Specialized Status 160 review

Alan Muldoon

  • Alan Muldoon
  • November 8, 2021

With one model, five frame sizes, mixed wheels, two geometry settings and 160mm travel, the mysterious Specialized Status ticks all the right boxes

Specialized Status 160

Specialized Status 160 Credit: Roo Fowler

Product Overview

Overall rating:.

Specialized Status 160

  • Killer value for money
  • Sluggish NX shifting, lack of official product info is frustrating

Manufacturer:

Price as reviewed:.

Punch Specialized Status into your browser and the first official listing winds the clock back to 2012. Click on the link and you’re presented with the Status: a 20mm-travel bike park/DH shredder with 26in wheels that was designed as a direct replacement for Specialized’s original budget baller, the Big Hit. And it’s somewhat ironic that the Big Hit was one of the original mullets, albeit with a 26in wheel up front and 24in out back.

travel bike status

Ultra-short stays and a low BB give the Status its snappy handling

Fast forward to today and the Status name is in circulation once again as one of the best mountain bikes of modern times, even if there’s no sign of the new bike on Specialized’s website. A cryptic, underground Instagram marketing campaign with cool cats slashing turns? Possibly, but this too-cool-for-school approach makes it tricky to track down specifics on the new bike.

specialized status 160

Specialized’s classic four-bar suspension delivers on its promise of 160mm travel

In a nutshell the 2021 Status is a solid, affordable 160mm-travel shredder that uses mixed wheelsizes to achieve an ultra-short 425mm chainstay length that should allow you to party like it’s 1999. And while the rear end is short, the front is anything but, so there’s nothing dated about the sizing on the new Status. Adopting Specialized’s S sizing, also used on the Demo, Enduro and Stumpy Evo platforms, the alloy Status frame runs from S1 to S5, our S4 test bike sporting a generous 484mm reach with a relatively short seat tube. The idea being that S sizing gives riders more freedom to choose their preferred size based on handling rather than it being purely about fit.

A flip-chip in the shock yoke offers two geometry settings. In the low position the head angle on the Status is a super-slack 62.6° and combined with the ultra-low 327mm BB height, the Status is about as progressive as it gets from a mainstream brand.

travel bike status

ManFu link suspension design means rear wheel can be pulled forward to shorten stays

One look at the old Specialized Enduro and it’s easy to see where the inspiration for the rear suspension on the Status came from. The reinforced ManFu link does away with the need for a seatstay bridge, which in turn helps get the 27.5in rear wheel tucked tightly behind the BB to achieve those incredibly short stays. Boasting 160mm of rear-wheel travel, the Performance-level Fox DPX2 shock doesn’t sport the low-speed compression adjuster found on the higher-spec units, but you still get the three-position compression lever with Open, Trail and Climb modes, handy for extra support when grinding up steep climbs. Also, the rebound damping offers a very usable range of adjustment, which makes it easy to run the suspension super-fast for increased traction or slow it down for more control when hitting jumps.

travel bike status

160mm-travel Fox DPX2 shock with Open, Trail and Climb modes

Matching travel front and rear is the 160mm-travel Fox 36 Rhythm fork. It has the same level of adjustment as the rear shock and finding a balanced response from the suspension was child’s play. Yes, the basic 36 Rhythm lacks the low-speed support found on the GRIP 2-equipped Fox 36 forks, but it’s silky smooth and the extended geometry of the Status gives you all the front-end stability you need. Would the Status be even better with a high-end fork? Of course it would be, but we need to keep some perspective here as this bike costs £2,399.

travel bike status

SRAM Code R brakes deliver oodles of stopping power

Functional rather than fancy is probably the best way to describe the build kit on the Specialized Status 160. That’s not to imply that you’re left wanting, though. From the powerful SRAM Code R brakes to the 170mm-travel X-Fusion Manic dropper everything on the Status makes it easy to ride fast. The cockpit is set up with a Specialized alloy 800mm bar and 40mm stem, which puts the rider in commanding position and leaves room in the budget for a set of comfy Deity Knuckleduster grips.

Performance

For a relatively heavy bike, the Status doesn’t drag its heels when you stomp on the pedals. In fact, if you spin along at a steady click there’s a lightness to the pedalling action that belies its 16.05kg weight. Could it be that the ultra-short stays provide a more direct connection between the SRAM NX chainset and the 12 speed cassette? Possibly. It is why most road bikes have short stays after all.

The suspension also plays a big part here. The Status has good support at sag and seems to have a very predictable and proportional response to impacts. As such, it’s not the plushest 160mm bike we’ve tested but as speeds increase the effectiveness of the rear suspension keeps perfect time. Upping the tempo also increases chain slap, but it’s nothing a small strip of 3M rubber tape on the inside of the seat stay wouldn’t silence. Given the price it’s hard to fault the Status. And even with the ultra short stays we had now issue keeping the front end loaded. That said, if you’re between size the Status is one bike we recommend downsizing on as the slack head angle and generous reach really put that 29in front wheel way out in front of you.

specialized status 160

What’s old is new again, as Specialized resurrects the Status name while simultaneously invoking the spirit of the original mullet bike, the Big Hit. For a brand where the super-expensive S-Works bikes hog the headlines, it’s great to see Specialized producing an affordable bike that can be ridden on the limit without needing an unlimited budget. The Status competes with the very best direct-sales brands, but it remains to be seen if Specialized can keep the keen pricing, moving forward.

Specialized Status 160 review

Is specialized’s new status the super confident but still playful gateway gravity bike they’ve been subversively suggesting on social media bike perfect has been pushing it flat out to find out.

Specialized Status

BikePerfect Verdict

Ridiculously confident yet riotously playful bargain priced bomber, with a brilliant mullet handling balance and sorted suspension. Only the feeble tyres stop it getting a five out of five

Awesome 'Extreme Mullet' business/party handling balance

Excellent suspension

Great aggro kit spec (besides tires)

Impressive value for a shop bike

Neat details including gorgeous grips

Room for big rubber

Floppy tires lack cornering support

Flick the shock into 'trail' mode for scything turns

170mm cranks take a battering

Why trust BikePerfect Our cycling experts have decades of testing experience. We'll always share our unbiased opinions on bikes and gear. Find out more about how we test.

Status has been leaking out on the social media of Specialized’s raddest ambassadors for a while. The sorted 160mm suspension, cost-effective componentry and tidy M5 alloy frame create a great base for pushing hard too. It’s the super slack front but tight rear balance, mullet wheel combo and minimal branding style that give it a real edge though.

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Design and geometry

The full alloy frame keeps price reasonable but there’s some neat detailing including tight cable clamps for the internal routing, curved seat tube gusset for the low slung top tube and space for a bottle on the downtube. While the necks that join the offset main pivot are skinny, the belly of the chainstays is massive, likewise the seat stay junctions, and the horseshoe linkages onto the seat tube and the rear of the shock. A flippable shock mount chip lets you change geometry, there’s an ISCG mount on the screw in bottom bracket and the rear brake hose routing is particularly tidy thanks to an ’S-gate’ guide welded onto the chainstay. You get chain protectors top and bottom on the drive side and a small chain guide fitted as standard. The rear boost axle uses a fixed handle for tool-free wheel removal and there is masses of room around the rear tyre. It comes in two metallic color choices - maroon and charcoal - but the only Specialized branding is the S on the headtube and a small inset name on the chain guide and even the Status name only appears on the underside of the down tube.

Geometry is much more in your face with a super slack 63.2-degree head angle at the end of a 488mm reach on the S4 model we tested. Seat tubes are short for length so we could have gone up to the 512mm reach S5 size and still got the right saddle height with the 170mm stroke dropper post . S1 shrinks things down to a 417mm reach with a 400mm seat tube though so most riders will find a sorted fit which isn’t always guaranteed in affordable bikes.

The back ends are all the same at a super short 427mm though and BB drop changes from 8.5mm to 17.5mm (448 - 336mm BB height) depending on shock chip position. The chip also changes steering and seat (76 - 76.5-degree) angles by 0.5 degrees.

Components and build 

The suspension is handled by Fox with a 160mm, 44mm short offset Float 36 Rhythm fork and a 230 x 60mm DPX2 Performance piggyback damper. Gearing is SRAM Eagle NX with an 11-50T cassette and 32T DUB chainset in 170mm arm length on all sizes. Brakes are SRAM Code R  with 200mm rotors either end amplifying already impressive power. 800mm bar and 40mm stem (on all sizes) are Specialized (but the logo is tiny) while the multidirectional, soft compound ribbed grips are from Deity. Specialized provides the Body Geometry Bridge saddle and the smooth trigger-style remote for the super reliable X-Fusion Manic dropper post (150mm on S1 and S2, 170mm on S3, S4 and S5.)

The 29er front and 27.5in rear wheels use shallow, 30mm wide hookless alloy Roval (unbranded) rims ready taped for tubeless with valves in the ‘welcome pack’. 28 sturdy DT Swiss Industry spokes are laced into Boost hubs with a 10-degree ‘catch’ on the conventional splined freehub. Tires are Specialized Butcher with the Grid Trail casing, listed as 2.3in but actually 58mm (2.28in) at the front and 61mm (2.4in) at the back. Even with trail tires and carbon headset spacers it still comes in at a hefty 15.7kg without pedals.

Ride, handling and performance 

With a head angle only 0.5 degrees steeper than Specialized’s Demo downhill bike but 22mm longer in reach (S4 sizes) with max leverage 800mm bars, the Status front end is hugely stable and stretched enough that it feels like you’re chasing a wheelbarrow down the trail at first. That gives you all the time in the world to deal with drama though and the 40mm stem and 44mm fork offset mean the steering still feels super light and responsive too. Even with treacherous tires (more on them later) means it laughs at sections that would normally have you nipping your O ring. 

