Travis Engel Archives - şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Online /byline/travis-engel/ Live Bravely Tue, 29 Nov 2022 17:42:08 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 https://cdn.outsideonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/favicon-194x194-1.png Travis Engel Archives - şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Online /byline/travis-engel/ 32 32 Editor’s Choice: Privateer 141 Mountain Bike /outdoor-gear/bikes-and-biking/privateer-141-mountain-bike-outside-editors-choice-2022/ Fri, 27 May 2022 13:00:57 +0000 /?p=2583356 Editor’s Choice: Privateer 141 Mountain Bike

From the park to the podium, the Privateer 141 does it all

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Editor’s Choice: Privateer 141 Mountain Bike

This is not the most glamorous bike released in the past year. It’s not the lightest or the sleekest. There’s no new linkage design or innovative carbon technology. In fact, there’s no carbon at all. Privateer does things differently. The rider-driven company makes no-nonsense aluminum-framed bikes that you could buy and immediately enter a race with. It’s in the name—a privateer racer is one without a sponsor. There are only two spec levels and no fancy frills—just performance where you need it. We tested the ($4,379 and up), named quite plainly after its rear travel. As far as travel for trail bikes goes, 141 millimeters is somewhere mid-pack, but there’s nothing mid-pack about the rest of this bike. It’s got the head angle of an enduro bike (64.5 degrees), the wheelbase of a downhill bike (1,266 millimeters in size large), and the seat tube angle of an office chair (over 78 degrees). When we looked at these rather extreme numbers and the equally extreme silhouette, testers worried the 141 would be a hard bike to get along with. But get it on the trail, and it makes magic. It climbs comfortably and efficiently, and—if you’re used to the slackening that bike geometry has undergone in recent years—it’s not unwieldy at low speeds. But surprisingly, it’s not unwieldy at high speeds either. With moderate travel and immoderate geometry, all signs pointed toward this bike being an experts-only affair. But all testers, with varying appetites for gnar, came away satisfied. The Privateer 141 allowed each of us, at our own levels, to first get comfortable and then get rad. And though Privateer delivers this for a price that’s far from low, every tester owns a bike that costs at least twice as much, and every one wanted to take this bike home.

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The Best Men’s Mountain Bike Apparel of 2022 /outdoor-gear/clothing-apparel/best-new-mens-mountain-bike-apparel-2022/ Fri, 27 May 2022 13:00:52 +0000 /?p=2583360 The Best Men’s Mountain Bike Apparel of 2022

Rigorous testing was no match for these pieces

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The Best Men’s Mountain Bike Apparel of 2022

They say good design is invisible, and that’s especially true in today’s mountain bike apparel. We’re more comfortable, better prepared, and, let’s be honest, better-looking than we’ve ever been, and it’s often thanks to small touches that make a big difference. That’s what we were looking for when putting together our list of the best riding clothes of 2022. Our testers have been on the trail since the old days, when four-way stretch was something you did to limber up before a ride. So we notice when brands manage to make good gear even better. After a season of riding in the best the industry has to offer, these are our favorites. Now get dressed—the van is leaving.

Specialized Trail Supima Jersey ($65)

Specialized Trail Supima Jersey
(Photo: Courtesy Specialized)

This may look like any old T-shirt, but it elevates casual cycling apparel to pajama-level comfort. The fabric is made of long-fiber pima cotton that yields thinner yarn and softer, more breathable material without sacrificing strength. (XS–XXL)


Giro Havoc Pants ($170)

Giro Havoc Pants
(Photo: Courtesy Giro)

After a winter riding in cool-weather pants, testers were glad to see the lightweight Havoc. The DWR-coated nylon-elastane blend deflects water and brush but lets the breeze right in. The relatively slim fit offers room for lightweight knee pads, and the tapered cuffs have yet to catch a chainring. (30–40)


Leatt MTB Gravity 4.0 Jersey ($70)

