Tested

Vital MTB's 2016 Bike of the Year went to the previous Pivot Switchblade. How do you improve on that? Give it a few years and some fresh ideas. With 142mm of rear travel and 160mm up front, this all-new 2020 version one-ups its predecessor pretty much across the board. Join Vital MTB's Product Editor, Brandon Turman, in the video above for a look at everything that's been updated and his in-depth ride impressions. Strengths Weaknesses Direct, snappy attitude at the cranks Excellent traction Custom shock tune improves support without hindering high-speed bump absorption Great manners on...

With the promise of both turning heads and delivering a better ride experience, the latest trailing multi-link front suspension platform from Trust Performance is designed for aggressive trail and enduro mountain bikes. Join Zach Petersen, a rider known for his speed on a bike and the Trail Peek Youtube channel, for a straight-shooter's perspective on the unique design. Listen in as he discusses and demonstrates the fork's major strengths, weaknesses, and gives you a bottom line. Trust Shout Highlights Design: Trailing multi-link front suspension Construction: Full carbon chassis, steerer tube...

Afew years ago, Marzocchi resurrected the Z1 to much anticipation. While damper technology has moved on from the open-bath systems of old, there was disappointment in some circles that the coils of the original fork were passed up in favor of a standard FOX air spring – Marzocchi's parent company. While air-sprung forks have come a long way in terms of sensitivity and a reduction in running friction, there's no shortage of riders who swear by (or at least reminisce about) the uber-sensitive plushness of a coil. Early Marzocchi coil forks from the original Z1 Bomber to the Shiver and the 888...

There's ZERO noise, too. When you all you can hear is tires ripping into turns it's truly an awesome sensation. You start to pick up on things you wouldn't otherwise notice, like the sounds of your surroundings or that floppy cable you should probably address. Just be mindful when coming up on others and give a holler because you basically come a high-speed MTB trail ninja. The sprag clutch mechanism inside provides instant engagement with a gently damped feel instead of the slop or clunk you may be accustomed to with a pawl-style hub. In our view, this makes for an altogether better ride...

Introduced alongside the Lyrik Ultimate fork and Charger 2.1 damper update, the MegNeg air can kit more than doubles today's already large negative volumes. This results in a noticeable and tunable boost of mid- and end-stroke support (and a lot more pumping). Join Vital MTB's Product Editor, Brandon Turman, in the video above, to learn how it came to be, what the tuning process is like, the upsides, downsides, and an overview of what types of mountain bikes will benefit the most from a MegNeg upgrade. MegNeg Air Can Highlights Allows you to tune negative volume with Bottomless Rings Provides...

There is no shortage of carbon wheel options today. Regardless of price point, you are sure to find a range of choices, from generic catalog rims to super-specialty items that cost as much as a good full suspension bike. Four Four Three is taking the middle road with the Dissident, supplying a wheel built on its own rims and hubs at a competitive price made possible by a direct sales and distribution model. We’ve been testing a pair for over a year to find out how it measures up – read on to learn more. Strengths Weaknesses Very strong rim Reliable hubs Fast engagement Good value Rims are...

The Rocky Mountain Slayer has been a mainstay for the Canadian brand for nearly 20 years. Throughout that time it has played the role of Rocky Mountain’s heavy-hitting trail bike, however in recent years it has fallen out of favor with many and the Altitude BC Edition became the brand's flagship enduro bike. In an effort to rekindle the magic of old, Rocky started from the ground aiming to modernize the Slayer for enduro, freeride, and park duties without sacrificing all-day endurance. To see what the new ride is capable of, we have been punishing our test rig for a few months in Squamish, BC...

Airborne Bicycles, the direct-to-consumer bike brand out of Ohio, has been in the game for over twenty years and for 2020, they have a new, 27.5-inch-wheeled enduro bike dubbed the Plague. Airborne has always focused on affordable two-wheelers and considering the $2,699 price tag of the Plague, they've kept their eye on the budget-minded prize. We wanted to see what a bike that looked fun on paper, with minimal impact to our stack of paper, could do. Airborne Plague Highlights 160mm rear travel with RockShox Monarch RT Debonair 170mm front travel with RockShox Lyrik Select Charger RC Ultimate...

Earlier this year we had the opportunity to spend some time aboard Zipp’s 3ZERO MOTO wheelset. While our initial impressions were mostly positive, we knew that a more thorough test was required to offer an educated opinion on whether or not Zipp’s claims of compliance and traction were marketing jargon or legitimate improvements over traditional wheelsets. Since our initial piece, our 3ZERO MOTO wheels have been used and abused throughout the Sea to Sky corridor of British Columbia and made the trip to World Championships at Monte Sainte Anne. They have put in miles on a short-travel Norco...

It seems like just yesterday when the first batch of dropper posts hit the market. These cutting-edge components had 100mm of travel and were an absolute gamechanger in terms of how hard you could shred a trail bike. Since the advent of mainstream dropper posts, manufacturers have continually pushed the limits in terms of available travel on these pieces of telescoping witchcraft. Fast forward a few decades and OneUp Components has introduced their popular V2 Dropper Post with a mind-boggling 240mm of travel making it the longest option on the market. We received a post for testing back in...

This Specialized classic has gone through several generations and has been the companion to many historic tails about epic rides of yesteryear. In 2018, the Stumpjumper once again received many updates. Among them, it inherited the previous Demo’s spaceship-like sidearm main triangle design, got a bit longer than before, is now stiffer and lighter, has a geometry adjustment, and the little details are more dialed than ever. For the women’s models, a female-specific Specialized Rx suspension tune comes standard front and rear. It’s safe to say this is a big update compared to Stumpjumpers of...