The super-short back end and different scrub rate/easier slide of the smaller wheel means it still feels surprisingly agile and responsive in slower, tighter situations. As the BMXers and Jibbers who’ve been leaking footage onto social have shown, it’s well up for jibbing and shredding, not just straight-line ploughing. Easy sag into the shock stroke also makes it much easier to loft the front wheel and float or manual than you’d expect too. That obviously compromises ultimate stability and rolling speed when you’re flat out in wide-open sections or battering through rocks. The smaller back wheel will also break out earlier than a 29er in loose/slippery conditions. But if getting silly and sideways is more important to you than podium positions then it’s a genuinely awesome balance of business at the front, party at the back that proves the mullet concept.

As well as the handling being in your face insolent, the Rhythm version of the 36 fork continues to give the finger to the more expensive members of the Fox family. The heavier, stiffer construction of the cheaper chassis gives it excellent tracking but with less arm fatigue on extended descents than the sharper, lighter 36s. The simple GRIP damper shows why it’s base tech has now spread up into Fox’s premium forks with awesome worry-free control way into the fear zone. The Sweep compression control and rebound adjust under the base of leg ‘bucket’ cover cope with a wide range of rider weight and aggression levels. Crucially the damping and air spring have enough forgiving bandwidth in each setting that they won’t punish the novice knob twiddlers or set and forget shredders who are going to be drawn to the price and rowdy promise of the Status.

After years of sending a shiver through us when we saw it on spec sheets, the recent base valve change and other tweaks on the DPX2 rear shock have made if far more controlled. Particularly in the kind of multiple, hard impact, high oil flow situations that the handling of the Status isn’t going to blink at. Specialized’s ‘RX Tune’ (light compression, medium rebound according to the ID label) is a great match for the faster reacting, shorter length, smaller rear wheel back end too. Even with relatively high rear tyre pressures to stop excessive crumple and fold and with synthetic end bushings, rather than a trunnion side mount, it still feels impressively sensitive off the top, with great traction to sideways action feedback through the gloriously-tactile Deity grips and large bore DUB axle cranks. Even with a large (0.85) volume spacer as standard, it does go a long way into the 60mm stroke without much provocation. That’s great for comfort/traction and rock/root ignorance but if you’re looking for a more predictable and solid platform for railing turns or pumping speed into your runs then we’d flick the low-speed compression adjust lever into the trail setting. Be prepared to do some dialling with the rebound knob too, as most of the extensive range of clicks don’t seem to do much. Again, that makes it far more forgiving if you don’t know what you’re really doing with those dials though, which is a far happier situation than the old DPX2 which would regularly reduce the most sentient suspension savants to tears at the trailside.

In terms of the rest of the kit, the relatively affordable NX Eagle won’t make you cry if you clobber it and can’t bend the steel cage back, but still gives you a 50 tooth crawler gear for self uplifting. The 32-tooth chainring is literally geared towards runaway train speed rather than an easy life on the climbs though, so the little chainguide offers useful peace of mind. 170mm long arms and easy shock sag mean cranks ends and pedals are going to take a battering on rocky terrain.

While they don’t have the luxury bearings or progressive power-boosting lever cam of top-tier Code brakes, the R brakes still have masses of clearly communicated power. The extra volume reservoir also improves their ability to cope with excess heat on extended descents in the same way as a piggyback reservoir on a rear shock.

The bars and stem are solid without stinging on drops or blowing up your arms on jackhammer descents and while we’ve never complained about Specialized grips , the Deity Knuckledusters are an absolutely delicious and very welcome indulgence on a bike where the budget has clearly been closely watched.

The suitably stealth wheels seem usefully forgiving without undermining the sorted control and precision of the bike and while the 10-degree pick up can cause out of corner gaps, it means pedal kickback is pretty much non-existent even on seismic drops or over sends that really justify the big volume shock spacer. As long as the cranks aren’t clattering the ground, the classic four-bar FSR kinematic means you can put the power down hard even on properly rough terrain without risking getting jacked over the bars so once you’re in motion the hefty mass of the Status is rarely an issue.

That leaves only one component that really needs replacing as soon as possible to fully unlock the potential of the Status. The tread pattern of the Butcher tyres is fine, the compound gives good wear rather than great grip and the relatively light construction means the Status is just a slow but surefooted tank on climbs rather than a straight-up ‘sod this I’m pushing’ dead weight. The tendency of the plasticky feeling Grid carcass to buckle even under relatively light cornering pressure, plus side knobs that seem determined to slam you into the dirt even faster than the carcass can fold up really has no place on a bike that’s half a degree off a downhill World Championship jersey. There’s also space for much bigger rubber than 2.3s too, so do yourself a favour, suck up the fact it’ll push overall weight over 16kg and get some proper bomber boots on there.

So we hate the tyres, it’s not quite as straight-line fast as a twin 29er and it weighs a tonne. If you’re into cornering so hard you look like you’re having a stroke then you’ll probably want to run the eagerly mobile shock in trail too. Apart from that though, the Status is exactly what Specialized claim, it’s an absolute flat out, ragged edge riot that will look after new riders as well as providing a fantastic play platform for properly progressive riders. We wouldn’t be surprised to see it at the sharp end of enduro races under privateer racers with more skill than spend either.

Apart from the tyres, components, suspension - even contact points and small frame details are all excellent for the money and built for a long and brutal life. Specialized is renowned for its excellent customer service too, which when a bike begs you to ride as hard as the Status does is a very useful part of the package.

Test conditions

Temperature: 12-18 degrees

Surface: Natural DH trails and red/black grade DH runs

Tech Specs: Specialized Status

  • Discipline: Enduro/DH
  • Price: £2399
  • Head angle: 63.2 degrees
  • Frame material: M5 alloy mainframe and swingarm
  • Size: S4 (Large)
  • Weight: 15.7kg
  • Wheel size: 29in front, 27.5in rear
  • Suspension (front/rear): Fox 36 Rhythm 160mm travel, 44mm offset/Fox DPX2 Performance 230x60mm 160mm travel
  • Components: SRAM NX Eagle 11-50T 12 speed gearing and shifter. 32T chainset. SRAM Code R brakes with 200mm rotors. Specialized Butcher Grid Trail 2.3in tires on Roval 30mm rims with DT Swiss Industry spokes and Boost hubs. Specialized 800x35mm bar and 40x35mm stem, X-Fusion Manic 170mm dropper post, Body Geometry Bridge saddle.

Guy Kesteven

Guy has been working on Bike Perfect since we launched in 2019. Hatched in Yorkshire he's been hardened by riding round it in all weathers since he was a kid. He spent a few years working in bike shops and warehouses before starting writing and testing for bike mags in 1996. Since then he’s written several million words about several thousand test bikes and a ridiculous amount of riding gear. To make sure he rarely sleeps and to fund his custom tandem habit, he’s also penned a handful of bike-related books and talks to a GoPro for YouTube, too.

Current rides: Cervelo ZFS-5, Forbidden Druid V2, Specialized Chisel, custom Nicolai enduro tandem, Landescape/Swallow custom gravel tandem

Height: 180cm

Weight: 69kg

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Specialized Status Whole bike header-2.jpg

  • 29/27.5" wheels give unique responses
  • Poor chainslap silencer
  • Looks cheap...
  • Short rear at odds with the long front centre for gravity riding

The new Specialized Status is a long travel mullet bike – business up front, party in the back – specifically designed around a 29er front wheel and a 27.5" rear. It's a fast and hard-hitting enduro bike and the price is good, though the super-short chainstays create a noticeably rearward weight bias that won't suit everyone.

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If you think you’ve heard the name before, you’re right – the Status first hit the dirt in 2012. Back then it wasn’t a mullet (that was left to the 26"/24" Big Hit) and had a distinct freeride feel.

For 2020 the Status keeps its loose ‘party bike’ theme, but in a more enduro-shaped package. It’s long and slack with 160mm of travel and efficient pedalling manners.

Interestingly Spesh chose to leak this bike on social media ahead of its launch, using the hashtag #statusmtb, and the only logo is on the headtube – Specialized believe the lack of overt branding will help them attract a new audience. 

Specialized Status logo-12.jpg

The new Status costs £2,399 and comes in two colours: the grey you see here and a maroon. You get an aluminium frame with internal cable routing, an FSR linkage and little in the way of frills: no bottle cage, no SWAT tools, not even a chain slap silencer... well, there is one, but it's not the effective design they use elsewhere, and is pretty hopeless. As a consequence, it's quite noisy.

Specialized Status cable routing-13.jpg

The fork is an entry-level Fox Float 36 Rhythm, and pairs with a Fox Float DPX2 Performance shock. Both of these perform well; the shock is a little wallowy in the midstroke, so can feel a little vague when pumping mid corner, but that's my only real gripe.

Specialized Status Fork-4.jpg

There’s a full SRAM NX Eagle drivetrain with DUB threaded bottom bracket, and SRAM Code R brakes. These are downhill orientated brakes with larger callipers for more power than the Guide range of trail brakes. There’s also a 170mm X-Fusion Manic dropper post, a post that is super reliable and has a smooth action.

Specialized Status chainstays-18.jpg

Elsewhere the bike gets its fair share of money-saving parts, sporting own-brand Roval wheels and unbranded hubs, a Specialized bar, stem and saddle, and a set of Butcher Grid Trail 2.3” tyres. The tyres are a little disappointing – the Grid Trail casing is less supportive than I’d expect for such a hard-hitting bike, and they're on the narrow side. I'd prefer wider tyres for improved grip, especially at the front.

Specialized Status brakes-7.jpg

The mullet set up on the Status makes for a very different cornering dynamic in comparison to a regular 29er. It's easier to lean over, for a start – 29ers can make you feel like there’s a magnet on the outside of the corner trying to pull the bike upright. The way the Status leans and drops into steeper turns, catch berms and flat corners making it very faster, for me at least, across the ground.

Specialized Status shock -14.jpg

The other thing to notice about a mullet set up is just how much a 27.5" wheel hangs up on bumps compared to a 29er. The front wheel smoothes out and rolls over bumps where the back chatters over the very same ground. It’s odd at first, but easy to get used to. 

Specialized Status whole bike-20.jpg

The Status is slack at 63.7  °  (high position), has a 76  °  effective seat tube angle and, in this S3 size (effectively medium), a reach of 462mm. The seat tubes across the range are short to let riders to size up to longer frames – for example this S3 has a 420mm seat tube. 