Leatt MTB Gravity 4.0 Jersey
(Photo: Courtesy Leatt)

This slim-fit jersey employs a barely-there polyester-spandex blend with perforations that channel the slightest breeze straight to the skin. Though the Leatt doesn’t claim any measureable UPF rating, the shirt’s long sleeves do offer some sun protection on hot days and even feature brush-protection panels on the elbows. (S–XXL)


Sponsor Content
Yeti Cycles TURQ Range Anorak Jacket ($150)

Yeti Cycles TURQ Range Anorak Jacket

Lightweight packable protection against the elements. The Yeti Cycles TURQ Range Anorak Jacket packs down into its own stuff sack that fits in a pocket. Perfect for traveling light and still having all the coverage you need.


Rapha Trail Cargo Bib Liner Shorts ($135)

Rapha Trail Cargo Bib Liner Shorts
(Photo: Courtesy Rapha)

We felt Rapha’s years of refinement in the Cargo Bib. Think: a not-too-thick chamois, a contoured on-bike fit that won’t restrict your riding position, and wide shoulder straps with a high back that prevents neck hot spots. The two rear cargo pockets are a little hard to reach, but deep and secure. (XS–XXL)


100% Celium Shorts ($129)

100% Celium Shorts
(Photo: Courtesy 100 Percent)

We didn’t think a Boa dial could take the place of a waist snap until we tried these shorts. With no clumsy Velcro adjustment tabs and no zippered fly, the Celium is all business. The stretchy, light nylon-spandex fabric is cut just baggy enough to fit over slim trail knee pads, and the stitched and taped seams hold strong but still feel nonexistent. (28–38)


Norrøna Fjøra Flex1 Shorts ($139)

Norrøna Fjøra Flex1 Shorts
(Photo: Courtesy Norrøna)

Though not heavy-duty, these are more substantial than most mountain-bike shorts, thanks to a generous inseam (16.2 inches on size medium) and feature set, including zippered pockets and zippered vents straight down the front of each thigh. The reinforced, articulated knees were a little too form-fitting for full-sized pads, but if paired with something slimmer, they pedaled comfortably and felt at home in a wide temperature range. (S–XXL)


Flylow Royal Shirt ($85)

Flylow Royal Shirt
(Photo: Courtesy Flylow)

Both high-tech and low-key, this collared snap-down fits and stretches like a jersey but doesn’t make a big deal out of it. (It even blends right in with the general şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř and Beta office dress code.) This approach is nothing new; the Royal is simply a bit more evolved than other similar tops, with soft polyester-spandex fabric and a 50-plus UPF rating. (XS–XXL)


BN3TH North Shore Chamois ($85)

BN3TH North Shore Chamois
(Photo: Courtesy BN3TH)

Even our snobbiest tester, who rides only in fine Italian bib shorts, was impressed by the North Shore, which wraps your package in a built-in breathable mesh envelope: no friction, no mugginess. Oh, and not safe for work. (The poly-spandex blend is delicate.) However that’s no matter, since you’ll need overshorts anyway. (XXS–XXL)

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The Best Mountain Bike Accessories of 2022 /outdoor-gear/bikes-and-biking/best-new-mountain-bike-accessories-2022/ Fri, 27 May 2022 13:00:48 +0000 /?p=2583386 The Best Mountain Bike Accessories of 2022

Round out your trail kit and get riding

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The Best Mountain Bike Accessories of 2022

The old adage “Work smarter, not harder” is clearly the driving principle behind today’s best mountain bike accessories and components. It’s no longer enough for new gear to be simply lighter and stronger than what it’s replacing. It has to be truly better. The products that stood out to our testers were creative solutions to problems we used to just put up with.

Blackburn Switch Wrap Bag ($40)

Blackburn Switch Wrap Bag
(Photo: Courtesy Blackburn)

For our testers who weren’t comfortable strapping tools and CO2 cartridges under a glorified rubber band, Blackburn made the Switch Wrap. It can securely hold a tube, two cartridges of any size, and even an inflater head and plug kit (not included).


