November's Top Vital MTB Member Reviewer Award 1

Every month we award the Top User Reviewer with a little prize, and this month Jenson USA pitched in another $100 gift card! Vital member nature.culture took home top honors in November after writing several great reviews. Here's a recap of his best:

Brand-X Ascend Dropper Seatpost - "I did not need to open the post at all during the whole season, and it saw a lot of muddy and sandy rides. I wiped it clean after every ride, and I didn’t feel any roughness inside that would make me want to open it. It still works as new. The black stanchion finish is durable and shows no sign of wear, and the lever held up great. I don't remember if it had the rotational play in the beginning, but as picky as I am, it did not bother me. The play is very minimal, and as long as it keeps working well, that's something I easily accept at that price. The double-bolt saddle rail clamp is really sturdy and never creaked of all summer even with a lot of mud flying on it..." - Read more»

Giro Fixture Helmet - "The finish is one of the best I've seen on all the helmets I have bought over the years: the matte paint doesn't scratch easily, the visor is sturdy and does not obstruct the view, and the foam and plastic are nicely finished from all sides. I like the fact that the straps are fixed on the shell, and I prefer a classic snap buckle instead of magnetic closures that are the new trend. The rear retention system stays secure and is easy to adjust with or without gloves. The only negative for me is the bulky side looks..." - Read more»

2018 Marin Rift Zone 1 - "After my most fun riding season ever, I can say that I am so glad that I have chosen this bike. I have never felt myself progress as much as this summer and I give a lot of credit to the bike that was begging to be ridden. It is written «Made for fun » on it and I could really feel that the product designer knew what he was doing when designing this bike. The frame is trustworthy and worth upgrading as much as any other boutique brand in my opinion, and the builds for all three models of the range are really good for the money. I have paid more for a frame only than this whole bike in the past and the Marin feels much better. Plus, you’re backed with a devoted company that’s been around for decades, and their customer support is awesome. That’s exactly what I was looking for, and I’ll keep it in my stable for years to come. Now if they’d sell them frame only, I’d replace it with the new 2019 Alpine Trail 150mm travel bike, which has a slacker head tube angle (65), steeper seat tube angle (76), and a bit more suspension travel." - Read more»

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

Want to be in the running for December'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 winner in early January.