This was not an unsafe manoeuvre in and of itself it became unsafe when you failed to see a cyclist when you should have

CyclistCyclists Tour de France predictions 2024Its almost time for the big one, the Tour de France returns this weekend with what could be an all-time classic. It could also be a dud. While most people will freely admit they dont know what will happen over the next three weeks, weve got a collection of bozos who think they know better. Is this years Tour de France predictable? Only time will tell. Leave your abuse in the comments please. Related Posts The climbs that will decide the 2024 Tour de France How are the favourites preparing for the Tour de France? The 6 American and Canadian riders at the Tour de France 2024 How to watch the Tour de France 2024 Who are the favourites for the mens Tour de France 2024? Lads on (Grand) Tour: The 11 British riders at the 2024 Tour de France Mens Tour de France 2024: Route, how to watch and all you need to know Martin James, production editorChris AuldOur selections are laid out in the order they were submitted this time, and Martin was first to submit his picks. That means he gets the plaudits should his picks come through. Yellow jersey: Tadej Pogaar (UAE Team Emirates)The predictable choice, yes, but the Slovenian was just so far superior at the Giro that even if riding back-to-back Grand Tours does see him drop down a notch or two from the level he was riding at a month ago, events at Itzulia Basque Country at the start of April probably robbed his closest challengers of any real hope of stopping him completing a Giro-Tour double.Green jersey: Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck)Philipsen has kept a relatively low profile this season outside of his impressive form in the spring Classics, but the defending green jersey is the clear favourite again this year and, with plenty of stages to target, should be a comfortable winner again this year.Polka dot jersey:Tadej Pogaar Another boring choice arguably, but if Pogaar does win the GC, theres every chance hell claim the mountains prize too just like he did at the Giro.White jersey: Carlos Rodrguez (Ineos Grenadiers)The Spaniard showed his calibre by finishing fifth last year, and if he doesnt have to sacrifice his own GC prospects to play domestique, he has the strength in the mountains to edge out some strong competition in the likes of Matteo Jorgenson and Remco Evenepoel.Wild card: One and done for CavTheres more than enough counting against Mark Cavendish getting stage win #35 this year. His age, for example, not to mention general form and lets face it common sense. And yet such has been the nature of so many of the Manx Missiles successes over his long career that its almost for precisely these reasons that Im backing him to do it. And if he does, I reckon hell retire on the spot. The moment would deserve nothing less.Pete Muir, editorA.S.O./Pauline BalletPetes picks are normally a poisoned chalice, but after he got the Giro winner right hes feeling confident.Yellow: Tadej Pogaar Third time lucky I plumped for Pogaar the last two Tours and got egg on my face. This year hes going to do it. Hes in amazing form, his main rivals dont look to be fully fit, and he has a team of stars who will deliver him to stage victories on a velvet cushion.Green: Jasper Philipsen The safe choice. Scanning the team lineups there just doesnt seem to be another sprinter who can hold a candle to Philipsen when hes got the finish line in his sights. Bryan Coquard? Dylan Groenewegen? Even arch rival Fabio Jakobsen (DSM-Firmenich-PostNL) hasnt looked on song at all this year. Still keeping my fingers crossed for one Cavendish stage win, however.Polka dot: Stevie Williams (Israel-Premier Tech)Lets pretend for a moment that Pogaar isnt simply going to scoop this jersey on the way to GC (at least hes not eligible for the white jersey any more). Welshman Williams is having a great season, climbs like a gecko, loves to get in a break and will have no realistic GC aspirations, so the climbers jersey will be a tempting target.White: Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates)The Spanish wunderkind will be on shepherding duties for Pogaar, but that means hes likely to be at the pointy end of every mountain stage, racking up those youth points even as he steps aside at the last minute to let his team leader grab the glory.Wild card: UAE to sweep the podiumEven Team Sky in their pomp couldnt field a squad with the depth of talent of this UAE Emirates team. Pogaar, Ayuso, Adam Yates, Joo Almeida, Marc Soler, Pavel Sivakov, Tim Wellens, Nils Politt its essentially a team of team leaders and the biggest problem theyll have is deciding who doesnt get to stand on the podium at the end. Move over Visma-LAB, theres a new boss in town.Ewan Wilson, staff writerA.S.O./Pauline BalletEwan is currently reeling from Scotlands Euro 2024 performance, so hes looking for easy victories here.Yellow: Jonas Vingegaard (Visma Lease a Bike)Yes, I know Tadej Pogaar is the best rider in the world. Yes, I know his team is