Mountain Bike Rider - October 2023

OCTOBER 2023 mbr 51 There’s no Sean Connery in this sequel, but the updated high-pivot Highlander is an even mightier weapon to wield during big mountain insurgencies. Travel has been drawn out to 145mm, 5mm more than the old bike and 10mm more than we measured when we tested it. Deviate also claims it’s lighter than the original thanks to a new carbon lay-up, without sacrificing any of that Celtic fortitude along the way. Updated sizing and geometry includes a 20 steeper seat angle, 0.50 slacker head angle, and longer reach (20mm on the size large). And for shorter riders there’s now the option of a small frame. deviatecycles.com DEVIATE HIGHLANDER II £2,666(FRAME ONLY) IBIS HD6 £5,699 ROCKY MOUNTAIN SLAYER €5,400 Like a grizzled vet in the corner of the pub, Rocky Mountain’s Slayer ‘was there from the beginning, man’. The beginning of freeride, obviously, when it was the bike that launched a thousand hucks under the eradefining Froriders. This latest iteration is available with either a carbon or alloy frame, both of which are certified for bike park laps and freeriding. Rocky retains its Ride-4 geometry chip and adds a two-position rear dropout design for ultimate flexibility. It’s compatible with MX wheels and full 29in set-ups, with smaller complete bikes getting the mixed-wheel option and larger frames rocking the bigger hoops. Internal frame storage is also now standard on the carbon frames. All bikes get coil shocks and 180mm of rear travel, but special Park editions also come with 200mm dual-crown forks for anyone aiming at that Rampage wildcard spot. uk.greenover.co/bikes.com Looking for something boutique that’s not a Yeti, Santa Cruz, or Pivot? Well how about the new Ibis HD6, an enduro bike from a brand with over 40 years of history in the sport. The mixed wheel HD6 gets 165mm of rear wheel travel using a DW-Link suspension design. It’s compatible with coil and air shocks and comes in a generous five frame sizes. And in a nod to the original steel Ibis frames, you can choose your HD6 in one of three colourful paint options. ibiscycles.com

52 mbr OCTOBER 2023 NEED TO KNOW O Trail-orientated e-bike with 140mm travel O Aimed at covering distance over varied terrain O Carbon frame options starting at the CF 7 for £4,599 (alloy bikes use old frame and Shimano motor) The German brand has bolstered its range with another power tool H ow many of you have fired up Netflix after dinner and next thing you know it’s 10pm and you still haven’t chosen something to watch? Decision paralysis can affect us all, and while a wasted evening in front of a TV is annoying, it doesn’t have the financial consequences of choosing the wrong bike. There’s a fine line between serving specific customer needs more appropriately, and ensuring you don’t confuse them into inaction. So with three high power, full-suspension e-bikes already on Canyon’s books, adding a fourth bike to the mix could be considered a risky move. The bike in question is the updated Neuron:ON, a machine built for – in its own words – “adventure” and graced with Bosch’s popular Performance CX motor, 140mm of travel, 29in wheels and a choice of battery capacities. Look past the marketing spiel, and one way to decipher intended use is through a small, often ignored frame sticker with a number inside a square. This is the ASTM international standard for bicycle classification, and while it’s hardly a hot topic of conversation in the pub after a ride, with a numerical designation from 1-5, it is carefully crafted to make sure every bike is engineered to match its intended use. The strongest bikes – freeride and downhill rigs – have to meet, and hopefully surpass, category 5, which is defined as “a set of conditions for operation of a bicycle that includes Conditions 1, 2, 3, and 4; extreme jumping; or downhill grades on rough trails at speeds in excess of 40 km/h (25 mph); or a combination thereof.” NEW BIKES FOR 2024 For e-bikes the rules are even stricter, as the system weight is higher and bikes tend to experience greater mileages. The Neuron:ON sits in category 3E which includes rough, technical trails and small drops. Knowing this, if you’re planning to spend most of your time riding downhill tracks and bike parks, it stands to reason that the Neuron:ON will not be appropriate and you should choose the Torque:ON instead. On the other hand, if big jumps are not your bag, and you’re more interested in exploring wild trails and getting out into the big beyond, the Neuron:ON will be a perfect fit. The important takeaway being, those stickers actually mean something. Another, more commonly used way of choosing a bike is through weight. But this doesn’t really work with an e-bike, because the differences are relatively small given the extra power on tap. Case in point, there’s a 700g difference between the Neuron:ON CF 8 (22.6kg) and the Spectral:ON CF 9 (23.3kg) with similar capacity batteries – insignificant on a bike that weighs over 20kg. Another great leveller is the 25kph speed limit, because pedalling them above this when the motor has cut-out is basically just as arduous on all full power e-bikes, regardless of weight, motor or intended use. Again, this just reinforces the natural equilibrium. The same can be said for travel – reducing travel as a way of making an e-bike faster and more efficient is arguably pointless when the limiting factor is weight and motor drag. So while the Neuron:ON is the most XC-focused e-bike in Canyon’s range, it still puts out a healthy 140mm travel. This is complemented by versatile geometry that allows for confident descending but without going to the extremes that compromise long-distance comfort and slow-speed manoeuvrability. Across the four frame sizes, the reach spans from 435mm to 510mm in 25mm increments. But top tube lengths are kept relatively spacious to help comfort when seated along long sections of flat singletrack and fireroad. The seat tube angle is slacker than more hardcore models and seat tube lengths are slightly longer. Scan down the components and you’ll notice Fox 34 forks (or RockShox Pike) with smaller IT’S PERFECT FOR WILD TRAILS AND THE BIG BEYOND Bosch Performance specced for lengthy outings CANYON NEURON:ON CF 8 £ 5 , 3 4 9 • 2 9 i n • c a ny o n . c o m

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54 mbr OCTOBER 2023 N EW B I K E S stanchions have been fitted, that save between 200 and 300g over a burlier 36 or a Zeb. This would be significant on a typical analogue trail bike, but it’s mostly inconsequential on an e-bike. And due to the mass, there are still fourpiston brakes and 203mm rotors, so no weight savings to be made there. Which leaves the one area where Canyon can really influence the Neuron:ON’s strengths and weaknesses and help differentiate it from the Spectral:ON; wheels and tyres. As such the Neuron:ON rolls on 29in wheels front and rear, compared to the mixed wheel set-up of the Spectral:ON, giving it the ultimate in bump rollover and efficiency at cruising speeds in return for a slight reduction in agility and bum clearance on steep descents. As for the tyre choice, Canyon has fitted some of the fastest rolling rubber on the market; the Schwalbe Nobby Nic. Simply put, it’s a choice that delivers significantly better range along with more speed on shallow gradients where it’s tough to outpace the motor by pedalling. On the other hand, they are a lot more prone to punctures, especially if you start to get a bit overexcited on rocky tracks, and the ultimate grip is not up there with the Maxxis tyres fitted to the Spectral:ON range. But if epic days in the saddle are on your horizon, it’s a spec choice that will help the Neuron:ON to go the distance. Now, before moving onto the ride, there are two important points to make. Number one, the battery in the Neuron:ON is not removable (unless you want to unbolt the motor). So if you prefer to remove your battery for charging, or you don’t have power in your bike storage, the Neuron:ON probably isn’t for you. Number two, although there are some temptinglypriced aluminium models, they are effectively the old bike, and don’t have The Neuron:ON does what it says on the tin... and more The German brand has added a fourth full-powered full-suspension bike to its books Frame swallows 140mm hits via Fox Float DPS

the more modern geometry or the Bosch motor of the new carbon models. HOW IT RIDES The new Neuron:ON manages to be highly effective at covering ground on a variety of off-road surfaces, but it also can be ridden out of its skin on technical trails. To be honest, I was shocked at how much fun it was on fast, flowing singletrack. The ridiculously zippy tyres kept my eyes watering on the descents, and lightened the load on the motor and battery on the fire road sections that linked them together. Keeping air in the tyres was more tricky – lots of people punctured on the press launch – but running higher pressures helped reduce the risk of a flat and improved rolling speeds. There’s less progression to the rear suspension on the Neuron:ON compared to the Spectral:ON, but I found it still exhibited plenty of pop to keep it lively and exciting. Equally, while there’s more anti-squat on the Neuron:ON, bump compliance is good and it didn’t feel like suspension performance had been compromised for pedalling efficiency. As usual the Bosch motor responded with urgency and grunt when needed, and the intuitive controls are within OCTOBER 2023 mbr 55 easy reach so that I could rapidly toggle between conserving range and unleashing power. My test bike (and others) were quite rattly while coasting which was slightly annoying, but as a trait of the Bosch motor it’s forgivable given how good the system is in almost every other aspect. I had plenty of fun on the climbs, too, even if I didn’t get to assess the Neuron:ON’s prowess on really technical steeps. The power and overrun of the motor, combined with the rapid tyres, supple suspension response, and slacker seat angle meant it was possible to drift into uphill turns, letting the ruts catch the back wheel, before powering out the other side. Things I didn’t like about the Neuron:ON? The fork needed to be run with almost 30% more pressure than recommended to prevent it falling through the travel. This lack of support is common to the Fox 34 Performance, but it’s a supple, comfortable fork, so it works well over undulating terrain and contouring trails. There’s a fairly restrictive steering limiter on the Neuron:ON that is somewhat annoying when turning the bike in tight space. On the size large frame there’s no need for it either – the fork crown and handlebar come nowhere near the frame. Fortunately you can easily run the bike without it, and on the smaller frame sizes it does prevent damage in a crash. You can’t, however, ditch the headset routed cables. Yes, they tidy up the front end to a degree, but they add complication to routine maintenance. Complaints aside, the Neuron:ON exceeded my expectations. It was thoroughly enjoyable to ride and remarkably capable. Even so, there are a few details that I don’t like, and the non-removable battery would be a deal breaker for me. But zooming out slightly, what I can’t quite shake from my mind, is that there’s now a lot of overlap through the Canyon e-bike range. Having ridden, and raved about, Rotwild’s latest lightweight, short-travel R.X275 e-bike with TQ motor recently, I wonder if the Neuron:ON might have been better served up in a similar guise. As a midpower, lightweight model weighing sub-20kg, with, for example, the Bosch SX motor, Canyon could have offered something really distinctive from the other three models in its range, and plant a seed in a segment of the market that’s really starting to flourish. Danny Milner SPECIFICATION Frame Carbon, 140mm travel Shock Fox Float DPS Performance (210x55mm) Fork Fox 34 Float Performance, 140mm travel(44mm offset) Motor Bosch Performance CX, 600W/85Nm Battery Bosch Powertube 750Wh Control unit Bosch System Controller and Mini Remote WheelsDT Swiss HLN350 wheels, Schwalbe Nobby Nic 29x2.4in tyres Drivetrain FSA 762 Forged crank, 36t, 170mm, Shimano XT 12-speed shifter and r-mech Brakes Shimano M8100/M8120,twopiston/four-piston, 203/203mm Components Iridium stem 50mm, Iridium bars 780mm, Iridium dropper post170mm, Fizik Terra Alpaca X5 saddle Weight 22.6kg (claimed) Sizes S, M, L, XL GEOMETRY Size Ridden L Rider height 5ft10in Head angle 65.5° Effective SA 76.5° BB drop 35.5mm Chainstay 450mm Front centre 806mm Wheelbase 1,256mm Down tube 760mm Seattube 460mm Top tube 625mm Reach 485mm HIGHS Super-friendly ride that’s easy to get along with. Will suit beginners and experienced riders alike. Excellent Bosch motor and choice of batteries. Fast, and frugal with battery power. LOWS Battery not removable. Only the carbon bikes get the new geo and Bosch motor. Tyres are fairly fragile. Fork needs over-inflation. 1 ST IMP R ES S ION   Canyon has pieced together a capable trail steed Schwalbe rubber shods DT Swiss hoops

56 mbr OCTOBER 2023 NEED TO KNOW O Lightweight 29er XC race hardtail designed for speed O Fact 11m carbon frame with threaded BB and 148mm dropout spacing O RockShox Reba RL fork delivers 100mm travel O SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain with full-range 10-52t cassette O The cockpit has a 60mm stem and 750mm bar to enhance control O Four frame sizes: S-XL with entry-level bike for £3,300 Can Spesh’s hardtail 29er provide a lowercost alternative to a race-ready XC machine? Who is the Epic hardtail for? That’s the question I posed to the product manager responsible for Specialized’s XC race bikes. His response was both honest and telling. “It’s for anyone that wants an XC bike, but can’t stretch their budget to get a full-suspension bike.” And it makes perfect sense. At 10.68kg without pedals, the Epic Hardtail Comp is a really light 29er for the money. To get even close to that target weight with a full-suspension bike you’d easily be looking at double the price, which instantly rules out that option for a lot of riders. And weight is very important. XC racers are obsessed with it; their own, and that of the bike. And for good reason. Because for a given power output, lighter is always going to be faster when going uphill. In fact, that’s where I really noticed the benefits of the Epic HC over much heavier trailfocused hardtails. The combination of the faster-rolling tyres and reduced weight instantly lure you into a false THE EPIC HC IS A REALLY LIGHT 29ER FOR THE MONEY NEW BIKES FOR 2024 sense of fitness, and before you know it you have your sights set on distant riders that you know you can easily pick off. That’s not to say the Epic HC is amazing on the climbs. Fast, yes, but you do need to stay focused, pick good lines and wrestle the front end quite a bit. And that’s primarily because the Epic HC has a short 425mm chainstay length and relatively slack 74.2° seat tube angle. Taken together, these dimensions give the bike a more rearward weight bias, which makes the front end on the Epic feel pretty flighty when climbing seated, at least on steeper gradients. And if the climb is chunky, then the relatively skinny 2.35in Specialized Fast Trak/Renegade tyre combo means you need to be on your A game not to lose traction or get knocked off line. Power delivery is direct and purposeful though, and the 100mm-travel RockShox Reba fork really limits how much of your energy gets lost in compressing the suspension with every pedal stroke. Approach the top of the cassette and SRAM’s cable-operated Eagle transmission has less even spacing Adding a dropper post would open up new vistas for the Epic HC SPECIALIZED EPIC HARDTAIL COMP £ 4 ,1 0 0 • 2 9 i n • s p e c i a l i z e d . c o m

