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It’s easy to become part of an echo chamber. Pinkbike often gets lost in the finer points of mountain bike technology, from suspension platforms to frame flex. But what kind of questions are people asking about mountain biking outside the platform? For one, what are the best mountain bikes for beginners? Below, Pinkbike’s editors offer concise answers to the ten most common mountain bike-related questions on search engines, social media, and online forums.

1. What Is the Best Mountain Bike for Beginners?

One you can afford. Don’t let the average mountain biker’s obsession with technology make you think you need all the latest features to have fun.

If you’re new to the sport, getting advice and after-sales support from a local shop can be invaluable. On the other hand, if you’re happy to take more risk and willing to do your own research, second-hand or direct sales bikes offer less daunting prices.

You may hear that you simply have to start mountain biking on a hardtail because it teaches you better skills. The truth is it teaches different skills. Hardtails are the way to go for those on a tight budget (under around $1,500 if buying new) as the cheapest full-suspension bikes are usually too compromised to be worth recommending.

If you’ve got a bigger budget, a solid trail bike with 130-160 millimeters of suspension travel and modern geometry should help build confidence (and with it, skill) faster and more painlessly than the sketchy hardtails many of us learned to ride on. Get a bike that’s appropriate for the trails you want to ride most often, but has the potential to tackle more challenging terrain as your skills improve.

2. How Much Does a Good Mountain Bike Cost?

You certainly don’t need to splash out for a top-end bike to get something that performs just as well. For a bare-bones entry-level hardtail, budget around $1,500 for one that will allow you to get stuck into some serious riding. But if you want a full-suspension bike that’s going to satisfy a keen mountain biker, the best bang-for-buck is usually around $3,000 if buying new. The more you can afford up to that amount, the better the bike you can get, but above that, the benefits soon start to plateau.

The good news is that it’s a buyer’s market right now so there are lots of good deals if you shop around.

3. How Do I Maintain my Mountain Bike?

1. Wash it when it’s dirty.
2. Clean and lubricate the chain after every ride. After washing the bike, run it through a rag to wipe off dirt and water, then lubricate it with mountain-bike-specific chain lube.
3. Check the tire pressures before every ride (see question eight).
4. Regularly do an “M-check,” inspecting for loose bolts, play, or worn parts. Starting at the rear wheel, check the brake, tire, axle and derailleur, then move on to the saddle and seatpost, then the cranks, bottom bracket and pedals, then the cockpit and headset, and finally the front wheel and brake. These five locations make a capital “M” shape, which makes it easy to remember.
5. Have the suspension serviced and brakes bled at least once per year.

4. What Are the Benefits of Full Suspension Versus a Hardtail?

The obvious benefit to a full suspension bike is that it cushions the impacts on rough terrain, making it easier to ride fast without getting bounced off-line or having your teeth rattled loose. They also offer more grip because the wheels are more consistently pressed into the ground. Most serious riders and racers use full-suspension bikes for every discipline these days, from downhill to cross country. Even gravel bikes sometimes have suspension now.

On the other hand, hardtails are usually much less expensive—or offer better parts and frame quality for the same price—making them the go-to option for those on a tight budget. There’s less to go wrong and no pivots or rear shock to service, too. Apples-to-apples, hardtails are usually lighter and transmit slightly more of your pedal power to the ground, making them fractionally faster on smooth climbs (this is why hardtails still get used occasionally for smoother cross-country courses). Also, some (strange) people just prefer the challenge of riding without rear suspension.

5. How Do You Choose the Right Frame Size?

These days, most manufacturers provide a size guide on the geometry tab of their website; this is a reliable indicator for most people. There’s often a range of rider heights that overlap between two sizes. In this case, size down if you want more agile handling or size up if you want more stability for fast terrain.

For more on this, see our guide to modern bike sizing. If possible, try and arrange a test ride or talk to the manufacturer for a personalised recommendation.

6. What Are the Best Upgrades for My Mountain Bike?

It depends on what components your bike has, but common upgrades that make a big difference without costing the earth include comfy grips and a saddle that fit your body better; tubeless tires that are appropriate to the riding you usually do, and a dropper post if you don’t already have one. Better brakes can massively improve confidence too, but you don’t always have to spring for a whole set – bigger rotors (larger diameter or thicker) and fresh brake pads (sintered for wet weather) can boost power and consistency.

7. What’s the Difference Between Cross-Country, Trail, Enduro, and Downhill Bikes?

Cross country (XC) races are usually won or lost on the climbs, so XC bikes are designed to excel when going uphill, with minimum weight and efficient suspension. Modern examples have 100-120 millimeters of suspension travel and can weigh as little as 24 pounds. Descending is still important, especially in modern cross country, so XC bikes often have dropper posts and slack head angles, but the geometry is still less confidence-inspiring than trail bikes. Also, the handlebars are typically much lower. Almost all modern XC bikes have 29-inch wheels.

“Trail” isn’t a racing discipline, so trail bikes are designed to be fun. They should be light enough to enjoy rather than endure climbs but usually with a stronger emphasis on descending capability. They typically have 130-150 millimeters of suspension travel which makes them pretty capable when the trail gets hectic but not so much that they feel lethargic in flowy terrain. Most have 29-inch wheels, though recently many have a 27.5-inch wheel at the back or the option to run either.

Enduro bikes may look like trail bikes, but they’re designed with much more bias towards descending. In enduro racing, it’s only the descents that are timed, so climbing performance takes a back seat (although some enduro bikes climb surprisingly well). They have 160-180 millimeters of travel, tough tires, big brakes and burly components. Many enduro bikes weigh well over of 35 pounds. Some have 29-inch wheels front and rear and some have a 27.5-inch wheel at the back. Many can accept either rear wheel size.

Downhill bikes are not designed to be pedaled uphill at all. They have 200 millimeters of suspension travel or more, stiff dual-crown forks, and close-ratio gearing. Because they do not need a dropper post or wide-range cassette, they are often no heavier than enduro bikes. In recent years, most have moved to mixed wheels (29-inch front, 27.5-inch rear) though some can still accept 29-inch wheels at both ends.

Mountain bike disciplines are more of a spectrum than distinct categories; it’s perfectly possible to take your trail bike on a cross-country ride and visa-versa. There are also tongue-in-cheek sub-categories that seek to split the difference even further, such as “downcountry” (a compromise between trail and XC) or “all-mountain,” which fits in between trail and enduro.

8. What Tire Pressure Should I Run on My Mountain Bike?

This varies depending on rider weight, tire construction, terrain, and riding style. But a good place to start is to ignore the pressures printed on the tire sidewall—they’re usually a maximum rather than a recommendation. Most riders should start at pressures between 20 psi and 30 psi. Go towards the lower end of that range if you’re lighter, less confident, or riding slippy terrain. Go higher if you’re heavier, riding hard, or the trails are rocky. It’s usually a good idea to run about 3 psi more pressure in the back tire than the front, as it takes more weight.

Use a pressure gauge to measure tire pressures before each ride and experiment to find what works for you. It doesn’t have to be a fancy gauge, but ideally, it should be the same one every time. Usually, you’re looking for the lowest pressure you can get away with before the tire starts to collapse in corners or when you start to feel the tire hitting the rim when riding over rocks.

Tubeless repair plugs can be surprisingly effective. (Photo: Richard Cunningham)

9. How Do I Repair a Puncture on a Trail?

Option 1: If it’s a tubeless tire, find the hole and push a puncture repair plug into it. Afterwards, trim the excess. When you get home, you may want to stick a puncture repair patch to the inside of the tire. This will help long term, but just be sure to do so after cleaning the tire.

Option 2: If option 1 fails or the tire isn’t tubeless, insert an inner tube to get you home. When you get home you can patch the tire or the tube with a puncture repair kit.

Option 3: If you haven’t got a spare tube, remove the tube and locate the puncture. You can do this by inflating the tube with a pump. Fix the puncture with a patch kit.

Option 4: Borrow an inner tube from a friend in exchange for future beers.

