WHY DO SO MANY BRANDS MAKE THE SAME SPEC MISTAKES?
From budget-friendly machines sold at superstores to superbikes costing the same as a house deposit, we get a chance to test them all. And one thing we can't help noticing is that brands keep getting the same things wrong. We're not talking dodgy geometry or suspect suspension kinematics - although some manufacturers definitely need to work on those! - but parts specifications. All too often, brands focus on attention-grabbing parts that look appealing in a catalogue or on the shop floor, when the money would be better spent on improving other areas of the bike's performance. Or they jump onboard industry trends that let them use the latest buzzwords in their marketing bumf, but have little impact- or even some negative traits - out on the trails. These are four of the most common spec missteps we see, which make our testers roll their eyes each and every time.
ROBIN WEAVER
TECH EDITOR IN CHIEF
35mm handlebars - the standard we never needed
The shift to 35mm bars happened a number of years ago (although not by every brand, it should be noted), yet still baffles me to this day. While the increase in diameter from 31.8mm has some claimed benefits, they're not necessarily ones I was ever desperate for.
For starters, while both alloy and carbon fibre 35mm bars offer a slight weight saving compared to their skinnier brethren (because the larger diameter allows the tube walls to be made thinner without compromising strength), we're talking tens of grams here not exactly life-changing. And of all the places you'd look to save weight, is the handlebar the place you'd start? I suspect not.
Esta historia es de la edición May 2023 de Mountain Biking UK.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición May 2023 de Mountain Biking UK.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
GRIME TIME - EXPERT WORKSHOP ADVICE
WHEELY ANNOYING
TRAILCREW HAFOD TRAILS
We discover the delights of Wales's newest bike park, located deep in beautiful Carmarthenshire
BIKETEST ULTIMATE HIRE BIKES
We test three park-cum-DH rigs - the kind of bikes available in holiday spots like Morzine and Whistler, as well as uplift venues closer to home
SCOTT GAMBLER 910 - £4,399 A bike park-ready budget beater worth taking a chance on
This latest iteration of Scott's long-standing Gambler launched in 2019.
THE MANY FACES OF MOUNTAIN BIKING
WE HIT THE ARIZONA DESERT AS PART OF A HUGE FEMALE-LED GROUP RIDE THAT PUTS THE FOCUS ON FUN AND FRIENDSHIP
PARIS HERE WE COME!
With the 2024 Olympics in France fast coming around, we take a quick dive into the history of mountain biking at the Games, plus explain what to expect, how to watch and who to keep an eye on this year
TRANSITION SPUR XO AXS - £7,999 Can the smallest of revisions keep Transition's downcountry demon at the top of the pile?
Transition's Spur has set the benchmark for downcountry bikes since its release in 2020.
MARIN ALPINE TRAIL E2 BOSCH - £6,385 Big-battery, high-powered e-MTB for gravity fans at a (relatively) affordable price
The Alpine Trail E Bosch is Marin's first e-MTB to use a four-bar linkage suspension design and a non-Shimano motor.
PINARELLO DOGMA XC - £12,000 Designed by and for Elite racers, with a ride feel to match
STRAIGHT OUT OF THE BOX & ONTO THE TRAILS
MBUK SUPER BIKE - #128 MATT WALKER'S SARACEN MYST
The British national downhill champ has a new ride for the 2024 race season