I’ve tested hardtails for over 20 years, Whyte’s new Secta RS is the best bike out there under £1,500

Renowned for its forward-thinking approach to bike design, British brand Whyte has been on a bit of a mission of late to ...

SRAM launches limited edition 1987 Transmission groupset, in honour of the company’s 38th year

SRAM has launched a limited edition run of special Transmission groupsets in honour of the year the brand began: 1987. The ...

Stan’s Incredible Dart tyre repair tool saves me dumping holed tyres in the bin, and that makes it worth the bonkers pricetag

Everyone knows tubeless tyres are fantastic once you get ‘em mounted, right? Fantastic that is until a rogue rock or sharp ...

Smith’s Forefront 3 is about the comfiest helmet I’ve ever strapped on, but it’s not as breezy as the cheaper Payroll

Smith’s Forefront 3 Mips helmet is about as premium as it gets, and while £250 for an open face is top dollar you do get more ...

The Yeti LTe is an E-Enduro racer’s dream, with a full-fat Bosch drive system and Fox Factory suspension, but it’ll cost you

Yeti’s new electric race bike is here, the LTe. Taking inspiration from the MTe and 160e, it uses 160/170mm travel and is designed around the brand’s Sixfinity linkage design. It’s a full-fat bike ...

Behind the brands: Former Frameworks builder launches its own MTB label, with a titanium and 3D printed hardtail made in Scotland

You’ve probably heard of Frameworks. The boutique brand makes bespoke bikes out of exotic materials, and boasts riders like ...
Mountain Bike Rider

Whyte 629 V4 review

Whyte’s reputation for producing the best trail and enduro bikes is second to none. This UK brand’s design team doesn’t seem to sit still, constantly refining dimensions, geometry, and specs. And it’s ...
Mountain Bike Rider

Bosch’s new Performance SX e-bike motor brings full-fat power in a lightweight package

Is 2023 the year of the ‘diet’ emtb? With Specialized dropping the new Levo SL and multiple brands joining the fold with new models there have been plenty of strong signs already, but if you’re still ...
Mountain Bike Rider

Santa Cruz Tallboy CC X01 AXS RSV review

Fast, furious and full-send - the Santa Cruz Tallboy may be a short travel bike but it's one that's designed for full-on aggressive fun. The Santa Cruz Tallboy is the short 120mm travel 29er but don’t ...
Mountain Bike Rider

The addictive Santa Cruz Heckler SL came within a whisker of winning my SL E-Bike of the Year award, but one serious concern held it back

Santa Cruz has nailed almost everything on the Heckler SL, and we were smitten with the ride quality, but at 7.6k it's just too expensive, and the Fazua Ride 60 system isn't as reliable as it should ...
Mountain Bike Rider

Santa Cruz ditches the Heckler (and VPP!) for the new Vala: Bosch powered, two flip chips and a smaller battery

Santa Cruz has just unveiled the Vala – a brand new all-mountain e-bike that replaces the similarly intentioned Heckler. Instead of a Shimano EP801 motor like its predecessor though, the Vala gets ...
Mountain Bike Rider

Hope HB916 review

Hope has a lofty aim. It doesn’t just want to build bikes in the UK, it wants to make every single component right on its doorstep in Barnoldswick. So while other brands are happy to slap logos on ...