The CrossMark gets the 29er treatment.

It’s one of the fastest 29er tyres I’ve ridden. A tightly packed central row of blocks giving very low rolling resistance that makes it rapid in the right conditions. And the perfect conditions for this tyre are very dry, dusty and hard-packed trails littered with roots and rocks. It loves trail centres with their groomed stone surfaces. It comes unstuck in the mud and gloop, those small spaces between the blocks tend to feel up very quickly, which limits it’s all-round versatility for the ‘British summer’ somewhat.

Square central blocks, ramped side blocks and a row of siped quare and circular shoulder knobs.

Keep it for the right conditions though, and you’ll be rewarded with a tyre that gives excellent speed and decent traction. There’s plenty of grip when you lean over onto the shoulder knobs and it gives a very predictable ride. Despite its slender size the tyre can handle the punishment and likes to be pushed hard, it gives back a good level of grip and feel through the more technical trail sections. The tyre is only too happy to slide, with a smooth breaking-point at the limit of traction, which will appeal to some people. It depends on your riding style. If you like a tyre glued to the trail, this perhaps isn’t the best choice.

Maxxis sell a UST version of the tyre, the LUST, but I tested the regular Kevlar beaded version and managed to set it up tubeless just fine. It popped up first time, using a track pump, onto a Stan’s Crest rim with sealant. The tyres have held pressure with no leakage during the test period, and there’s enough material in the side walls to allow them to be run at lower pressures to get a good footprint on the trail for plenty of shock absorption.

The tyre weighed 680g on my scales, some way heavier than the 605g claimed by Maxxis.

The 60 tpi tyre strikes a good balance between traction and durability, and they show a good wear rate at the moment. For cross country riders wanting a fast setup for the (hopefully dry) summer trails, the CrossMark is a very good choice. It does have a narrower window of usability compared to other tyres on account of the central tread section, but on the right trails it’s really quick.

For trail riders mostly hitting up Welsh trail centres and other manicured trails, the CrossMark makes an excellent rear tyre, combined with a tyre with more bite up front.

Verdict

It won’t suit everyone, but if you want a fast-rolling tyre that excels on dry, hard-packed and groomed trail centre trails, the CrossMark is hard to beat.

Pros 

Fast-rolling
Good grip
Non-tubeless worked tubeless

Cons

Limited window of suitable trail conditions
Struggles on wet/damp slippery trails

More information: Maxxis CrossMark 29 tyre
Price: £32.99

What Maxxis says:

The CrossMark is the dramatic evolution of the cross country racing tire. The nearly continuous center ridge flies on hardpack, yet has enough spacing to grab wet roots and rocks. The slightly raised ridge of side knobs offers cornering precision never before seen on a tire this fast.

Trek Superfly 100 AL Elite. Changes made by the reviewer: DSP dropper seatpost, short stem and wider bars to help open up the Superfly to deliver its full potential. The standard component package is solid for the money though.

The ride

The Superfly 100 has a balanced and composed ride with extremely good handling that is easy to live with. The suspension provides speed, comfort and efficiency on the trails, with a playfulness that many cross-country bikes (and, dare I say it, some 29ers) fall short on. Not so with the Superfly 100 though.

The geometry has been honed over many years, Fisher have been doing big wheels a very long time, and the G2 geometry produces handling that is well-mannered and lacking the ‘wagon wheel’ complaints often levelled at 29ers. It’s also a playful bike, for one that is aimed clearly at cross-country, it’s easy to loft the front wheel and launch it into the air, place the tyres precisely where you want them, and makes light work of the most technical trails.

Stout head tube and a small nod to Gary Fisher on the top tube.

It’s clearly a cross-country bike and covers terrain with a ferocious appetite. Just point it where you want to go, stamp on the pedals and it launches forward. It climbs, descends and traverses rocks, roots and dirt with startling ability. The plush suspension copes with any situation you can put it in. It’s very active and copes with everything from small ripples to large drops.

The Superfly 100 gives you the confidence to rip up any trail at warp speed. It’s stable at high speeds and in the air, it’s precise and nimble at slower speeds through fiddly techy trails. The big wheels eat up the miles and give buckets of traction, and the 28lb weight, which some may see as a tad porky, wasn’t noticeable during riding.

The altered cockpit (by the reviewer) transformed the ride from narrow and stretched to wide and short.

You really can leap on the Superfly 100 and forget you’re on a 29er. So you can concentrate on enjoying the ride. The Superfly 100 rides extremely well. Can you tell I like it?

The Alpha Platinum Aluminium tubeset is manipulated into a smart looking frame with oversized profiles where it needs beefing up. The curved chunky downtube forms the basis for the frame, with a straight top tube under which the suspension linkage and Fox shock are mounted. There’s plenty of standover clearance on this 19in size.

The ABP rear pivot arrangement isolates the suspension from braking forces.