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N EW B I K E S than Shimano’s 12-speed cassettes, but shifting is still really smooth, precise and quiet. Also the jump to the 52t cog makes it a great bailout gear when you apex a switchback only to be greeted with a wall of a climb. Longer 175mm cranks also give you the leverage you need to keep the wheels turning. And even though the 305mm BB height is taller than, say, a benchmark trail hardtail like the Whyte 909 X, you actually need that ground clearance so you can keep the throttle open in all situations without fear of clipping a pedal. HOW IT RIDES So the Specialized Epic HC is fast uphill, but how does it handle everything else? Well, as I quickly discovered, that really depends on where you set the saddle height. Let me explain. With the Body Geometry Power Sport saddle set for optimum pedalling efficiency, the Epic HC feels pretty good on smoothflowing, high-tempo singletrack. The handling feels very reactive, the bike is easy to pick up over anything you don’t want to roll over, or smash into, so The Epic’s a rapid ride, but on techier trails the wide saddle becomes an impediment

the overall sense of speed is high and exhilarating. Yes, the brake hose and gear cable both rattle around inside the down tube, which is annoying, but overall the carbon frame has a nice damped feel to the ride. In fact, you could probably chop 50mm off all the cables on the Epic, so I suspect it’s the same set-up that’s used on the XL build. Not only would this look way neater, but it would be lighter, and every gram counts, right? It may even reduce the cable rattle a touch. And if you cut the cables short enough, they could also prevent the handlebar from spinning all of the way round, so the shifter would be less likely to smash into the top tube and damage the frame if you crash. Get the Epic on more technical trails that require the rider to move more dynamically, and all of a sudden, the width at the back of the Body Geometry Power Sport saddle that makes it such a comfortable perch for climbing, suddenly becomes an obstacle for getting off the back of the bike. When running the saddle at full height for maximum pedalling efficiency, you’re really limited by how OCTOBER 2023 mbr 59 much you can use your legs to absorb bumps, get lower for cornering, or get your weight back to prevent yourself from being ejected over the bars. As such, your ability to descend with any speed or confidence is really curtailed. It’s a good thing then, that the firmfeeling SRAM Level TL brakes are up to the task, easily providing more stopping power than the contact patch of the tyres creates in traction to the ground. Adjusting the lever reach is a little tricky, even with a ball-end Allen key, but once set you quickly forget about not having tool-free reach adjustment. With Allen keys to hand, dropping the saddle height by just 20mm made a massive difference to the overall ride quality of the Epic HC. It begs the question: Why doesn’t this bike come with a dropper post as standard? Again, it comes back to weight. But I’d argue that the ability to drop the saddle for descending would expand the capabilities of the Epic HC to a much greater degree than anything you could achieve with frame geometry or frame compliance. Seriously, the dropper post is the biggest breakthrough in mountain biking tech in the last 20 years and the Epic HC not having one, even one with limited drop, instantly dates the bike. It’s the same story with the relatively steep 68.7° head angle. And if the Epic HC is really designed for XC racers with limited funds, I’d argue that it needs to be as slack, or even slacker, in the head angle than Specialized’s equivalent fullsuspension bikes. It also needs a short seat tube and better standover height too, as currently the SRAM GX 12-speed shifter pod slams into the top tube when the handlebar is turned 90° to the right. And that’s with the stem almost at max height, so the consequences of a crash will be even worse for anyone looking to achieve a more aero riding position, or trying to make the front end less wayward on the climbs. It’s why steering block headsets are such a good idea on some bikes. Wider rims and larger-volume tyres are also a good idea, especially when you have zero rear suspension. All of which is a long-winded way of saying that the Epic Hardtail Comp looks a little long in the tooth, even by XC standards. Alan Muldoon SPECIFICATION Frame Fact 11m carbon Fork RockShox Reba RL, 42mm offset, 100mm travel WheelsAlloy sealed 110/148mm hubs, Specialized Alloy 25mm rims, Specialized Fast Trak/Renegade, Control Casing T5 29x2.35in tyres Drivetrain SRAM X1000 Eagle 34t, 175mm chainset, SRAM GX r-mech and 12sp shifter, SRAM XG1275 10-52t cassette Brakes SRAM Level TL 180/160mm Components Specialized alloy Minirise 750mm bar, Specialized 3D forged 60mm stem, Specialized alloy 30.9mm post, BG Power Sport saddle Sizes S, M, L, XL Weight10.68kg (23.55lb) GEOMETRY Size ridden L Rider height 5ft11in Head angle 68.7° Seat angle 73.2° Effective SA 74.2° (@750mm) BB height 305mm Chainstay 425mm Front centre 722mm Wheelbase 1,147mm Down tube 720mm Seattube 480mm Top tube 630mm Reach 460mm THE EPIC HARDTAIL LOOKS A LITTLE LONG IN THE TOOTH HIGHS Light, reactive ride. Nice damped feel to the carbon frame. SRAM GX Eagle drivetain offers impressive performance. LOWS Shifter hits top tube. Cables rattle in frame. No dropper post. Geometry is dated. 1 ST IMP R ES S ION   Brake hose and gear cable rattle in the down tube and could do with trimming Fork is a 100mm-travel RockShox Reba RL SRAM Level TL brakes provide ample stopping power

60 mbr OCTOBER 2023 NEED TO KNOW O Haibike’s lightest e-bike yet O Full carbon frame gets 140mm travel O Fazua Ride 60 motor with removable 430Wh battery O Optional 210Wh range extender O Four frame sizes and three models starting at £5,899 for the Lyke CF10 Can a pared-down offering from the German marque retain its bullish characteristics? H aibikes have always had a unique look. Multi-faceted tube profiles, muscular proportions, and that striking hunchback top tube coalesce to form an instantly recognisable, if somewhat challenging aesthetic. It’s a tactic that’s certainly great for brand recognition, but its divisiveness has possibly lost the company a few sales along the way. This new Lyke however, well, that’s an entirely different prospect. One in which Haibike has been able to cleverly tone down its signature look without losing sight of its DNA. So it’s still obviously a Haibike, but it’s also a contemporary, aggressive, good-looking e-bike. The freedom to take the styling in a new direction has come from the fact that this is Haibike’s new diet e-bike model, where the slimmed down battery and motor offer greater flexibility in terms of packaging. That Fazua Ride 60 motor actually sits in the base of the flared seat tube, which frees up space in front of the bottom bracket to allow the battery to slide in and out of the fully enclosed down tube. So the Lyke benefits from excellent weight distribution, a fully enclosed down tube that doesn’t compromise structural integrity, and yet you still get the convenience of a removable battery. It’s a really clever design. While Haibike is best known for its rocker link suspension, the Lyke nestles its shock into a slight recess under the top tube, operated by a swinglink attached to the shock yoke. At the back is a Horst link on the chainstay, and the configuration leaves ample space within the front triangle to run a bottle cage, tool mount, or the Fazua range extender when it finally becomes available. With 140mm travel front and rear, the Lyke is very much designed as a trail bike. I can see why Haibike has done this – bumping up the travel would require beefing up the frame and components, and that would add to the weight. Considering the mid-spec Lyke CF 11 tested here registered 19.17kg on our NEW BIKES FOR 2024 scales, there’s not much headroom to bulk up and keep under the magic 20kg mark. For reference, that’s 500g lighter than the Transition Relay with the same motor and battery, which is the heaviest mid-power e-bike that’s swung from our scales. However, the Relay is £3k more expensive than the Haibike. The trail-orientated spec starts at the front of the bike with a Fox 36 Float Performance fork (140mm travel). It uses the new chassis design with the lubricating channels up the back of the lower legs, which means you can upgrade it with bleed ports – to release pressure build-up on long descents – as well as dropping in a sophisticated Grip2 damper, making it a good long-term foundation for investment. At the rear is a Fox Float Performance DPS shock with three-position compression damping adjustment. It doesn’t have a remote reservoir, and I was surprised how hot it got, even on relatively short two-minute descents. Fortunately, the damping performance wasn’t noticeably affected. Haibike has turned to Mavic for its Crossmax XL wheels. These use fully sealed rims, which means no leaky tape and foolproof tubeless set-up, and they’re shod with Maxxis Dissector tyres in lighter EXO casing up front and reinforced EXO+ at the back. The Dissector is Maxxis’s fast-rolling gravity Fazua battery has over a 1,000m of vert in its locker HAIBIKE LYKE CF 11 £ 6 ,7 9 9 • 2 9 i n • h a i b i ke . c o m

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62 mbr OCTOBER 2023 N EW B I K E S tyre, and has a definite bias towards speed rather than outright grip. But considering the Lyke’s intended use as a trail bike, and the need to balance aggressive all-weather grip with maximum range, I think they are a decent choice. Shimano supplies both the brakes and the drivetrain on the Lyke CF 11, with XT four-piston brakes, an XT derailleur and shifter and SLX cassette and chain. Providing the connection between the Fazua motor and the Shimano drivetrain is a Rotor E-Kapic crank. This demo bike had been tested elsewhere before arriving with me, and the cranks constantly creaked and repeatedly came loose. If you’re buying one of these bikes, it’s something to keep an eye on. Two things that would go straight in the bin for me are the grips and the saddle. Haibike’s own grips are rock hard, and the stubby Selle Italia Model X saddle is equally inhospitable. HOW IT RIDES Measuring the Lyke revealed the geometry closely matches Haibike’s claimed figures – always good to see. Even the travel was only 3mm shy of the advertised 140mm. Those figures include a generous 478mm reach, longish 450mm chainstays, a steep 77.4° effective seat angle and relatively tall 346mm BB height. The size large frame also has a longer than average seat tube at 470mm, which slightly restricts dropper post choice, but I was still able to get my correct saddle height, and I have fairly short legs for my height (5ft 10in). I was glad of that liberal reach because the Lyke’s tall BB encourages you to run the bars higher than normal, which chips away at the effective reach. But even with the stem all the way up the steerer I never felt cramped either seated or standing. Considering this bike has to work for pedally singletrack and gradual gradients, that’s a good thing. However, on steeper climbs, the upright seat angle was a real blessing, IT PROVED ITSELF AS AN ACCOMPLISHED CLIMBER Keep easy tabs on battery life with top tube read-out Three compression settings on Fox Float’s 140mm Performance shock

particularly as the low torque of the Fazua motor means you have to run the seat at full extension to keep the cranks turning, and that tilts your weight back and makes the front wheel light. Given those factors, along with the reduced pedal strikes from the tall BB, the Lyke proved an accomplished climber. Once updated with the latest software, Fazua’s Ride 60 motor excelled on moderate gradients, particularly at higher cadences. Of the three power modes (Breeze, River, Rocket), I ignored the lowest option and mostly toggled between mid and high, occasionally using the 12-second overboost function. This unlocks the full 450W peak power for a brief period, and to access it you have to push and hold the Ring Control dial forward. From previous range tests, we know the Fazua 430Wh battery will give approx 1,100m of climbing in Rocket mode, which gave me the confidence to take on longer rides with more generous use of power, even without having access to a range extender. That’s an important aspect for anyone considering a mid-power e-bike, and so far the Fazua system seems to be leading the way in this respect. OCTOBER 2023 mbr 63 Where it could improve compared to its competitors is the response. While not exactly lethargic, it does suffer from a split-second lag when you start pedalling, or back off the cranks to avoid a pedal strike. The rotary controller also feels fragile and plasticky, even if there isn’t really anything mechanical to break inside it. I’d still prefer to see something more robust in its place, ideally wireless. As for the noise, or lack of it, there is a very slight high pitch whine from the motor, so it’s not as silent as the TQ, but it’s still impressively quiet. Haibike has given the Lyke a very firm, progressive rear suspension response that, in my opinion, is a good fit for the bike’s intended use. It’s supple off the top, but quickly begins to ramp up, offering good mid-stroke support and a really sporty nature that encouraged me to get out of the saddle and sprint up little rises and accelerate into mellow singletrack. Equally, it’s an easy bike to pump for speed and there’s plenty to push against when you preload it into a jump or dip. Plush is not a word I’d use to describe the Lyke, so take it onto rougher terrain and you will get a bit of a battering, but the geometry and balance – thanks to those longish chainstays – mean there’s enough stability. With so much support, I never felt the need to use the compression lever on the Float DPS shock. And to match the response at the rear, I also ended up running higher than recommended pressure in the fork. At 105psi, this is in line with what a 90kg rider should be running, not my 78kg. However, volume spacers in the fork and shock do mean that you could reduce the front and rear progression if you prefer a softer ride. Haibike has done a great job of making the Lyke handle like a regular analogue bike. Perhaps even better, due to improved weight distribution. Putting the motor in the seat tube centralises the mass, which makes direction changes easier, and because the battery doesn’t sit so high in the frame, manualling the Lyke is really easy, despite the long-ish chainstays. Haibike’s decision to fit Mavic wheels also has a strong influence on the ride. Although fast rolling, their bladed spokes lack support, so if you load up the Lyke in a berm they tend to flex laterally with a sudden twang, which produces a slightly vague, unpredictable edge to the cornering response. Having said that, the shallow tread of the Maxxis Dissector tyres quickly extinguish the flames of any overexuberance. Hard charging riders will definitely want to switch to a more aggressive front tread and a more robust rear casing. I came away really enjoying every ride on the Lyke. It has a really well judged blend of power, range, speed, handling, and value. A few ingredients could be improved, but the main course is tasty and filling. As a versatile, assisted trail bike that captures the purity of an analogue model, there’s a lot to like. Danny Milner SPECIFICATION Frame Carbon, 140mm travel(137mm measured) Shock Fox Float DPS Performance (200x57.5mm) Fork Fox 36 Float Performance, 140mm travel(44mm offset) Motor Fazua Ride 60, 450W/60Nm Battery Fazua Energy InTube 430Wh Control unit Fazua Ring Control with top tube display Wheels Mavic E-Crossmax XL S wheels, Maxxis Dissector Max Terra Exo/Exo+ 29x2.4in tyres Drivetrain Rotor E-Kapic crank, 32t, 170mm, Shimano XT 12-speed shifter and r-mech Brakes Shimano M8120, four-piston, 203/180mm Components XLC FlowBy 40mm, XLC FLowBy bars 780mm, Aluminium dropper post 170mm, Selle Italia Model X saddle Weight19.17kg (42.3lb) Max system weight 120kg Sizes S, M, L, XL GEOMETRY Size Ridden L Rider height 5ft10in Head angle 64.6° Seat angle 73.8° Effective SA 77.4º BB height 346mm Chainstay 450mm Front centre 814mm Wheelbase 1,264mm Down tube 743mm Seattube 470mm Top tube 625mm Reach 478mm HIGHS Clever chassis design. Doesn’t look like an e-bike (or a Haibike). Good power and range. Removable battery. Fast, rewarding handling. Good value. LOWS Firm suspension won’t suit everyone. Tall seat tube. Twangy wheels. Tyres are focussed on speed rather than grip/stability. Could do with a flipchip to lower the BB. 1 ST IMP R ES S ION   The Lyke CF 11 feels the need for speed

