Articles by Neal Hunt, Freelance Writer

Neal has been riding bikes of all persuasions for over 20 years and has had a go at racing most of them to a pretty average level across the board. From town center criteriums to the Megavalanche and pretty much everything in between. Neal has worked in the bicycle industry his entire working life, from starting out as a Saturday lad at the local bike shop to working for global brands in a variety of roles; he has built an in-depth knowledge and love of all things tech. Based in Sheffield, UK, he can be found riding the incredible local trails on a wide variety of bikes whenever he can

Articles by: Neal Hunt

Lewis LH4 Brake Set review – an eerily familiar looking brake

By Neal Hunt published 24 April 24

Review A well-finished high-end brake with useful features that works well on the trail, with only a few niggles stopping it being one of the best

Three sets of MTB handlebars with different rises

How to get big performance returns by making small changes to your mountain bike's handlebars

By Neal Hunt published 4 April 24

Feature Often overlooked, a simple change in bar height can be a cost-effective way of altering your position or the feel of your bike, but how much difference does it actually make? I decided to find out...

Motul Frame Clean bottle on ground by tree

Motul Frame Clean review – environmentally friendly bike cleaner

By Neal Hunt published 27 March 24

Review The auto giant is well-known for its lubricants, so how does its water-based, eco-friendly cleaner compare?

Bike rider in front of cathedral in Girona

Gravel guide to Girona – one of the best places in Europe for some off-road miles in spring

By Neal Hunt published 20 March 24

Feature Tired of wet, muddy trails? Why not hop over to the gravel-riding mecca of Girona and check out the near-endless dusty trails and fantastic bike-friendly culture?

Argon 18 Dark Matter review – one gravel bike for everything?

By Neal Hunt published 5 March 24

Review Argon 18’s fast, comfortable, sure-footed, and well-equipped Dark Matter is a great all-round gravel workhorse

Elitewheels Drive G45 CS carbon wheels review – stiff, very light, and fast gravel wheels

By Neal Hunt published 5 March 24

Review From a name new to many, but with a high-quality finish, low weight, and high stiffness, these wheels tick many boxes but really excel on smoother terrain

Front wheel of bike with suspension fork

Rigid vs suspension gravel fork – which is faster? Well, the answer is not quite that straightforward

By Neal Hunt published 4 March 24

Feature Suspension forks are becoming more common on gravel bikes, but how much difference do they make? We took rigid and suspension forks go to the test track so we could find out more

The new PUSH Industries Nine.One is one of the most stunning MTB suspension forks ever created

By Neal Hunt published 29 February 24

News Hand built in Colorado, the first fork from renowned suspension brand comes with trick, tunable, reliable tech built in, but it comes at a cost

Muc-Off Stealth Tubeless Puncture Plug parts on a log

Muc-Off Stealth Tubeless Puncture Plug review – hidden tire repair kit

By Neal Hunt published 26 February 24

Review The Stealth plug set is well-finished and looks like a great idea, but can be fiddly, and they limit your choice of grips

Bright Racing Shocks release the F929 Next-3RC – a stunning and unique enduro fork with an equally stunning price tag

By Neal Hunt published 22 February 24

News Bright Racing Shocks' latest fork aims to bring its unique tech to a wider audience with its latest long-travel upside-down fork

Reynolds ATRx wheels review – a fast and light option for the smoother end of the gravel spectrum

By Neal Hunt published 21 February 24

Review A fast, reliable setup that suits the more asphalt-biased gravel riders, these wheels work well with narrower tires across a broad range of terrain

Dirtlej Dirtsuit Core Edition review – the ultimate weatherproof outfit?

By Neal Hunt published 7 February 24

Review An all-in-one, heavy-duty, fully waterproof shell that keeps the elements out, but is it versatile enough for regular use?

Schwalbe Tacky Chan Super Trail tire on a bike

Schwalbe Tacky Chan Super Trail tire review – versatile, grippy and fast

By Neal Hunt published 30 January 24

Review The downhill version has already seen success at World Cup level, and the lighter, more supple-cased trail option gives the best of both worlds with predictable high levels of grip in a fast-rolling package

Man wearing a cycling jacket standing in a wood

Ciovita Apex Contego Jacket 2.0 review – a versatile padded jacket

By Neal Hunt published 24 January 24

Review A versatile, close-fitting thermal jacket that regulates your core temperature well when it's not too cold, and doubles up as a warm mid-layer when paired with an outer shell

Bottle of bike chain lube sitting on leaves and mossy wood stump

Motul Chain Lube Wet review – eco, efficient, and economical wet lube from the Moto experts

By Neal Hunt published 23 January 24

Review Motul is a familiar name at the top end of the motorsports world, and its latest Chain Lube Wet puts all of that experience to good use in an effective but still eco-friendly product

Schwalbe G-One Bite tire review – is this the best Goldilocks gravel tire out there?

By Neal Hunt published 8 January 24

Review Not too light, not too heavy, grippy but not too grippy. The G-one bite is the best all-around gravel tire I've used, being just about right in most situations

Planning on riding the Rapha Festive 500? Boost your winter MTB fitness with these Fit4racing Festive 500 tips

By Neal Hunt published 23 December 23

Opinion The Festive 500 might be largely road-based, but that doesn't mean you can't use it to get your 2024 MTB season off to a flying start with these pointers from Fit4racing

Schwalbe G-One Ultrabite gravel tire review – can you have too much grip on a gravel bike?

By Neal Hunt published 22 December 23

Review The most aggressive tire in the G-one range has tonnes of grip in nearly all conditions, offering near MTB-like traction, but does that kill any high-speed thrills on a gravel bike?

Classified’s Powershift 2x hub makes sense for drop bar bikes, we test the system to see if the benefits stack up for MTB too

By Neal Hunt published 21 December 23

Review Classified's Powershift wireless hub gearing doubles the number of gears on your cassette, but do we really need 24 gears on a mountain bike any more?

We've tested over 200 pieces of MTB and off-road cycling kit in 2023, here's our pick of the very best

By Richard Owen published 19 December 23

Feature Gears, gloves, e-MTB motors and much more, the Bike Perfect test team nominate their top choices for Gear of the Year

Cube Nuroad C:62 SL bike with landscape backdrop

Cube Nuroad C:62 SL gravel bike review – light, fast, decent value

By Neal Hunt published 14 December 23

Review With a great spec, low weight, and sorted balanced geometry has Cube nailed it with the Nuroad?

Suntour GVX SF24 gravel suspension fork review – low on price, but high on smiles?

By Neal Hunt published 11 December 23

Review Suntour's GVX fork is budget-priced but packed with plenty of tech, making it a solid, if a little heavy, performer

DT Swiss G1800 gravel wheelset review – can the Swiss brand's budget gravel wheels compete?

By Neal Hunt published 8 December 23

Review With subtle improvements over previous versions, how does the G1800, with its updated hub internals, fair out in the real world?

Closeup of rider wearing jersey with bike in background

Mons Royale Tarn Merino Shift Wind Jersey review – the only jersey you'll need for most of the year

By Neal Hunt published 8 December 23

Review Merino master Mons Royale’s windproof jersey works well in all but the nastiest winter conditions and doubles up as an excellent mid-layer for when the weather is really bad

Park Tool PRS-4W-2 Deluxe Wall Mount Repair Stand on wall

Park Tool PRS-4W-2 Deluxe Wall Mount Repair Stand review – maximize your workspace with this innovative model

By Neal Hunt published 29 November 23

Review Wall-mounted bike stands are rare, and this one combines Park Tool's known quality within a compact package perfect for tight spaces or the ultimate mobile bike garage