terrifyingly strong. And yes, I am aware that Jonas is coming into this Tour de France from a hospital bed. It all points towards Pogaar taking the winners fruit bowl, but I believe in Jonas Vingegaard.In this blueprint, the reigning champion will seize the Tour de France in the final three stages. The former fishmonger will leave a wavering Pogaarbehind in the final Alpine battles before smashing stage 21s time-trial. Rising from the ashes, Vingegaard clutches the crown with a stage win and a third yellow jersey in Nices Place Massna on 21st July.Green: Jasper PhilipsenJasper Philipsen is undoubtedly one of the fastest sprinters in the world. The 2024 Tour is to his advantage given that his fastest rivals opted for the Giro instead of the Tour. Therefore, it feels like a no-brainer to choose Philipsen. To keep the crowds happy, Id like to see Cavendish win the record-breaking stage, mostly so the debate can be settled and we can collectively stop harping on about it. I amnotdelusional enough to pick Cavendish for themaillot verton the other hand.Polka dot: Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious)Part of me is tempted to give this to either Pogaar or Vingegaard. However, Ciccone proved last year that targeting the polka dot jersey is no dying art. To follow in his footsteps, breakaway brains and great climbing legs will be necessary. For this, look no further than stage winner last year Pello Bilbao. From Bahrain Victoriouss perspective, it should be worth sacrificing a ninth place in GC for this extra prize and the hefty cheque that comes with it.White: Carlos RodrguezPogaar is now a pensioner and therefore too old to compete for the kiddies prize. The obvious heir to his throne is Remco Evenepoel. However, his characteristic meltdowns in stage races have continued in 2024 and this gives me little encouragement to back him for a chance at the podium. Instead, I have a first-class ticket on the Carlos Rodrguez hype train. The Spaniard has been consistent and Ineos rarely miss the top five at the Tour.Wild card: There wont be any French stage wins.French hopes at this years Tour de France have all the vigour of a stale baguette. There is a void in sprinting and serious French GC ambitions seem punctured at the moment. It is also likely that the French breakaway escapees will be eclipsed by their continental colleagues. I desperately want Bruno Armirail (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale) to prove me wrong, but I get the feeling that cycling is not coming home.Laurence Kilpatrick, staff writerA.S.O./Billy CeustersWe all laughed at Laurence when he picked Dani Martnez to win the Giro, and were still laughing because he was never going to win it.Yellow: Tadej Pogaar Not that Id wish injury on any athlete, but Vingegaards spell on the sidelines has at least added a modicum of spice (perhaps horseradish, since that goes with fish) to proceedings. A fully fit fish robot would have put Pog to the filleting knife, but alas, the tufted one has used the pleasant warmth of the Giro to loosen his legs and will continue to steamroller his so-called peers with a big sadistic grin on his face. Sit back and allow greatness to penetrate your retinas.Green: Jasper Philipsen If I could pick Cavendish I would, but I cant handle the sniggers. Jasper is hella fast and I cant see past him or that lovely kit. Plus Alpecin will be giving him as many resources as he needs thanks to the lack of a proper GC contender.Ill admit that sprinting doesnt really light my fire in the way that high mountain clashes do, but what does get me going is unscheduled cross-team collaboration to facilitate the writing of fairy tales.Ive got my fingers crossed for a lead out train of Geraint Thomas, the Yates brothers, Fred Wright and Jake Stewart catapulting Cav to a totally unexpected and totally expected record-breaking victory for Britannia and the Missile.Polka dot: Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers)In light of my staggering prescience at predicting Dani Martnezs renaissance at the Giro, it seems only smart to dip back into my bag of enigmatic South Americans and see what happens.Well what do we have here? Its the mercurial Colombian Egan Bernal, the artist formerly known as the dominant future of road cycling who hasnt done much dominating of late.I dont know what homework hes been set by Petrol Tractor FC but maybe once they see the faith Ive put in him, this altitude gobbling imp will be let off the leash to right the wrongs of the fallow years.White: Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep)Im not Remcos biggest fan but I think this might be the year when the little bastard becomes a slightly more decorated bastard in the biggest race of them all. There is some spicy competition so, unlike my otherpredictions, which are all correct, this one remains TBC. Theres a good chance that his time-trialling will be so despotically good that the other parvenus wilt in the heat.Wild Card: G gets a WCall me crazy, but I think Geraint Thomas might actually win a stage. Did you know