What is it that makes a bike fun? What do we require it be capable of? What boxes must it check? Pedaling, pumping, jumping, climbing, descending? Surviving, encouraging, enjoying? The list could be a mile long and will vary from bike to bike and rider to rider. Hopping on the Transition Scout, a mid-travel trail/all-mountain bike with Transition's Speed Balanced Geometry (SBG) and GiddyUp 2.0HH suspension, we expect some fun will be had. Will it check all our boxes though? Strengths Weaknesses Great cornering feel and performance Quieting yet lively over chunky descents Doesn't lose much...

Depending on the time of year, the orientation of celestial bodies or the status of soybean futures, I may or may not care how mountain bikes are labeled. I started riding in the mid-1990s, and every ride I went on was a “cross-country” ride. The only other kind of riding was downhill, and in the mid-90s downhill wasn’t an option fiscally or geographically for me. To this day, every ride that doesn’t involve a chairlift is a cross-country ride to me. “I’m gonna go ride XC,” I might tell my wife. Whether it’s for the sake of marketing or real, actual clarity for consumers, various bike style...

Alex Rims might not be the first name that comes to mind when you think about flashy wheels, but they have been making rims in Taiwan since 1992 and have a huge offering from entry-level wheels to top carbon hoops. Alex has built a reputation for a great value. More often found OEM on complete bikes, Alex wheels are also used by privateer racers who need a dependable wheelset that doesn’t break the bank. We couldn’t wait to see if their new Recon 3.0 lived up to their reputation. Strengths Weaknesses Light Tool-free hub disassembly Too stiff Top layer prone to chipping Average freewheel...

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 iXS Trigger Knee guards have treated us very well during the testing period and yes, they’ve even hit the ground. From deserts to mountains, we have had these pads in all conditions and they have not failed in comfort or protection. They look great as well, with coverage that helps to minimize the shorts-to-knee pad gap that we have seen with other pads. Notably, these pads stay in place without pinching or bunching up. Let's get into it. Strengths Weaknesses Comfort and breathability Easy to wear when pedaling Level of protection Design and features that matter, none that don’t Stay in...

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...

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...

When Devinci launched the Django in 2016, it came in either a 27.5 or 29-inch platform. The aim was simple: a fun trail bike for exploring the hills. Vital tested and loved the 29-inch iteration (the only form offered now) so when we were invited out to Bromont, Canada to try out the latest update, it was an eager yes on our end. The new Django is more. More bike, more travel, more rubber and more capable. Despite our American sensibilities, more is not necessarily better. We’ve tangled with Django for the past two months. Read on to see how we fared with the scrappy trail bike from the great...

After suspension, wheels are arguably one of the most impactful components on bicycle performance. While suspension seems to see ongoing innovations, traditional double-wall mountain bike rims and wheel design have not changed dramatically since the 1930s. Improvements to manufacturing processes, materials, and engineering have resulted in a myriad of great double-walled rims and wheelsets, each with their take at the ideal balance of stiffness, compliance, and durability, but no major brand has departed from traditional design until recently. Taking inspiration from motocross along with a...

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...

Going from strength to strength, the last few years has seen rider-run, independent component manufacturer Deity cement its place in the market as a producer of high-quality goods that both talk the talk and walk the walk. Deity prides itself in making stuff that not only looks good (and it generally does), but that also works well on the bike. The 35mm cockpit standard is not without its challenges when it comes to getting the feel and stiffness right, which is why Deity took their sweet time before introducing a 35mm line. When they finally did, earlier this year, they came to the table with...

The Yeti SB6 has been around since bikes with 27.5-inch wheels were first raced by top enduro pros. In practical terms, a long time. Its life officially began in 2014, when Jared Graves rolled up to the Winter Park EWS on a brand new bike and took the win. One year later he built "The Internet Killer," a dual-crown-equipped SB6c that stood atop the podium at a National DH race in Australia. Capability proven. Years passed, technology progressed, and with the things Yeti learned during the development of the SB150 and SB130, it's time for a major update to Yeti's most-loved 27.5 bike. The new...

Tioga is what one may refer to as a legacy brand – a company with roots deeply intertwined in the heart of mountain biking – and the old school racer’s choice for giant saddles is making a resurgence in the tire game. We reviewed the Glide G3 and G3TT previously and were fans of the cornering abilities at play. Tioga replied in kind as if to say, “Hold my beer.” The Edge 22 has a familiar knob design but they’ve been arranged in a distinctly new way, creating a large center channel and greatly reducing any gap between the inner and edge knobs. Strong claims were made by Tioga and when the tire...

With warmer temperature hitting the northern hemisphere and the snowpacks beginning to sluff off, here at Vital we started dusting off our big hitting bikes for a great season of shredding. Before all that and while the snow was still falling, Vee Tires filled us in with their latest project, the Vee Snap WCE tire. This new DH tire is the product of extensive R&D in conjunction with the Propain Six Pack World Cup DH team, and it brings to the table another option for riders looking for a grippy, durable and strong tire for going down rowdy terrain at stupid speeds. With several months of...

Over the past few years, wheel size, frame material, suspension design, geometry, and just about every other aspect of frame design has changed or been tweaked within any given brand. A quick glance at the pile of hub spacers in the toolbox only reinforces the reality that the only constant in the bike industry seems to be change. At Vital MTB, we believe that change is a good thing, but only if there is a discernible improvement over the products being replaced. If brands discover a better way of doing things we’re always keen to give something new a shot, especially if it makes riding more...