Latest Product Reviews

Tested: Race Face Chester Composite Pedal

iceman2058 — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 15:42:15 +0000

Tested: Race Face Chester Composite Pedal

Vital Review

Tested: Race Face Chester Composite Pedal

Much better than its predecessor in every aspect.

The Race Face Chester composite pedal was always good value, but the original version was held back by its design. A bit too small and lacking effective concavity due to the presence of a prominent bulge over the axle, it never really provided that locked-in feel that we cherish in a flat pedal. The all-new version being reviewed here today addresses these points with a ground-up redesign that has made the Chester a much better pedal. Keep reading to learn more!

Strengths	Weaknesses
Affordable, great value Very good grip Generous dimensions, two sizes to match rider foot size Composite body provides comfort and shock absorption Replaceable metal pins, bolt in from back Serviceable axle system Covered by Race Face's lifetime, no-questions-asked warranty	Only one outboard bearing per side Outboard composite pins wear out quickly

Race Face Chester Highlights

Nylon composite body
Chromoly steel axle
One bushing and one bearing per side
Platform height: 16mm
Pins: 11 per side (nine metal, two co-molded composite)
Platform Size (L x W): 105 x 100 mm (Small), 115 x 110 mm (Large)
Weight: 345 grams (Small) / 355 grams (Large)
Colors: Black, Red, Orange, Green, Turquoise, Blue, Purple, Magenta
MSRP: $55.00 USD

Initial Impressions

To start with, the Chester is now available in two sizes, so you can be sure to find one that matches the size of your feet - today’s review will focus on the size large. At first glance, the Chester heritage is there, but Race Face has put in the work to make significant improvements to the design. The overall size is bigger, and there are more pins compared to the previous version. The pins are new, they bolt in from the rear and feature a threadless tip to make them slightly less prone to eating your shins alive when things go wrong. There are 9 metal pins complemented by 2 co-molded composite pins per side.

The axle bulge is all but gone, and as a result the new Chester offers a much higher level of performance thanks to a much flatter profile than what the original version could provide – with pins installed all around the edges, you get some actual effective concavity going, even if the pedal body itself remains flat. Race Face also eliminated the wrench flat spots on the spindle, which means that the inside of the pedal sits a bit closer to the crank arms. Those who like to run their feet closer to the cranks will be stoked, as it’s now much easier to position your foot over the inside portion of the pedal. In terms of platform real estate, our regular readers know that we like to measure the “pin-to-axle” distance to get a feel for how big a pedal really is under foot. The new Chester clocks in at 110 mm, which is not quite as generous as the leading pedals but also not too far off.

Composite pedals are usually light, and the new Chester is no exception – it tips the scales at 355 grams for the pair in size L. The internals feature the traditional bushing/bearing combo, and can be fully serviced thanks to the availability of replacement parts if need be. Impressively, the new Chester is covered by Race Face’s lifetime warranty – crashes included - that’s a pretty sweet deal on a 55 dollar pedal! And cherry on the cake; they come in 8 colors, so you can be sure to match them up with your bike.

On The Trail

On the trail, we were impressed from the first ride. The new Chester features proper effective concavity, and the larger platform really increases the comfort and confidence in the rough stuff. The result is a pedal that feels totally different compared to the old one. Speaking of comfort, this is one of the key advantages of composite pedals – they tend to take the “sting” out of the trail with a certain amount of built-in vibration damping and compliance. You’ll really notice this aspect if you hit a trailside object with them, as this experience is typically less jarring than with metal pedals.

The new pins are grippy, and they sit around the edges where they contribute to the concave feel of the platform. We tested with several different shoes, and we got equally good results across the board. It’s easy to find a good spot for your foot, and while the grip is great, you can still reposition your foot if you need to - just take a bit of pressure off first, as the pins do tend to cling on fairly tenaciously. We haven’t tested in extremely wet conditions yet, but the length and the placement of the pins lead us to think they will function well even when things get grim out there.

Things That Could Be Improved

There is not really much we can complain about here, especially given the modest price tag. You get a lot for your money with the new Chester!

Long Term Durability

The serviceable internals provide reassurance as to the longevity of the axle system, even though there is only one outboard bearing per side (many higher-end pedals feature multiple outboard bearings on each side, but that would be asking for a bit much to fit inside the modest price tag of the Chester). The body itself also seems to be up for plenty of abuse, and the shock-absorbent nature of the composite material may well help it survive longer as well. The one co-molded, composite pin placed on the outside edge will not fare so well however, some of ours have already been reduced to about half their height after a couple of months on the trail. The good news is that this does not really seem to affect the overall grip too much.

What’s The Bottom Line?

All in all, we’ve been very pleased with the new Chester pedal – it has held up well to a couple of months of riding so far, and the grip has proven itself in any riding scenario. At $55 USD it is particularly affordable, and when you throw in a lifetime, no-questions-asked warranty policy on top of that, you’re looking at fantastic value here. Definitely one to consider if you’re looking for a good flat pedal on a budget.

More information at: www.raceface.com.

