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Back in July, we learned the future of Mystic Mountain Bike Park was in jeopardy due to financial pressures impacting its ability to carry out necessary work in the park. Today the Alpine Community Plantation has announced a new operating model that will keep Mystic open, but also ends free access to the trails. Related: […]
Flow reviews the Avanti Hammer-E LT2 How much should it cost to get a decent full suspension electric mountain bike with a powerful motor and solid components? If you’re looking at an e-MTB like the Specialized Levo, you’ll be paying a minimum of $9,400 AUD. And that’s for the entry-level model. In comparison, the Avanti […]
Freshly unboxed in the Flow workshop is the new 2022 Scott Patron eRide, which is perhaps one of the most striking e-MTBs we’ve ever had on for review! Not only does the Patron hide a custom Fox Nude shock inside its top tube, the cables and battery are also concealed, and the motor sits inside […]
Being one of the fastest growing segments of the market, electric mountain bikes (e-MTBs) are evolving at a rapid pace. New generation e-MTBs are delivering more power, less weight, reduced drag and better efficiency. The result is a more natural ride feel on the trail, with the ability to pedal further than ever before. It […]
It’s been barely a week since we last caught up, but already we have another freshly baked edition of Flow’s Fresh Produce ready for you to sink your teeth into! Don’t say we never spoil you ok? As we come in at full speed, two-wheel drifting into the new product season, the bike launches and […]
Back in the golden days of 2019, we published our list of bikes pushing the $10k envelope, and it turned out to be alarmingly easy. There we discussed the many factors contributing to price increases, ranging from the proliferation of e-MTBs to the introduction of techy electronic suspension systems. Unfortunately, those days of ‘normalcy’ are […]
Four years ago, Rocky Mountain unveiled its first e-Bike, the Altitude Powerplay, and followed up a year later with the Instinct Powerplay and Growler Powerplay. Instead of building a bike around an off the shelf e-Bike system, the Canadian brand developed its own. Given the role the motor itself plays in the ride characteristics of […]
Fashionably late to the party, Yeti has launched its first e-MTB, the 160E. The brand tells us we haven’t seen a turquoise e-MTB sooner because it has been working on an entirely new suspension layout since 2016, specifically designed to cope with the added weight and speed achievable with pedal assist. While this is probably […]
Dan & Wil review the 2022 Norco Sight VLT After a great deal of anticipation, the brand new Norco Sight VLT has finally arrived. Forming a key part of Norco’s three-pronged attack on the electric mountain bike market for 2022, the Sight VLT is flanked by the new Fluid VLT (the 130mm travel trail bike) […]
The Giant Reign E+ first arrived on the scene back in 2019 as Giant’s biggest electric mountain bike to date. We tested the Giant Reign E+ 1 last year, and came away impressed with its freight train descending qualities, the unshakeable build kit and ultra-sensitive motor performance. It certainly wasn’t the prettiest e-MTB though, and […]
While Norco wasn’t exactly early to the electric mountain bike party, the Canadian brand has since established itself as a legitimate player in the e-MTB market, thanks to strong performances by the original Sight VLT 27.5 in 2019 and the sophomore Sight VLT 29 barely a year later. For 2022, given that both the Sight […]
Flow reviews the Marin Alpine Trail 7 As the longest travel bike from the Californian brand, the Marin Alpine Trail is a burly bruiser that’s designed for enduro-style riding and racing. Built around 29in wheels, a 160mm fork, 150mm rear wheel travel, and some seriously progressive geometry, the Alpine Trail sits in a similar space […]
Wil & Mick review Shimano EP8 First revealed to the world in September of last year, Shimano EP8 finally arrived on the e-MTB scene as the successor to the very popular Shimano E8000 motor. As well as being smaller, lighter and more efficient, the new EP8 drive unit also packs more punch with up to […]
G’day or Dobry den as they say in the Czech Republic, where the XC World Cup stopped in over the weekend, in Nove Mesto for its second stop. How great is it to have racing back on for the season? So far, Mick’s predictions aren’t as sharp as Colin’s, falling just behind in the PinkBike […]
Wil reviews the Specialized Kenevo SL No, that ain’t an Enduro with an extra-large SWAT compartment. This folks, is the brand-spanking new Specialized Kenevo SL. Hot off the heels of the release of the 2022 Levo, the Kenevo SL is an all-new electric mountain bike from Specialized. It takes the existing Kenevo, the Californian brand’s […]
Wil reviews the Canyon Spectral:ON Earlier this year, Canyon delivered some exciting news for electric mountain bike fans when it announced that its entire e-MTB lineup would finally be available to the Australian market. About bloody time eh? The German brand also marked the occasion with the official launch of its 2021 e-MTB range, which […]
Greetings fellow Froth-a-trons! Hard to believe, but this is actually the first edition of Flow’s Fresh Produce for 2021. We promise you that we haven’t been dragging our heels since the last time we caught up though. Sure, a 7-week post-Xmas hangover seems entirely plausible, but we won’t attempt to use that as an excuse. […]
