Prototypes & Concepts

Fresh Bikes and Tech at the 2023 Downhill World Champs, Fort William

A lap of the pits at Fort William World Champs revealed prototype components from SRAM, RockShox, e*Thirteen, Pinnd & Michelin, with new bikes from Mondraker,…

Written by Jessie-May Morgan August 07, 2023

Updated: New Mondraker DH Bike is Incredibly Adjustable, and Uniquely So

The MS Mondraker team are at the 2023 UCI World Champs in Fort William this weekend, riding an all-new frame design that we first spotted…

Written by Jessie-May Morgan August 07, 2023

A Closer Look at the Forbidden DH Bike at Fort William World Champs

The Forbidden team is racing an all-new dedicated DH bike in Fort William this weekend, where the 2023 UCI Downhill World Champions will be crowned.…

Written by Jessie-May Morgan August 04, 2023

Crankworx Whistler 2023: Booth Finds from Racer, 5 DEV, and Cascade Components

Within a bevy of booths, there’s always some cool new stuff to find at Crankworx Whistler. While this didn’t seem like the biggest year for…

Written by Steve Fisher August 04, 2023

Crankworx Whistler 2023: Cool bikes, Custom Painted Helmets & a Steve Smith Jersey for a Good Cause

Every year at Crankworx, there are a few custom-painted bikes and helmets showing off impressive paint jobs. There also tends to be a prototype bike…

Written by Steve Fisher August 02, 2023

Fork Scallops, Split Post, Swoopy Bars make a Wilder & Faster Hope x Lotus HB.T Track Bike!

British Cycling’s next-gen Hope x Lotus HB.T track bikes are wilder than ever with split seatpost, scalloped forks & several new custom bars for UCI…

Written by Cory Benson July 31, 2023

Crankworx Whistler 2023: We Are One’s Prototype DH Testing Mule

We Are One’s prototype downhill bike was designed just two months ago, and you’re looking at the only one in existence. However, there is a…

Written by Steve Fisher July 31, 2023

Dangerholm’s Scott Lumen eRide XC is the World’s Lightest eMTB

Dangerholm is back with a 12.9 kg (28.4 lbs) build of the Scott Lumen eRide eMTB, making it the lightest eMTB in existence. That number…

Written by Jessie-May Morgan July 27, 2023

Commencal Meta V5 gets All-New Suspension as Trail or Mullet SX, but what about Enduro?

Commencal Meta V5 reshapes popular mountain bike platform with all-new VPP suspension, but what about the enduro race bike version?

Written by Cory Benson July 25, 2023

Updated: Norco Factory Team is Testing a Prototype High-Pivot DH Bike

Update: The original version of this post speculated that the Norco frame in question runs a 6-bar linkage which, strictly speaking, is incorrect. This was…

Written by Jessie-May Morgan July 19, 2023

Schwalbe Pro One Aero Shapes Front- & Rear-Specific Road Bike Tires for 20% More Speed

Schwalbe all-new Pro One Aero is their fastest road racing tire yet, with front- & rear-specific shape, rubber & protection…

Written by Cory Benson July 17, 2023

Is SRAM Developing a Wireless AXS Front Derailleur Built Inside Your Chainrings?

On June 15th 2023, a patent filed by SRAM was published to the USPTO database detailing a wireless chainring-integrated front shift mechanism for a 2x…

Written by Jessie-May Morgan and Cory Benson July 14, 2023

Concept eBike from Look Cycle has No Drivetrain, Just Wires

The ebikes of the future may have no drivetrain at all. Just look at this wild concept bike from Look, of all brands. The bike…

Written by Zach Overholt July 13, 2023

Deviate Expand Project Tilander to 145mm Titanium High-Pivot

At Eurobike 2023, Ben Jones and Chris Deverson of Deviate Cycles gave us a preview of their prototype high-pivot downcountry bike made from titanium and…

Written by Jessie-May Morgan July 12, 2023

Thok Project 4 eMTB is World’s First 3D-Printed Alloy Full-Suspension eBike

Thok Project 4 lightweight eMTB prototype is world’s first 3D-printed alloy full-suspension mountain ebike…

Written by Cory Benson July 11, 2023

Tuned Mass Dampers for Skyscrapers, Rockets, F1 and… Mountain Bikes?

