4th generation RocketMAX from Cotic is here to serve as our testbed for the harder hitting equipment we need to thrash.
Ben Haworth
185cm tall. 73kg weight. Orange Switch 6er. Saracen Ariel Eeber. Schwalbe Magic Mary. Maxxis DHR II. Coil fan.
Things you’re no longer allowed to like in mountain biking
This is a rundown of all of the things that the Mountain Biking Illuminati has recently outlawed. Cancel culture MTB, if you will.
FGF 602: We Mean It Maan Edition
Please try and keep those forelocks untugged for a few more days as we delve into the People's Republic of Fresh Goods.
All new RockShox… everything, pretty much
For 2023, RockShox has rejigged the Pike, the Lyrik, the Zeb, the Deluxe, the Deluxe Coil, the Super Deluxe and the Super Deluxe Coil.
3 Things Thursday: Riding Glasses
Hannah and Benji sit outside in the relative sunshine to discuss the whys and wherefores of riding eyewear.
Singletrack Unscripted – Talking About… Tyres
Know the complexities of thought that go into tyre choice, what makes a good tyre; why one might be good sometimes and not others.
Ridgecrest Waterproof Gilet review
Not a waterproof jacket. Not a windproof gilet. The Ridgecrest Waterproof Gilet is something of a unique proposition.
#NewTyreDay: Specialized Cannibal rubbers revealed
The Buttery Brothers (explanation below), Loic Bruni and Finn Iles, have been riding this new Specialized Cannibal gravity tyre.
FGF 601: Fort Bill is Back Edition
We're all just clockwatching today - yes, even more than normal - because it's Fort William Weekend once more!
Details of the new Cotic RocketMAX Gen4
The headline news about the Cotic RocketMAX Gen4 is a move to new way of frame sizing. Or at least a new way of naming frame sizes. Cotic RocketMAX Gen4 nutshelled 4th generation of Cotic’s flagship big travel bruiser Steel frame (apart from alloy chainstays)…
Atherton AM.150.1 first ride review
Does the 150mm travel Atherton AM.150 mountain bike offer something that's unachievable via more traditional construction methods?
Long-awaited Glentress development begins next week
A bit of a heads-up about some restrictions that will be in place as of May 16th. And a quick reminder about what's in the pipeline.
FGF 600: At Least We Made It This Far Edition
As real life feels more and more like the opening fifteen minutes of Threads (sorry!), let's console ourselves with some product gawping.
Follow Joe Smith’s build-up to Red Bull Hardline
The video below is the first episode in a series of edits. Follow Joe as he goes through the off-season and into the race season.
Race Face Aeffect R flat pedal goes bigly
At a whopping 110 x 115mm the new Race Face Aeffect R flatties are 25% larger than the regular Aeffect. Ten pins per side. Six colour choices.
New Danny MacAskill edit: Do A Wheelie
Danny's always worth a worth isn't he? The MacAskillster's latest vid is called Do A Wheelie. We would if we could.
Hoffman and Hart win at Fort William National DH Series
With less than two weeks to go until the MTB World Cup hits Fort William (May 21-22), here's how this weekend's racing went down.
Fresh Goods Friday 599: Democracy Inaction Edition
We hope everyone (in the UK at least) is recovering from the white heat of excitement that comes with taking part in western democracy.
Still riding North Shore in her 70s
Back in 1993 Betty Birrell had a go at mountain biking. She was 45 years old. Now she's 73 and can still more than hold her own.
Do you agree with this tyre pressure calculator?
Goodyear have some new tyres out - the Newton MTF and the Newton MTR. They've also got a new online tyre pressure assistant. From our preliminary messings about, it seems pretty useful.
50 years of Merida pushbikes
Who doesn't love a good ol' trip down a mountain biking memory lane, hey? Let's look back over the last 50 years of Merida...
Fresh Goods Friday 598: Bluebell Search Edition
Hannah is back from the USA in body but not mind. She keeps waking up in the night convinced she’s still camping out in some California woodland, or jerking awake as dry ground skids underneath her tyres. Perhaps she needs a new mattress. Charlie is…
YT Capra Core 2 review: doing it for the lolz
After the carbon launch models, then the aluminium Uncaged versions, here is the more affordable alloy YT Capra Core 2.
£290 saddle: Specialized Power Pro with Mirror
The new Specialized Power Pro with Mirror is not for inspecting your undercarriage at leisure, it's a honeycomb 3D printed saddle.
Switchcraft Cycles: simple but not ordinary
Switchcraft Cycles is Jakub Junek. Hailing from the Czech Republic and specialising in steel machines with really short back ends.
Canyon Strive CFR: Shark Attack’s hacks maxed
EWS beast and all-round ace human Jack Moir has been a big influence on the new Canyon Strive CFR. His race mods have all been 'made flesh'.
Santa Cruz Megatower 2 joins the downtube storage gang
The new Santa Cruz Megatower 2 remains a big travel 29in wheel enduro bike with the most progressive geometry to date. And a Glovebox.
