excellent option for anyone looking for a new road bike. The frame is versatile, and the 35mm tire clearance means it can double as your gravel bike.

Stay tuned for a long-term review down the road.

Specialized.com

The post Specialized Allez Update Redefines Entry-Level Alloy Road Bike appeared first on Bikerumor.

YT released its first gravel bike late last year. With a suspension fork, dropper post, and taglines like “gravity in its genes”, I was expecting a heavy drop-bar MTB. But after riding the Szepter all winter, I can confirm it’s a true gravel bike. A very dirt-friendly and fast descending gravel bike, but still a gravel bike. Great for cranking out efficient miles on mixed surfaces, but with enough singletrack chops that you can confidently explore any path that catches your eye. With the Szepter you are always ready to answer the Siren’s call of “I wonder where that goes?”.

With a slack (for gravel) 69.4 degree head angle, RockShox Rudy XPLR fork, integrated mudguards, and high strength frame (ASTM 3 certified), the Szepter is more capable on singletrack than most gravel bikes. 1990’s me would have killed it at the NORBA XC races on a Szepter. Flying across those ski hill water bars thanks to the RockShox Reverb AXS XPLR dropper post, 180mm SRAM HS2 front rotors, and 1×12 SRAM Force XPLR Etap AXS wireless drivetrain. Look out Tinker!

In addition to its singletrack capabilities, the 1,400g Ultra-Modulus carbon frame is also comfortable and efficient on pavement. The lightweight frame helps offset the extra heft of the fork and dropper. Yes, 21.8lbs is on the heavy side for a gravel bike in this price range, but not overly so. For me, the offroad functionality is well worth the extra pound or two. It’s perfect for my hometown riding, where dirt and gravel roads are plentiful, but are mostly nasty, brutish, and short.

A “gravel ride” in the more populated areas where most of us live, often needs a lot of paved sections to connect the unpaved woods, parks and rail-trails. The Szepter is perfect for this. On group rides it had me pleasantly moving right along with the pack, keeping pace with unsuspended bikes. And when things inevitably turned sketchy, I didn’t walk or dab. I could hop over logs at speed, scootch rock step-ups, and even a-line rollers, small drops, and jumps.

Frame

As mentioned, the Ultra-Modulus carbon frame is light but it’s also built to the ASTM 3 offroad standard. The frame design is unique, with a curved seat tube (30.9mm) matching the arc of the rear wheel, and with an integrated rear fender. Both help minimize spray in wet conditions and let the pack know you’re not going to ride around the puddles.

The top tube is thin and wide for tor torsional strength, while the chainstays, downtube, and headtube are also beefed up for strength and efficiency. With top tube mounts for a frame pack and two large bottles, overnight bikepacking is on the table. But overall there is limited pack capacity due to the suspension fork and dropper. So it’s a very dirt-friendly design but is not a platform easily set up for long-haul bikepacking.

Geometry

The unique-looking frame has a geometry tuned for offroad riding but isn’t so radically slack that it hampers road performance. The 69.4 degree head angle is relatively slack for a gravel bike, but with traditionally shaped 440mm (M_L) drop bars it feels like a gravel bike. However, the 74.4 degree seat angle is notably steep, and I didn’t have to slide the saddle forward due to my long legs. It’s a comfortable and forward-riding position. Combined with short 425mm chainstays lifts easily for a gravel bike but climbs steeps fine.

And the more forward over the BB position added to the bike’s general efficient power transfer vibe. Pedal strikes were less common thanks to the tall 290mm BB height, which didn’t seem to hamper stability, likely thanks to the dropper and lower body position. Finally, the 45mm limit on rear tire clearance keeps the Szepter in the gravel bike spectrum, though it fails to match the Rudy fork’s 50mm tire clearance up front. On a bike like this, you’re more likely to want to run 50mm tires front and rear, so it seems like a bit of a miss.

Price and Build Options

The Core 4 is the top-end build we tested. At $4,499 it’s a very strong spec. As mentioned, the RockShox Rudy Ultimate suspension fork, SRAM Force XPLR AXS drivetrain and brakes, and RockShox Reverb AXS XPLR dropper post are great for singletrack, but are very pricey. The SDG Bel-Air V3 Overland saddle and Zipp Service Course stem and bars are also good performers. Along with the WTB Proterra Light i23 alloy wheels, skinned with WTB Resolute 42c TCS light tires.

YT’s consumer-direct business model allows for a high-value build, and the Core 3 build at $3,299 (sale price $2,999) has the same frame and has a great build spec for the price, but lacks the dropper and uses less costly SRAM Rival drivetrain and WTB SpeedTerra wheels.

SRAM wireless shifting had already won me over on other bikes, and I’ve become surprisingly fond of the Reverb SRAM AXS 50mm dropper too. Initial rides had me skeptical of only 50mm of travel in the dropper and I was doubting the ActiveRide suspension feature, which only provides a bit of cush and only when partially dropped.

It requires mad gamer skills to depress both shifters quickly enough not to drop down too far. At first I struggled to micro-drop into the less rigid Goldilocks zone, but eventually, I figured it out. Although the suspension is very subtle, I found it worth the effort to get into the sweet spot to reduce long chattery sections.

A 75mm dropper is also available, and I would recommend the longer post, but I found the 50mm drop to be sufficient to easily slide back behind the seat. The dropper was great for technical riding, duh, but I also found it useful on steep descents (both road and gravel), where I could get more aero and more easily lean into the curves. The 30.9mm seat tube diameter can fit a bigger MTB dropper too. If you ride mostly dirt and gravel, then I could see buying a Core 3 and adding a 150mm dropper (size L, XL, XXL), a bigger front tire, and maybe flatter mustache bars, and have a super-efficient go-anywhere bike.

