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Spoke Too Soon: An In-Depth Review of BERD Spokes

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Spoke Too Soon: An In-Depth Review of BERD Spokes

Last year John wrote briefly about his early impressions of the BERD spokes while piloting the Sour Bicycles Pasta Party. Due to mixing around bikes and wheels, he ended up handing them over to Kyle Klain to ride and review. After months of riding in and around Santa Fe as well as across southeast Utah during the Aquarius Huts Tour, Kyle has some thoughts to share on this unusual wheel-building option.

Long, Slack and Steep Review: Is the Chromag Darco 29er the Best Steel Full Suspension Yet?

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Long, Slack and Steep Review: Is the Chromag Darco 29er the Best Steel Full Suspension Yet?

Coming off of the REEB SST and having ridden the piss out of my Starling Murmur 29er over the past three years, when Chromag announced its new full-suspension bike, the Darco 29er, my interest was piqued. It’s no secret to readers here that I love how steel full-suspension bikes ride, and it’s been great seeing small brands put in the PR&D on these niche bikes. After some pleading, the fine folks at Chromag shipped me out a stock build of the Darco in size XL, for me to womp around on down in Phoenix while I escaped the ice-capades of Northern New Mexico for a week. Was it love at first flight? Find out below…

First Look: Crankbrothers Mallet Trail Pedals with Mallet BOA Shoes

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First Look: Crankbrothers Mallet Trail Pedals with Mallet BOA Shoes

Launched today, the Mallet Trail pedals from Crankbrothers are the brand’s most recent entry into the clipless trail pedal category. Situated between the XC/gravel-oriented Candy pedals and their enduro offering, the Mallet E, the Mallet Trail features a lightweight yet substantial platform and boasts features that make it super versatile for a range of disciplines. Josh has been using a pair, along with the Mallet BOA shoe, for a couple of months and provides an overview along with some initial thoughts below…

Finding an Ideal Low Trail Road Bike: Soma Grand Randonneur Review

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Finding an Ideal Low Trail Road Bike: Soma Grand Randonneur Review

After spending years swapping the same worn-out parts between vintage steel frames, I was ready to build my ideal “road” bike in 2020. I wanted something that was comfortable, versatile, and beautiful, and after much deliberation, I settled on the Soma Grand Randonneur. Read on to learn why I chose the Grand Randonneur and my thoughts on the bike after two tours, a gravel race, and many long days on country roads.

Bicycle Crumbs Reviews: The Ortlieb Commuter-Daypack High Visibility

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Bicycle Crumbs Reviews: The Ortlieb Commuter-Daypack High Visibility

Purpose-built for commuting, the Ortlieb Commuter Day-Pack High Visibility brings new meaning to the term reflectivity. But before you start picturing a Day-Glo aesthetic, this piece utilizes a high-luminosity yarn that’s woven throughout Ortlieb’s signature black, waterproof fabric. After testing the backpack through moody Portland commuting, Bicycle Crumbs shares his review.

Bedrock Clogs Review: For Those Squeamish of Stubbing Their Toes

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Bedrock Clogs Review: For Those Squeamish of Stubbing Their Toes

After years of being inside the design conversations and testing multiple prototypes, Spencer Harding is here to usher in Bedrock’s just-released adventure Mountain Clog. Made from synthetic or leather uppers, these clogs are a great alternative for those toe-stubbing fearful folks out there. Turns out it makes a pretty darn good mountain bike shoe as well! If you’ve ever wanted to be a granola-crunchin’, mountain-munchin’, clog-rockin’, hippie, nature-druid dad then look no further.

Falling For Front Range Fat Biking: Josh’s 2014 Surly Moonlander

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Falling For Front Range Fat Biking: Josh’s 2014 Surly Moonlander

The first time I laid eyes on a fat bike was in 2011. I was picking up my race bib for the American Birkebeiner 50k, the famed cross-country ski race in Hayward, Wisconsin. Surly had an expo booth outside with their demo fleet of fat bikes prominently positioned so they’d be the first thing you saw. You couldn’t miss the line-up of jumbo-rubbered Pugsleys kitted out with 26×3.8″ tires, ready for a test ride. I made my way to the booth and asked about these foreign looking monster bikes. I was promptly told that I should ride one and find out for myself. As I looked down the row, I saw one with much larger tires than all the rest. It was a Moonlander, there to show off Surly’s newly announced expedition fat bike.

Space Race: Why the OneUp EDC Lite and Bontrager BITS Are the Only In-Bike Multi-Tools I’ll Use

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Space Race: Why the OneUp EDC Lite and Bontrager BITS Are the Only In-Bike Multi-Tools I’ll Use

The field of on-bike and steerer-tube tool storage hasn’t quite delivered on its promise to finally rid us of our packs and pockets. There are dozens of options out there, and all involve some level of compromise. But maybe it’s time we just accept that. Travis Engel sure has, so he’s here to review the least-bad in-frame tools on the market. We swear, it’s better than it sounds.

One Merry Fellow: John’s Balloon Tire Rivendell Bombadil 29er

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One Merry Fellow: John’s Balloon Tire Rivendell Bombadil 29er

It’s no secret Rivendell Bicycle Works pulls inspiration from Tolkien’s Middle Earth. Grant Petersen is a big Tolkien fan and, over the years, many of the brand’s bicycles have adorned names from Tolkien’s writings. When it comes to beings of power and mystique, there are none more significant than Tom Bombadil. Older than Middle Earth and more powerful than any, Bombadil was omitted from the Jackson-envisioned big-screen movies for several reasons, but that didn’t keep Grant from naming Rivendell’s first mountain bike after the most powerful being in Middle Earth.

A Bombadil is a rare bird. Perhaps as rare as the fabled Legolas, Riv’s ‘cross bike, so I never expected I’d find one in my size, a 60cm. Then, one morning, an eBay alert popped into my email; there it was; a sunny Bombadil just begging to be purchased…

Off-Season is for “Season: A Letter to the Future,” the First Bicycle Touring-Themed Video Game

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Off-Season is for “Season: A Letter to the Future,” the First Bicycle Touring-Themed Video Game

“Season: A Letter to the Future” is Montreal-based Scavengers Studio‘s second major project and maybe the first videogame to feature a bike touring ethos. I was instantly enchanted upon first look at the game which featured a bike-riding, polaroid photo-taking, journal-sketching protagonist. In the game, you are charged with the task of documenting the stories and ephemera of a local valley before the changing of the season, an impending world-altering event.

Last Call: Renovating the Surly Corner Bar

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Last Call: Renovating the Surly Corner Bar

Released in 2021, the Surly Corner Bar was designed to reorient flat-bar controls into a drop-bar-style configuration. It’s decidedly low tech, with its steel construction and somewhat unrefined ergonomics, but it was too clever for Travis Engel to pass up. He’s owned a pair since they launched, and has a few suggestions if you’re considering dropping in.

Laces, OUT!: Testing Seven BOA-Equipped Flat-pedal MTB Shoes

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Laces, OUT!: Testing Seven BOA-Equipped Flat-pedal MTB Shoes

After four months riding BOA-equipped flat-pedal shoes from Scott, Crankbrothers, Pearl Izumi, Leatt, Giro, and Ride Concepts, Travis Engel has come back with a thorough review on how each performed according to protection, comfort, fit, and ease of ons and offs. Oh, and of course, which ones will actually stick to a pedal. Continue reading below for the full rundown on these seven options in a MTB footwear category that’s grown quickly in just a few short years…