64 mbr OCTOBER 2023 NEED TO KNOW O Built for blasting self-shuttled bike park runs O Has 175mm of travel paired with a 180mm fork O Mullet wheels and four frame sizes across a threemodel range O Shimano EP8 motor with 85Nm and 520W peak power O Choose to run either 720Wh or 900Wh battery O Split top tube accommodates custom gas tank-inspired drinks bottle O Three models with prices starting from £5,749 Canyon’s Torque:ON e-bike is so full-moto it even comes with a gas tank! I f you’ve ever braaped an imaginary throttle as you’ve powered out of a tight switchback, or stuck an inside foot out as you’ve landed a jump into a berm, then Canyon’s new Torque:ON freeride bike will elevate your supercross fantasies to new heights. Hey, there’s even a Ken Roczen special edition colourway to satisfy the frustrated MX superfan. The idea of a burly, self-shuttled bikepark bruiser is not a new concept at Canyon – it has had a Torque:ON in the range since 2021 – but with 27.5in wheels front and rear and a measly 504Wh battery on board, it never really caught on. This new version stuffs its predecessor into the hay bales with a far more attractive (and moto-inspired) mullet wheel set-up, and enough battery power to let you smash out laps until your arms fall off. Taking the clever modular battery idea from the Spectral:ON, this new Torque:ON will accommodate either a 720Wh or 900Wh power pack to run its Shimano EP8 motor. The battery slides out the bottom of the fully-enclosed down tube, so it’s easy to remove for charging, or you can swap between the options depending on whether you want long-range or less weight. There’s a £350 price difference between the two batteries, as well as a 910g weight penalty with the bigger unit. Canyon’s engineers have gone to town on the new frame design, with a layout that puts the shock low and in-line with the down tube, driven by a huge, solid-carbon seatstay extension. Everything is pumped up and overbuilt, but the new frame is claimed to be 1.5kg lighter than the old model, while bringing stiffness improvements of 7% to the front triangle and a whopping 25% at the stays. Exceeding a cat 5 certification, it’s built for serious abuse. The signature feature of the new frame is the split top tube, where a custom drinks bottle nestles between two carbon struts. It’s undeniably moto-inspired, and while this gas tank only fuels the human engine, you’ve got to hand it to Canyon for going to such lengths to design a bottle. Run the Torque:ON with the 900Wh battery combined with a full ‘Hydration Station’ and you’re looking at adding over 1.5kg on the front end, which will not only have an effect on fork pressures, but it will almost certainly make the bike noticeably harder to manual. NEW BIKES FOR 2024 CANYON TORQUE:ON CF 9 £7,14 9 • 2 9/ 2 7. 5 i n • c a ny o n . c o m Custom-designed drinks bottle adds weight to front end

OCTOBER 2023 mbr 65 IT WAS COMPLETE OVERKILL FOR THE ROUGHNESS OF THE TRACKS Canyon has modernised the sizing in line with its most recent models, so the four sizes start with a 450mm reach on the size small, then progress in 25mm increments up to the 525mm XL. Seat tubes are kept really low, so you can generally choose to upsize or downsize and still run a decent length dropper post. There’s a 63.50 head angle, 77.50 effective seat angle, 445mm chainstays and a 32mm BB drop. For reference, the old Torque:ON had a 62.80 head angle, 76.50 effective seat angle, 431mm chainstays and a 342mm BB height. As I did on the Strive:ON, I downsized to a medium (I usually ride a large Spectral:ON). I should add here that the small frame only accepts the smaller battery due to space constraints. With three models available, entry to the Torque:ON party starts at £5,749 for the CF8 with Fox 38 Performance fork, Float X2 Performance shock and Shimano SLX groupset. At £7,149 the CF9 is upgraded with Fox Factory-level 38 fork and X2 shock, and Shimano XT groupset. Last but not least, there’s the CF LTD Roczen at £8,599 with SPECIFICATION Frame Carbon, 175mm travel Shock Fox Float X2 Factory Fork Fox 38 Float Factory GRIP2, 180mm travel Motor Shimano EP8, 520W/85Nm Battery Canyon 720Wh or 900Wh Control unit Shimano SC-EM800 display and controller Wheels SunRingle Duroc SC 37/42 110/148mm, Maxxis Assegai/MinionDHRII 29x2.5/27.5x2.4intyres Drivetrain Shimano FC-EM900 crank 34t, 165mm, Shimano XT 12-speed shifter and r-mech, Shimano XT 10-51t cassette Brakes Shimano XT four-piston, 203/203mm Components Canyon ON alloy bar 800mm, Canyon ON 40mm stem, Canyon Iridium dropper post 170mm, Fizik Gravita Alpaca X5 saddle Weight 24.6kg (54.23lb) claimed with 900Wh battery Sizes S, M, L, XL GEOMETRY (CLAIMED) Size ridden M Rider height 5ft10in Head angle 63.5° Seat angle 72.6° Effective SA 77.5° BB drop 32mm Chainstay 445mm Front centre 831mm Wheelbase 1,276mm Down tube 757mm Seattube 420mm Top tube 619mm Reach 475mm HIGHS Rock solid. Doesn’t even break sweat below 25mph. Choices of battery size. LOWS 90% of riders will be better off on a Strive:ON or Spectral:ON. 1 ST IMP R ES S ION   RockShox Zeb Ultimate fork, Super Deluxe Ultimate coil shock, SRAM X01 AXS wireless groupset and custom Roczen paintjob which looks the absolute bomb, even if the red, black and white scheme doesn’t represent his current Suzuki sponsorship. HOW IT RIDES Cards on the table: there were only two fleeting moments where I got close to experiencing the Torque:ON’s potential during the bike’s launch in Tuscany. Both were high-speed, contouring singletrack with rain-washed ruts and around 25mph on the speedo. Everywhere else the Torque:ON was so far inside its comfort zone that I would probably have been faster on a 120mm bike – in fact, having ridden the very same trails on the Rotwild R.X275 a few weeks earlier, I can say that with absolute confidence. Having said that, at no point did the Torque:ON feel more like a Tank:ON. It could still be hopped into compressions and boosted off lips. It didn’t plough straight on around low-speed turns, and it changed direction with relative ease. But it was complete overkill for the gradient, average speed, and roughness of the tracks. Torque:ON needs the high-speed jump trails of Dyfi Bikepark and BikePark Wales, or the broken, potholed, fall-line chutes of Morzine to break into its stride. Until I get to try the Torque:ON in any of these situations, trying to sum up its performance feels like road testing a Lamborghini Huracan on the weekly shopping run to Lidl. As such, you’ll have to treat this like a bookmark, and I’ll come back to you when I’ve had more time on one. Danny Milner Stock colours are a bit drab compared to the Roczen special X2 Factory shock is driven by solid carbon stays Bombproof battery guard allows easy removal for charging

66 mbr OCTOBER 2023 NEW GEAR FOR 2024

OCTOBER 2023 mbr 67 NEED TO KNOW O Compact, lightweight motor option from Bosch O System weight of 4kg made up of 2kg motor and 2kg battery with 400Wh capacity O Claimed 55Nm max torque and 600W max power O Customisable modes and extended boost O 250Wh range extender O Uses Bosch’s existing System Controller and Mini Remote to display battery charge and select power modes Will Bosch’s new mid-power motor take lightweight e-bikes to the next level? I s 2023 the year of the ‘diet’ e-mtb? With Specialized dropping the new Levo SL, and multiple brands joining the fold with new models, there have been plenty of strong signs already, but if you’re still not convinced, Bosch’s new Performance SX system is surely the 100ft tall, giant, wacky, waving, inflatable arm-flailing tube man. You see, Bosch doesn’t do knee-jerk trends. It makes safe, considered judgements about the products it introduces to market, and only with the knowledge that there will be a large, sustainable demand to fulfil. As such, Performance SX could very well be the tipping point for mid-power e-bikes. On paper it ticks all the boxes. Claimed weight is 2kg for the magnesium-encased motor, which is competitive without being classleading. That’s only 150g more than the TQ HPR50 and 50g heavier than the Specialized, Fazua and Bafang/ Forestal. Packing 400Wh, the internal CompactTube 400 battery also weighs a claimed 2kg. Only Fazua beats it on capacity, with 430Wh, while the Specialized, Forestal, and TQ all make do with smaller units. Bosch also has a generous range extender built and IT COULD BE THE TIPPING POINT FOR MID- POWER E-BIKES ready to go, providing an extra 250Wh for longer rides. Which is significant as only Specialized currently has a range extender you can actually buy and use – none of the others are available yet. With 55Nm, torque is also right in the mix. A little down on the Fazua (60Nm) and Bafang/Forestal (60Nm) but above the TQ (50Nm) and Specialized (50Nm). When it comes to peak power though, Performance SX holds the Top Trump; a whopping 600W. That’s significantly higher than its rivals and in line with most full-fat motors. Only the Fazua gets close with 450W for a maximum of 30 seconds using its overboost function. To control the power modes and check battery life, the system is designed to work with the existing top tube-integrated System Controller and bar-mounted wireless Mini Remote. As such, you can change modes with either unit, while the basic top tube display uses five LEDs to indicate power mode (using colour) and battery charge. As the battery drains, first the chunk turns white to indicate 10% used, then the light goes out completely when 20% is used. This continues through each chunk until 40% is left and the two final chunks turn orange, followed by Bosch’s compact motor has class-leading 600W peak power BOSCH PERFORMANCE SX b o s c h - e b i ke . c o m

68 mbr OCTOBER 2023 red at 20% remaining. It’s a simple yet effective design that is discreet and well integrated into the bike. And for more detailed information on battery life, it’s always possible to connect to the Bosch Flow app. The Flow app also allows you to customise each individual power mode as well as access security features and diagnostics and navigation/ride recording. As such, you can tune how responsive the motor is to pedal inputs – making it more or less sensitive – as well as changing the level of support provided by the motor in each power band. If we compare SX to the full-power Performance CX system, we’re looking at a total weight saving of approximately 3kg including controllers (Performance CX motor is 2.9kg plus a 750Wh battery weight of 4kg), no reduction in peak power, and 30Nm less torque. Target weights for complete bikes will be in the sub-20kg range depending on build, spec and target application. HOW IT RIDES Switching on the Performance SX system and toggling through the modes will be completely familiar to anyone who has ridden the full-fat CX system in the past. A button on the top tube gets the current flowing and pressing the +/- buttons on the handlebar remote or the top tube unit scrolls through the usual power modes – Eco, Tour+, eMTB, and Turbo. It’s easy to place the Mini Remote within reach of your thumb and the lack of cables adds to the unit’s flexibility while keeping clutter to a minimum. However, care is needed not to catch the back of the thumb pad, as it’s easy to bend or rip the cover away from the main unit. Visually the SX unit looks like a shrunken CX. It’s not a concentric limiter on gradual climbs in eMTB and Turbo modes. As such it feels as quick and powerful as a full-fat model, maybe even quicker because there’s less mass, less friction in the system and typically bikes will be running lighter, fasterrolling tyres. As long as the gradient isn’t too steep, you could easily keep up with mates on full-power e-bikes and not break a sweat. Get into more technical climbs and experienced riders will want to increase the support and adjust the riding dynamics to make the motor as sensitive as possible. Then you can ratchet up steppy pitches with half cranks, or pause pedalling and use the two-metre extended boost to prevent pedal strikes through narrow rock gaps. In that respect SX is an impressive tool for unlocking technical climbs. You can’t soft-pedal, leaching off the motor like you can with the CX, and it’s unlikely it will crawl up radical gradients like its more powerful cousin (I didn’t get Generous 250Wh range extender means you won’t be caught short The Performance SX brings full-fat power in a lightweight package Use Bosch’s Flow app to customise power modes 400Wh battery uses high-capacity 2170 cells system like the ultra compact TQ, or a worm-drive design like the Fazua, so it’s not completely invisible. Bosch has engineered a two through-bolt mounting design – the Performance CX has six – with one bolt where the down tube usually meets the motor, and one low behind the BB axle, close to the rear wheel. Brands have the choice of building their own custom battery mounts or using off-the-shelf Bosch parts. A lower motor cover/bash guard is also needed to protect the underside. All of this does add weight to a system in which minimalism is crucial, but it also plays an important role in protecting the motor from damage. A very brief 6km test ride, on a bike with the brakes reversed, wasn’t the perfect test for the Performance SX system, but it’s better than nothing. What’s immediately noticeable from the get-go is how much SX likes a high cadence. It encouraged me to spin the cranks rather than grind a heavy gear – I prefer high cadences, so it suits me – and if you can keep those legs pumping it rapidly accelerates up to the speed

