The Radavist

The Ibis Ripmo may be the perfect bike. And how could Ibis update the perfect bike? Well, Travis got a couple short weeks on the new 2025 Ibis Ripmo V3,  and it turns out you can do a lot more than just straighten the top tube.

Dirt drops are mentioned periodically here on The Radavist, usually in the context of a modern hardtail, rigid mountain bike, or adventure touring bike. But where did this terminology come from, and how are vintage dirt drops wildly different from what we have today? Using his 1983 Steve Potts as a platform for discussion, John unfurled the unique history behind this bike and looked at a proper 1980s dirt drop setup. Let’s check it out.

Today, we’re continuing our MADE Bike Show Australia coverage with a selection of stunning machines, ranging from road to mountain and everything in between. Read on for selects from Palmer, Prova, Simpatico, Skingrowsback, Squid, Stinner, Stridsland, Wondercross, and Woods…

Before getting to test ride an Ibis Cycles Ripley, Hailey Moore was pretty sure she’d never own a full-suspension bike. Now her feelings are, well, a little squishier. Read on for Hailey’s reflections on how riding a full-suspension mountain bike for the first time challenged her identity as a cyclist and furthered her mountain biking progression.

While 5,000 die-hard gravel riders were grinding away in Emporia, KS at Unbound, a smaller group of 120 racers gathered at a rodeo ground in Folsom, CA, for an altogether different affair: the 2024 Tracklocross World Championships. For the uninitiated, tracklocross is a throwback to the original cyclocross races of France in the early 1900s. Pro racers would take their fixed gear bikes over hill and dale in unofficial, off-season training races. Modern tracklocross races feature purpose-built fixed gear cyclocross rigs and closed courses instead of the fields and creeks between towns. Don’t miss Erik Mathy’s unique photos from this revitalized Tracklocross Worlds event below…

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…

Travis’s praise for the Forbidden Druid may occasionally seem hyperbolic. As if he’s exaggerating the thrills offered by a particular trail in an effort to convince you that it’s totally worth the climb. We understand why that would be a little off-putting if you’re reading this for objective buying advice. It’s hard to trust a bike review that sounds like a Happy Meal commercial. But whenever Travis talked about the Druid, it sounded like some sort of Greek myth that could defy the laws of nature … See? Now he’s got us doing it.

After seven years, Ryan Wilson returns to the Peruvian Cordillera Blanca to re-ride some of the roads that inspired him to take up bike touring in the first place and explore some new roads around the tourist hub of Huaraz.  Come along for a ride in one of the most spectacular regions of the world.

In the heart of Santa Cruz, California, John Caletti has spent over two decades honing his craft as a master frame builder at Caletti Cycles. From his early days of building steel frames to his current reputation for creating exceptional custom titanium bicycles, John’s journey is a testament to his dedication to the art and science of frame building.

A visit to Caletti Cycles reveals not just a workshop, but also a place where passion and precision intersect, where each bike reflects John’s commitment to quality and innovation. Join us below as we explore the inception of a unique builder/photographer relationship between John Caletti and Chris Corona, delving into John’s background, his perspectives on the cycling industry, and the vibrant community of makers that defines Caletti Cycles.

The last 20 years have seen seismic changes to brick-and-mortar businesses of all kinds, especially bike shops, yet Mock Orange Bikes endures. Mock Orange and its owner, Charles Van Isenburg, have remained a pillar of Winston-Salem, NC’s bike community for two decades with a relationship-driven, neighborhood-oriented, very much offline, and old-school way of conducting retail business.

On one of his frequent swings through his native North Carolina, Andy Karr stopped by his favorite hometown bike shop to chat with Charles about what’s changed in 20 years of owning a shop and what hasn’t.

During his sojourn to Northern California in April, John Watson wanted to document one framebuilder in particular whose work had caught his eye. John Fitzgerald has been building elegant custom steel bicycles under the name Fitz Cyclez for just under two decades, yet he tends to fly under the radar. He doesn’t attend the big bike shows, and he’s not really interested in marketing his brand. But as anyone who’s seen a Fitz in the wild can attest, his work speaks for itself – and his work is seen often throughout Sonoma County and the greater Bay Area, thanks to Fitz’s popularity within the randonneuring community.

To tell the tale of Fitz Cyclez from the eyes of a local, John Watson tapped Santa Rosa’s own Nicholas Haig-Arack to interview John Fitzgerald. Take a peek into the world of Fitz Cyclez.

When downcountry isn’t enough, and all-mountain is too much, there’s probably no safer bet than a 140 mm bike like the new 2024 Canyon Spectral. But that’s the problem. These are not precision instruments, nor are they unstoppable eaters of worlds. To stand out, a 140 bike has to either cast a very wide net or have some very clever tricks up its sleeve. After a couple months with the new Spectral, Travis discovered it does a little of both.

Nick’s titanium Sycip hardtail has been on our list to document for some time. On his April road trip to Sea Otter, John crashed in the driveway at his buddy Nick‘s house while he visited shops and builders in the area. After a particularly epic afternoon of riding in Annadel State Park, he grabbed Nick’s beautiful Sycip for some photos. This bike isn’t your ordinary Sycip and Nick ain’t your ordinary guy. Let’s see why below…