that one of the UKs finest ever road cyclists has only won seven stages, ever. And only three in grand tours. (Dont @ me time-trials).Surely, its time. When hes not hobnobbing with TLB (see above) or recruiting podcast guests on the start line, maybe G will use this swan song booze cruise as a way of bridging the six-year gap since his last TDF win. If he can stoically cling on to GC groups as he has done at the previous two Giros, then surely hes got a stage in those pale Welsh legs.Robyn Davidson, editorial assistantA.S.O./Billy CeustersRobyn famously struggles to not pick favourites in her predictions, so get ready for another snoozefest.Yellow: Tadej Pogaar Tadej Pogaar heads into the Tour de France after winning the Giro dItalia on his debut, prompting whispers (read: very loud shouts) of him being the first man to complete the Giro-Tour double since Marco Pantani in 1998.Jonas Vingegaard will try his absolute best, but the crash at Itzulia Basque Country was horrendous and Visma-Lease a Bike just announced Sepp Kuss is out. Meanwhile Pogaar has Adam Yates and Joo Almeida for company; the duo just ran rings around everyone at the Tour de Suisse, finishing 1-2 on the podium and winning numerous stages.Green jersey: Jasper Philipsen I will not forgive the Tour de France or Skoda for changing the points jersey from bright green to the dark colour it is now, so I dont know who would want to wear it, but I see Jasper Philipsen defending his title in this classification.Arnaud De Lie (Lotto-Dstny) is another name to think about in his maiden Grand Tour, having recently won the Belgium National Road Race Championship. He should be entertaining to watch, but ultimately Philipsen will be stronger.Mountains jersey: Guilio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek)I could put Tadej Pogaar here, because its a sensible choice, but I dont want to. So Im going to say like Philipsen, Ciccone will defend his jersey at this years Tour de France. Lidl-Trek dont have a GC focus after Tao Geoghegan Hart was ruled out with Covid, so stage-hunting is the name of the game, especially when the gradients start increasing.White jersey: Carlos Rodrguez Youngsters, rejoice. Tadej Pogaar is now too old for the white jersey. I have been anticipating Carlos Rodrguezs Tour de France for some time now, even writing about him in my underdog feature and his chances on general classification. While I dont think hell win the maillot jaune, the young rider jersey is his for the taking, and hell get a decent finish on GC to boot.Wild card: Vibes ClassificationThe Vibes Classification will return for the Tour de France. It was recently seen at the Giro dItalia where Giulio Pellizzari (VF Group-Bardiani-CSF-Faizan) won ahead of Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal-QuickStep).At last years Tour, Victor Lafay (Cofidis) topped the Vibes Classification standings for his breakaway victory that ended Cofidiss 15-year win drought, fell in the ITT and took it all in his stride, memed himself by comparing it to bowling pins, and crashed while eating. He wont be at the start line this year to defend his title so the Vibes Classification is wide openWill Strickson, website editorA.S.O./Charly LopezDont panic, were not all as boring as those clowns.Yellow: Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates)Forget Pantani, remember Chris Froome. The last time a rider had the chance to do the Giro-Tour double was in 2018 when Froome did the unthinkable at the Giro and then looked primed for the double. He wouldve done it too if it werent for Geraint Thomas finding the form of his life. Cue 2024. Pogaar Giro. Yates form of life. This Tour is going to be a game of chess. Pogaar will be firing at the start and tiring towards the end, while Vingegaard will be riding into form to peak for the decisive final few stages. In trying to get Visma on the back foot Yates will repeat 2023 and take an early lead, so Pogaar is free to sit on a Kuss-less Vingegaard until he cracks, but once that happens, is Yates deliberately losing time to gift his team leader yellow? I dont think so. Even more recently than Froome, this is Vingegaard 2023. The Dane won the Tour and was set to waltz to the Vuelta victory when Sepp Kuss found himself in the race lead. Remember how that played out.Green: Arnaud De Lie (Lotto-Dstny)Uh oh disasterclass incoming. There are a couple of Belgian sprinters coming to the Tour this year. One of them is the national champion. Arnaud De Lie recently beat Philipsen to that title, this guy has it. Its his first Grand Tour, so no one really knows how hell go, but he is going to make a huge name for himself when he robs his compatriot of several stages and the green jersey while hauling his Lotto team back into the WorldTour. The Bull of Lescheret is here to stay.Polka dot: Jonas Vingegaard While hell be firmly out of contention after getting dusted on the gravel stages this man is no quitter. Once he lets go of GC for the Yates show to begin, Vingegaard will turn his attention to winning the hardest stages and lets face