I was a big fan of the previous alloy Top Fuel from Trek, as were Danny and Alan when they tested the last Top Fuel 8, and this latest version…
Bikes
Sonder’s Evol is a good back-to-basics enduro bike, but adding wireless gears puts it in the ring with some heavy hitting competition
Sonder Bikes has grown out of the Alpkit stable, where affordability meets good design and rugged build-quality in outdoor equipment. The comprehensive range now runs to 14 different bikes, from…
Lightweight, lively and nimble: Cannondale’s Habit LT is a proper trail bike, not an overbuilt enduro rig
As one of a handful of trail bikes with a very similar shape and suspension design, Cannondale’s Habit LT had a hard job convincing me it was a truly unique…
Why the brilliant new Santa Cruz Bronson makes me feel sad… and safe, at the same time
Santa Cruz says it’s learnt a lot about mixed wheel bikes since launching the Bronson 4 as its first MX bike, and it’s loaded those lessons into the new Bronson…
The Yeti SB165 is my new American dream bike after it helped me to victory in an epic alpine enduro race
Arguably the most boutique of boutique brands, there can’t be many of us who haven’t fanaticised about owning a Yeti at some point or other. The brand’s been doing things…
I’ve been waiting a long time for YT to launch a new e-bike, and the Decoy SN was not what I was expecting
The new Decoy SN is YT’s first foray into the diet e-bike segment. It’s also only the brand’s second e-bike, because although YT is extremely trendy when it comes to…
I’ve tested every generation of Specialized’s full suspension Stumpjumper, and the latest version with the Genie shock tech is the best yet
Specialized’s Stumpjumper Evo is without doubt, one of the best mountain bikes on the market. And I’m not just throwing that statement out there lightly… the Stumpy Evo has the…
I loved the ride quality of Trek’s latest high-pivot Slash, but a bent idler means I’d have to think long and hard about buying one
With high-pivot suspension, mullet wheels and multi-adjustable frame, the latest Trek Slash is about as modern a bike as you’ll find in 2024. It’s more than just trendy though, this…
With a cutting edge frame and custom Yamaha motor, Giant’s Stance E+ 1 excels on price and looks
Giant’s Stance E +1 makes a compelling option if you’re in the market for a top budget e-bike. It looks fantastic, it comes with a punchy Yamaha motor, and it…
It’s easy to pick holes in Yamaha’s first e-mtb, but the Moro 07 is so much more than a statement of intent
Most of the best electric mountain bikes are designed around a second party motor, but not the Yamaha Moro 07. Instead, Yamaha built its first e-mountain bike around its own…
Testing the Polygon Siskiu T7E was a rollercoaster ride, with a terrifying battery ejection, but fixing the issue made it my budget e-bike test winner
Polygon builds on the success of the popular Siskiu T series analogue trail/enduro bikes, by going all in on a sleek new e-bike version with the same progressive geometry and…
The Specialized Chisel FS is a cut-price Epic with the pace to go racing on a budget
Specialized has taken its latest carbon Epic XC/DC range and translated it into aluminium to create the new Chisel FS. The result is an affordable, but still seriously rapid, impressively…
I’ve tested hundreds of e-bikes, but I was blown away by how much fun I had on the Decathlon Rockrider E-EXPL 520S given the amazing price
Decathlon’s entry-level Rockrider E-EXPL 520s proves that e-bikes don’t have to be expensive to be fun. Outdoor specialist, Decathlon offers a massive range for full-suspension e-bikes and the Rockrider E-EXPL…
The Marin San Quentin 1 is the most progressive hardtail I’ve ever tested, but a few compromises stop it reaching full potential
If you’re looking for a radical hardtail, at a down-to-earth price, one bike stands head and shoulders above the rest. That bike is the Marin San Quentin. Clearly inspired by…
The Neuron:ON fly CF9 is Canyon’s first sub-20kg e-bike, and it kills it on flowy singletrack
Canyon is far from a newbie when it comes to building e-bikes, the direct sales brand has arguably the best electric mountain bike out there, in the Spectral:ON CF9. What…
I tested World Champion Tom Pidcock’s Pinarello Dogma XC and now I’ve got even more respect for his skills
Designed with the help of Olympic Champion Tom Pidcock, and ridden to victory in last summer’s World Championship XCO event in Glentress, you can’t deny the new Pinarello Dogma XC…
Forbidden’s Dreadnought V2 has even longer chainstays than the original high-pivot enduro sled. And after two days riding it I think it’s the right move
Given the updates to the Druid V2 trail bike and the recently launched Supernought DH bike, it should come as no surprise that version two of Forbidden’s enduro platform –…
The Mondraker Dune XR forced me to work harder on the climbs, but paid back with interest on the descents with more agility and wider grins!
Mondraker has already thrown its hat in the best lightweight e-bike ring with the talented Neat. Now the Spanish brand is bringing in the big guns, with the 165mm travel…
Looking for the fastest direct-sales downhill bike? The Canyon Sender CFR 29 would be my first choice if I was going racing again
With the CLLCTV Factory race team, CLLCTV FMD and CLLCTV Pirelli teams all racing the Sender, Canyon’s commitment to DH racing at the very highest level is second to none.…
The YT Tues might be 5 years old, but if I was buying a DH bike today, this is where I’d spend my money
Spotted in 2018 ridden by Aaron Gwin, then launched in Feb of 2019, the current 29in YT Tues is now officially 5 years old. That’s the same year that YT…