Table of contents for Issue 3 2019 in Bicycling

SELENE YEAGER RIDER, BIKE BUYER’S GUIDE P.2 1 If I feel a twinge somewhere like in my knee or hip, I lightly stretch and roll both sides of my body, not just the spot of the discomfort. Often, the feeling in one site is the result of tightness or knots somewhere else, like when a tight right hip causes left knee pain. ANDREW JUSKAITIS EXPERT, GIANT CONTEND 3 P.27 It’s tempting to be the first one to own the latestand-greatest product, but it’s wise to wait a year or two to make the purchase—first-year product can oftentimes reveal anomalies that machine testing and field testing didn’t catch. It’s not a safety issue, but usually a little detail like a creaky pivot that prototype testing didn’t catch. BEN FARVER EXPERT, ARGONAUT…

Specialized Exos $499 You have to hold these 150-gram (each) shoes in your own hand to experience just how shockingly light they are. The upper is very supple but has less support than most race models. Light shoes are great, but not if your feet slide around. These shoes just arrived, but we’re already pushing them hard to see whether there’s enough support for all-around use.—Matt Phillips Engineered to Last In our recent test of minipumps we found a few exciting new options, like the Bike Tube Air Handler Mini, an inexpensive pump with an aluminum barrel that outperformed more expensive models. Our favorite, though, is still the $120 Silca Pocket Impero. It’s expensive but the best we’ve tried. It’s small, feels solid, and pumps smoothly. It’s a nice piece…

WEIGHT: 26.1 LB (M) FORK: DOUBLE-BUTTED ALUMINUM REAR DERAILLEUR: SHIMANO ACERA CRANKS: ALLOY BRAKE ROTORS: TEKTRO 160 MM (FRONT AND REAR) BOTTOM BRACKET: CARTRIDGE, BSA THREADED RIMS: FORGED CHAINRING: 40T CASSETTE: SHIMANO, 11-34, 8-SPEED HEADSET: INTERNAL CARTRIDGE BEARING BRAKES: TEKTRO MECHANICAL DISC BRAKE ROTORS: TEKTRO 160MM (FRONT AND REAR) BOTTOM BRACKET: CARTRIDGE, BSA THREADED RIMS: ALLOY DISC, 32H SPOKES: STAINLESS STEEL, 14G HUBS: ALLOY QUICK-RELEASE DISC (FRONT AND REAR) TIRES: WTB HORIZON, 27. 5X47 SADDLE: REDUX BAR: ALLOY STEM: ALLOY 3D FORGED, 31.8MM, –6 DEGREES SEATPOST: ALLOY MICRO ADJUST, 27.2MM IN 1995 I walked into a bike shop with a credit card and no plan. I was immediately drawn to a Cannondale M300 SE hardtail with a rigid fork. I had never ridden a mountain bike in my life and…

Not at this price, you don’t. While full-carbon forks are lighter, more compliant, and better at damping road vibration than aluminum options, you likely won’t find one on a complete bike that costs less than $700, says Steven Fairchild, global product road manager for Fuji and Kestrel. If you do, it’s probably made with as much aluminum as carbon—most have carbon legs with aluminum dropouts, crown, and steerer. Those forks are typically heavier than full-aluminum ones, and don’t ride as well, even though they still cost more. On bikes at this price, that money can be better spent on a wide range of gears or a better saddle.…

Marco Champagne, a product manager at Rocky Mountain, is a huge believer in 1x drivetrains and a big reason why every one of Rocky Mountain’s bikes—from mountain to gravel to’cross—are 1x only. The benefits are clear: Single-ring drivetrains simplify shifting, since you’re changing gears only in the back. That’s a huge plus for newer riders. And ditching the front mech reduces the chances of dropping your chain and means you’ll never have to adjust a finicky front derailleur. But they still cost more than 2x systems, which have been around longer and have less-advanced engineering. That means you don’t often see them on bikes at this price. So Champagne was stoked to bring a 1x group to the Growler. In fact, it’s his favorite thing about the Growler. If you…

It’s a matter of preference. While a 1x gives you simple shifting, easier maintenance, and allows for extra tire clearance in the frame, there are limits. Most wide-range cassettes, like the ones you'll find on gravel bikes, have big jumps between gears. If you ride your gravel bike on the road, or race it anywhere, a 1x might leave you longing for more gear options to help smooth out your pedal cadence. The extra chainring on a 2x, however, gives you more gears to shift through, minimizing the jumps between them. That can make it easier to find the right one.…