Option 5: Give up. Cry. Walk home. Get back late. Cry more.

10. How Do I Improve My Technical Mountain-Biking Skills?

• Ride more.
• Book a coaching course.
• Regularly practice a short section of trail several times.
• Get your friends to film your riding so you can see where to improve.
• Watch Pinkbike’s .
• Ride more.

The post The Internet’s Most Common Mountain-Bike Tech Questions Answered appeared first on șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Online.

Go ahead: Take a ride through a new city, embark on a multiday bikepacking trip, or get closer to nature on a rural backroad adventure. With the , you can immerse yourself in new and surprising adventures without worrying about your next turn. The latest updates to Hammerhead’s powerful navigation tool have unlocked exciting possibilities with industry-leading features, connectivity, visualizations, and enhanced customizations. To learn all about the Karoo’s innovative functions, we talked to the riders who know the tool like few others: Grayson Pollock and Amanda Nauman. Pollock is an avid cyclist and software product manager at Hammerhead, and Nauman is a gravel athlete and one of the founders of Mammoth Tuff, a gravel event in Mammoth Lakes, California. Here’s what they have to say.

Going the Distance

șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű: What do you look for in a navigation tool?

Amanda Nauman: It’s important to have a device that can seamlessly guide me through remote, off-road terrain. As I’m exploring new areas around Mammoth or finding ways to improve Mammoth Tuff routes, safe navigation is my top priority. That’s why I use the Karoo. A clear, easy-to-read map display helps me quickly identify turns and route deviations. Additionally, I value the way the Karoo stays ahead of the curve, continuously updating its software and hardware to offer the latest features and improved performance. This ensures I have access to the most accurate and up-to-date maps and navigation capabilities, no matter where my route-scouting adventures take me.

What improvements has Hammerhead released to support long-distance rides and bikepacking expeditions?

Grayson Pollock: In Hammerhead’s latest software release, new enhancements to Battery Save Mode ensure long-distance and adventure riders get the most out of the Karoo. Plus, our superior maps and navigation features make the Karoo an easy choice for any paved or off-road adventure. Now, riders can take more control over their chosen device settings, lowering the dreaded battery anxiety that often accompanies a long ride.

To avoid charging my Karoo during a recent three-day bikepacking trip, I used Battery Save Mode and thoroughly enjoyed the peace of mind it provided. In addition to our vast planning and on-device routing capabilities, we’ve added more highly requested functionality improvements, including battery support for longer routes, improved live tracking through our new and updated companion apps, the ability to disable rerouting, breadcrumb and reverse-breadcrumb route options, complimentary map updates twice a year, and much more.

Unlocking Exploration

How does the Karoo enhance your rides?

Nauman: The Karoo significantly enhances my rides by providing essential information and navigation tools. Its clear map display allows me to easily follow planned routes, even in remote areas. Those routes are also easy to plan because of Hammerhead’s integration with third-party apps like MapMyRide, ensuring I have a seamless transition from planning to riding. The CLIMBER feature offers valuable insights into upcoming climbs, helping me pace myself or avoid a climb altogether when exploring new roads. Finally, the Karoo’s automatic rerouting capabilities are invaluable when unexpected obstacles arise, ensuring I can adapt my route and continue my ride without stress. By providing timely information and flexible navigation options, ultimately the Karoo empowers me to explore new territories with confidence and efficiency.

What sets the Karoo apart from other navigation tools?

Pollock: The mapping and navigation experience is the foundation of Hammerhead’s identity—we don’t plan on changing that. By talking with riders, we’ve found a common theme around what draws them to us: trust and confidence. Riders know that whether they are building a route on the Hammerhead dashboard, importing a route from a third party, rerouting when they get off track, or searching for nearby points of interest, the Karoo will work as intended.

Additionally, our profile-based and multiple and options allow riders to customize their experience to match their preferred riding style and bike choice. Cycling-specific map themes on the Karoo, combined with our intuitive Turn-by-Turn and CLIMBER drawers, communicate what’s ahead so riders can live in the moment.

Planning for șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű

Where are you most excited to use your Karoo in the coming year?

Nauman: Mammoth Tuff will be part of the UCI Gravel World Series in 2025, so we have our work cut out for us refining our tried-and-true event routes. There’s a trove of Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management roads around Mammoth Lakes that we plan to piece together in different ways, and I’m looking forward to exploring new corners of these remote areas. The Karoo is so reliable—I’m never worried about getting lost, and that’s the best feeling to have when you’re ready for a new adventure!

, a subsidiary of SRAM, is a cycling technology company with a mission to inspire and empower all people to unlock their athletic potential through cycling.

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Just because the temps drop doesn’t mean you have to stop mountain biking. Before the snow flies weekly in western mountain towns, these crisp cold days can lead to incredible riding conditions—morning frost and just enough sun often give way to silky smooth hero dirt. Still, it can be hard to motivate for a frigid fall bike ride, especially since temperature regulation on a mountain bike is highly elusive. Here are a few of our favorite gear picks for extending your mountain-bike season way past the summer.

At a Glance

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Wild Rye Gnarnia Glove

Warm digits are crucial when riding in low temps. I’ve found the fleece-lined Wild Rye Gnarnia gloves to be just the edge I need for riding in the mid-30s and 40s. In the fall and winter, a glove swap is crucial, so I often wear a standard glove for a long climb, then keep these gloves in my pack (stashed in a sealed plastic bag if it’s raining) for a cozy respite before a chilly descent. They’re not fully waterproof, but the nylon shell does wonders for shedding dirt and mud while you plow through puddles.

Curious Creatures Sun Dog Pant

Pants season is my favorite part of mountain-bike season. The Sun Dog pants are lightweight enough to be reasonable for summertime bike park laps, but I’ve found them to be a fantastic layer for fall rides since they’re plenty warm for brisk days. The stretchy polyester construction is breathable yet durable—I found it to be abrasion-resistant while picnicking in the forest—without feeling stiff.

A few other features I love are the dual-zippered pockets for a phone and snacks. I also appreciate the stretchy drawcord waistband that doesn’t require a zip or button, allowing a hip pack to sit comfortably around my waist. Plus, the colors are wickedly cute, making it a versatile pair of pants I also take hiking and climbing.

Skida Pursuit Hat

Those massive vents in mountain-bike helmets come in handy for hot summer days, but come December, they feel like they funnel ice-cold air straight into my brain. Thankfully, Skida launched its Pursuit series this fall, which includes this sleek and synthetic beanie, ideal for layering under a bike helmet. This hat is thin enough not to feel bulky under a helmet, and it’s easy to tuck into a pocket while I’m pedaling up. If you want even less coverage, the lightweight ($24) is the perfect swath of soft, breathable poly-spandex for high-output rides on frosty days.

NorrÞna FjÞrÄ Equaliser Lightweight Long Sleeve

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Even when it’s hovering close to freezing, the minute I start pedaling, my internal furnace goes nuts. So I like to opt for a lightweight long-sleeve jersey, like the NorrĂžna FjĂžrĂ„ Equaliser, which breathes well while climbing and can be paired with a warmer jacket for long descents. When it’s closer to 40 degrees, I find this top perfect for rides on rolling hills where I don’t want to stop and adjust my layers every ten minutes. The polyester fabric is airy and quick-drying, with a slim fit that I appreciate when I wear it under a vest or backpack. Plus, the back of the jersey is a touch longer than the front, so it provides plenty of coverage while you’re pedaling.

Branwyn Swag 24 Jogger

Nothing motivates me more while riding in the cold than the promise of a hot shower and a cozy pair of sweats. Branwyn’s merino joggers are the ultimate post-ride bottoms (there’s also a matching ), a seriously luxurious reward for toughing it out in the frosty air. These subtly slim joggers are the perfect swap for my chamois on the drive back home—soft, stretchy, and stink-resistant, thanks to their 85 percent merino wool construction.