So much centres on chainstay length with 29ers and the Superfly’s 452mm chainstays are a little on the stretched side, but certainly not by very much. The Specialized Camber I recently tested has only slightly shorter 447mm chainstays, but the Superfly boasts a shorter wheelbase, 1139mm compared to 1147mm.

The only hallmark of the Gary Fisher heritage in the Superfly, aside from the small signature on the top tube, is the G2 geometry. Fisher was an early advocate of larger wheels, and his approach to the geometry was a fork with an offset crown. This gives the fork a steeper angle without upsetting the head angle or wheelbase of the bike, and the head angle is 71.0°. It works too, producing precise handling with none of the vagueness and ‘slowness’ of some 29ers.

Tapered head tube, no hiding where the frame is made.

There’s loads of clearance around the rear triangle for mud to fall through, and it happily takes 2.3in tyres with space to spare. Trek employs the excellent ABP (Active Braking Point), which provides very active suspension even under braking.

Up front there’s a tapered head tube to stiffen the front end, and there’s a press fit bottom bracket, allowing the downtube to be very wide for a large weld junction, all ensuring the frame offers a decent level of stiffness. It isn’t the stiffest frame though, and compared to the Santa Cruz Tallboy it doesn’t feel as tight when the going gets fast and erratic. It’s not enough to deter from the ride performance though.

The Float Evolution CTD rear shock provides 110mm of travel and has a very active feel. The shock provides a wide range of damping options at the flick of a lever, from nearly locked out to fully open. For general riding the trail mode offered the best balance for 90% of situations, saving the descend mode for the longer descents. The suspension feels very active with a slight linear characteristic. Support in the mid-stroke is good, preventing wallow when loading up through bermed corners.

CTD: Best kept in Trail mode in Dave Arthur’s opinion.

Setting the suspension is also straightforward with the clip-on sag clip, but Specialized’s Autosag is hard to beat for sheer simplicity.

The Fox 32 Float Evolution fork has 100mm of travel and shares the new CTD low-speed compression dial, I found the trail setting offered the best damping compromise for most riding. In descend mode it would blow through the travel too easily on rougher faster descents. The 15mm bolt-thru axle combines with the Convert quick-release rear axle, which can be switched to a 142x12mm setup.

A short rocker activates the Fox shock, producing very supple and active suspension.

The suspension really impressed. It’s controlled with good damping, the rear never kicks back under high loads, and it’s very efficient. There is stacks of grip on offer, particularly at the rear wheel, which makes even the loosest rockiest steep climbs scale-able. The fork was controlled and provided good support and paired well with the rear suspension.

At around £2,000 the AL Elite represents the entry point into the Superfly 100 range and is built up with hard-working kit that has sailed through the test period. Shimano SLX shifters, XT Shadow rear mech and a M552 triple chainset all worked brilliantly with no attention required. With the 11-36 cassette out back the triple provides a huge raft of ratios, but a 2×10 setup would suit this bike better. Shimano don’t do an affordable 2×10 chainset yet, but the next model up in the Superfly 100 range makes the switch. Triple chainsets just feel a bit dated in this day and age.

Rear mech cable is routed through the chainstay.

Shimano’s SLX brakes are excellent stoppers, really some of the best on the market for this bracket of bike right now in my opinion. The brake levers are a bit on the stubby side but there’s enough power for easy one-finger braking. The knurled dial makes easy lever reach adjustment on the fly. The brakes bedded in quickly and the pads are still showing good life in them yet, and never made a noise.

Bontrager’s Mustang 32-hole wheels are good rollers but I had to switch the Bontrager 29-1 Expert 2.2in tyres after the first ride. I replaced them with a pair of Continental Mountain King 2.2in tyres to provide the sort of traction that the stock tyres just can’t offer on anything but bone-dry trails, and those are rare in this country.

The wheels have held up ok, and the recent dry trails have been useful for testing the very fast tyres.

The fact this is a bike aimed at cross country shows in the speccing of a 105mm stem and 690mm bars. I switched them both out for a 60mm stem and 740mm bars, as much for personal preference as anything, but the shorter/wider cockpit really opened up the Superfly 100 on the more exciting trails, and livened up the handling as well.

Super quick and adept at tackling trails at blistering speed, the Superfly 100 lives up to the bill of being a rapid cross country bike. It belies its 28lb weight with decent speed on the climbs and the excellent suspension helps to cover ground fast. Gary Fisher has been designing 29ers longer than most and that shows in the Superfly 100, it’s a very accomplished bike. But it is its playfulness and handling that makes it a very adept and entertaining trail bike for those who just like to enjoy a weekend blast and want to have fun. It’s very similar in nature to the Specialized Camber, but the Superfly 100 just edges ahead.

Price: £2,200
More information: Trek Superfly 100 AL Elite

Spank Oozy-26 Evo wheelset.