For the most part, the Status is confidence inspiring and great fun to ride. That slack steering provides you with many get out of jail free cards, and in the high position it's fairly nimble too. I found the low position a bit lacklustre, plus it puts the bottom bracket at a pretty low 337mm instead of a middling 347mm.

Specialized Status whole bike-3.jpg

I do have some concerns over the chain stays. At 426mm they're super short in comparison to the relatively long front centre (808mm), creating a real rearward bias instead of settling the rider into the middle of the bike. That makes it hard to maintain a forward position on the bike and really weight the front.

It’s manageable, but I do find myself fighting to get there and stay there. Consequently, the ride feels a little unbalanced and twitchy, especially on steep fast straights and off-camber trails. While it may suit your style, it won't suit everyone's... yet even so, don't go thinking it's a complete deal-killer. The Status has still become my daily ride.

Specialized has got most things pretty dialled on the Status. It's not super heavy at 34.4lbs, it’s got good kit for the money, it climbs well and the geometry is mostly on point. It's a fun bike to ride and takes an interesting approach to wheel size that could provide just the blend of easy rolling, fast turning kicks you're looking for.

  • www.specialized.com

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Rachael Wight's picture

Previously Editor here at off-road.cc, Rachael is happiest on two wheels. Partial to a race or two Rachael also likes getting out into the hills with a big bunch of mates. In the past Rachael has written for publications such as, Enduro Mountain Bike Magazine, Mountain Biking UK, Bike Radar, New Zealand Mountain Biker and was also the online editor for Spoke magazine in New Zealand too. For as long as she's been riding, she has been equally happy getting stuck into a kit review as she is creating stories or doing the site admin. When she's not busy with all the above she's roasting coffee or coaching mountain biking in the Forest of Dean. 

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Specialized finally releases its new Status mountain bike

Specialized release the 2021 Status, an affordable but hard hitting 160mm trail charger

Specialized Status

Possibly the worst kept secret in mountain biking, after months of hashtag hints and teasing, Specialized has finally released the 2021 Status mountain bike. 

While Enduro racing has had the limelight in recent years there has been a notable rise in non-competitive riding and the return of freeriding. The new Status, designed to maximise fun on jumps and drops, comes equipped with 160mm of travel, a mullet setup of 29er front and 27.5in rear-wheel, and some pretty progressive geometry numbers.

Back from a five-year hiatus, Specialized has revived and updated the Status from its budget downhill bike format when last seen in 2015 into a forgiving bike that caters for riders who are more about tearing up their local woods than racing against the clock.

For the full lowdown on the new bike, head over to the full Specialized Status review from our sister site Bike Perfect .

Best lightweight mountain bikes under 10kg Best trail bikes Best full suspension mountain bikes

The new Status is built from Specialized's durable but affordable M5 Alloy and uses an FSR suspension system similar to the Stumpjumper range to actuate the 160mm of travel. Based around a mullet wheelset, the 29in front wheel will offer better rolling characteristics while the 27.5in rear-wheel mean that chainstays can be kept short for better agility on technical terrain. The Status uses a standard threaded bottom bracket for easier home maintenance, sealed cartridge bearing pivots and 12x148mm dropouts.

Geometry is fairly radical and features a 63.2-degree head angle, 17.5mm bottom bracket drop, 462mm reach and 426mm chainstays in the middle S3 size. Although climbing ability was unlikely to be on the list of priorities the Status has a 76-degree seat angle to help put you in a good position to work your way back to the top of the trail - aided nicely by the 10-50 cassette on offer. The bike also a high geometry position, raising the bottom bracket and steepening the head angle slightly.

Specialized Status

Specialized is only offering a single build that looks to balance trail capability with an affordable price point. Featuring suspension from Fox with a FLOAT 36 Rhythm fork and a Float DPX2 Performance RX Trail tune shock. SRAM takes care of both acceleration and deacceleration with an NX Eagle 12sp drivetrain and Code R brakes paired with 200mm rotors. 

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Specialized take care of the cockpit (40mm stem and 800mm handlebar) and provide the Roval Traverse wheelset and Butcher Grid 2.3" tyres. An X-Fusion dropper post raises and drops a Specialized Body Geometry saddle by 150mm on the two smaller sizes and 170mm on the rest.

Specialized is offering the Status in its full S1 – S5 sizing and will be available to buy from retailers today. The Status will be available in two different colourways, satin maroon or satin charcoal, and comes in at just £2,399.

If you are looking for a bike to shred the trails on, head over to Bike Perfect for a full review of the new Specialized Status .

Tech specs: Specialized Status 2021

  • Fork : Fox Float 36 Rhythm, GRIP damper, two position Sweep adjustment, 15x110mm QR axle, 44mm offset, 160mm of travel
  • Rear shock : Fox Float DPX2 Performance, Rx Trail Tune, EVOL Air sleeve, 3-position adjustment, 230x60mm
  • Stem : Alloy Trail Stem, 35mm bar
  • Handlebars : Specialized, 6061 alloy, 6-degree upsweep, 8-degree backsweep, 30mm rise, 800mm width
  • Brakes : SRAM Code R, 4-piston caliper, hydraulic disc, 200mm
  • Derailleur : SRAM NX Eagle, 12-speed 
  • Shifter : SRAM NX Eagle, trigger, 12-speed 
  • Cassette : SRAM NX Eagle, 12-speed, 11-50t 
  • Crankset : SRAM NX Eagle, DUB, 170mm 
  • Bottom bracket: SRAM DUB, BSA 73mm, Threaded
  • Wheels : Roval Traverse, 29 front, 27.5 rear, hookless alloy, 30mm inner width, tubeless ready 
  • Front tyre : Butcher, GRID TRAIL casing, GRIPTON® compound, 29x2.3" 
  • Rear tyre : Butcher, GRID TRAIL casing, GRIPTON® compound, 27.5x2.3" 
  • Saddle : Body Geometry Bridge Comp, hollow Cr-Mo rails, 143mm
  • Seatpost : X-Fusion Manic, infinite adjustable, two-bolt head, bottom mount cable routing, remote SRL LE lever, 34.9mm, S1-S2:150mm,

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Graham has been part of the Cyclingnews team since January 2020. He has mountain biking at his core and can mostly be found bikepacking around Scotland or exploring the steep trails around the Tweed Valley. Not afraid of a challenge, Graham has gained a reputation for riding fixed gear bikes both too far and often in inappropriate places.

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TripSavvy / Alison Czinkota

It’s time to rethink travel with a lighter footstep in mind, which is why TripSavvy has partnered with Treehugger , a modern sustainability site that reaches more than 120 million readers each year, to identify the people, places, and things that are leading the charge in eco-friendly travel. Check out the 2021 Best of Green Awards for Sustainable Travel  here .  

This past November, a friend asked if I’d bike with her to Tigre, a river town about 40 kilometers away from Buenos Aires where I live. Tigre is a popular day trip for its artisan craft market, the mate museum, and boat tours around the delta, and most visitors reach it by train. I had never biked 40 kilometers, nor had I done an overnight bike trip (the other part of my friend’s plan); a trip like this was something I’d considered in the past but never embarked on due to one reason or another. But this time was different—we had spent most of the year at home or within a short distance of it, so when case counts began to decrease and quarantine restrictions eased, we were eager to get out and explore. 

It took us three and a half hours to reach the center of Tigre, including our stops for lunch and viewing street art along the river. It wasn’t as efficient as the train (which only takes an hour), but it was far more healing after a long winter quarantine to have the sun on our skin and to be moving of our own will and leg power. We felt freed mentally and physically. I noticed a marked difference in my mental state upon returning to my apartment in Buenos Aires. The sense of despair I had been feeling for much of the year had dissipated. I felt less stressed than I had in a long time and empowered, capable of handling new challenges in the pandemic. 

The Rise in Bike Travel Around the World

As the world locked down a year ago, people searched for a way to stay healthy, sane, and socially distant. Like me, they found it on a bicycle. Countries from South Africa to Italy saw bike sales skyrocket. The NPD Group, a market research company, reported the U.S. had a 121 percent spike for the year in leisure bike sales. And when this rapid rise in bicycle transit became apparent last spring, cities and countries around the world rushed to accommodate two-wheeled travelers. 

Some countries, like France, began providing biking subsidies to citizens for repairs of up to 50 euros in designated bike shops, and many city governments around the world began expanding cycling infrastructure. London, Brussels, and Bogota all saw new bike lanes added to main thoroughfares and reduced speed limits for the cars driving alongside them.  

Even in countries where governments were slower to promote biking during the pandemic, citizens started biking anyway. Bike activists in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, and Nairobi, Kenya, petitioned governments to expand biking infrastructure, while many more citizens began cycling on streets without bike lanes to avoid mass transit lines and potential contagion. The cyclists of these countries showed that while government support helped to grow the bike boom to an extent, the real fuel for it came from individuals themselves. 

While many of these riders were using their bikes as an alternative commute to get to work, seek healthcare, or tend to other essential needs, others bought bicycles or broke out their existing ones simply for a safe and fun way to explore their home cities and countries outdoors. Before the onset of the pandemic, bicycle travel in itself had a strong appeal, offering a multitude of benefits to travelers. 

“It was a way to get exercise, a way to connect with your surroundings more,” says Jim Taylor, Ph.D., a sport psychologist and consultant to USA Triathlon. “You really can’t enjoy your surroundings when you’re going 70 mph.” Those long-standing benefits of bike travel were further amplified by the challenges and stresses of the pandemic, driving more people into saddles this past year.

Is This Trend of Bike Travel Sustainable? 

At some point, life will return to a version of normal where people will feel comfortable enough to travel via more traditional modes, such as planes, trains, and other shared spaces, whether for vacations or day-to-day activity. But during the pandemic, bikes became essential to many. 

“One of the most unsettling aspects of the pandemic is that it’s not something that we can control,” says Taylor. “We have this innate need [for control]. Biking at a very fundamental level gives us a sense of control in terms of moving our bodies, being healthy…a way to get away from all the pressures and the stresses of the pandemic. Overall, it just has this very broad psychological, emotional, and physical benefit.” 