Fox DHX Factory Shock ($570)

Fox DHX Factory Shock
(Photo: Courtesy Fox)

Why should long-travel enduro bikes be the only ones with the buttery-smooth feel of a coil shock? Fox introduced the DHX shock to be lower-profile and fit in more bikes than the gravity-focused DHX2. We loved the added speed and traction this upgrade offered to many otherwise humdrum trail bikes.


Trail Boss 3-Piece Handle Set with Steel Segment Upgrade, 3 Heads ($480)

Trail Boss 3-Piece Handle Set
(Photo: Courtesy Trail Boss)

Trail Boss makes the greatest collapsible trail tools you can buy. This set—which includes McLeod (pictured), hoe, and saw heads—was crowned by our test crew as the most comprehensive trail-care kit out there. Seasoned folks recommend the models with steel handles, which hold up nearly as well as traditional wood-handled tools.


Tasco Fantom Ultralite Gloves ($38)

Tasco Fantom Ultralite Gloves
(Photo: Courtesy Tasco)

The Fantom Ultralite is slightly stretchy across the back and features thin, vented, synthetic-suede palm material, and thus feels like a second skin. The microfiber wipe across the thumb was much appreciated for quickly cleaning our glasses during transitions on muddy rides.


Dakine Slayer Pro Knee Pad ($105)

Dakine Slayer Pro Knee Pad
(Photo: Courtesy Dakine)

The Slayer Pro hits a sweet spot somewhere between park-ready goalie pad and pedal-friendly knee sock. Instead of beefier, non-Newtonian D30 padding, the Slayer uses lightweight foam in strategic spots. Testers even felt the occasional breeze through the thin, formfitting chassis.


Deuter Flyt 18 SL Pack ($190)

Deuter Flyt 18 SL Pack
(Photo: Courtesy Deuter)

With a bounce-free fit and ultralight back protector, this pack was our choice for long backcountry days. Small details helped, like the internal partitions and convenient external stash pockets that are handy for tools and snacks. The slim-fit version we tested is ideal for smaller riders.


SRAM HS2 220mm Disc-Brake Rotor (from $63)

SRAM HS2 220mm Disc-Brake Rotor
(Photo: Courtesy SRAM)

As bikes have gotten more travel, more capability, and in some cases more motorized support, we occasionally need more stopping power. An underappreciated way to do that is with a larger rotor. This one is the biggest in SRAM’s lineup, and it is thicker than traditional rotors, so dissipates heat better.


Wolf Tooth GeoShift Headset ($105)

Wolf Tooth GeoShift Headset
(Photo: Courtesy Wolf Tooth)

Most angle-adjust headsets are creaky and incompatible with many popular headtube configurations. Not this one. One tester has been noise-free and one degree slacker for nearly a year.


Osprey Savu 2 Hip Pack ($50)

Osprey Savu 2 Hip Pack
(Photo: Courtesy Osprey)

This hip pack’s angled bottle configuration made on-the-go hydration a cinch, and the structural foam holster made it easy to put the bottle back in. The left and right zippered compartments connect internally, making room for bulkier items most hip packs can’t fit.

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The Best Mountain Bikes of 2022 /outdoor-gear/bikes-and-biking/best-new-mountain-bikes-2022/ Fri, 27 May 2022 13:00:19 +0000 /?p=2583351 The Best Mountain Bikes of 2022

Rigs to put a smile on anyone’s face

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The Best Mountain Bikes of 2022

It gets harder every year to pick our favorite mountain bikes, but there are always a few standouts that somehow manage to elevate their respective categories. Through a mix of refinement and reinvention, these four bikes foreshadow the next phase of the sport’s evolution. Some offer more efficiency, others offer more speed, and a few even offer more value than anything on this year’s already impressive list of options. What a time to be alive.