OCTOBER 2023 mbr 69 SPECIFICATION Motor Bosch Performance SX, Motor peak power 600W Motor peak torque 55Nm Motor weight 2kg Battery Bosch CompactTube 400Wh Battery weight 2kg Control unit Bosch System Controller and Mini Remote (also compatible with all Bosch Smart System units) Range extender 250Wh (1.6kg) Q-factor160mm HIGHS Light enough. Excellent power. Decent torque. Very responsive. Easily configured. Extended boost is a valuable tool for climbing. Intuitive controllers. Range extender. LOWS Could be lighter. Relatively bulky for a diet system. Too early to tell how the range compares to the competition. 1 ST IMP R ES S ION   the opportunity to try any super-steep banks), but it leaves a competent rider with few excuses for not cleaning a technical ascent. Approach the speed limiter and there’s a soft taper to the power, and once you’re on your own, the resistance is not excessive. Bosch claims 50% less than the Performance CX, and only a fraction more friction than a regular BB, mostly because of the upgraded sealing needed to ensure durability. Turn the motor off, and I noticed the extra mass of the bike compared to an analogue model more than the drag in the system. Put it this way: running out of battery wouldn’t be fun, but it wouldn’t be as catastrophic as on a full-fat e-bike. As my ride on Performance SX was too short to talk about range, the final aspect to mention is noise. Personally I didn’t notice the volume of the motor on my ride, although maybe I was concentrating too much on not grabbing a handful of front brake by mistake. I don’t think it’s as quiet as the TQ, but it’s nowhere near as noisy as the whiny Bafang used on the Forestal. How it slots in among the Fazua and Specialized motor is TBC. If first impressions are anything to go by, Bosch has done a typically professional job with the Performance SX. As a shrunken CX system, it puts enough power and torque at your disposal at a weight that makes an appreciable difference to the handling and dynamics of an e-bike. If the range is proportional to what we experience from the CX unit hooked up to a 625Wh battery, then it should answer the biggest concern most riders face when choosing between full-fat and diet. Backed up by a healthy-capacity range extender, Performance SX could be the key that unlocks the lightweight e-bike to its widest audience yet. Danny Milner YOU COULD EASILY KEEP UP WITH MATES ON FULL- POWER E-BIKES

70 mbr OCTOBER 2023 In the tradition of all good gameshows, here’s what we could have won (if we’d stayed in the EU). Yes, Rose is one of the brands that has ceased to ship bikes to the UK post-Brexit, which means you’ll have to travel to Europe to get your mitts on one of these rad new Scrub freeride bikes. Fortunately Rose has stores all over Germany, and a few in Switzerland, so you can click and collect, then head to one of a stack of nearby bike §parks to get it bedded in. The alloy frame is built tough enough to take either dual-crown or single-crown forks, and it runs a mixed wheel set-up. Choose between coil or air shocks to deliver the 200mm of rear wheel travel, and there’s a progressive spring curve suitable for sending huge moto jump lines. While the Scrub’s 7-speed drivetrain and fixed seatpost makes it a shuttle-only option, at just €3,299 for the entry-level model, you should have cash left over for a few lift passes. rosebikes.com YT CAPRA UNCAGED 11 £5,499 NEW BIKES FOR 2024 TREK SUPERCALIBER SLR 9.9 XX AXS £10,800 With over 30 gold medals, one would think Trek’s Supercaliber had found the ultimate recipe for XC success. But in order to stay ahead in a sport with an insatiable need for speed, Trek has found sufficient improvements to the original design to come up with an even better Supercaliber. Surely that makes it an Ultracaliber, or Hypercaliber, right? But while the name remains, the frame gains, now boasting an extra 20mm of travel at the rear. There’s a new IsoStrut shock, too, from RockShox this time, giving Trek racers the ability to run the new electronic Flight Attendant system. Coupled with more travel, the reach has been lengthened and the head angle slackened to make a more capable handling rig. Weight for the top of the range SLR 9.9 XX AXS is just 9.3kg according to Trek. trekbikes.com YT’s limited edition models are always something special, but the Uncaged 11 is maybe the sweetest yet, with its stunning yellow/grey paint and Öhlins suspension. This Capra model also gets SRAM’s hot new GX AXS transmission with direct-mount mech and wireless shifting, along with a wireless dropper post, Crankbrothers carbon wheels, and a Renthal cockpit. Looking for something more XC or DH? Well YT has that too, with Uncaged 11 versions of the short-travel Izzo and the burly Tues. yt-industries.com ROSE SCRUB DC 1 €3,299

OCTOBER 2023 mbr 71 MERIDA BIG.NINE TR 600 £1,400 The budget hardtail market has taken a battering recently thanks to inflation, so it’s always exciting when a new affordable option drops. This one is from Merida and it’s an aluminium 29er with a 120mm fork. The full Big.Nine range includes racy, XC options, with 100mm forks and carbon frames stretching price points to a heady £10k, but it’s the down-to-earth TR models that really float our boat. Longer forks matched with slacker head angles bring surefooted handling, while all models come standard with a dropper post. The frames include a tool mount and two sets of bottle cage bosses, a SRAM UDH mech hanger and a nice, low standover height for maximum confidence. merida-bikes.com WHYTE E-LYTE 140 WORKS £TBC By far the hottest Whyte we’ve clapped our eyes on for a while, the upcoming E-Lyte is the UK brand’s stake in the ground of the diet e-bike market. With a carbon front triangle, Bosch’s punchy new Performance SX motor and 400Wh battery, and a claimed weight of under 17kg, it promises to be a total weapon on UK singletrack. Release date is scheduled for late 2023, which means it’s going to be on a lot of Christmas lists. So have you been a good boy or girl? whytebikes.com NORCO FLUID FS C3 £4,199 Cop a load of the new Norco Fluid FS, now available with a carbon front triangle that’s said to drop 600g over its alloy counterpart. Looks rather stunning all chiselled and bronzed, doesn’t it? Yes, the stays are still alloy, and the travel hasn’t been touched at 130mm rear and 140mm front, but as Sean has been finding out with his new longtermer, the Fluid is already an accomplished trail bike, making this weight saving the icing on the cake. Other things we like about the Fluid are that the shock specs are kept high-end throughout the range, so you don’t have to scrimp on suspension performance. And Norco’s RideAligned programme means that rear centre lengths and seat tube angles vary with frame sizes, which helps riders of different heights achieve a more optimal weight balance and riding position. zyrofisher.co.uk / norco.com

T E C H N I Q U E B E S T A D V I C E P A R T 2 The best advice out of context is pretty useless, so here’s what your friends and other riders really mean when dishing out the pearls Words: Andy Barlow Photos: Andy McCandlish 74 mbr OCTOBER 2023

OCTOBER 2023 mbr 75 here is tons of advice out there for getting through technical sections better. Ask any mountain biker what they’re doing in order to survive any rough or steep trail, and they’ll likely list off all the same things. Why is it then, that the riders on the receiving end of this advice seem to misunderstand what is being said? And is there a better way of explaining our riding so that less experienced riders focus on the parts of their technique that will be genuinely helpful? This month we’ll continue on from the last issue and look at some common pieces of advice that mountain bikers seem to think are helpful. We’ll break them apart and try to focus on what is genuinely useful, and how we can all become better communicators. T H E C O A C H A N D Y B A R L OW Before joining Dirt School Andy liked to win things – races like the Scottish XC Champs and the Scottish Downhill Champs. Since 2009, though, he’s coached some of the world’s best riders with Dirt School and helped bring on the BASE MTB course at Borders College in the Tweed Valley. But what Andy really likes to do is communicate those pro techniques to everyday riders. O U T O F C ON T E X T The thing that stands out the most about the majority of riding advice out there is that it isn’t necessarily wrong, it’s just given out of context. When you ride your bike there are thousands of decisions being made at any given time. The more experienced you are, the more of these will have become automated. This means that when you get to something complicated or difficult, the stuff that you’re now thinking about is being applied on top of these more important automatic functions, so saying things that are relevant to your riding might not be that helpful to someone else’s. P R E V I O U S E X AMP L E S In the previous issue we looked at “Keep your weight back” and “Pull on the bars”. Both of which are technically correct but, taken out of context by someone that doesn’t have a grasp of the bigger picture, neither of them are that helpful. Take “Keep your weight back”. There is a moment when an experienced, confident rider who is on an extreme feature is at full extension. At this moment they have their arms straight, and their hips are behind the saddle. However, they didn’t look like this on the way in, and they won’t look like this on the way out. They are in this shape because they anticipated the large range of motion by getting close to the bars on the way in, and their weight doesn’t feel like it’s forward or back. Their weight feels like it’s neutral. A much better way of explaining control on steep trails is “Make sure your body is close to the bars on the way in, let the bike move under you, and keep your weight neutral”. Saying “Pull on the Bars” when someone is struggling with drop offs is similar. If you look at a manual: the skill at the core of front wheel lifts, you push the bars away from you before hanging off the back. “Pull on the bars” should really be “Get low on the way in, swing your weight back, and drive it from underneath with your legs”. Keeping weight back comes as a result of anticpated range of motion Setting up a full extension demands getting close to the bars first What do riders mean by “push in the turns”? Focus on your range of motion and where you apply pressure, and you might unlock more than just corners

T E C H N I Q U E 76 mbr OCTOBER 2023 C L A S S I C A D V I C E NO 3:“ P U S H IN T H E T U R NS ( O R IN T O JUMP S )” If you talk to any decent rider about cornering or jumping, or watch videos on YouTube explaining the same, they all talk about pushing in the turn or jump. This is often accompanied with the person doing the pushing motion with their arms as they face you and explain. This is a huge part of the problem. When this information is received by any rider trying to improve their cornering, they think that the push is supposed to be quick, just like the person that was explaining showed them, and that it’s supposed to be with their arms. In actual fact it’s neither. The push that confident, composed riders are describing is with their legs, and it lasts all of the way around a corner, or all of the way through a jump. T H E F E E LIN G When you enter into a turn some of your forward momentum is driven heavy into the corner as you change direction. If you were going fast enough and you did nothing, then you’d collapse as that additional force gets driven through your arms and legs. If you’re not collapsing when you corner, then it’s because you’ve become used to supporting that additional force by resisting the increase as it happens. This is the ‘push’ that handy riders are describing. However, a lot of riders that are trying to do this consciously do it with their arms, and in doing so move away from the front of their bikes causing more instability as the corner progresses. T H E C O R R E C T T E C HN I Q U E The right way to push in a corner or jump is to resist that additional weight that comes with the change of direction. Being a bit lower on the way in will give you more room to move and mean you can make it last longer, and don’t try and do it all at once. Focus on your legs holding your bodyweight up and make the drive or push last the whole way round the turn or feature. This ‘pump’ should be enough to not only give you more traction, but also accelerate you out the other side. Done properly and smoothly, it will give you more control and make you faster on the way out. This also works when it comes to linking grippy parts of a trail together. We tend to refer to these as Grip Points because if you look for them, and focus on being heavy against them with a strong push from the legs, then you can link the smoother parts of a trail together, often missing out the rougher sections entirely. T H E C O N C L U S I O N The next time you’re tempted to tell one of your mates to “push in the turn”, why not explain it as “get low on the way in, push with your legs, and make sure the push lasts all the way through the turn”. 1 1 2 2 3 3 Notice how he’s driven all the way through to straight legs but his head is still in a committed forward attack position. He didn’t push with his arms at all Fi is starting in a great ready position here: legs straight, heels down, elbows out Here she’s setting up her hop with a maximum range of motion 100% push with the legs! Notice how her arms are still bent at the elbows maintaining a strong ready position If you want to perfect your push in turns, then why not refine your range of motion in speed hops. This might seem like a bit of a tangent to go off in, but if you have a powerful enough drive to get airborne in a speed hop, then you’ll be able to use that same push consistently in corners to generate traction and slowly wind up exit speed Andy has his head close to the bars here and his knees bent ready to push into the weight of the turn Andy is deliberately overdoing the grip at the back wheel to kick up the dust by pushing so hard with his legs that he slides through his available traction

T E C H N I Q U E 78 mbr OCTOBER 2023 Remember that dropping your outside foot all the way often limits how much you can move. Instead keep your knees bent, your feet relatively level with the trail and drive your outside heel

OCTOBER 2023 mbr 79 C L A S S I C A D V I C E NO 4:“ D R O P Y O U R O U T S ID E F O O T (IN C O R NE R S )” Dropping your outside foot, or pedal, in turns is something that we’ve all thought about. If you watch the world’s best riders they all seem to do it when they are hauling, and it makes so much sense for a number of reasons. It allows you to lean the bike, it keeps your inside pedal away from any chance of catching it on anything, it lowers your centre of gravity, and it locks you into traction in a way that feels helpful and secure. The problem with dropping your outside foot all the way down is that, when it’s the only thing you’re doing, it tends to make you rigid, stops any dynamic movement from being able to influence your grip, and locks you solid in such a way that, if your traction fades and your wheels start to slide, you slide away with your bike. It will also restrict how much direction your hips can influence. T H E F E E LIN G Having your outside foot all the way down on something like a road bike works really well because you’re not expecting the tyres to slide at all. You will have 100% grip all the way round a tarmac corner. The problem is that when you are mountain biking you never have 100% grip, and you need to be able to apply more grip at times, and come off that weight in order to stop it from sliding away from you at other times. Sometimes in the same corner! This ability to stay dynamic and increase or reduce the amount of weight that’s going through your bike in a turn is what gives us the control of soft, loose, or unpredictable ground. If you’re in a berm with consistent support all the way round then you don’t need to drop your outside foot at all, and instead refer to the pumping explained in the other part of this article. T H E C O R R E C T T E C HN I Q U E So do you drop your outside foot or not? I guess the answer is unless it’s a berm, yes, but in order to stay in control in a flat turn you need to be able to apply or reduce the amount of weight that is also going through the pedals. If you lock your outside leg out completely then you’re not going to be able to control this. Keep a bend at the knee when your foot is down though, and you’ll still be able to increase or reduce this pressure as required. We find that instead of thinking about dropping your outside foot, focus on dropping your outside heel. This will give you even more flexibility at the ankle and add to the amount of adjustment you have over the weight in a turn. It will also mean your hips are free to follow your upper body as you turn the bars. Keep your upper body connected to the front of your bike and your hips will follow. T H E C O N C L U S I O N The next time you hear someone say “drop your outside foot” think “stay connected with the front, keep a bend in both knees, and drop my outside heel.” NE X T I S S U E Hopefully these articles are helping to shed some light on how you already ride, how to better explain yourself, and how top riders make it all look so easy. Remember that if you are on the receiving end of any of this advice, then there’s a bit more to it than may first appear. And if you’re the one explaining skills to your friends, then a bit more context is always helpful. Keeping your upper body connected with the front of your bike, and using your hips to generate a change of direction, has benefits in other places as well. Here Andy uses this angulation to plan ahead for any loss of grip over the offcamber roots. Getting out of the habit of dropping your outside foot, and focusing on using your legs to apply pressure to the trail where you need it, will in turn allow you so much more dynamic movement elsewhere. Mastering your dynamic movement and speed hops means you can generate this pump or push anywhere – often linking parts of the trail together that might seem miles apart. Here Andy links two grippy parts together with a simple hop.