Rimpact, a UK-based manufacturer of high-end tire inserts, is developing a Tuned Mass Damper (TMD) for mountain biking. Suspending a Tungsten weight between two coil…

Written by Jessie-May Morgan July 06, 2023

Rock Machine Whizz modular alloy enduro all-mountain bike goes big: 140-180mm & more!

Rock Machine teases affordable, adaptable alloy Whizz all-mountain bike platform with 140/160/180mm travel options, even eMTB versions…

Written by Cory Benson July 03, 2023

Motion’s 120mm Leading-Linkage XC Fork Could Hit the World Cup in 2025

Motion Engineering, better known for their wild-looking E18 180mm travel leaf-sprung fork, are working away on a very lightweight 120mm travel leading-linkage fork that relies…

Written by Jessie-May Morgan June 30, 2023

Ergon Molds Recyclability Into SR All Road & GXR Circular, Adds New GT1, GDH & GXR Lava Grips!

Being committed to environmental protection is not something new to Germany’s Ergon. Since 2010, with its GreenLab initiative, they’ve been bringing sustainable products into the…

Written by Ron Frazelle and Zach Overholt June 28, 2023

Eleven Rad New Mountain Bikes and eMTBs of Eurobike 2023

The not-quite-sufficiently air-conditioned halls of Messe Frankfurt oozed with new cycling tech in the 2023 edition of the Eurobike trade show. Some of it could…

Written by Jessie-May Morgan June 28, 2023

Crossworx Trip 290 eBike Goes Gates Carbon Drive x Classified Powershift x Bosch SX

It’s always refreshing to see the occasional dirty bike in the otherwise sterile environment that is Eurobike, a reminder that the fantastic array of new…

Written by Jessie-May Morgan June 26, 2023

Deviate Downcountry Prototype Paves Way for Future UK-Made Ti-Carbon Frames

Scottish brand, Deviate Cycles, is looking into a new manufacturing method for their line of high single-pivot mountain bikes. Today at Eurobike, we caught up…

Written by Jessie-May Morgan June 22, 2023

The Driven Orbit Drive is a Planetary Bevel Gearbox eBike Motor

Driven, a new company spun out of CeramicSpeed, has shown its innovative Orbit Drive transmission for the first time at Eurobike, Frankfurt. The working prototype…

Written by Jessie-May Morgan June 21, 2023

3T Exploro Italia Gravel Bikes Upgraded to Internal Routing, a Made-in-Italy Sneak Peek

I knew it – new 3T Exploro Italia gravel bikes now all get upgraded to fully internal cable routing, finally…

Written by Cory Benson June 21, 2023

BikeYoke First Looks: Revive Wireless Dropper Post, plus New Pedals & Handlebar Prototypes

BikeYoke is making their benchmark Revive dropper seatpost Wireless in one of 3 prototypes we spotted from them at Eurobike today…

Written by Cory Benson June 21, 2023

Eurobike 2023 Sneak Peek: Get Ready for a Flood of New Bike & eBike Prototype Tech!

Eurobike is back in Frankfurt tomorrow, but today we already have a sneak peek of new gravel & track bikes, new ebike tech, tools, and…

Written by Cory Benson June 20, 2023

TRed Innovates 3D-printed Alloy X23 Track Bike Prototype with Rider-Customized Aero

TRed alloy X23 Swanigami track bike prototype takes custom aerodynamics to new rider-individualized level, 3D-printed & inspired by Graeme Obree…

Written by Cory Benson June 16, 2023

New XC Suspension, Tires & Brakes Spotted at Lenzerheide World Cup

Today saw the world’s top cross-country riders take to the hillside in the second round of the UCI MTB World Cup. Don’t worry, there are…

Written by Jessie-May Morgan June 11, 2023

Gamux 150mm All-Mtn and 130mm Downcountry Bikes under Prototyping

Gamux Bikes, designers of the only belt-driven gearbox mountain bike racing the UCI Lenzerheide World Cup DH this weekend, have two new mountain bikes under…

Written by Jessie-May Morgan June 10, 2023