7Mesh Chilco Anorak

Temperature regulation while pedaling a mountain bike is no easy feat. I find myself seeking out water-resistant but not waterproof layers that provide some protection from the elements while also dumping heat. The Chilco Anorak is an ideal put-on-and-leave-on layer for brisk fall rides thanks to its breathable polyester with a wind-blocking yet air-permeable design (hence the grid pattern). The synthetic outer shell is wind- and weather-resistant, with a cozy grid fleece lining that’s soft enough to wear over a T-shirt. There’s a large zippered hand pouch you can stash snacks in if you want to go pack-free for a short jaunt, and the hood can fit over a helmet or cinch down over your head for off-the-bike adventures.

The post This Gear Will Extend Your Mountain-Bike Season into the Winter appeared first on șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Online.

Ever since High West Distillery opened its doors in 2007 to offer its blended Double Rye, Bourbon, and whiskeys, its founders have seen firsthand the impacts of climate change on both their hometown of Park City, Utah, and the West at large. More frequent and severe wildfires. Extreme heat. Severe drought. Warmer winters with less snow. Reduced wildlife habitat. The land they love was in trouble.

In August 2021, was preparing to relaunch Campfire, its popular smoky-profiled whiskey. Shortly before the limited release hit shelves, a malfunctioning car sparked a brush fire in a Wasatch canyon outside of Park City. As employees watched 5,000 families flee their homes to escape the Parleys Canyon Fire—the latest in a long list of wildfires they’d witnessed threaten inhabitants, wildlife, and land across the West—they knew they had to change their plans. Instead of launching Campfire as planned, High West partnered with the nonprofit Wildland Firefighter Foundation to turn the news into a wildfire safety campaign: “Don’t light a campfire. Drink one instead.” That was only the beginning.

In 2022, the year after its successful partnership with the Wildland Firefighter Foundation, High West announced a major new commitment: The brand would donate $1 million over three years to three nonprofits that shared its conservation values. The initiative, called , is a passion project for a team that lives, works, and plays in the West and a tangible show of their dedication to protecting the future of this diverse region.

In 2023, Olympic gold medalist joined the High West team as an ambassador, lending his voice to the Protect the West campaign.

“I was lucky enough to grow up exploring so many incredible places in the West, learning to snowboard, skateboard, and even mountain bike there,” White says. “It’s so important to me that people have the same opportunities I once had, which is why I really connected to High West’s Protect the West initiative. Not only is it my favorite whiskey, but High West is committed to preserving the same home I grew up exploring, and I want to do whatever I can to ensure generations to come can experience the land.”

High West’s Protect the West initiative partners with nonprofits that align with the brand’s focus areas: wildfires, conserving wild lands, and protecting winter.

is dedicated to supporting the families of wildland firefighters killed in the line of duty and assisting injured firefighters and their families. The group’s mental health program also connects firefighters with professional resources to help deal with their highly stressful and dangerous job.

is in the process of creating the largest nature preserve in the lower 48, with a goal of creating a 3.2 million–acre reserve. The nonprofit is acquiring slices of crucial habitat to help connect existing public lands in north-central Montana, restoring America’s vast shortgrass prairie and providing a home for everything from bison and pronghorn antelope to grizzly bears, black-footed ferrets, and sage grouse. Hikers, campers, anglers, and hunters are also welcome to explore these newly accessible lands.

High West’s third partner,, aims to advance nonpartisan solutions to tackle the climate crisis. POW organizes the outdoor community of athletes, creators, and brand partners to elect climate champions and push for smart climate policy. “Winter out West is where it all began for me, training and competing in Utah and even landing the Double McTwist at Park City Mountain for the first time,” White says. “That’s why High West’s support of Protect Our Winters, an organization founded by my friend and snowboarding legend Jeremy Jones, really resonated with me. POW has done an amazing job mobilizing the snow sports community on climate.”

High West’s support is proving vital for its nonprofit partners. “Since 2022, High West has been an invaluable partner of the Protect Our Winters , supercharging climate action and advocacy across the Outdoor State,” says Maria Gonzalez, vice president of development for Protect Our Winters. “High West has helped empower the Outdoor State to take action to protect public lands and fueled essential training and educational resources for łŸ±đłŸČú±đ°ùČő.”

Every action, from big-picture moves like voting and advocating to everyday decisions about which products to buy, matters in the fight against climate change. That’s exactly what drew White to Protect the West. “What we’re trying to do is convey a sense of urgency,” he says. “The West is undeniably beautiful, with countless opportunities for adventure, but if we don’t commit to protecting these places now, we will lose them. Protect the West is simple—it’s about driving education and awareness to protect the places we love to live, work, and play. We hope people will feel empowered and inspired to support the cause.”

And if sipping a premium whiskey is part of supporting the cause, so much the better. Join High West Distillery in Protecting the West.

Utah’s first legal distillery since 1870, High West has a passion for crafting delicious and distinctive whiskeys all in the context of our home, the American West. High West offers an outstanding collection of highly rated whiskeys in all 50 U.S. states and internationally. For more information, visit .

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In recent years, mountain bike manufacturers have built heavier and heavier bikes with high-end components in pursuit of better riding. Some riders are questioning whether all that extra weight is worth the riding benefits, so we asked the experts. Two Pinkbike editors debate below whether modern mountain bikes are now too heavy—or if the extra weight exponentially helps their performance.

Yes, Weight Matters

By Mike Kazimer, Cycling gear director

Modern mountain bikes are better than ever, but some of them have become downright rotund, especially long-travel enduro bikes: thick tires, burly forks, coil shocks, and big brakes all add up to a fairly significant figure on the scale. Those components work well when gravity takes over, but come climbing time, well, lately it feels like we’re back in the freeride days of the early 2000s, when getting off and pushing was an acceptable way of reaching the top of a hill.

For me, weight matters. Think of it this way: Would you rather ride your bike in its current state, or with a gallon of milk (roughly eight pounds) strapped to the frame? I’ve spent more than my fair share of time pedaling heavy bikes around in the woods, including a season when I decided that a 40-pound Specialized Demo 8 with a dropper post was an acceptable trail bike. But these days, I’d rather have something lighter on all-day adventures.

The weight-doesn’t-matter mantra lets manufacturers off the hook, giving them carte blanche to keep cranking out burdensome behemoths. It’s 2024—shouldn’t the goal be for new bikes to weigh less than the old ones? There have been numerous advances in materials and construction techniques that make it possible to create a bike that’s both strong and relatively light.

We’ll see what the next few years brings, but I’d love a return to trail bikes with a reasonable weight and a reasonable price. Here’s hoping.

No, Performance Matters

By Dario DiGiulio, Technical editor

We build bikes in pursuit of the best performance for a given purpose, whether that’s downhill prowess, all-day reliability, or efficient climbing. Many factors play a role, weight among them. And while weight may , the benefits outweigh (no pun intended!) the penalty incurred from all those extra grams.

This is easiest to argue in relation to bikes focused on descending, where performance and mass tend to go hand in hand. Reliable, energy-absorbing tires are heavier than thin, single-ply alternatives but make a real difference on the trail. Suspension systems benefit from increased oil volume, a stout chassis, and a tight seal to keep out the elements. A dropper post is something I won’t go without, and the longer they get, the heavier they are. Ultimately, I’d love for all performance requirements to be met by lightweight components, but we haven’t achieved that balance yet.

Even cross-country bikes are getting heavier, but that’s not the result of lazy product managers pretending the grams don’t count. The new crop of electronically controlled suspension systems weigh more than traditional ones, but testing has demonstrated their benefit when it comes to speed. Modern cross-country courses are more technically demanding than they used to be, so it makes sense for a bike’s components to size up in order to meet the task. Even the average rider benefits from the added performance of heavier components, since trails don’t become mellower the more they’re ridden. Big brakes, slightly more aggressive tires, and longer-travel suspension have all entered the chat, and I’m good with that.

Sure, my personal bike may weigh 43 pounds, but I’m not foisting that tonnage on anyone else. Somewhere between the extremes lies the ideal, which should be judged on real-world performance, not the figure on a scale.