About The Reviewer

Johan Hjord - Age: 51 // Years Riding MTB: 19 // Weight: 190-pounds (87 kg) // Height: 6'0" (1.84m)

Johan loves bikes, which strangely doesn’t make him any better at riding them. After many years spent practicing falling off cliffs with his snowboard, he took up mountain biking in 2005. Ever since, he’s mostly been riding bikes with too much suspension travel to cover up his many flaws as a rider. His 200-pound body weight coupled with unique skill for poor line choice and clumsy landings make him an expert on durability - if parts survive Johan, they’re pretty much okay for anybody. Johan rides flat pedals with a riding style that he describes as "none" (when in actuality he rips!). Having found most trail features to be not to his liking, Johan uses much of his spare time building his own. Johan’s other accomplishments include surviving this far and helping keep the Vital Media Machine’s stoke dial firmly on 11.

Photos by Johan Hjord and Tal Rozow (action)

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Tested: Hope Carbon Crank

iceman2058 — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 14:42:22 +0000

Tested: Hope Carbon Crank

Vital Review

Tested: Hope Carbon Crank

Hope's first carbon crank delivers a premium product experience and significant weight savings.

We’ve been running Hope cranks since they first started making them in 2015. The very first iteration sported a unique spindle interface which functioned as intended but was a bit faffy to work with, and Hope moved to a more traditional self-extracting bolt system for the release of the EVO version of the crank in 2019. We still have our first EVO test sample running on a bike in our fleet to this day, testament to the great reliability of the updated design. Fast-forward to 2024, and Hope has added a carbon crank to their drivetrain catalog – in typical Hope fashion, it’s ingeniously named the “Carbon Crank”. We’ve been testing it over the past five months to see if it lives up to the rest of the Hope standards as well.

Hope Carbon Crank Highlights

Tuned stiffness characteristics for optimum ride feel
Foam core helps to absorb impacts and damp vibrations
1K outer fabric for abrasion resistance and Hope carbon aesthetic
Replaceable pedal thread inserts
T700 fibers for optimum strength to weight, unique carbon construction method
Proven self-extracting axle/arm interface from Hope EVO cranks
155, 165 & 170 mm length
30mm oversize 7075 aluminum alloy axle
Configurable for 52 and 55 mm chain lines
Weight: 428 grams, crank only, 170 mm (verified)
Direct mount chainring only, Spiderless Retainer chainrings 28T to 36T
Q‐Factor 168 mm Boost/176 mm 55 mm
Recommended use Trail/All mountain
MSRP: £550.00 GBP / €690.00 EUR / $695.00 USD (ex tax)

Initial Impressions

If you went ahead and purchased a $695 USD crank (add $70 for a chainring too), you’ll certainly be expecting a high-end product. Thankfully, the Hope Carbon Crank does not disappoint. The finish is lush and uniform, testament to the usual Hope quality and workmanship. The crank arms are made using a “unique construction method” and contain a foam core to help damp vibrations. The outer carbon layer uses a 1K fabric to help improve resistance to abrasion (and to give the crank that “Hope carbon look”). On the topic of the look, the aluminum inserts and bolt caps are available in the usual Hope colors to spice things up a bit.

The carbon crank inherits the 30mm axle system from the EVO alloy crank, which is based around a self-extracting, splined spindle interface that is tightened with a single, 10mm allen bolt. There is an alloy preload ring to help snug the crank up to the bearings. The spindle is available in two different lengths, allowing for chain lines from 49 to 55 mm when combined with regular or Boost chainrings. The pedal thread inserts are replaceable should they get cross-threaded or otherwise damaged.

Hope cranks are only compatible with Hope chainrings – we opted for a 32T Boost version to match the chainline requirements of our GX Eagle 12-speed drivetrain. The chainring is beautifully machined, featuring a narrow-wide tooth pattern that is compatible with 9/10/11/12-speed drivetrains including SRAM’s T-Type Transmission. The 32T version weighs a scant 64 grams.

On The Trail

Installing the Hope Carbon Crank is easy. You’ll need Hope’s proprietary tool to tighten down the lockring that holds the chainring in place, but one is included in the box so that’s not a problem. Hope also includes a set of transparent protective films that you should apply to the crank arms yourself, and there is also a pair of rubber boots for the crank arm ends. With all that done, it’s as easy as sliding the spindle through the BB and tightening down the main lock ring to spec, and then taking up any side-to-side slack with the aluminum preload ring. Done.

On the trail, the best we can usually hope for is that the crank holds us up and turns over when we pedal, other than that you’d expect it to make itself forgotten. This is pretty much the case with the Hope Carbon Crank too, it has been doing its job without drawing attention to itself for five months now. The chainring is smooth and we have not experienced any dropped chains, despite our tester regularly throwing his short-travel trail bike into the deep end of the pool. The crank is plenty stiff, which promotes great power transfer, but there is also a certain muted feeling under foot in the rough stuff thanks to the use of carbon. Perhaps the foam core and the layup are to thank as well here.

Vital test rider Nils Hjord

Regarding wear and tear, the crank seems well equipped to deal with abuse. Hope rates it for All Mountain and Enduro use for rider + bike combos up to 90 kgs, dropping down to “just” All Mountain above that. If it’s a proper DH crank you’re after, you should be looking at the EVO alloy crank. The surface finish is strong, and the crank has remain largely scuff-free despite the protective film getting torn up in a few areas. The chainring anodization seems to be resisting wear better than some others we've tested recently. Just like with the alloy EVO crank, you need to grease and tighten the chainring lockring every now and then, otherwise it can develop a bit of a creak when it gets dry, but it's a minor operation. The main self-extracting bolt is easy to open again even after many months of hard riding, unlike some other similar designs (looking at you, SRAM DUB...). Hope warranty terms cover the product against defects in materials and workmanship for 2 years after purchase – mis-use and abuse NOT included – which falls a little short of some competitors who now offer lifetime warranty including crash damage in this product category as well (the Race Face ERA crank comes to mind).

