Editor’s picks: Our favourite mountain bike gear of 2023

Every year we get a ton of new gear in for testing at Canadian Cycling Magazine. Some of it is good, some of it is not great and some of it is really good, but not as good as what we were already using. But every now and then there’s something that surives the test cycle and makes it onto our permanent gear list.

This year, the gear that changed our riding includes a made-in-Canada saddle that could actually be a big step forward in how saddles are designed. There’s no fancy suspension or boutique frames. But there are alloy wheels with a big warranty, a jacket, some really comfortable shorts and a bit of safety gear we can’t believe we weren’t using already.

Titanium rails anodized in-house, by hand.

The finished product

Many months of (often muddy) miles later, this things still going strong and comfy as ever

Reform Tatalus heat-mouldable saddle

There is not enough good things I can say about Reform. The Tantalus saddle is made right in Vancouver, down to hand-anodizing the titanium rails, which makes it unique already. More functionally, it is the first heat-mouldable saddle on the market. While it took years for Reform to get here, now that it exists the heat-moulding technology is immediately in the “I can’t believe this didn’t exist yet” category. Not every rider will get a huge benefit from the custom shaping but, even with no major imbalances or physiological constraints, this custom-fit saddle is among the most comfortable I’ve ever used. Check out Reform for more details on the surprisingly easy process.

Race Face Turbine wheels

There are two aspects of the new Turbine wheels that stand out. Ride quality and warranty. Race Face turned heads when it offered a lifetime warranty on the alloy Turbine wheels, but there’s no point in buying something to last a lifetime if it doesn’t feel good to ride. And the Turbines have an impressive ride quality that, to be honest, feels better than many more expensive carbon fibre options. They’re forgiving without feeling flexy and, with a respectable weight on par with comparable carbon enduro wheel options, still accelerate quickly. At $1,000 in Canada, they are on the higher and of alloy wheel prices. But the lifetime warranty changes that value calculation if you plan on using them for a while, or using them harshly, and is considerably more affordable than any carbon fibre wheel…