it, whos going to stop him. Cime de la Bonette? More like Been there Donette.White: Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates)Lets not kid ourselves. Once Vingegaards out the way its full steam ahead to a 1-2-3-4 for UAE, and just one of them still qualifies for this competition. Ayuso is one of the youngest riders in the race but he already has a Grand Tour podium to his name and that was nearly two years ago. Hell have to ride into the race after crashing out of the Dauphin but once hes going hell have CRod and Remco on tostada. Hell then win the Vuelta while Pogaar sulks his way to an Olympics and Worlds double.Wild card: The lads clean upThis years Tour de France has the most British riders of all time (thanks and solidarity to Cillian Kelly for that stat), and its a bunch of blokes brimming with brilliance. In a quite frankly unbelievable feat of domination and an utter nightmare for Sports Personality of the Year voters every single one of them will win a stage. Here me out.Cavendish, easy. Adam Yates, see 2023. Simon Yates, bound to win a big one in his final run out for Jayco-AlUla. Fred Wright, its due, easy dub from the breakaway. Tom Pidcock, descent finish from the Galibier. Geraint Thomas, one last hurrah. Ben Turner, gravel stage is calling. Oscar Onley, breakthrough mountain victory. Stevie Williams, due a big one in the season of his life. Jake Stewart, Israel-Premier Tech will deliver a Dowsett-style breakaway win with the Brit pairing up with Guillaume Boivin to double-team an easy day. Dan McLay, underrated beast, Arnaud Dmare will throw a paddy early doors and the East Midlands own will pull off a career-defining sprint win. Related Posts The climbs that will decide the 2024 Tour de France How are the favourites preparing for the Tour de France? The 6 American and Canadian riders at the Tour de France 2024 How to watch the Tour de France 2024 Who are the favourites for the mens Tour de France 2024? Lads on (Grand) Tour: The 11 British riders at the 2024 Tour de France Mens Tour de France 2024: Route, how to watch and all you need to know The post Cyclists Tour de France predictions 2024 appeared first on Cyclist.

The upcoming Tour de France might be the main topic of conversation in the cycling world at the moment, but straight after the biggest race on the calendar comes another huge target for many riders, the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.One of those nations with arguably the biggest chance of claiming th...

Former yellow jersey winner says this year's race "could be my last"

Nowadays, the elite cyclists are paid more than ever before. In fact, at the recent Giro d'Italia, Maglia Rosa winner Tadej Pogacar earned an incredible414,751 through prize money alone. Although some are calling for a salary cap to level the playing field, super agent Alex Carera is firmly agains...

British rider hopes to play starring role in Italian Grand Dpart

I said Id get to work on those Spinergys, and I am nothing if not a man of my wordthough to be fair Im also a bit of a Douse Bag:I assume that was directed at me, but now that Im re-reading it Im no longer certain.The main problem I wanted to address vis-a-vis the Spinergys was the disconcerting amount of play in the front wheel, which as I understand can only be addressed by replacing the bearings as there is no means of adjusting preload or anything like that. Owing to the age of the wheels in question theres really nothing in the way of YouTube tutorials when it comes to overhauling Spingergy Rev-X wheels, and most of the discussions on the various bike forums are along the lines of, How long can I ride a Spinergy before it ass-plodes? So, armed with some primitive tools, my meager intellect, and a few tips from Paul at Classic Cycle, I got to work:Popping out the circlips was easy and so was tapping out the axle and bearings with a hammer, but in order to actually remove everything from the hub and axle and replace the bearing you need to get those end cap thingies off the end of the axle. At first I thought maybe they were bolted on or something, but that wasnt the case, and the only thing I had to go by was this photo of a disassembled axle I found on the Internets:No doubt I was missing something incredibly simple, and no doubt if I am someone will tell me, but it seemed to me they were basically just pressed onto the ends of the axle, so I alternately pried and beat them (LOL he said beat them off) off by means of crude application of various tools:It was an ugly process and I cant imagine this is how youre supposed to remove them since now theres nothing holding them on and so they just basically act like washers and are liable to fall off and disappear should I ever remove the quick release from the wheel. But what can I say? Im the kind of idiot who sees something through no matter what, even if I destroy that something in the process.Anyway, the hub was now ready to accept the new bearings:The Rev-X takes standard cartridge bearings, and while theyre not exactly a dime a dozen theyre pretty close:Soon