What’s The Bottom Line?

Why get a carbon crank? In the case of the Hope Carbon Crank, you save ~130 grams compared to the EVO alloy version, which is not negligible for those looking to build as light as possible. You also benefit from a certain ride feel, much like a carbon frame can feel a bit muted over trail chatter compared to the alloy equivalent. Not least, the Hope Carbon Crank is a premium product that adds a little extra bling factor to your ride, probably not a minor consideration for those looking to drop this kind of money on this part of the bike. Hope’s usual attention to detail and craftmanship ensure that the product is highly functional and well up for shenanigans too. It is certainly among the pricier carbon crank options available right now, and the warranty terms fall a bit short of the "lifetime no questions asked" that some competitors offer, which is what has kept our rating at 4 stars. In terms of function and finish, it could go higher.

More information at: www.hopetech.com.

About The Reviewers

Johan Hjord - Age: 51 // Years Riding MTB: 19 // Weight: 190-pounds (87 kg) // Height: 6'0" (1.84m)

Nils Hjord – Age: 20 // Years Riding MTB: 12 // Height: 5’9” (1m80) // Weight: 185-pounds (84-kg)

Always committed to having fun on his bike, Nils likes to keep his wheels in the air almost as much as on the ground. Although he enjoys going fast and is no stranger to burping his tires off the rim, he has dedicated most of his riding time to mastering manuals and making his tabletops flatter – but that doesn’t mean he can’t put the hurt on his wheels through a high-speed rockgarden too, when needed. Good thing his dad is a full-time Vital staffer with access to lots of bike parts that need testing!

Photos by Johan Hjord

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Great and comfy FF helmet

lkubica — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 10:10:48 +0000

Great and comfy FF helmet

Member Review

Great and comfy FF helmet

The Good

Comfort and protection. This one is sturdy and confidence inspiring.

The Bad

Ventilation is ok for a fullface but don't imagine you will climb in it in temperature above zero ...

I use this helmet for enduro riding all the time. The only caveat is you need to take it off for a climb. Tried once climbing in it at 10 deg with pads removed and it was too hot, have no idea how EWS riders can climb in FFs. It is also not light. Anyway, this helmet has a great fir (for me), works great with goggles, has a d-buckle (which for me is a plus over fidlock). Sometimes you can hear a little squeaking, but very occasionally, it is generally quiet for a MIPS helmet. Crashed multiple time in in and it looks like new, recently crashed in Switchblade and the chinbar went to pieces. Definitely proper FFs like this are much safer than lighter helmet. The build qulity is great.

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Tested: Turnon Components Bunker Dropper Post

iceman2058 — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 15:35:03 +0000

Tested: Turnon Components Bunker Dropper Post

Vital Review

Tested: Turnon Components Bunker Dropper Post

A novel design enables longer service intervals and better durability.

We first started coming across Turnon Components at trade shows a couple of years ago, intrigued by their use of a submerged dropper post as part of their exhibit. The point of the display was to showcase their “water and dust proof” dropper post, aptly named the Bunker. What sets this post apart from others is the lack of any kind of venting holes at the bottom of the post, which essentially creates a second air chamber inside the post as the air compressed by lowering the post has nowhere to go. To see what all this translates to in real life, we’ve been testing the Bunker for a few months now and we’re here today to provide our report.

Strengths	Weaknesses
Water and dust proof design improves longevity Long service intervals Smooth action Light weight Self-bleeding hydraulics stay sharp	Lacking longer travel options Longer than some competitors at comparable travel Requires a little more force to compress than some other posts Remote lever is not I-Spec compatible

Turnon Bunker Highlights

Fully sealed, dual air chamber design (water proof and dust proof)
US patent granted in October 2024 on the internal mechanism and design
Self-bleeding hydraulics
User serviceable
400-hour recommended service interval
Internal cable routing compatible only
Diameters: 30.9 and 31.6mm
Stock travel options: 125, 160, 190mm
Travel adjustable in 5mm increments
Weight: 552 grams (31.6mm/190mm, verified)
Lever weight (with cable): 112 grams (verified)
Three-year warranty
MSRP (post only): $252.00 - $289.00 USD (depending on travel option)
MSRP (lever): $55.00 USD ($39.00 USD when purchased together with the dropper)

Initial Impressions

The Bunker turns up in a fairly simple package, looking for all intents and purposes just like any other dropper post. Turnon included some service parts and a travel adjustment kit with our sample, these are all available to purchase directly via their website or through their network of dealers around the world. All the parts that make up the dropper are available as spares, which always bodes well for the longevity of your investment.

The Bunker is available in 3 different lengths and the two main seat post diameters (Turnon can supply a shim if your bike features a 34.9 mm seat tube). The travel can be adjusted down in 5 mm increments, by a savvy home mechanic or a shop (it requires a tear down and rebuild of the internals). As for the dimensions, the Bunker is a little bit longer than its main competitors, something to take into account if you’re looking to really maximize the amount of travel you can fit into your frame. Here’s a table comparing it to some of its main rivals, you can see that in terms of stack height (“Collar-To-Rail”) it’s doing well, while the overall insertion length is significantly longer than a OneUp V3 for example. On the flipside, it will give you a lot of max extension, which might help if you have very long legs but don’t want too much drop.