Wil takes us through his favourite XC bike upgrades You’ve already got a bike that you absolutely love, but lately you’ve found yourself riding increasingly more technical trails, and you’ve been doing your level best to keep up with some of your faster mates too. The bike is great, spot-on for what it’s designed for. […]
Greetings dear readers, and welcome to the Spring edition of Flow’s Fresh Produce for 2020! It’s been one helluva year so far, and we’ll happily give you a worn-out XTR M900 front derailleur if you can accurately predict what’s next around the corner, but we’re keeping our eyes on the trail ahead which is currently […]
Wil reviews the Giant Stance 29 This time last year, Giant Bicycles released a new 29er version of its entry-level full suspension mountain bike, the Stance. Built around larger, smoother-rolling 29in wheels, the new Stance 29 is pitched as a modern, all-purpose trail bike. It features a lightweight alloy frame, a 130mm travel fork, 120mm […]
A’hoy there to all you fine Friends Of The Flow, please do make your way in to the slickest, shiniest and newest edition of Flow’s Fresh Produce! Please wipe your feet before entering though. Or ideally just take those dirty riding shoes off altogether. Yep, you can put them just there. That’s a good spot. […]
Hello all of you Frothing Flow Fans, and welcome to the latest edition of Flow’s Fresh Produce! It’s been a month since our last instalment, so we apologise for the long break between NEIPAs, but things have just been a tad busy over this way at Flow HQ. Since we last caught up, we’ve been […]
Australia currently has seven riders across both disciplines ranked in the top 20 in the world. Eleven-time National champion Tracey Hannah (Polygon UR) is one of the favourites in the elite women’s downhill after claiming two World Cup wins so far this season in Leogang, Austria and Les Gets, France. Hannah is also the current […]
You need a thick skin to design bikes! When we posted our first impressions piece about this bike, there was an onslaught of comments about how ugly it is. In an era when most frame designs are becoming rather homogenous, we’re always happy to see something that breaks from convention. After all, it’s not a […]
Well, that’s different! This bike is so fresh to Australia, it’s practically still warm from the carbon moulds. We’ve been looking forward to this review for some time, and our initial 30km ride confirmed it was worth the wait. In an era when bikes are looking increasingly homogenous, the Mount Vision makes you take notice, […]
The Fluid FS series is no longer the clunky, awkward little sibling of the Optic and Sight. For 2019, it’s grown into a much more refined looking bike, with cleaner construction and all the attention to detail you’ll find on the higher priced Norco duallies. The tube shapes, the excellent internal cable routing, the paint […]
We’ve received our new long-term test bike, and we are as curious as a cat to get to the trails and spend some quality time with one of the whackiest mountain bikes on the market. What on earth is it!? The Wolf Ridge 9 is a 160mm travel 29er with a full-carbon frame that uses Naild’s R3ACT […]
We know we invite plenty of controversy in putting a bike-in-a-box like this up here, but the only way mountain biking will grow is if we make it easier to get people into the sport, and we think this bike has a role helping to get more riders onto the trails. Mountain biking is usually an expensive sport to […]
We take a closer look at the new Marin Wolf Ridge, Rift Zone, Four Corners and indulge a little sentimentality with the 1986 Bear Valley. The Marin Bikes range will be available direct to consumer, so expect some killer pricing too! The whole range is up on Bicycles Online now. Want to learn more about the […]
The Torque is an all-new long travel monster from the fast-moving German brand selling directly to the consumer. Since Canyon came to Australia, we have continuously been impressed by their unique approach to the engineering of their suspension frames, with distinctly high attention to detail. The Torque is a huge bike, what type of rider […]
They found that Cape Town had a lot to offer. There are many trails centres like Jonkershoek or Helderberg with fun single tracks and berms for days plus the more you climb, the more technical it gets. Lots of vineyards open their doors to mountain bikers and build trails around the vines. They took a […]
Bikes like the Commencal Supreme SX and the Polygon Square One are carving out a new future for the 180mm bike with the help of lighter frames and componentry, combined with today’s wide range gearing. Now there’s a new kid joining the 180mm club, the reinvented Canyon Torque. What’s New? The Canyon Torque forms part […]
*UPDATE* Scroll down for final day photos and highlights video. All The Videos Course Walk 50to01 lads warm up and have first sends of the big ones Day 1 highlights Josh Bryceland’s GoPro POV Sam Reynolds’ POV – Watch his speed reach almost 90km/h! 2017 Highlights! The FEST is a series of rider driven invitational events. […]
Whilst the constant confusion around what to call this style of riding and the bikes it involves (aggressive trail, all-mountain, long travel trail, enduro) makes defining this category difficult, here are some of the bikes we’ve ridden in the past 12 months that fit the bill. The links below will take you straight through to the full […]
Whilst the constant confusion around what to call this style of riding and the bikes it involves (aggressive trail, all-mountain, long travel trail, enduro) makes defining this category difficult, here are some of the bikes we’ve ridden in the past 12 months that fit the bill. The links below will take you straight through to the full […]