That loss of our control pushed us on to our bikes. Biking became a source of refuge for millions of people when cars, trains, and other modes of transit felt unsafe. But when a sense of normalcy returns, what will that mean for this turn toward leisure bike travel? 

“My guess is that the amount of time spent biking will decline some,” says Taylor. “At the same time, the sheer number of volume and miles being ridden now compared to past years, it’s never going to go back to the way it was.”

Data from Rails to Trails Conservancy (a nonprofit that works to transform rail corridors into trail networks) supports his projection. The organization tracked weekly trail use of cyclists in the U.S. in 2020. Every week since the pandemic’s onset, except one, trail ridership increased. The peak last year was in the first week of April with ridership increasing 217 percent year over year from 2019; by mid-December, it had dropped to a 26 percent increase from the same time in 2019. 

Still, that 26 percent is a significant increase from the previous year. Perhaps the greatest takeaway of bike travel during the pandemic is simply realizing we can do it and that it’s a viable option for short and sometimes long trips. “More people are realizing you don’t need to drive three blocks to go to the supermarket,” Taylor says. 

But does he think there will be a large shift to bike travel from other forms of travel post-pandemic? “I think the pandemic’s been around long enough that some of the habits have been retrained and other habits have been ingrained. I certainly expect [leisure bike travel] will continue,” he says, though he projects it to be mostly half-hour to one-hour rides for the general population.

4 Reasons the Enthusiasm for Bike Travel Is Here to Stay

As we continue to predict what trends from the past year will end and which ones will stay, we’re hoping that bike travel is among the few that stick around. Undoubtedly, more traditional modes of travel will make a comeback, reducing the need or desire of some people to travel by bike. So, what will be the driving force to encourage two-wheeled travel? Here are four reasons that this trend could live on.

The Environmental Impact

There’s one obvious benefit and reason as to why biking hopefully becomes a norm for some people: It’s a great eco-friendly mode of travel. A study by the Environmental Change Institute and Transport for London in 2019 compared the effects of replacing short journeys (eight kilometers or less) by car with bikes in Cardiff, Wales. They found that walking or cycling could replace up to 41 percent of car trips overall, leading to a lowering of CO2 emissions in the city by nearly five percent. Other studies have measured the same thing in Barcelona, New Zealand, and the U.S. with similar statistics.

Due to bike travel’s ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recommended switching from car commuting to biking as a way to stop the global temperature from rising. As more studies come out, more benefits of biking continue to be discovered. A Swedish study found that 111,000 car commuters in Stockholm could realistically switch to biking, thereby reducing black carbon and nitrogen oxide in the air and saving 449 years of life for the general population per year.

Those benefits of cleaner air, less traffic congestion, and fewer carbon emissions are hard to ignore. And, of course, switching from cars to bikes for shorter distances is easier to do than longer ones. But there’s no doubt that many people will continue to choose their two wheels over four for the health of the environment when they need to get somewhere. 

Mental Health Benefits

For some, mental health will become a driving force. In Buenos Aires, there was a strict quarantine in the beginning months of the pandemic that heavily contributed to declines in mental health. After 100 days of a lockdown in which locals could only leave home to purchase food or medicine, the National University of La Matanza conducted a survey on the effects of the quarantine on residents’ mental health. They found 43.8 percent of those surveyed said they needed psychological attention due to anxiety, sadness, hopelessness, and emotional instability directly tied to their pandemic experience.

When the quarantine eased and we could exercise outside again, we got on our bikes; so much so that the bicycle became the most used form of transportation in the country according to Google Maps analytics. In Buenos Aires, bike ridership increased 98 percent . This was partially due to public transportation still being restricted to only essential workers, but also because people needed to be outdoors.

Improvements to Bike Infrastructure

Another key to preserving the enthusiasm in bike travel comes back to national and local governments. While popup lanes in Buenos Aires have served to reduce road congestion and pollution, governments must enact permanent changes for lasting effects.

In Buenos Aires, the city municipality has declared the goal of having residents take one million bike rides per day by 2023. Throughout the pandemic, the city worked in tandem with the Bloomberg Initiative for Global Road Safety to expand biking infrastructure, going from 227 kilometers of bike lanes in September 2020 to 267 kilometers by January 2021. One major change has been the addition of bike lanes to major roads like Corrientes and Córdoba avenues, as opposed to only side streets, which is where the majority of them were pre-pandemic.

To encourage bike ridership, the city could keep speed limits lower for cars sharing the road with bike lanes, as well as turn painted lanes into protected lanes. How many of these changes the municipality follows through with will directly link to the rise or decline of leisure bike travel.

The Appeal of Bike Travel

And for others, the challenge and novelty of taking a long-distance leisure trip by bike will be reason enough, whether they’re new to that type of travel or they’ve enjoyed it in the past. French-Canadian Yvan Frasier had been traveling for a year and a half from Canada’s Northwest Territories to the tip of South America when the pandemic hit, and he got sidelined in Argentine Patagonia. When asked if he thinks a greater amount of the global population will continue taking long-distance bike trips post-pandemic, he’s optimistic: “I think [the pandemic] just made a lot of people realize that life is pretty fragile. I guess that’s why people want to just go out in nature and bike and have some good simple, healthy experiences.”

Frasier particularly enjoys the social and emotional components of it as well. He cites meeting new people, the ability to learn on the road, and the daily physical challenges a long bike trip entails as some of the reasons for choosing bike travel over other forms of travel. 

We don’t know exactly how or when our lives will return to the pre-2020 version of normal, but hopefully biking as a means of travel is here to stay for many people, staying top of mind when we need to go somewhere. In other words, next time you’re planning a trip—whether to the grocery store or farther to a neighboring city—ask yourself: Can I bike there?

NPD Group. "Sporting Goods, Home Fitness, and Cycling Sales Surge in the U.S., Report the NPD Group." May 7, 2020

Bicycling. "France Wants More People to Bike. So The Country is Paying Them (...Kind Of)." May 4, 2020

The Guardian. "World Cities Turn Their Streets Over To Walkers and Cyclists." April 11, 2020

Africa News. "The Covid-19 Pandemic Sees a Growing Cycling Trend in Nairobi, Kenya." February 19, 2021

World Economic Forum. "New Buenos Aires Scheme Aims for 1 Million Daily Bike Rides." January 11, 2021

City of Buenos Aires. "Boom of Bikes: The Trips and The Women Cyclists Who Circulate The New Bike Lanes of Corrientes and Cordoba Avenues are Multiplying." February 9, 2021

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Specialized Status 160 Review | An Anomaly in the Specialized Mould

The not-so-minor details.

Specialized Status 160

Specialized

https://www.specialized.com/

- Affordable fun - Robust build and subtle appearance - Promotes hooligan riding

- It's no all-rounder - Vague shifting

Tom reviews the Specialized Status 160

The Specialized Status. A spanner in the status quo of Specialized’s DNA. When we think of Specialized, a few things initially come to mind: Carbon S-Works frames, high prices and race-focused bike engineering that mirrors Formula 1. Their endeavour to create the fastest bikes is ingrained in their brand ethos (seriously, you should see the S-Works balance bike they designed for toddlers!).

travel bike status

The Status, however, fits none of these stereotypes. Here, we find an anomaly in the Specialized mould. This bike’s focus is on an overall fun factor, above the ‘out and out’ performance. Showcased by its well-priced alloy frame, spec’d carefully to suit the riding this bike craves. i.e. very much downhill-focused but not in a risk-your-life-as-fast-as-you-can manner. No, the Status is that mate with their ‘let’s have the best time possible’ mindset. However, just like a handful of party people we know, the Status does have some room-dividing personality traits (caveats and compromises) in order to deliver its niche package.

travel bike status

The aggressive geometry and mixed wheels lead you towards a great time on the way down, but not so much when it’s time to point uphill again. Even the decals on the bike come with a relaxed attitude. You won’t find the famous Specialized name plastered on the downtube like their other bikes. This time, just a subtle ‘S’ on the headtube. It’s understated, but we really like this approach.

  • 2024 Polygon Collosus N7 Review | A big-hitting enduro bike with a bonkers price tag
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Specialized Status Setup | Sag, tyres & geometry adjustments

To suit our 180 & 179cm height, we opted for the S3 size and found the recommended sizing spot on. With a reach of 462mm, you’d find most other brands slapping a medium sticker on this frame. For the between-sizes folk, we’d recommend sizing down as one of the major benefits of this bike is its agility on the trail. If you were to stretch yourself out too much, we believe you might lose some of this bike’s fun factor.

travel bike status

When setting up the bike, we experimented with 25% sag and eventually settled on 30% with the Fox Float X Performance rear shock. but set. The shock has a custom Rx Trail Tune from Specialized, which we’ve had a great experience with on the Stumpjumper and Stumpjumper EVO , so even with the plusher sag setup, we didn’t experience any harsh bottom outs, and the shock ramped up nicely as it progressed through its travel. As for the fork, we started with the recommended pressures, but added a volume spacer for little more support. This made a significant difference, particularly as this bike is drawn towards rowdier trails with its appetite for good times.

travel bike status

We appreciate the tyre choice Specialized has gone for on the Status, especially given its price point. Out of the box, you’ll find Specialized’s Butcher tyres in the stickiest rubber compound (T9, both front and rear), which makes sense for such a gravity oriented bike. With these, we were running no inserts, 22psi in the front and 27psi in the rear.

travel bike status

The Status comes with some geometry adjustment in the form of a high and low setting via a flip-chip in the lower shock mount. Making the head angle 0.5° slacker and dropping the bottom bracket height by around 10mm. For the marginal gains in descending performance, you’re also hit with some climbing negatives when in the low setting. The high setting already offers aggressive downhill geometry as well as a slightly better climbing position. We’d recommend this setting for everyday riding. The low setting would be best utilised for shuttles or bike park laps.