As a head-badge hoarder, I’m often asked why these artsy 3-D marques no longer decorate bicycles the way they did for a century and a half, beginning with the earliest bikes in the 1870s. One reason is that stickers, which are common now, are way cheaper than sculpted metal or even plastic. Another is that the few extra grams a true head badge weighs matters to a whole lotta riders. And finally, badges often were attached to the frame’s head tube with rivets or screws driven straight through. Not such a good idea with modern materials like aluminum and carbon. Still, while the head badge may be down, it’s just too cool to die. If you want a bike with one, they’re out there. Two favorites of mine today are…

Mohamed Ukach immigrated to the United States from Kenya in 2005, settling in Omaha, Nebraska, with his grandmother. There he began riding bikes and volunteering at Community Bike Project Omaha at age 9. Now 19, Ukach leads other Omaha cyclists on their first overnight trips through the Bike Project. After winning an ADV 1.1 last year from the Adventure Cycling Association (for an award that introduces young adults to touring), Ukach did his longest tour ever, riding 182 miles over five days. Here are his tips for getting started. PACK LIGHT Bring less to conserve energy. “If you start out trying to carry 100 pounds of stuff, try to carry 50 pounds instead,” Ukach says. On group tours, distribute shared items like cookware among friends to eliminate powerrobbing redundancies. BALANCE…

Brompton has been making bikes in London, England, since 1975. And for most of the company’s history, its bikes were seen as more quirky than cool. But recently, the brand got hot. It has its own mafia (search for the Brompton Mafia on Instagram), its own world championships—with a dress code that requires the rider wear a suit jacket, collared shirt, and tie. Hipsters ride them, unironically. Is the hype for real? In an urban environment, seamless transitions between multiple modes of transportation make life easier. In the city where every cubic inch of space is at a premium, folding bikes are compact, cover distances faster than walking, and allow those seamless transitions. So yeah, the hype—and benefits of this bike—are real.…

WEIGHT: 18.6 LB (49CM) FORK: TARMAC SL6 DISC SHIFT/BRAKE LEVERS: SHIMANO 105 FRONT/REAR DERAILLEUR: SHIMANO 105 CRANKS: PRAXIS ZAYANTE CHAINRINGS: PRAXIS 36/52 CASSETTE: SHIMANO R7000, 11-SPEED, 11-28 HEADSET: SPECIALIZED INTEGRATED BRAKES: SHIMANO 105 7070 HYDRAULIC DISC BRAKE ROTORS: 160MM (FRONT), SEALED CARTRIDGE, 12X100 (FRONT); SPECIALIZED SEALED CARTRIDGE, 12X142 (REAR) TIRES: SPECIALIZED TURBO PRO 700X26 SADDLE: BODY GEOMETRY TOUPÉ 140MM (REAR) BOTTOM BRACKET: PRAXIS 6806 BEARINGS, BB30 RIMS: DT SWISS R470 DISC, 24H SPOKES: STEEL, 14G HUBS: SPECIALIZED SPORT BAR: SPECIALIZED SHALLOW DROP STEM: SPECIALIZED 3D-FORGED, 31.8MM, –6 DEGREES SEATPOST: SPECIALIZED VENGE AERO CARBON THE SPECIALIZED ALLEZ Sprint is like a spring-weather day in the depths of winter: something glorious and unexpected that deserves your attention. This is a race bike designed to have exceptional stiffness and responsiveness. It gives you…

It depends. If your choice is between an inexpensive carbon bike and an expensive aluminum one, you might be tempted to go with carbon. But an inexpensive carbon frame is typically made up of lots of lower-end, lower-performing carbon fiber, says Chuck Teixeira, senior advanced R&D engineer at Specialized. “It just won’t have a dynamic ride,” he says. “And if ride is what is important to you, then the aluminum bike is the wiser choice.” Carbon is a little sharper, a little crisper in its ride quality and will, especially on road bikes, increase responsiveness and reduce fatigue on longer rides as a result of the lower weight, but those are small improvements for such a significant price increase.…

