Mountain

Every build starts with a question, and mine was blunt: could I put together a trail bike I’d actually trust on the descents, keep running for years, and not spend carbon-flagship money to get there? This series is the long answer, broken out from the full build video below into a few focused posts — I’ll walk through the suspension, the drivetrain, the routing that nearly broke me, and the final setup and weight. But before any of that, it’s worth explaining why I landed on this frame at all. Parts come and go. The frame is the one decision everything else has to live with. ...

The Specialized Epic 9 dropped today, and if you’re already riding an Epic 8, you’re probably asking the same question: is this actually a significant enough jump to justify the upgrade? The short answer is that the Epic 9 is a genuinely better race bike in almost every measurable way. Whether that matters for how you ride is a different question. Here’s everything that changed. Frame Weight This is the headline. The Epic 9 frame weighs 1,589 grams in size medium — that includes the shock, seat collar, axle, and all hardware. Compared to the Epic 8, that’s a 179 gram reduction. Specialized claims it’s the lightest full-suspension XC race frame ever made, 129 grams lighter than the nearest competitor. ...

The Epic 9 dropped today. It’s lighter, it’s faster, and Specialized will tell you it’s the best XC race bike ever made. They’re probably right. I’m still not buying one. I’ve been riding my Epic 8 Evo for a while now and it’s genuinely one of my favorite bikes I’ve owned. Around 26 lbs with my setup — Fox Float SL fork, Fox Float rear shock, OneUp V3 dropper, and tires with enough meat on them to actually handle trail riding. It’s not a race build. It’s not trying to be. It’s a lightweight XC platform that I’ve set up to ride real terrain, and it does that really well. ...

SRAM just quietly dropped something big. As of today, the entire old Eagle mechanical and AXS lineup — SX, NX, GX, X01, XX1, and all four AXS variants — is officially dead. In their place: three new groupsets called the Eagle S-Series. S100, S200, and S500. That’s it. This is a massive SKU consolidation, and honestly, it’s probably the right call. What Is the Eagle S-Series? The S-Series is SRAM’s new simplified MTB drivetrain lineup for bikes running a traditional threaded derailleur hanger — not UDH. If you want UDH compatibility, you’re still shopping in the Transmission range. The S-Series is explicitly for legacy hangers, older frames, and OEM builds where UDH isn’t in play. ...

The line between a gravel bike and a mountain bike has been blurring for years. But 2025 was the year it basically disappeared. At the Leadville Trail 100, two of the top three finishers in both the men’s and women’s races were on drop bar mountain bikes — full suspension included. Keegan Swenson won on a Santa Cruz Blur with drops. Melisa Rollins podiumed on a drop-bar Liv full suspension. Dylan Johnson, the godfather of the drop bar MTB experiment, showed up on an Unno Horn with a Fox suspension fork and GRX shifters. ...

Upgrading a hardtail mountain bike into a gravel beast with a drop bar setup is easier than ever with SRAM’s AXS wireless components. Here’s the complete list of parts needed to pull off a clean and functional hardtail gravel bike drop bar conversion. Choosing the right parts ensures your bike remains fast, durable, and comfortable across all kinds of terrain. Essential Parts Needed for a Hardtail Gravel Bike Drop Bar Conversion SRAM Force eTap AXS Drop Bar Shifters (wireless) SRAM GX Eagle AXS Rear Derailleur SRAM GX Eagle Boost Crankset - 170mm, 12-Speed, 32t Sram XG-1275 GX Eagle 12-Speed Cassette SRAM AXS Batteries and Charger Gravel handlebar: Zipp SL 70 XPLR Drop Handlebar - Carbon 31.8mm 40cm Matte Black Shorter Stem (60-80mm for ideal reach and handling) SRAM Hydraulic Brake Calipers Handlebar Tape Brake Hose/Cable Routing Supplies (if reconfiguring brakes) Choosing Brake Calipers for a Post Mount Frame Most mountain bike frames, including hardtails, use post mount brake calipers. This is an important detail when selecting brakes for your drop bar conversion. You have three solid options: ...

2025 Specialized Stumpjumper 15 Alloy frame in raw aluminum finish, ready for component swap in workshop setting Wondering how to plan a mountain bike frame swap without replacing all your components? I’m preparing to swap my Specialized Stumpjumper EVO Alloy over to the 2025 Stumpjumper 15 Alloy—and I’m sharing exactly what will carry over, what needs replacing, and what to look out for, especially if you’re running a mullet setup. ...

Hardtail gravel bike conversion Gravel bikes are all the rage—but what if you already have a capable hardtail mountain bike frame sitting in your garage? That’s the question I asked before starting a hardtail gravel bike conversion using a Cannondale Scalpel HT. Spoiler: with the right parts, it might be better than a dedicated gravel frame—especially for mixed terrain, chunkier fire roads, or long-distance bikepacking. Why Convert a Hardtail to a Gravel Bike? The Cannondale Scalpel HT is a lightweight, progressive XC race hardtail, and it turns out to be an ideal platform for a hardtail gravel bike conversion. Here’s why: ...

Meta Description: Explore the full 2025 Specialized Turbo Levo 4 e-MTB lineup. Compare features, motor power, and pricing across the S-Works, Pro, Expert, and Comp models to find the best Levo for your ride style. The 2025 Specialized Turbo Levo 4: Power, Range, and Ride Quality The 2025 Specialized Turbo Levo 4 lineup represents the next evolution in full-power electric mountain bikes. With redesigned geometry, advanced electronics, and suspension tech like Genie shock across the board, every Levo 4 model is built to deliver high performance and confidence across all types of trail terrain. ...

Building your dream bike is one of the best parts of riding, and for me, that dream is based on the Specialized Stumpjumper EVO Alloy. I set this rig up to thrive on aggressive trail and enduro riding, with a mullet wheel setup and a dialed parts list built around performance, reliability, and fun while still keeping budget in mind. Here’s a full breakdown of my custom Stumpy EVO build and why each piece made the cut. ...