A lot of controversy and argument has surrounded the release of the 15mm QR thru axle from Shimano and Fox. I had the opportunity to throw the new 20mm thru axles from Shimano/Fox and Rock Shox on the Ultimate scale and here are the results.

I came home yesterday to find several care packages from the guys down at SRAM. One of these large black boxes contained the new Rock Shox Reba Team. I have been a long time fan of the Reba fork (having owned two Team models in the past), so I was extremely excited to get this one in for review.

UPDATE: Click here for the final review on the Avid Elixir CR’s I came home the other day to multiple brown boxes from the guys over at SRAM. Care package …

Rock gardens provide an incredible rush and a challenge during a ride. There is something about blasting over a section of trail that you never thought you would be able to ride. The feel of the suspension soaking up every bump as you wonder if that next rock is going to throw you OTB or off your line is exhilarating.

2009 looks to be a big year for SRAM components. What hasn’t changed much for the the 2009 model year is the conventional shifting lines from SRAM. The X.7, X.9 and X.0 lines have stayed pretty much the same over this model year. Do they still meet the demands of 2009?

Everyone has their local trail that they have grown to love and know like the back of their hand. Here in lies the major flaw with becoming a better rider on your local trails…YOU KNOW IT LIKE THE BACK OF YOUR HAND! This is great when you are looking for a quick ride or one where you don’t have to think.

With the arrival of the Mountain Cycle Rumble, it was time to get out of my riding comfort zone. For a long time now, I have wanted a hardtail that could double as a dirtjump bike and a freeride machine. This deal hit with Mountain Cycle and I was able to get my dream. The Rumble with a Rock Shox Pike bolted up allows 95mm travel for the dj’s and 140mm for the freeride sections.

For those of us on the east coast of the United States, Asheville, NC is the capital of mountain biking. There may be other areas that have a better downhill, a better cross country race, etc., but no where on the east coast offers the diversity that Asheville and the surrounding areas provide.

Red Bull Rampage, the premier freeride mountain biking competition, held annually from 2001 to 2004, is blasting back onto the scene in 2008, bigger and badder than ever before. From October 2-5, Red Bull Rampage: The Evolution will draw the greatest riders in the world to a new venue just outside Virgin, Utah, offering the most challenging terrain mountain bike competition has ever seen.