WEIGHT: 17.3 LB (S) FORK: OPEN U-TURN SHIFTER: SRAM FORCE 1 REAR DERAILLEUR: SRAM FORCE 1 CRANKS: SRAM FORCE 1 CHAINRING: SRAM 42T CASSETTE: SRAM XG-1150, 11 SPEED, 10-42 HEADSET: CANE CREEK FORTY INTEGRATED BRAKES: SRAM FORCE 1 BRAKE ROTORS: SRAM CENTERLINE 160MM (FRONT AND REAR) BOTTOM BRACKET: WHEELS MANUFACTURING 386EVO RIMS: HED ARDENNES+ DISC LT, 24H SPOKES: STEEL, ROUND HUBS: HED 545 15X100 (FRONT), HED 545 12X142 (REAR) TIRES: SCHWALBE G-ONE, 700X40MM SADDLE: FABRIC SCOOP ELITE BAR: EASTON EA70AX STEM: EASTON EA90, 31.8MM, –6 DEGREES SEATPOST: EASTON EA70, 27.2MM NOT SO LONG ago, when I wanted to go on a ride, I would choose between my road bike, my ’cross bike, and my mountain bike. Then I had a chance to long-term test the Open New U.P., the second…

If you’re diving into carbon bike technology, you’re going to hear about a frame’s “layup.” And since we’re not talking basketball, you probably want to know: WTF is a layup? Most carbon frames are made by layering thin sheets, also known as plies, of carbon fiber on top of each other. Some areas of the frame might have layers made of a couple of sheets, others could have as many as 10. Their size, shape, and orientation help determine how a bike rides. Allied’s CEO, Sam Pickman, describes layup as the recipe of the individual sheets that are assembled to make the final part: the frame. Jim Colegrove, Trek’s composites manufacturing engineer, offers additional detail. “Layup can describe the number of plies, the angle or direction of each ply, and…

Need? No. But it might be a better fit for you than a men’s bike. Most bike manufacturers are backpedaling from unique women’s geometry, as the data it was grounded in—specifically that women have shorter torsos and longer legs than men—hasn’t panned out. But there are still key differences between the sexes that affect how bikes ride, including the fact that the average woman is shorter and lighter than the average man. To accommodate those differences, companies like Juliana change aspects of the shock tune, which helps it feel plusher for smaller riders. They’re thorough about it, says Amy Nelson, assistant product manager at Juliana and Santa Cruz Bicycles. “We look at three tuning elements when changing the feel from Santa Cruz bikes: compression damping, rebound damping, and volume spacer,”…

I wanted to ride as much of that sunny spring Friday as I could, so that morning I’d logged in for eight hours of vacation time and that’s how it was that a little before noon I’d already looped back into town after about three hours out and stopped at the bike shop for an espresso. There were other people there from other rides, mostly people I knew, sitting like me at one of the two rickety wood-slat tables on the sidewalk, or on the concrete steps leading down to the shop door or leaning on the railing, and we had all decided to go back out together on a favored route once some of them finished eating. A mother and a daughter walked in among us, holding hands, both…

THE THRILLING, MOMENTOUS, life-altering, rapturous, almost inconceivably soul-satisfying event of buying a new bike has an essential requirement: finding something that fits your needs within your budget. The financial calculus is up to you, but we have you covered on finding the absolute best bike for your needs. Our experts tested more than 275 of the latest bikes over the past 10 months (and researched hundreds more). Then we looked at every component down to the tires and BOTTOM BRACKET:s to identify the ones with game-changing performance at an exceptional price—ending up with 51 of the greatest bikes out there, arranged here for you by price. You’ll also find answers to the most vexing bike-buying questions and illuminating opinions on the latest bike tech. Whether you want to spend $600…

One thing you see on every Raleigh is the brand’s iconic heron, which it uses on its head badge and often stamps into its parts (the Redux 1 has one on the saddle). To know its origin, let’s go back 130 years to the founding of Raleigh. After touring Italy, France, and England on a tricycle, Frank Bowden had his eye on a Raleigh bicycle in a shop window in London in 1887. In 1888, he visited the Raleigh workshop in Nottingham, England. Shortly after, he became an investor and, eventually, the chairman. By 1913, Raleigh was the biggest bicycle manufacturer in the world. With the company’s success came imitation Raleigh parts slapped on cheap bikes—the lamp bracket–shaped “R” was easy to copy. This led to the company topping the…