The internals are what make the Bunker special. The airtight lower leg design creates an extra air spring, which Turnon uses to help overcome the stiction present in the top seal (which is purposely very tight, in keeping with the water and dust proof design brief). The hydraulics are of the self-bleeding kind, which basically means that any air bubbles that might form on the oil side of the piston are purged the next time that the post is compressed. The pressure in the main air chamber needs to be quite high, because it is actually what holds the rider’s weight up. The post will even allow a small amount of sag movement under heavy compression, which can be exacerbated by running lower pressure.

Turnon has just been granted a US patent for this design, which presumably means that it is different from other droppers in a significant enough way as to warrant the protection of the innovation. From the patent abstract: “While increasing a height of a saddle mounted above the hydraulic inner tube, pressure of high-pressure gas in the second gas chamber not only improves speed and fluency of the hydraulic inner tube being lifted, but also optimizes concentricity and side force resistance of both the hydraulic inner tube and the outer tube.” Interesting wording, as always in patents…

Turnon also supplies a remote lever, as an optional purchase. The lever is highly adjustable and can be moved around in several different directions as well as rotated, and it can also be mounted to SRAM's MatchMaker (using the original bolt). You can get the lever with either a black or silver finish.

On The Trail

Installing the Bunker was straightforward, with nothing out of the ordinary to report. The cable pull needed to operate the actuator is quite short at 6 mm, which means that the remote lever can make do with a fairly small main pivot barrel. It was easy to find a really good position for the lever, we particularly appreciate the ability to adjust the rotation of the lever around the main pivot as we find that a bit of “positive angle” towards the thumb at the start of the stroke makes for a very solid feeling of engagement as you press it.

The amount of force required at the lever is a little bit higher than some other droppers, as is the force required to compress the post itself. It’s not to the point of making it difficult to operate, but you can definitely feel the high pressure in the main air chamber as well as the tight seal. We ended up running a bit more pressure than recommended to give the Bunker a faster return speed, and we also found that a little bit of preload on the cable helps in this regard. After these adjustments, the return speed is about average – similar to a Fox Transfer V3 for example. There is a solid and fairly loud “clunk” at full extension, letting you know that the post is up there and ready for pedaling. You can press the lever while seated, and you can also pick the bike up by the post even with the saddle down, two aspects that are fairly important for a good dropper post experience in our opinion (it’s maybe not kind to the post, but life is sometimes hard for everyone yeah).

Once we found the sweet spot with the aforementioned adjustments, operating the Bunker became intuitive. The modulation is good, and it’s very easy to partially depress the lever to slow down the return speed to help with finding those half-mast cruiser positions. As for the “suspension” action we mentioned earlier, it happens on larger compressions during seated pedaling. There’s a tiny bit of give in the air spring that offers a degree of cushion and comfort in these situations. The post is absolutely not saggy, and there is no vertical play present, it’s literally like compressing an air spring with very high pressure in it. This phenomenon can be slightly accentuated with the post at half-mast, as there may be a bit more air mixed into the oil in this position. We found this extra cushion to be quite comfortable in those high-compression situations (picture pedaling uphill over a square rock with tired legs), and it was never to the point of bothering us (there is absolutely no play or sag during normal seated pedaling).

Things That Could Be Improved

There is a little bit of resistance when you lower the post, both from the hydraulics and the main seal it seems like. The result is a somewhat less slick feeling than a BikeYoke Revive for example, even though the modulation is excellent and the speed of operation is good. Aside from that, the base of the post is a bit longer than some competitors, so take that into account if your frame has limited insertion depth.

Long Term Durability

The Bunker features a design specifically developed to lengthen service intervals and to prevent any external contaminants from wreaking havoc on the internals. We’ve had our sample for 5 months now, with about 3.5 months of actual riding time, and we have not noticed any kind of air leaks or other performance degradation. The post is still working like when we first set it up, which bodes well for longevity. There was a very small amount of side-to-side play present out of the box, and that has not evolved at all at this point. There are spares available for every component of the dropper, and it's fairly easy to service for a competent home mechanic.

What’s The Bottom Line?

Dropper posts have come a long way in the last few years, in particular with regards to durability. It’s one of those components that gets little in the way of love, yet is expected to perform flawlessly ride after ride. With its sealed design and self-resetting hydraulics, the Turnon Bunker is attempting to push longevity to the next level, and based on our testing so far, it seems that it is working. Aside from the durability aspect, the Bunker also offers great ergonomics and a bit of extra “suspension” action during violent compressions, which can add a little comfort to your ride. All in all, the Bunker is one of those products that comes a bit out of left field but makes a lot of sense once you’re out on the trail.

More information at: www.turnoncomponents.com.

About The Reviewer

Johan Hjord - Age: 51 // Years Riding MTB: 19 // Weight: 190-pounds (87-kg) // Height: 6'0" (1.84m)

Photos by Johan Hjord and Nils Hjord

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Terrific Choice For Faster Speeds

brendanburke — Fri, 08 Nov 2024 20:56:45 +0000

Terrific Choice For Faster Speeds

Member Review

Terrific Choice For Faster Speeds

The Good

Quiet and easy to pedal. Grip is predictable. Sidewall graphics are cool.

