#Travis-Engel

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Specialized Stumpjumper Comp Alloy: First Ride Review

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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.

Giant Trance 29 2 Review: Mash Market

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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.

Wish List: Vol. 1 – Tools, Trucks, Bottles, and Butts

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Wish List: Vol. 1 – Tools, Trucks, Bottles, and Butts

Welcome to the first installment of Wish List, where Radavist contributors share their dreams of things that don’t exist, but maybe should. Some will be slightly niche but perfectly reasonable ideas that have every right to exist. Others will be impractical, expensive, and/or dangerous fantasies that probably should remain fantasies. Travis dives in first with a list that spans this spectrum quite nicely.

We Asked 150 Bike Shops What They Recycle, and 32 Of Them Responded

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We Asked 150 Bike Shops What They Recycle, and 32 Of Them Responded

It’s hard to gather massive data about how careful or careless our industry is with waste.  A lot of manufacturers take transparent sustainability pledges, but a lot more don’t. Bike shops, on the other hand, have open doors. So, Travis surveyed several dozen bike shop recycling programs (and got a few dozen responses) about how their waste is managed. Answers ranged from recycling to donations to landfills to something involving art projects and Burning Man.

Bike Hacks: Tips for Cyclists With Small Homes and No Garage

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Bike Hacks: Tips for Cyclists With Small Homes and No Garage

When you have too many bikes and too little space, simply living your life feels like one big bike hack. It’s something Travis knows all too well, juggling multiple cycling disciplines, piles of gear, and a smattering of trail-work tools. With the help of a very forgiving spouse, he fits it all in (and around) a rental unit that’s about the size of a two-car garage. Oh, and he doesn’t have a garage.

Rockymounts Carlito Lightweight U-Lock Review: Fragile but Fantastic

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Rockymounts Carlito Lightweight U-Lock Review: Fragile but Fantastic

This isn’t exactly a “review” of the Carlito lightweight U-lock. Reviewing a lock is like reviewing a helmet. You can’t be sure if it will perform when you really need it until a very bad thing happens. And when (or if) that bad thing does happen, there are too many variables to say if your experience will be the same. But Travis’s experience with the Carlito has been overwhelmingly positive, even though this lock may not perform when you really need it.

Forbidden Druid V2 Review: High-Minded High Pivot

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Forbidden Druid V2 Review: High-Minded High Pivot

Travis’s praise for the Forbidden Druid may occasionally seem hyperbolic. As if he’s exaggerating the thrills offered by a particular trail in an effort to convince you that it’s totally worth the climb. We understand why that would be a little off-putting if you’re reading this for objective buying advice. It’s hard to trust a bike review that sounds like a Happy Meal commercial. But whenever Travis talked about the Druid, it sounded like some sort of Greek myth that could defy the laws of nature … See? Now he’s got us doing it.

2024 Canyon Spectral Review: A Cult Classic for the Masses

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2024 Canyon Spectral Review: A Cult Classic for the Masses

When downcountry isn’t enough, and all-mountain is too much, there’s probably no safer bet than a 140 mm bike like the new 2024 Canyon Spectral. But that’s the problem. These are not precision instruments, nor are they unstoppable eaters of worlds. To stand out, a 140 bike has to either cast a very wide net or have some very clever tricks up its sleeve. After a couple months with the new Spectral, Travis discovered it does a little of both.