Category: Showdowns
-
Mondraker Crafty Review: A Bosch-Powered Mountain goat
The Mondraker Crafty RR is a big-power eMTB built for riders who want serious range, serious traction, and a versatile bike that fits in almost anywhere. Out of the box, the bike does feel a bit tall, no question. But — and this is an important but — with a few smart setup tweaks, the…
-
Transition Regulator SX & CX Review: What’s the Difference?
Here we go on the all-new Transition Regulator. With two versions and two different motors—CX for full power and SX for a lightweight, more pedal-bike-like feel—the Regulator has something for everyone. Transition designed this bike to be more responsive and lively with a more natural ride experience than their other eMTBs. After riding both models,…
-
2024 All-Mountain MTB Showdown
Alright, team, today we’re looking for the best all-mountain MTB so we’re talking Transition Sentinel, Santa Cruz Hightower, and the Ibis Ripmo. Welcome to the 2024 All-Mountain Showdown. We’re diving into the ins and outs of some of this year’s top all-mountain bikes. We spent a week in Moab riding these three back-to-back on some…
-
Ibis Ripley vs Ripmo: Different Enough?
Alright—we’ve covered both the new Ibis Ripmo and Ripley in their own videos. Now it’s time for the shootout. You might think there’s not much difference between these bikes—they use the same frame, after all. And yeah, on paper, you might not be wrong. But in real-world applications, you’d be really wrong. The differences between…
-
2025 Orbea Rise SL & LT
Today, we’re talking about the 2025 Orbea Rise SL and LT. We’re riding them back to back and discussing where each one shines. They’ve got the same frame and motor, so how different can they really be? Stick around to find out. 2025 Orbea Rise: What’s New? The new Rise is the revamped version of…
-
Orbea Occam SL & LT Review: Which one is better?
Today, we’re talking about the new Orbea Occam, both the SL and LT models. How much can 10mm of travel and different components make? We’re going to dive in and help you decide which one is the better option for you. We’ve also got a race against the clock in store, so stick around. <…
-
Lightweight eMTB Showdown: Small But Mighty
Welcome to the 2023 Lightweight eMTB showdown. All of our back-to-back testing is done and dusted. Let’s dive into the showdown here. We’ve got four bikes on offer in the category. We have the Santa Cruz Heckler SL, Transition Relay, Orbea Rise, and Giant Trance X E+ Elite. Lightweight emtb: The Contenders All four of…
-
Summary: XC Showdown
Alright, let’s wrap this bad Larry up. We’ve ridden and reviewed four modern XC bikes. Now it’s time to dive deep into comparisons. We’ll break these down by climbing and descending performances, keeping in mind these are XC bikes — their main goal is to be fast and efficient. The bikes on offer are the…
-
Orbea Oiz Review: XC Showdown
Last but not least, we have the Orbea Oiz. With the most travel in our entire test group, I would have assumed the Orbea Oiz would have felt the most “trail.” While the fit is more on the trail side of the spectrum, the suspension characteristics feel very XC. It’s a nice combo for making…
-
Santa Cruz Blur Review: XC Showdown
Up next, we have the Santa Cruz Blur. The Blur is Santa Cruz to its core. It’s a blast on the descents, with a comfortable and confident attitude. It’s no slouch on the climbs, either. It provides traction for days and a comfortable fit and feel. It comes in several flavors to suit the XC…