The post Have Mountain Bikes Gotten Too Heavy? appeared first on șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Online.

Earlier this Summer I spent 45 days riding the (GDMBR) from Antelope Wells, NM, to Banff, Alberta. The 2,700-mile journey was the longest trip I’ve ever taken—human powered or otherwise—and hands-down the most impactful. There’s nothing quite like traveling by bike, passing through some of the most beautiful parts of North America, and relying on nothing but yourself and your gear.

Adding to the magic of the ride was the GDMBR’s storied history. The started mapping the route in the 1990’s, and while it can be done solo and at a leisurely pace, it’s best known in the context of the , an annual competition that turns the GDMBR into a grueling, ultra-distance race course. Racers typically finish in around 20 days—though the record, , is now 13 days, 2 hours and 16 minutes.

All bikepacking trips tend to be pretty gear intensive, but that’s especially true on the Divide given how long and remote it is. The route consists mainly of dirt and gravel roads, and cell service is spotty. It’s typically two to three days between resupply points, which makes packing and planning crucially important. I also chose to do the trip with a lightweight bikepacking setup rather than heavy panniers, which seriously limited the amount of stuff I could bring.

In an effort to maximize efficiency, Tour Divide racers go to great lengths to make sure their bikepacking kit is absolutely perfect. I wasn’t racing, but any time spent dealing with mechanicals or mucking with gear that isn’t working properly is time you could be riding or resting, so I wanted my setup as dialed as possible.

Here’s a breakdown of the gear I used to get myself from the Mexican border to Canada on my bike—plus some insights as to what worked and what didn’t. For the sake of organization, I’ve split this review into a few parts:

• Bike and components
• Bikepacking bags
• Sleep setup
• Electronics and navigation
• Others odds and ends

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Bike and Components

After a lot of deliberation, I chose to ride my trusty on the trip, and couldn’t be more happy with my choice. I swapped out the larger, 3-inch tires for a set of smaller and faster-rolling (which is what the vast majority of folks racing the Tour Divide use). I also swapped the dropper post for a rigid one, a choice that paid off in both weight savings and reliability. Even on long stretches of washboard and rocky train, the 29×2.6-inch tire (paired with the bike’s carbon frame, fork, and wheels) made for a surprisingly comfortable ride.

One major change I made was swapping the suspension fork for a rigid one. Trek’s shares the same frame as the Stache, so the fork transferred over. That allowed me to bolt on two , where I carried two 1.5L Nalgene water bottles. But, more importantly, the swap let me use Trek’s 1120 front cradle. In the past, I’ve used a handlebar roll on my bike, but the cradle allowed me to simplify things and strap a lightweight dry bag to the bike with two . I was able to fit more gear up front on the bike without interfering with brake and shifter cables or the steering, and there was absolutely zero play in the setup.

The GDMBR is a very long route, and oftentimes people run into comfort issues like hand numbness and shoulder and neck pain. To combat that, I added and a set of . I also added a pair of to the mix. All of that gave me four really solid hand positions that I was constantly switching between, and I didn’t have any comfort issues.

Bikepacking Bags

My bag setup was very similar to what I used on the Colorado Trail in 2019. One big update: adding the . This seat bag was incredibly spacious, and it allowed me to cram significantly more stuff in it than I’ve been able to with dropper post-compatible bags in the past. It mounts to the bottom of the bike’s saddle, and attaches via a clever pin system with an added strap. It never so much as wiggled, yet it popped off the bike in seconds at the end of the day.

I also used a , which was specifically designed to house a . I was able to fit my Jetboil, plus some heavier items like my repair kit and a small bike lock, without issue.

In addition to the other bags, which let me store the rest of my kit while maintaining weight distribution, I also carried a small where I tried to keep lightweight stuff like drink mixes, freeze dried meals, and charging cables, and generally keep as much weight off my back as possible. That strategy has worked for me in the past, and worked wonderfully on the Divide.

Sleep Setup

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I chose to bring gear I’ve used for years, like my bag and pad, because I trust them and know they’ll keep me comfortable. After all, sleep is important for recovering after 8 to 10 hours on the bike every day. My was overkill when I started in Southern New Mexico in early June, but I needed every last bit of the warmth by the time I ran into snow around the Colorado border.

I spent a lot of time researching and testing tents for the trip since I’d be spending so much time in one, and ultimately settled on the . I prefer a freestanding tent for the ease of pitching, and the Copper Spur is one of the best I’ve ever used. It was plenty roomy for my 6’4” frame thanks to vertical bathtub walls at the head and foot, and the massive vestibule had plenty of room for all my gear during the storms I rode out. There were several times when I had to quickly pitch just footprint and fly because I’d misjudged the weather, and I was able to pitch the tent itself from underneath the fly, keeping me and most of my stuff dry in the process. The Copper Spur had great airflow, so I never dealt with the condensation issues that often plague single-wall setups. At just over 2 pounds, there’s no weight penalty, either.

Clothing

• and

The real hero of my trip was my . It was the perfect layer both for deflecting sun amid boiling midday heat and staving off the cold on chilly evenings. I wore it every single day for 45 days, and it never failed me. The hood is generous enough to fit over a bike helmet, and the lightweight material has yet to show any serious signs of wear.

I also brought a full rain suit, and I’m glad I did. You’re almost guaranteed to see the full spectrum of weather on the Divide, and the and were the perfect blend of lightweight packability and serious waterproofing. It rained a lot on my trip. A lot of folks I met brought just a rain jacket in an effort to save weight—and kicked themselves the whole time.

Electronics and Navigation

I used my phone and a as my primary navigation devices. I upgraded to an right before my trip for a couple of reasons: The battery life, which Apple says offers up to 29 hours of video playback or 95 hours of audio playback, is significantly improved over my older iPhone 13, and the camera is far better, as well. I also went with the Pro Max for the larger screen, which gives you more real estate when using mapping apps. Although I never had to use it, I also upgraded because I wanted the SOS feature as a backup.

I mounted my phone to my bars using and , which kept it extremely secure while on the bike but let me quickly pop it off when I went into a store. I was blown away by how secure it was on technical terrain, and I never had an issue in 2,700 miles.

The other crucial piece of gadgetry was my . It served as my primary communication with my wife and family members whenever I didn’t have cell service (which was a lot of the time). I was most impressed by the battery life: even with location tracking turned on, I only needed to recharge it a handful of times in 45 days of constant use.

Other Odds and Ends

• 1.5L Nalgene bottles
• in frame bag
• and bladder
• Chain lube and rag

What Would I Do Differently?Ìę

• Carry a full-size multi-tool from the get-go. (I replaced my mini Leatherman with a larger version about halfway through my ride.)
• Pack an extra shirt and pair shorts for in-town days and rest days.
• Replace bearings and pedals before the ride.
• I swapped the road helmet and glasses I wore originally for a and glasses in Salida. I wish I’d worn them the whole time for more coverage and the visor.
• Pack waterproof gloves for rainy-day riding.
• Bring a wall charger.

I originally packed a lightweight, synthetic t-shirt and running shorts, but ditched them early in the ride when my friend met up with me. In hindsight, I wish I’d hung onto those, because it would’ve been really nice to change into them while doing laundry or resupplying during a town stop. The point being: on a long trip like the GDMBR, a few luxuries are worth the extra weight.

Looking back, I wouldn’t have changed a thing about my bike setup, and I think a hardtail is absolutely the way to go for a trip along the GDMBR. Despite having a reputation for being a relatively mellow route from a technical standpoint, I can’t imagine doing it on a gravel bike. I chatted with lots of riders along the way who saw my setup, and they wished they’d gone with wider tires and flat bars in lieu of their skinny rubber and drop bars.

The kit I brought with me worked so seamlessly that it faded into the background and let me focus on the ride. More than any other trip I’ve taken, this one reinforced the idea that life is about experiences, not stuff—but the right gear can definitely make those experiences better.