I had the whole thing back together, and there was nothing left but to entrust my life to a loose axle end cap and a tiny circlip:Not to mention the fact that every time I examine the wheels I find another nick in the spokes:But at least Id gotten rid of the play in the wheel, right? Well, not exactly. Putting the wheel back on the bike, I found the play was still therethough there was less of it, which was something. Like, had there only been this much play in the first place I never would have bothered to replace the bearings, so I suppose in that respect the operation was a success. And with that I took off in a blur of late-20th century extravagance:Way back in the early aughts when Id had the long-term loan of a rear Spinergy I remember thinking it felt heavy and harsh, but if anything the Faggin felt smoother than usual and maybe even a little springy, though I suppose that could be a sign that a Spin-tastic ass-plosion is imminent:I also happen to think it looks fantastic with the Spinergys in a purely prurient way, though these things are highly subjective.Indeed, so apprehensive was I of setting out on these things especially after my ham-handed repair that not only did I don a Classic Cycle jersey so that emergency responders would know who to blame, but I also wore protective eyewear and a helmet:Apart from events for which theyre required such as the Five Boro Bike Tour I havent donned a bicycle helmet voluntarily in years, and I had little if any faith that in the event of a frontal Rev-X ass-plosion Id make out very well regardless of what I happened to have on my head, but nevertheless I figured I needed a talisman of some kind to help ward off catastrophe in the first place and this was the best I could come up with. And it worked, too, because the wheels held up just fine:Though maybe Im just whistling past the graveyard.

Gustav is back. Named after the founder of Magura, the Gustav Pro rekindles the name first used by the companys first hydraulic disc brake from the 90s, the Magura Gustav M.OG Gustav M (Photos/Magura)Magura claims that the name Gustav has been reserved for products that achieve the pinnacle of innovation and performance. The new Gustav Pro is a hydraulic brake system meant for eMTB use, as well as gravity or other bikes that benefit from greater stopping power. Saying that anyone can produce brakes that stop light bikes, the Gustav Pros are ready to stop the heaviest of bikes developed for more control, later-occurring braking points, with less hand and arm pump.Whats the Deal?The Gustav Pros have 2.5mm thick rotors and 40% more pad volume. Because of this mass, the rotors and pads heat up less and stay in the sweet spot longer, providing the rider with the brakes best performance and possible friction values. Magura even claims that these brakes will not fade. With larger pistons (12mm in the master cylinder, and 19mm at the caliper), the Gustav Pros reduce the overall pressure level. This gives the brakes a well-defined bite point felt at the lever, with outstanding modulation. Magura has doubled the time interval needed for servicing the Gustav Pros. Extra thick brake pads, with 40% more material and thick 2.5mm rotors with a 2.1mm wear limit, keep brake service at bay for twice as long as usual.Brake wear plays an important role when it comes to eBikes. Their weight, power, and speed placed new demands on brake systems. The Gustav Pro claims to have done away with short maintenance intervals. Speaking of eBikes, the Gustav Pros are fully compatible with Bosche eBike ABS.The Magura has integrated its Easy Link technology for the first time into the Gustav Pro brake master cylinders. This simply means that you can now connect and disconnect your brake hose to and from the master without any special tools.The Gustav Pro will be available on complete bikes and aftermarket in late 2024 This brings us to Maguras Easy Tube Technology (ETT). Read on. Easy Tube Technology For a while now, bicycle hydraulic brake hoses have been created equal, more or less. Equally a pain in the ass for shops, manufacturers, and the end user. Say goodbye to olives and barbs with Maguras Easy Tube Technology (ETT). All you need is your desired length of hose (sold by the meter), and the corresponding ETT connection sets. This technology makes it really easy to create Magura Easy Link connections for Gustav Pro and MT disc brakes with Easy Link adaptors. The Easy Tube Technology product line is not only more flexible but also less wasteful. For example, Magura used to sell 2.5m long after-market brake hoses, but only .8m was needed for the front brake. With the new ETT connections, shops can now cut their desired length hose to the millimeter from a roll of hose. The ETT connections will help end users and home mechanics share in brake hose length flexibility as well.ETT Hose ConnectionsTo connect a brake hose to the brakes master cylinder, Magura offers a modern alternative to the classic barb and olive connection Easy Link. Easy Link is used on the Gustav Pro, the Bosch eBike ABS control