Specialized Status Riding Experience | It is the life of the party, not the librarian

By just looking at the Status, you’ll quickly realise it is biased towards descending. This bike has a relatively slack seat angle compared to similar bikes in this genre at 76°. We’ve started to see enduro bikes coming with seat angles pushing beyond 78°, and a steeper seat angle would provide a more comfortable and upright pedalling position on the Status. Those couple of degrees don’t sound like much, but in this case, it can make a significant difference.

travel bike status

For shorter climbs, you can negate this issue slightly by moving the saddle forward on the seatpost rails. Although, if you are planning to go out on big pedals regularly, this may not be the bike for you. The Status is also not the lightest bike, which, again, may be a literal drag when heading out for longer rides. In saying this, the Status is not aimed at someone who’d necessarily care about climbing performance, so we don’t see this as a major issue. Even though you might not be in the most efficient or comfortable climbing position, you’ll get to the top in your own time. The wide-range NX Eagle 12-speed drivetrain provides plenty of gears to help get you up even some of the steeper hills around.

There is no hiding that descending is what this bike was designed for. Engineered with a slack head angle (63.7 °, high setting) and short chainstays (426mm), the bike is pent up with a desire to shred. These two factors are definitely the stand-out features of this bike. The slack head angle brings welcomed confidence when the trail gets steep and rowdy, but on flatter terrain it can feel as if the front end is slightly un-weighted. This takes some time to adjust to and requires you to load the front wheel to keep traction, which in turn, un-weights that short rear end, allowing you to throw it around. Once you find this sweet spot, no corner is safe.

travel bike status

The short chainstays offer a snappy feel, particularly when throwing the bike into back-to-back turns — probably one of its most enjoyable character traits. However, the compact rear end also means that when you start to push in high-speed rough sections, there is a loss of stability.  Slower doesn’t have to mean less fun, just be aware that it hasn’t been designed to hug the ground like some more race-driven bikes.

The mixed wheels exaggerate all these aspects — a benefit in the steeps and corners when agility and maneuverability are your M.O. The downside is when the trail straightens up and gets rough and in flatter terrain. The bike doesn’t hold speed particularly well in these circumstances. The Status’ strength is on dedicated gravity trails, and the comfort and fun factor more than make up for these shortcomings.

travel bike status

We often hear enduro bikes being described as a ‘Downhiller’s trail bike.’ In a similar light, this could be referred to as a ‘BMXer’s trail bike.’ The Status loves to get airborne. The short chainstays give it a similar feel to when you crack a big bunny hop on a BMX, and provide a fast and responsive pop, which also helps when boosting off jumps. When hitting jumps with steeper lips, more traditional enduro bikes can feel unbalanced, sluggish and even a bit too long. This is where that compact rear end shines and pitted against a steep lip, it makes the take-off predictable and responsive.

Ride this bike, and the burning desire to book a trip to Whistler will become further exaggerated! Dirt Merchant laps, please and thank you.

Specialized Status Spec | Bang for buck as a priority

travel bike status

For $4,750 AUD, the Status represents solid value for money, but there are inevitably some compromises. The hefty SRAM Code R brakes provide plenty of stopping power. There’s aggressive and grippy tyres that won’t be spraying sealant after the first sharp rock. A Fox Float X with a custom tune for burlier riding. A Fox 36 fitted with the well-respected Grip damper. All great options for the intended rider and the terrain they’ll most likely ride.

The fork and shock are both easy to set up and unlikely to bamboozle anybody with complexity. Both sit in the middle of Fox’s line up and you’ll find less adjustability on this suspension compared to the higher-end options. This can be a blessing in disguise, as more adjustability usually means more time dialling it in. Both the fork and the shock on this bike have just one rebound and compression adjustment dial. This is ideal for the target rider of the Status as it means less time tinkering and more time shredding.

  • Flow’s guide for setting up your Fox fork | Suspension Tuning Tips Pt.1
  • Flow’s guide for setting up your Fox shock | Suspension Tuning Tips Pt.2

travel bike status

It would be nice to see the bike come with a burlier, more gravity-orientated fork, like a Fox 38 or a RockShox Zeb. The Fox 36 is more than capable, but knowing the crowd this bike has been designed for, it’d be great to see a fork that can really sustain heftier abuse.

The compromises begin to show themselves when you look to the drivetrain. We’ve had hit-and-miss experiences with SRAM’s NX level parts. It’s not the most robust, especially the derailleur. It’s a good starting point, but we’d recommend riding it until it wears or breaks and then upgrading to even just one step above. There, you’ll be stepping into the GX range of components, which we’ve found to perform more consistently. On the Status, Speicalized has prioritized big burly brakes over precision shifting, which on this bike is a compromise we can get behind.

travel bike status

Another component we’d potentially look to swap out is the dropper post. The X-Fusion Manic has a nice feel to it but could do with a little more drop. The bike comes with a 170mm post, which is right on the limit for a bike of this nature. Having the extra drop would be nice on a bike like this as it enthusiastically encourages you to ‘swing off the back’ and you don’t want anything getting in the way of the good time the smaller rear wheel promotes.

Flow’s Verdict | Engage hooligan mode, and let it fly

The Status initially entered the Specialized lineup in 2012 as an alternative to their race-focused Demo downhill bike. Its current iteration has kept the alternative approach but moved into the enduro genre of the lineup.

travel bike status

There are a lot of things we like about the Status: the price is reasonable, and the spec biased towards descending is logical and sensible for this type of bike. The Status provides a great base to build upon, with a build that shouldn’t cause too many headaches straight out of the box. We also love that it is a dedicated mixed-wheeled bike, and there is no option to run a 29er wheel front and rear. This means the mullet wasn’t an afterthought, and they have fully committed the geometry to this configuration.

The somewhat quirky geometry favours someone who likes to hit jumps and slap turns. I’m thinking BMX’er/ Dirt Jumper, who is full squish curious. Someone who is looking to session the best sections of a trail and not necessarily take it out on long epic rides. It is definitely a point of difference as Specialized already has two bikes with similar amounts of travel that would be considered as more ‘all-rounders’. That being the Enduro and the Stumpjumper. If you’re looking for a more traditional modern-day, these will probably be a better option.

travel bike status

Some other mixed-wheeled bikes we’ve recently ridden are the Transition Patrol and the Commencal Meta SX. If you include the Status in this group, it’d be the most lively of the three. The Meta SX is the most planted and race-orientated, where the Patrol would squeeze somewhere in the middle in terms of ride characteristics.

The Status has somewhat slipped under the radar over the last few years, but after spending some time on it, we feel it promotes an awesome attitude to riding. A ‘fun-duro’ bike, if you will, just cause the industry needs another nicknamed bike category!

travel bike status

ABOUT THE REVIEWER - Tom Wilson

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The tyre-rolling cornering type

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Banked turns are more fun

Status MTB – First Rides on the elusive Specialized Mullet

travel bike status

What the heck is the Status? Details on this elusive alloy FSR bike have been scarce, with our first glimpses being limited to social media. Was it a new alloy iteration of the Stumpjumper EVO?

But then the 2021 Stumpjumper EVO was announced, and it was clear the Status was something different. When additional detail arrived, they were limited to only European MTB media outlets, as the bike was never officially released in the US. However, they were here — riders on social media were posting photos of their new bikes; they began showing up on YouTube.. and what we heard made us stoked. The Status was designed to be an inexpensive no-compromise machine targeted to up and upcoming rippers. But the part we wanted to know more about was the return to short chainstays and a reasonable bottom bracket height paired with a longer, modern front center and aggressive go-fast geometry.

Features of the Status MTB

  • Limited edition reverse mullet design features 27.5″ rear wheel paired with 29″ front
  • Available as a complete or frame only
  • One build kit available
  • Complete bike price: $2,900
  • Frame only price: $1,600
  • Two travel models to choose from: 140mm and 160mm

travel bike status

Combining DNA from the freestyle BMX realm (ie durability and short chainstays) to a modern front center with a wide range of reach options, a slack head angle, and climb-friendly 76º seat tube angle, the Status is aimed at riders coming into mountain biking from a freestyle biking or motorcycling background. The build features durable components, suspension, and chassis that can handle the rigors of freeriding (yes we still use that word) while coming in at a price point competitive with direct-to-consumer brands.

There are still advocates for jibby, grown-up BMX influenced geometry at Specialized, and it’s clear the wrecking crew in Morgan Hill have had good experiences with mixed wheel sizes as they designed the Status as a mullet, utilizing a 27.5″ rear wheel paired with a 29″ front.

travel bike status

Whereas the new EVO is a modern all-mountain trail bike with loads of adjustability, it was only available in carbon, with geometry similar to 29″ models from Norco and Transition. Focusing on high-level performance, the new EVO blurs the lines between all-mountain and enduro. These bikes are designed to perform, and in the MTB world, performance is quantified by racing and speed.

travel bike status

However, high-end performance will cost you, and the Enduro, the new EVO was only released in a carbon fiber iteration that comes with a penalty at the register. The base model EVO will set you back $4,300. (note, Specialized has since raised the cost of the EVO comp to $5,100, a significant price hike) In comparison, the Status is much more accessible with a retail price of $2,600 (for a complete bike) which won’t even get you into a carbon EVO frame. Of course, being in a pandemic, the limited run of the Status combined with pandemic inflation resulted in our actual cost of the bike being several hundred more, with the dealer adding a “build surcharge”.

Specialized has raised their pricing across the board on all their bikes, making the retail price of the Status (assuming you can actually find one) to over $3200 at last check.

travel bike status

Status MTB Geometry — (140, S3)

  • Head tube angle (low/high): 63.2º / 63.7º
  • Seat tube angle: 76º
  • Reach: 462mm (S3/ ridden here by 5’10” rider)
  • Wheelbase: 1233mm
  • Chainstay length: 426mm (!)
  • BB height: 338 / 347mm
  • BB drop: 17.5 / 8.5
  • Fork rake/offset: 44mm
  • Stack: 623mm

travel bike status

2021 Specialized Status MTB 140: Specs

Fork : FOX 36 Rhythm  140 mm (44mm offset) Shock : FOX DPX2 Performance  140 mm Brakes : SRAM Code R  200 mm Drivetrain  SRAM NX Eagle Seatpost : X-Fusion Manic, S1-S2:  150 mm  S3-S5:  170 mm Stem : Specialized Alloy Trail  35 mm Bars : Specialized Alloy  800 mm Wheels:  Royal Traverse  29/27.5″ Tires : Specialized Butcher GRID TRAIL  2.3″

Specialized wasn’t sure what the reception to the bike might be — it’s a known fact that bike sales reflect 29″ wheels being the dominant mover at the cash register. To test the waters, the Status was released into a limited number of core shops in the US. In fact, they didn’t even do a product launch in the US, taking an alternative grassroots marketing approach and seeding the bikes to high-level riders coming from the BMX realm.