WEIGHT: 33.2 LB (L) FORK: SUNTOUR XCM 34 BOOST, 120MM TRAVEL REAR DERAILLEUR: SHIMANO ALTUS CRANKS: ROCKY MOUNTAIN MICRODRIVE CHAINRING: ROCKY MOUNTAIN MICRODRIVE, 28T CASSETTE: SUNRACE CSM980, 11-36, 9-SPEED HEADSET: FSA NO. 57B-1 BRAKES: SHIMANO MT200 HYDRAULIC BRAKE ROTORS: SHIMANO RT10, 160MM (FRONT AND REAR) SHIMANO MT200 HYDRAU-HUBS: SHIMANO MT-400, 15X110 (FRONT), SHIMANO RM35, QR (REAR) TIRES: WTB RANGER, 27.5X2.8 SADDLE: WTB VOLT BAR: ROCKY MOUNTAIN XC LIC BOTTOM BRACKET: FSA SEALED-CARTRIDGE BEARING SHIFTER: SHIMANO ALTUS RIMS: ALEX MD35 SPOKES: 2.0 STAINLESS STEM: ROCKY MOUNTAIN AM, 31.8MM, 6 DEGREES SEATPOST: ROCKY MOUNTAIN, 30.9MM IF I COULD share an experience with every cyclist, it would be the sublime, middle-of-nowhere-induced nirvana I’ve occasionally enjoyed atop strenuous trails, hours into a ride and miles from cell signal. This sort of perspective doesn’t arrive…

WEIGHT: 22.5 LB (54CM) FORK: JAMIS PERFORMANCE ECO SHIFT/BRAKE LEVERS: SHIMANO SORA FRONT/REAR DERAILLEURS: SHIMANO SORA CRANKS: FSA VERO CHAINRINGS: FSA 50/34 CASSETTE: SHIMANO HG201, 11-32, 9-SPEED HEADSET: FSA INTEGRATED BRAKES: TEKTRO LYRA BRAKE ROTORS: TEKTRO, 160MM (FRONT AND REAR) BOTTOM BRACKET: FSA SEALED CARTRIDGE, BSA THREADED RIMS: ALEX ATD 470, 32H SPOKES: 14G STAINLESS STEEL HUBS: FORMULA 6-BOLT, QR (FRONT AND REAR) TIRES: VITTORIA ZAFFIRO, 700X28 SADDLE: SELLE ROYAL ASPHALT BAR: RITCHEY LOGIC, 6061 ALUMINUM STEM: RITCHEY 4-AXIS, 31.8MM, –6 DEGREES SEATPOST: RITCHEY ROAD, 27.2MM THE JAMIS VENTURA is fast and smooth, with modern frame features and surprisingly high-end details for a bike priced just a bit over a thousand dollars. Jamis employs different tube sets—a smaller-diameter one for sizes 54cm and under and a larger-diameter set for sizes…

WEIGHT: 33.3 LB (XL) FORK: CO-OP DOUBLE-BUTTED CROMOLY STEEL SHIFTERS: MICROSHIFT BAR END BRAKE LEVERS: TRP RRL ALLOY FRONT/REAR DERAILLEUR: SHIMANO DEORE LX CRANKS: SHIMANO T551 CHAINRINGS: 26/36/48 CASSETTE: SHIMANO HG500, 10-SPEED, 11-34 HEADSET: FPD BRAKES: TRP HY/RD BRAKE ROTORS: TRP 160MM (FRONT AND REAR) BOTTOM BRACKET: SHIMANO BB52, BSA THREADED RIMS: WTB STP I23, 32H SPOKES: 14G STAINLESS STEEL HUBS: SHIMANO DEORE LX QR (FRONT AND REAR) TIRES: SCHWALBE MARATHON 700X38 SADDLE: WTB PURE V SPORT BAR: CO-OP CYCLES ALUMINUM STEM: CO-OP CYCLES ALU-MINUM, 31.8MM, –7 DEGREES SEATPOST: CO-OP CYCLES ALUMINUM, 27.2MM CONSIDER FOR A moment the sort of bike you’d want for a long ride. Actually, a really long ride: Cairo to Cape Town. Nearly 7,000 miles through Sudan and Ethiopia, across the Nile and up the Simian…

Katherine Haimann is a Washington, D.C.–area civil engineer who completed the TDA Global Cycling’s Tour d’Afrique in 2018, a 6,972-mile tour that lasts for four months. Prior to the Africa tour, Haimann had done only four-day and seven-day tours. She bought last year’s ADV 1.1, with rim brakes and no included front rack, in preparation for the four-month supported tour. Its features and parts won her over, especially its flat-resistant Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires, Haimann says. Maintenance would be easy, she hoped. And indeed it was. Between Cairo and Cape Town, those tires flatted just once. The Marathon has earned popularity among bike tourists because it has a 3mm-thick layer of recycled latex beneath the tread, which adds puncture-resistance against tacks, small nails, jagged rocks, and other small road debris.…