Paint and color schemes typically aren’t worth mentioning in reviews, because they are largely personal preferences and I prefer function over fashion (e.g. socks and sandals). So while the Core 4 “machine light grey” matte paint looks kinda badass, I have to mention that I really dislike matte paint. The rough coating reaches out and grabs dirt and stains. Everything that touches the bike leaves a mark: riding gloves, rubber bike rack straps, mud, air, everything. I’m not a neat freak, but the bike gets embarrassingly marred and is impossible to keep clean. End of knit pick.

Ride Impressions

The Szepter is great for exploring new places. Before this winter on the Szepter, I thought I had hiked or biked every path within a 25mi radius of my house, especially after the last few years. But I found several “new” routes while riding out from the house. Does that path get around the lake? Yes, but there’s a stream crossing with a tippy board. Is that just a driveway, or does it cut-through to the park? Both, if you’re faster than the dog. I would leave the house with intentions of a gravel ride, but could end up on mountain bike trails, or sometimes a short neighborhood spin ended up crossing 3 town lines. The Szepter was a joy no matter the route.

On climbs and the actual gravelly sections I mostly rode the hoods, and the bike was efficient and comfortable, and I never felt the need to lock out the fork. When things got hairy, I moved down into the drops for a better grip and one finger braking. The front wheel was easily lifted to manual and bunny hop, and the 180mm front rotor and XPLR brakes provided MTB-level stopping power. Riding the drops on flowy singletrack improved the handling too. Especially with post down, the lower center of gravity allowed the bike to carve better than most gravel bikes.

If the tires slid a bit, I didn’t panic, because I was tucked in low between the wheels where I could control a slide without fully washing out. The 42c WTB Resolute tires were a good compromise in width and tread. Hitting the sweet spot for offroad traction, without being too buzzy on the road. While the Rudy can hold up to 50c (and up to 45c in the back), I don’t see the need to go more aggressive, unless you’re lucky enough to never have to ride pavement.

Not to oversell the bike’s technical trail riding potential, however. The Szepter is still a gravel bike and rocky and rooty old-school singletrack was challenging. There’s no floating over rock gardens or rooty sections, and line choice was critical. But it’s fun to slice and dice to find the smoothest line, and there is a huge payoff on the climbs from the super-efficient pedaling. I turned a decent time on my local classic 10-mile MTB loop, but that easy XC loop left me drained. Only an hour or so of riding, but it involved a lot of panicked late reactions and high concentration to stay within the slim margin for error. Rooty sections were rumbly and needed careful line choice, and it was bit stressful knowing any of the big rocks might biopace the rear wheel if I mistimed a hop. Underbiking at its best.

So while the Szepter pushes the limits of a gravel bike, it’s not meant to replace your XC or Trail bike. But for mixed surface rides and flowy trails, (with the occasional techy bit), the Szepter is perfect. It’s ideal for long gravel rides with friends and exploring any side trails that might tempt you. It’s an excellent gravel bike with the bonus of siren insurance, letting you ride almost any nasty piece of trail one of those watery tarts might convince you to take.

YT-industries.com

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The Thömus Lightrider World Cup is a carbon XC bike many of us are familiar with but have never laid our hands on. The iconic red racing frame has been all over the front of the men’s and women’s Cross Country World Cup for years. We’ve featured Lightriders in our Pro Bike Checks for a few years, picking them out on the UCI XCO World Cup.

Thomus Lightrider World Cup carbon XC mountain bike

I mostly knew the frame as “the bike Matthias Flükinger and Alessandra Keller ride” with their Swiss Powerhouse Thömus-Maxon professional MTB team.

More recently, the first Thömus concept store opened in Santa Monica, California. So, we’re guessing you’ll see them around your local trails and race start lines soon. In any case, we thought that was a solid enough impetus to get one in for a comprehensive review.

Who is Thömus, anyway?

That’s the first question I was asked at the trails, “who are they?”

I tell you one thing; they are not newcomers to the cycling world. Thömus SA was founded in 1991 and has always had a keen eye for cycling talent, and producing exceptional bikes for a small manufacturer. They are a well-known brand in their region in Switzerland, and are rapidly gaining more global popularity with the help & success of the Thömus Maxon team, plus newfound USA distribution.

You might remember them for developing the first road bike with integrated cabling or launching the Lightrider e-Ultimate, the world’s lightest dual-suspension electric mountain bike at the time. They also have deep trail cred, and a history of race performance and innovation.

Thömus Lightrider World Cup XC MTB

The Thömus Lightrider World Cup is the brand’s flagship carbon XC race mountain bike. The design is race-focused with some clever bits of tech and suspension readability. Its World Cup hardtail counterpart, the TomCat, sees less camera time but is still on standby in the Thömus Maxon team trailer for less technical courses. The Thömus Lightrider World Cup is among five available in the Thömus acoustic MTB line.

Frame Tech Details

The carbon Lightrider World Cup frame is robust. Most of that is the oversized down tube and seat tube junctions. This sturdy design allows for excellent power transfer yet leans heavily on the suspension to provide a balanced, supple ride.

Standing over the Thömus Lightrider World Cup, I noticed how dramatically sloping the top tube is. The design reminded me slightly of the previous Trek Top Fuel, yet with a much stiffer front end.

For better or worse, the cabling runs internally through the headset. The routing is neat and, paired with the Acros-Components stem/guide, is barely noticeable. The only drawback of course, is complicated bearing replacement and difficulty in getting a super-slammed stem without further modification.

The frame’s rear is equally overbuilt, with most beef in the ‘chain staying’. When the chainstays connect to the seat tube junction, they have an sculpted look that flares upwards. During my many muddy test rides on the Lightrider, we found that this slight flare helps keep mud from accumulating, actsing like a mud scraper.

The beefiest part of the frame has to be that bottom bracket junction. Thömus uses a press-fit BB, and the bike is usually built with a Shimano spec (especially for the team). So you’d rarely see a BB30 crankset on it. Our test ride came with a SRAM groupset, though; and the DUB press fit BB was an excellent match with bearing size and longevity.