unit, and the Magura Cockpit Integration (MCI). Easy Link adapters are also available for existing Magura brakes. Note that the same hose can still be used with a classic clamp-ring connection. Easy Link simplifies, and speeds up the installation of brakes, while also enabling the re-opening and re-closing of the system. Magura offers crimped and screwed ETT versions to create the Easy Link brake hose ends. The screwed version offers particularly easy handling without special tools, at both ends of the brake hose. The set consists of an adaptor to press the hose, a slotted clamping ring, and a union nut. Magura offers an electronic and mechanical crimping tool for the crimped version. From the looks of it, the crimped version is small enough that it should fit through internal routing holes without having to remove any parts or cutting the hose. That could be a game changer for modern bikes with complicated internal routing. ETT Connections for CalipersThe screwed version of the ETT connectors can be used to connect brake calipers. Magura offers ETT connection sets for calipers with banjo connections and for calipers with straight connections. ETT Connection Sets OverviewETT EASY LINK adapter setETT EASY LINK crimp sleeve & ETT EASY LINK crimp adaptersETT banjo caliper connection setETT M6 caliper connection set EASY LINK 1 valve (adapter for brake masters with coarse threads)EASY LINK 2 valve (adapter for components with fine threads)The East Tube Technology will be available in late 2024 Magura.comThe post Magura Pulls Out the Stops, Releases New Gustav Pro and Easy Tube Technology appeared first on Bikerumor.

Rarely have I had as much fun testing a bike as I have with the Salsa Moraine. This electric mountain bike opened up possibilities I didnt even know I was missing until I tried it out.As the name moraine might suggest, this long travel trail bike is well suited for alpine riding and big mountain epics. While Im a big fan of doing such rides under my own power, those rides are usually reserved for weekend days when I have plenty of spare time. Unfortunately, as a busy, working mom, plenty of spare time isnt something I have a lot of. With the Moraine, I could get in some of those higher elevation rides in a fraction of the time it would normally take me.Ive really been appreciating this now that the weather has been heating up. Boises trails are notoriously hot and treeless, but 8 miles up the Boise ridge, theres shade. Getting there on the Moraine is a mostly sweat-free affair.In addition to the higher elevation riding, Ive also had a hoot doing laps at the bike park and towing my kiddo. The bike doesnt just climb well, its also a rowdy, capable descender.Review In A NutshellPros:Smooth power engagement, long range assistanceSleek and stealthy designModern trail geometry, long travel, and beefy tires make for a fun descenderHigh quality drivetrain and brakesCons:Bike fits large, will be too big for smaller ridersLighter than many e-bikesbut still heavyLimited color optionsPrice: $5,999 (Moraine Deore 12)Stealthy AppearanceOut of the box, the first thing I noticed about the Salsa Moraine was its appearance. Its sleek and svelte. Youd have to look at the bike pretty closely in passing to notice that its an e-bike. The battery is hidden inside the frame, and the smaller motor is not obvious at the bottom bracket.Aside from the power controller on the top tube, the bike looks like a normal mountain bike. This could be a selling point if youre riding in areas that arent very e-bike-friendly. Its also important to note that the bike isnt that awful to ride with the e-assist turned off. I did this a few times when I included trails that are closed to e-bikes in a longer, otherwise e-bike-friendly ride.I never had anybody comment on the fact that I was on an e-bike, and once when my husband pointed it out to a couple that I had passed, they acted surprised. I just thought she was fast, the man commented.Sizing and FitThe next thing I noticed about the Moraine was its size. It runs quite large. At 5 5.5, I typically ride a size small frame. Thats the size I chose for the Moraine as well. The bike was so large, however, I kept checking the sticker on the frame to make sure it was actually a small (it was). I couldnt find a size chart on the Salsa website, but the sticker on the bike says the small should fit riders between 52 and 57. I have a very hard time believing a 52 rider could get a comfortable fit. To make sure I wasnt crazy, I compared the frame measurements to other size small mountain bikes. Indeed, the stand over and reach are significantly larger on the Moraine than on any of my other bikes (including the size small Salsa Cutthroat). This will undoubtedly come as a disappointment to other women since a size small frame is the smallest offering. This bike isnt going to work for a lot of shorter women. We can hope its offered in an x-small in the future.On the flip side, if youre tall, you will certainly find a frame size to fit. They go up to an XL.The only difference between frame sizes in terms