WEIGHT: 31.5 LB (M) FORK: ROCKSHOX RECON RL, 120MM TRAVEL SHOCK: ROCKSHOX DELUXE R REAR DERAIL-SET: FSA NO 57E BRAKE LEVER: SHIMANO ALTUS HYDRAULIC BRAKES: SHIMANO ALTUS HYDRAULIC BRAKE LEUR: SRAM NX 11-SPEED SHIFTERS: SRAM NX CRANKS: FSA COMET CHAINRING: FSA 30T CASSETTE: SUNRACE 11-SPEED, 11-42 HEAD-ROTORS: SHIMANO 180MM (FRONT), 160MM (REAR) BOTTOM BRACKET: FSA MEGA EXO, BSA THREADED RIMS: MARIN ALUMINUM, 32H SPOKES: STAINLESS STEEL, 14G HUBS: FORMULA, 110X15MM, DISC (FRONT), 148X12M (REAR) TIRES: VEE TIRE CROWN GEM, 29X2.3 SADDLE: MARIN SPEED CONCEPT BAR: MARIN MINI-RISER STEM: MARIN 3D FORGED ALLOY, 31.8MM, 0 DEGREES SEATPOST: TRANZX DROPPER POST, 31.6MM, 120MM TRAVEL THE RIFT ZONE 2 is the 29er version of the Bicycling Editors’ Choice award-winning Marin Hawk Hill—a 27.5-inch-wheel bike we love for its quality build, modern geometry, and…

Yes. But any bottom bracket can creak. Keeping things quiet down there is a matter of proper parts installation (with the correct tools) and keeping your bike clean and properly maintained. That means regular service intervals (check your owner’s manuals or with your favorite mechanic) and using the lubricants or bonding agents recommended by the frame manufacturer. That said, it isn’t by accident that press-fit systems have a reputation for noisiness. They have a greater propensity to make noise, and, when they do make noise, they tend to make more noise than a threaded system. And press-fit systems are more likely to be found in frames with large-diameter, thin-walled tubes, which are great at amplifying sound. Some brands, like Specialized, have started moving back to threaded-bottom bracket systems in some…

Your decision comes down to three things: which bike you want, whether you know which size fits you best, and how good you are with bike assembly. If you can install wheels, adjust bars, and tweak brake and derailleurs, you can put together a bike you bought online. If not, get yours from a shop. Same with sizing. Web-based size calculators are okay for kids’ bikes and some mountain bikes, but less ideal for road bikes, which come in more sizes and are harder to get right—though some e-tailers like Competitive Cyclist have knowledgeable employees to chat with, which helps. Then factor in which bike you want. For brands like State, Motobecane, YT, and Canyon, your only choice is to shop online. And it may be easier to find a…

WEIGHT: 51.2 LB (M) FORK: SR SUNTOUR NCX E25, 50MM TRAVEL SHIFTER: SHIMANO DEORE REAR DERAILLEUR: SHIMANO DEORE CRANKS: SPECIALIZED FORGED CHAINRING: 40T CASSETTE: SHIMANO HG500, 11-42, 10-SPEED HEADSET: SPECIALIZED INTEGRATED BRAKES: SHIMANO MT200 BRAKE ROTORS: 180MM (FRONT), 160MM (REAR) RIMS: SPECIALIZED DISC, 32H (FRONT), 28H (REAR) SPOKES: STAINLESS STEEL, 14G HUBS: SPECIALIZED DISC, 15X100MM (FRONT), 12X148MM (REAR) TIRES: SPECIALIZED TRIGGER SPORT REFLECT, 700X47MM SADDLE: SPECIALIZED CANOPY SPORT BAR: SPECIALIZED ALLOY STEM: SPECIALIZED FLOWSET, 31.8MM, 20-DEGREE SEATPOST: SPECIALIZED 2-BOLT, 30.9MM I KNOW SOME cyclists will never consider an e-bike a “real bike.” But I dare anyone else to remain a hater after riding the Turbo Vado. Specialized’s battery-powered city bike is one of the most useful, lively, and exciting bikes you can ride right now. It’s a Class 3 e-bike—the…

