Interbike 2014: Some background on my preferences for bike tests

When I test bikes, I look for not only what a bike can do, but also how it feels doing it.  For the category of bikes in I'm most interested (suspension bikes with 120-150mm of travel), the best bikes in the category now feel good when climbing, descending, and cornering. That's the bar that I set when I'm test riding a bike.  The days of 35 pound, big hit, freeride bikes that couldn't climb are now over.  Good braking performance with no pedal feedback and no brake jack is now a given.  The era of no-compromise, do-it-all suspension bikes is here.