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Mountain Biking

My Thoughts on BIKE Magazine’s Bible of Bike Tests

Jason MitchellBy Jason MitchellJanuary 17, 20113 Comments3 Mins Read

BIKE Magazine’s Bible of Bike Tests issue just hit my doorstep. Believe it or not, I love seeing their reviews… for the most part. I know they all ride well and ride hard. They are also very opinionated and typically spot-on in their assessments. With hundreds of bikes flowing through their doors during any given year, the editors should have a great sense of how one bike rides compared to another. But, sometimes they wax a little bit too poetic for my tastes instead of shooting straight.

Here’s a great example, taken from the review of the Trek Remedy 9.9:

On the surface this bike is like a sack of wet mice, but on the trail it is as wild as a sack of snakes.

See what I mean? I kinda get it, but I’m not fully getting the sack of mice or snakes analogy. Is that a compliment or a thin cover-up for a ho-hum bike? Not sure… Well, I suppose nobody wants a regurgitated press release when it comes to a review. So, I’ve got to give kudos to BIKE for not doing that in this or any other bike reviews I’ve read from them to date — in spite of the sack of mice analogy.

When it comes down to the favorite bikes of 2011, we both seem to be on the same page. From what I can glean (after peeling back the layers of prose) is that we agree on the following bikes as some of the best for 2011:

  • Rocky Mountain Slayer
  • Ibis Mojo HD
  • Niner Jet 9
  • Yeti ASR 5 Carbon
  • Santa Cruz Tallboy
  • Scott Genius LT

I’m also chomping at the bit to get aboard these bikes once the trails thaw:

  • Rocky Mountain Element MSL
  • Specialized Epic Expert Carbon 29er
  • Intense Tracer 29
  • Cannondale Jekyll

So, I say go ahead and flip through and salivate over the plethora of bikes featured in this year’s Bible of Bike Tests. I typically tend to agree with their assessments, but can sometimes do without the overdone prose. Also keep in mind that they don’t review all the bikes in a category and neither do I… it’s just not possible. So, there may be some untested bikes that will blow you away (like the Niner RIP 9, for example).

Just for kicks, why don’t you all tell me which bike descends “with the determination of a North Korean soldier at May Day parade in Pyongyang.” Good luck with that.

Read More: Visit BIKEMag.com

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A native of the Pacific Northwest, Jason quickly developed a love for the outdoors and a thing for mountains. That infatuation continues as he founded this site in 1999 -- sharing his love of road biking, mountain biking, trail running and skiing. That passion is channeled into every article or gear review he writes. Utah's Wasatch Mountains are his playground.

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3 Comments

  1. Lee Lau on January 25, 2011 11:38 pm

    I read it. They’re trying too hard. They’re bike reviewers not William Shakespeare. Print mag bike reviews are getting as bad as print mag ski reviews. And you have to try very very hard to get that bad.

    Reply
    • Jason Mitchell on January 29, 2011 8:08 pm

      So true, Lee! The overkill prose is a complete waste. I’m not perfect, but I try not to fill my reviews with useless drivel. I know you are the same.

      Reply
  2. Tim T on March 4, 2011 8:06 am

    I agree with you guys totally, I think they were having a contest as to who could use the craziest analogies. Maybe a few too many between riding and writing?!

    Reply

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