With limited quantities, these bikes are almost unheard of- made even more challenging as finding new bikes in the middle of the pandemic can be a hair-pulling experience.

travel bike status

First Impressions of the Status

You get a lot of bang for the buck for $2,900. Unfortunately, the SRAM NX group, while inexpensive and durable, is not light. Having spent most of my time on a wide range of carbon bikes, it was hard to ignore the heft when picking up the bike. Putting the bike on the scale to verify, it was a bit disappointing to find it weighed 36.11 lbs with Shimano Saint (platform) pedals. Admittedly, Saint pedals are burly, and best suited for shuttle riding or lift-assisted parks, so I weighed it again without pedals to get a baseline weight of 34.88 lbs.

For the last few months, I’ve been riding the 2020 Stumpjumper EVO in the alloy, 27.5″ iteration, so I pulled its pedals and weighed it for comparison – my alloy EVO (with the Bermstyle Shimano build) came in considerably lighter at 31.24 lbs.

travel bike status

Putting the Status on a Diet

As I acquired this bike the old-fashioned way (this bike was never officially released in the USA) I’m not interested in testing the NX components. I’m excited about the frame and geometry.

Typically for our tests, we will often acquire a frameset and source components direct from the manufacturers for the build, but with parts being scarce as they are, we simply bought a complete bike to save time finding a reduced offset fork.

The first item of business was to upgrade the Status to the Bermstyle build kit, which we run on all of our bikes:

  • Shimano XT 11-speed drivetrain
  • Shimano XT 4-piston brakes
  • SDG Components Bel-Air saddle
  • SDG Components Tellis Dropper Post

The goal: add performance, drop some heft and make the Status my own. Unfortunately, even with a lighter Spank 350 rear wheel and an XT cassette plus all the lighter parts, the bike still came in a bit over 34lbs with pedals.

As the Status initially weighed in at over 36 lbs with pedals, two pounds of heft dropped isn’t shabby. Removing the tubes and setting the tires up tubeless helped a bit, though, adding a Cushcore XC to the rear effectively canceled out the tube. The rear wheel currently has a Magic Mary rear tire mounted at the moment as well, which rolls slow and doesn’t help.

travel bike status

Riding the Mullet

I have been on a few big trail rides on mullets; I even set up the Stumpjumper EVO with a 29″ front end to see what “too slack” might feel like. While that bike wasn’t the ideal platform to try the mixed wheels, other models felt much improved by mixing up the wheel sizes.

For some reason, mullets tend to be very polarizing with a lot of riders. (most on this in a separate post, in progress now) I’ve already engaged in several online debates, which I personally find a bit humorous as every point made is race-focused and performance-based, without referencing rider experience.

The most opinionated often also have the least amount of actual experience on the trail riding mullet bikes. I’ll just put this out there now — I don’t find mullets to be faster than a full 29″ set up on the majority of trails. Are they the ideal mix of both worlds?

The Status doesn’t care. In fact, it also throws out the idea that the longer rear center is desirable for race performance. This bike isn’t meant for racing. Instead, it speed and stability for a short chainstay, a slammed rear wheel that makes the Status ridiculously fun to jib, and the most easily manual-able dual suspension bike I’ve ridden.. since the Specialized SX I owned several years ago. The difference is the Status can be ridden in the mountains and more importantly, up them.

The Status isn’t an enduro bike, and it doesn’t pretend to be one. It won’t provide more performance for trail riding. Unless your favorite local trails look like this:

travel bike status

Admittedly the 160mm Status would be better suited for the scale of features on trails like Dirt Merchant, but the scale of the jumps locally are no where as big, making the 140mm version better suited.

I do find them to be a lot of fun for much of the riding I like to do, which ranges from jump trails to steep double black lines.

travel bike status

Swinging a leg over the Status, the mullet configuration feels and rides noticeably different from the full 27.5″ setup; I definitely felt the front axle as higher than the rear. It felt fairly natural, but it was an intriguing sensation; the cockpit and riding position felt very similar to my 29″ bike (Transition Sentinel) while pedaling on the flat, but it was much easier to get the front end off the ground. And pedal wheelies were a cinch.

The best way to break in a new ride is to send it off some jumps right? So I headed straight to the jump line at the local bike park to see how the bike would perform on the downhill jump trail.

travel bike status

Right off the bat, I knew I made the right choice with the 140mm edition – it provided the riding experience I was hoping for. The front end felt planted at speed, but the bike didn’t feel bulky in any way. I did need to immediately stop and add additional air pressure to the tires – low pressure may be great for trail riding, but feeling the tires fold while railing a hardpacked berm was scary.

It wanted to take to the air, and felt light but stable while flying. The short chainstays feel super good off the lips, and the bike felt both lively while still confidence-inspiring.

travel bike status

On the Trails

The first real day on the trails took place at Syncline in Bingen, Washington. The trails here are littered with rocks, with some challenging chunk-filled sections, and the single track is often narrow and twisting, with the occasional off-camber.

While the climbs got done, on the second and third lap, the weight was very noticeable. The climbing position felt very similar to the EVO 27.5 and my Transition Sentinel, and you’re well positioned on the bike. I would have liked a slightly steeper seat angle, but 76º is still in the range of modern geometry. Sliding the saddle forward on the rails slightly and setting the bottom bracket to the high position put me where I wanted to be. While I felt I could drop the height of the bars slightly, it feels spot-on during the descents.

travel bike status

The descents… well, I was very impressed with how fun the bike was pointed downwards. The 29″ front wheel adds a lot of the “smashy-smashy” feel you get from a 29″ bike, and I was really enjoying the shorter rear center on the tight stuff. I must be in the sweet spot for height, as I was super stoked on the mullet setup, and while a full 29″ bike is faster, on the narrow trail with the tight and quick turns, I was nailing my little cutty lines all over; more importantly, I was having a ball. The additional heft of the bike did actually aid things here, and it was felt planted and tracked well.

Mixing wheel sizes offers an intriguing mix of maneuverability with that planted front end of a 29er. While it felt crappy on the EVO while climbing, it was like an ‘easy button’ when I was descending steep technical black lines. In comparison, the Status feels well balanced.

< added notation : frame size here is an S3 with the 462mm reach. Rider is 5’10” and prefers reaches ranging from 460-480 depending on wheelsize and use case.> To be continued …

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ENDURO Mountainbike Magazine

Specialized Status 160 Base 2021 – The shortest review ever!

travel bike status

You just can’t go wrong with this bike. The new Specialized Status is an incredibly attractive offer for anyone looking for a bike to have maximum fun on the trails and bike parks around the world. We were the only magazine in the world to get to review it and we’re convinced.

Usually, our reviews always have a fixed structure, we present the bike, discuss its new technological highlights and philosophise about the geometry. This is followed up by our ride review and conclusion. If you find that all a bit tedious, we’ve decided to trim it down this time and write the shortest review ever. We’ve simply taken the WhatsApp chat history from our editor-in-chief Christoph and chief of testing Felix shortly after Christoph took the new Specialized Status for the first ride. Check it out!

travel bike status

Admittedly, you now know that Specialized seem to have done everything right with the new Status, but you’ll probably have a few more questions that we haven’t answered. To answer them, you’ll find our regular review below.

travel bike status

The Specialized Status in a nutshell

The Specialized Status isn’t entirely new. We’ve seen the bike crop up in the past. At the time, the bike was meant to be a more affordable alternative to the Demo downhill bike. The new Status should appeal to riders looking for a lot of performance at a fair price. It was designed for trail and bike park use, relying on a mix of a 29er up front and a small 27.5″ wheel on the rear, it offers 160 mm travel and sensibly chosen but affordable componentry. The frame is made of aluminium with enough room in the front triangle for a water bottle and it features a flip-chip in the shock mount. The Status is available in just one complete build for € 2,999, merely giving you a choice of five sizes.

travel bike status

The Status is back! A bike for everyone looking for maximum fun without any of the frills!

travel bike status

The geometry of the 2021 Specialized Status 160 Base

Specialized have long since abandoned classic frame size conventions and, thanks to short seat tubes, allow their customers to choose a bike based on its length instead of its height. This is brilliant because you can either choose a shorter, more agile and playful bike or a longer, more composed handling bike. This concept has also been carried over to the Status. On the longest, S5 version, the seat tube is just 465 mm long, 440 mm on the S4 and only 420 mm on the S3. S2 and S1 both have a 400 mm seat tube. The head angle is very slack across the board, sitting at 63.7° in the steep or 63.2° in the slack setting. The 76° seat tube angle is average. The reach on the S4 is a whopping 487 mm, shrinking to 462 mm on the S3. The chainstays are kept super short at 426 mm, made possible by the 27.5″ rear wheel.

travel bike status

The geometry at a glance:

No bullshit, no bling-bling: the componentry of the new status 160.