Some gravel bikes come with only 650b or 700c wheels, while others are offered with your choice of either. And still others, like the Open New U.P., can accept both sizes. If you use your gravel bike for gravel-grinder events but still ride a ton of pavement, tow paths, and rail trails, 700c road wheels are the way to go. But if your riding consists of chunky, washed-out roads, lots of lightly technical or smooth mountain bike trails, and loose surfaces like sand, you’ll be happier with 650b wheels. Of course, if your rides encompass all of the above, having the option to swap wheel sizes is a bonus.…

In most situations, as wide as possible. A wider tire offers a smoother ride, better traction, and more versatility, and is less likely to flat than a narrower one. And testing has shown that wider tires are also faster in many circumstances—partly because they can be run at lower pressures. But before you shoehorn in tires that juuuust fit, make sure there’s clearance in all directions so debris can pass through and not jam the wheel, which could cause a crash. If you’re playing at the limits of a frame’s maximum recommended tire width, be prepared for trial and error. That’s because the tire’s advertised width is often inaccurate. Also note that the width of the rim will influence tire width. So you might find that those 28mm tires you…

When it comes to looks, the Joplin has a distinctive attention-getting pop that designer Campbell Steers says comes from envisioning its personality. “Between following trail bikes down our local downhill chutes and competing in a cross-country stage race in B.C., this bike has proved astonishingly capable. I would take it pretty much anywhere and it will stand the test of time,” Steers says. “This year’s color choice echoes that sentiment. Our design team feels that yellow ochre has consistently been a reliable and loved standby. It’s never the color, but it’s always around. It’s also the color that saturates the landscapes of my home: the hillsides spotted with oak trees in dry central California, and speckling the mountains of Big Sur.”…

JIMMY CAVALIERI IMAGE EDITOR HOMEMADE HOT SAUCE AFICIONADO 1 / Chrome Delta Backpack $110 For the last six years, my Chrome Delta has been my main bag. I can easily pack my laptop, a kit, cycling shoes, and my lunch with room to spare, yet it remains small and compact. 2 / Slica Seat Roll Premio $48 I don’t like to carry too much in my jersey pockets, but I like to be prepared. On every ride, I carry a tube, a patch kit, levers, a tool with chain breaker, and a spare link. And it all fits nicely into the Seat Roll Premio, creating a compact package that’s rattlefree thanks to the Boa Closure SySTEM:. 3 / Bontrager Circuit MIPS Road Bike Helmet $150 I have different helmets for…

WEIGHT: 14. 7L B FORK: SPAWN 4130 CHROOLY CRANKS: BROOD ALLOY 3-PIECE CHAINRING: BROOD 24 TW / GUIDE CASSETTE: SHIMANO-COMPATIBLE 12T BRAKES: TEKTRO MINI-V BOTTOM BRACKET: SQUARE TAPER WHEELS: SPAWN 16H SINGLE-WALL ALLOY, SHIMANO PATTERN FREEHUB, 10MM AXLES TIRES: BROOD LOAM STAR 1.9-INCH SADDLE: BROOD PERCH PIVOTAL BAR: 22MM ALLOY STEM: FORGED SHORT-REACH SEATPOST: ALLOY, 25.4MM T THIS LITTLE SHRED sled is built to rip. While old-school kids’ bikes were mostly toys—heavier than they needed to be, with lower-cost brakes and tires, and geometry that made them feel tippy—the Yoji is something else. It’s a smartly designed bike for kids who ride hard (or who have parents who hope they will one day). It has an aluminum frame and wheels to keep weight low, front and rear rim brakes, wide…

WEIGHT: 22.7 LB (L) FORK: GIANT ALUMINUM SHIFT/BRAKE LEVERS: SHIMANO CLARIS FRONT/REAR DERAILLEURS: SHIMANO CLARIS CRANKS: FSA TEMPO CHAINRINGS: FSA TEMPO, 50/34 CASSETTE: HG50, 11-34, 8-SPEED HEADSET: GIANT GIANT S-R3 24H (FRONT), 32H (REAR) SPOKES: GIANT S-R3 HUBS: GIANT S-R3 TIRES: GIANT S-R3 AC, 700X28 SADDLE: GIANT CONTACT FOR-INTEGRATED BRAKES: TEKTRO B177 BOTTOM BRACKET: CARTRIDGE, BSA THREADED RIMS: WARD BAR: GIANT CONNECT, ALUMINUM STEM: GIANT SPORT, 31.8MM, -6 DEGREES SEATPOST: GIANT, 27.2MM I WISH THE 2019 Giant Contend 3 had been available four years ago when I was in college, working part-time to pay rent and afford a road bike; it would have made things so much simpler. Instead of worrying about the validity of an “AWESOME DEAL” on Craigslist, which I did for weeks, I could have just gone…

