Biking
ArchiveBeat up. That’s how I feel after the mountain bike phase of our 2012 bike tests. Here are the numbers: 76.5 miles of singletrack over 14 laps, 15 hours of ride time, 18 testers, 28 bikes, and 27 tubes. The latter is frustrating: Though every single tester rides tubeless…
The Penske, loaded with 56 bikes, en route to the 2012 testing grounds. Ever wonder how we decide what bikes to cover in the magazine? The short answer: We ride the bejeezus out of a lot of bicycles. And we’re riding this week. Finding the best…
Velocomp, creator of the iBike Dash CC Cycling Computer, has just announced the first “smart” cycling computer—iBike POWERHOUSE. iBike POWERHOUSE works with your iPhone or iPod touch to help you reach specific fitness goals in the least amount of time possible. The computer comes with one exercise…
The volume of bike gear that passes through my office is staggering. A few stats from 2011: This year I've tested 18 helmets, more than 20 pairs of cycling shoes, and over 100 bicycles (I ride at least 15 miles per bike; many more for the ones we cover). The…
Your mom is right: Everybody actually does need more wool socks. So get your favorite outdoorsy type a pair or two of those, but also consider the stuff below—they're some of our favorite gifts under $50. For the world traveler: A TSA compliant multitool? It’s true—such a thing exists.
SRAM, the folks that make really nice bike compenents, has gotten all arty for a good cause. The company has commissioned 47 sculptors to make art from SRAM bike parts, all to be auctioned off starting this Sunday, to raise money for World Bicycle Relief (WBR). WBR…
Floating a corner on the new Fuel EX 9.9. Courtesy of Trek/Sterling Lorence. Late last summer Trek invited me to Mayrhofen, Austria, to take a look at its 2012 mountain bike line. I was initially skeptical: Trek, after all, was…
Shimano XTR M980 Race groupo. It’s been nearly a year since Shimano introduced its totally revamped XTR range, the sixth generation of the top-end mountain groupo, and we’ve been riding it hard ever since. Whereas in the past XTR catered mostly to weight-conscious racers, with this…
With their 20-inch wheels, there's not denying that folding bikes look a little funny. There's also no denying, however, how practical they are, be it for urban dwellers with little storage space or world travelers who like to roll through their final destinations without paying exorbitant baggage fees for normal…
ϳԹ reviews the best gear in the 2012 Winter Buyer's Guide, including the Surly Pugsley bike.
High-end options include the Moots' Psychlo-X Cyclocross, a $2,900 frame that's made of titanium and has a lower bottom bracket and shorter chainstays for speed and control.
Winter's first flakes flew in Santa Fe today, and it got me thinking about snow bikes. Total gimmick, right? That's what I thought until I spent last season on a Surly Pugsley. And I have to tell you, it's pretty dang fun. Chugging…
Every time I see another video of Scottish trials phenom Danny MacAskill pogoing his bike off two-story buildings, I marvel not only at his skills but also at his bike. I mean, what kind of bike can stand up to that…
A billion bicycle tubes are produced each year, two and a half million each day, and once a tube has served its tour of duty, it ends up in a landfill. And, unfortunately, you can't drop a blown rubber bike tube in the blue recycling bin and rest your conscience.
There were more than just feathery carbon road bikes and high-tech 29ers on display at Interbike. We saw tons of intriguing designs across the board, from belt drive commuters and cross bikes to a radical new mountain bike design with 26-inch wheels. In our final installment from the show, we…
We love Interbike for all the techy bling and cool, new gadgets we find there. We could devote pages and pages to the hottest new tech (and we will in subsequent issues of the magazine), but for now, here are a few of the best-looking bike accessories we found in…
We scoured the aisles at Interbike to find the latest in bike components. The top stories seem to be bigger travel, better interfaces, and more choice. Presenting a few hardgood highlights from Vegas. –Aaron Gulleyaarongulley.com…
While much of the road bike talk at Interbike revolved around aero-shaped carbon, there were a surprising number of fascinating little technology stories as well. From space-age steel to a bike that's “handmade by machines,” manufacturers are experimenting with all manner of materials and constructions to set their bikes apart.
