Earn $100 at Jenson USA for Your Vital MTB Member Reviews 1

Every 30 days we award the Top User Reviewer with a little prize. This month Jenson USA pitched in a $100 gift card! Vital MTB member dirtworks911 wrote three great reviews, earning the Top Reviewer spot. Here's a recap:

Race Face Sixc 35 Handlebar- "After spending months on this bar, I am glad to say I have been 100% satisfied with its performance. It regards to customization, Race Face made the SixC bar available in 5 colors as mentioned above. Unfortunately, these 5 colors are only available in the 20mm rise option. It would be nice to have all these color options in the full line of SixC bars (10mm and 35mm rise). Aside from that, these bars couldn’t get any better.

I purchased the Race Face SixC handlebars because I wanted the stiff 35mm diameter, 800mm length, and color options so I could have my bars match my bike. In addition to getting these things, I got a beautiful matte finish and guidelines on the end of the bars if I need to cut them later on. Coming in 3 rise options and 5 colorways (for the 20mm rise version), Race Face gives you one of the widest options for a DH rated bar in the industry. I have been quite pleased with my SixC bars and would recommend them to anyone!" - Read more»

Santa Cruz Nomad 3 Frame - "Having worked on bikes for over 8 years, maintenance is a huge deal for any bike I won. The thing I loved about working on the Nomad was how simple it was. Unlike previous bikes that I’ve owned that have had 8+ bolts and pivot points, the Nomad only has 4 (2 more including the shock mounts) and all of which are incredibly easy to get to and service. Having a lifetime warranty on all the bearing is a huge plus too which Santa Cruz honors very well. Making sure my Nomad was in tip-top shape wasn’t a chore like other bikes I’ve owned and was actually enjoyable.

The Santa Cruz Nomad is hand down the best enduro bike I have ever owned and is one of the best on the market to date (which says a lot since it’s been out for 3 years!). Santa Cruz did an amazing job creating the perfect linkage design. It climbs incredibly well and descends even better. It truly is a unicorn. I understand the new Nomad 4 is right around the corner but I find it difficult to comprehend a frame that offers overall better performance than the Nomad 3. That being said, there is going to be a tsunami of used Nomad 3 frames hitting the classifieds in the months to come. Having owned one for 2 years, I can confidently say you wouldn’t be missing out on much at all if you were to pick one up." - Read more»

Race Face Atlas Saddle - "No matter how light and fancy a saddle is, it all comes down to when your butt meets the fabric. Once throwing a leg over my Gambler and pedaled around a bit, I noticed first off how stiff the saddle was; and maybe even too stiff. Dropping my hinny on this saddle at the beginning of flat, more pedally section of a favorite trail, I was quickly reassured that the Atlas saddle is there to support me. After a while however, this hyper support began to feel like riding on an one inch thick sheet of steel. There was very little flex to this saddle and it made the bumps feel quite a bit harsher than traditional railed saddles I’ve used. I feel the Atlas I-Beam is something manageable for a gravity bike like the Gambler but If I have the I-Beam version of the Atlas on a trail or XC setup would be too rigid and unbearable. For what it’s built for (Freeride and DH) the Atlas I-Beam is still an excellent way to go but keep in mind it is an incredibly stiff saddle and your hinny may need a chamois pad if you are earning your turns.

The Atlas I-Beam saddle by Race Face is an incredibly light, sturdy, and good looking saddle. It’s made of very good material and the craftsmanship is there as there as well. Installing and adjusting the saddle is arguably the quickest and easiest in the industry. The only downside I see with the I-Beam version is how it’s overwhelming stiffness could translate to a lack of comfort after a full day of pedaling. Constructed for freeride and DH, this isn’t a deal-breaker but something to be aware of. Overall, if you are looking for a light weight, durable, and cool looking piece to add to the DH rig, the Atlas I-beam should be a saddle" - Read more»

Big congrats to dirtworks911! Thanks for helping out the riding scene with your thoughts on these products.

Want to be in the running for next month's award? Start reviewing the parts you use in the Vital MTB Product Guide and keep an eye on the Top Reviewer leaderboard. We'll announce the next winner in early May.