The post I Biked from Mexico to Canada. Here’s the Gear I Relied On. appeared first on șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Online.

ŽĄÌę of this article, “What Exactly Is ‘Outdated’ Mountain Bike Geometry?” originally appeared on Pinkbike.Ìę

If you’re in the market for a secondhand bike that’s been around for a few years, you might ask yourself if a modern mountain bike really handles better than an older one. A mountain bike’s geometry (the shape, angles, and size of its frame) defines how it rides more fundamentally than any other aspect of its design, and mountain bike geometry has transformed over recent years. So what exactly counts as “outdated” versus “new-school” geometry these days? And do older mountain bikes necessarily ride worse than new ones?

First off, let’s be specific about the differences between modern and “old school” geometry. The reach, head angle (HA), wheelbase (WB), and effective seat angle (SA)—demonstrated below—are the key measurements that have changed over the years.

The reach, head angle (HA), wheelbase (WB) and effective seat angle (SA) are the key measurements that have changed over the years. (Photo: Devinci Django Geometry)

• Longer Reach: Modern bikes feature a longer reach (the horizontal distance between the bottom bracket and the top of the head tube), providing more room to maneuver and making the bike feel more stable at high speeds and in technical terrain. This is usually teamed with shorter stems (40-50 millimeters) that keep the cockpit from feeling too stretched out, while also making the steering more predictable and direct. Modern trail and enduro bikes typically have a reach figure of around 450-460 millimeters in a size medium and over 500 millimeters in the largest size. Ten years ago, typical reach numbers were around 30-50 millimeters shorter.
• Slacker Head Angle: The angle of the steering axis and fork has become much less steep. Modern trail and enduro bikes have head angles around 63-65 degrees. Ten years ago, it was more like 66-69 degrees. This makes the bike more stable on descents, as it positions the front wheel further out in front and makes the steering less twitchy, reducing the risk of the front wheel “jackknifing” (turning suddenly away from straight ahead) in technical sections. The downside is it’s lazier and heavier steering at low speeds.
• Longer Wheelbase: A longer wheelbase contributes to greater stability at high speeds and over rough terrain, making the bike more confidence-inspiring and less prone to pitching. The downside is more steering input is required to negotiate tight turns.
• Steeper (effective) Seat Angle: The effective seat tube angle (the slope of a line connecting the bottom bracket to the top of the seat post) is much steeper in modern bikes. Typical angles have gone from 73-75 degrees ten years ago to 76-80 degrees today. This positions the rider more forward, improving pedaling efficiency for climbing, while making it easier to keep enough weight on the front tire to steer and balance. Such seat angles were not practical when reach figures were shorter, because they would place the rider’s hips too close to the handlebar.

How Modern Geometry Translates on the Trail

Modern bikes are designed to excel at higher speeds and on more demanding terrain than their predecessors. Their geometry makes them more stable and confidence-inspiring when tackling the kind of terrain usually reserved for downhill bikes back in the day: steep chutes, big rocks, and big air. This may come at the expense of maneuverability at slow speeds and shallow gradients, but thanks to steeper seat tube angles, modern trail bikes are more capable when pointed uphill as well as down. Overall, it’s not controversial to say that modern bikes ride better than those of ten years ago—mostly thanks to their geometry. But what about a bike from just four or five years ago?

The truth is that mountain bike geometry is still evolving. There never will come a time when bike designers say, “Yep, that’s it—these are the numbers bikes should have from now on. Let’s all go home.” But geometry trends that were going gangbusters in the 2010s have certainly slowed down lately. The ($4,000) above hasn’t been updated in almost half a decade, but they don’t look out of place today.

If you’re in the market for a bike that’s much older than 2020, it will generally have noticeably different geometry and handling compared to a new equivalent, and the further back you go, the bigger the gap will be. There are exceptions, such as the ÌęorÌę, which had similar geometry to today’s bikes (and in some ways more extreme) back in 2015. Mondraker was another pioneer, with modern reach numbers byÌę.

Can You Modernize an Old Mountain Bike’s Geometry?

Just because a bike has been around a while, that doesn’t mean it needs to be replaced to experience up-to-date handling. Take my other half’s 2015 Mondraker Foxy. With a 160-millimeter fork (up from the 140-millimeter stock fork), a -2 degree headset and the saddle slammed fully forward on the seatpost, its key numbers (reach, head angle, wheelbase, effective seat angle) aren’t far off what you’d find new in 2024. Sure, it still has non-Boost axles, a pair of 27.5-inch wheels and abominable cable routing. But as far as handling goes, it’s solid. Throw in an upgraded shock, tires, and brakes, and it still very much does the business.

So if you’re sitting on an older bike or considering buying one, bear in mind that you can learn from the latest crop of bikes without having to fork out for a brand new one.

The post What Exactly Is “Outdated” Mountain-Bike Geometry? appeared first on șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Online.

ŽĄÌę of this article originally appeared on Pinkbike.Ìę

What do you look for in a helmet? Price, style, weight, ventilation and comfort are all important considerations, but the main purpose of a helmet is to keep your head safe when it hits the dirt. One piece of advice you’ll often hear is to buy the best one you can afford. But are more expensive options any safer? And do anti-rotation inserts like MIPS reduce the risk of concussion? Do mountain bike helmets protect your head better than road helmets?

If you want to know how good a helmet is at cushioning your brain, it’s not a good idea to experiment on yourself. Fortunately, the engineering department atÌęÌęhas a state-of-the-art, independent helmet testing lab. They’ve been testing all sorts of sports helmets since 2011 and have put 235 cycling helmets including 73 mountain bike lids through their repeatable but realistic testing protocol.

How are they tested?

Virginia Tech has developed a test that’s specific to cycling helmets. You can read the full detailsÌę but the basic version is that each tester is fitted onto a standard dummy “head” complete with acceleration and rotation sensors. The helmet is then dropped onto a hard surface such that it strikes it at six different impact locations around it. This is done at two different impact speeds (4.8 and 7.3 meters per second, or 17.3 and 26.3 kph). The lower speed is designed to replicate the most common impact speeds seen in the real world and the second is the most likely speed that results in concussion—these numbers are derived from helmets that had been recovered from real-world crashes.

This is repeated twice, resulting in 24 test impacts for each model. For each test, the linear acceleration and rotational velocity of the dummy head are measured, and an algorithm is used to convert these numbers into an overall score. The scoring system uses the rotation and acceleration measurements to estimate the risk of concussion for each impact, then these results are weighted depending on how common each type of impact occurs during real-world cycling. This produces a single score that is proportional to the overall risk of concussion during cycling.

The lower the score, the lower the chance of concussion.

Any score below 14 gets a five-star rating. A model has to score below 19 to get four stars and be considered recommendable by Virginia Tech.

Are More Expensive Mountain-Bike Helmets Safer?

Sort of.

Of the four helmets costing $50 or less, none got close to a five-star rating (a score below 14); of the sixteen models costing $200 or more, all but one got five stars. All of the helmets that cost more than $100 received at least four stars (scored below 19), making them at least worthy of consideration according to Virginia Tech.

More expensive options tend to be safer on average, but there’s a lot of variation and many outliers as you can see in the scatter chart.

So the old maxim that you should spring for the best helmet you can afford isn’t a bad rule of thumb, but if you start with the data from Virginia Tech you can pick a very safe model without spending too much.

Which Helmets Stand Out?

The safest mountain-bike helmet tested so far is the , a three-quarter style version which scored 8.41 and costs $270. But the biggest outlier on the price-to-safety spectrum is the , which scored 8.55 and costs just $110. Based on Virginia Tech’s testing, that’s the model I’d suggest if the style and fit suit your needs.

Are Mountain-Bike Helmets Safer than Road Options?

Not really.

Some of the best (lowest scoring) models tested by Virginia Tech are road helmets, as are some of the worst, which could reflect the fact that more road versions have been tested. Looking at the scatter chart above, there is an even weaker relationship between cost and safety in the road world, perhaps because high-end road helmets are chasing aerodynamics more than impact absorption.