T here are so many massively competent trail bikes available right now that it takes something truly special to stand out. But within minutes of riding Forbidden’s new top-end Druid when it launched earlier this year, I was already plotting some kind of hostage scenario, just so I could keep hold of it for longer. Having already spent a ton of time on the original Druid, I was excited and intrigued to ride the second generation bike. V1 had some amazing traits but its extreme suspension approach made it hard to find a predictable dynamic balance. And while the high-pivot suspension gave it remarkable crawler grip on climbs, the rumble of the lower chain guide always felt like I was losing precious watts through the drivetrain. For the V2 Druid, Forbidden has dispensed with the lower guide altogether, so the chain runs cleaner and quieter over the larger 18-tooth idler. Forbidden has also moved the idler back and converted the suspension to an ‘inverted four-bar’. The old design was a single-pivot. This adds more anti-squat for a more positive pedalling response without the anti-rise going through the roof. The latest design gets a steeper seat angle for more pedalling poise on climbs too. Confused by the jargon? Don’t be. On the trail it translates to a significantly more predictable yet poppy ride than before. It’s still designed to be run at 35% sag for ridiculously supple traction, both in extension and compression phases of the suspension, but you’re not stuck there. As such, the Druid V2 dispenses with speed-killing slaps like no other 130mm rear travel bike I’ve ridden. It’s so effective that it feels like rocky or rooty sections are actually accelerating you, not slowing you down. And with the longer-reach numbers and a slacker head angle, carrying that free speed is easier on the nerves. Forbidden hasn’t gone too extreme with the geometry though, so the Druid still feels like a player, not a plough. Which is exactly what you’d hope for from a 130mm rear travel trail bike. That all added up to first ride impressions that were so giddy and Countless hours on the trails make this the ultimate test of performance as well as reliability LONG TERMERS 80 mbr OCTOBER 2023 I N T R O D U C I N G GUY’S FORBIDDEN DRUID GX AXS FX £7, 2 9 9 • M X o r 2 9 i n • f o r b i d d e n b i ke . c o m MONTH 1: The first version was already a great bike, but Forbidden has hit the ball out of the park with its radically different follow-up WHY IT’S HERE Can a raft of changes to the new Forbidden make it even better? THE RIDER GUYKESTEVEN Position Bounty hunter Mostly Rides Yorkshire Height 5ft11in Weight 70kg THE BIKE Q High-pivotidler trail bike with mixed 150/130mm travel Q Full 29in or MX build options Q Evolved ‘Inverted four-bar’ suspension design with idler Q Properly proportional geometry, with size-specific chainstay lengths Q Latest SRAM GX AXS T-Type Transmission Neat details on the all-carbon frame include the cable ports

IN THE SHED OCTOBER 2023 mbr 81 Scott Genius ST 900 Tuned £10,999 29in Pivot Firebird Pro £8,200 29in Norco Fluid FS A1 £4,399 29in Canyon Spectral:On CFR £9,349 Forbidden Druid V2 GX AXS FX £7,299 29/ 27.5in SPECIFICATION Frame Full V2 carbon, 130mm travel Shock Fox Float X Performance Elite Fork Fox 36 Float Performance Elite 150mm travel Wheels Industry 9 1/1 hubs, Crankbrothers Synthesis Enduro Alloy rims, Maxxis Assegai 3C EXO 29x 2.5in/Minion DHR II, 3C EXO+ 27.5x2.4in tyres Drivetrain SRAM GX T-Type 32t, 165mm chainset, SRAM GX T-Type AXS r-mech and 12-speed shifter, SRAM GX T-Type 10-52t cassette Brakes SRAM Code Stealth Silver, 180/180mm Components Burgtec Ride Wide Enduro Alloy 800mm bar, Burgtec MK3 Enduro 42.5mm stem, OneUp 180mm post, Fizik Terra Alpaca X5 saddle Sizes S1-S4 (S3 tested) Weight14.98kg (33.02lb) GEOMETRY Size ridden S3 Rider height 5ft11in Head angle 64.5° Seat angle 76.6° Effective SA 76.6° BB height 332mm Chainstay 452mm Front centre 807mm Wheelbase 1,259mm Down tube 755mm Top tube 628mm Reach 475mm 29in gushing that they seemed borderline unprofessional. But when bike test editor Muldoon told me he’d thought it was an almost perfect trail bike after his first ride, that confirmed to me that Forbidden was onto something truly special. Even better, he suggested I call in the latest GX AXS version of the Druid as my first mbrlongtermer since the 1990s. Hostage scenario defused, I was relieved and excited in equal measure. So here I am, picking up the new bike at Ard Rock Enduro, ready for a deep dive into its performance. Not just in terms of dialling in the Fox Performance Elite fork and shock, but also seeing how this radical design lasts long-term. Do the bigger idler and new bearings run smoother for longer, or is the extra cog going to be a drag? What difference will switching between the MX and 29er rear end options make? Is the storage hold under the belly any use? Are the battery position changes on GX the durability win they look like? What other test kit is going to suit it or spoil it? That’s what I’m going to spend the next 12 months answering, but what I do know already is that I’m seriously excited to ride a Druid again. SRAM GX T-Type shifter and gears are cutting edge Burgtec Enduro handlebar is the wide 800mm version Battery is hidden between the direct mount on latest GX AXS mech Chain now runs much quieter over the 18t idler gear

I N T R O D U C I N G SEAN’S NORCO FLUID FS A1 £ 4 , 3 9 9 • 2 9 i n • z y r o f i s h e r. c o .u k L O N G T E R M E R S 82 mbr OCTOBER 2023 THE RIDER SEANWHITE Position Freelance writer/tester Mostly rides Forest of Dean, Mid Wales Height 6ft 2in Weight 87kg THE BIKE Q 29ertrail bike with 130mm reartravel and a 130mm fork Q Ride Aligned proportional geometry with sizespecific chainstays Q Size options: S to XXL Q Shimano XT drivetrain and UDH hanger so also compatible with SRAM’s T-Type Transmission Q Bottle cage and tool/tube mount but no internal frame storage O K, I’ll put my hands up and admit it, I’ve jumped ships. As mbr'sofficial hardtail holdout I’ve been relentlessly championing rigid frames, with my previous mbr longtermers being an aluminium Nukeproof Scout 290 Pro followed by a steel Sonder Signal ST GX; both 29er trail hardtails with a strong following in the UK. So why the sudden switch? It was something bike test editor Muldoon said in passing. To paraphrase, he implied that always riding hardtails was holding my riding back. And you know what? I found myself nodding in agreement. So I’ve decided to go sprung at both ends for the next 12 months. After all, I’ve got a fully rigid steel bikepacking rig in the garage for less technical, mixed surface riding. After trawling websites and mulling over shorter travel (but not much lighter) down-country options I plumped for an aluminium trail bike, the Norco Fluid FS A1, with sparkling green paintwork and sizing that looked ideal. I’ve kind of been here before though. Back in 2012 I had a year on a Norco Shinobi, an early example of how good 29in wheels could be on a full-suspension platform. Things have moved on a lot since then, so it will be interesting to get a taste of this brand again and its take on the current trail bike category. Anyway, enough of the history lesson, let’s take a look at my new longtermer. The Fluid FS is Norco’s do-it-all trail bike with 29in wheels, 130mm of rear travel paired to a 140mm fork. This seems like the blueprint for many current full-suspension trail bikes and almost mirrors Norco’s carbon Optic model which also uses a 140mm fork but runs 125mm out back with a DH-tuned rear shock. Norco’s take on the Optic is that it’s ‘an aggressive short-travel sled that rips on descents and can get back to the top without a gondola’. DH, sleds, gondolas? That doesn’t really sound like me. The Fluid FS is pitched as more of an all-rounder but still sports geometry and sizing that’s comparable to the Optic, along with a robustlooking build kit, so it should be right up my street. And while Norco recently launched a carbon version of the Fluid FS, I’ve gone with the aluminium bike with the premium A1 spec. It gets a Fox Float 34 Factory fork with GRIP2 damper teamed up with a Float X Performance Elite shock, both offering plenty of tuning potential. And after countless hours on SRAM-equipped test bikes – including the new T-Type AXS Transmission – it’s going to be cool to see how the Shimano XT drivetrain performs and lasts. The rest of the spec is an interesting blend of Stan’s, TRP, Bear Pawls, Vittoria, SDG, E*thirteen and Fizik. All I’ve got to do now is get the Fluid dialled in with Norco’s ‘Ride Aligned’ set-up guide and I’m good to go. SPECIFICATION Frame 6061 Alloy, 130mm travel Shock Fox Float X Performance Elite Fork Fox Float Factory 34 GRIP2 44mm Offset, 140mm travel Wheels Bear Pawls 110/148mm hubs, Stan’s Flow S1 32h rims, Vittoria Mazza/Martello 29x2.4/2.35in tyres Drivetrain Praxis G2 Cadet M24, 30t, 175mm chainset, Shimano XT M8100 r-mech and 12sp shifter, Shimano XT 10-51t cassette Brakes TRP Trail EVO four-piston, 203/180mm Components E*thirteen aluminium 800mm bar, 6061 40mm stem (35mm clamp), SDG Tellis 200mm post, Fizik Alpaca Terra saddle Sizes S, M, L, XL, XXL Weight15.8kg (34.8lb) GEOMETRY Head angle 64.9° Seat angle 73° Effective SA 77.5° (@775mm) BB height 345mm Chainstay 440mm Front centre 845mm Wheelbase 1,285mm Down tube 775mm Seattube 460mm Top tube 650mm Reach 515mm MONTH 1: How much of an advantage can be gained from switching from a hardtail to a full-suspension set-up? WHY IT’S HERE Because it compares fullsuspension to a hardtail Fox Float X Performance Elite is a good all-rounder

L O N G T E R M E R S 84 mbr OCTOBER 2023 I n my first instalment last month I made a mistake, I said the Spectral:ON CFR had Shimano’s Auto Shift gearing. But that feature isn’t enabled on this bike because it runs a 12-speed drivetrain with a conventional Shimano HG+ cassette and Auto Shift requires the LinkGlide cassette and an 11-speed drivetrain. I was confused because the Canyon website says all the new Spectral:ON bikes with the updated Shimano EP801 motor have Auto Shift but, looking through the spec, none of them actually do. That doesn’t mean you can’t upgrade, but you will need to swap out some components and remap the software to make it work. Not straightforward then, but I’d still like to do it because one of the main reasons for getting this bike for a year was to test Auto Shift for that long. But we’ll see how that goes. The Spectral:ON CFR does have Free Shift enabled, which means I can shift gear without pedalling. It also has a Start Gear mode that lets the bike shift into an easier gear as you slow to a stop – ensuring you’re in your preferred gear when pulling away again. I have been fiddling around with this in the Shimano E-tube app because I initially set it to quite a low gear and the bike would start to shift up the cassette as I slowed for a corner. That can be a bit annoying, which is why I’ve been thinking about just turning it off. Obviously, there’s always a bit of mechanical setting up with any new bike. I’ve dropped the bars as low as I can because they are pretty high due to the cable routing going straight into the headset. There’s a stack of integrating plastic headset spacers, and the lower one has cutaways on either side for the cables, which means you have to leave it in place and cannot slam the stem. I’ve also shuffled the saddle forward on the rails because the Fox Transfer dropper does have a little bit more layback than most, plus with the slightly taller front end I want to get my weight forward. I’ve already ridden the bike dozens of times and it’s amazing. First ride, first descent and I was literally flat-out. The bike feels really dynamic and also powerful. The new Shimano EP801 motor definitely has more grunt because I’ve been with riders with the old motor and I’m always pulling away from them. The run time from the massive 900Wh battery is also insane. My only concern at this stage is that the bike feels a bit harsh. It has a carbon frame, a carbon handlebar and carbon wheels, so my first port of call is to fit a flexy OneUp aluminium handlebar to see if that mutes the trail feedback. PB'S CANYON SPECTRAL:ON CFR £9, 3 4 9 • 2 9/ 2 7. 5 i n • c a ny o n . c o m MONTH 2: There's no Shimano Auto Shift on the Spectral:ON CFR but that’s not holding it back THE RIDER PAULBURWELL Position Freelance writer/tester Mostly Rides The High Weald and Surrey Hills Height 5ft10in Weight 79kg THE BIKE Q Full carbon frameset, 160mmtravel fork and 155mm reartravel Q Shimano EP801 motor with AutoShift and upgraded 900Wh battery Q Mullet wheels and a chunky 2.6in tyre Q One-piece Canyon carbon bar and stem, full Reynolds carbon wheelset SPECIFICATION Frame CFR Carbon, 155mm travel Shock Fox Float X Factory EVOL 230x60mm Fork Fox 36 Factory GRIP2, 44mm offset, 160mm travel Motor Shimano 600W/85Nm Battery Canyon 900Wh Display Shimano SC EM8000 Wheels Reynolds TR309 E/ TR 367 E, Maxxis Assegai EXO 29x2.5in/Minion DHR II EXO+ 27.5x2.6in tyres Drivetrain Shimano STEPS 34t chainset, Shimano XT Di2 r-mech and 12sp Di2 shifter, XTR CS-M9101 12s 10-51t cassette Brakes Shimano XTR four-piston, 203/203mm Components Canyon:ON CP12 carbon one-piece bar and stem 780mm, Fox Transfer Factory 175mm-travel dropper post, Fizik Terra Aidon X5 saddle Sizes S, M, L, XL Weight 23.75kg (52.36lb) GEOMETRY Size tested L Head angle 65.1° Seat angle 70.3° Effective SA76.3° BB height 342mm Chainstay 440mm Front centre 830mm Wheelbase 1,270mm Down tube 761mm Seattube 460mm Top tube 620mm Reach 475mm WHY IT’S HERE Our E-bike of the Year now comes with Shimano's Auto Shift technology Spacer has a cutaway for cabling which stops you slamming the stem

