The Radavist

Spencer went down to Hermosillo, Mexico, for the inaugural Vuelta A Hermosillo, weekend gravel packed with dirt roads, rural Abarrotes, puppies, amazing food, and great company. The event, put on by Danial Diaz and Karla Robles, is worth a visit to Mexico in November. Read all about it below…

Can a World Cup-level XC bike make Spencer into a racer? Pivot Cycles’ latest Mach 4 SL arrives with their highest-modulus carbon fiber frame, a refined DW-Link suspension platform, and clever Tool Shed downtube storage. Keep reading to find out what he learned from his first real mountain bike race aboard the new Pivot Mach 4 SL.

Today, we feature Spencer and his legacy Surly Steamroller. This bike was abandoned at his house, and over the past few years, he’s accumulated parts to make his early aughts fixed gear dreams come true, but in the 2020s. He thinks the Surly Steamroller was ahead of its time. Keep reading for this PiNP throwback… to the future…

Rogue Panda now offers their Catalina full-length top tube bag ($175) in lengths 17″-26″  (24″ tested) for just about any bike you may have. While Spencer would argue that the proliferation of full-length top tube bags in the past few years is emblematic of unnecessarily low stand over heights, their cargo capacity is delightful. Rogue Panda once again reminds us that they are at the top of their game with the unflinching Catalina top tube bag. Read on to see why the Catalina has replaced his fanny pack on rides…

Spencer was searching for a carbon fork for his Crust Prototype, and after digging as deep as possible, he found the Curve Cycling Seek 430 FM fork. He needed clearance for 29 x 2.6″ tires, plenty of mounts, boost spacing, a non-suspension corrected axle-to-crown measurement, and most of all: an extra-long steerer. Read on to see why that last requirement was so crucial…

The Coros Pace Pro smartwatch is packed full of features, but can it replace a cycling computer as your primary navigational tool? For years, Spencer Harding only reached for his Wahoo or Hammerhead when exploring unfamiliar routes. Now he’s wondering if GPS mapping and turn-by-turn directions can get off his handlebars and be confined to his wristwatch. Find out if this new technology is a game-changer or not quite ready for primetime below…

We’ve heard plenty of buzz around the new 32″ wheel size invading the bike world this year, so it was time for another Tinker Tantrums. Spencer got his hands on a 32″ front wheel from Astral and a tire from Maxxis to try out. He put the combo on his undying 2016 Orbea Loki, which was originally a 27.5+ hardtail, only to ironically find the bike returned nearly to factory-spec geometry. Check out what he found out in his tinkering and why you may not have to buy a ticket to ride the hype train. All aboard!

The old adage goes: when you get invited on a Grand Canyon trip, you go. Spencer Harding got invited on a last-minute opportunity to float the Grand Canyon with a group of packrafters. There were a few catches, though; he would have to hike in and out of the canyon with his packraft, food, camping gear, and of course, poop. For his first foray in the big ditch, Spencer really did it the hard way. Check out the sprawling gallery and misadventures below…

Pivot Cycles is now offering its lauded Les SL hardtail in a drop-bar configuration ($6399) straight from the factory. With gravel tire clearance demands creeping up, why not just add drop bars to an ultralight XC hardtail? Spencer has long been a dubious and reluctant adopter of drop bars on mountain bikes, but a shift in perspective to the gravel space had him reconsidering. See his thoughts and hot takes below….

Yoshimura Cycling set out to make one of cycling’s more revered cranksets, the Cane Creek eeWings, even better with their Worx edition. Not merely a coating or anodization, the Worx coating changes the titanium alloy at the molecular level, making the finish 10 times harder than the titanium itself. We here at the Radavist have showcased countless bikes sporting eeWings, so come see what makes the Yoshimura Worx edition special…

Spencer reviews the latest SRAM Rival XPLR groupset with thirteen – yes, thirteen – gears. He thinks this is the actual best use of the UDH full mount design, with apologies to everyone who enjoyed standing on their derailleurs. Read on to find out what the groupset nails and what misses the mark…

At the end of each year, The Radavist’s staff compiles a list of their favorite products. Like last year, we’ve included our favorite products, rides, experiences, and more. Read on for Spencer’s list from 2025…

With the third generation of Norco’s Search C gravel bike, the brand rolled out some great frame details and modern gravel geometry. With plenty of cargo capacity, including a top tube mount, three water bottle cage mounts, and integrated downtube storage, the Search is a capable backroads companion. Spencer found the bike refreshing in its lack of proprietary suspension and inspiring with its MTB-influenced layout. See his review below…

Ritchey‘s new Septimer Carbon all-road frame, featuring its Break-Away coupling system, is launching today. With sensible tire clearance, a lightweight carbon frame, and easy packability for travel, the Septimer exists in a rare niche in the bike world. Spencer was surprised by the ride quality and classic silhouette of this uniquely packable machine. Read his review below…

We’re at the 2025 Bespoked handmade show in Dresden, Germany. The largest framebuilder showcase in the world is a big undertaking, but Spencer and John are moving through the aisles at the Dresden International Airport, picking out some selects for The Radavist’s audience to enjoy. Let’s check out part 06 below, featuring Dlouhy, Etoile, Finnbar Trout, Munro Wheels, Quokka, and Scolarian…

Spencer is a recovering ultralight hiker; as such, he has a love for anything ridiculously light and techy. Hyperlite Mountain Gear was one of the first companies to popularize DCF (Dyneema cuben fiber) fabrics many years ago, and they carry on that ultralite legacy with their new quilt and sleeping bag offerings, featuring 7 denier shell fabrics and amazingly lofty 1000 fill power down. Let’s nerd out…

Spencer recently stopped by Tucson’s Rippie Products grand opening party. Michael and Eilanna have been making bags in Tucson for about six years now. Their new space combines their metal fabrication business, sewing, and everything in between under one roof. Let’s check it out…