Planning to ride this weekend? Consider making your mileage really count by participating in Moving Planet, a day of grassroots action aimed at raising awareness about global warming by taking a day off from fossil fuels. With critical…
In 2011, 29ers finally caught on across the board, with every major manufacturer getting into the big-wheel market. This coming season, not only is there going to be a proliferation of models as brands fill out their ranges, but there is also a move toward bigger-travel, trail-oriented 29ers. Whereas previously…
Before I tell you about the crop of hot new 2012 gear I saw at Interbike last week, I want to ruminate on the most decisive and exceptional product of 2011. I’ve been testing the Specialized S-Works Epic Carbon 29 for nine months, and I’m still impressed—sometimes even astounded—each time…
The Cadence, Courtesy of the James Dyson Award If you think Oscar Pistorius's Cheetah legs are cool, wait until you get a load of the slick new cycling prostheses that may soon be available for lower leg amputees.
The Shinamo Ultegra Di2 6770 shifting system was one of our editor’s five picks for Gear of the Show at the 2011 Interbike show.
It's much easier to throw a bike on a hitch rack than it is to lift it up and onto a roof rack. But there are usually drawbacks to that loading ease and convenience: hitch mount racks can block rear doors and hatches from opening and road shock can beat…
Earlier this summer in Deer Valley, Utah, 30-some bike industry manufacturers rolled out their 2012 product lines for a select group of journalists. We showed you some of the new bikes in Episode 1. But there were plenty of…
The Salt Lake City trade show isn't a venue for the big bicycle manufacturers, but if you know where to look there's plenty of new swag for the two-wheel crowd. Here are a few of the most exciting bike bits and parts announced at OR.
The race is over, and I'm experiencing my inevitable, annual Tour withdrawal. (What fun are mornings without Cadel's awkward-but-effective mutton-busting riding style, a couple of whingeing Schlecks, and the Contador keep-us-guessing feint and dodge?) So this morning, in lieu of Stage 22, I contemplated a few of the new bikes…
Two days of riding 150 kilometers through Spain’s Basque country on Specialized’s 2012 S-Works Amira high-performance racing bike has convinced me that when a company invests almost ten years of R&D into developing a line of women’s-specific bikes, women might want to pay attention.
A stylish single-speed commuter that's as functional as it is indestructible: the Globe Bikes Roll 2 bicycle.
Electric bikes are for schmucks, right? Nah. The newest models are stylish, useful machines that will put a lot more riders on the road.
For the Buyer's Guide and Spring Bike Special, we test bikes extensively (think 20-some testers and dozens of rides per bike), but it can feel like speed dating, with not enough time to really get to know a…
By Stephen Regenold In a column last year, “Belt Drive Mountain Bike,” I covered the bike-chain-replacing Carbon Drive System from Gates, writing that “the humble bike chain — greasy, gunk-prone, finicky if not lubed and maintained — has been standard equipment…
New to mountain biking? This affordable women's-specific ride dampens chatter with full suspension while lower-profile tubes make climbing easier. $1,550…
Thanks to fender mounts, our Gear-of-the-Year-winning road bike can, not only excel as a racer, thanks to a carbon fiber frame, it can double as a commuter. $2,630…
This “comfort-performance” road bike is designed to keep your spine happy, while keeping you moving fast. $3,000…
Designed like a pro racer's bike but with a less-expensive weave of carbon fiber making it peloton- and wallet-friendly. $3,750…
The Gear of the Year winner combines Italian design and racing DNA.
Our Gear of the Year winner was the most versatile bike we tested.
The most versatile road bike we tested this year.
Fitness guru Stefan Andermann demonstrates how to asses your body movements before you buy a bike. Frankie Flats Repair Service, Santa Fe, NM…
A great all-around racer featuring an extremely light, stiff frame.
Buyer's Guide editor Sam Moulton shares his favorite helmet for Winter 2011. $180…
Tom Mason of Bent Gate Mountaineering teams up with Serac ϳԹ Films to tell you how to find the best lid for your skiing needs. seracfilms.com and bentgate.com…
A great starter race bike built to take on bad roads and big hills.