Test Bike Build: Thömus Lightrider World Cup

You can find 3 specs for the Thömus Lightrider World Cup on the international site for Thömus. Since our test bike came from the new Thömus Concept store in CA, they treat component specs & complete builds on a per-rider custom setup. The Thömus Concept store effectively operates like a bike studio, offering the base frame, and then putting together each build to suit the rider and their individual needs.

Our review ride is the “race and ride anything” build with a 120mm fork and a bit more playful tech than full-on race-focused trimmings. Think of it as an XC+, a Marathon, or a Superlight Trail setup.

Our review ride arrived with a SRAM GX Eagle setup, something not offered on the international Thömus site.

The build for our review ride is certainly more marathon-focused, with a kit that can take the abuse of a long day out on the trail without needing constant attention.

I liked this idea, but I also wanted to see what a full-on World Cup race build would unleash — more on that later.

Full Specs: Lightrider World Cup

• Frame: Thömus Lightrider World Cup Size: MED (18″)
• Bare frame weight: 3.6lbs
• Fork: RockShox SID 120mm
• Shock: SID Deluxe Ultimate
• Shifting: SRAM GX Eagle 12 Speed
• Cassette: SRAM XO (XX pictured)
• Brakes: SRAM Level TL 180F/160R
• Wheels: DT-Swiss XRC 1501 (240 hubs)
• Tires: Maxxis Ardent 2.40X29′
• Bars: Thömus Full Carbon 680mm
• Stem: Acros-components 80mm
• Saddle: Selle Italia SRL Carbon
• Dropper: KS-LEV-Si
• Weight: 26. lbs as built
• Price: $7,800 (as pictured)

The Ride

I started riding the Thömus Lightrider World Cup when the weather was dreary, and the trails were still covered in snow. I assumed it wasn’t ideal conditions for a race bike, but I was wrong. The Thömus Lightrider World Cup is more than a full-throttle race machine; it’s also a playful bike with laser-focused responsiveness.

In the “race mode” with a 100mm fork, the Lightrider WC has a steering angle of 69.1º. Our review ride is a 120mm fork and kicks the headtube back slightly, giving the bike a longer leash to get a bit more rowdy. I’m a bit reluctant to say that the 120mm fork on the Lightrider World Cup brings it into down country territory?

But it is more like a super capable, extremely race-focused cross-country bike.

The stock and supple suspension help round off some uber-stiff tube designs. The beefed-up headtube and bottom bracket are perfect for hammering out the watts. When the suspension is locked out, the bike moves — fast.

The feeling on the open road is legitimately similar to the stiffness of a road bike.

What I liked most about the Lightrider has been the versatile nature of the bike. I never felt over or under-biked when heading out on a ride. Yes — this is slightly specific to the build, but the frame is a master of many. I felt confident on the drops (something I admittedly terrible at) and still super quick on the climbs.

The only thing that held this build down slightly was the wheels. Yes — they are super lovely wheels, but they are slightly heavy for the rocket climbing abilities of this bike – especially paired with the 2.4″ Ardent tires.

I put on my own Roval Control CL wheels, pulled off my personal XC race bike, to mix it up and went for my usual test spin. The wheel swap made the bike climb way better. The speed going uphill and the frame’s responsiveness made me want to push more on those assents.

It made me wonder how this bike would perform with an all-out race build…

Final Thoughts

The Thömus Lightrider World Cup is a premium race machine at heart and on paper. But what surprised me about this frame and setup is the versatility and master of many vibes experienced on the trails. Not only in trail terrain but travel setup and beyond, the Thömus Lightrider World Cup is a bike that can be many (XC race, marathon, and shred) with the right quiver of gear.

Project XC

Riding the Thömus Lightrider World Cup in the marathon build we received has only made us want to experience the bike in its natural form — a full-on race machine. So we’re taking the frame and doing a bottom-up rebuild with race bits from Fox, Shimano, FSA, and DT-Swiss. Stay tuned!

Look for a long-term review in midsummer and build shots on our Instagram.

Thoemus.com

The post Thömus Lightrider World Cup XC Mountain Bike – Review appeared first on Bikerumor.

Canyon drops in with their first full-on e-enduro ebike – this all-new carbon Strive:ON CFR. Developed from scratch around the eEWS-dominating Bosch powertrain, the new Canyon Strive:ON is race-ready for the UCI World Cup EDR-E electric enduro series. Featuring a tough but light carbon frame inspired by the success of Canyon’s recent Spectral:ON eMTB, this new enduro-racing ebike is designed to fly fast down the most demanding timed stages in mountain biking, then zoom back up the ascents, with super fast pit crew battery swaps along the way.

Canyon Strive:ON CFR carbon enduro race ebike

More than just an electrified version of Canyon’s already-successful Strive enduro race bike, the Strive:ON combines the best characteristics of the conventional enduro bike with more eMTB-specific lessons refined by the Canyon team aboard their all-mountain Spectral:ON and freeride Torque:ON ebikes.

The result is 160mm of progressive rear wheel travel paired to 170mm forks (just like the regular Strive) but with geometry more suited to the always-on-pedaling nature of racing eMTBs through extremely technical terrain and a ride feel that maintains handling stiffness while not beating the rider up. After all, even though the timed enduro stages are each relatively short, enduro racing means long, big days in the saddle – think 4hrs+ and 3000m of climbing, plus some back-to-back racing days.

MTB legend Fabien Barel – who rode the regular Strive to its first EWS win back in 2013 – explained to us how developing the new enduro ebike was about careful balance. A gravity bike’s capabilities on the downhills, a more nimble enduro bike feel and higher ride for smashing technical rock gardens, and a forward position over the front of the bike to maintain control on the technical timed uphill race sections.

Bosch Enduro-powered

The carbon Strive:ON is literally molded around the Bosch Performance Line CX motor platform, and specifically the ability to run the extended power CX Race motors that delivers a peak output of 600W, quick pedal response, and the sustained torque output that gives e-enduro racers support for longer than most other motors after they stop pedaling.

