Not every product is right for everyone! But fear not, the right product is out there for you. Mountain biking is currently experiencing a lot of diversification. Instead of trying to make everyone happy, more and more optimised products are being presented that are suited to a particular use where they can offer maximum performance. At the same time, a focus on user experience and the integration of components are two clear trends in current development.

Focus on the important things: fun!

The electrification of mountain bikes continues to progress and offer big performance advantages. While many of the systems have been around for a while, they are constantly being refined, allowing better complete concepts to be developed. The Pivot Mach 4 SL Team is fitted with a FOX Live Valve system, allowing you to focus completely on the trail. On the way up the hill, the suspension stiffens up, while the automatic valve opens in fractions of a second on an impact or bump. That means you’ll never launch yourself into the downhills with locked out suspension and you can always keep your hand on the bars, increasing your safety and security. The Pivot Mach 4 SL TEAM / FOX Live Valve is a cross-country bike that bridges the gap between efficiency, fun and downhill performance and raises them all to a whole new level.

A further example of the potential benefits of electronics for user experience and performance is SRAM’s Eagle AXS technology. It doesn’t only make for a much cleaner cockpit but also enables quick and precise gear shifts. Fitting the system is incredibly simple and stress free. Rattling cables will be just as much a thing of the past as inconsistent shift performance due to stretched or worn out cables. But the system is capable of much more and may also revolutionise, amongst other things, gravel riding. Here, it’s possible to combine SRAM Force eTap AXS with an XX1 Eagle AXS cassette – the best of both the worlds of mountain and road biking. Previous limitations completely vanish and performance is lifted to a whole new level.

But there aren’t just electronic developments. MAGURA’s new MCi cockpit sets new standards in terms of brake integration: the hydraulics are cleverly hidden inside the bars. That doesn’t just result in a clean look but also protects delicate parts in case of a crash. A further example of the benefits of integration is the POC Tectal Race SPIN NFC. This smart helmet can store essential medical data in an integrated NFC chip. In case of an accident, that could help rescuers or doctors on the scene save valuable time and potentially save your life.

Performance in focus

Radical geometries are so yesterday. Today the magic word is balance! Past bikes like the excellent Pole EVOLINK laid the foundations and showed the way, because they exemplified how important balanced weight distribution is, regardless of where a bike gets ridden. Norco elevates this concept to the next level. Not only do its chainstays grow in proportion to the frame size but thanks to the Ride Aligned system, the rider and bike become a perfectly tuned unit. The bikes are superbly balanced in all riding scenarios and the suspension has been tuned optimally too. To make getting to that perfect setup easier, Norco have developed the Ride Aligned™ bike setup guide: an app that will help you set up the bike to suit your body and preferences.

An additional example of performance gains through conscious specialisation is the Zerode Katipo. The bike accepts some of the disadvantages of the Pinion gearbox in order to create a whole new ride feel thanks to its distinct advantages. That results in an incredibly quiet bike on the downhills and thanks to the low unsprung weight and the central centre of gravity offers a large amount of traction. Combined with the GATES CARBON DRIVE belt, the bike requires relatively little maintenance. It’s not just bikes where specialisation offers significant benefits. At first glance, the Muc-Off Pressure Washer is just a pressure washer with a pink logo. Examine it more closely and the foam lance turns out to be the ultimate tool for getting your bike clean. You just have to attach a bottle of Muc-Off cleaner and at the press of a button, you’ll have plenty of fluffy suds to clear dirt out of every nook and cranny. To clean everything down afterwards, Muc-Off have developed a special attachment that is powerful enough to remove stubborn dirt without being too powerful to overwhelm delicate seals on bearings.

You can find all the information on the awarded products here.