From Madrid to Tucson: The 2023 Komoot Women’s Arizona Rally

Reportage

From Madrid to Tucson: The 2023 Komoot Women’s Arizona Rally

Last fall Cristina Maristany joined 70 other riders from all over the world in the Sonoran Desert for the Komoot Women’s Arizona Rally designed and hosted by Lael Wilcox and Rue Kaladyte. Over eight days, the self-supported group camped under the stars and overcame the challenge of traveling through remote zones with limited food and water. The total route was over 400 miles (650km) and 25,000ft (7,600m) of elevation through breathtaking Southern Arizona landscapes.

Below, Cristina recaps this spectacular ride with her own wonderful photos, in addition to a gallery from event photographer Ashley Gruber, and a video she produced about the rally….

Sips and Service: Hello Bicycle Cafe and Shop Visit

Reportage

Sips and Service: Hello Bicycle Cafe and Shop Visit

Iterating on the modern-day classic of bikes and coffee, Hello Bicycle & Cafe offers denizens of Tucson, Arizona, a lovely place to land right off the popular Loop bike path. The cozy cafe is stocked with local pastries and it sits right next to a well-organized shop, offering everything from factory-level suspension service, to complete bikes for purchase. It’s become one of Spencer Harding‘s favorite hangs and he shares a shop visit below…

Artificial Selection: A Revel Bikes Tirade 29er Hardtail Review

Reportage

Artificial Selection: A Revel Bikes Tirade 29er Hardtail Review

Announced today, the Revel Bikes Tirade is a 29er, 140-millimeter travel titanium hardtail, unlike anything the brand has offered in the past. With generous tire clearance, beautiful cable routing, and more, it’s clear Revel has used merged its own design prowess, learned through making phenomenal full-suspension bikes, and the re-labeling of its titanium brand, Why Cycles, to force an evolution of the almighty hardtail. Read on for John’s nerdy science talk intertwined with commentary on how hardtails are still having a moment in 2024 below!

2024 Touring Bikes and Rigid MTBs Under and Around $2000

Radar

2024 Touring Bikes and Rigid MTBs Under and Around $2000

All of us here at the Radavist have been on a bike tour at some point. With the proliferation of bicycle touring and bikepacking in the modern bike zeitgeist, many options exist for a “touring bike.” This also means it can be hard to sift through all those options. With bikes that span from the “skinny tire” gravel bikes to the monster truck fat bikes, touring bikes can be whatever you need of them.

We compiled a list of touring bikes and rigid MTBs under or around $2000 to help you find your first or next tourin’ rig… 

UPDATED 2024 Hardtails Under and Around $2000

Radar

UPDATED 2024 Hardtails Under and Around $2000

We’ll continue to update this list for 2024

Hardtails make the world go round. Especially here at The Radavist. We’ve been long-time supporters of these capable yet simple mountain bikes and as people decide on the “next bike” after reaching the limitations on their gravel bikes, we thought it’d be nice to compile a list of current hardtail models we dig, all under or around $2,000 so let’s get to it!

FORGE+BOND Introduces $1,250 American-Made Carbon MTB Wheelsets

Radar

FORGE+BOND Introduces $1,250 American-Made Carbon MTB Wheelsets

This may be the most promising step forward yet in the potential of U.S.-made thermoplastic-style carbon components. We’ve talked a lot about FUSIONFIBER, the carbon rim material used on wheels from Revel and Chris King. And when the engineering team behind FUSIONFIBER launched their own brand, FORGE+BOND, it was positioned essentially as the tip of the spear. It’s who would be exploring what’s possible with this unique material and process. And not surprisingly, their debut wheels were aimed at the high-end carbon wheel market, including models laced U.S.-made hubs from Industry Nine starting at $1,900. But pricing in the carbon wheel game has gotten extremely competitive, so FORGE+BOND has now introduced the much more affordable Shift series to their wheel lineup, offering wheels with U.S.-made FUSIONFIBER rims for $1,250.

First Ride Review: Introducing the Updated 2024 Pivot Switchblade

Radar

First Ride Review: Introducing the Updated 2024 Pivot Switchblade

The Switchblade has been one of the best-selling bikes in Arizona-based Pivot Cycles‘ lineup since the first version dropped nearly eight years ago. Utilizing a DW-Link platform, it was one of the first full-suspension bikes to incorporate Super Boost rear spacing with either 27.5+ or 29″ wheels. Its last major overhaul was back in 2020 – which saw the bike grow bigger, longer, and lighter – and today Pivot introduces the next iteration of the Switchblade with geometry and kinematic advancements they claim “sets a new bar for how a 140-150 mm travel Trail/Enduro bike should ride.” This launch also celebrates the 35th anniversary of the first bike built by Pivot’s founder/CEO Chris Cocalis back in 1989: the Sun Eagle Talon.

Josh Weinberg, who lives just up the road from Pivot HQ in Phoenix, AZ, recently spent a couple of days getting to know the new Switchblade on some of his favorite trails and, below, shares a first look at the new model and some initial ride impressions…

Shredding With the Stone Eaters: Knolly Tyaughton Steel 29er Hardtail Review

Reportage

Shredding With the Stone Eaters: Knolly Tyaughton Steel 29er Hardtail Review

On a recent Radavist Retreat, John and Hailey left their wintery homes to ride the various trails and gravelly terrain down in Phoenix with Josh. While there, John rode the Knolly Tyaughton Steel he’d procured from the brand earlier this winter and spent time riding amongst the Stone Eaters of South Mountain Park. Find out what he thought about this wild hardtail 29er with an even wilder price point ($2,449 complete) below!

Introducing Buena Onda Bikes

Radar

Introducing Buena Onda Bikes

Our friend and contributor Colt Fetters, along with partner Mark Gomez, are launching a bike brand today! Buena Onda Bikes is based in Durango, CO building titanium bikes in small batches. Below, Colt provides an overview of Buena Onda and shares a few important details about the brand including their “community supported bicycle” model, local builder John Siegrist, and their first offering which is a versatile titanium hardtail…

Groove Chronicles: A PAL X Slowrider Helmet Art Show and More

Reportage

Groove Chronicles: A PAL X Slowrider Helmet Art Show and More

In a world where boundaries blur and possibilities collide, two extraordinary individuals emerge from different realms, united by a shared vision. Matthew Mata-Aguilar, a seasoned veteran with a decade of wisdom in the cycling industry, and Glen Repol, a maven of street fashion culture for over eleven years, embark on an epic journey that transcends the ordinary. Together, they shatter the confines of traditional cycling norms, pushing the limits of imagination and innovation. From bike builds to cycling fashion, their collaboration ignites a spark that sets the stage for a mesmerizing spectacle.

Brace yourself as they unveil a groundbreaking event, a helmet art show like no other, where creativity intertwines with functionality, and the cycling culture is forever transformed. Get ready to witness the collision of worlds, the convergence of ideas, and the birth of a new era in cycling. This is the story of SLOWRIDER and PAL, two trailblazers on a mission to redefine what it means to ride.

Wearing the Pants: Dovetail Is Making Workwear for Women, By Women

Radar

Wearing the Pants: Dovetail Is Making Workwear for Women, By Women

Started in 2018 by the two owners of a landscaping business in Oregon, Dovetail Workwear aim to make “top-to-toe, all-season, all-reason” utility apparel for women. Hailey Moore stumbled upon their work pants at her local hardware store and wanted to know more. Read on for her review of Dovetail’s workwear and thoughts on how the brand’s mission is having an impact beyond the retail space.