Have an informed and honest opinion about a product? Help out your fellow MTBer by writing a review. The top Vital reviewer each month earns a Jenson USA gift card. Check out some of the best reviews from last month inside. more » … [Read more...]
Shimano RS505 hydraulic disc brakes
As soon as Shimano 105 inherited the equally smooth and precise 11-speed gearing from its Ultegra sibling, we were eagerly waiting for the more affordable groupset to get hydraulic disc brakes. They’ve arrived, but aren’t necessarily the no-brainer bargain we’d been hoping for.Compared with Ultegra R685 STI levers the 505s are longer, lower and more like Shimano’s non-hydraulic levers, with a familiar fit in the crook of your thumb and palm. But the more accessible bleed port – a good thing – creates a very obvious square-edged bulge … [Read more...]
First Look: 2016 Troy Lee Designs Collection
Hot on the heels of last week's helmet launch, time has come to pull back the curtains and reveal the 2016 Troy Lee Designs apparel and protection collection. And what a collection it is. From XC to DH, from soberly understated to brash and bold, there is something here for everybody. And far from just a bunch of new colors, there are plenty of design improvements and innovation to discover as well. We've been putting in the miles with the new kit already, jump right in to find out how we've been getting along! 2016 Troy Lee Designs ACE When Troy Lee sets out to … [Read more...]
2016 Test Sessions: Santa Cruz Bronson C S
Reviewed by AJ Barlas and Brandon Turman // Photos by Lear Miller New for 2016, Santa Cruz revamped their ever popular Bronson, the company's 150mm travel all-around trail smasher. While the updates may seem minor on paper, they’re just the right amount to take it from being a pretty "standard" trail bike by today’s standards to something with more potential to get wild and ridden with aggression. You're looking at a revised Virtual Pivot Point (VPP) suspension system, fresh rear shock tune, Boost axle spacing, slacker and longer geometry, lower standover … [Read more...]
Garmin Fenix 3
Garmin's Fenix 3 is an extremely versatile multisport watch. The durable device can be used to record data from activities ranging from cycling and running, to mountaineering and skiing.In fact, on top of its vast range of data fields, Bluetooth connectivity and numerous built-in sensors, the Fenix 3 has us contemplating ditching our trusty Edge 500 computer.Our sample Fenix 3 is the standard version with rubber wrist strap. There are also the newly announced Sapphire, HRM and Titanium versions, which feature a scratch-resistant sapphire lens, additional band options … [Read more...]
Cotic Rocket 275
If you keep an eye on mountain bike media there’s a strong chance you’ll have seen Cotic’s trail slaying Rocket gracing hectic terrain under the control of some pretty handy riders. The Yorkshire-based company creates beautifully finished frames, popular with riders wanting the ‘steel is real’ feel. The Rocket sits in a shallow pool of steel-framed full bouncers alongside the likes of DMR’s Bolt as well as bespoke options from the likes of Starling Cycles and BTR. Cotic offers full-build packages as well as frame-only options. We … [Read more...]
Member Review: Park Tool Team Issue Stand
Huge adjustability Phenomenal Clamp design Durable and Stable Light Weight and folds up next to nothing Has tons of accessories that integrate into the standVery expensive. Doesn’t come with Traveling bag.Overall Review: After owning several middle grade bike stands over the years, I finally decided to man-up and purchase the Park Tool PRS-25 Team Issue Repair stand. After my wallet had a few months to recuperate, I can say that this is one of the best decisions I’ve made, tool wise. (Note: JensonUSA is currently listing this stand at 10% off) Upon … [Read more...]
Garmin Edge 520 vs Polar M450
Side by side, Garmin's new Edge 520 and Polar's new M450 GPS computers are similar in size and shape, but quite different in price and feature sets. Which one is best for you depends on your budget and what you intend to do with the little handlebar-mounted machine.The M450 is about half the price of the 520 – and has about half the features of the Garmin unit. While the 520 can connect to third-party peripherals like heart-rate monitors or power meters on ANT+ or Bluetooth, the M450 is Bluetooth only. The 520 has basic mapping and can give you turn-by-turn … [Read more...]
Trail Testing – Ghost SL AMR X LC 8
Its no secret that the Germans have some of the best engineering minds on the planet, so it would make sense that a company like Ghost would emerge as one of the heavy hitters in Europe. Ghost might not be a brand that you have heard of just yet, but the sporting goods behemoth REI has opened their stores and website to help introduce Americans to something new. Ghost offers anything from hardtail cross-country bikes to full blown enduro race machines. The AMR X LC is an aggressive trail bike with 150-millimeters of travel in the front and the rear. This is the mid … [Read more...]
DHaRCO Ladies 3/4 jersey and Gravity shorts
One of the biggest gripes of DHaRCO designer, Mandy Davis, are baggy riding shorts that are covered in a thousand bells and whistles to compensate for average materials. So, she set about designing a new range of clothing that brought the simplicity seen in Australian surf culture to days railing the dirt. Well thought-out functionality has seen the DHaRCO men’s and women’s ranges become an increasingly common site on Australian trails, as well as in destinations that mountain bikers look to for future trends in the sport such as Queenstown and … [Read more...]