Shortly after introducing myself to Lindsey Richter, founder and skills coach at Ladies AllRide, I asked her straight up, “Do you need a dropper post, even on a sub-$900 mountain bike?” Richter answered unequivocally: “Yes. 100 percent. Yes.” Richter said a key to maneuverability is being able to get low on the bike, particularly on steep and technical terrain. And dropping the saddle out of the way with the flick of a dropper post’s remote is probably the easiest way to increase that maneuverability. Richter thinks that having a dropper will make learning how to ride, and continuing to love doing so, much easier. While the Rocky Mountain Growler 20 doesn’t come with a dropper post, it does come with the necessary holes to route dropper post cables if you…

Believe it. Thru-axles are CNC-machined and made of highquality alloys for strength and weight. Quick releases are mass-produced and mostly steel, so they cost less. But it’s not just the axles, says Michael Brown, VP of product development at Diamondback. Most thru-axle hubs have sealed bearings, another expense. Finally, frames with dropouts that accommodate thru-axles are more costly to produce, says Brown. Total the cost of all of the above and, yeah, an upgrade seemingly as minor as thruaxles really does add a whopping amount to the price of a bike.…

Not really. If you have disc brakes, thru-axles are better than quick-release axles, but they’re not necessary. Thru-axles hold your wheel more securely and provide more consistent wheel alignment. But a high-quality quick release, used properly, is perfectly functional and safe. And according to several product managers I asked, thru-axles are prohibitively expensive. On this Jamis, for example, thru-axles would have added hundreds to its price. But costs keep falling, and it won’t be long before we see them on bikes below a grand.…

For touring, and a lot of road bikes, probably not yet. Tubeless tires have undeniable advantages for the kinds of rides where you risk pinch flats, like mountain biking and’cross racing. But for smoother surfaces, the hassle often outweighs the benefits. Tubeless tires can be messy and require added sealant every few months to stay effective. And if that sealant fails to plug up a hole, you need to install a tube anyway, which is tougher than with a non-tubeless tire, thanks to the tighter tolerances needed to make a seal with the rim.…

WEIGHT: 26.6 LB FORK: BROMPTON STEEL REAR DERAILLEUR: BROMPTON 2-SPEED CRANKS: BROMPTON ALLOY, 170MM CHAINRING: BROMPTON 50 HEADSET: BROMPTON THREADED BRAKES: BROMPTON RIM BOTTOM BRACKET: SEALED CARTRIDGE, BSA THREADED RIMS: ALLOY, 28H SPOKES: STAINLESS STEEL HUBS: BROMPTON ALLOY (FRONT), STURMEY ARCHER 3-SPEED (REAR) TIRES: SCHWALBE KOJACK, 16X1.25 SADDLE: BROMPTON BAR: BROMPTON S-TYPE (SHOWN W/AFTERMARKET GRIPS) SEATPOST: BROMPTON STANDARD DON’T BE FOOLED by the Brompton’s tiny wheels and unconventional design. This funny-looking bike with an extremely enthusiastic cult-like following is one of the best purposebuilt bikes you can buy. Almost everything on it was designed just for this bike, from major parts like the frame tubes and folding mechanisms, to less noticeable ones like the small wheels you use to roll the bike when it’s folded. However, the parts that require…

On every Marin frame, you’ll find the words MADE FOR FUN. It’s the company’s unofficial mission statement, according to Matthew Cipes, the brand’s product manager. It’s there, he says, to remind everyone that bikes are just a means to an end, whether that’s going hard and smoking your friends or just getting out and riding with them. It’s a subtle reminder that a midpriced bike like the Rift Zone 2 can be every bit as fun as a bike that costs three or four times as much.…

Currently, riders in the U.S. don’t need a license—or insurance or registration—to ride any class of e-bike. However, in some areas, e-bikes (or specific classes) are not allowed on bike paths, trails, or multiuse paths. Many municipalities are still figuring out how to manage e-bikes, so regulations keep evolving. Will Class 3 (up to 28 mph) models ever need license and registration like they do in some European countries? Possibly. But for the sake of simplicity, we hope not.…

