Offroad Archives

“I did a lot of volume, but I also did the right amount of intensity”: A conversation with John Tomac, the first rock star of mountain biking

The mere mention of John Tomac’s hallowed name will have a whole generation of early mountain bikers quivering in purple-hazed dayglo delight, such is the stature of one of the greatest mountain bikers of all time. Arguably, ‘Farmer John’ is also the greatest style icon the sport has ever seen. Oh, and Johnny T was also one of the … Read more

My newest bike is a 21-year-old Giant XTC… and that’s good enough for me

“Hey, hey, the clouds are away”, Sang the Swindon band XTC on their classic 1982 hit Senses Working Overtime, and they were still going strong under the XTC banner right up until 2006. Strangely enough, that was also right about the time that another XTC entered my life – my Giant XTC carbon composite hardtail … Read more

Schwalbe Thunder Burt Super Ground TLE

For riders focused on outright speed, the Schwalbe Thunder Burt Super Ground TLE is exceptional. Fast, smooth and remarkably efficient, it challenges the long-held assumption that wider tyres must be slower. If your frame has the clearance, it deserves serious consideration as one of the quickest gravel race tyres available – so long as it’s … Read more

Genesis adds e-bike model to its classic Croix de Fer gravel range

The Genesis Croix de Fer is a steel gravel and adventure bike that has reviewed really well on road.cc over the years. It was last reviewed in 2025 when our chief bike tester Stu said, “It’s very capable, tough enough to take on plenty of abuse, and makes the most of that lovely steel ride … Read more

Introduce your kids to the wonders of bikepacking with these helpful tips

I love adventure and the vast, open countryside that stretches across Great Britain. As a parent, one of the things I hope to pass on to my children is that love of the outdoors. It doesn’t have to be about speed, distance, or setting personal bests. Sometimes, it’s simply about getting outside, slowing down, and … Read more

Move aside Switch Infinity and SB160, the Sixfinity and LT are in town: Yeti LT XO first ride review

Five years ago, Yeti unveiled its first e-mountain bike, the 160E, which was a fresh take on the brand’s renowned Switch Infinity suspension platform, known as Sixfinity. Later, that system was employed for its more recent e-MTBs, and now, the brand has ditched the linkage for its regular mountain bikes as well as the SB … Read more

Canyon releases all new lighter and slacker Lux Trail with major front travel boost — will this one live up to its name?

Has Canyon finally made the Lux Trail a trail bike? Despite its name, Matt Page wondered who the bike was aimed at and why Canyon classified it as a ‘cross-country’ mountain bike in his review of the previous version. The new Lux Trail, released today, is a complete revision that updates the bike into a … Read more

Fox 38 Factory Grip X2 (2027)

For the 2027 model year the Fox 38 Factory Grip X2 gets a new air spring, a revised damper and redesigned lowers as it looks to retain that strong mid-stroke support while reducing the old harshness. The increase in torsional compliance is particularly welcome, and the new 38 finds grip more easily on off-camber sections … Read more

The mainstream drop bar mountain bike is officially here, and you may think it’s pointless… but I want one!

It may not be the first, and I doubt it will be the last. Only time will tell whether Canyon’s re-envisaged Exceed CFR Gravel drop bar ‘mountain bike’, braving the wild frontiers of retro-futuristic offroading, will be a hit or a miss. Either way, when I saw that curvaceously wild-looking dropped bar hardtail MTB, I grinned … Read more

Merida ETMO 800 e-MTB

The Merida ETMO 800 is a 160mm trail e-bike that defies its 27kg heft with some clever geometry, an effective mullet wheel size setup, and excellent mid-travel support – it’s at home on all but the most technical trails. The range is excellent thanks to the well-proven Bosch CX system, and the all-round solid spec … Read more