Articles by Jim Bland, Freelance writer

Jim Bland is a product tester and World Cup downhill mechanic based in North Yorkshire, England, but working Worldwide. Jim’s chosen riding genre is hard to pinpoint and regularly varies from e-bike-assisted shuttle runs one day to cutting downcountry laps the next. Always on the hunt for the perfect setup, Jim will always be found comprehensively testing kit with World Cup racing levels of detail. His ultimate day out includes an alpine loam trail, blazing sunshine, and some fresh kit to test.

Rides: Santa Cruz Hightower, Santa Cruz v10, Specialized Kenevo.

Height: 170cm

Weight: 64kg

Articles by: Jim Bland

Sweet Protection Memento RIG glasses review – big coverage, big performance

By Jim Bland published 1 December 22

Review Sweet Protection are proving to be strong players in the world of cycling optics, and their Memento glasses have become our go-to riding specs thanks to their large coverage, excellent comfort and performance

Best mountain bike helmets: A rider wearing a Smith Convoy helmet

Best mountain bike helmets 2023 – head protection for trail, XC and enduro

By Graham Cottingham last updated 2 October 23

Buyer's Guide Our expert pick of the best mountain bike helmets to protect your head and ensure you look good on the trail

ProTaper launches a new series of handlebars that pay homage to their heritage

By Jim Bland published 8 November 22

News ProTaper’s latest handlebar range celebrates the brand’s past and future

Specialized Trail Pant review – subtle in style, exceptional in performance

By Jim Bland published 8 November 22

Review Full marks for the Specialized Trail pants thanks to their flawless cut, supreme comfort and top-tier on-trail performance

Maxxis MTB tire guide 2023 – a deep dive into every Maxxis mountain bike tire

By Colin Levitch, Graham Cottingham last updated 1 November 23

Buyer's Guide We break down Maxxis tread patterns, casings, and compounds so you can pick the best Maxxis MTB tire for your riding

Hope Evo 155mm Crankset review – is shorter better?

By Jim Bland last updated 3 November 22

Review At 155mm Hope’s Evo cranks are some of the shortest available, but how do they feel underfoot?

Race Face releases the Era – their strongest carbon crank to date

By Jim Bland published 1 November 22

The Era is the strongest, stiffest and most durable crank Race Face has ever made

Best beginner gravel bikes: a white male gravel rider rides a bumpy gravel track

Best beginner gravel bikes 2023 – totally sorted and easy to ride

By Paul Norman last updated 21 October 22

Buyer's guide The best beginner gravel bikes shouldn't cost the earth but will give you upgrade options to meet your riding needs

Specialized release a full-suspension gravel bike, the Diverge STR

By Jim Bland published 20 October 22

News The Diverge gets radical with front and rear Future Shock suspension. Could this be the smoothest riding gravel bike ever made?

PINND CS2 pedal review – well engineered flat pedal with an old school shape

By Jim Bland published 20 October 22

Review The CS2 pedal from Scottish brand PINND is remarkably well made, but ultimately it’s flawed on the trail

A mountain biker does a small jump on a trail lined with ferns

Best budget mountain bikes 2023 – off-road options at affordable prices

By Guy Kesteven last updated 10 August 23

Buyer's Guide The best budget mountain bikes for proper trail riding at a smart price

Two MTB riders chasing each other down a trail

Best MTB pants 2023 – mountain bike trousers for full length protection

By Richard Owen last updated 12 September 23

Buyer's Guide MTB pants have radically improved over the past few years, making full leg coverage a much more popular option. Here's our pick of the best available

Crank Brothers Stamp 7 Fabio Wibmer edition

Crankbrothers release the Fabio Wibmer edition of their Stamp 7 pedal

By Jim Bland published 14 October 22

News Crankbrothers gives the trails all-star his own signature colour way

Best mountain bike knee pads 2023 – we review and rate 9 top knee pads for all kinds of riding

By Jim Bland last updated 30 November 23

Buyer's Guide MTB knee pads will protect your legs from the inevitable crashes and falls. We've taken the hits to find you 10 of the best

Wilier announces the Urta Hybrid – a sub 16kg downcountry e-MTB

By Jim Bland published 13 October 22

News Powered by a Fazua motor the Wilier Urta Hybrid claims to be the lightest e-MTB in its category

Basso releases the Vega, an e-gravel bike built with versatility in mind

By Jim Bland last updated 9 November 22

News Basso offers the Vega e-gravel bike in two guises – one to tailored to true gravel riding, and another aimed at urban environments

Specialized Rockhopper Elite 29 review – a smooth and stable ride

By Jim Bland published 10 October 22

Review Specialized’s Rockhopper Elite 29 brings a remarkably smooth ride, but certain specification choices limit its full potential

Best dropper posts 2023 – drop your saddle and descend with confidence

By Graham Cottingham last updated 14 November 23

Buyer's Guide Whether you're riding XC or enduro, here's our pick of the best dropper posts to get your saddle out of the way to allow for maximum maneuverability

Ridley adds two new XC mountain bikes to their range – the Raft and the Probe RS

By Jim Bland published 5 October 22

News Ridley may be best know for their proven drop-bar road catalog, but the Raft and Probe RS show they’ve got their sights set on going fast off-road too

Cannondale launches the Neo1 – an all-new EMTB featuring the latest Bosch motor and a large 750wh battery

By Jim Bland published 27 September 22

News An intelligent motor system and long-lasting 750wh battery gives the Neo1 big distance potential

Best waterproof MTB pants 2023 – riding trousers to keep the dirt and grime at bay

By Jim Bland last updated 12 October 23

Buyer's Guide The best waterproof MTB pants are packed full of modern weather-resisting technologies so you can focus on riding and the trail ahead

Sweet Protection Firewall MTB goggle review – specifically designed with MTB in mind

By Jim Bland last updated 23 September 22

Review Sweet Protection’s Firewall goggle is made for mountain biking, and its performance is noteworthy on the trail

Best MTB flat pedals 2023 – top options for trail and gravity riding

By Graham Cottingham last updated 18 October 23

Buyer's Guide Check out our expert pick of the grippiest, toughest and best MTB flat pedals around

TRP DH-R Evo brake review – big power that’s good enough for Aaron Gwin

By Jim Bland published 21 September 22

Review TRP’s DH-R Evo brake brings serious power and great modulation into a superbly reliable package

Etnies Camber CL Shoe review – a good-looking shoe with a well-stacked feature list

By Jim Bland published 17 September 22

Review The Camber CL sports a new-age mountain bike aesthetic with a quality construction and great on-trail performance

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