While Arya from Rons Bikes missed being able to ride amongst the flowers of this year’s Nutmeg Spring Fling, that did not keep her from reflecting. Waxing poetic about ancient river ferries, French Randonneur bikes, and East Haddam Land Trust alike, make sure you don’t miss this recap of Nutmeg Spring Fling.
“2023 MADE”
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The Dust-Up: Enduring Growth and Why I (Still) Want To Race Unbound Gravel
Going into this year’s Unbound Gravel, someone asked Hailey Moore why she was lining up. Turns out, after a bit of thought, the answer was more complicated than she’d expected. Read on as Hailey writes about gravel’s bittersweet growing pains and her motivation for toeing the line for the fourth time in Emporia.
Radar
Rogue Panda Blue Ridge Handlebar Harness Review: Shred-Ready
Flagstaff, Arizona-based Rogue Panda announced its new Blue Ridge Handlebar Harness ($185) earlier this year, and John has found it to be the most stable handlebar harness yet. Read on for his in-depth review of this lightweight and secure system that eliminates both head tube rub and cable interference.
Reportage
Rocky Mountain Reaper 26 Review: The Kids are Alright
The Reaper lineup of bikes from Rocky Mountain utilizes many of the brand’s popular features from its adult-sized siblings but in smaller versions for growing younger riders. Featuring dialed kinematics and adjustable RIDE-9 geometry, the Reapers–which include 24″, 26″, and 27.5″ wheeled models–are designed as ripping platforms for kids with the same Rocky Mountain DNA as the rest of the storied Canadian brand’s lineup.
Last year, Josh brought in a Reaper 26 for his now twelve-year-old son Holden to ride on their loose and chunky southern Arizona trails. Holden also used the bike to race his first XC season with the Arizona Cycling Association’s Youth Development League.
If you have a young rider at home and are curious how this bike fit, handled, and held up for Holden over nearly nine months of extended use (and abuse), continue reading below…
Radar
The Dust-Up: Headset Cable Routing Is Not a Victimless Crime
Travis often sneaks a scornful jab at thru-headset cable routing into his stories. In this Dust-Up, he explains why. And it’s not for all the obvious reasons.
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.
Radar
DEAN Undergoes a Rebranding “RetroFresh” and Modernizes its Model Lineup
Boulder, CO, founded and based DEAN Ultimate Bikes, one of the USA’s longest continually running titanium bicycle manufacturers, announced that it has updated its bike lineup and “RetroFresh”ed its website and visual aesthetics. Let’s check it out…
Reportage
Ira Ryan Cycles Shop Visit: Constructeur Moderne
After an eleven-year hiatus, Ira Ryan is back building bicycles under his namesake moniker, Ira Ryan Cycles, in Portland, Oregon. While Josh was visiting the City of Roses earlier this year, he stopped by Ira’s to catch up and check out some new projects. Continue reading below to look inside Ira’s workshop and drool over some of his exquisite recently built bicycles.
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Sour Bicycles SRD Steel Full Suspension Review: A Rolling Prototype
Peter Georgallou might be the last person ’round these parts you’d expect to test an all-mountain/enduro full-suspension mountain bike like the steel single-pivot SRD prototype from Sour Bicycles but that’s what makes his review so interesting. Continue reading below as Petor dives head-first and in-depth into a new-to-him world of riding in addition to a preview of some exciting things to come from our friends at Sour…
Radar
Paul Component Engineering Cranks: It’s a Cult Thing
Ever-digging through cycling esoterica, John landed a set of Paul Component Engineering Cranks recently, thus spurring a desire to wax poetic about them, juxtaposed by a recent comment he read last month on this very website. Read on for a ramble…
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Velo Orange Rando Review: An Unencumbered Pursuit
With the re-release of their ‘Rando’ offering, Velo Orange takes a stab at the slim, albeit existing, market of all-road bikes while adding their own, classically inspired twist. Floridian Nic Morales looked at where this gold-flecked bike shines and what pavement-centric dreams a thin-tubed modern randonneur inspires.
Radar
ENVE Sold to Investment Firm PV3
As the bike industry quakes from the pandemic bike boom bubble bursting, ENVE just announced its selling from Amer Sports to investment company, PV3. Read the press release below.
Reportage
Sea Otter Classic 2024: Hudski Bikes Doggler V3 – All the Updates
The Radavist thanks 1-Up USA for sponsoring our Sea Otter Classic 2024 coverage!
At Sea Otter Classic 2024, John caught up with Hudski Bikes to check out their new V3 Doggler prototype. If you recall, John loved the Hudski Doggler V2 he reviewed last year and made some mindful notes of what he’d change in the next version of this affordable jack-of-all-trades flat bar bike. Did Hudski read his notes? Read on to find out…
Radar
Introducing the New 1UP USA Super Duty Bike Rack
Coinciding with this week’s Sea Otter Classic, 1UP USA just announced a completely redesigned Super Duty hitch-mount bike rack. With a new one-handed push-button system, adjustable tray spacing, 100 lb rating per tray, and more, there’s a lot to like about this rack. Josh, our resident rackaholic, has been testing the new SD and shares a review below…
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Sea Otter Classic 2024: Neuhaus Metalworks – HBSL Titanium XC Race 29er Hardtail
The Radavist thanks 1-Up USA for sponsoring our Sea Otter Classic 2024 coverage!
Josh and John are out at Sea Otter this week, covering people, products, and bikes on display. We’re starting the show coverage off a little differently this year with a feature on Neuhaus Metalworks’ newest offering: the HBSL Titanium XC Race 29er. Read on for a look at this new titanium Superleggera chassis and a comparison to the steel Hummingbird hardtail 29er…
Radar
2024 RockShox Psylo Gold RC First-Ride Review
Sometimes, the bike industry throws cost-conscious consumers a bone, and the 2024 RockShox Psylo Gold RC is a meaty one. Travis has been chewing on it for a couple weeks now, and he’s got a review with almost no flesh-based metaphors.
Reportage
Framework Bicycles Review: Thoughts on Balance
Framework Bicycles turns blocks of aluminum and spools of carbon into one-off custom bikes where obsessive precision and iteration becomes rideable art. In this long-term, long form Framework Bicycles review, Morgan Taylor details the experience of designing and riding their custom road bike. Did they strike the perfect balance, or produce their own Homer car?
Radar
ENVE Fray Endurance/All-Road Bike First Look
Released today, the Fray is ENVE’s new all-road/endurance road bike. The Fray is positioned in ENVE’s lineup between the Melee and the MOG, with a geometry optimized for tire sizes between 700 x 31c and 700 x 35c, and clearance up to 40c.
Petor stumbled on one of the first production Fray bikes ahead of its release for a long weekend in Girona last October. Below, he shares a first look and some initial ride impressions…