The Radavist

Ibis Cycles‘ USA-made EXIE frameset received a Mer­cury Sil­ver fin­ish paint color, Team 31 gold accents, and a balleur Fox build kit, all for $4,499.99. Let’s check it out below…

Previewed in our Sea Otter Classic coverage earlier this year, the new Ritchey P-29er is finally available. After perfecting his concept for a new mountain bike, Tom introduced the first P-29er in 2012. Now, Ritchey announces the latest updated version of the P-29er, the latest manifestation of Ritchey’s deep heritage of mountain bike history.

With its pedigree firmly rooted in the decades-deep lineage of its P-series predecessors, this version of the P-29er is very much a contemporary machine with features demanded by today’s XC riders. Like all Ritchey frames, the P29er is built with proprietary triple-butted Logic steel tubing, now with stealthy dropper post routing and an ultralight forged machined tapered headtube. It boasts BOOST spacing and clears tires up to 2.3”.

Its modern XC geometry, delivers a breathtakingly balanced ride, however if you want to make old trails new again, forego suspension and opt for a rigid fork to get extra rowdy. Or pair it with a super compact drop bar and go even farther afield, including the urban landscape. All of this comes together to enshrine the P-29er as a monument to the spirit of endless possibility, redesigning what riders expect from a hardtail.

Tom Ritchey is known for taking whatever bike project he’s working on to the limit and then pushing beyond that in the redesign phase. This latest P-29er perfectly demonstrates his indisputable design style and his tendency toward new thinking to make something great even better.

Ritchey P-29 Quick Hits:

• Frame cost: $999 USD
• Material: Heat-treated, triple-butted Ritchey Logic steel tubing – TIG welded
• Headset: WCS headset included (upper IS42/28.6 | lower IS52/40)
• Seat Tube: 27.2mm with stealth dropper routing
• Bottom bracket: 73mm – English threaded
• Crankset maximum ring size: 38T single / Designed for 1X chainrings
• Chainline: 52mm / Replaceable stainless-steel derailleur hanger
• Recommended tire size: 29×2.25 (2.3 max) – tire size varies by rim and tire manufacturer
• Post-mount rear brake: 160mm (180mm max – adaptors available separately)
• Bottle cage mounts: Two (one on downtube and one on seat tube) *Note: size small frames include only a downtube bottle
• cage mount
• Sizes: S (15″) / M (17″) / L (19″) / XL (20.5″)
• Weight: 2,315g (M/17″)
• Color: Dirt in Blood
• Spacing: BOOST 148mm spacing (12mm alloy thru-axle included) / Optimized for 120mm (BOOST) suspension travel fork or 500mm axle-crown rigid fork

See more at Ritchey

Tobin Ortenblad and Keegan Swenson are two of the three Santa Cruz Bicycles htSQD riders (Alexis Skarda being the third). And while Keegan’s one of the most powerful long-distance riders in the world in his own right, racing is a team sport… and in team sports, relationships – nay, friendships – are paramount.

Hear the stories, as told by Keegan and Tobin, about racing strategies, competition, psychological warfare, laughter, and camaraderie.

Industry Nine has spent 2024 rolling out all-new lightweight chassis hub systems through the SOLiX lineup. First came SOLiX G and SOLiX SL wheelsets, and now SOLiX M brings the same quick engagement, low weight, and reduced drag to their lightest and fastest mountain bike wheels yet. Let’s check out some Quick Hits on the three new SOLiX wheelset offerings and an all-new hubset below.

Last year, we featured Reportage of the inaugural Durango Derby, a MTB race weekend in the (mtb) historic town of Durango. Today, the Derby announced 2024 registration is open. Read more here.

Skyline Wilderness Park in Napa has a rich history of mountain bike racing, from the Grundig World Cup races of the 1990s to the Single Speed World Championship in 2008. These are classic chunky old-school XC trails that are a perfect match for your favorite hardtail. Come test your abilities in a fun and supportive community!

Meet Your Maker is an ongoing series of rides hosted by the Northern California bike-making community. It all started in 2011 and kinda faded out in 2016, but now it’s back! No stuffy convention halls, no dim fluorescent lighting, just a good time hanging out and talking shop while we partake in the activity that puts a big smile on all of our faces.