In either the CX or CX Race motor versions, riders can pick from either the lighter 625Wh or longer-running 750Wh Bosch Powertube internal battery that can be quickly swapped out in a race for extended range.

All controlled with the simple LED remote in the toptube and no external display.

Strive:ON Enduro Race Geometry

Beyond that Bosch CX Race motor, enduro race-ready geometry was probably the biggest driving factor in creating the Strive:ON.

At first glance, it seemed that the most-apt geometry comparison might have been the Spectral:ON CFR (which has 155mm rear/150mm fork travel) because of the evolved similarities between the regular Strive & Spectral. But this new Strive:ON is much more a speed & gravity-oriented ebike than an all-mountain one. And befitting of such, it takes a longer and slacker approach, while sticking with a 29″ front / 27.5″ rear mullet wheel setup. In fact, we can’t really compare it to the old aluminum Torque:ON bikepark ebike either, as that gets a major upgrade to match this enduro ebike today, too.

What that means is a gravity slack 63.5° headtube angle, a full 1.5cm longer in Reach than the Spectral:ON or the alloy Torque:ON (now up to 500mm for a Large), longer 445mm chainstays for a bit more stability, and just 25mm of bottom bracket drop to help clear obstacles and technical trails. Plus, it gets an incredibly steep 78° seat tube angle, as getting rider weight forward for timed stage technical climbs is critical to being able to maintain front wheel grip and to limit spinning out the rear wheel. And that more forward position is key while climbing to balance the overall slower handling of the ebike’s additional weight.

eEnduro Tech Details

From a technical side, I was a bit surprised that the e-Strive does NOT include the ShapeShifter geometry-altering tech that makes the regular Strive unique. In fact, with e-enduro racing including uphill timed sections, a Strive:ON with a ShapeShifter could be especially beneficial. But within the more constrained space inside the main triangle between the motor, battery, and toptube low enough for adequate standover – there simply wasn’t enough space to fit the existing system in.

So Canyon stuck with a four-bar suspension layout more like their latest Spectrals, tweaked with higher anti-squat, more mid-stroke support to help pedal above the 25kph pedal-assist limiter, and driving a horizontal shock into the oversized downtube, with space for piggyback air or coil shocks.

The new Strive:ON come in 3 enduro-ready builds in 4 stock sizes, all sharing the same top-spec CFR full carbon frameset – Category 5 tested and certified to the same standards as a downhill racing bike. Switching to the same shock layout as the rest of Canyon’s ebikes, also means there’s room in the main triangle in all sizes from S-XL both for a water bottle cage and a 2-bolt direct mount tool bag that can fit under the toptube.

More than just putting a bash guard under the motor, the Strive:ON frame features an off-road motorcycle-inspired skid plate. Mounted to the motor itself, it’s designed to slide up and over obstacles instead of getting hung up, while of course also protecting the motor and the easy access to the bottom of the battery for quick battery swaps.

First Impressions

I’ll go into more detail about riding the new Strive:ON later, but our first impressions are that this is definitely an ebike that can push you to be a faster racer. Matching ebike race-tuned geometry, plenty of travel, a strong Bosch powertrain, and solid suspension – the Strive:ON is capable and predictable.

Whether you are looking for the all-out uphill speed that you can get from the CX Race motor for the Power Stages, or simply confident control for bombing the most technical descents – the Strive:ON will not disappoint.

Does every mountain biker need an enduro bike, no. Does every ebiker need a UCI EDR-E-ready enduro ebike, a solid also no. But strong technical riders and racers looking to push it to the next level will find a capable e-enduro platform in the new Strive:ON.

2023 Canyon Strive:ON CFR – Pricing, options & availability

The all-new Strive:ON enduro ebike comes in two models with the standard Bosch Performance Line CX motor. The Canyon Strive:ON CFR Underdog is the most affordable from 5800€ with the smaller 625Wh battery, Fox Rhythm suspension, and Deore drivetrain.

The Strive:ON CFR starts at 7000€ with the smaller battery, and an upgrade to Fox Performance Elite suspension and an XT groupset. Both add on 200€ more to upgrade to the bigger 750Wh Powertube battery.

As of now, only this Strive:ON CFR model will be available in the USA< starting in September 2023.

The flagship of the range though is the limited edition Strive:ON CFR LTD with special Fabien Barel team graphics, a SRAM X0 Eagle AXS transmission, RockShox Zeb/Super Deluxe Ultimate suspension, and the Bosch Performance Line CX Race motor that is 150g lighter, while ramping up pedal assist from 340% to 400% and adding that extended power delivery overrun Race Mode. Get the LTD for 9500€ with the 625Wh battery, or 9700€ with the big 750Wh battery.

Canyon.com

The post All-New Canyon Strive:ON CFR Races Enduro eBike to World Cup eMTB EDR Series appeared first on Bikerumor.

The Ultimate Trail Bike. That’s a bold statement. Particularly if you’re lumping both e-bikes and standard mountain bikes into the same category. Hyperbolic claims aside, Specialized is committed to making the best eMTB they can, which doesn’t always come easy. They were nearly ready to launch this bike in 2022, just with a completely different motor. There was even a media launch event for the bike.

But it wasn’t “the ultimate trail bike” yet, so they went back to the drawing board. Literally.

The key to the success of the Turbo Levo SL Gen 2 lies in the motor, which is completely new from the ground up. Specialized claims that not a single bolt or part was reused from the 1.1 SL motor to create the 1.2 SL motor. Yet the all-new 1.2 is still the exact size and weight of the previous motor – just with a lot more power and torque.

Combined with the already excellent frame, would this new motor be just what the next-generation Levo SL needed? We headed to California to find out.

Setting Up the Turbo Levo SL Gen 2

Taking place the week before the Sea Otter Classic, a lot of California was still drying out (or melting out) from epic storms. Fortunately, the trails were in good shape in Temecula, so the Specialized crew packed up and headed to SoCal.