These wheels can most certainly take the punishment. The EVO Dynamal 6000-series alloy rims are constructed from a single piece of material, sleeved and bonded, which ensures their strength. The rims have Spank’s own Oohbah profile, with an inverted tube well to increase stiffness while keeping the weight down, and the BeadNip offers a very secure seating for the tyre bead, with a pronounced hook shape that the bead nestles and locks into, essentially.

Inside the rim.

WIth a set of Geax Gato 2.3in tyres fitted, the 26mm rim, with an inner width of 21.5mm, sets the tyre up nice and wide, which gives a very planted feel with the sidewall offering the necessary support.

The rims are laced, via 28 straight pull spokes front and rear, to smart looking SSL (Single Spoke Length) flanged hubs. They house Japanese-made bearings, two up front and four in the rear. They stayed smooth during the test period with no noticeable degradation in performance. At the rear wheel is a Super-Lite CNC Optimized alloy freehub, which produces speedy engagement and has, like the bearings, been working smoothly throughout the time I’ve been riding them.

The OohBah rim has a unique rim well shape that securely seats the tyre bead into place.

Both hubs feature removable adaptors so you can fit your choice of axle end caps. The rear came 142x12mm but I quickly swapped to regular QR 135mm, and the front hub was set-up for 15mm bolt-thru, regular quick release end caps were supplied in the bag. Both hubs have standard 6-bolt disc mounts.

Weight on my scales was 835g for the front and 956g for the rear, combining to give a 1,791g complete weight. That’s a few grams lighter than their quoted 1,800g weight, perhaps on account of switching the rear hub end caps. Taken on its own, they’re certainly not the lightest 29er wheelset on the market, but for the riding they’re intended for it’s actually pretty good.

I’ve been putting them through loads of regular rides recently, from my local Surrey Hills to the rocky Peak District, and they’ve coped just fine. There were a few noises from the spokes during the first ride as they bedded in, after which they were fine and I didn’t hear another pip from them. Importantly, I’ve been thrashing them with really quite low tyre pressures and they have stood up brilliantly. The wheels are still true, the rims don’t show any dings, all very reassuring.

Through the corners they’re not the stiffest alloy wheelset I’ve tested, not compared to the expensive Mavic Crossmax ST anyway, but they are solidly built and can handle the big impacts. Their weight doesn’t impact too negatively on speed either, though if you’re cross country riding there are more suitable wheels available.. I liked the wide rim, which seats the bigger tyres very nicely, giving them a wide volume. The bead stays locked securely into the unique rim design. I didn’t run them tubeless, opting to use inner tubes on account of testing different tyres (once you’ve gone through the faff of adding sealant, you don’t want to be changing tyres too regularly) and didn’t experience any issues.

They ticked all the boxes then, setting themselves up as candidates for any long travel 29er with hard-hitting riding intentions. Based on these, we can presume the 26in and 27.5in versions will be just as good. Which just leaves the price, perhaps the most appealing part of the package. Because at £359.99 they’re stonking good value for money.

Verdict

A high performance wheelset with a solid build and rim design, with an attractive price to match. I’m really impressed with these wheels, they’re a solid package.

Pros

Solid and strong
Great price

Cons

Not the lightest

Price: £359.99
More information: Spank Oozy Evo wheelset

What Spank says:

Weight (F/R): 1650g (26″), 1690g (27.5/650b), 1800g (29″)

Rims

Oozy 26AL EVO Dynamal Alloy Rims (420g/rim 26″)
26mm outer width / 21.5mm inner width / 28H

Rear: 9/10-Speed 12mm x 142mm

28H Straightpull
Standard QR Rear Hub Adapter Kit Incl.
Japanese Bearing Upgrade
Super-Lite CNC Optimized Alloy Freehub Body
Oversized SSL (Single Spoke Length) Flange Design
6 Bolt Disc Mount

Front: 15mm x 100mm O.L.D.

Standard QR Front Hub Adapter Incl.
Japanese Bearing Upgrade
Oversized SSL Flange Design (adaptable to 20mm)
6 Bolt Disc Mount

Hand built and trued 

3 Cross Lacing
Sandvik T302 Triple Butted 2.2/1.8/2.0 SP Spokes
Alloy Nipples

Colours 

Polished Black/Black, Polished Silver/Silver
10x135mm and 112x135mm rear adapters available separately
Front Hub 20mm adapters available separately

Sedona, Arizona, is one of the hottest locations for trail riding in the US right now, figuratively and literally. The weather for Trek’s launch camp was scorchio!
Photo © Sterling Lorence

Trek had brought me, along with around 20 other bike journalists, to a completely different zone in Sedona this time, away from the main town and placed at the foot of several high and imposing sandstone cliffs. Our base at the Red Agave Resort was spectacular and the snaking singletrack disappearing away from the corner of the central communal area, where we worked on and nattered about bikes, was a sign of things to come.

