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When Esker Cycles released their new Smokey hardtail, initially in titanium then shortly after in steel, they proclaimed it a hardtail with “big travel for big days.” With a 160mm travel fork and aggressive geometry, is the Smokey a wildfire or does the spark not catch? Find out in Spencer’s review below…
Who wears short shorts? Blix Croell tested the Curious Creatures Ramble Scramble short ($139), a unisex mountain biking short made by Curious Creatures, to see if casual cycling apparel can be both gender-inclusive and full-featured.
Looking for a USA-made alloy wheelset? You may have heard of Astral, who has been making high-quality alloy rims in Eugene, Oregon for years. Today Spencer takes a look at the Astral Outback alloy wheelset, which is designed for gravel or XC riding…
Spencer once got stranded on a ride with only a mildly bright rear light as his means to navigate in the dark. This experience sparked a curiosity that lay dormant until Tom of Outbound Lighting handed him some custom monochromatic bike lights he’d tinkered with. Read on as Spencer tests a few different colors of light and attempts to explain the complicated science of how our eyes react to various portions of the visible light spectrum.
Today, we have a conversation with the one and only Austin Killips. This year, she set a new overall record for the Arizona Trail and now a new women’s record for the Tour Divide. Spencer got the chance to ask Austin some questions as she prepared for the Colorado Trail to round out her Triple Crown. See what Austin had to reflect on and look forward to below…
There were lots of bike nerds at the 2024 MADE Bike Show, but what makes them tick besides bikes? Spencer Harding was there to find out through interviews with some familiar faces.
Spencer Harding was surprised to find the answer to his bike touring handlebar needs from Ritchey of all companies with their Buzzard handlebar. Their touring/comfort-focused Buzzard handlebar has the numbers and bends to make his spine and hands happy and perfectly topped off his Crust Scapebot build. Check out his review below…
Having always been excited about mixing and matching drivetrains in ways they were never meant to be used, Spencer’s interest was piqued with the D1x Trail shifter offering from Archer Components. With the second generation of the D1x, Archer added a multitude of new features to make this an appealing alternative to big-brand wireless shifting systems.
Allowing for wireless use of any cable-actuated derailleur opened some doors to intriguing (if unconventional) use cases. Check out Spencer’s review of the D1x Trail and all the strange combinations it enables below…
PNW Components recently released their Range Dropper Post and Range Lever. Iterating off their premium Loam dropper and lever the Range series offers a simplified and budget-friendly dropper post package. We think it’s a pretty solid deal, with the combo post + lever coming in at $199 total. Check out Spencer’s first ride review below…
The Crust Bikes “Scapebot” is the third iteration of the original Scapegoat. The frame fits a wide variety of tire sizes and has a unique geometry that is both modern and harks back to the golden age of ATBs. True to form, Spencer has been using this bike as his touring rig for years and decided to put the most outlandish tire clearance claims to the test. Check out his long-term review of the Crust Scapebot below…
Summer has arrived in Tucson, Arizona, which means it’s Spencer‘s surface-of-the-sun season. As such, it’s no surprise that he is shifting his focus inside. Here are some summer products keeping him busy while he waits for the sun to set so he can finally ride in sub-100-degree heat.
One of our contributors, Spencer Harding, was recently interviewed for a two-part podcast series on Live Like the World is Dying. He discusses how to go about preparing for a bike tour, shares some fun stories, and discusses how bike travel can fit into preparedness for serving a crisis.
The San Util Designs Covert hip pack caught Spencer’s eye during his visit to their shop in Winter Park, CO, last summer, and he picked one up to test. Below, Spencer digs into all of the details with this third iteration of the brand’s hip pack design in a long-term review. So, let’s get right to it!
Is your bike getting old? Are you having trouble keeping up with yearly geometry inflation? Has your bike’s lack of low and slack geometry got you down? Well, if so, Wolf Tooth’s engineers have just the product you need: a 2º GeoShift Performance Angleset Headset.
Spencer decided to install a GeoShift Angleset in his 2021 Ibis Ripley AF, hoping to catapult it into the future. Will his tinkering in this review portent the arrival of an updated Ripley AF? Or is he barking up the wrong tree? Read on to find out…
Down in Tucson, AZ Spencer met up with local artist and mechanic John “Cookie” Sands to photograph the bike he custom-painted for his partner Veronica. It started as a Specialized Aethos but after it got a few paint chips, Cookie decided to give the bike a truly one-of-a-kind custom paint job. Make sure to check out the gallery of all the hand-painted details…
Pivot Cycles’ Vault gravel bike has plenty of amazing tech securely (wink wink) stashed in the frame making for a comfortable and uncompromising riding experience. Spencer is ever chasing something other than geometry inflation to review and Pivot’s patented ISO FLEX technology caught his eye. Make sure you take a peek inside the Vault for all the hidden treasure below…
Tannus Fusion is the world’s first modular tubeless tire insert system. Made of two interlocking components, the system allows riders to select the exact amount of desired tire protection. Each portion of the Fusion insert can also be used individually, for applications ranging from road to trail riding. Spencer recently got his hands on a set of the new Fusion inserts, which are launching today, and set them up on a couple of his bikes. Read on for his review…
Today Spencer highlights some tips for keeping your bike parts bin(s), bolts, and other small bits more organized, with an unlikely suspect, a tackle box. Get inspired to keep all your parts tidy and close at hand with today’s bike hack…