The Bad

Objectively less grip than an ultra-sticky Maxxis with max-grip compound. Ride is harder so you should tune your suspension to be softer.

I bought a Devinci Spartan HP that came with a Maxxis Assegai and DHR with the heavy duty sidewall and maxx-grip compound. Pedaling that bike on flat ground was a workout. Where I live, we do not have the terrain that justify such a thick heavy-duty tire. I was finding myself unable to carry enough speed through many trails simply because the Maxxis tires are so dang sticky. Wanting to go faster, I researched about 30 different enduro tires and decided the Xynotal for the rear, and Kryptotal F for the front. I made the right choice. These tires roll faster, they're more quiet, and to my surprise are right in line with how I like to ride: the grip is so predictable, you will never wash out because you can feel what is going on all the time. It's like the tire speaks to you. I felt the Maxxis tires to have unbeatable grip, until they don't; I was never able to predict with the Maxxis tires would decide to let go and wash out. For the Xynotal rear, I have no issues climbing, dry or wet, cornering is FUN because, again, the grip is linear and predictable. You can drift if you so desire. Since they are not as squishy a Maxxis maxx-grip tire, the ride quality suffered UNTIL I retuned my suspension to work with the tires. I have high-expectations of these tires, as I've done several miles on pavement and dozens on the trails and the little hairs on the rubber still have not fallen off, and the tires still smell new! As a bonus, these also look sick with the textured sidewall and gold graphics. I do recommend this (these tires) tire if you desire to carry more speed while having a fun time going around corners.

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TESTED - Giant Faith 24 Mountain Bike for Kids

sspomer — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 16:14:23 +0000

TESTED - Giant Faith 24 Mountain Bike for Kids

Vital Review

TESTED - Giant Faith 24 Mountain Bike for Kids

A carnival on two wheels with no corners cut in build and performance.

Parents of current and future mini mountain bikers are in a great place right now. The number of high-quality, youth-sized full-suspension mountain bikes is growing faster than the feet of the kids who pedal them. Earlier this year, Giant threw their hat into the ring with two Faith models equipped with either dual 24-inch wheels (tested) or a 27.5/26-inch mixed wheel configuration. Not only are the frame and wheel sizes fit for pint-sized punting, but suspension kinematics have been developed with lightweight riders in mind. They feature a new short-travel, adjustable dropper post and even wheelsets that are tuned for developing young rippers. Our 9-year-old in-house tester has been lapping the bike parks, trails and sketchy, home-made plywood-and-2x4 ramps with the Faith 24 all summer, and we're here to report on the experience.

Giant Faith 24 Highlights

Aluxx SL Alloy frame with 130mm travel, Flexpoint platform
Crest TR Elite Lite fork with FloTune Lite Damper, 140mm travel
Microshift Advent X 10-seed drivetrain
140mm crank arm length
Giant TRA WheelSystem
PressFit bottom bracket
Contact Switch AT Lite dropper post with 100mm, adjustable
Maxxis Minion DHF/DHR II tubeless tire combo
Giant 1x chainguide
One size, recommended for riders 4'3" to 4'11" (130 to 150cm)
Price: $2,500
Weight as tested: 27.9 pounds (12.65kg) with included pedals

Strengths

Light weight
Tubeless setup out of the box
Suspension tune
Large dealer network support
Looks (for adult riders who frequented MTB forums in the early 2000s)

Weaknesses

PressFit BB (which may not be a weakness for everyone)
Not cheap for a bike that may fit for just one season
Looks (some kids may wonder where the paint is)

First Impressions

As we we opened the box and assembled the Faith (something you won't have to do because you'll get yours professionally assembled from a Giant dealer), three things hit us — the bike appeared to be well-spec'd, it wasn't a lead weight like many kid MTBs, and any Ridemonkey lurker from the early 2000s who now has groms of their own will likely froth over the raw aluminum finish. The orange ano suspension adjusters were icing on the visual cake of the Faith for the father of the tester. To level it up further, even the Maxxis tires logos are a stealth gray. The tester, however, asked, "why isn't it painted," with a slightly disappointed tone. Our excited response of "so it looks cool, like a prototype" was suspiciously accepted as levers were squeezed, tire pressures were adjusted and suspension sag was set. Call us impressed right away by the ease of setup, component selection and tubeless build.

Build and Price

The Giant Faith will cause serious sticker shock for the non-riding parent who stumbles into their local Giant dealer looking for a classic holiday gift. Parents who are serious riders, however, will probably be more understanding of the Faith 24's $2,500 price tag as they imagine their youngster floating down A-Line on a family vacation to Whistler. The Aluxx SL frame is refined and svelte, the suspension is custom-tuned and developed for wee ones, the brakes use a 180mm front rotor and 160mm rear rotor, chainstay protection is robust, there's a chainguide and bashguard, the dropper height can be adjusted, the tire choice is proper, and the wheels with their 30mm rims, straight-pull Sapim Laser spokes and 72t boost rear hub. Should we go on? TL;DR - the build is not afterthought. The spec of the Faith 24 is a beacon to attract the serious parental mountain biker who analyzes every detail of a bike.

