TESTED GT Internal Drive
According to GT engineers, there are plenty of solid reasons to ditch the derailleur—mainly, the design centralizes a bike’s weight and exposes fewer drivetrain parts to the elements.

TESTED: 2005 Marin Pine Mountain
There’s just something about the comfy, snappy feel of a steel frame. The Pine Mountain is Marin’s flagship steel XC hardtail.

TESTED: Specialized Demo 9
It is not often a piece of gear changes your life. But the Specialized Demo 9 is so excitingly crafted, so finely tuned, it is such an object.

JANUARY 9th: TESTED: BMC Team Elite
BMC’s reputation as purveyors of no-holds-barred race bikes is 100-percent truth. Take this Team Elite 01 for example.

TESTED: Ellsworth Moment
The folks at Ellsworth did their homework, and the patented Instant Center Tracking four-bar design certainly helped the 5.3-inch-travel Moment blast up climbs.

TESTED: 2005 Kona Dawg Primo
Don’t let the poo-brown color fool you—Kona’s Dawg Primo is a ripper, relying on a tried and true four-bar, rocker-link suspension. The most noticeable feature is its ability to carve.

TESTED: 2005 K2 Lithium 5
The K2 Lithium is a solid choice for someone looking for a lightweight, long-travel, XC-oriented rig that won’t break the bank.

TESTED: 2005 Trek Liquid 55
The 2005 Liquid 55 featured several updates over the 2004 model, including a new rear aluminum triangle and beefier rocker links--both added a significant amount of lateral stability to the rear end.

TESTED: Norco Fluid 1.0
Built to handle the rigors of the North Shore, the Fluid 1.0 features an adjustable 4.6- to 5.6-inches of rear travel, bearings at all pivot points and a heavily gusseted monocoque mainframe

DECEMBER 30th: Santa Cruz Nomad
The Santa Cruz Nomad is a 6.5-inch travel, do-it-all bike that can be built as either a full-on DH/freeride drop monster, or can be pared down to well under 30 pounds.

DECEMBER 23rd: TESTED Norco 604
The second you climb on it and pedal, give the fork the token bounce, pop up the front wheel and lean back, maybe swerve a bit, you’re hooked. Everything feels like it’s in just the right spot.

DECEMBER 26th: TESTED Turner 5 Spot
The 5-Spot lives for the hairy end of the big ring, for fast, wide-open lines, big scary rock gardens, and those places where other bikes get twitchy and left behind.

TESTED: Maverick ML8
With a rangy 47.5-inch wheelbase, 68.5-degree headtube angle and plenty of cushion, the ML8 tore through hairy descents, washboard ruts and small drops.

DECEMBER 16th: TESTED Fuji Diamond RC
The fully active rear suspension soaked up the smaller bumps and helped the back tire dig in while hammering over rough terrain.

TESTED: `05 Specialized S-Works Enduro
While the Enduro looks svelte, it still has a bit of junk in the trunk, so its climbing efficiency is a huge plus.