No matter how you look at it, this is a great bike for the money. $350 is not a price you’d typically be able to find a bike with this amount of quality components and frame construction. This bike is purchased in a box, from Aldi. Click here for more: Purchasing the Performance 29er. Yes, […]
No matter how you look at it, this is a great bike for the money. $350 is not a price you’d typically be able to find a bike with this amount of quality components and frame construction. This bike is purchased in a box, from Aldi. Click here for more: Purchasing the Performance 29er. Yes, […]
We’re beginning to see a real shift in how we understand value-for-money in the bike industry. For the last couple of years we’ve witnessed the prices of bikes begin to creep up, driven by the falling Australian dollar and rising material costs. At the same time, these prices rises have been made even more stark by the proliferation of direct-to-the-consumer brands in […]
We’re beginning to see a real shift in how we understand value-for-money in the bike industry. For the last couple of years we’ve witnessed the prices of bikes begin to creep up, driven by the falling Australian dollar and rising material costs. At the same time, these prices rises have been made even more stark by the proliferation of direct-to-the-consumer brands in […]
On review we have the Strive CF 9.0 Race, an all-out beast of an enduro race bike with Canyon’s own clever Shapeshifter System designed with the help of mountain bike legend, Fabien Barel. Canyon sell their bikes online, they ship Down Under to your door all the way from their headquarters in Germany, that is until […]
It’s easy to forget what it was like to ride your first mountain bike, we’re talking about bone-jarring rigid forks, tiny little 26″ wheels (gasp, the horror!) lacklustre rim brakes and seriously awkward geometry. We all started somewhere, but right now stepping into this somewhat daunting sport is a whole lot easier than it used […]
It’s easy to forget what it was like to ride your first mountain bike, we’re talking about bone-jarring rigid forks, tiny little 26″ wheels (gasp, the horror!) lacklustre rim brakes and seriously awkward geometry. We all started somewhere, but right now stepping into this somewhat daunting sport is a whole lot easier than it used […]
Updated – read our quick ride review of the Performance 29er bike here. This unbranded, no-frills, 27.5”-wheeled mountain bike costs around $350 and it comes in a box. From ALDI. Yes, we said ALDI, that eclectic marketplace where you find drop saws and vacuum cleaners alongside chickpeas and gingerbread. They could hardly begrudge us for […]
Like some kind of rampaging viking ship from across the seas, the YT Capra comes to Australia with a reputation for slaying its competitors in media and magazine reviews worldwide. The 165mm travel Capra is one of only three frames in the YT catalogue, sitting in between their dirt jump hardtail and the monster Tues […]
Giant have really stepped it up a notch with the latest Reign, everything about it speaks the right lingo to the booming new-school crew of hard trail riding and enduro racers. From the bike’s geometry, to the choice of the most popular components, confirming to us that the folks at Giant have their ears to […]
More teams, more countries represented (including newcomers China, Indonesia, Iran and Israel), and larger audiences: the 2015 season of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup presented by Shimano looks like being as enthralling as ever. A quick overview of the nine rounds of the season, which starts on April 11 and will be available on […]
In recent years there has been a real increase in quality direct to the consumer brands. Companies like Polygon and Cell are bringing out well specced, well designed offerings at amazing price points by cutting out the middle men. Now, another player has rolled into town- YT Industries. With a bevy of top gravity athletes […]
Squamish is a spiritual homeland of mountain biking. Polygon Athlete Kevin Landry reminds us why, shredding loamy lines aboard his Colossus N9. Last year we tested the N9, and you can find the review here: https://flowmountainbike.com/tests/all-mountain-assassin-the-polygon-collosus-n9/
It’s not just the Australian Team DERT joining the EWS ranks this year, a record number of professional teams will be fighting it out for spots on the podium. Read on for the official press release. The countdown to the 2015 Enduro World Series is gathering pace – and this year a record number of […]
There are many ways to skin a cat! Over the past few months we’ve had the pleasure of riding some great new-season all-mountain bikes. While these bikes share a few commonalities – 140-160mm travel and 27.5″ wheels for instance – they demonstrate that there’s more than one way to build a great bike. Alloy, carbon, steep, slack, […]
Another year, another amazing event. Over 100 racers of all ages, from world and national champions through to weekend warriors, completed the gruelling Trans-Savoie all-mountain adventure race this August and lived to tell the tale. The statistics speak for themselves: 25,000m of descending over six days, up to eight hours of timed enduro stages for […]
While by the end of the day, rider’s bikes were so covered in red clay you couldn’t even tell who was riding what, we were able to scour the pits before the rain and have a look at some of the more unique rides here for the Cairns World Cup DH. Here’s half a dozen […]