Don’t forget to stock up on the best mountain bike accessories, shoes, and helmets to make the most of your next ride. 

Specialized S-Works Turbo Kenevo SL ($15,000)

Specialized S-Works Turbo Kenevo SL best mountain bikes 2022
(Photo: Courtesy Specialized)

Say what you will about Specialized and its $15,000 e-bikes, but damned if the brand doesn’t make a good $15,000 e-bike. The Kenevo SL provides just enough assist with its 240-watt, 35-newton-meter SL motor. It’s not the sort of e-bike we could soft-pedal up every widowmaker climb, but this 42-pound welterweight monster with 170 millimeters of travel (front and back) is remarkably capable and handles much like a traditional bike. The motor’s main benefit is getting us to more downhill, though it makes technical climbs and descents a lot more fun too. That’s because the extra sprung weight makes a steady bike even steadier, without feeling like the juggernaut that so many full-powered e-bikes are. (Still, the lower-link Enduro suspension system is plenty supportive, even with a motor and battery to carry.) Hopefully, this is a sign of things to come.


Cannondale Jekyll 1 ($6,100)

Cannondale Jekyll 1
(Photo: Courtesy Cannondale)

We rode no fewer than six high-pivot bikes in the past year. Each of them was good in its own way, but the Cannondale Jekyll was good in the most ways. While some bikes in this subcategory were sluggish on the climbs, the Jekyll was smooth and efficient. That feel, paired with the high-pivot platform’s natural ability to track the ground and maintain momentum, makes the Jekyll a bike we could actually live with long-term as an everyday ride. Point it downhill, and it’s every bit as bloodthirsty as we’ve come to expect a high-pivot bike to be. But, critically, it never felt like it was riding us, as may similar rigs can. Cannondale’s designers also designed each size frame separately, making subtle tweaks to each, which meant that testers from five-foot seven to six-foot two all noted the same thing on their rides: this bike rips. And, if all of that isn’t enough, you can also get into the full-carbon Jekyll 2 starting at $4,500.


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Canyon Bicycles Spectral 125 CF 9 ($6,299)

Canyon Bicycles Spectral 125 CF 9 best mountain bikes 2022

Short on travel, big on shred. The Spectral 125 is one of the most capable, short-travel 29ers on the market. With a quick-climbing, ultra-efficient pedaling performance and progressive geometry to boost your confidence on descents and rough terrain. Experience pure trail riding fun!


Orbea Rallon M-Team ($7,999)

Orbea Rallon M-Team
(Photo: Courtesy Orbea)

Maybe the high-pivot revolution isn’t your scene. Thankfully, not all top-end enduro bikes are going that way. Exhibit A: the Rallon. This rig was still one of the most capable bikes we tested, but somehow the 160-millimeter rear-travel 29er never felt like too much bike. It’s the sort of enduro ride that likes to goof off once in a while, with a supportive suspension and reasonable geometry numbers. And in case you really want to have fun, every Rallon comes with an extra suspension link that allows you to swap in a 29-inch rear wheel. This bike is full of nice little touches like that. Other welcome features: the extra-robust pivot hardware and bearings, hidden tools inside those pivots, and deep customization options, from technical components like wheels and shocks to aesthetic elements including the color of every part of the frame. As a result, the bike takes some time to produce, but we’re all used to that by now.


Ibis Ripley AF Deore ($3,200)

Ibis Ripley AF Deore best mountain bikes 2022
(Photo: Courtesy Ibis)

Following up on its successful Ripmo AF (Aluminum Frame), Ibis has given the same slightly-more-aggressive, much-more-affordable treatment to the Ripley. Since the Ripley AF has a slacker head angle and a supportive suspension feel, our testers considered it to be in the same league as the Santa Cruz Tallboy or the Transition Spur. The big difference is that you can get into a Ripley AF for a base cost of $3,200. That relatively reasonable price tag buys you Shimano’s Deore 12-speed drivetrain, two-piston Deore brakes, and a Fox 34 Performance Elite fork, none of which needs an upgrade out of the box. But all of those features are just the icing on the cake. The cake itself is the Ripley’s incredibly dialed DW-link suspension, together with the bike’s supernatural mix of traction and efficiency on the climbs. And thanks to smart specs and geometry, it’s just as otherworldly on the descents.

