Dresden, Germany-based Sour Bicycles is updating its two popular hardtails, the Pasta Party and Crumble, for 2025. Let’s take a look at the updates in detail.
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The Hardtail Holdout
Locals in Bellingham, WA know him as “the guy on the Chromag hardtail,” and as the humble hardtail holdout, Robbie Kane is one of those few who have not only embraced a minimalist mountain bike mindset but have made a soulful connection with, pun intended, the roots of mountain biking. Despite riding for 20 years, Robbie has never owned a full suspension bike, opting to be content with one basic bike to rule them all…
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Jay from You Bet! and His Meriwether Steel 140 mm Hardtail 29er
While John was in NorCal, working with Whit from Meriwether Cycles on the Ponderosa project and Shop Visit article, he managed to document Jay from Nevada City-based You Bet! Bicycle Sales and Service‘s custom steel 140 mm hardtail 29er. We reached out to Jay to see if he’d be willing to pen the story of how this bike came about and he delivered one great write-up. Let’s check it out, along with some stunning photos below…
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Esker Smokey Ti Review: Hardcore Hardtail
When Esker Cycles released their new Smokey hardtail, initially in titanium then shortly after in steel, they proclaimed it a hardtail with “big travel for big days.” With a 160mm travel fork and aggressive geometry, is the Smokey a wildfire or does the spark not catch? Find out in Spencer’s review below…
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Whit’s Meriwether Cycles Luddite Silk-Ti Flex Pivot Hardtail
While John was hanging with Whit from Meriwether Cycles in the Nevada City area, he shot his Silk-Ti Flex Pivot bike. Whit calls this bike the Luddite. While we already featured this bike and the following write-up as a Readers’ Rides, John and his mindful eye have cataloged and fully documented it. Read on for the full story on the Luddite, along with some stellar photos of this titanium dream sled!
Radar
Readers’ Rides: Sam’s Hunter Cycles Midtail Hardtail Cargo Bike
Sam from Aotearoa, New Zealand sent in this beauty of a Hunter Cycles Midtail hardtail cargo bike for this week’s Readers’ Rides. Let’s check it out!
Radar
Wilde Dark Star Hardtail and Future Proof Rigid 29er Fork
Wilde‘s latest bike, the Dark Star ($1,200 pre-order), is a 120 or 130 mm travel hardtail 29er MTB with clearance for a 2.6″ tire and the option to run it with a rigid segmented fork Wilde calls the Future Proof Fork ($250 pre-order). What’s most interesting about this bike is how Wilde launched it to dealers…
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Sanitas Tap Root Ti Hardtail Review: Silver Surfin’ Daily Driver
What is titanium anyway? And where does it come from? Maybe from outer space? Who knows? We’re not really sure, but the folks over at Sanitas Cycles in Durango, Colorado, probably know. The Sanitas Tap Root is a trail-ready titanium hardtail with so much to offer. Today, in his review, Sean T. Randolph explains why this silver surfer is a great value and so much fun to ride!
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…
Radar
Esker Cycles Steel Smokey 160 mm Hardtail
Announced last month in a titanium chassis, the Esker Cycles Smokey is a 160 mm travel hardtail and now available in a steel frame. Let’s take a closer look…
Radar
First Look: Chumba Bikes Slackr 150 mm Titanium Hardtail
With a name that nods to the cult-classic Austin film “Slacker”, Chumba Bikes‘ all-new Slackr titanium hardtail sports a 150 mm travel fork and a geometry tuned for rowdy riding. Let’s check it out below!
Radar
Chromag Updated the Rootdown 29er Hardtail
Chromag is synonymous with hardtails. Trail hardtails. And the 160 mm travel Rootdown ($801 frame, $3,912 complete) is now in its sixth iteration. The updates this round are chassis details and new build specs so let’s check it out…
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Otso Cycles Hoot Ti Review: Titanium Hardtail Gets the Last Laugh
Launching today, the Hoot Ti from Otso Cycles is the brand’s first foray into designing a truly modern and progressive hardtail mountain bike. Built around 140 mm of front suspension with short 425mm chainstays across all sizes, the Hoot is meant for demanding trail riding yet is playful enough for riders who like to get airborne. It’s an evolution of where the brand, which has been innovating since day one, is going while also showcasing its ability to deploy new technologies to solve challenging design problems.
Josh has put considerable mileage on the new Hoot over the past few weeks, both in his usual testing grounds of southern Arizona and a big week in the steep mountains of northern New Mexico. Continue reading below for Josh’s review of the Hoot and a peek inside Otso’s Minneapolis, MN-based operations.
Radar
Esker Cycles Smokey Ti Hardtail
Esker Cycles is broadening its hardtail lineup with its most aggressive hardtail, the Smokey Ti. Let’s check it out…
Radar
Moots MXC Lightweight and Fast Hardtail 29er
If the Womble is the ultimate Moots hardtail for all-mountain endeavors, the Steamboat Springs-based framebuilder’s newest bike, the MXC, is designed to be its fastest. The MXC is perfect for XC trails, singletrack, and backroad gravel. Bikes like this quickly become a modern classic, truly high-performance bike, and look genuinely fun…
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Viral Derive Review: Titanium Pinion Smart.Shift Hardtail 29er
Yesterday, John walked us through the electronic shifting Pinion C1.12i Smart.Shift gearbox in an in-depth review, and today, we’ll be looking at the bike it was installed on, the Viral Bike Derive hardtail. You know we love hardtails at The Radavist, and this one did not disappoint…
Radar
Fairdale Elevator 29er Hardtail MTB
Fairdale‘s Elevator ($599 frame), the brand’s first hardtail, arrives in a few days, but the brand sent us over an early look at this entry-level 29er. Let’s check it out!
Radar
This Manzanita Cycles Hardtail is For Sale and Benefits Reno-Area Bike Park
Manzanita Cycles, a Reno-based framebuilder we featured in our MADE coverage, is selling a 130mm-travel smooth-riding steel hardtail and donating all profits to support the growth of the Sky Tavern Bike Park in the Reno/Lake Tahoe area. Let’s take a closer look.
