Inspired by the work of Tom Ritchey and the very first production mountain bikes in California, the Stayer Cycles stAyTB project is a collaborative effort with 2nd Life Bikes. The stAyTB project consists of a frame, fork, bullmoose bars, day rack, wheels, headbadge and other bits and bobs all beautifully and somewhat singularly fillet brazed and fashioned in Leytonstone, East London. Let’s check it out.
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Specialized Stumpjumper Comp Alloy: First Ride Review
The new Specialized Stumpjumper didn’t exactly get a refresh. It got a reboot. It now has more in common with the critically acclaimed Stumpjumper Evo than the mild-mannered Stumpy we once knew. And its Genie shock promises unprecedented dimensions of tunability. But at first, the carbon-frame-only update came with an electronic-drivetrain-only twist. That’s why, when Travis heard an aluminum version was coming, he signed up.
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Wolf Tooth (Finally) Has 28t SRAM T-Type and Shimano Direct Mount Chainrings
If you like riding at a spinny cadence, you probably rely on 28t chainrings for 1x drivetrains. Until today, one of the leading component manufacturers had yet to make that ring size in SRAM and Shimano direct mount. Wolf Tooth just announced its new 28t rings for SRAM T-Type and Shimano direct mount.
Note: these rings will not work with SRAM’s T-Type bash guard.
Check out the offerings at Wolf Tooth.
Radar
Sklar Bikes Tall Tale Hardtail MTB and PBJ Handlebar
Our friends at Sklar Bikes have some exciting news today: the steel “Tall Tale” 29er hardtail mountain bike and the new aluminum handlebar called the “PBJ Bar” are available and shipping now! Let’s look at the details of both below…
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Gravel Adventure Field Guide SANTA FE!
Our own Miguel stars in the newest project from the Gravel Adventure Field Guide, profiling some adventurous rides in Santa Fe! John and Cari even make a cameo appearance amongst the cholla and Chamisa.
Get your copy of a 64 page art forward gravel cycling guidebook that includes art, maps, digital route links, and stories highlighting the adventure riding in Santa Fe County,-Central New Mexico at Gravel Adventure Field Guide. Whether it’s the Town to Towers ride, or double track in the Caja del Rio, this guide has a lot of terrain covered.
We helped guide the GAFG team to some of our favorite rides, so check it out!
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The Dust-Up: I Will Never* Buy Another Bike That Isn’t SRAM Transmission Compatible
After spending a year going back and forth between bikes with and without SRAM Transmission, Travis came to a realization. In today’s Dust-Up, he writes about why Transmission compatibility will be mandatory on his next bike purchase, why that worries him, and why he needed that asterisk.
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State’s Klunker is Back in Olive Drab
The State Bicycle Co Klunker was the star of the show in our New Skids on the Block video. Ok, technically, the Subaru Brat was but the bikes are really fun. Like the old cruisers from the Repack era, this bike has durable wheels, frame, and high-rise handlebars from a motorcycle.
For 2024, State offers up the Klunker in a new olive drab paint with tan components.
Check out more at State Bicycle Co.
Reportage
Giant Trance 29 2 Review: Mash Market
Whenever we veer into the mainstream by covering a bike from The Big Three, we do it because that bike has something special going on. And the Giant Trance 29 2 certainly is special. Travis spent a month aboard the moderate-travel, moderate-price trail bike. He praised its modern features, sophisticated suspension, and thoughtful spec. It does need bigger brake rotors, but that’s kind of a compliment if you think about it.
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Readers’ Rides: Auguste Bicycles Causse Toujours Full Suspension
We’re back with Readers’ Rides after a couple of weeks’ hiatus, and today’s submission comes from Auguste Bicycles in Causse Méjean, the South of France, with a wild full suspension…
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Stone King Rally 2024 | Riding Beyond the Rally
he Stone King Rally is not just a race; it’s a celebration of what mountain biking is all about.
Spanning six days of high-mountain adrenaline, riders from far and wide embark on an MTB enduro-style point-to-point adventure from Arvieux in the French Alps to Bordighera on the Italian Mediterranean coast.
Riders are treated to some of the world’s most beautiful mountain bike trails, covering a staggering 275 km with an arm-pumping 21,000 m of descending. As we commemorate the last of the three Stone King Rally events, komoot aims to preserve its legacy through the trails, tales, and phenomenal mountain biking experiences it has provided.
Explore the Stone King Rally route with the komoot trail collection.
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Fox Introduces Transfer Neo Wireless Dropper Post
Fox has entered the electronic dropper-post market with the Transfer Neo. Travis has one arriving any day now, and will publish a review in just a few weeks. That’s when we’ll indulge in philosophical musings about what this might mean for the shifting dominances of SRAM, RockShox, Shimano, and Fox. But for now, we’ll just cover the facts.
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Battling Cancer to Continue Living a Life of Riding Bikes
Magnus Manson needs no introduction on the Canadian racing scene. Standing next to Finn Iles on the 2016 Junior World Championship podium, for a Canada 1-2 sweep in Val di Sole, Magnus was just beginning to establish himself on the World Cup Circuit as part of the new wave of Canadian DH racers…
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Ronnie’s Alumalith Refresh
Ronnie’s Alumalith debuted here in our 2022 Philly Bike Expo coverage and since that virgin voyage, he’s put countless miles on it from the Northeast to the Southwest. Long overdue for an overhaul, his refresh looks very similar to Josh’s build with a Sklar-built Bullmoose. Check it out for some ASMR vibes this afternoon and be sure to visit Ronsbikes.com.
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Recyclable, US-made Forge+Bond Fusion Fiber Handlebars Now For Sale
Welp, that didn’t take long. Just a couple days ago, Travis shared his first impressions of Forge+Bond’s prototype handlebar, but we didn’t know what it would cost. And we didn’t know when—or if—it would come to market. That may not seem like a normal way to announce a product, but this isn’t a normal product.
Forge+Bond is probably doing a bunch of ongoing experiments with Fusion Fiber, their signature thermoplastic carbon material (see our first post about Forge+Bond for more details). The handlebars probably happened to be far enough along that they wanted to see what people thought. And maybe they saw a big uptick in traffic from the handful of reviews and handful of teasers that have been circulating. So, they picked a date and a price. The date is today, and the price is $265.
Reportage
1984 Ritchey Annapurna: Lots of Brass
We looked at the restoration of this 1984 Ritchey Annapurna through a series of videos earlier this year, and today, we’re sharing a full Beautiful Bicycles gallery documentation of it, along with a brief quote by Tom Ritchey himself. John takes a look at this esquisite emblematic example of the quality work leaving the workshop of Ritchey below!
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First Impressions: Forge+Bond Prototype Fusion Fiber Handlebar
We’ve ridden a handful of Fusion Fiber wheels, and we always wonder when this unique approach to carbon fiber might make the leap to other components. Well, we can keep on wondering, but the prototype handlebar that Forge+Bond sent to Travis last month has us thinking about the future.
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Thick MTB Grip Review Roundup
This is a good time for thick grips. There are more options than ever for anyone seeking a little extra surface area. Travis is a bit of an expert on the subject, and never travels without a set of grips 33 mm or larger in case he needs to borrow a bike. So, he’s gathered a baker’s dozen and gave them a squeeze.
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Readers’ Rides: François’ Panorama Torngat Ti Fat Bike in Summer Mode
Inspired by Hailey’s review of the Panorama Cycles Torngat Ti in full-fat winter mode, François submitted a full-length Readers’ Rides review of his Torngat Ti in summer mode. Let’s check it out!