of components is the length of the dropper post (150mm travel on the S/M, and 170mm travel on the L/XL) and the rise of the handlebar (20mm rise on S/M, and 35mm rise on L/XL). The length of the bar (780mm), stem (40mm), and cranks (170mm) are the same across frame sizes. As always, I wish more brands would offer greater component customization across sizes. But alas, you may have to swap parts later on yourself to get the best bike fit.Power and RangeThe Moraine offers three different power settings, and you can easily switch between them by pushing a lever on the handlebar. The power setting you are in is indicated with a unique light color. Green, for example, is the lowest power assist setting. The battery level is indicated by the number of lights that are lit up. Once you play with it for a few minutes, this design is highly intuitive and I prefer this display to a bulky computer on the handlebar.I spent the majority of my time riding in the lowest power setting. On long, steady climbs, this still provided me with a good workout. I just traveled further in a given amount of time. On really steep hike-a-bike sections where Id normally spike my heart rate or even have to get off to walk, I would turn the power assist higher. As for range, I never ran the battery to empty. My longest ride on the bike was 35 miles, and I did most of it on the lowest power assist setting. When I finished, I still had two battery bars left, so I could have gone quite a bit further. Keep in mind though that Im a pretty light and strong rider so you might get less (or more) range. The battery is not easily accessible or removable, so you cant carry an extra battery and swap it like you can on some electric mountain bikes.Drive SystemThe Fazua Ride drive system is my favorite that Ive tested. My son has this same system on his e-bike, and it has performed flawlessly over the long term. One cool thing about it is that youre able to change the software settings so that the three power settings are customized to kick in at your preferred power output and provide your defined maximum power assistance. I did not bother playing with this on the Moraine, but I have on my sons bike, and its fun to be able to tweak the bike to your style of riding and preferred levels of assist.One thing I havent been crazy about on electric bikes in the past, is the dramatic on-off feeling of the power assist. On the Moriane, in the lowest green power setting in particular, its hard to even tell youre riding an e-bike. It seems like youre riding a regular mountain bike but how you dream youd feel if you were extra fit and fast. The motor is also quiet. There is a noise, its not silent, but it quickly fades into background noise. Again, the lower you keep the power assist, the quieter the hum is. The max torque is 60nm, which is quite a bit less than the 90nm of torque on the Specialized Turbo Levo, for example, but personally, I cant imagine needing more than the 60nm. I was able to climb powering not only myself, but towing my 90 lb kiddo as well.If youre in decent shape, still want to get in a workout, but just want to make the ride more fun, the Moraine is a great choice.Suspension and HandlingThe Moraine features 160 mm of RockShox suspension up front and 145mm in the rear (Rockshox Psylo Silver RC fork and Rock Shox Deluxe Select shock). Combined with the beefy, tubeless-ready Teravail Kessel 29 x 2.6 tires, the travel makes hard-charging descents a cakewalk.I had a great time riding the Moraine on long trail descents as well as the technical and jump trails at the bike park. The bikes suspension, modern trail geometry, and tire combination provides confidence and control. As someone who often forgoes travel due to climbing weight, it was a blast to have the longer travel and not have to worry about being slow on the climbs as a result. Weight and ManeuverabilityThe Moraine is marketed as a lightweight electric mountain bike. Compared to many of the behemoths on the market, it is. As mentioned previously, I was able to ride the bike with the power assist turned off, and I even managed to jump and otherwise manhandle the bike with relative ease. That said, at 48 pounds, it is still heavy compared to a traditional mountain bike and about 10 pounds heavier than the Orbea Rise. I could feel the additional weight when loading and unloading the bike from our Velocirax. And while I didnt have to hike-a-bike it often, there was a time or two where I spun out and had to get off to push. Fortunately, the bike does have a walk assist for this scenario.Still, as a woman with a smaller upper body, who already struggles to lift her bike over downed trees and the like, I can think of instances where that extra weight would be a struggle. Of course, this isnt a complaint unique to the Moraine (Id point this out on most electric mountain bikes), but it is something to be aware of, particularly for more petite riders.Split Pivot DesignThe bike uses a split pivot design that aims to accomplish two things. The first, according to Salsa, is that it isolates pedaling