By the time we arrived, the bikes were set up and waiting for us near Greer Ranch trails in Murrieta, CA. After a quick suspension setting, there wasn’t much to do other than dial in the cockpit and check tire pressures. At 5’8″, I’m probably between an S2 and S3, but opted for the S3 and felt instantly at home.

After riding the first day, I did end up changing the shift button orientation on the AXS Transmission shifter though. I found that I’d prefer the shift order reversed, which was very easy to change with the AXS app. Once the bike is connected to the app, then select the shifter and assign the button the preferred shifting action. Once you figure out how it’s done, this can be done very quickly.

While the Specialized Mission Control app and MasterMind Total Control Unit offer immense customization options, you can basically just jump on the bike and go. A simple press of the power button wakes the system, and from there, everything can be easily controlled through the remote on the left side of the bar. The +/- buttons toggle through assist modes going from off, to Eco, Trail, and Turbo. A long press of the button also allows you to enter the MicroTune setting where assist can be adjusted in 10% increments.

Turbo All the Time?

In spite of the display screen being located on the top tube instead of on the bars, it’s still very easy to see the numbers and settings as you’re riding. It’s also not distracting when you don’t need to see if you’re still in Turbo mode. All of this is to say that the system is very intuitive and easy to operate. You can really dial in your settings with the Mission Control app, but you can also just jump on the bike and ride without opening your smartphone as we did for three days.

As we were rolling out to the first trails, I got acquainted with the level of power and assist from the new motor. You can tell it’s not a full-power ebike, but that could be a good thing. Specialized’s motto is “you, only faster,” and the new Levo SL offers exactly that. Sure, you can tell you’re riding an ebike, but it feels like you’re just having your best day on the bike.

Maybe the best thing about the new bike is how quiet the motor is. Under most circumstances, you’ll struggle to hear anything out of the ordinary. Only on steep climbs with full Turbo power will you hear anything from the motor and even then, it’s a quiet whir – not the obnoxious whine many full-power ebikes emit. For the people who ask, “why not just get a motorcycle?” for me, the quietness is one of the main reasons. With the Levo SL, most of what you’ll hear is your tires rolling down the trail.

While we were riding at Greer, selecting Turbo mode was enough to make the steep climbs with tight switchbacks a riot. It was still a workout, but it was way more fun than it would have been climbing those same trails without assist. It was also instantly clear we were not on full-power e-bikes when a group of riders on full-power ebikes was able to catch up to us fairly quickly as we were motoring uphill.

At the top, it was time to bomb back down which is where the frame design really came into its element. Any ebike can climb fairly well with enough power, but how a bike handles while descending is the true test. Often while descending, you’re not utilizing the motor’s power so you are effectively piloting a 40+lb bike downhill. If the suspension or geometry isn’t dialed, you’ll quickly find out.

Impressive Battery Life

The Levo SL Gen 2 on the other hand was begging to be pushed faster. It is a bike that is just as happy rocketing downhill as it is casually climbing back up. Throughout our time at Greer Ranch and the next day at Vailocity Bike Park, we sampled everything from XC, to flow trail, to gnarly rock gardens and fast, chunky downhills. Don’t be fooled by the ‘SL’ in the name, this bike is every bit as capable as you’d need it to be.

We were riding the bikes as they come out of the box – 29″ front, 27.5″ rear wheel, middle headset position, and the low BB position. I’d like to play around with the different settings just to see how it affects the ride, but in Temecula, it wasn’t needed. The geometry felt spot on, and despite many technical rocky sections, pedal strikes were kept to a minimum.

Given that I was riding with people better and faster than me (including Curtis Keene), I found myself mostly riding uphill in Turbo mode. Even on some descents I would keep it in Turbo, but would often drop down to Trail mode. I rarely used Eco mode, and yet the battery life was still very impressive. I never got close to draining the battery in spite of my heavy use of Turbo and a lot of steep climbs. On the second day, Specialized recharged the batteries while we had lunch to be on the safe side, but I don’t it would have been necessary for me. I covered 21 miles that day with just over 3k feet of climbing, and at lunch was still above 50% of battery life. For really big days, the range extender would take you pretty far especially if you are efficient with your assist.

SRAM Transmission Approved

This was not my first time riding SRAM Eagle Transmission, but it was my first time riding it on an ebike. I have to say that it makes even more sense on an ebike than it does on a regular bike. You can be under full Turbo power and still know that if you hit the AXS shift button, the derailleur will just slam it into gear without fuss. There was one bike in the group that was having issues with the derailleur staying put, but that seemed to be a torque issue with the mounting bolt and was eventually fixed.

I’m also still not completely satisfied with the positioning of the shifter pod after trying both the bar clamp and the SRAM Matchmaker clamps. It’s not a huge deal, but to me, it feels like the pod could use another axis of adjustment to really dial it in – like if it had a ball joint where the pod meets the bracket.

Turbo Levo SL S-Works

We were riding the S-Works build level, which includes SRAM XX Eagle Transmission, SRAM Code Stealth Ultimate brakes, Fox Factory suspension, Royal Traverse carbon wheels, and Specialized Butcher/Eliminator 29 x 2.3/27.5 x 2.3″ tires. The only change made was to add a Grid Gravity casing tire at the rear for the chunky terrain. There were no flats.

An S4 S-Works build is claimed to run about 39.6 lbs which is heavy for a trail bike, but pretty light for an ebike. It was mentioned during the trip that this is essentially an entire Aethos lighter than a full power Turbo Levo. It’s possible to make it lighter, but there’s little need to. Even at 40 lbs, the bike is impressively nimble. At times, it feels like the added weight even helps you to maintain traction on loose corners, and never feels like a handful.