Build praise aside, let's not forget that this one-size-only bike is likely to fit a young rider for just one season (two, tops) making the $2,500 price tag nothing to take lightly. If these bikes wouldn't be outgrown, their spec-to-price ratio would be very good, so we'll leave the financial implications and value propositions of the Faith up to you. Now that we have the back-in-my-day-bikes-only-cost-50-cents thing out of the way, we had the Faith built and ready to shred.

Geometry and Weight

Our tester at 4'6" is a shade under the middle of the recommended range for the Faith 24 which caps out at 4'11". There are no adjustments of any kind on the Faith to accommodate growing riders or nerding parents, so all angles, measurements and settings are locked in. Simplicity is a beautiful thing, and as a result the Faith 24 looks just like an adult bike shrunken down in every proportion. Some full-suspension youth mountain bikes out there have an odd look or long wheelbase or something that's not quite proportional to their pocket-sized passengers. The Giant just looks right, but that's at the cost of being adjustment-free. For kids who are a little bigger (4'9" and up) Giant offers a 27.5/26-inch-wheeled Faith for $100 more at $2,600. It is also a one-size model.

With Giant's included Pinner Light pedals, the weight of our Faith 24 was 27.9 pounds (12.65kg). As the Giant just looked right, the weight felt right, too. We realize that building an affordable full-squish bike for young riders is challenging, but when bikes weights surpass 30 pounds, shelling out $2,000 or is equally difficult. It's clear that Giant's Aluxx SL frame, the Crest fork and TRA wheels come together so the Faith 24 can tip the scales respectfully.

On the Trail

The first thing a young rider and their parent will notice about the Faith is buzz of the high-engagement hub on the Giant TRA wheels. Ours was loud and our mini pilot loved it! The neighbors and other trail users looking for a quiet day out may think otherwise. On our way up the first climb, the 140mm crank length, 30t chainring and 11-48t cassette were well-paired with the 24-inch wheels. Granny gear (is that still acceptable to say these days?) was more than friendly enough for short, steep ascents that pepper the local trails. Our tester's personal bike has a two-year-old Microshift drivetrain which has proven bulletproof. The 10-speed AdventX group was flawless the entire summer, continues shift with a crispness and retains a secure clutch mechanism after plenty of abusive landings.

Giant's Contact Switch AT Lite dropper was easily engaged by our rider's compact clutches. Kids + droppers = curiosity, and we wish we had a seatpost activation counter on our test bike because it has to be pushing tens of billions of activations, if for no other reason than "because it's there." All those cycles later and it functions as new. On the topic of cockpit, the Giant Small Hand grips were soft and sized well for growing mitts. We kept the bars at their stock 680mm width and moved controls inboard a bit, rather than cut them down for this test. Tektro's single-piston brakes with HD-J285 levers are also a strong performer on a bike like this. The lever blades can be adjusted in for easy reach by the tiniest of rider, and their power, especially with Giant's smartly chosen 180mm front rotor, is more than ample.

Tektro levers easily within reach, but who needs them? The Basin Gravity Park.

Giant's Crest suspension (learn about it in detail here) was originally setup as per the very handy chart on the fork leg which has air pressure suggestions for both fork and shock. It took one ride for our tester to feel that things were too soft. At 63 pounds, he's not a fan of bottoming out and his propensity for plopping and pumping resulted in PSI found in the next range up on their scale. Giant's starting point was great and will likely be comfortable for regular trail riding instead of primarily bike park use. Volume spacers can be added if needed (3 max) as well, but our configuration remained stock.

The Crest TR Elite Lite fork is still running buttery smooth after a summer of drops, jumps and stoppies in our dusty, dry conditions, and the FloTrac Lite shock mirrors the fork's performance with a balanced, hassle-free effort. The fork's FCV (floating compression valve) is more than a novelty and actually provides a usable range of adjustment, not just an open or closed setting. Spun to the middle of the range, an increase in damping reveals itself and fully firm is heavily damped, not locked out. The fork's dial has a nice, stiff rotation to it and even without detents, would retain position throughout a ride. Rebound clicks are obvious and effective. The shock's lever is just a climb swtich to lock out the damper. Similarly to the dropper post, flicking the lock switch to sprint around the neighborhood efficiently or climb to the top of a run was all the rage...until it wasn't. Once our mini-mobber forgot to unlock the shock and nearly had his remaining baby teeth rattled out of his full face. It was turned off and never used again.

When the shock wasn't forgetfully locked out, the Faith's single-pivot, 130mm rear travel did its job well. Rocky, dusty downhills or urban hucks to flat never caused hesitation for our focused flyer. Giant says the design is a flex stay with movement in the seatstay/chainstay junction. That may be true on their adult bikes that use this design, but it seems unlikely there is any significant movement going on under the heft of our 8-gallon pilot. Short of a top-off of air in the tires and running the occasional bolt check (nothing was ever loose), we haven't touched the Faith since assembling it at the beginning of June.

What's the Bottom Line?