forces and braking forces from each other, allowing us to tune and optimize the bike for both independently. The braking efficiency portion of that claim I fully agree with. The pedaling efficiency, while certainly nothing to sneeze at, was not on par in my opinion with my Ibis Mojo, for example. I definitely felt some pedal bob when climbing. That said, how much pedaling efficiency do you need when you have an electric assist? With the power assist setting at its lowest level, Ive never felt speedier on the climbs.The second purpose of the split pivot design is to allow for several potential travel setups. You could put a shock with anywhere between 125mm and 145mm of rear travel on the bike and a fork with between 140mm and 160mm of travel.While its always nice to have options, and I can definitely see some folks wanting less travel for an even lighter more sporty trail bike, the fact that less travel doesnt come as a build option, nor does the bike come in a frame-only option, the design loses some of its appeal. Most folks arent going to buy a complete bike and then pay extra to swap the fork and shock.Geometry AdjustmentsAs is the current trend, the Moraine frame features a flip chip. This allows for adjustments to the bottom bracket height (5mm) and head and seat tube angles (0.3 degrees). You can play around with this to fit your riding preferences, but the most important use of the geometry adjustment would be to allow for 27.5 wheels rather than the 29 wheels that the bike comes with. This could be an option for folks who want to reduce the standover height a bit. Build Levels and PricingThe Moraine comes in two build levels: the Moraine Deore 12 ($5,999) and the Moraine Cues 10 ($4,999). I tested the Deore 12. The only difference between the two is the drivetrain and brakes. While both are Shimano, the Moraine Deore 12 uses the Shimano 112 Deore drivetrain and Deore M6100 brakes. The Shimano Cues 10 uses the Shimano 110 Cues drivetrain and M4100 brakes. The Deore build has a greater range of gears and is of slightly higher quality. That said, with an e-bike, you might be okay without that bigger cassette. Personally, Im a big fan of the Deore drivetrain, and if you can afford the extra thousand bucks, go for it without hesitation. Its what I run on my Ibis Mojo, and I greatly prefer it to the SRAM Eagle drivetrain on my Chumba Sendero. (Personal preference I know, but its mine). I also run the Deore M6100 brakes. The four pistons offer great stopping power, and the Moraine even has huge 200mm rotors which is appreciated given the heavier weight of the bike compared to an analog bike.Other Stuff Worth MentioningStorage. The frame has bolts for a water bottle cage and a pass-thru slot for a strap to hold a tube or small bag with tools. There is no internal storage compartments as has become quite trendy on other bikes lately. It would be nice if Salsa made a frame bag for the Moraine like they do for many of their other bikes.Limited color options. The model I tested (the Moraine Deore 12) only comes in one color, orange. Its definitely not my favorite. The other model of the Moraine (the Cues 10) comes in black. Better, but I would certainly love additional color options, particularly something more feminine.Saddle. The WTB Solano saddle is far from the worst stock saddle Ive ridden, but you will most likely want to upgrade it to a womens specific saddle.Theres A Lot To Like HereSending the Moraine back to Salsa is going to be a painful experience. The Moraine is the first electric mountain bike thats made me question if Im missing out by not having one.The Moraine doesnt look like a dorky e-bike, it made otherwise hot and hard rides an enjoyable cruise, and it let me practice my downhill skills by doing repeat laps at the bike park. Its quiet, stealthy, and *kinda* lightweight.The biggest (only?) bummer here is that it wont fit smaller riders. More inclusive sizing for women and junior riders would be appreciated. But for the vertically blessed, the Salsa Moraine might just be your ticket to bigger, longer, more fun-filled rides.More Stuff You Might LikeBest Womens Mountain Bike HelmetsHow To Develop Your Mountain Bike Skills & Confidence With Joanna YatesWhat To Wear Mountain Biking: Everything You Need To Know!About The ReviewerKristen Bonkoski is the founder and owner of Femme Cyclist.An avid cyclist for a few decades now, she took to cycling during her late teen years a time when she needed something to help boost her self-esteem and confidence.Mission accomplished, the sport has become an important part of her life. Kristens favorite disciplines are mountain biking andbike commuting, although youcan also find her crankingout a century on her road bike and touring with her husband and son. If it has to do with two wheels, she enjoys doing it.Kristen is a certified USA Cycling coach, and she runsRascal Rides, a website about biking with kids.IG:@femme_cyclistThe post Salsa Moraine Electric Mountain Bike Review appeared first on Femme Cyclist.

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