Fuel EX 29 is launched 

As already mentioned, there were several key launches from Trek on the Sedona camp, including the expansion of Project One into mountain bikes and the launch of the Remedy 29 (stay tuned for the story). The broadening of Trek’s technical trail bikes into the realms of big wheels is hardly something that comes as a surprise with the American market’s lust for the 29” hoops, but I was still keen to see how they would have overcome the difficulties of squeezing bigger wheels into a frameset compact enough to still be manoeuvrable and without compromising cockpit space.

Trek Fuel EX 9.8 29er.
Photo © Sterling Lorence

“The light, fast Fuel EX sets the bar for mountain bike versatility, bringing race-day tech to all-day adventure. This fast-rolling ride is your go-to full suspension trail bike.”

The Fuel EX 29 features 120mm suspension travel, a 69.5º head angle, carbon fibre mainframe and seatstay on models above the EX 9, tapered steerer, BB95 and, vitally, Gary Fisher inspired G2 geometry with that defining fork offset, which in theory gives more precise steering. It’s also available in a full six sizes, from 15.5 to 23” meaning there’s a size for almost every rider.

G2 Geometry, tapered head tube, Fox CTD (Climb Trail Descend) ride adjustable suspension and a dropper post make this Fuel EX 9.8 one versatile, fun trail bike.
Photo © Sterling Lorence

With seven different price points, from £2,199 right the way up £6,849, there’s also plenty of scope to tailor your budget. If you want to go to the moon there’s also the opportunity to fully pimp it with Trek’s Project One.

Riding out

The pilot on my flight to the States had promised a ‘cooling breeze’ in Phoenix, however at 37 degrees I wasn’t sure that I agreed. Upon arrival into Sedona, which sits in the hills around two hours north of the city and at just over 1,000 metres altitude, we tinkered with the Fuel EX 29 bikes and set our bodies for HEATWAVE.

Sedona’s terrain and climate are in no way forgiving to either bike or rider. Although who’s going to complain about the heat when riding endless flowy trails on a very capable bike?
Photo © Dan Milner

Setting out at around midday on what should in hindsight have been an early morning ride, with hydration packs full to the brim and spare water bottles stashed in bags and bottle cages, we began the first ride on 29er Fuel EX bikes: a twisty, turny, flowy and smooth singletrack. This trail proved perfect testing terrain for the Fuel – tech trail being its purpose in life and especially that of the lighter variety, which necessitates fast rolling.

The Fuel is aimed at the lighter side of technical trail riding. It’s certainly no XC race bike, but is light and nimble enough to be very much enjoyable on flatter trails. Stay tuned for the review of its bigger brother, the Remedy 29, coming later this week.
Photo © Sterling Lorence

Up to speed in no time, I was tucked in behind a line of fast riders, with Trek’s Product Manager John Riley leading the charge. The trail didn’t gain a huge amount of height, rather hugging the contours of the hills and red stacks of rock, with a good dose of pedalling needed to keep at speed. The bike definitely passed the pedal test – I powered round the 15-mile loop with no niggles – the 73.6 seat angle putting the seat in a good place for sitting and pedalling and little in the way of suspension action – and the RockShox Reverb dropper post on the EX 9.8 (which comes in at £4,199) that I was riding ensured that the snake of singletrack was maximum fun.

Trek’s ABP (Active Braking Pivot) ensures that the suspension is not affected by forces induced under braking. There are also many other acronyms associated to the Fuel EX 29 – find out about all the features here.
Photo © Sterling Lorence

Getting into the more technical sections later in the ride, which involved rock rollers, small boulder fields and higher speeds through turns, the bike proved equally as capable. And a lot of fun. I was able to play with the trail and its endless succession of crests, fades and rollers, throwing the bike where I wanted it to go at all speeds. The bigger wheels most certainly didn’t affect my enjoyment of the ride and quite possibly enhanced it. With a chainstay length of just 45.2cm throughout all sizes I probably should have known that it would be a good fun ride, and those big wheels meant the bike was well balanced.

Trek’s Jose Gonzalez, whose job is to work full-time on ensuring the suspension on the company’s bikes works efficiently and in unison with the linkage, has done a fine job of transferring the smooth and supple action of the Fuel 26 onto a bigger wheeled bike.
Photo © Sterling Lorence

It’s the rear end of the bike that really makes it a lot of fun where some bikes in its category fail. The tight chainstay is thanks to graft by the Trek team to fit the bigger wheel into the chassis without negatively affecting the stroke of the shock. Although one weekend of riding in prime conditions is never prove a complete testing process, I will say that I found the suspension to be stable yet supple – evidence perhaps of the company’s in-house suspension guru Jose Gonzalez, who works tirelessly on bettering the performance of the shocks used across Trek’s ranges and ensuring that they work in unison with the ratios provided by varying dimensions. The rear shock is manufactured and branded by Fox, but the internals are customised for the bike, with Trek’s DRCV (Dual Rate Control Valve) to thank for the bottomless yet supple feel of the suspension stroke.