I love that you can still fit a full-size water bottle in the S3 frame, though if you choose to run the battery extender you’ll have to carry water on your back (which you’d probably need to do anyway since you’re in for a big ride). Note that the battery extender cable is different than on previous models. And for quick trailside adjustments, the SWAT CC steerer tube integrated tool with a chain tool and link is a great touch.

It’s a bit hard to believe that the first Specialized Levo product wasn’t introduced until 2016. Starting with the Turbo Levo FSR in Moab, I’ve ridden most of the Levo generations since. Every year the bikes have gotten better, but the Levo SL Gen 2 takes things to another level entirely. This single bike seems to combine the best attributes of the various Levo platforms into one impressively capable ebike – that doesn’t really ride like an ebike.

In terms of having my own ebike to regularly ride on my home trails, I’ve been on the fence for years. But this bike changes that. I want one. Not to replace my non-ebikes, but to supplement them. The Levo SL Gen 2 feels like a bike you could ride just about anywhere, and have an absolute blast doing it. Maybe that does make it “the ultimate trail bike?”

For more details on the Specialized Levo Gen 2, check out our tech piece here.

specialized.com

The post Specialized Turbo Levo SL Review: This Light Weight eBike is Worth the Wait appeared first on Bikerumor.

Canyon updated the Spectral:ON eMTB in 2022, redesigning the entire bike around their in-house developed batteries. Opting to retain the mixed-wheel platform with a 150mm fork up front, Canyon has added a little extra travel in the rear, boosting it to 155mm. The most notable changes, however, are focused around the engine room of this trail-oriented eMTB.

Developing their own proprietary 720 Wh and 900 Wh batteries, Canyon has been able to address the issue of range anxiety while minimizing the weight penalty associated with that boosted capacity. Weight of the XTR-equipped Spectral:ON CFR in size small, with its 720Wh battery is 21.8 kg.

Paying great attention to the distribution of that weight, the Shimano EP8 motor seen across the five-model range is tilted up through 30° to allow the battery to tuck in front of the motor, positioning the weight as low as possible. For a deep dive on the bike’s development and the frame details that make up the new Spectral:ON, see our tech post here which also covers pricing and availability information in detail.

To follow up on my First Ride review of the Canyon Spectral:ON CFR (pertaining to my experience in Massa Marittima), I now have a more in-depth review with feedback gleaned from over 500 km worth of riding over the last year on my local trails of the Tweed Valley. To get a full picture, the bike has seen everything from blue, red and black-graded trail center to steep, natural enduro trails and even a few DH tracks.

Full disclosure: I am not a regular eMTB rider, but I am a regular mountain bike rider, more stoked on riding down hills than up them. So please, don’t expect this to be an in-depth account of how the Spectral:ON compares to other eMTBs in its class.

Review: Canyon Spectral:ON CFR

Standing at just 5ft 4″ tall (163cm) I was supplied with a Small Spectral:ON CFR, limited to a 720 Wh battery due to its shorter downtube length. On paper, the bike is slightly too big for me; the sizing chart recommends a rider height range of 166-175cm, though I have to say its 435mm reach felt appropriate for both seated pedaling and descending. This one ships with a 760mm bar (M-XL get 780mm), so I did cut it down to my preferred 740mm.

The seat tube length, though shorter than that of its predecessor, is still quite tall at 420mm. With the 125mm travel Fox Transfer Dropper Seat Post, I felt I had sufficient clearance to move around the bike most of the time. When encountering very steep chutes, I felt the need to move back to allow the saddle to come through my legs in a manoeuvre more commonly necessitated on short-travel XC bikes. Clearance was almost never an issue on graded trail center terrain.

Venturing onto the steeper, rougher sections of hand built trail, I did find the saddle interfering with my thighs and knees too much. Note: there is a $229.50 USD fix for that. Given that the Small Spectral:ON does actually have 199mm of seat tube insertion available, it does have capacity for a 150mm OneUp V2 Dropper.

The CFR model gets a Fox 36 Factory fork with GRIP2 damper; one I am familiar with and very comfortable on. A Fox Float X Factory shock takes care of the rear wheel’s 155mm travel. The carbon chassis rolls on a Reynolds TRE309/367 carbon wheelset with a 27.5″ x 2.6″ Maxxis Minion DHR II (EXO) on the rear and a 29″ x 2.5″ Assegai (EXO+) on the front. While that high volume rear tire should allow for relatively low pressures, the light casing discouraged me from going too low. This is a 21.8 kg eMTB; in my opinion, Canyon really ought to have spec’d a DoubleDown casing. For much of the test period, I did actually swap out the EXO for a DoubleDown to reduce puncture risk.

I ran the rear at the recommended 30% sag (130 PSI), with 70 PSI in the fork (recommended for my 60 kg). The Float X Shock is fitted with a 0,4 in³ volume spacer as stock. While I reported frequent bottom-out events on the trails of Massa Marittima with those settings, that wasn’t the case on my local trails around the Tweed Valley. This particular shock is impressively tuneable in terms of its air volume, and thus end-stroke ramp, thanks to the existence of 6 different size volume spacers ranging from 0.1 inches to 1.01 inches.

Though I occasionally found the o-ring pushed to its limit, there was clearly sufficient ramp to prevent any harsh bottom-out. The shock offers both low speed compression and rebound damping adjustments; I settled on 10 clicks (from closed) on the rebound, and 7 clicks (from closed) on the compression side.

Indeed, the Spectral:ON is quite a lively bike, given its heft. I felt it was relatively easy to un-weight the front-end over wet root-riddled sections. A 440mm chainstay length isn’t super short by any means, but the 19mm BB drop (from the rear axle) matched with the bike’s low center of gravity gives it a playful feel in that regard.

The suspension is supple off the top (and remained so throughout the test period), with plenty of mid-stroke support to push against through the apex of turns. Through rough, straight-line chunder sections, it felt forgiving in some ways, but also a little too lively with perhaps too much feedback on occasion. I found a few clicks of rebound damping to be beneficial in calming it down.

