Latest Product Reviews

Ever since a black and burly fork was spotted on Richie Rude’s Yeti back in 2019, the FOX 38 has become a common sight on lots of long travel, hard hitting bikes. Or should we say - rigs. The 38’s round lines, burly profile, gold sliders and impressive collection of knobs make it feel like a jewel out of the box - but don’t let the looks fool you, the 38 is down to work and it'll put in some after hours effort too if you'd like it to. To cater to the demands of electrified riders, the 38 now

It’s a difficult time to be a mountain bike brand. Yes, demand for bikes has outpaced supply for years now, and yes, in many areas you can scarcely lift your head without seeing a high-end rig hanging off a tailgate or strapped to a hitch rack. But it’s also never been harder to build a bike that truly stands out. Suspension designs have become increasingly similar among brands since some well-known patents expired a few years ago. Designers are inching toward consensus on many aspects of

Suspension manufacturers are competing to develop the most advanced and tuneable rear shocks and deliver the highest performance to their factory riders. But, do most riders need race-driven highly customizable tuning options to experience transcendence on their mountain bikes? Nah. The all-new Marzocchi Bomber Air rear shock is everything you actually need in a high-performance shock and nothing that you can’t live without. We are certainly not knocking the performance of other high-end

The latest edition of the YT Capra comes just in time to challenge the newest crop of all-day capable long-travel 29ers. While YT has a strong downhill racing pedigree, its offerings have been loved by the “fun first” crowd for a long time. Though this new update is certainly EWS capable, it really shines at the bike park. But don’t let the downhill-focused playfulness worry you, when the switch is flipped on the rear shock, this bike will climb more than well enough for a bike of its big-hit

Protection against the effects of rotational forces on the brain has become pretty much the norm in high-end helmets, but there are several ways to go about designing this feature. Bell and Giro have pushed the concept further than many others with their Spherical Technology powered by MIPS, and the release of their latest open face helmet for mountain biking was a good opportunity for us to take a closer look at it. Keep reading to find out how we’ve been getting on! Strengths Weaknesses Loaded

We test a lot of bikes here at Vital, and if there is one trend that really sticks out, it’s the fact that bikes are pretty damn good these days. So good, that we sometimes struggle to figure out how best to describe them. No such worries with the all-new for 2022 Canyon Torque – it’s a single-minded beast of a bike that doesn’t try too hard to be something that it is not. If you’re looking for a do-it-all enduro bike that is at home on a wide variety of trails and that can be pressed into duty

Looks can be deceiving. With an aesthetically clean and appealing to the eye 150mm travel frame design, a coil shock, and geometry that isn’t radical, Orbea’s Occam LT poses the question- Is it a trail bike, an enduro bike, or simply a modern-day mountain bike ready to take on whatever climb, descent or trail obstacle thrown its way? Highlights Carbon frame 29-inch wheels 150mm (5.9 inches) of rear wheel travel // 150mm (5.9 inches) fork travel Coil shock Asymmetric Design Tapered headtube Fully

The second generation of the Santa Cruz Megatower comes three years after the launch in 2019 and builds on the success of its predecessor. With some exciting new features and refined geometry, fans of the old bike may have a new favorite and those looking for an enduro bike can put this one at the top of their list. For a bike that is targeted at big rides and demanding terrain, Santa Cruz has upped the level for what to expect out of an enduro bike in terms of capability and all-day comfort