There is only one complete build of the new Specialized Status 160 available. It’s called the Base model and has everything a trail or enduro rider could wish for. Solid FOX suspension, powerful SRAM CODE R brakes and a big range NX Eagle 12-speed drivetrain. Of course, Specialized make use of a lot of their in-house components such as the handlebar, stem, saddle and tires. These all perform well and give almost no room for criticism. Depending on where and how you ride, you might want to fit more durable tires. Sizes S3–S5 come fitted with a generous 170 mm X-Fusion Manic dropper post. The price of € 2,999 for this package is absolutely fair and even gives some direct to consumer brands a run for their money.

travel bike status

The spec at a glance:

Fork FOX 36 Rhythm 160 mm Shock FOX DPX2 Performance 160 mm Brakes SRAM Code R 200 mm Drivetrain SRAM NX Eagle Seatpost X-Fusion Manic, S1-S2: 150 mm S3-S5: 170 mm Stem Specialized Alloy Trail 35 mm Bars Specialized Alloy 800 mm Wheelset Royal Traverse 29/27.5″ Tires Specialized Butcher GRID TRAIL 2.3″ Weight 15,60 kg Price € 2,999

Like something between a wild bull and a rabbit on cocaine – The Status 160 on the trail

The Specialized Status is a bike that was designed for maximum fun on the descents and not to climb as lightly and efficiently as possible. You’ll easily be able to climb with this bike, but that isn’t its greatest strength. It is worth locking out the shock with the help of the climb switch to stop the rear end from bobbing as you pedal. We also recommend pushing the saddle forward to sit as centrally on the bike as possible. With that done, the Status 160 is guaranteed to get you to the top of every trailhead, but not in record time. If there is a lift nearby, it won’t hurt to use it – though we’d always make use of the lift anyway.

travel bike status

Party-Laps! The Status is guaranteed to be fun in the park!

It is the descents that we live for and which the Specialized Status 160 was made for. With a rider measuring 180 cm tall, the S4 Status feels like a big bike, and it is. The 487 mm reach is significant and if you like your bike more playful, you might prefer the S3 version. However, the Status is anything but cumbersome. The bike’s handling feels super lively and fun from the get-go. The rear end feels plush when you first swing your leg over it, but it doesn’t stick to the ground as much as the Enduro. Instead, it provides the rider with a lot of feedback and you always know what is happening on the trail beneath you, allowing you to pop off every obstacle you encounter.

travel bike status

No bullshit, no problem – the Status simply delivers!

travel bike status

Due to the short rear end and small rear wheel, the Status changes direction very quickly and with minimal input from the rider. You can weave from side to side like a hare being chased across a meadow. This high degree of agility is a lot of fun, but it requires an engaged riding style in steep and rough terrain. Because as easily as the Status responds to rider input, it also needs input to be kept on the ideal line. With this character, the bike always motivates you to play with the terrain, spontaneously to take the highline or cut into a berm at full tilt. If you’re a racer always looking to hit the fastest and most direct line, you won’t find a suitable bike here.

travel bike status

If the Specialized Status could speak, it’d be the kind of bike to call out “YOLO!!!”. It’s designed for maximum fun, with fast, direct and wild handling! If you like having everything under control and are chasing seconds, it’s not the bike for you. For everyone else, it’s an excellent companion that constantly motivates you to play with the trail and try out crazy new lines.

travel bike status

  • super agile and fun to ride
  • good spec at a fair price
  • a real berm slayer

travel bike status

  • climbing is only a means to an end
  • tires aren't always up to the task
  • paint chipped off the chainstay

More information can be found at statusmtb.bike

travel bike status

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Spotted: Is This a New Specialized Status?

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Cool Features

travel bike status

Based on frame geometry and build specs.

A bike with lower gearing will be easier to ride up steep hills, while a higher top end means it will pedal faster down hills.

(descending)

Based on build material and quality level of the frame, fork, wheelset, groupset, suspension system, and more.

Passing Thru Travel

Passing Thru Travel

Exploring 10 Cities Around the World by Bike – Pedal-Powered Discoveries 2024

Posted: February 25, 2024 | Last updated: February 25, 2024

<p><strong>Sustainable city cycling tours offer an eco-friendly and intimate way to explore urban landscapes. These tours allow you to navigate through the heart of cities, often uncovering hidden gems that are not accessible by car or bus. From the bustling streets of Amsterdam to the historic lanes of Kyoto, cycling tours provide a unique perspective on city life, culture, and architecture. This guide takes you on a two-wheeled journey through some of the best cities in the world to explore by bike, each offering a distinct and memorable experience.</strong></p>

Sustainable city cycling tours offer an eco-friendly and intimate way to explore urban landscapes. These tours allow you to navigate through the heart of cities, often uncovering hidden gems that are not accessible by car or bus. From the bustling streets of Amsterdam to the historic lanes of Kyoto, cycling tours provide a unique perspective on city life, culture, and architecture. This guide takes you on a two-wheeled journey through some of the best cities in the world to explore by bike, each offering a distinct and memorable experience.

<p><span>The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam is a must-visit for lovers of Dutch art. Famous for Rembrandt’s ‘The Night Watch,’ the museum showcases an extensive collection of Dutch Golden Age paintings. The museum’s layout guides you through rooms dedicated to different periods, giving you a comprehensive overview of Dutch art history. The Rijksmuseum’s recent renovation blends historical and modern elements, offering a fresh and engaging way to experience art.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Don’t miss the Gallery of Honour, showcasing the best of Dutch Golden Age painting. </span></p> <p><b>When To Travel: </b><span>Visit in the shoulder seasons of spring and fall. </span></p> <p><b>How To Get There: </b><span>Easily reachable by tram or a short walk from Amsterdam’s city center.</span></p>

1. Amsterdam, Netherlands

In Amsterdam, cycling is more than a mode of transport; it’s a way of life. The city’s flat terrain, dedicated bike lanes, and respectful traffic culture make it ideal for exploring on two wheels. A bike tour here lets you experience the city like a local, weaving through historic canals, past iconic windmills, and through vibrant neighborhoods like the Jordaan. You’ll discover hidden courtyards and bustling marketplaces and perhaps pause for a coffee at a canal-side café. Cycling in Amsterdam offers a blend of leisure and exploration, allowing you to cover more ground than walking while enjoying the city’s sights up close.

Insider’s Tip: Explore the Jordaan neighborhood to glimpse local Amsterdam life away from the tourist crowds.

When To Travel: Late spring to early fall offers pleasant weather for cycling.

How To Get There: Fly into Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. The city center is easily accessible by train, and bike rentals are widely available.

<p><span>Copenhagen’s reputation as a bike-friendly city is well-earned. Its extensive network of bike lanes and the Danish culture of cycling make it a joy to explore on two wheels. A bike tour in Copenhagen might include the historic Nyhavn harbor, the whimsical Tivoli Gardens, and the modern architecture of the Ørestad district. Riding through Copenhagen, you’ll experience the city’s commitment to sustainability and quality of life. The tour is not just about seeing the sights; it’s about feeling the city’s pulse and understanding why Copenhagen is often ranked as one of the happiest cities in the world.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Ride through the Assistens Cemetery, a peaceful and beautiful park where famous Danes like Hans Christian Andersen are buried.</span></p> <p><b>When To Travel: </b><span>May to September for the best cycling weather.</span></p> <p><b>How To Get There: </b><span>Copenhagen Airport is well-connected internationally, with easy public transport access to the city center.</span></p>

2. Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen’s reputation as a bike-friendly city is well-earned. Its extensive network of bike lanes and the Danish culture of cycling make it a joy to explore on two wheels. A bike tour in Copenhagen might include the historic Nyhavn harbor, the whimsical Tivoli Gardens, and the modern architecture of the Ørestad district. Riding through Copenhagen, you’ll experience the city’s commitment to sustainability and quality of life. The tour is not just about seeing the sights; it’s about feeling the city’s pulse and understanding why Copenhagen is often ranked as one of the happiest cities in the world.

Insider’s Tip: Ride through the Assistens Cemetery, a peaceful and beautiful park where famous Danes like Hans Christian Andersen are buried.

When To Travel: May to September for the best cycling weather.

How To Get There: Copenhagen Airport is well-connected internationally, with easy public transport access to the city center.

<p><span>Thanks to its vibrant startup scene, cultural diversity, and excellent infrastructure, Berlin is a magnet for digital nomads. As a hub of innovation and entrepreneurship, Berlin offers an inspiring environment for creative minds and tech enthusiasts. The city’s cultural diversity enriches your experience, providing a broad spectrum of perspectives and ideas. Its infrastructure is well-suited for remote work, with reliable public transportation and a plethora of co-working spaces.</span></p> <p><span>Berlin’s rich history and dynamic arts scene adds another layer of appeal, allowing you to immerse yourself in a city that seamlessly blends its past with a forward-thinking ethos. Whether you’re networking in trendy cafés, collaborating in modern workspaces, or exploring the city’s many historical and cultural attractions, Berlin provides a stimulating backdrop for your professional and personal growth.</span></p> <p><b>Visa Requirements: </b><span>Germany offers a range of visas, including the freelancer visa for non-EU citizens.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Explore co-working spaces in Kreuzberg and Neukölln.</span></p> <p><b>Getting There: </b><span>Berlin Brandenburg Airport is the main international gateway.</span></p>

3. Berlin, Germany

Berlin’s rich history and vibrant culture make it a fascinating city to explore by bike. The city’s flat landscape and comprehensive network of bike paths allow for easy and safe navigation. A cycling tour in Berlin can take you through the remnants of the Berlin Wall, the lush expanses of the Tiergarten, and the bustling squares of Alexanderplatz and Potsdamer Platz.

Along the way, you’ll encounter street art, historic landmarks, and the eclectic mix of modern and traditional architecture that defines Berlin. Cycling here offers a unique perspective on the city’s past and present, connecting you with its stories and spirit.

Insider’s Tip: Visit the Tempelhofer Feld, a former airport turned public park, for a unique cycling experience.

When To Travel: Spring and fall offer cooler temperatures and fewer tourists.

How To Get There: Two airports serve Berlin, with excellent public transportation links to the city center.

<p><span>Kyoto, with its ancient temples, traditional tea houses, and tranquil gardens, is a city steeped in history. Exploring Kyoto by bike allows you to move at your own pace, visit famous sites like the Fushimi Inari Shrine and Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion), and discover hidden alleys and local neighborhoods. Cycling in Kyoto is a journey through time, where modern streets give way to historic districts, and each turn brings a new discovery. The city’s respect for tradition and nature makes it a uniquely serene urban cycling experience.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Take a detour to the Philosopher’s Path, especially beautiful during cherry blossom season.</span></p> <p><b>When To Travel: </b><span>Spring for cherry blossoms and fall for colorful foliage.</span></p> <p><b>How To Get There: </b><span>Fly into Kansai International Airport and take a train or bus to Kyoto. Bike rentals are readily available throughout the city.</span></p>

4. Kyoto, Japan

Kyoto, with its ancient temples, traditional tea houses, and tranquil gardens, is a city steeped in history. Exploring Kyoto by bike allows you to move at your own pace, visit famous sites like the Fushimi Inari Shrine and Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion), and discover hidden alleys and local neighborhoods. Cycling in Kyoto is a journey through time, where modern streets give way to historic districts, and each turn brings a new discovery. The city’s respect for tradition and nature makes it a uniquely serene urban cycling experience.