OCTOBER 2023 mbr 85 JAMES’S PIVOT FIREBIRD PRO £ 8 , 2 0 0 • 2 9 i n • s a d d l e b a c k . c o .u k THE RIDER JAMESBRACEY Position Freelance writer Mostly rides South Wales Height 6ft 1in Weight 75kg THE BIKE Q 29er enduro race bike with 165mm rear travel married to a 170mm-travel fork Q Fourframe sizes, all with proportional chainstay lengths Q Flip-chip and an angleset-friendly 1.5in head tube offers plenty of adjustability Q Ready-to-race Pro spec with Fox Factory suspension, DT Swiss wheels and Maxxis EXO+ Assegaityres MONTH 12: James has had another blow-out, and it's not going to happen again... A healthy dose of Covid put paid to my riding ambitions for the middle part of this month but following on from my tinkering with the suspension last month I’m finding things a little more balanced and composed – well at least enough to cope with my poor line choices. Speaking of which, after yet another rear tyre destruction episode I’ve finally bitten the bullet and fitted a Double Down casing Maxxis DHR II on the rear with Nukeproof ARD insert to hopefully end my woes. Obviously I’m now going to aim for every sharp rock to see what happens with the insert. Tyre slashing aside, the Firebird continues to be one of the most reliable bikes I have ridden. I’d love to write about all the things that go wrong but fortunately it proves annoyingly difficult to find things to hate without really nitpicking the minutia. Take the press-fit bottom bracket for instance; normally an easy target to moan about, but over the last 12 months I have had zero issues with it. No creaking, no play, no undue drag – just boring, reliable performance. Testament to the quality of Pivot’s frame production. WHY IT’S HERE It’s a red-hot race bike BEN’S SCOTT GENIUS ST 900 TUNED £ 1 0,9 9 9 • 2 9 i n • s c o t t- s p o r t s . c o m MONTH 5: Ben masters the thumb dexterity needed to unlock all three suspension modes I n the 'Why it's here' blurb for my bike it says it’s because it’s the first Genius without the TwinLoc remote. Why is this such a big deal? Well, it’s because previous generation Scott Geniuses (Geniuii?) have always been hampered by Scott’s insistence that the lockout activates the shock and fork simultaneously, and that locked-out fork can actually hamper the bike’s ability to climb. So the new Genius, the ST version at least, gets the TracLoc remote instead, which looks the same but is only connected to the Float-X Nude shock. A less obvious benefit of the TracLoc remote is that it allows Scott to fit a top-spec fully adjustable GRIP2-damped Fox 36 fork for maximum performance and tunability. TracLoc has three modes: Climb (fully locked-out), Ramp Control and Descend (fully open). In the Ramp Control setting one of the two air chambers in the shock is closed, increasing progression and with it, the dynamic ride height, giving a little more pedal clearance on rocky climbs, without reducing traction. Initially I questioned the need for this mode as the bike climbs superbly even when in Descend mode. Being a relative featherweight really helps in that regard, but under power the Genius skips uphill quickly and calmly with little unwanted suspension movement. Ramp Control definitely tightens things up a little and I find myself using the lever much more than I ever thought I would as its light, smooth action and placement right next to my thumb makes it such a doddle to switch modes. At least once I stopped hitting the dropper remote by mistake. In fact, riding the Genius exclusively has really helped in that regard. THE RIDER BENSMITH Position Art editor Mostly rides Forest of Dean Height 5ft 9in Weight 76kg THE BIKE Q Scott’s rangetopping carbon trail bike with 150mm travel, paired with 160mm-travel Fox 36 Factory fork and no TwinLoc Q Fox Float X Nude shock is hidden in the frame forlow centre of gravity and ultra-clean lines Q 29in Syncros carbon wheels and chunky 2.6in Maxxis tyres Q High-end spec includes SRAM X01 AXS shifting and Syncros Hixon onepiece bar and stem WHY IT’S HERE Because it’s the first Genius without a TwinLoc remote Once you've figured out which lever to push it works a treat

I am not sure whether to laugh or cringe at Schwalbe’s latest tyre pun. And it’s not only the name that’s unconventional; the tyre itself comes at downhill performance from a whole new angle, which means it rides with a very distinct character. More on that later. Only coming in 2.4in width in two diameters, the Tacky Chan focuses on all-out speed for racing, whereas the majority of rivals target all-round grip and maximum braking traction first, with rolling pace a lesser concern. Key to prioritising more speed is a narrower width and shallower height than many DH tyres, along with a ramped lug design that’s more spaced out to save weight. Developed with the Commençal/Muc Off Team, the tread also targets steering precision, and has already chalked up over a dozen World Cup DH wins, including several by Amaury Pierron on his way to the 2022 overall World Cup title. The Tacky Chan is claimed to be around 8% lighter than the brand’s other main gravity tyre (Magic Mary) with a 10% increase in distance between centre lugs. Fewer rubber blocks around the crown shed weight for faster acceleration, as do lower – yet 20% stiffer – shoulder blocks. These edges see L-shaped lugs offset at a significant angle to the rolling direction (more exaggerated than a Magic Mary) and with more siping than other Schwalbe tyres, to better deform and connect to the dirt. Even with its reduced rubber ratio, the Tacky Chan isn’t exactly lightweight – this 29x2.4in Super DH model weighs well over 1,300g. The lower-profile tread has directional ramps for faster rolling and slightly wider lugs for improved braking traction, as well as a huge continuous grip channel between centre and side lugs. I’ve been told by a leading World Cup mechanic there are aerodynamic gains by not having extra lugs in the transition zone on the front tyre, and although Schwalbe isn’t claiming this in its literature, it could be a side benefit. The extra speed is noticeable too; I suspected a spaced-out tread pattern and high weight might bobble too much, but Schwalbe’s claims of fast rolling proved genuine. Heavy it may be, but the Tacky Chan has excellent turnover across flatter sections and on climbs, and not only rolls quickly, it also feels lighter to steer and change direction than many DH tyres. In fact, it’s this precise steering feel that really stands out from its rivals, which exhibit a shared sense of self-correction away from the straight ahead. So, riding no-handed on the Tacky is a bit of a weird sensation, as the aggressively-angled shoulder lugs want to carve either left or right (a bit like a ski with a side-cut to initiate turns). Unless you hold the bars dead straight, the tyre is constantly trying to tip onto one or other of the shoulder ‘rails’. This gives a very dynamic ride from side-to-side, especially from the front tyre. So you have to tell the Tacky Chan exactly what to do, really stuff it into YOUR TESTERS 86 mbr OCTOBER 2023 JAMIE DARLOW FRONT SECTIONEDITOR Fifteen years on mbr testing gear, bikes and trails, and editing the Hotstuff pages: JD’s product knowledge is as broad as it gets. MICK KIRKMAN CONTRIBUTOR Spent years racing BMX, then 4X and DH, and is still ultra-competitive, despite what he says. Has been testing bikes for two decades. PAUL BURWELL CONTRIBUTOR Elite-level XC racer turned trail schralper, been riding since Gary Fisher was a boy. Tested everything going, from Flexstems to auto shifting. SCHWALBE TACKY CHAN TYRE £ 6 8 .9 9 - £74 .9 9 (t e s t e d ) SPECIFICATION Weight: 1,340g (Super DH 29x2.4in) • Width: 60mm (2.36in) on 30mm internal rim • Casings: Super DH, Super Gravity, Super Trail • Compounds: Addix Ultra Soft (tested), Addix Soft • Sizes: 29x2.4in (tested), 27.5x2.4in • Contact: schwalbe.com corners, and keep a firm hand on the rudder at all times. Grip is phenomenal once you’ve settled onto the edge blocks, even at high lean angles, and rather than schralping across the dirt, the back tyre just seems to accelerate through corners the harder you push with your feet. I can’t think of another DH tyre that rails corners and cuts turns with such sharpness and support without breaking away. Braking control and mud clearing is also really good. I’ve had limited experience with the Tacky Chan in the wet, but its enthusiasm for turning can feel a little hectic in sloppy ruts, where it occasionally tries to ride up and out, rather than taking the path of least resistance. And on slippery, hardpack DANNY MILNER EDITOR Been hooked on mtbs since the late ’80s, and testing them for three decades. Dream ride? Lush Oregon singletrack. N EW P R O D U C T S

mbr ratings explained The scores on the doors OCTOBER 2023 mbr 87 1-4 5-6 Something’s wrong. It’s rare, but sometimes a product will have a design flaw or some other weakness that means we can’t recommend it. Steer clear. OK – one or two faults but it has potential. 7 Good – worth considering. 8 Very good – for the money, we’d buy it. 10 Simply the best – we couldn’t fault it. 9 Excellent – a slight mod or two and it might be perfect. clay it’s definitely less neutral than something like an Assegai. The Tacky Chan really needs loading with body weight to maximise all the grip on offer, but if you put in the effort, and trust in the tyre, cornering bite and hold feels pretty special. Being thinner than most 2.4in tyres also means there’s zero vagueness, so you know exactly where you are, but there’s less cushioning, and both casing and blocks are firm and supportive rather than squidgy and damped, which points to a tyre built for maximum grip and precision rather than comfort. It wouldn’t be my first choice for exploring a new riding spot, but for racing (whether DH or enduro), where the track is a known quantity, and a good result rests on achieving that one perfect run, I’d use the Tacky Chan in a heartbeat. It does feel like it might be able to gain you some extra seconds by really pushing its limits. The razor-sharp attitude won’t suit everyone though, especially if you like to float across terrain, rather than push into it at every opportunity. I also have my doubts about the tread pattern being forgiving enough or versatile enough for use in UK winters, when it’s greasy and slimy, because even though it sheds mud, it doesn’t respond well to being ridden in a loose and relaxed manner. Mick Kirkman PRO BIKEGEAR THARSIS 3FIVE STEM £ 11 9.9 9 SPECIFICATION Weight: 154g (35mm) • Sizes: 35, 45, 55mm • Rise: 0° • Stack height: 35mm • Contact: freewheel.co.uk Pro Bikegear’s previous Koryak 31.8mm stem was 3D forged and then CNC machined. As the name suggests, the new Tharsis 3Five comes in the bigger 35mm diameter but is only CNC’d, rather than starting with the forging process. Does that make a difference to strength or stiffness? Obviously forging makes the stem stronger, and you can trim some weight as a result, but in the grand scheme of things the Tharsis is only giving away around 30g to the Koryak. There may be some variance in terms of torsional rigidity if you put both stems on a jig, but I could detect very little difference in terms of steering precision on the bike. The Tharsis is made from a 7050-series grade aluminium, which is slightly tougher and has better corrosion resistance than the alloy used to make the Race Face Turbine tested last month, but the finish is not quite as slick and it’s already showing wear on the sharp edges. The Tharsis 3Five does come with a similar zero-gap faceplate, but the difference here is the faceplate is castellated and interlocks into the body of the stem. It’s easy to set up and I think it looks pretty neat. Pro opts for 4mm fasteners, but they’re also showing a slight amount of wear on the faces. Again, this doesn’t affect function, but it’s not something I’d expect so soon on a stem costing £120. It’s the price that is the biggest change from the original £60 Koryak, and also my main criticism. While the 35mm clamp size is arguably an upgrade, I’m not convinced you’re getting that much extra for twice the price. Paul Burwell