The Scalpel is, as the name implies, a precision blade for cutting precise lines in singletrack. It’s an unapologetic, thoroughbred race machine that has stuck to its roots in the Cannondale lineup for over a decade. For 2022, the Scalpel returns with a fresh new design – look at that paint! – and new geometry with a slacker front end of 66.5º across all sizes. Complete with HollowGram cranks and a mix of high-end Shimano components, the new Scalpel HT Hi-MOD 1 as pictured here has a retail of $5000. Head to Cannondale to see more.

If you want to see a sick custom Scalpel we documented a few years back, check out The Cub House’s own build-up!

With the launch of the new Santa Cruz Blur and Juliana Wilder, Santa Cruz Bikes pulled together one of the most Wes Anderson bike videos we’ve ever seen!

The El Jefe is the latest model to land in the Why Cycles titanium catalog. Think of it as the more serious sibling to the S7 and the Wayward. It’s less swoopy, more serious, lighter, and faster-pedaling, yet it has clearance for a 29×2.6″ tire.

This bike is Why’s first “pro-model”, akin to skateboarding, surfing, and snowboarding. Jefe Branham is an ultra-endurance legend based in Gunnison, CO, and has been a friend and team rider for Why for two seasons. His feedback as to what his dream bike would be for going fast in the backcountry informed every decision in the El Jefe design. Jefe’s personal mantra is “Fast or Slow Just Go,” so with his input, Why turned it into a sandblasted graphic on the raw titanium. The lily flower in the graphics is a nod to his two-year-old daughter, Lillian.

With a 73.3º seat angle, a 67.5º head angle, and a 120mm fork, the El Jefe is a nimble, fast, and capable hardtail with pricing beginning at $2,349 for a frame only at Why Cycles.

The Highline is a new dropper post from Crankbrothers, marketed towards gravel bikes and XC racing mountain bikes. These 27.2mm posts come in a variety of lengths and feature an optional drop-bar dropper remote. The Highline comes backed with a 4-year warranty, is supplied with Jagwire cable and housing, uses a two-bolt standard head, is linear-pull, and is for internal routing.

HIGHLINE XC/GRAVEL FEATURES:
-60mm short & long / 80mm / 100mm / 125mm of infinite travel adjustment
-diameter: 27.2mm
-insertion lengths: 174mm short & 264mm long / 264mm / 264mm / 264mm (bottom of collar to bottom of actuator)
-weights: 369g & 410g / 434g / 459g / 467g
-60mm minimum stack height

See more at Crankbrothers.

Today Shimano kicked out a bunch of new dirt-related goodies, ranging from stems, handlebars, MTB dropper and yes, a gravel/XC dropper post. The Tharsis 3Five is a 100mm dropper post weighing in at 415 grams, with three post diameters (27.2, 30.9, 31.6mm), internal routing, and a 2-bolt clamp design with an MSRP of $330. Head to PRO to see more!

Revel’s new Ranger XC bike is a lighter and snappier version of its big sibling, the Rascal. Designed around a 29×2.6″ or 27.5×2.8″ wheelset, the Ranger is a 120mm front and 115mm rear travel bike, build on a CBF-engineered chassis. Think lightweight but still capable. The Ranger comes in three build kits, ranging from $4,999 to $9,999 and a frameset, which is priced at $2,799. You can pre-order now at Revel with a mid-July delivery estimate. See more at Revel.

Specs:
-Wheel Size 29″
-Front Travel 120mm
-Rear Travel 115mm
-Shock Spec 190 x 45-22.2 x 8 Hardware Spec
-Boost Axles 148mm rear / 110mm front
-Seatpost Diameter 31.6mm (use our size guide to choose the best dropper height!)
-Bearings: BOLU 6801 VRS full complement, 12mm x 21mm x 5mm 6pcs per bike
BOLU 6901 VRS full complement, 12mm x 24mm x 6mm 12pcs per bike
-Rear Brake 160mm post mount / 180mm max
-Tire Clearance 29″ x 2.6″ or 27.5″ x 2.8″
-Bottom Bracket Threaded (73mm English threaded)
-Chainguide Custom Revel guide included
-Tapered Headtube IS42 upper / IS52 lower
-Colors Johnny Green Jeans / De La Coal
-Sizes S / M / L / XL
-Frame Warranty Lifetime Warranty