We rode some fantastic trails in Sedona and gave the Fuel a good thrashing, but stay tuned to Bike Magic for a full review of the bike when we’ve had more time to put it to the test, especially against UK conditions…
Photo © Dan Milner

Finishing up

We rode some simply sublime trails on the Fuel 29er – from smooth flow to tech flow and the odd bit of nasty steep to ensure a rounded ride package. I enjoyed the ride and the bike did its job without me having to make any major adjustments. The frame package is finished off with a collection of taglines unique to Trek – ABP, EVO, OCLV and Full Floaters all doing their jobs very well indeed. If you want to find out more about the Trek technology that has been applied to this bike and to have the acronyms explained, click here for more.

We’ll be testing one of these bikes more thoroughly (and in less ideal conditions) over the coming months so stay tuned for the full review.

Sizes available: 15.5, 17.5, 18.5, 19.5, 21.5, 23″
Price: From £2,199 (£4,199 as pictured)
Other: Customise a Fuel EX 29 with Trek’s Project One
More information: Trek Fuel EX 29

* Read about the SRAM Trail House trip to Sedona here

Evoc Fr Trail 20l backpack.
Photo © Ben Winder

This medium/large sized FR Trail pack is relatively large at 20 litres capacity and definitely more aimed at long days out on the bike, preferably in the rugged terrain that it has been designed to cope with, but it is also so comfy and well constructed that you’d be happy riding day-to-day with it too. We love the fact that the pack is available in three different sizes, it makes a lot of sense. If you opt for the size small pack, capacity is reduced to 18l, with size x-large it is increased to 22l.

Built-in back protector – this is CE certified if you were wondering.
Photo © Ben Winder

Anything with the Evoc stamp on it has been scrupulously thought out, and the FR Trail pack includes such features as a built-in spine plate/protection (removable), bladder ‘pouch’ inside the main compartment, facility for carrying knee pads and either an open or full-face helmet and plenty of pockets, internal and external, for all your kit, food and tools.

The pack is constructed from Ripstop PU coated Nylon making it not only tough but also reasonably water repellent. Just to be sure, there’s also a rain cover (included), which folds down into a small pouch at the base of the pack, a small touch but we like it and it stops your valuables inside getting a soaking.

There’s those thick, comfy straps including the wide waist belt, which helps to make Evoc’s bags the most stable out there.
Photo © Ben Winder

Evoc’s trademark waist belt is possibly what makes these bags some of the best currently on the market though – it’s extremely wide yet non-obtrusive and keeps the bag incredibly stable on your back. If you haven’t tried one you can’t understand how much difference it can make over other bags’ belts, which often seem to be an after thought.

The built-in rain cover is a nice touch and is stashed in a small pouch at the base.
Photo © Ben Winder

With the belt fastened, helmet on, kneepads in place, you’ll be able to rip (‘freeride’ if you like) down any mountain and hardly know it’s even on your back.

Verdict

The FR Trail comes highly recommended from us, as do all of Evoc’s backpacks. If you don’t think you need such a large capacity bag try the smaller FR Lite or FR Enduro packs.

Price: £129.95
More information: Evoc FR Trail
UK distribution: Silverfish UK

Chromag are a long time established, Canadian born brand. Their reputation in the mountain biking world is synonymous with tough products that can withstand almost anything. If you have ever taken a trip to Whistler bike park, their stuff is everywhere.

These are the Fubar OSX bars and strictly speaking they are aimed at the downhill side of things. At 780mm in width you would be hard pushed to find your average trail rider using them. If you look at how the trend in bar width has changed over the years, however, perhaps the norm will actually start to approach this size of cockpit. Joe Barnes, for example, uses this sort of width on his trail bike, check out any of the dudes’ videos on MPORA. When I made the move to the wider bar the benefits I gained in improved handling and a more solid feeling on the bike improved my performance like not much else.

Coming in 8 different colours in their Ano series there’s something for everyone, with black chrome and a further 3 in the Paint series (white, gold flake and red). They feel lighter than the 310g listing on the website and with 5° upsweep and 8° back they are comfortable and feel perfectly stiff. Particularly in tighter corners where upmost control is needed, I really felt a lot of trust in what I was doing on the bike.

Supplied with the bars were the Chromag Squarewave grips. Featuring a bulge in the middle of the grip, Chromag say they are, ‘designed with performance and comfort’ as the Canadian’s paramount goals. After using them I do wonder why all grips aren’t in this shape really, as the bulge fits neatly in the cup of my hand and more surface area is in contact with a key point on the bike. On longer rougher terrain I noticed a reduced amount of arm pump, even on the most savage of braking pump riddled trails.