Review: Adidas FIVE TEN Freerider Pro
This review featured as part of the Kit Essentials grouptest in issue 142 of Singletrack World. Predictable winner that still has few real rivals Price: £130.00 From: adidas.co.uk Tested By: Benji The Pro version of the iconic Five Ten Freerider is a very different beast…
Review: Bontrager Flatline Shoes
This review featured as part of the Kit Essentials grouptest in issue 142 of Singletrack World. Never mind the grip, feel the feel Price: £124.99 From: trekbikes.com Tested By: Benji The Flatline has been out a few years now, but we don’t see very many…
Review: Endura MT500 Burner Flat
This review featured as part of the Kit Essentials grouptest in issue 142 of Singletrack World. Sturdy, sticky and race-focussed Price: £119.99 From: endurasport.com Tested By: Benji There is plenty of ‘white coat scientist’ tech in the upper and the insole of the MT500 Burner…
Review: Ride Concepts TNT Shoe
This review featured as part of the Kit Essentials grouptest in issue 142 of Singletrack World. The flattie fan’s winter boot Price: £145.00 From: silverfish-uk.com Tested By: Benji Though I’m loath to say the words ‘Five Ten’ any more than I already have, I have…
142 Bike Test – The Big Short
Benji ponders the meaning of ‘short’ as he rags these three not-long travel bikes round his local trails. What is short travel? Too short? Short enough? Shorter than what? What is the average travel of A Mountain Bike in 2022 anyway? It’s hard to say.…
Review: Cotic FlareMAX Gen4
The Cotic FlareMAX Gen4 is reviewed in Issue 142 Bike Test – The Big Short. Gen4 means fourth generation. This is the fourth iteration of Cotic’s shorter travel (125mm) full suspension bike. As with most Cotic bikes, although there are preset complete builds available, a…
Review: Giant Trance Advanced Pro 29 1
The Giant Trance Advanced Pro 29 1 is reviewed in Issue 142 Bike Test – The Big Short. The Trance has been in the Giant line-up for a long time now and the Trance Advanced Pro 29er is the most recent incarnation. Designed as a…
Review: YT Izzo Core 3
The YT Izzo Core 3 is reviewed in Issue 142 Bike Test – The Big Short. The YT Izzo came out a couple of years ago and made waves principally because it was a bike from YT that wasn’t overtly aimed at the enduro or…
Five brand new tyres from Continental
Say hello to The Family 'Tal! The Xynotal, Kryptotal Fr & Rr, Argotal and Hydrotal are a massive revamping for Conti's mountain bike tyres.
Crankbrothers Highline 11: yes, that’s a carbon stanchion
The latest Crankbrothers Highline 11 bum bling uses a carbon stanchion (or 'quill'), a carbon head and oh-so-desirable titanium bolts.
Fox 36 gets new crown, more steerer overlap
The iconic Fox 36 receives a new crown with more steerer tube overlap improved stiffness and durability (whilst shaving 20 grams).
Orange Switch 7 : Linkage bike from Orange unveiled
The Orange Switch 7 is a 170mm travel MX wheeled enduro bike using a linkage-driven trunnion shock, mounted low in the frame.
Ortlieb Seat-Pack QR: best saddlebag ever?
The new Ortlieb Seat-Pack QR is a waterproof saddle bag with ingenious quick-release mounting. Just what you need for a bit of bikepacking.
Things The Bike Industry Will Try To Sell Us This Year
Call us cynical, or call us highly informed industry insiders with our fingers on the pulse. But we think the marketing departments of the bike industry are going to find new ways to sell old things. As component shortages continue, companies will seize the opportunity…
New downcountry and trail bikes from Last
The Last Celo and Last Asco use the same essential frame but with different suspension and build kits.
Factor launch their first ever mountain bikes
The Factor Lando XC full suspension bike and the Factor Lando HT hardtail are outright XC race machines designed to go the (long) distance.
Lazer KinetiCore offers new type of rotational impact protection
Lazer KinetiCore doesn't use a slip liner or stuck-on elastomery things. It uses an internal crumple zone array.
Nicolai Saturn 16: did someone say water bottle?
The Nicolai Saturn 16 is a new development for the German marque and is designed to sit between the Saturn 14 ST trail bike the big G1.
WTB Volt saddle review: safe bet for biking bums
The WTB Volt saddle is not a new saddle. New aesthetics aside, the shape and construction remain unchanged. Thank heavens for that!
Fresh Goods Friday 593: Sunland vs Iceland edition
I would write a slightly longer introduction to this week's FGF but... the sun's out. I'm off out on my bike to ride all the trails that have been off-limits-soggy since November!
Lapierre XRM and XR: Cross Down Country
Lapierre XRM bumps the rear travel up to 110mm and sports a 120mm travel fork up front. The XR still rocks yer 100mm of XC just-enoughness.
50 minutes of Reece Wilson: The Flying Scotsman
To help tide us all over until World Cup racing resumes, here's a 50 minute film detailing Reece Wilson's 2021 season.
Fresh Goods Friday 592: Too many birthdays edition
What is it with March? It seems like it’s someone’s birthday every day. Well, obviously it is someone’s birthday every day, every day. But you know what I mean. Don’t you? Maybe it’s just me [Benji]. Can everyone stop having birthdays in March please? It’s…
New Uncaged versions of YT Decoy MX and Capra MX
The Decoy and Capra Uncaged 9 bikes are basically Öhlins equipped (RXF 38 m.2 fork and TTX 22m shock) limited edition models.