The bike is, in some respects, quite nimble when it comes to hopping around the trail, switching from line to line, for example. But, it does have a certain sluggishness in corner initiation. This was most evident when setting up for left-handers, with my preferred cornering direction being opposite to that.

The Spectral:ON CFR does have a certain edgy-ness to its ride feel. Rolling along on worn-out, hardpack trails, I find myself noticing how the bike doesn’t do so well at muting the low-level trail chatter. It’s not super smooth, and unfortunately can feel a little nervous even on this relatively mellow terrain. It is difficult to say exactly what is responsible for that feeling, but given that the fork and shock appeared to be sliding smoothly, I’m tempted to apportion blame to the stiffness of the chassis and its carbon wheelset.

The bike rewards a patient riding style, where letting the trail come to you results in a more flowing ride. My experience was that there was little to be gained from a more aggressive approach. Perhaps my upper body strength has dwindled such that i’m not quite able to muscle the extra weight of an eBike so well, and in that regard I didn’t feel like much of a pilot. The bike finds its way down trail center singletrack well enough, the suspension working well to hug the ground and maintain consistent traction through the less well-supported corners, but the bike never quite left me feeling exhilarated.

Leaving the trail center behind to ride some more challenging terrain with steeper, more committing corners and off-camber lines, I was left feeling a little vulnerable. I felt the front-end could do with being a little higher, though the steerer had been cut such that the stem was already at its highest possible position. I played around with the bar-roll, but couldn’t shake the lack of confidence in its front-end handling on these steeper tracks.

Adding more compression damping to the fork (5 HSC clicks from closed, and 3 LSC clicks from closed) improved things considerably, helping to prevent the fork from diving into its travel on low-speed steep sections littered with drops in short-succession. Still, I did have the misfortune of clipping the cover on the underside of the downtube a few times, and on one occasion the cover actually dislodged. Thankfully, there was no concern about the battery dropping out of the frame; it is held securely in place by two bolts.

One could argue that some of the enduro tracks I tested the eBike on are above and beyond what it is designed for, after all it really is well-mannered on the mellower, manicured trail center singletrack. However, the bike’s travel and geometry numbers did encourage me to look for these more challenging sections of trail.

All that said, the Spectral:ON is approved for use with a 160mm travel fork, which may well have been a great fix for some of the abovementioned issues. Slackening the 65.5° HA off a little with a longer travel fork would likely have improved my confidence on steeper trails, and raised the bottom bracket a few millimeters leaving more clearance between the downtube cover and some of the step-like features on certain enduro tracks.

On the ups, I had no qualms with the ability of the Spectral:ON to carry me up and over technical features. Rear wheel traction was consistent and, given appropriate levels of self-belief, would help power me through features that I may not even bother attempting on a regular bike. The Shimano EP8 motor provides an intuitive ride feel, and it didn’t take me too long to familiarize myself with its power output, harnessing it for some rapid, fun and engaging climbs on technical singletrack.

The motor does rattle, though. On that, Shimano said, “DU-EP800 may generate a light rattling noise from inside when the bike is exposed to vibration“. You can read their full response in the Editor’s Note at the foot of this article.

With the motor switched off, drag is minimal. I actually thought the bike pedaled really efficiently on long, smooth fire road climbs, and on more than one occasion I was very happy to pedal the bike’s 21.8 kg under my own steam. It wasn’t the arduous experience I had imagined it might be.

A Conclusion of Ride Impressions

I rode the Spectral:ON CFR over a wide variety of terrain during the test period, and have concluded that it is most at home on mellower, flowing trail center terrain where gradient is consistent. It is a trail bike after all, and if trail center trails make up the vast majority of your mileage, then the Spectral:ON is worthy of consideration.

I’ll say it again; this eBike rewards a patient riding style, and I personally didn’t get much out of my efforts to push it harder. It doesn’t offer the most comfortable ride, but traction is reliable and consistent, up and down the trails.

Technical Report

On top of the motor rattle is a creaking noise produced under flex that has been present throughout the duration of the test, sounding almost like the headset has been over-tightened (it hasn’t). If I flex the frame laterally from the BB area by pushing down on one of the pedals, a creaking noise can be heard. It’s very difficult to determine where that creak originates, but it is present nevertheless. That said, it’s not so loud that I hear it while riding.

More concerning perhaps, was the lateral play that developed in the spindle. This became apparent toward the end of the test period. The entire crankset could be shifted from side-to-side; it was less than 1mm of movement, but it was enough to be perceived while riding, giving the impression that something, somewhere, had come loose. Looking back, this may well have contributed to the nervous-feeling I mentioned earlier.

The Fox suspension components of the Spectral:ON CFR have been supple throughout, and after 726 km of riding there is no play detectable in any of the frame bearings.

The headset still rotates smoothly, and so I have not needed to deal with any cables routed through the Acros headset. The Shimano XTR rear brake did suffer from a wandering bite point during the test, but a lever bleed was sufficient to remedy the situation.

Editor’s Note: We got in touch with Shimano to feed back on the rattle of the EP8 motor. Here is what they had to say about it: DU-EP800 may generate a light rattling noise from inside when the bike is exposed to vibration while the gears in the drive unit are not loaded during coasting. DU-EP800 is a product that achieves high torque, light weight, compactness, quietness, efficiency, heat resistance and low drag. All components of the drive unit are optimally designed to balance these performance requirements of the drive unit at a very high level. This can result in rattling noise in certain situations, but this phenomenon does not affect the function and durability of drive unit. Based on the feedback from our customers, we are making daily improvements to make our products better. The feedback we received from customers regarding rattling noise will also be reflected as information to improve the product.