A summer on Giant's light, capable Faith 24 launched our tester into a new realm of riding ability thanks to a thoughtful build and its confidence-inspiring performance. Literally the only, possibly-not-even-real weakness we can report is the use of a PressFit BB and during our 5 months of testing, which included three days in Whistler, it was a non-issue, neary a creak to be heard. The price is the price, and that's something a hard-working grom, parent, fun aunt or uncle, or other family member willing to drop $2,500 on a two-wheeler will have to live with. If the price isn't an obstacle, you'll have a stoked youngster tearing it up on a mountain bike that has no corners cut in its build kit. There will be plenty of performance on tap and durability to spare as they progress and blow your doors off and there's security of Giant's large dealer network to support the bike should the need arise.

Vital MTB Rating - 5 out of 5 stars

For more information on the Giant Faith, visit giant-bicycle.com.

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Tested: Garbaruk Enduro Crank

iceman2058 — Sat, 02 Nov 2024 16:53:14 +0000

Tested: Garbaruk Enduro Crank

Vital Review

Tested: Garbaruk Enduro Crank

Light and strong aluminum crankset with many different color combinations available.

Garbaruk has been around since the mid 2000s, when brothers Valerii and Yurii Garbaruk officially went into carbon manufacturing, making frames, handlebars, and seatposts out of a small garage in Ukraine. Valerii and Yurii were involved in all kinds of two-wheeled racing, whether MTB XC or in the Ukrainian motorcycle Superbike league, and they had a habit of making their own parts already, so that next step seemed logical. The company acquired its first CNC machine in 2014, and then moved all its facilities to Poland in 2019. Garbaruk is now mainly focused on making aluminum MTB drivetrain products and related accessories, and earlier this year they expanded their product line with an enduro-ready crankset. We’ been putting it to the test for a few months now - keep reading to find out how we’ve been getting along.

Strengths	Weaknesses
Light weight Strong construction Modular design supports multiple BB configurations Many custom color combinations available Chainring performance Looks!	Warranty terms don't match the class-leaders

Garbaruk Enduro Crank Highlights

Crankarm Length: 165/170/175 mm
Crankarm Color: Black/Blue/Gold/Green/Orange/Red/Silver/Violet
Lockring/Bolts Color: Black/Blue/Gold/Green/Orange/Red/Silver/Violet
Made from: CNC milled 7075-T651 aluminum alloy
Chainline: 52 mm
Q-Factor: 170 mm
Spindle Length: 136.5 mm standard (130 and 140 options available)
Spindle/Axle diameter: 30 mm or 29 mm (DUB)
Compatible with Garbaruk chainrings
Weight: 466 grams (165 mm crankarm, 30 mm spindle, verified)
System weight with 32T chainring: 520 grams
MSRP: $450 USD

Initial Impressions

Garbaruk is most known in the mountain bike world for their cassettes, but they have been making road and XC cranks for a couple of years now with reportedly good results. The new Enduro crank is built using the same construction technique, with a design that has been beefed up for heavy-duty use. Each crank arm is made of two CNC milled pieces, the main section is hollowed out and then covered up with a thinner plate. The two sections are bonded and heat-treated, and there are 8 small bolts used on each crank arm for further reinforcement. The crank arms will pass all Garbaruk’s strength testing without these reinforcement bolts (that is actually how the XC and road cranks are built), but the bolts are there for peace of mind and a little extra bling. This construction technique produces a crank arm that not only looks the part, but is seriously light as well – at 466 grams for the 165 mm version it is not far from the lightest carbon enduro/DH cranks out there, and Garbaruk is so confident in their design that they rate it for all riding disciplines with no rider weight limit imposed.

The Garbaruk Enduro crank is available in a wide variety of colors and color combinations. There are 8 colors available for the crank arms, the same 8 for the self-extractor lockring and the small reinforcement bolts. You can mix and match to your heart’s content, which can obviously help bling out your ride if you so wish. The finish is excellent and the colors are rich and uniform. We opted for a little purple ano which matched up nicely with some other parts on our test bike. You can specify a classic 30 mm spindle or a SRAM DUB-compatible 28.99 mm version – there are several different lengths to choose from as well.

You’ll also need a Garbaruk chainring to complete your crankset – they are of course available in the aforementioned 8 colors, and you can also pick a round or an oval version, with anything from 28 to 36 teeth. The chainring is compatible with 9-, 10-, 11-, and 12-speed drivetrains, including SRAM T-Type Transmission. The teeth are extra tall, and feature a narrow-wide profile to further help with chain retention. The 3-mm offset corresponds to a regular Boost chainline (52 mm). The design is machined to the max, and our 32T sample weighed in at a scant 54 grams (which helped keep the overall system weight with our 165 mm cranks to an impressively low 520 grams). The crank arm to chainring interface is based on Cannondale’s Hollowgram design, so there won’t be too many other options for the chainring to use with the Garbaruk crank.

On The Trail

Installing the Garbaruk crank was easy. The chain ring lockring looks funky, but actually fits a standard BB tool which increases the chances of you already owning one. For the rest, you’ll need a size 12 allen to tighten up the spindle (this is a rather less common allen size), and a 2 mm allen to secure the bearing preload ring after you’ve snugged it up to the BB. We mated our new crankset to a SRAM GX mechanical drivetrain, and it’s been plain sailing since day one. Silent and smooth pedaling, no dropped chains to report (we have been testing both with and without a chainguide). The tooth profile of the chainring works great, it engages the chain without much resistance and seems to do a good job with clearing out dirt as well.

