Trail / All-Mountain

Dating back to the original Parachute, MET has been at the forefront of the lightweight, breathable full face helmet game for a long time. While that first Parachute was certainly polarizing in terms of its looks (and the skimpy nature of its chin bar), it paved the way for a slew of successors as more and more companies realized the advantages of extra protection in a helmet that can be worn on a trail ride. The second generation of the Parachute was a big step forward both in terms of design and safety certification (as it met the requirements of the DH-specific ASTM F1952 standard), with...

With a reputation for producing strong rims that can take a beating, Stan’s has become a staple in many a wheel builder’s arsenal over the years. With racers and gravity enthusiasts demanding ever more from their equipment, Stan’s embarked on a serious testing program to figure out how to design a new rim that would complement today’s highly capable enduro and downhill bikes. What they found led them to combine the characteristics of two of their previous models – the result is the all-new Flow EX3 rim and wheelset. We’ve had a set out on the trails for a few months now, read on to find out...

With over 30 years in the mountain bike business, Orange Bikes has stuck to their guns maintaining a manufacturing base on home soil and an enduring suspension design which today, defies market convention. While this approach has certainly earned Orange a loyal and often cult-like fan base, the nuances of the brand and indeed their bikes leave others dumbfounded. Are Orange owners drinking their own Kool-Aid or is there something special about these somewhat simplistic bikes that the rest of us are missing out on? We took their big-wheeled, all-day enduro sled, the Stage 6, out on a bunch of...

The concept of a high single-pivot is not new. The Balfa BB7 had a cult following almost twenty years ago, and those lucky enough to get their hands on one rode them to pieces after the brand went under. The Canfield brothers, who were sending it aboard the Big Fat Fatty Fat, have also utilized the concept for quite some time. That said, high single pivot designs have been absent from mainstream bike design – especially on trail bikes – for quite some time until they resurfaced more recently on Norco and Commencal DH bikes. No doubt, the success of the Aurum HSP and Supreme DH have confirmed...

I got these to wear on some of my local trail rides so that I had a little more protection and was able to push a bit harder. I’ve worn these all summer and even in Kentucky’s 90 degree weather plus humidity I was able to wear these all day comfortably. Even in the heat I forgot they were on and didn’t mind the uphill pedal in them to get to the downhills. They were so comfortable I almost wore them to my trip to whistler but they are a lighter pad and I was afraid they may not be sufficeint on more jagged rocks but for trail rides and even flow trails I think they are perfect. I own a bulkier...

The Yeti SB 140 is a very fun machine. I only have one ride on this bike so please take my “review” with a grain of salt. I have been on every recently released Yeti bike, so I do have some comparative thoughts about this bike. First off Switch Infinity is a great suspension platform. I Set up my bike with the Yeti Cycles calculator, and it was almost dialed. I like a bit more compression and a tad slower rebound than recommended since I had some nice jump lines planned. Jumping this bike is a joy. Very intuitive, and the bike is easily thrown around if you are strong with the Steez. My first...

Breaking tradition and revolutionizing the short-travel trail bike, Santa Cruz has packed a full case of radness into a tight little package with the fourth-generation Tallboy 4. Straying from the usual shorter travel equals steeper head angle and shorter reach equation, Santa Cruz trickled down similar geometry traits from the Tallboy's dump truck cousin, the Megatower. The result is a long, slack, ridiculously fun, and very capable short-travel whippersnapper. Strengths Weaknesses Downcountry dominator Snappy on the pedals Poppy and fun as hell Comfortable at speed and on the steeps...

Kona is a brand with a history of doing things their way. Their pseudo-delinquent, never-not-having-fun attitude has delivered some noteworthy bikes piloted by amazing athletes. A few weeks back we traveled to Bellingham, Washington for a visit with Kona to learn about what they had in the pipeline for 2020. Our itinerary included three days of solid riding aboard Kona’s all-new Process 134. It was a safe bet to assume the bike would get Kona’s latest platform update but the particulars remained a mystery. What would it be? A 29er trail bike with the latest modern, aggressive geometry greeted...

A27.5 bike update when 29ers are on such a big rise? Absolutely. First and foremost, Yeti's newest bike is made to rip. They're not shying away from the fact that their bigger-wheeled bikes are best for those looking to race. The SB140, on the other hand, is a trail bike that's made to play around. This massive refresh to the SB5 includes 13mm of additional travel out back, 10mm up front, updated geometry, and all the other fine touches and features gained through Yeti's latest platform evolution. Strengths Weaknesses Light feel Makes chill, flowy, everyday trails a blast Good support from...