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Tested: Canfield Lithium /outdoor-gear/bikes-and-biking/tested-canfield-lithium/ Sat, 04 Sep 2021 11:30:01 +0000 /?p=2528753 Tested: Canfield Lithium

This bike is a big alloy coil-sprung 29er for those who don’t like big alloy coil-sprung 29ers (and also for those who do, too)

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Tested: Canfield Lithium

This article was first published by .


Basics

  • 163mm rear travel, 170 front
  • 29-inch front and rear
  • CBF linkage design

Pros

  • Supportive, efficient climber
  • Keeps traction, even under load
  • Remarkably versatile
  • Fun and responsive for such a big bike

Cons

  • Not as point-and-shoot as some enduro 29ers
  • Not as inexpensive as some alloy bikes
  • Limited build kit options

Price: $5,600


One of the many bike-review cliches I’ll occasionally use to break the ice is the “This Bike Really Surprised Me!” method. For example, the first time I rode a Fezzari that had progressive geometry or an Ibis that was an outstanding value, this was my go-to intro. And it was exactly where my mind was at when I sat down to gather my notes on the Canfield Lithium. But I was so especially wrong about the type of bike I thought I’d find in the Lithium, that I needed to take a minute to level with you and say, free of any perceived schtick, that this bike really surprised me.

The Lithium is an aluminum, coil-sprung 29er with 163 millimeters of rear travel and 170 up front. It is on the far edge of the enduro 29er spectrum, both in its numbers and its image. Canfield is known, historically, as a gravity brand, and gravity brands are usually only concerned about what’s happening when you’re working with gravity. They often make the world feel like it’s going by in slow motion. Great on the descents, torture on the climbs. But the Lithium did not have that numbing effect. In fact, it has a lot in common with a few slightly shorter-travel 29ers I’ve ridden lately, and not because of how my test bike was built up.

Canfield offers just one complete build kit for the Lithium (two if you count the red one), and it does not pull any punches. EXO+ casing Minion DHFs front and rear, thoughtful touches like the TRP Quadiem brakes and MRP Ribbon Air fork, and of course, a MRP Hazzard coil rear shock to match. You can customize a few of the key components, and all stick to a rather esoteric theme. EXT suspension, Magura brakes and Atomik carbon wheels are among your choices at Canfield’s consumer-direct point of purchase. But the build I tested was the $5,600, as-is model. To get the value conversation out of the way, this is not the sort of alloy bike you choose in order to save money over carbon. Comparing it to that sort of bike isn’t fair, and frankly impossible given the unique spec, but a GX-equipped Ibis Ripmo AF is $1,800 less than the stock Lithium. A more apt comparison, though, might be Knolly, whose Chilcotin 167 is exactly $5,600 for a GX build but a slightly more vanilla RockShox suspension spec. Or Banshee, whose Titan frame is about $150 more than the Lithium frame. So, for a small, unique brand offering an equally unique ride, the value is, in a word, fine.

About that unique ride, though. I asked for two coils to be sent with my build. The one that Canfield recommended based on my weight, and one 50 pounds lighter. I ride a fair bit of steep trails, so my weight bias is usually far forward in the most crucial moments. It means that, on flat ground, I run deeper sag in the shock than in the fork. I love it when the conditions are right, and I deal with it when they’re not. That includes the climbs where, my assumptions told me, the Lithium would be pretty “meh” at best. Here’s where I start to talk about how wrong those assumptions were. Even with the lighter spring, the Lithium is a remarkably supportive pedaler. Most bikes in this travel range, even as brands have optimized their leverage-rate curves, tend to suck you into a position that’s just just behind where you want to be on long, mellow climbs. It’s why the support of a well designed lockout is so nice on a big bike. But to pull out another bike-test trope that I really do mean, I never felt the need to use the Hazzard Coil’s lockout lever on the Lithium.

