Offroad Archives

42 stages, unbeatable scenery, 144,000ft of climbing: Is the Grand Tour of Catalonia Gravel the world’s most epic gravel ride?

There are countless cycling holiday operators who offer incredible all-inclusive guided tours of exotic far-flung destinations. For many people, they are ideal: you get the benefit of your guide’s local knowledge and all your logistical issues are dealt with by somebody else. But (and whisper it quietly) is that really exploring a new country? Or … Read more

Downhill tech comes to RockShox’s all-mountain and enduro lineup: RockShox Lyrik Ultimate and Super Deluxe Ultimate first ride review

Earlier this year, RockShox brought an almighty update to its downhill fork, the Boxxer. With it came the new LinearXL air spring, Butterwagon stanchions, and the Charger 3.2 damper. Now, all of that tech and more has come to the ZEB and Lyrik forks, along with refreshed Super Deluxe and Vivid Air shocks. I’ve been … Read more

Surly returns to the aggro hardtail market: Surly Sorceress first ride review

With a raft of bikepacking-focused and rather mental bikes coming from the brand over the past few years, it’s been a hot minute since we’ve seen a proper mountain bike from Surly, until now. The Sorceress is its latest hardtail, and in classic Surly fashion, it’s simple, adaptable, and definitely rad. I’ve spent some time … Read more

Ere Research Tenaci GA40 Aero wheelset

Best known for offering a lot of performance for relatively little money, Ere may have misstepped with the Ere Research Tenaci GA40 Aeros. This aero-optimised gravel wheelset is a generally solid performer, but the 50mm deep rims impact stability in crosswinds quite noticeably, while the drag-reducing advantages are far less tangible. The company’s usual value … Read more

Renthal Revo-TRC Clipless Pedals

The Renthal Revo-TRC Trail Clip Pedals have taken their sweet time in actually reaching the shops, but for the most part it’s been worth the wait. Thanks to a tweaked mechansim design it’s one of the easiest pedals to clip into I’ve used, and they’re reasonably light and proper durable, too. There are compromises though … Read more

You never forget your first mountain bike – memories of my 1987 Raleigh Elkhorn

They say you never forget your first, and that is indeed true. Needless to say, I’m talking about my first ever mountain bike, a 1987 Raleigh Elkhorn, of course! Time is a strange old thing – it drags like a concrete weight when times are tough, and rushes by at warp speed when things are … Read more

Fox Union Mid-Top Canvas Shoes

Designed to ride the line between casual style and serious performance, the Fox Union Mid-Top Canvas Shoes rustle up plenty of traction and impact protection, while being surprisingly capable of fending off poor weather too. They’re not the best-vented shoes around though, and the stiffness of the soles might not be to everyone’s taste.Fox Union … Read more

DT Swiss’s new 1700 wheel line gets Degrees of Freedom system as standard

Last year, DT Swiss unveiled its Degrees of Freedom (DF) anti-pedal kickback system as an upgrade kit for its DEG freehubs. Now, the brand has included it into its fresh lineup of 1700 wheels, bringing the joys of a smoother ride to all riding styles. Aiming to eliminate the negatives of pedal kickback, DT Swiss … Read more

Cast Protagonist HardWall

The Cast Protagonist HardWall is a fresh tyre from an equally new brand. Developed in partnership with Pirelli, this all-rounder finds impressive traction in winter conditions, whatever they may be, and without adding excessive weight. If I could only ride one tyre on the front of my bike for the rest of my life, the … Read more

Starling’s Girder MTB is gurt heavy with its I-beam downtube

Having unveiled a 32-inch wheeled bike not too long ago, Starling Cycles is a brand that’s known for pushing the boundaries a touch. And that sentiment rings very true with its latest release, the Girder. Living up to its name, it employs an I-beam as its downtube in a bid to increase weight for better … Read more