Once out on the trail, the Garbaruk crank did everything we asked of it. It is quiet and plenty stiff, always providing for good power transfer and a solid feeling under your feet. We’ve had it running on our big bike for about three and a half months by now, and we’ve not had to pay any extra attention to it which is always a good sign. Nothing has come loose, and nothing has started to make any unwanted sounds. So far, it's set and forget!

Things That Could Be Improved

We have not been able to find much wrong with the Garbaruk Enduro crank, certainly not on the product side. Talking about the price, it is placed in the “pricey but not crazy” category of cranks. You can get slightly heavier cranks for less money with some carbon offerings from SRAM for example, or comparable weights and the same money with a carbon Race Face Era. A carbon crank from Hope is about the same weight as well, but a couple of hundred dollars more. Of course, you can also go crazy with an EEwing from Cane Creek or a titanium 5DEV crank if you want to, at more than double the cost of the Garbaruk. For a very light and strong aluminum crank with a certain “boutique” flair to it, we think the Garbaruk is still pretty good value though.

Slightly less convincing are Garbaruk’s warranty terms, at just one year covering defects in materials and workmanship they are just providing the bare minimum. The aforementioned Race Face Era comes with a lifetime no-questions-asked warranty that covers crash damage as well. With that said, Garbaruk has stated to us that they have yet to see any crank failures two years into making them, so that bodes well for the long run.

Long Term Durability

We have not seen any signs of premature wear or defects of any kind after riding the Garbaruk Enduro cranks on a long-travel bike for 3 and a half months, at this time all signs point to more good times ahead. The anodization is coming off some of the teeth of the chainring, but that's par for the course with anodized drivetrain components like these in our experience, and not something to worry about.

What’s The Bottom Line?

There are a lot of options to choose from when picking a crank, and if we’re being honest, a lot of them do a good job at turning your chain over and holding your pedals in place as you ride. You have an almost infinite range of weight/price combinations out there, starting at a hundred bucks or so. The Garbaruk Enduro crank lands right in the hot spot of the high-end enthusiast market, where several competitors have cranks at roughly the same price and weight – most of which are made of carbon. Garbaruk stands out for pushing the envelop of aluminum crank design however, both in functional and aesthetic terms. We’ve been more than pleased with the performance of our test sample so far, and we certainly think it looks good on our bike. With an incredible amount of personalization available in terms of color accents, this is definitely one to consider if you’re after a little extra bling.

More information at: www.garbaruk.com.

About The Reviewer

Johan Hjord - Age: 51 // Years Riding MTB: 19 // Weight: 190-pounds (87-kg) // Height: 6'0" (1.84m)

Photos by Johan Hjord and Nils Hjord

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My new favorite front tire

edwardyoon — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 15:22:06 +0000

My new favorite front tire

Member Review

My new favorite front tire

The Good

This is so much better than the DHR2 up front regarding grip and rolling speed. It feels every bit as grippy as the Assegai but with much better rolling speed. It is also very quiet on the trail and pavement.

The Bad

I had a very tough time getting this guy mounted. Once mounted, it would not seat with a blast pump. So I decided to do the tube trick where I seat the bead on one side and try to get the other side to seat using a blast pump. However, unseating the bead proved to be tougher than mounting. Long story short, the tube method worked.

Tough to mount and seat--and I am not going to deduct any stars because of it--but worth the effort.

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Better as a front tire for me

edwardyoon — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 14:53:13 +0000

Better as a front tire for me

Member Review

Better as a front tire for me

The Good

Deep knobs ensure good traction. I moved it to the front on my trail bike and got good results. It seems to plow through softer sand (which somehow made its way on to my local trails) better than the DHR2 in the front. The 2.4 Kryptotal Re looks a little bit wider than the 2.4 WT DHR2. Next spring when I visit Big Bear, I may move it to the back wheel again and pair that with a Kryptotal front. For some reason, my particular Kryptotal was easier to mount and seat than the Xynotal, which was soul-crushing.

The Bad

I bought it for the rear wheel. It felt draggy compared to a well-worn DHR2 and a new Xynotal, which I found to be very fast rolling with good grip. It's also a bit heavier than a DHR2 in the EXO casing.

I found it to be a better front tire than rear. It could serve as a reminder that I need to get into better shape.

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Best trail rear tire

edwardyoon — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 14:35:44 +0000

Best trail rear tire

Member Review

Best trail rear tire

The Good

Rolls fast! I am a Maxxis guy. I have tried Specialized, Schwalbe, and Kenda tires, only to put a Maxxis Aggressor, DHR2, or Dissector back on the rear wheel. Not this time. The Xynotal rear tire rolls faster than the aforementioned Maxxis tires and grips better. The better traction may be as a result of the Xynotal being new, so time will tell.

The Bad

The Xynotal weighs about 100 to 150 grams more than the Maxxis tires I have used, but the Conty feels faster. Now for the really bad. I had a very hard time mounting the tire. Once mounted, I had a very tough time seating the tire. So I then attempted to use a tube, but unseating the Xynotal was even tougher than mounting. In the process of dislodging the bead, I wrecked the rim tape. So I had to re-tape the rim. Finally, using a tube, seating one side of the bead, and borrowing a neighbor's air compressor finally did the trick.

Until something better and possibly lighter comes along, the Xynotal is my favorite rear tire. After my Herculean effort to mount the Xynotal, it is not coming off any time soon.

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TESTED - Giant Faith 24 Mountain Bike for Kids

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