Impressively, three road models costing $80 or less scored below a 10. Chapeau to Giant, Lazer and Specialized for those.

Are MIPS Helmets Safer?

According to this data, yes.

The lowest-scoring (safest) mountain-bike helmet without MIPS is the beautifully named 6D ATB-2T, which scored 10.03, putting it in 12th place for mountain bikes. It has a conceptually similar technology called Omni-Directional Suspension (ODS). The next best is the POC Tectal Race SPIN, which ranked 29th and scored 11.67. It too has a similar technology called SPIN (Shearing Pad Inside), which POC has sinceÌę in favour of MIPS.

So, the 11 best-scoring mountain-bike helmets all have MIPS; only two of the best thirty don’t have MIPS, and both of them have something similar.

However, the vast majority of the models on test have MIPS, especially the more expensive ones, so this isn’t as surprising as it sounds. Even so, the nine poorest-performing mountain-bike helmets all lack MIPS, and five of those cost $99 or more.

Also, the Troy Lee A1 Classic MIPS scored a respectable 11.65, while the MIPS-free Troy Lee A1 Drone scored a damning 19.35.

Some have suggested that the benefit of a MIPS liner may diminished in the real world because the rider’s hair (for those who have it) creates its own slip plane which does a similar job. But even if a thick head of hair can allow the helmet to rotate relative to the skull, that’s not to say it works as well as a MIPS liner, especially inÌęcombination with hair. According to MIPS, hair isn’t as slippery as you think once the G-forces are pressing your head into your helmet during a crash, whereas MIPS liners are designed to slide even under these huge compressive loads.

Besides, even if all that MIPS achieved was to improve outcomes for the bald, it would still be worth helmet manufacturers using it.

Are Full-Face Options Safer?

It’s not clear.

Virginia Tech isn’t testing face-on (chin bar) impacts, where full-face helmets obviously have an advantage. If you’re likely to land on your face, best to wear a full-face helmet. But when tested in the same way as open-face helmets, using the same six impact locations, the full-face helmets don’t score better. This is perhaps surprising given they are designed for downhill and enduro use, including racing.

Virginia Tech has only tested four full-face helmets so far, which isn’t enough to make broad conclusions, but they don’t stand out as you might expect—the best full-face helmet (Bluegrass Vanguard) ranks 15th among mountain-bike helmets. Having said that, all four received five stars (scored less than 14), and the average score was 12.2, slightly better than open-face mountain-bike helmets, which averaged 13.3. We would need more data to know if full-face helmets generally do better or worse on Virginia Tech’s test procedure, but the four tested so far are merely midpack.

So while full-faces offer better coverage, they’re not necessarily offering better protection when tested on the same impact locations.

Limitations and Conclusions

It’s worth underlining that Virginia Tech haven’t tested every helmet on the market and some on their database are older than others, so it’s probably not fair to make general comparisons between brands or to say that the best they’ve tested is the best there is.

As with any laboratory test, there is a tradeoff between repeatability and realism. Virginia Tech can’t simulate every type of crash, impact speed or head shape. A different test with different variables might come up with different rankings, but Virginia Tech’s is probably the best independent data that’s publicly available. How a helmet fits your unique head is important for safety as well as comfort so it’s a good idea to try a few helmets on in a real-life bike shop, then pick one that scores well and fits well.

The post How to Pick a Safer Helmet, According to Science appeared first on șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Online.

High-end bikes are staggeringly expensive, but those prices soar even higher when considering the custom paint jobs and high-performance components featured on the mountain bikes at the 2024 Olympics. Money is no object when it comes to a rider’s career, and a nation’s pride is on the line.

Unlike most other sports in the Olympics, cycling’s governing body, the UCI, requires that all bicycles used in competition must be commercially available to the public. This stipulation means that if you’ve got the money, you can buy or build, the exact bike ridden to gold, silver, or bronze. (Your results may vary, of course.) We’ve crunched the numbers and rounded up the details: Below are our price estimates of the fastest mountain bikes at the 2024 Paris Olympics and their production counterparts.

2024 Olympic-Podium Mountain Bike Quick Facts

• Winningest brand: Pinarello with two gold medals
• Winningest model: Specialized’s S-Works Epic World Cup with two silver medals
• Full suspension mountain bikes: 5
• Hardtails: 1
• Bikes with dropper seatposts: 6
• Bikes with Shimano mechanical drivetrains: 4
• Bikes with SRAM electronic drivetrains: 2
• Bikes with electronic suspension control systems: 2
• Bikes with Berd string spokes: 3

Women’s Olympics Podium Bikes

Gold: Pauline Ferrand-PrĂ©vot’s Dogma XC Hardtail ($12,500)

Pauline Ferrand-PrĂ©vot dominated the women’s cross-country race. The 12-time World Elite Champion attacked on the first lap, breaking away from the field and extending her lead each lap. When she crossed the line seven laps later, the French rider had built up a nearly three-minute lead over the best female riders in the world.

She was one of a handful of women who opted to race a hardtail at this year’s Olympics. Ferrand-PrĂ©vot, who races for INEOS Grenadiers and is sponsored by Pinarello, found success on her Dogma XC hardtail on the fast and relatively tame—by World Cup standards—Paris course.

Key features of Ferrand-PrĂ©vot’s Dogma XC hardtail include a Suntour Axon 34 Werx Boost EQ suspension fork and a Suntour Vertical helium dropper seatpost with 60 millimeters of travel. She sped away from the pack on a wheelset featuring Princeton Carbonworks P1 Race Tech rims laced with ’s ultralight polyethylene “string” spokes that weigh considerably less than traditional stainless steel spokes. Continental Race King tires rounded out her wheel set-up. While electronic drivetrains may be all the rage these days, many racers, including the recently crowned women’s Olympics XC champ, still prefer the lightweight and faster shifting of Shimano’s XTR drivetrain.

We estimate that, as built, her bike would cost buyers approximately $12,500. While you can’t buy Ferrand-PrĂ©vot’s gold medal build, you can get close with .

Silver: Haley Batten’s S-Works Epic World Cup LTD ($16,000)

Haley Batten’s second-place finish in Paris is a reason to celebrate for Team USA. Americans have struggled in cross-country racing at the Olympics despite inventing the sport. Susan DeMattei finished third in the inaugural mountain bike event at the 1996 Games in Atlanta, as did Georgia Gould in 2012 at the London Games.

Batten’s race for silver was hard-fought and represents the highest finish (woman or man) of any American in Olympic mountain biking. She caught the chase group attempting to reel in Ferrand-PrĂ©vot, but a cracked carbon wheel and flat tire set her back. Undeterred, the 25-year-old from Park City, Utah, was able to swap her rear wheel in the pit zone and rejoin the race.

Batten, who rides for Specialized, had three bikes to choose from: a hardtail, a full suspension, or a hybrid design that’s nearly as light as a hardtail with just enough rear suspension to improve traction. She opted for option #3, the Specialized S-Works Epic World Cup. This purebred race bike has a scant 75 millimeters of rear suspension that relies on flex in the carbon seatstays, instead of pivots, to save weight. Batten’s race bike was equipped with SRAM’s premier XX Eagle Transmission drivetrain as well as the component company’s electronic suspension control system, known as Flight Attendant. This smart suspension system automatically controls suspension damping to make the bike as efficient and fast as possible. It seems like it worked.

Batten’s build is around $16,000. It’s not available as a stock option from Specialized, but the is close at $14,000.

Bronze: Jenny Rissveds’s Ibis Exie ($12,500)

Sweden’s Jenny Rissveds took home gold at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. She set her sights on a second gold medal in Paris, but Ferrand-PrĂ©vot’s lead was insurmountable, leaving Rissveds to battle Haley Batten for silver. Rissved actually helped Batten get back into the race, following her unfortunate mechanical, by shouting out to the American’s mechanics that Batten would be coming through the pit zone with a flat tire, thereby ensuring they’d be prepared a quick wheel change.