88 mbr OCTOBER 2023 N EW P R O D U C T S MADISON TARGET GLASSES £ 2 9.9 9 SPECIFICATION Weight: 29g • Frame colours: gloss red, crystal gloss, gloss black, matt dark grey • Lens colours: purple mirror, fire mirror, photochromic • Contact: freewheel.co.uk Madison sells some excellent-value own-brand eyewear with sharp, clear lenses that we’ve rated highly in the past. Such is the case with this sub £30 Target model, that proves you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to get good optics with impact and scratch-resistant lenses. The Target’s lens is also interchangeable, with two mirror lenses and a photochromic option available as upgrades. With a more conventional/casual shape, this model targets (if you’ll excuse the pun) both road and mountain biking, and is smaller than the new-school, widescreen-style mtb eyewear. The TR-90 frame is slightly flexible and twisty to help it return to its original shape if you accidentally sit on it, and the tips of the arm use rubberised gripper pads above the ears. There’s also a dimpled, flexible, nose bridge that can be squeezed to the shape of your face. Once you’ve fiddled with the fit, the Target stays really stable and plays nicely with helmet straps on two popular lids I tried. The lens has really good contrast and sharpness, and seems pretty durable, but I’m not the biggest fan of the shiny red frame, as it reflects stray light back onto the inside face of the lens – this can be very distracting when the sun is lower or light beams strobe through the trees. The glasses also sit very close to the face, to the point that they were only millimetres away from my eyelashes, and could easily get contaminated with sweat from the brow. I’ve also worn these on my road bike, where they work fine, but if you’re planning on doing more than just pottering around a trail centre, or going for a cruisy ride on a sunny day, a better option would be the excellent Madison Enigma glasses, which have a modern, widescreen look, a clear lens option for overcast days in the woods, and extra coverage and splash protection. The Enigma’s can get a bit steamy on wet and humid days, but they are an absolute steal at £29.99. The Target still represents excellent value, but it is better suited to recreational jaunts than hardcore trail and enduro rides. Mick Kirkman We’re big fans of the MT500 Burner Pant – it looks good and offers great durability and protection. The new Lite version is arguably better for trail riders though, because it's incredibly light at 268g, or nearly half the weight of the downhill pant. Part of the saving comes from the omission of the 3D moulded knee protection, and ratchet retention strap, instead the waist uses a standard popper and Velcro closure, with Velcro straps on either hip to dial in the fit. You’re still treated to a zip fly, something Endura could do away with to save even more weight, as Fox has done on the Flexair. The Burner Lite is made from four-way stretch fabric, but it’s thinner than the original Burner’s weave and the slimmer cut with less bagginess to the legs means there’s a lot less material overall. The shape of the Burner Lite is an improvement too; it’s not skintight like the Specialized Trail Pant, but there’s certainly nothing flapping in the breeze. Endura – with input from the Athertons – has sensibly made space for kneepads and there are zippered hand pockets on either side too. Pants are never going to be as breezy as shorts, but the Burner Lite comes closer to any I’ve tried thanks to the lightweight material, and laser-cut holes – there's a cluster at the side of the knees – to prevent you feeling clammy. Follow them round and there’s a stretchy, perforated mesh behind too that serves the dual purpose of adding comfort when pedalling, and sucking in air. I’m happy in the Burner Lite up to 20°C or so, which means I’ve been wearing them all this summer without problems. Thinner material is more susceptible to wear, and with no reinforcement around the seat, it’s only a matter of time before that becomes apparent. That said, I’ve used the Burner Lite for four months now without any signs of breaking through, and I’ve laid it down twice without tearing through the knees. Perhaps the nature of the pant as fair-weather workwear means it’s less likely to be rinsed in the first place. I’ve not ridden in rainy weather that makes a gritty, grinding paste on your saddle. The Burner Lite is cheap for a premium brand, and by today’s standards, at less than £100. The cut is excellent, it’s comfy, the length and width are perfect and it’s the most breathable pant I’ve worn. Jamie Darlow ENDURA MT500 BURNER LITE PANT £9 9.9 9 SPECIFICATION Weight 268g • Sizes: S-XXL • Colours: black, green, turquoise • Contact: endurasport.com

N EW P R O D U C T S 90 mbr OCTOBER 2023 Although a cheesy pun, the Hassle’Off from tubeless firm Milkit is super practical and does take the hassle out of trailside repairs. It’s a combo tool with an L-shaped stainless steel hex key with interchangeable bits, a chain breaker and a tubeless repair tool, all held in a flat wallet-style case. This can be either attached to the frame via the bottle cage bosses or wrapped to one of the frame tubes using one of the two slide-on straps. It’s also low profile and partially sealed from the elements. The tubeless tool comes with one of those sticky strings pre-installed, so to plug a hole all you need to do is pull it free and push into the tyre. There’s also a little pair of scissors to snip off the excess and several spares tucked into the handle. The interchangeable bits on the hex key are magnetised and included as standard are a T25 Torx and hex keys from 8 to 2.5mm. It’s great to see an 8mm, but I found it impossible to loosen a pedal – the typical component that uses this size of fitting. It’s just lacking in leverage. Like most multi-tools, you also use this L-shaped wrench to activate the mini chain breaker. This chain tool lacks a gate to hold the chain, or a second position for releasing a stiff link, but you do get split link storage on the tyre lever component. The Hassle’Off feels precise and accurate, but it’s really expensive for what you get. If you shop around, you can actually buy all of the same tools for less than half the cost, including a proper chain tool and bigger tyre lever. Admittedly, none will look as sleek as the Hassle’Off, but in the real world, you could easily ride for a whole year and never need to pull this tool from its holster. Paul Burwell MILKIT HASSLE’OFF TOOL € 9 9.9 5 SPECIFICATION Weight: 147g • 8 integrated tools • Contact: milkit.bike This new Ride Concepts Accomplice shoe is lightweight, and as comfy as your favourite pair of slippers. The mesh upper is soft and flexible and fastens securely with a wraparound BOA lace system, which is rapid to tighten/undo and doesn’t cause any hot spots across the top of your foot. The front portion of the Accomplice has a thick cushioned tongue, built-up toe bumper, and a reinforcing box to ward off impacts. The whole upper is stitched into an EVA midsole with just the right amount of thickness and flex to feel the pedal, without being so thin that feet get pummelled on rough descents or on long days pedalling. The sole uses the brand’s Max Grip rubber sole and tread pattern that meshes with all leading pedals’ pin designs. As a big fan of Ride Concepts shoes over the last few years, I had high hopes for this supercomfortable new BOA model. But, while I really liked the fit and invisible feel, and have been impressed enough with the grip and durability of the brand’s stickiest DST Max Grip sole in the past, I won’t be making the Accomplice my regular riding companion. Firstly, the Accomplice runs really hot, meaning my feet were constantly getting sweaty and craving air, even on days when it wasn’t that warm. The bigger issue, however, was the lack of sufficient grip and damping when interacting with the pedals. Each time Ride Concepts has sent a shoe for review over the last 18 months, I’ve sensed its grippiest sole was becoming very slightly less sticky and grippy. This new Accomplice continues this trend of reduced performance further, and the speckled tan sole no longer has as much grip and damping as I want or expect given the competition from the likes of Five Ten, Specialized, and Fox. Ride Concepts’ rubber was never as dull and squidgy as the latest Specialized 2FOs, but was very similar to a Five Ten Freerider Pro. Both RC’s and Five Ten’s shank isn’t too thick either, so there’s a good midsole balance between isolation from bumps while retaining enough feel for the pedal and no sense of being perched too high up. I reached out to Ride Concepts last time I reviewed its shoes about the decline in performance of its soles, and was told nothing had changed. The only likely explanation would be minor potential differences in production. That may be true to a degree, but I’m totally convinced that the sole here is more plastic-ey, less sticky and faster rebounding than the first-generation shoes I had after back-to-backing with an older pair. And other mbrtest riders that have tried the Accomplice have independently come to the same conclusions. RC no longer advertises the DST 4.0 Max Grip blend, so I’m not sure this latest sole uses the exact same formula. Or perhaps the speckled tan rubber is harder to eke as much grip or damping from as plain black, which is something I’ve heard from tyre manufacturers. Whatever the reason, the outcome is the same. While very comfortable, these Accomplice BOAs are overly hot, the upper is too flexible, and they don’t have the sole-to-pedal grip of the best flat shoes. Mick Kirkman RIDE CONCEPTS ACCOMPLICE BOA FLAT PEDAL SHOE £ 1 3 9.9 5 SPECIFICATION Sizes: 6-14 UK • Colours: black • Weight: 750g (size 43/UK 9) • Contact: silverfish-uk.com

92 mbr OCTOBER 2023 N EW P R O D U C T S Italian protection brand Dainese has been out of the mountain bike helmet game for 10 years, but it now has the new Linea range that has been developed with leading motorbike helmet manufacturer and sister brand, AGV. This 03 is the open-face model and it shares some design attributes with Dainese’s Linea 01 – currently the world’s lightest DH-certified full-face helmet. Available with or without MIPS, it hides a nylon exoskeleton within the expanded polystyrene (EPS) absorption layer for extra penetration resistance. This uses a design similar to the lattice you might have seen on Dainese’s body armour, where specially shaped segments are linked in an ‘auxetic’ layout. When stretched, auxetic structures expand in the perpendicular plane to the impact force. In other words, if an impact squishes the material in a vertical direction, the lattice strengthens across the horizontal plane. Dainese also dulls any pointy profiles on the helmet’s polycarbonate exterior that can accelerate impact forces through to the skull, and then tunes the EPS inside to best absorb impacts from different zones and angles. The flexible (adjustable) visor also bends easily to avoid accelerating forces or twisting loads in an impact. There are also two types of technology borrowed from snow sports embedded inside to help rescue services potentially find you and also access personal data like your blood group or next of kin information. On top of all the hidden safety features, the Linea 03 exterior looks similar to most extended-coverage mtb lids, although the more angular vents and unique-looking visor have more of a futuristic edge than most. When riding, thanks to a three-way height adjustment to the cradle, comfy absorbent padding – in three thicknesses to tune perfect fit – and a Fidlock chinstrap, the Linea lid sits nice and stable with deep-dished coverage that feels very protective. In hotter weather it remains light and airy and dumps heat well thanks to effective air channels across the top of the skull and the ears. I found it slightly less effective for cooling the brow than some lids that have bigger dedicated ports on the forehead. Perhaps because of that lack of cooling air flow, I found the forehead sweat pads occasionally got overloaded when working hard. This is a decent lid that’s loaded with safety tech and stays securely in place no matter how hard you ride, but it’s not among my favourite options at the asking price of £180. However, Dainese is now selling it for half price on its website, which makes it a much more compelling choice given the overall quality, finish and function. Mick Kirkman Do you really need an enduro-specific saddle? Pro Bikegear seems to think so and has just launched the MSN 1.3 Enduro. The obvious question is, is this different to any of the common or garden seats you could strap on to a race bike? Pro figures if you race enduro you’re going to be putting your saddle up and down more often, and to boost clearance when dropped, the company has made this saddle smaller. I’m not totally convinced this is an issue for racers, but the short length does offer a bit more tyre clearance with big 29er wheels, and it can also save a small amount of weight. Since there is less meat, Pro has trimmed some fat from the carbon-reinforced base and covered this with a durable PU cushion. The saddle is also offered in two widths, and to reduce pressure on those long liaison stages there’s a stress-relieving central channel. A slight rise to the rear adds something to push against when seated climbing, and there’s also a dropped nose for keeping the pressure off when winching up really steep pitches. The stainless-steel rails offer a good range of adjustment, which is handy since most of the length has been chopped from the front, and on my bike I really needed to shunt this saddle further forward. To improve the functionality in wet-weather conditions that Pro says Enduro racers are likely to encounter on those high elevation, big mountain rides, the saddle comes with a drainage port in the anatomic recess. Water does drain through this tiny port, but a big glob of mud can clog it quicker than you can say ‘the MSN 1.3 Enduro Saddle was comprehensively tested by the PRO Community Riders’. Over the years I’ve seen all sorts of discipline-specific saddles from downhill to all-mountain, and the only ones that really convince me are those for XC racing, and that’s only because they’re lightweight and every little bit helps when you’re sprinting for a place on the podium. At the end of the day, I believe you can use any saddle for any sort of riding, you just need to find one that fits and is comfortable. The Pro MSN 1.3 Enduro is only average in this department, but what’s really putting me off is the skyhigh price. You can buy the mbrtest-winning Specialized Bridge for £40 less. Paul Burwell DAINESE LINEA 03 MIPS+ HELMET £ 1 7 9.9 5 Specification Weight: 335g • Colours: white/black, nardo grey/black • Sizes: XS-S, M-L, L-XL (plus three pad sizes) • Contact: dainese.com PRO BIKEGEAR MSN 1.3 ENDURO SADDLE £ 11 9.9 9 SPECIFICATION Weight: 257g • Widths: 142 and 152mm • Contact: freewheel.co.uk

OCTOBER 2023 mbr 93 FIVE TEN TRAILCROSS XT FLAT PEDAL SHOES £ 14 0 SPECIFICATION Weight: 780g • Four colours • sizes 5.5-14.5 • adidas.co.uk The Trailcross XT is easily the grippiest flat pedal shoe Five Ten makes, the secret sauce being the latest Stealth Phantom rubber with a squidgy 55a compound and the usual dotty lug pattern. But despite having the most reliable pedal connection in the game, the original version wasn’t able to score a perfect 10 thanks to a host of little problems dragging it down. Two years later we have version two, with some changes the Adidas-owned brand hopes will make it your go-to shoe. Most obviously, the neoprene cuff has gone from the ankle. Five Ten told us it wanted to differentiate the Trailcross XT from the other two cuff-topped shoes in the range, the Mid Pro and GTX. More importantly, replacing the floppy wetsuit feel with a traditional padded cuff has added more stability and it no longer feels like you’re going to roll out the side of them. The original version held to the pedal like a barnacle, but failed to support your foot properly, with a subtle disconnect between you and the bike. The new cuff goes a long way to address that, and while it’s still not as planted and supportive a feel as the Freerider Pro, it’s pretty close now. Adidas plans to completely phase out the use of virgin polyester from its clothing and footwear by 2024, and the Trailcross XT is halfway there and made from 50% recycled content. Not that there’s much to it, the 780g weight is very low, while the mesh vamp and sides of the upper are incredibly breathable, and cooler than most other shoes. That also means hit any kind of puddle or even wet grass and you’ll instantly have a wet foot, but it does dry out reasonably quickly too. It’s comfy to walk or hike-a-bike in, although sizing is still slightly off - I’m squarely a UK10 but my toes touch the end of the Trailcross XT, so you need to upsize by a half. To Five Ten’s credit they do half sizes. It’s also narrow at the toebox and indeed all down the foot, so not ideal for flat-footed riders like me. If, however, you’re svelte of foot, tackle a bit of hike-a-bike, and you want maximum grip, the Trailcross XT is the one. Five Ten has done a decent job addressing the stability issues, and although it’s still not quite as supportive as the Freerider Pro, that’s made up for that with exceptional grip. Jamie Darlow TOPEAK SHUTTLE PRESSURE GAUGE £ 6 2 .9 9 SPECIFICATION Weight: 121g • Contact: extrauk.co.uk In its own right the Topeak Shuttle is a simple digital pressure gauge with Presta and Schrader compatibility, but it has a unique feature that allows you to attach it to any analogue track or mini pump. Not only does the donor pump get digital accuracy, it also benefits from the Shuttle’s wider adjustment range – it’s calibrated from 0-300psi. Obviously that range can only be accessed if the pump you’re fitting it to can inflate to those higher pressures. To attach the Shuttle to a third-party inflator it needs to have a thumb lock. This clamps onto a threaded spigot on the side of the Shuttle. There are two sizes to match the different Valve types in play, but of the pumps I tried it on, it always felt a bit wobbly and some even leaked. The Shuttle is also a big unit, so squeezing this between the spokes to inflate a mountain bike tyre can be a struggle. Used as a pressure gauge, the Shuttle works pretty well. It can easily clamp onto a valve stem using the meaty thumb lock, it has a bleed valve for backing off the pressure, and it can be converted to Presta or Schrader use by simply flipping round some internal components. Essentially the Shuttle is a jack of all trades, but the problem with a lot of these do-it-all products is the high cost. You can buy both our test-winning Bontrager Dual Charger floor pump and an Accu-Gage for the same money. Both are just as accurate and are analogue pumps so you’ll never need to replace a battery either. Paul Burwell

