It adapts in seconds without any tools to comfortably fit riders of varying heights thanks to its low-entry frame, quick-release seat post, and height-adjustable handlebar. It also takes up less space than an ordinary bike with its 20-inch wheels, folding pedals, and a handlebar that twists to create a slim, wall-hugging profile that goes flat inside a car or train.
Batch aims to repeat the process, now in the gravel corner of the industry. Now, surely, these new gravel offerings won't completely knock your socks off, but that isn't Batch's intention. However, will they get new riders out on two wheels without the incredible cost barrier? Absolutely.
Developed for road, gravel, and MTB, Dark Energy is the outcome of four years of dedicated research and development both inside the unique Muc-Off R&D Lab and also working closely with pro-team riders and performance staff. Over that period, more than 90 formulations were created and tested through a structured loop of rigorous screening, consisting of over 8,500 hours of dynamometer and tribometer testing and over 100,000km of real-world testing.
In contrast with many of the heavy, and powerful fat tire e-bikes that dominated the market-and which felt more like motorcycles than bicycles-the Soltera presented a stripped-down, simplified, and much more analog-like experience. More recently, the Soltera 2 upped the ante with a much more natural-feeling and responsive ride, all thanks to its torque sensor. This version of the bike also added a more robust package of features, including integrated turn signals,
Terra describes the Nera as a bike that can easily crossover from World Cup race tape to the freeride scene. They use high-strength chromoly steel to deliver their desired flex and ride characteristics. Terra also claims excellent vibration damping, and, well, steel is pretty strong, too.
Yes-you can buy a quality bike on Amazon, if you choose the right bike type, avoid "too-cheap-to-be-true" builds, and buy from a brand with real support. Amazon isn't the problem. Bad components, poor sizing choices, and bargain-bin bikes are the problem.
The Era SL is Race Face's lighter, more XC-oriented version of the standard Era crankset, available for eMTB and gravity use, but it's heavier. To create the Era SL, Race Face has shaved weight through an integrated spindle design and stripped-down hardware. The result is a claimed 422 grams with a 32T chainring installed. That's a 78-gram reduction over the already-respectable standard Era.
The beauty of chainrings is that they wear out, generally after a few seasons depending on how you ride, which means they are a perfect opportunity to give your old bike some new bling. At $75 a pop, they aren't exactly cheap. But the precision of these machined-in-Colorado 7075 chainrings is on point, and Wheels Mfg has a long record of making solid, long-lasting components.
With a laundry list of accolades and praise from across the industry, the Madrone Jab is one of the best cases against wireless shifting. With compatibility for all the major drivetrains found on drop bar and flat bar 1x bikes, the Jab is an elegant and robust solution to shifting problems for many riders, and it's now available in even more eye-catching color options.
Today, Shimano introduces the latest dual-function pedal in its lineup, the PD-EH510. This versatile hybrid pedal combines Shimano's renowned SPD clip-in system on one side with a fairly large flat pedal platform on the other. This gives riders the choice between clipped-in efficiency or the freedom of flat pedals, with a versatile pedal that's ready to ride, no matter which shoes they choose.
The results are in, and although the sample size for this poll isn't as deep as we would have liked, it still shows that many riders still prefer mechanical MTB drivetrains over wireless and electronic ones. In October, we published an article in defense of the mechanical derailleur in the lead-up to the review of the industry-leading Madrone Cycles Jab. As it turns out, most riders are still dedicated to the familiarity and reliability of mechanical shifting, with over 80% of votes in favor of mechanical derailleurs. Results that we can fully understand.
Try as we might, it's not always easy to keep up with it all, and sometimes, it can be a challenge to give everything the attention it deserves. In our new Shifting Gear series (see what we did there?), we'll be highlighting products that have just arrived, we're excited to try out, or that we're particularly stoked to tell you about but haven't had a chance to review yet.
Cane Creek's new HCR stem, headsets, and spacers solve the hassle of fully integrated hidden cables by not quite fully integrating them. We got a glimpse of a not-quite-so-integrated setup with it last summer at MADE, but now you can actually buy it. Instead of hiding everything completely inside your stem and spacers, the HCR system gets open slots in the front of the spacers and under the stem.
The Universal Derailleur Hanger (UDH) has solved many problems. If you've ever had a cycling weekend cut short due to a bent or broken derailleur hanger and not been able to find a replacement, you know what I'm talking about. The UDH eventually gave way to SRAM's direct-mount derailleurs, both electronic and mechanical. However, these direct-mount derailleurs posed challenges for some indoor trainers, often requiring users to fiddle with tricky adapters or ditch them altogether.
Rimpact's Chain Damper was launched in 2024, and since then, interest in drivetrain feedback mitigation seems to be gaining momentum. The fact that current World Cup DH ruler Jackson Goldstone uses a similar device on his bike has likely caused quite a spike in interest. On their part, Rimpact supported 15 World Cup DH Teams through last season, and they're expecting that number to grow this year.
Reserve Wheels has partnered with DT Swiss to be the only (for now) source for aftermarket wheelsets built with DT Swiss Degree of Freedom (DOF) hub internals - another big deal that follows the recent announcement of Reserve's partnership with Chris King. If you're not familiar with DOF, it is DT Swiss's answer to the pedal kickback issue that is the talk of the MTB industry right now. With DOF internals, riders can benefit from tool-free deadband tuning, enhancing suspension performance and reduced drivetrain feedback.
Speed through multiplied power was one of the main goals of this project, and to that end, Van Rysel designed the FTP^2 to integrate seamlessly with the Mahle M40 pedal assist drive unit. Originally designed for eMTBs, the mid-drive M40 is one of the most powerful units on the market, capable of putting out up to 105 Nm of torque and 850 watts of peak power.