Rissved rode consistently throughout the race, ultimately crossing the line five seconds behind Batten. The Swedish racer finished aboard an Ibis Exie that was handbuilt in California, making it a rarity among carbon mountain bikes, most of which are manufactured in Asia.

Of the three women’s podium bikes, the Exie features the most suspension, with a 120-millimeter Fox Stepcast suspension fork paired with 100 millimeters of rear wheel travel. Standout components on Rissved’s Exie include prototype Ibis carbon wheels, an Inpeak power meter, Shimano’s XTR drivetrain, and a Fox Transfer SL dropper seatpost. While we’re on the subject of droppers, it’s notable that although each of these three riders opted for bikes with varying amounts of suspension travel, they were all willing to accept the weight penalty that comes with running a dropper seatpost. Dropper seatposts were a rarity in XC racing a few short years ago, but have become essential as many World Cup courses have become more technically demanding.

Rissved’s Ibis Exie would retail for approximately $12,500. currently offers includes a SRAM XX Eagle drivetrain, rather than Shimano’s XTR, and will set buyers back $12,200.

Men’s Olympics Podium Bikes

Gold: Tom Pidcock’s Dogma XC ($17,000)

Tom Pidcock is one of the world’s most versatile professional cyclists, having won World Cup championships in cyclocross as well as mountain biking and secured an impressive stage win at the 2022 Tour de France. The British racer, who had to abandon this year’s Tour de France after contracting COVID in mid-July, still had the fitness necessary to successfully defend his gold medal from the Tokyo Games.

While Pauline Ferrand-PrĂ©vot made her race-winning move during the first lap of the women’s race, Pidcock fought to regain the lead following a puncture on the fourth lap to trade blows with French racer Victor Koretzky.

Pidcock, who also races for INEOS Grenadiers during the regular season, had a Pinarello hardtail and full suspension to choose from. Despite criticizing the Paris course as “just gravel” and “bland” in a pre-race interview, Pidcock decided to race his Dogma XC full suspension. His race bike featured 100 millimeters of front suspension matched with 100 millimeters of rear travel. To maximize efficiency, the defending gold medalist relied on Suntour’s electronic , which, like SRAM’s Flight Attendant, automatically adjusts the firmness of the front and rear suspension to match the terrain.

The rest of Pidcock’s build closely resembled his INEOS Grenadier teammate Ferrand-PrĂ©vot, with a 60-millimeter Suntour Vertical helium dropper seatpost, mechanical Shimano XTR drivetrain, and those ultralight Princeton Carbonworks P1 Race Tech rims, Berd spokes, and Continental Race King tires.

With its electronic suspension control and boutique carbon wheels, Pidcock’s race bike costs nearly $17,000. will set buyers back a cool $14,000.

Silver: Victor Koretzky’s S-Works Epic World Cup LTD ($14,000)

French rider Victor Koretzky gave it his all during his battle with Great Britain’s Tom Pidcock and came away with a silver medal for his efforts. The three-time World Cup winner, who races for Specialized, had the same trio of bikes to choose from as fellow silver medalist Haley Batten. Koretzky and the majority of Specialized athletes felt the S-Works Epic World Cup was the right bike for course.

While Batten’s Epic World Cup boasted SRAM’s AI-controlled Flight Attendant suspension system, Koretzky kept things analog, with a cable-actuated lockout system to firm up the 110-millimeter RockShox SID fork and 75 millimeters of rear suspension during sprints and climbs. Specialized’s lightweight Roval Control SL 29 carbon wheelset wrapped in a fast-rolling combination of an S-Works Renegade front tire paired with an S-Works Captain rear tire helped the French hold off all but one competitor.

With the exception of a 100-millimeter RockShox Reverb AXS dropper seatpost, Koretzky’s build is nearly identical to the stock version of the LTD edition of the , which retails for $14,000.

Bronze: Alan Hatherly’s Cannondale Scalpel LAB71 Special Edition ($16,000)

This year’s Olympics was Alan Hatherly’s third time representing South Africa at the Olympic Games. The 28-year-old racer finished 28th in 2016, 8th in the 2020 Games, and finally secured a podium finish in Paris. Hatherly chased Victor Koretzky, attempting to match the Frenchman’s pace before ultimately settling back and holding on to third as Pidcock and Koretzky battled for gold.

Hatherly, sponsored by Cannondale, rode a special edition of the company’s full-suspension mountain bike, the Scalpel. Cannondale’s “LAB71” designation denotes limited-production models, constricted from premium materials and featuring premium components.

The eight-time South African mountain bike champion’s bike featured a custom paint scheme inspired by the nation’s flag. Build highlights included 120 millimeters of front and rear travel with Cannondale’s iconic single-sided Lefty Ocho fork at the helm. Shimano’s XTR group handled shifting and braking duties, while a 100-millimeter Fox Transfer SL dropper seatpost allowed the bronze medalist to descend the handful of technical descents confidently. Similarly to gold medalists Ferrand-PrĂ©vot and Pidcock, Hatherly employed Berd’s PolyLight spokes to save precious grams.

With all the custom touches included, Alan Hatherly’s Cannondale Scalpel LAB71 Special Edition likely comes in around $16,000. is slightly more palatable at $14,000.

The post This Is How Much the Winning 2024 Olympic Mountain Bikes Cost appeared first on șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Online.

Monsoon season in the West and intense heat waves throughout the East Coast didn’t stop our editors and contributors from getting outside. Here’s the gear that kept us cool, dry, and comfortable this July.

When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This supports our mission to get more people active and outside.ÌęLearn more.

Matador Freerain22 Waterproof Packable Backpack

The Freerain22 has been in my gear quiver for several years now, but I continue to be amazed by the utility of this packable day pack. It holds 22 liters of gear in an ultralight package that weighs just 10 ounces, but still has all of the bells and whistles I need from a daypack—separate pocket for phone and snacks, external gear loops, et cetera. It’s comfortable on my back, even when it’s loaded with extra layers and food thanks to the wide shoulder straps and hip belt, which help disperse the weight.

All of that is great, but I reach for the Freerain22 over and over because it packs into a tiny ball inside its own stuff sack, which means I can bring it on trips when space is tight. It’s not a dry bag (you shouldn’t submerge it) but it is waterproof and has kept my gear dry as I’ve hiked through rainstorms multiple times. I’m headed to Mexico for a quick weekend trip, and the Freerain22 was the first thing I put in my luggage because I know it will come in handy whether I’m hiking in the desert, exploring a beach, or wandering around town. —Graham Averill, gear and travel columnist

Osprey Poco LT Child CarrierÌę

Last year, when using a child carrier pack that will remain nameless, my husband experienced an extended moment of pure terror: one of the straps on the pack snapped, sending him (and my daughter) off balance, which then sent them careening down a steep, rocky trail. My husband had to throw his body to the ground to stop the motion. He and my daughter both blessedly sustained only a few scratches from the episode, but we agreed that since she was getting bigger, we didn’t want to take a risk with a child carrier pack again. Then we quickly found out that our resolution would severely limit the distances we could cover on day hikes.

Earlier this summer, we got back on the horse with Osprey’s Poco LT Child Carrier, and I’m so glad we did. It has a max weight limit of 48 pounds and a built-in sunshade that you can easily tuck away when you don’t need it. It’s good for long hikes in the wilderness and for urban vacations alike—something we just discovered when we took it on a weeklong trip to Portland, Maine, and used it for hikes on islands in Casco Bay as well as jaunts around the city. It’s comfortable for the carrier and the carried alike. —Ryleigh Nucilli, digital managing editor

Vacation Classic Spray Sunscreen SPF 50Ìę

I’m usually not one to jump on a viral product, and I’m especially hesitant to try anything I see on TikTok. However, I tried the exceedingly viral Vacation Classic Spray over the Fourth of July and it did in fact live up to the hype. This spray was an instant favorite amongst my cousins and I because it was super lightweight and did not feel sticky at all. The spray left no residue which is important when you’re on a boat and want to decrease slippery spots.