The bar ends are unique, Chromag call this ‘Split-Teardrop’.  A plug is supplied that goes in to the end of the bar and then the clamp attaches over the end. I personally haven’t had any lock-on system slip on me before, but I’m sure someone will have. Anyway Chromag claim this system offers the best purchase on the bar. Used with gloves I am really sold on these grips and if you aren’t comfortable with your current set up, try giving this design a whirl.

In aesthetics both of these products look great and have attracted some admiring and green eyed looks from other riders. Both the Fubar OSX bars and Squarewave grips have provided a positive improvement to my riding and I recommend you give them a whirl.

You can find Chromag in bike shops in the UK, just check out the UK distro, Shorelines, website for where to find them. For those that aren’t convinced on the 780mm width, the Fubar OS range comes in at a shorter 730mm.

Chromag OSX bars: £74.99 for the Ano series; £79.99 for the painted series; £89.99 for the chrome.

Squarewave grips: £22.99.

www.shore-lines.co.uk

Ragley Blue Pig 2013.
Photo © Ben Winder

Firstly we will recap on the basis of this comparison, and remember that these are only two of the many different hardtails with equally as many applications that are out there. With an abundance of efficient and cheap full suspension bikes out there we thought it time to recap on the strengths and also the limits of the humble hardtail. 

The experiment – order of proceedings

We have these two hardtails in to compare their ride characters and see just how much difference there can be between two different rigid frames.

We started by introducing you to the Sirius, now we’ll move onto the Blue Pig. Once we’ve given them a good testing we’ll compare the two. Finally, we’ll finish by making a comparison against a full-suspension trail bike of similar price.

Ragley Blue Pig – the introduction

What is it?

It’s a hardcore hardtail. Steel framed, low-slung and with the capabilities to take a long-travel fork up front. As Ragley puts it, “The slack head angle and inclusion of ISCG 05 tabs hint at this bike’s true intentions for getting lairy on the trails and hammering the descents”.

1.5 headtube allows for all headset combinations and is burly enough for long travel forks to be fitted.
Photo © Ben Winder

Who’d ride it? 

The Blue Pig is aimed at a rider who thrashes the downhills, hits all the jumps and makes their way to the top at a steady pace. It isn’t light, nor does it specify a particular riding bracket. It does it all.

The best bits

-       It’s ‘real in steel’
-       It’ll take all headset combinations (1.125, tapered or 1.5)
-       It’ll take all the thrashings you can throw at it and with a longer travel-adjust fork fitted it becomes quite a versatile beast
-       Although it won’t get you up the hills particularly fast, you’ll get there eventually and once there you’ll be able to fly downhill carefree
-       British roots in the company, although these are manufactured in the Far East, just as the Pipedream is. Not a bad thing
-       The steel tubes are forgiving across rough ground compared to aluminium and cheaper than titanium
-       Large clearance at the rear wheel allows for bigger tyres to be used and there’s space for either a chain device or front derailleur

Plenty of tyre clearance here and lower down at the chainstays, thanks in part to Ragley’s ‘Three Finger’ chainstay bridge. More on that in the full test.
Photo © Ben Winder

Blue Pig stats

Price: £349.99
Made of: 4130 Chromoly steel
Recommended fork travel:130mm – 160mm (dependent on whether you opt for an external or internal lower headset cup)
Four sizes: 14, 16, 18 and 20″
Vitals: 66.5º head angle, 72º seat angle, max tyre size 2.5”, ISCG 05 chain device tabs
Weight: 2.64kg/5.82lb (size 16”)

Post brake mount with room for a 180mm disc.
Photo © Ben Winder

What Ragley say about their Blue Pig

“Our revised Blue Pig geometry retains a slack head angle of 66.5deg yet drops the bottom bracket height to lower your centre of gravity and inspire confidence through the rough stuff. When coupled with a mid to long travel fork, the improved geometry results in impeccable trail manners, handling and stability which should see you go up, along and down faster than ever before!”

More information: Ragley Blue Pig

Look out for the full tests coming soon (honest) and our comparison between the Two Very Different Beasts.

I wasn’t sure what to think when I heard I was going to receive the Royal Racing Cruiser jersey and shorts to test.  I’ve never worn Royal Racing gear before or even considered them for a women’s kit. To me, Royal Racing is what Steve Peat wears when hurtling down a World Cup course covered in sponsors logos and not something that is relevant to me.

Royal Racing Cruiser kit.
Photo © Julia Revitt

I checked out their women’s page and was amazed to see they had some really cool looking women’s gear.  Both the Concept kit and the Cruiser kit looked seriously stylish – no frilly lace frivolity here.

I waited for a warm day through a long cold winter and finally got out a couple of weekends ago to put it through its paces.