When some of my colleagues say this, it means something different than when I say it. Others think lockouts are band-aids. But I love them. I have a lot of long, mellow climbs and a few mid-sized steep ones, and if a lockout will make them quicker and more comfortable, I’ll happily use it. But the Lithium naturally rode high in its travel, which kept it from feeling mushy and kept me perched nicely on top of the pedals. That’s not to say I didn’t slam the saddle forward. Canfield is smart enough to list effective seat tube angles at various saddle heights, and I’m even past the 800mm that would yield 75.3 degrees. But for us tall folks, most frames would put us even further back. The fact that I was comfortable on the Lithium means Canfield got the seat angle right.

But what makes the Lithium such a good climber isn’t that simple. Yes, it’s time to talk about CBF, Canfield’s sleeper hit of a linkage design. The unique dual-short-link concept does an incredible job at isolating pedaling forces from the suspension. When I first rode it on the previous generation, 27.5-inch Canfield Balance, it was pretty impressive that I could pedal as hard or as easy as I wanted, and the suspension would just do its thing. But on the Lithium, it is on a whole other level. Not because the two forces are “more” isolated. Canfield already has that part dialed. Really, it’s because the supportive feel and dialed geometry combined with the indifferent kinematics made for the best of both worlds. Some bikes that are especially good at eliminating drivetrain input require you to stay very calm as you pedal. Any vertical motion can set the bike a-bobbing, especially with a coil rear shock. But on the Lithium, I could mash up the steeps or sit and spin, and it would neither hang up nor fall away. I even spent a fair bit of time riding in flat pedals, which I am not good at, and the Lithium did not complain. The way this bike climbs opens it up not just to the shuttlers and enduro racers who would naturally be drawn to alloy coil-sprung 29ers, but also to adventurers who happen to like to mercilessly shred.

So, about merciless shredding. There is some evidence that this bike is meant for more skilled riders than myself. One piece is that, even running a coil that is one rung lighter than I was recommended, I had a hard time bottoming it out. But on the other end of that—small-bump sensitivity—I had zero issues. That combination suggests a lot of freedom in how you might want to set up the Lithium. Often, the supportive climbing and big-hit readiness would mean compromising traction and flow. But to re-use a phrase I shouldn’t have even used once, you again get the best of both worlds. I spent a couple days at the bike park, where I tend to focus on jump lines because my home trails are all natural. I brought that firmer spring with me just in case, but I never felt like I was getting pulled below the ideal position in the berms or the lips. But if I landed flat or got too ambitious trying to moto through braking bumps, I finally was able to bottom out the suspension. All it took was reaching bike-park speed, and at least caught a glimpse of how I could find this bike’s limits.

That mix of hard-hitting chunk and flowy jump trails kinda cinched it for me. The Lithium is a bit of a unicorn. On my home trails that are loose, messy mixes of rocks and sand, I was able to stay planted when I needed to, but break traction when I wanted to. And when I was on vacation at the park, I didn’t need to change a thing. Yes, there are bikes that more readily give up more of their travel, especially for riders who aren’t pushing the redline on every descent, but they compromise some quickness and agility. And the Lithium’s agility is not just thanks to its sensitive but supportive suspension. This thing is not a barge. My XL is a reasonable 1275mm wheelbase and an almost conservative 64.5-degree head tube angle. It fits perfectly with the rest of the bike’s precise feel. Again, this is not the sort of long-travel 29er that numbs you to the trail. It likes input. It likes decisions. It even feels quick and light under foot. In a way, this bike really surprised me.

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