WEIGHT: 17.8 LB(54CM)FORK: ALLIED ROAD DISC SHIFT/BRAKE LEVERS: SHIMANO ULTEGRA FRONT/REAR DERAILLEURS: SHIMANO ULTEGRA CRANKS: SHIMANO ULTEGRA CHAINRINGS: SHIMANO 52/36 CASSETTE: SHIMANO ULTEGRA, 11-32, 11-SPEED HEADSET: FSA INTEGRATED BRAKES: SHIMANO ULTEGRA BRAKE ROTORS: SHIMANO RT800, 160MM (FRONT AND REAR) BOTTOM BRACKET: SHIMANO BBR60, BSA THREADED RIMS: MAVIC COSMIC ELITE UST, 32H SPOKES: STEEL AERO HUBS: MAVIC QRM, 12X100 (FRONT); MAVIC QRM, 12X142 (REAR) TIRES: MAVIC YKSION PRO UST, 700X25 SADDLE: FIZIK ARIONE R3 OPEN BAR: ZIPP SERVICE COURSE 70 ERGO STEM: ZIPP SERVICE COURSE, 31.8MM, –6 DEGREES SEATPOST: ZIPP SERVICE COURSE, 27.2MM ALLIED CYCLE WORKS is daring. It started in 2016 with an ambitious mission to bring high-volume carbon frame manufacturing to the U.S. at competitive prices. Such manufacturing existed once: at Trek and, before that, Kestrel. But carbon frames…

WEIGHT: 26.6 LB (M) FORK: FOX 34 FLOAT PERFORMANCE ELITE, 120MM SHOCK: FOX FLOAT PERFORMANCE ELITE DPS REAR DERAILLEUR: SRAM X01 EAGLE SHIFTER: SRAM X01 EAGLE CRANKS: SRAM X1 EAGLE DUB CHAINRING: SRAM 32T CASSETTE: SRAM XG1295, 10-50, 12-SPEED HEADSET: CANE CREEK 40 IS INTEGRATED BRAKES: SRAM LEVEL TLM BRAKE ROTORS: AVID 180MM (FRONT AND REAR) BOTTOM BRACKET: SRAM DUB, BSA THREADED RIMS: SANTA CRUZ RESERVE 27, 28H SPOKES: DT COMPETITION HUBS: DT 350 15X110 (FRONT), DT 350 148X12 (REAR) TIRES: MAXXIS MINION DHF 29X2.3 (FRONT), MAXXIS CROSSMARK II 29X2.25 (REAR) SADDLE: JULIANA PRIMEIRO 17 BAR: SANTA CRUZ XC FLAT CARBON STEM: EASTON HAVEN, 31.8MM, 0 DEGREES SEATPOST: ROCKSHOX REVERB STEALTH, 31.6MM, 150MM TRAVEL THE JULIANA JOPLIN is like your best friend who brings the party to even the most…

WEIGHT: 15.3 LB (AS TESTED) FORK: ENVE ROAD DISC BRAKE SHIFT/BRAKE LEVERS: SHIMANO DURA-ACE DI2 FRONT/REAR DERAILLEUR: SHIMANO DURA-ACE DI2 CRANKS: SHIMANO DURA-ACE CHAINRINGS: SHIMANO 50/34 CASSETTE: SHIMANO DURA-ACE 11-30, 11-SPEED HEADSET: CHRIS KING I8 BRAKES: SHIMANO DURA-ACE BRAKE ROTORS: SHIMANO RT900, 160MM (FRONT AND REAR) BOTTOM BRACKET: CHRIS KING T47 RIMS: ENVE SES 3.4 DISC 24H SPOKES: SAPIM CX RAY HUBS: CHRIS KING R45 DISC 12X100 (FRONT), CHRIS KING R45 DISC 12X142 (REAR) TIRES: HUTCHINSON FUSION 5 SADDLE: FIZIK ANTARES R1 OPEN BAR: ENVE ROAD HANDLEBAR STEM: ENVE ROAD STEM, 31.8MM, –6 DEGREES SEATPOST: ENVE SEATPOST, 31.6MM IN THE LATE nineties, I house-sat a mansion in the Hollywood Hills for almost a year. Ferrari in the garage, view of the Hollywood Sign, professional-grade kitchen, breezy open spaces, insured artwork…