Cruiser Shorts

Royal Racing Cruiser women’s shorts.
Photo © Julia Revitt

The Cruiser short is a great looking short. Quite light material (two-way stretch polyester), which has a snappy green design running over the hip. It comes with a detachable liner, which attaches to the short and grips the thigh. On my short, the clip where the liner attaches to the short has almost come away but it’s not a problem as the liner doesn’t really need to be attached as it fits so well – the only time I’d use the clip is when storing them so they stay together. I went for a small, which fits perfectly (I’m size UK 8) so go with your normal sizing.

Attention to detail – the Cruiser shorts pass the test.
Photo © Julia Revitt

The short is vented with a mesh section above the bum. I found them comfortable with and without the lining. I’d opt for the lining for XC rides but leave it at home for a bit of the lift assisted stuff. The fit is casual, not full on baggy but not lycra tight either. In my opinion, the shorts are not designed to be worn with knee pads as they’d leave a flash of flesh between pad and short – not a particularly attractive look.

Zipped pockets.
Photo © Julia Revitt

Practical zipped pockets allow you to safely stow away your car keys and nibbles. I love the double button fastener – really good quality and looks fab too – a bit of bling! These are billed by Royal as an XC short and that’s what they are. Comfortable, airy and feel invisible – just perfect.

Cruiser Jersey

Cruiser jersey up close.
Photo © Julia Revitt

The Cruiser jersey matches the Cruiser shorts perfectly – the green design runs down the jersey and joins with the design on the shorts – classy.

The ¾ length sleeves and light airy fabric make this a great XC top for warm weather. In temperatures below 15 degrees I’d team with an undershirt to keep warm (I like to be warm). The seams are very comfortable, don’t scratch and the material is soft. Good length arms and the body complete the fit and like the shorts – I don’t notice it at all when riding.

There are no pockets or sunglasses wipe but what there is, is well made and stylish from the graphics to the fit.  Top quality.

Photo © Julia Revitt

Both bits of kit wash up great and are quick drying – the liner dries quicker than any other liner I’ve owned.  I tested the grey/green combo but there is also a rather nice looking black and white version too.

Julia Revitt out and about in the Cruiser kit and onboard her Kona Tanuki test bike.
Photo © Julia Revitt

Verdict

I judge kit by how noticeable it is during the ride. For example, if the shorts keep grabbing the saddle, the waistband digs or the neck is too tight. I had none of this with the Royal Racing Cruiser kit – in fact I hardly noticed it at all. I had to stop mid ride to evaluate the fit etc. ‘cos I was too busy having fun riding. And that’s what it’s all about after all – fun in the dirt!

You can find out more at www.royalracing.com. I quite like the look of that Tyban Women’s Glove!

Price: Cruiser Short £69.99 / Cruiser Jersey £26.99
More information: Royal Racing Cruiser Short / Royal Racing Cruiser Jersey

A kiss is just a kiss. Well you’d be wrong. Some kisses are more meaningful than others and some can get you into a world of trouble (financially anyway). Now what the hell has this got to do with pedals I hear you ask? A pedal is just a pedal, right? Once again you’d be wrong.

The pedal is one of only two contact points from your body to your bicycle (the other being your grips of course). If you run clipless pedals then it is imperative you get the right one for the type of riding you intend to do.

Crank Brothers Eggbeater 11 Ti pedals.

Captain, we’re down on power

Here’s the thing (and it’s something I’ve only just learned). People (myself included) spend thousands of pounds on overpriced (mainly carbon) BS in order to save a pound of ‘overall’ bike weight here and there. You know what I mean? The carbon frameset, the XTR mech over the XT or the carbon lever brakes over the stock aluminium ones. The difference in price is mind blowing and yet, in the grand scheme of things, it actually means very little to how your pride and joy feels when you are down the woods. If you feel like you’re down on power then the quickest fix is (apart from wheels/tyres), believe it or not, the pedals you push and the shoes you push them around in.

Rotary club

Rotational weight (along with a diet of lentils and rice) is the most important thing on an XC racer’s mind and that’s where these ‘super bling’ gold babies come into play. They (when paired with, say, a Mavic Fury shoe) turn an effortless rotational circle, to the point where you feel you can push two gears harder down the block. It’s difficult to imagine that pedals and shoes can make that much difference, but they do.

If there were a pedal that would become chairman of your local rotary club, then this would be it.

A good set of pedals such as these combined with a quality pair of shoes will see you going through the gears like there’s no tomorrow.

The bank job

Unless you’re a corporate fella then you may well have to pull a bank job to buy the Egg Beater Ti pedals. The full-bodied titanium Crank Brothers pedals are staggeringly expensive, £379.99 worth of stagger in fact. However if you’ve just spent two and a half grand on a carbon frame, then an extra three hundred notes means little really. Or does it?

