MTBSA article archive

Marin Madrone Trail: Forty Years On, Back to the Simple Ride

Marin is marking its 40th anniversary with a new Madrone Trail, a fully rigid steel bike inspired by the model that helped launch the company in 1986. The finish looks back, but the parts bring it into a much more practical present.

The Romy is one the newest additions to Schwalbe’s MTB tyre lineup, where it’s billed as an all-rounder, something that should work well on everything from trail bikes to enduro bikes. It’s taking the place of the Hans Dampf, a tyre that was polarizing in its time. Some riders loved…

One Frame, Two Directions: Actofive’s Modular E-MTB Concept

Actofive is developing a frame that could become either a pedal-assisted mountain bike or a non-assisted gearbox bike. Interchangeable drive mounts, battery storage and adjustable suspension make the concept unusually flexible, but it remains a development project rather than a confirmed production purchase.

Review: Madrone Jab vs. Ratio Mech - Top Two Mechanical Derailleurs Compared

With the Transmission family of drivetrain parts, SRAM has set a high bar for the quality of shift one can expect under full pedaling power. It took a couple years, but following the release of their electronic T-Type derailleurs, we finally received a mechanical option with the…

Alpinestars Tech-Air MX Brings Airbag Technology to Downhill

Alpinestars has developed a downhill-specific algorithm for its Tech-Air MX airbag system. The aim is to recognise a loss of control and inflate protection around the rider’s chest, back and shoulders while distinguishing a crash from normal riding movements.

Review: Norco Torrent DH - A Wallet-Friendly Bike Park Blaster

You could call Norco’s Torrent DH a downhill bike for the people. It’s a straightforward frame with 200mm of front and rear wheel travel, mixed wheels, and no adjustments to fuss…

Vertical 6-Bike Rack Review: Thule Revert vs. Velocirax Max vs. Yakima HangTight

With shuttle season in full swing in the Northern Hemisphere, riders far and wide are loading up their buddies and bikes to head out for some good old-fashioned, gravity-assisted MTB fun. To maximize the experience, riders are optimizing the most time-consuming parts of shuttling,…

Litespeed Pisgah: Titanium Moves Further into Trail Territory

Litespeed’s Pisgah takes the brand’s titanium experience into more aggressive trail-hardtail territory. A 150 mm fork, generous front-end height and adjustable rear-dropout options distinguish it from the company’s more XC-oriented bikes.

Motion XElium: A 1.2 kg Claim and a Very Different XC Fork

Motion Engineering’s XElium approaches cross-country suspension with a single-sided linkage rather than telescopic legs. The company claims a 1.2 kg weight including the shock, making low mass a central part of the proposition—but this remains a manufacturer figure.

Nicolai and Gamux R20 MGU: Downhill Travel with Motor Assistance

The Nicolai R20 MGU AON Edition combines a downhill-style chassis with pedal assistance and a gearbox. Developed with Gamux and linked to Reece Wilson’s Aon Racing project, it is intended to offer downhill training without relying entirely on an uplift.

As SRAM and Shimano push for a battery-filled future, several smaller companies have appeared on the scene to fill in the gap for riders seeking higher end, cable-actuated derailleurs. It’s something of a throwback to the 1990s, when there were all sorts of smaller operations…

Pivot's eMTB lineup is one of the deepest in the game, with a wide array of options to suit all sorts of riders. The biggest bruiser of the bunch recently saw an update, but Pivot took things further than the typical incremental gains here - the Shuttle LT offers some features we've…

Tyres can elevate a crappy bike or they can cripple a stellar one. Of course, riders want it all: a tyre that rolls fast but is still tacky, is light but has burly puncture protection, and can’t be too expensive or wear out too quickly. It’s a lot to ask of one tyre, but that’s what…

Intend Elevator: A Simple Dropper with Carefully Chosen Details

Intend’s first dropper seatpost is the Elevator, a cable-operated model built around friction reduction and straightforward function. The initial version offers 190 mm drop in a 31.6 mm diameter, with travel reducible to 120 mm in 10 mm steps.

When Outlier MTB launched the Pendulum and Void pedals last year, I was disappointed to learn that the gaping hole in the centre of the platform was probably big enough that my foot could poke right through it. My interest was piqued by the axle-free design, and the unmatched…

Crankbrothers Highline: More Drop, Lower Stack and a Broad Size Range

Crankbrothers has redesigned the Highline dropper with lower stack height, a shorter actuator and travel options spanning 60–230 mm. Every variant was announced at ≈ R4 166, excluding the remote, making fit and available insertion depth the main questions for prospective buyers.

Cube Fritzz Returns with High-Pivot Suspension and Wheel-Size Options

Cube’s Fritzz brings a high-pivot suspension layout to its carbon enduro platform. Raced by the Cube Action Team during the 2026 EDR campaign, the bike combines long travel with mixed-wheel or full 29-inch configurations and several useful adjustment options.

Moots Womble: Titanium Craft Meets More Modern Trail Geometry

Moots has updated the Womble with slacker steering, a steeper seated position and more room for a dropper post. It remains a hand-finished titanium hardtail built around a 140 mm fork, but the geometry moves it closer to current trail-bike expectations.