We were also in touch with Shimano regarding the lateral play on the crankset. A local Shimano Service Center kindly shipped the motor off to Shimano for us, to investigate the issue further. We were assured by Shimano that the lateral play that was felt was within tolerance, thus the motor was not eligible for replacement under warranty. They had the following comment to share:

“The drive unit’s design compensates for variations to maintain a minimal amount of drag in the system, and this built-in technology, while not noticeable for the rider, can sometimes be felt during maintenance when the spindle is pushed by hand. Our engineers considered the effects of these variations in temperature, during the development of the SHIMANO STEPS drive unit, including the consequent thermal expansion and increased drag: the result is a small amount of tolerance on the spindle which is capable of handling the resulting variations in dimension. For example, when riding under a high load, like climbing a long, steep hill, the temperature in the drive unit can rise. An immediate effect of this rise in temperature is thermal expansion within the drive unit. This expansion of the parts in the drive unit can create unwanted forces on the spindle and bearings, which can cause for increased drag in the drive unit”.

What about the actual weight?

Well, we were a bit surprised by this one, as were the folks at Canyon. Their claimed weight for a medium Spectral:ON CFR with a 720 Wh battery is 21.84 kg. Meanwhile, we weighed our small Spectral:ON CFR with its water bottle cage at 21.8 kg on a Park Tool scale, without pedals.

Pricing & Availability

The 2022 Canyon Spectral:ON CFR eMTB reviewed here retails at $10,500 USD (£8,099). However, more recent releases of the Spectral:ON CF7, CF8 and CF9 have made this eBike more accessible to those with a smaller budget. Pricing starts at $5,999 USD. For more details on those more affordable models, see our previous coverage here.

Specifications of the Spectral:ON CFR Tested Here

• CFR Carbon Frame (lighter than CF series frames)
• Fox Float X Factory EVOL Shock – 230mm x 60mm
• Fox 36 Factory Fork with GRIP 2 Damper – 150mm with 44mm offset
• Shimano STEPS EP8 Motor
• Battery: 720 Wh (900 Wh on Medium, Large and XL)
• Shimano XTR 12-Speed Derailleur
• Shimano XTR 1–51T Cassette
• Shimano STEPS HOLLOWTECH e-MTB Cranks – 165mm Crank Arms
• Canyon 34T Chainring
• Shimano M9100 XTR Chain
• Shimano XTR 4-Piston Brakes with 203mm ICE TECH FREEZA Rotors
• Reynolds TR 309 E and TR 367 E Wheels
• Maxxis Assegai 29″ x 2.5″ Front Tire
• Maxxis Minion DHRII 27.5″ x 2.6″ Rear Tire
• Canyon:ON eMTB Stem – 45mm length
• Canyon:ON 30mm Riser Bar
• Canyon Lock-On Grips
• Fizik Terra Aidon X5 Saddle
• Fox Transfer Factory Dropper Seat Post

Canyon.com

The post Review: Canyon Spectral:ON CFR eMTB Rewards Patience appeared first on Bikerumor.

It seems like it was just yesterday that Revel introduced the Ranger. OK, it was three years ago at this point, but it still feels fresh. We liked the bike… a lot. But considering it wasn’t SRAM UDH compatible, that left the bike on the outside looking in at that fancy new SRAM Transmission.

You could see this update coming, but more than simply adding the UDH, Revel made a number of changes to make this Ranger better than ever – though the basics haven’t changed. It’s still a 29″ wheeled ‘downcountry’ bike with 115mm of rear CBF suspension that pairs well with a 120mm travel suspension fork. Like the rest of the Revel lineup, the Ranger has a playful attitude that likes to ride more aggressively than those numbers would imply.

There’s an all-new rear triangle with that UDH, but there are also all-new suspension links and suspension hardware. Including titanium shock mounting hardware. More importantly, there is a new collet axle design with bigger 15mm bearings for the lower-rear pivot. All of this together equates to a claimed 20% increase in stiffness without adding any weight.

That new rear triangle also boosts tire clearance; it’s still claimed at 29 x 2.6″, but Revel tells us it’s improved from the previous design. There’s also more clearance around the chainring, with a maximum of 36t clearance.

More Frame Protection

All mountain bikes take a beating, so it’s nice to see improved frame protection in the form of a much more robust molded chainstay protector, and a rear triangle debris guard, aka, mini-fender.

Unchanged among the frame details are a threaded bottom bracket shell, an Integrated 52/42 headset, fully guided internal cable routing, optional routing for a rear shock lockout, and an extra accessory mount at the top of the downtube (except size small frames).

SRAM Eagle Transmission

Of course, adding that UDH allows Revel to sell the new Ranger with a full SRAM Eagle Transmission (I keep wanting to tack on ‘drivetrain’ to the end of that phrase). Besides the group Tyler got in for the launch, this is our first review bike with Transmission. Out of the box, there was almost no setup other than adjusting the shifter position to my liking and charging the battery. It’s so ingrained in my mechanic brain to double-check the limit screws on any new bike before it goes out the door that it’s very weird to skip that step… since there are no limit screws!

Actual Weight

Our test bike is a medium frame with a full SRAM Eagle X0 Transmission, Revel RW30 wheels with Maxxis 2.4″ WT tires, a Fox Float DPS shock and 34 Step-Cast fork, RaceFace 35mm cockpit with a carbon bar, the new SRAM Stealth brakes, and a Crankbrothers Highline dropper post. All in, it weighs 27.51 lbs with 2oz of sealant in each tire.

Revel Ranger Pricing & Availability

In terms of colors, the new Ranger gets an update there as well. The popular “Tang” color from the Rail 27.5 makes an appearance here, and the updated “De La Coal” shown here gets new copper/gold decals (both with a gloss/matte two-tone finish). If you love that sharp “Johnny Green Jeans” color of the Ranger v1, there may still be a few left in your size. The Ranger v1 is also the only way to get a mechanical drivetrain for now – the Ranger v2 is available now, but only with SRAM Transmission.

Pricing will start at $8,499 for the X0 build and pushes up to $11,499 for the XX Eagle Transmission build. The frame only will also be an option at $3,599. We’ll have a full review of the new Ranger coming up!

revelbikes.com

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