Hang on

Disappointingly our goldies aren’t quite as light as they should be. When weighed on my butcher’s scales they came in nearly fifty grams heavier than their claimed weight. Now in the grand scheme of things fifty grams is nothing to lose a lot of sleep over. However, we are talking nearly £400 for a set of pedals here and not £50.

Minimal and lightweight, although these ones aren’t quite as light as they’re claimed to be.

Get in…

Having used Shimano pedals for years I have to say that I did find clipping into the Crank Brothers pedals difficult. My first experience with them left me with a stubbed toe, a scraped shin and a trip over the bars. However, it is not as bad as it sounds. Once I got used to the engagement and disengagement process I found the pedals easy to use. Here’s the ‘hot bottom’ line. Shimano clipless pedals are easier to get into, Crank Brothers Egg Beaters are easier to get out of. It’s like getting married and divorced I suppose. Only you can decide which suits you better.

Clipping-in to the Eggbeaters is a little bit of a different experience to Shimano pedals, but you get used to it quickly. Overall very good pedals, but then that is reflected in the price.

Verdict

Is all that glitters really gold?

Well is it? Look I tell it as I see it and for me personally in my quest as a ‘new born’ cross country racer I need every little bit of wattage on the uphills I can find, so if I can use a pedal and shoe combo that is as good (and lightweight) as it gets, then I’m a happy racer. The Eggbeater 11 pedals certainly fall into that bracket and I haven’t had any reliability issues to date so they’ll be staying on my race bike. On the flip side, if you’re just going for a pootle around the woods then I can’t really see much point in spending 379 of your hard earned on the Eggbeater 11 Ti pedals.

Hang on a minute, if all you are doing is riding (and not racing) around the woods then was there any need to spend two-grand plus on that new carbon frame?

Food for thought and lots of different kisses.

Butch

Price: £379.99
More information: Crank Brothers Eggbeater 11
UK distribution: 2Pure

Riding in Sedona with the SRAM/Truvativ staff. Oh yes.

The final secret spilled at the time was that of the launch of an entire range of signature ‘Blackbox’ handlebars aimed at providing a complete and rounded line with an offering for every rider, from ‘full-bore downhiller’ to ‘singletrack hunter’.

Tour operator Western Spirit did a splendid job of loading bikes, guiding and putting on one hell of a spread every time we stopped for food.

If you’re going to pick a company to put together a collection of pro rider designed products then you couldn’t really go wrong with SRAM. They have, we think it’s fair to say, a reasonably all-encompassing range of talent at their disposition after all. SRAM, or rather their sub-brand Truvativ, went about cherry-picking the riders for the job and came up with a who’s who of mountain bike wizardry: Danny Hart assigned to downhill bar duty; Jerome Clementz given the task of balancing a bar for his enduro and all-round trail riding needs; Stevie Smith to give the DH bar line-up balance; and with other selected pro riders’ signature bars to come later in the year.

Getting some trail time in on the new Jerome Clementz bars. Can’t be faulted at this early stage.

There are three different signature bars launched today, which are as follows (all quotes from SRAM):

Danny Hart signature Truvativ bars (AM/FR/DH) 

“He’s fast. He’s loose. He turns the impossible into the ride of a lifetime.”

No part of this statement from Truvativ can be denied, Danny’s Champery World Championship winning run will forever stand as testament. With Danny’s input, Truvativ have designed a bar that “delivers the 25mm rise that he needs” – no spacers under the direct mount stem called for as he previously used to boost bar height. With 9º backsweep and 5º upsweep they are reasonably laid-back (Race Face Atlas for example have 8º) but not wildly swept in either direction. They’re 7050 Al alloy and 780mm wide, plenty strong enough and with space to chop them down should you wish.

Price: £64.99

Jerome Clementz signature Truvativ bars (Trail/AM) 

“He’s an all-mountain all-the-time legend whose name is synonymous with mountain bike enduro.”

Clementz is the main man of the enduro racing movement and his apparent domination of the format (will he win the EWS this weekend?) along with his clear love of the sport and riding in destinations worldwide have combined in the making of this bar. Carbon fibre, 750mm width and 20mm rise are sensible dimensions and material for the bars’ intended usage. I rode these on my bike at the Trail House and they felt good with 7º backsweep and 5º upsweep, making for a slightly more aggressive ride than Hart’s offering.

Price: £129.99

Stevie Smith signature Truvativ bars (AM/FR/DH) 

“Stevie lives in a place where the trees can swallow you whole. His style requires a heads-up approach.”

Steve Smith’s bars take the aggressive angles of Clementz’s with identical angles of 7º backsweep and 5º upsweep, bringing him forward on the bike compared to Hart’s relaxed offering but in the same 7050 Al alloy. 30mm rise also helps to keep “his hands forward, his head up, and his eyes focused.”

Price: £64.99 (available in black or silver options)