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Surly Sorceress Review: Hardcore Hardtail Magic
Surly Bikes released their all-new Sorceress hardtail earlier this year, featuring rowdy geometry, patent-pending DUH dropouts, and some great colors. Spencer promptly took it to Moab, Utah, for some proper testing. Was he bewitched by the Surly Sorceress, or was it just those soaring red rock cliffs? Find out below…
Radar
The Radavist Podcast Episode 05: FAFO’ing with Spencer Harding
In episode 05 of the podcast, Hailey chats with longtime contributor, weird bike aficionado, and photographer Spencer Harding. Tune in for a fun one about Spencer’s long relationship with bike touring, a sneak peek at some of the Dust-Ups that he is stewing on, and some unhinged stories!
Reportage By: Spencer Harding
2026 Sleepless Jeepless Bike Safari: 24 Hours of BINGO!
During the annual Jeep Safari that takes place on Easter weekend in Moab, Utah, seven friends got together to appease the interdimensional Safarians and their unquenchable hunger for Bingos. For 24 hours, they challenged all those who dared to accomplish as many scavenger hunt tasks as they could. Spencer Harding joined the fray, all the while photographing and being part of the winning team at this year’s Sleepless Jeepless Bike Safari. Don’t miss his embedded front-line reportage below…
Reportage By: Spencer Harding
Tumbleweed Sunliner Ti Review: Absolute Dreamboat
Spencer enjoyed the distinct pleasure of riding a Tumbleweed Sunliner Ti ahead of release. The Sunliner is Tumbleweed’s non-suspension-corrected “timeless touring platform,” according to John. Read on for Spencer’s take on the titanium iteration of the Sunliner below…
Reportage By: Spencer Harding
Spencer’s Favorite Bikes of Two Bikes Chattanooga’s Bike Camp
Spencer couldn’t squeeze all the fun and bikes into one post for Bike Camp, so we are back for round two. Featuring bikes from Fine Bikes, Amigo Frameworks, as well as the winners of the Velo Orange Bike Show and few other special bikes thrown in for good measure. Don’t miss this mega gallery and rack spotting from Two Bikes Chattanooga’s Bike Camp…
Reportage By: Spencer Harding
2026 Two Bikes Chattanooga’s Bike Camp: A Lovely Weekend In Tennessee
For the second annual Bike Camp hosted by Two Bikes Chattanooga, Spencer was lucky enough to be invited down to pedal, swim, eat, judge bikes, and even host a talk. Bike Camp is about bikes, of course, but it’s also about everything else we as bikers enjoy. Check out Spencer’s gallery capturing a fun-packed weekend in Chattanooga below…
Reportage By: Spencer Harding
Shimano CUES Drop Bar 1×11 Review: “Damn Well Good Enough” Comes to Drop Bars
Shimano’s 1×11 Cues offerings have been “damn well good enough” for a while, but does that translate to their latest drop bar offering? Cues unites all the 9/10/11 variants under a single cable pull ratio to maximize compatibility. Spencer tested the 1×11 iteration of this new drop bar groupset; see his thoughts below…
Reportage By: Spencer Harding
Tinker Tantrums: Friction Shifting SRAM Transmission
Ever since SRAM released its cable-actuated Eagle 90 Transmission drivetrain, a burning question has lingered in the back of Spencer’s head: Will it friction shift? In short: yes, every drivetrain will eventually fall to the whims of the friction-shifting aficionados. Today, Spencer discusses his Tinker Tantrum quest to answer this burning question. So how does it actually ride?
Reportage By: Spencer Harding
Tinker Tantrums: How To Add a Barrel Adjuster To a Derailleur
If you miss the days when we used to get threaded-barrel-adjuster cable tensioners on derailleurs, this Tinker Tantrum might be for you. Come along as Spencer quests to add cable tensioning bliss to a derailleur in a world devoid of such niceties…
Reportage By: Daniel Diaz, Karla Robles, & Spencer Harding
La Vuelta a Hermosillo: Mexican Gravel Weekend
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…
Reportage By: Spencer Harding
2026 Pivot Cycles Mach 4 SL Review: I Pretended To Be an XC Racer
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.
Reportage By: Spencer Harding
Spencer and His Surly Steamroller
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…
Reportage By: Spencer Harding
Rogue Panda Catalina Full Top Tube Bag Review: Fanny Pack Killer
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…
Reportage By: Spencer Harding
Curve Seek 430 FM Fork Review: Just What I Needed
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…
Reportage By: Spencer Harding
Can the Coros Pace Pro Watch Replace Your Cycling Computer?
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…
Reportage By: Spencer Harding
Tinker Tantrums: 32/29″ Mixed Wheels On the Bike You Already Have
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!
Reportage By: Spencer Harding
Grand Canyon Packrafting: The Hard Way
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…
Reportage By: Spencer Harding
Pivot Les SL Drop Bar 29er Hardtail Review
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….