94 mbr OCTOBER 2023 Howwetest Since there is no consistency between sizes across brands and even within ranges, we ordered medium and large sizes of each glove and then tested the one that fitted the best. We also used two testers with different hand shapes because some of the pull-on gloves were hard to get on in the correct size. We looked for bunching in the palm, looseness or tightness in the thumb and fingers and sent dozens of texts to check the touchscreen compatibility. We also weighed all the gloves and assessed the wear on the palm and the collar, especially on the pullon collars because some often split there. U S E D & A B U S E D F ull-finger gloves are part of most trail riders’ uniform, but there’s also a very practical reason to wear them – they protect your hands. You get reinforcement on the back, which is helpful when riding through spiky vegetation, and padding on the palm, which can lessen the impact force and abrasion should you have a close encounter with terra firma. Full-finger gloves function as a second skin, which keeps grip levels high as palms get sweaty, and can stop blisters if you’re just Full-finger gloves protect your hands while enhancing comfort and control, so choosing the right pair is a low-cost win – we put a dozen well-known brands to the test Words: Paul Burwell Photos: Olly Curtis G R O U P T E S T starting out, or calluses if you’ve been around the block. Some use smart materials on the key impact areas, get perforated palms to enhance breathability, and also feature touchscreen compatibility for those impromptu trailside selfies or route checks. Like most apparel, there is an overwhelming choice of gloves on the market. Established brands offer reliable performance for the most part, and with prices relatively low, mistakes aren’t as costly as they can be with garments like shoes and helmets.

OCTOBER 2023 mbr 95 JA R G O N B U S T E R Knowyour gloves UNDER-WRIST CLOSURE This removes bulk from the fold at the top of your wrist and is less likely to get snagged when riding through overgrown trails. STRAPLESS DESIGN Trail gloves have either a small Velcro securing strap/tag, or simply pull on using the stretch of the fabric. The latter are generally tighter, so a reinforced pull is essential. SWEAT WIPE AKA a snot/grot wipe. Does what it says on the tin and wipes away sweat. It’s usually a strip, or patch, of Terry Towelling material running the length of the thumb. SIZING With zero sizing consistency across brands, our advice is to ignore the label completely and try before you buy. SHAPED FINGERS Your fingers are not perfectly straight, so the fingers of your gloves should not be either. Ergonomically pre-shaped fingers prevent bunching, improve the fit and cut bulk. TOUCHSCREEN COMPATIBILITY An essential feature on any glove. It consists of a special material or patch on the thumb and forefinger that lets you activate your phone without having to remove the glove first. Often works better in theory than in practice.

96 mbr OCTOBER 2023 The Dainese HGR MTB is the slightly more expensive twin brother of the Fasthouse Speed Style Blaster. It uses a similar ripstop style material across the entire back, but rather than a localised knuckle duster, it has a latticework of interlocking TPR panels to protect you if you get whipped by branches, or end up surfing the trail using your hands as a brake. On the palm, Dainese uses a lightweight and incredibly breathable polyester, which initially seems incredibly flimsy, but it is coated with a hard-wearing polyurethane on the high-wear areas. The fit is a little loose, and we noticed some bunching when grasping the grips, but the fingers have a nice taper and overall shape. The thumb and forefinger are also touchscreen compatible. The glove has a really long cuff, which not only keeps out draughts, it’s also unlikely to get pulled up in a crash. It also has a gusseted Velcro closure, which opens fully, and means you don’t have to fight your way into this one. Dainese also includes a Hook Button with this glove that allows you to attach it to a compatible trouser/short. We have Dainese trousers, but this is a total gimmick and something we never used. While high on protection, Dainese demands a high price for the HGR, and the fit is not quite as snug as the best gloves on test. The Endura MT500 is the first glove we know of to feature a D3O knuckle duster. This smart material is flexible in normal use but when you hit something it stiffens, helping dissipate the impact energy and reducing the transmitted force. It’s also expensive and contributes to the high price, but is the knuckle the right place for it? When you catch your hand on a tree it’s usually the pinky that takes the impact, and if you crash it’s the heel of the hand that gets all the abrasion. That said, the MT500 does feel well protected, and has by far the best fit around the wrist of any glove on test. This shaped cuff sits really flat, even with the inverse Velcro strap pulled tight. On the back there’s a four-way stretch, ripstop material. On the front is a synthetic leather palm. Although the MT500 has heavily-shaped fingers with Lycra webs between them, it’s not tight-fitting and bunches up when you grab the grips. There’s silicone on both braking fingers and touchscreen tech on three. While the fit and ride feel is not the best here, the MT500 is a substantial glove that we think would be perfect for crisp and dry winter rides. The D3O tech is a nice touch, but it comes at a price. DAINESE HGR MTB £ 4 4 .9 5 SPECIFICATION Weight: 64g (pair) • Sizes: XXS-XXL • Contact: windwave.co.uk ENDURA MT500 D3O £ 4 9.9 9 SPECIFICATION Weight: 58g (pair) • Sizes: XS-XXL • Contact: endurasport.com

OCTOBER 2023 mbr 97 Not quite the master blaster, but with its EVA knuckle duster, this is definitely a glove for the trail warrior. It’s constructed from a four-way stretch ripstop material, has a reinforced thumb gusset, moulded neoprene cuff, and a heavy-duty wrist strap, so it never felt like it was in danger of falling off when riding. The strap is also anchored underneath the wrist, keeping it safely out of the way when slashing through overhanging ferns and bracken. The fit of the Clarino palm is not quite as snug as the 100% Geometric, so it bunches up as you close your hand, but it is perforated for breathability. The fingers get expanding gussets to increase articulation, silicone patches to enhance traction, and the glove is Touch Tech-ready on the forefinger and thumb for those mid-ride selfies. The glove lacks a sweat wipe, though. Blaster by name and blaster by nature – this is a glove for aggressive riding, short bursts at full tilt. It’s more substantial than most and, while we don’t really see the point of protecting all of the knuckles, the Blaster is one of the best-constructed and hardest-wearing gloves on test, which does go some way to offsetting the high cost. Fist Handwear ranges its gloves in Chapters and then colours. This is the lightweight Chapter 21, and the colour is the brand new and totally over-the-top Ride High. It’s built using a sublimated four-way stretch fabric with spandex finger gussets and a single-layer Clarino palm. It’s not the lightest or the best-vented glove here, but it is warmer than most, making it good even for winter rides. The fit is a little basic – there’s not a lot of shaping in the fingers, and they also don’t sit straight. The palms bunched slightly when grabbing the grips, and after only one ride they were already showing signs of wear. On the flip side (literally), the fit on the back is tight and it has a solid Velcro strap that anchors discretely underneath the wrist. Both the thumb and forefinger are touch-screen conductive, and the silicone finger printing adds a bit of purchase when hauling on the anchors, but again that has started to peel off on our sample. You look at your gloves constantly when riding, so why not look at something nice? In that department, First Handwear gives you options, about two dozen of them. This is a warm and comfortable mitt, it could just do with a better fit at the finger and a slightly harder-wearing palm. FASTHOUSE SPEED STYLE BLASTER £ 3 4 .9 9 SPECIFICATION Weight: 72g (pair) • Sizes: S-XXL • Contact: fasthouse.co.uk FIST HANDWEAR CHAPTER 21 £ 3 2 .9 9 SPECIFICATION Weight: 60g (pair) • Sizes: XXS-XXL • Contact: freewheel.co.uk

98 mbr OCTOBER 2023 Fox makes a huge range of gloves and we’ve picked the Defend Race because it’s mid-pack in terms of weight and build. It uses a four-way stretch polyester construction with a grid of(synthetic rubber) TPR dimples directly moulded into the material to boost abrasion protection. The palm is a single layer of Clarino that’s fully perforated. There’s more TPR on fingertips and thumb, which we’re assuming is to stop your fingers slipping off the brake lever and to generally create a bit more traction without adding bulk. Both main digits are touchscreen compatible. The Defend Race gets a comfy, semi-moulded cuff with a gusseted hook and loop closure. The strap wraps underneath, so it is out of the way, and getting into this glove is so easy, but the strap could be a little longer, because if you do catch it on something, it can pull open a little too easily. While the palm feels thin, it does bunch up when you wrap your hand around the bar. The fingers are not shaped, so they can feel a little bulky too. The Defend Race is well made, offers good protection, and is easy to get into, but the fit and feel is a little slack. That said, Fox has this glove discounted on its website (although that is also true for a lot of gloves in this group test). At full price it’s decent, but at 35% off it’s definitely way more attractive. The Giant Transfer is a lot like the TSG Slim in terms of construction, weight and ride feel. The back uses a lightweight stretchy mesh fabric that Giant says has TransTextura technology (a sort of mechanical texture) to help wick away moisture and speed up drying. It does work, but the material feels fragile, and is sporting a few cuts already. The single-layer palm is equally lightweight, and is fully perforated. There’s a little bit of extra reinforcement in the grip area, but it’s a pretty loose fit, and there’s quite a lot of bunching in the palm. The fingers have spandex fourchettes, but again they don’t sit straight and are loose at the fingertip. To mop up sweat, the Transfer has a large fleece microfibre thumb insert, but you can also use the back, because it’s pretty soft against skin and it does dry really quickly. Both the thumb and forefingers get WireTap Touch technology, but there’s no silicone on the fingertips to aid braking traction. The Transfer is incredibly lightweight and easy to pull on. It’s also good value and we quite like the stealth black, but there’s a lack of sizes, it sits too low at the cuff, and it feels loose and baggy in all the wrong places. FOX DEFEND RACE £ 3 9.9 9 SPECIFICATION Weight: 52g (pair) • Sizes: S-XXL • Contact: foxracing.co.uk GIANT TRANSFER £ 2 6 .9 9 SPECIFICATION Weight: 34g (pair) • Sizes: S-XL • Contact: giant-bicycles.com

100 mbr OCTOBER 2023 The Leatt MTB 3.0 is so light it’s almost like you’re not wearing a glove at all, but Leatt boosts ride feel by using its MicronGrip palm material. This is ultra-thin, but it moulds easily to the contours of your hand and offers an unparalleled level of grip, both in the dry and wet, and for such a thin layer, it also wears extremely well. To keep the weight low, the MTB 3.0 Lite is a pull-on design, but pulling it on is really tricky – we went up a size and it was still a struggle. The glove has a sort of moulded cuff with a reinforced tab, but it gets baggy when you’ve wrenched it on a few times. It also sits a little high when riding, exposing skin in this area. Like all the best gloves, the MTB 3.0 Lite fingers are shaped and articulated, although there is a slight amount of bunching at the bottom. The back gets a 3600-stretch material with CE tested Airflex impact gel protection on the knuckles, with a small sweat wipe on the thumb. The whole palm, including the fingers, is touchscreen compatible. The MTB 3.0 Lite also comes in two dark colours if you don’t want the one-hit white. For such a lightweight glove there are a lot of features crammed into the MTB 3.0. It’s tricky to pull on, but the fit and feel are superb. Muc-Off is better known for its bike cleaners, but it also has a range of riding apparel, including two trail gloves – one of them simply called Rider. It’s a strapless design built using a four-way stretch polyester. Silicone print on the synthetic palm and fingers to enhance grip, and both the finger and thumb are touchscreen sensitive. For hot, hard rides it has an absolutely huge sweat wipe for mopping up perspiration. Sizing for a medium is generous, making it easy to pull on, even when your hands are clammy. However, there’s zero shaping in the fingers and palm, so there’s quite a bit of bunching, which creates an uncomfortable ridge across the centre of the glove. The poor fit also means the glove pulls clear of the wrist when riding, and this only got worse as it bedded in. The Rider has all the same features as some of the best gloves on test, but it doesn’t feel as well built and the palm also showed signs of wear after a single outing. Muc-Off currently has this glove on sale for a third of the price, just not in this pink and black Bolt colourway. At £10, it’s an absolute steal, but at full price, there are better fitting and performing gloves on test here. LEATT MTB 3.0 LITE £ 3 8 SPECIFICATION Weight: 32g (pair) • Sizes: S-XL • Contact: hotlines-uk.com MUC-OFF RIDER £ 2 9.9 9 SPECIFICATION Weight: 84g (pair) • Sizes: XS-XXL • Contact: muc-off.com