I’m fairly confident half of the product’s viral fame comes from its joyful scent which is the perfect mixture of summertime nostalgia: nutty pistachio and coconut.Ìę These days I don’t leave my house without sunscreen and since I go through a lot of it, I’m so glad I tried the Vacation spray. —Jamie Aranoff, digital editor, Ski

NW Alpine Fortis 115 Short Sleeve Performance Tee

If you’re anything like me, you’ve got half a dozen or so lightweight Merino t-shirts sitting in a drawer somewhere, because they’re all full of holes after being washed regularly. But it’s hot out, and I need a fabric that stays cool, without soaking up sweat like cotton. Enter NW Alpine’s new Fortis series of synthetic tech fabrics. They wick moisture just like merino, but these ones stay perfectly dry (Merino can hold on to 30 percent of its weight in sweat). The big innovation is a proprietary, made-in-America blend of nylon and virtually indestructible Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers that’s incredibly lightweight, yet extremely durable. At 115 grams per square-meter, this is the lightest piece in the range, making it ideal for summertime exertion. —Wes Siler, contributing editor

Old Town Discovery CanoeÌę

On hot July weekends I can think of few things better than throwing my canoe on top of my 14-year-old Tacoma and heading to one of the lakes close to my home. A canoe is an unusual choice in western Nebraska, where I now live, but my love affair with the simple boats dates back to my childhood in Maine. Some of my fondest memories are of canoeing on the lakes and rivers of the Pine Tree State, including an epic (for the youthful me) four-day camping trip on a river loop in the northern woods. My options are more limited out west, man-made lakes in widely separated state parks, but the peaceful escape as I glide over the water is unchanged.

I love my Old Town 16-foot canoe (made in Maine near where I grew up) for the ease with which I can load and unload it myself, put the wooden yoke on my shoulders and carry it as easy as a backpack to wherever we’re putting in. I love how it comfortably holds my wife and I, and rides, smooth and true, over the waves as I j-stroke us along the shore (none of this kayak fishtailing). I love the shallow draft that lets us explore coves and secret channels, and the quiet of our passing as we sneak up on pelicans and egrets.

The canoe’s triple-layer polyethylene hull shows no wear but a few scratches after a decade of use, and the wood thwarts and nylon web seats seem like new. I’ve taken to leaving it on the pickup, where it doesn’t get in the way during the week and beckons us to paddle away from worries on Friday afternoons. —Jonathan Beverly, senior running gear editor

Norda 001 Shoes

Last week I had my most ambitious second date of all time. After a breezy four-mile forest run on a smooth single track, I asked the Norda 001 to accompany me with the rest of my gear on the infamous : a four-summit linkup gaining 15,000 feet of vert over 34 miles in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Why did I rush our relationship? I had a good feeling, as hopeless romantics do. And after 14 hours of mind-numbing running, scrambling, and power hiking, I was smitten. Here’s my route below:

Norda’s 001 is most at home on long runs over punishing, rough terrain. Where most airy mesh uppers would shred after just one 3,000-foot scree-ski, the 001’s seamless, bio-Dyneema uppers—a revolutionary material 15 times stronger than steel at its relative weight, and sourced from the of the timber industry—hung tough while I (attempted) to run through boulder fields, bashed off-trail through gnarled scrub, and stumbled through hour 11’s come-to-god bonk. The 001 has a Vibram mid-sole with “SLE Technology,” the Italian-rubber brand’s lightest and toughest compound, which I found delightfully responsive on Mount Lady MacDonald’s knife-edge summit traverse, but cushioned enough to endure the mindless trail miles that ultras typically entail.

The drop of 5 millimeters (26mm heel; 21mm forefoot) was perfect for me. A super-light Vibram Litebase sole and Megagrip outsole complete the ensemble; its angular 5-millimeter lugs dug into mud and loose dirt with aplomb. Norda’s burly choice of materials surely offset the lofty price—they may be 30 percent more expensive than my other pairs of trainers, but I expect them to last at least 1.5 times as long.

My one ding against the 001’s is its zero-padding tongue. They were comfortable while running down forgiving scree and graded trails, but on steep hardpack sections I noticed the Dyneema-infused laces wearing into my midfoot. A heavily cushioned sock might mitigate this, or a careful lacing strategy. Or maybe I should just take it slower on our third date. —Anthony Walsh, digital editor, Climbing

Jungmaven sporty tank

The only time I subject myself to bras these days is during athletic activities—otherwise, I prefer to keep things loose, free, and comfy. But there’s such a thing as too loose; my C/D cup chest usually still requires a little bit of support to keep everything in place. Enter Jungmaven’s Sporty Tank. I own three of these tanks in neutral colors, and wear one, sans bra, basically every day.

The hemp/cotton/spandex-jersey blend fabric is stretchy and on the thicker side, which adds just enough structure and compression to keep everything in place and—as my mother would say—appropriately modest in appearance. The basic cut and slightly cropped length goes with everything, and the sturdy material hasn’t lost its shape despite heavy use. Bottom line: If I had to choose between these tanks and a bra or bralette, I’d choose the tank top every time. —Miyo McGinn, assistant editor

MSR Hubba Hubba NX tent

Each time I pitch my Hubba Hubba—which has been most weekends for the last couple months—I think to myself, “Wow, I love this tent.” It’s not particularly revolutionary or cutting edge—I’m pretty sure a few other gear brands offer tents with nearly identical designs. But there’s a reason that multiple outdoor gear developers landed on this layout and structure. It just works, really well.

The freestanding, one-pole structure is quick and intuitive to set up and take down, and the horizontal-opening carry sack (quite possibly my favorite part of the whole thing) eliminates the hassle of stuffing poles, the fly, and tent into a tight, narrow bag. It’s plenty light enough to use as a backpacking tent if you’re not sweating every gram, and the spacious but compact layout has kept me reaching for it over my larger, more elaborate frontcountry tents, too. —M.M.

Peak Design Rugged Case and Out Front Bike Mount V2

I just spent 45 days riding the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route from Antelope Wells, New Mexico to Banff, and used Peak Design’s new Rugged Case for my iPhone along with the latest version of their Out Front Bike Mount. Prior to this trip, I’d never found a phone mount for a mountain bike that I liked—most rely on some sort of weak rubber band situation for attaching to the handlebars, don’t allow you to quickly remove your phone, and don’t hold up well to mountain biking.

The new Rugged Case is a collaboration with Nomad that provides significantly more protection and weatherproofing than the brand’s everyday case, and uses their SlimLink attachment system to integrate seamlessly with the Out Front Bike Mount. Having my phone mounted somewhere I could see it was paramount since I used it for navigation, but I also constantly shot photos and videos with it—the SlimLink system, which is both magnetic and mechanical, let me effortlessly remove the phone when I needed to, but was absolutely bombproof throughout the ride. I didn’t have a single issue with the mount or phone case in over 2,700 miles of riding, most of which was on dirt roads. I’ll never use another phone case or mount again. —Bryan Rogala, contributor

Cotopaxi Sombra Sun Hoody

Bikepacking trips are the perfect way to test gear because they’re usually very tough on equipment, and since you have limited space, everything you bring has to really work. I lived in Cotopaxi’s Sombra Sun Hoody for nearly six weeks, and it has become my go-to layer for pretty much any outdoor activity when it’s sunny. Other sun hoodies I’ve tried have been too warm to wear cycling, but the Sombra somehow proved to be the perfect layer whether it was pushing 100 degrees in Southern New Mexico or hailing on me in Montana.

It’s breathable enough for vigorous exercise in hot weather, the hood is roomy enough to fit over a bike helmet, and because the fabric is a recycled polyester blend it also dried out quickly when it got wet. The Polygiene finish helped with stink, and more than anything the fact that it came home without any tears or abrasions speaks volumes to the durability. —B.R.

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