Magura have been banging on the doors on the big suspension players for a few years now and with their new ‘SLE’ concept (Stronger, Lighter, Easier) they might just break a few of them open. Reliability and low maintenance have been given the same priority as increased performance, and if it’s not just marketing bullshit then these 150mm travel Thor’s could be a serious contender.

At just 153g this chain device is indeed light, but then with a load of carbon that’s held together with a mix of hollow titanium and aluminium bolts you’d expect it to be. Obviously it’s not going to be as robust as some, but we like the fact that the individual pieces can be replaced should the worst happen. 36 to 40t chainrings are catered for and it’ll empty a hefty £166 from your wallet.

29’ers have not only hit these shores, they’re now being made on these shores. This prototype Gyro from Orange is set to roll off the production line at the end of March, but it will only be available in a limited batch of 50. Travel is 100mm at the rear and 120mm at the front, and if it sells out quick I wouldn’t be surprised if we start seeing more big wheels rolling out of Halifax.

It’s been a while in the making but Ram have finally released their new DH bike, and it looks good too. The genuine 4–bar linkage chucks out 220mm of travel, progression can be adjusted, as can the chainstay length. With a 1.5” headtube an Angleset could also be fitted for a fully tailored ride. It’ll be available in three different full builds starting at £2999.99, and the frame itself will be on sale for £1899.99 complete with a RockShox Vivid shock.

I think Tomac see their latest DH creation as the thinking man’s choice. They’ve consciously not made it from carbon because even in aluminium it only weighs in at 10lb including the shock (should be easy to build it up around 38lbs), and at £1899.99 it’s a whole lot cheaper than any carbon offering. Travel is 200mm and there are three sizes to choose from, but when it comes to colour it’s either green, green or green.

We’re yet to ride a Transition bike that isn’t a whole load of fun, so if there’s any criticism of 29’ers not being fun then this new big wheeled version of the Bandit should put an end to it. As with the 26” version travel is 130mm, but geometry is obviously tweaked to fit in those wheels. You’re looking at £1400 for the frame and £3550 for the full bike.

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