Insider’s Tip: Take a detour to the Philosopher’s Path, especially beautiful during cherry blossom season.

When To Travel: Spring for cherry blossoms and fall for colorful foliage.

How To Get There: Fly into Kansai International Airport and take a train or bus to Kyoto. Bike rentals are readily available throughout the city.

<p><span>Barcelona is a city celebrated for its stunning architecture, from the whimsical works of Gaudí to the Gothic Quarter’s medieval charm. As a digital nomad, the city’s pleasant Mediterranean climate provides an ideal backdrop for work and leisure, allowing for an enjoyable outdoor lifestyle throughout the year. </span><span>Barcelona also has dynamic co-working spaces, fostering a creative and collaborative environment for professionals from various sectors. </span><span>These spaces often host community events and workshops, providing opportunities for networking and skill development.</span></p> <p><span>Additionally, the city’s blend of cultural richness, from its world-class museums to vibrant street life, ensures there’s always something new to explore and draw inspiration from. </span><span>In Barcelona, a favorable climate, innovative workspaces, and a deep cultural heritage create an enriching and balanced experience for remote work and living.</span></p> <p><b>Visa Requirements: </b><span>Spain has a non-lucrative visa suitable for digital nomads.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Explore the city’s diverse neighborhoods, each with its unique vibe.</span></p> <p><b>Getting There: </b><span>Barcelona-El Prat Airport serves many international flights.</span></p>

5. Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona’s diverse landscape, from Gothic architecture in the old city to modernist landmarks and Mediterranean beaches, makes it an exhilarating city to explore by bike. A cycling tour here can take you through the winding streets of the Gothic Quarter, along the vibrant Las Ramblas, and to the famous Sagrada Familia. You’ll experience the city’s artistic flair and lively atmosphere firsthand. Cycling in Barcelona is not just about sightseeing; it’s about immersing yourself in the city’s dynamic culture and enjoying the Mediterranean lifestyle.

Insider’s Tip: Cycle up to Montjuic for panoramic views of the city and the sea.

When To Travel: Late spring and early fall for mild weather and fewer crowds.

How To Get There: Barcelona-El Prat Airport is the main gateway, with easy transport options to the city center.

<p><span>Portland’s reputation as one of America’s most bike-friendly cities is evident in its extensive bike lanes and trails network. A bike tour in Portland can include the vibrant downtown area, the serene Waterfront Park, and the quirky neighborhoods that give the city its unique character. With stops at local markets, artisan coffee shops, and craft breweries, you’ll discover Portland’s commitment to sustainability and community. Cycling in Portland is an opportunity to experience the city’s green ethos and creative spirit up close.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Check out the Eastbank Esplanade for a scenic ride along the river.</span></p> <p><b>When To Travel: </b><span>Summer for the best weather and numerous cycling events.</span></p> <p><b>How To Get There: </b><span>Fly into Portland International Airport. The city center is easily accessible by public transport, and bike rentals are available throughout Portland.</span></p>

6. Portland, Oregon, USA

Portland’s reputation as one of America’s most bike-friendly cities is evident in its extensive bike lanes and trails network. A bike tour in Portland can include the vibrant downtown area, the serene Waterfront Park, and the quirky neighborhoods that give the city its unique character. With stops at local markets, artisan coffee shops, and craft breweries, you’ll discover Portland’s commitment to sustainability and community. Cycling in Portland is an opportunity to experience the city’s green ethos and creative spirit up close.

Insider’s Tip: Check out the Eastbank Esplanade for a scenic ride along the river.

When To Travel: Summer for the best weather and numerous cycling events.

How To Get There: Fly into Portland International Airport. The city center is easily accessible by public transport, and bike rentals are available throughout Portland.

<p><span>Montreal combines the charm of a French village with the energy of a cosmopolitan city, and exploring it by bike allows you to experience this blend firsthand. A cycling tour in Montreal might include the historic streets of Old Montreal, the bustling Atwater Market, and the scenic Lachine Canal. The city’s bike paths, like the Route Verte, make navigating easy and safe. Cycling in Montreal offers a unique way to experience the city’s diverse neighborhoods, rich history, and vibrant culinary scene.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Ride to the top of Mount Royal for a stunning view of the city.</span></p> <p><b>When To Travel: </b><span>Late spring to early fall for the best cycling conditions.</span></p> <p><b>How To Get There: </b><span>Montreal-Trudeau Airport is the main entry point, with good public transportation options to the city.</span></p>

7. Montreal, Canada

Montreal combines the charm of a French village with the energy of a cosmopolitan city, and exploring it by bike allows you to experience this blend firsthand. A cycling tour in Montreal might include the historic streets of Old Montreal, the bustling Atwater Market, and the scenic Lachine Canal. The city’s bike paths, like the Route Verte, make navigating easy and safe. Cycling in Montreal offers a unique way to experience the city’s diverse neighborhoods, rich history, and vibrant culinary scene.

Insider’s Tip: Ride to the top of Mount Royal for a stunning view of the city.

When To Travel: Late spring to early fall for the best cycling conditions.

How To Get There: Montreal-Trudeau Airport is the main entry point, with good public transportation options to the city.

<p><span>San Francisco’s iconic landmarks and diverse neighborhoods make it a fascinating city to explore by bike. Despite its famous hills, there are plenty of flat and scenic routes, especially along the waterfront and the city’s many parks. A bike tour in San Francisco might include the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf, and the Painted Ladies of Alamo Square. Cycling here allows you to experience the city’s unique blend of natural beauty, urban culture, and innovative spirit.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Cycle across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito and take the ferry back for a unique experience.</span></p> <p><b>When To Travel: </b><span>Late spring and early fall </span><span>offer the most comfortable weather for cycling.</span></p> <p><b>How To Get There: </b><span>Fly into San Francisco International Airport. The city is well-connected by public transport, and bike rentals are widely available.</span></p>

8. San Francisco, California, USA

San Francisco’s iconic landmarks and diverse neighborhoods make it a fascinating city to explore by bike. Despite its famous hills, there are plenty of flat and scenic routes, especially along the waterfront and the city’s many parks. A bike tour in San Francisco might include the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf, and the Painted Ladies of Alamo Square. Cycling here allows you to experience the city’s unique blend of natural beauty, urban culture, and innovative spirit.

Insider’s Tip: Cycle across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito and take the ferry back for a unique experience.

When To Travel: Late spring and early fall offer the most comfortable weather for cycling.

How To Get There: Fly into San Francisco International Airport. The city is well-connected by public transport, and bike rentals are widely available.

<p><span>Vienna’s grand imperial history and vibrant contemporary culture are best experienced on a bike. The city’s extensive network of bike paths takes you past historic palaces, through charming neighborhoods, and along the blue Danube. A bike tour in Vienna might include the Hofburg Palace, the Prater amusement park, and the trendy districts of Neubau and Mariahilf. Cycling in Vienna is a journey through a city that seamlessly blends its past with the present.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Take a leisurely ride in the Prater, a large public park with a long, tree-lined main avenue perfect for cycling.</span></p> <p><b>When To Travel: </b><span>Spring and early fall offer pleasant weather and fewer tourists.</span></p> <p><b>How To Get There: </b><span>Vienna International Airport is the main gateway, with excellent public transportation links to the city center.</span></p>

9. Vienna, Austria

Vienna’s grand imperial history and vibrant contemporary culture are best experienced on a bike. The city’s extensive network of bike paths takes you past historic palaces, through charming neighborhoods, and along the blue Danube. A bike tour in Vienna might include the Hofburg Palace, the Prater amusement park, and the trendy districts of Neubau and Mariahilf. Cycling in Vienna is a journey through a city that seamlessly blends its past with the present.

Insider’s Tip: Take a leisurely ride in the Prater, a large public park with a long, tree-lined main avenue perfect for cycling.

When To Travel: Spring and early fall offer pleasant weather and fewer tourists.

How To Get There: Vienna International Airport is the main gateway, with excellent public transportation links to the city center.

<p><span>Melbourne’s eclectic mix of art, culture, and cuisine makes it an exciting city to discover by bike. A cycling tour here can include the artsy laneways, beautiful parks like the Royal Botanic Gardens, and the vibrant beachside suburb of St Kilda. Melbourne’s flat terrain and well-developed bike paths make it easy to navigate, and you’ll quickly discover why it’s often ranked as one of the world’s most livable cities.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Explore the Yarra River trail for scenic views and a peaceful ride away from the city bustle.</span></p> <p><b>When To Travel: </b><span>Fall (March to May) and spring (September to November) offer the best weather for cycling.</span></p> <p><b>How To Get There: </b><span>Fly into Melbourne Airport. The city has a comprehensive public transport system, and bike hire is readily available.</span></p>

10. Melbourne, Australia

Melbourne’s eclectic mix of art, culture, and cuisine makes it an exciting city to discover by bike. A cycling tour here can include the artsy laneways, beautiful parks like the Royal Botanic Gardens, and the vibrant beachside suburb of St Kilda. Melbourne’s flat terrain and well-developed bike paths make it easy to navigate, and you’ll quickly discover why it’s often ranked as one of the world’s most livable cities.

Insider’s Tip: Explore the Yarra River trail for scenic views and a peaceful ride away from the city bustle.

When To Travel: Fall (March to May) and spring (September to November) offer the best weather for cycling.

How To Get There: Fly into Melbourne Airport. The city has a comprehensive public transport system, and bike hire is readily available.

<p><span>Exploring cities by bike offers a unique perspective on urban landscapes and promotes a sustainable and healthy way of traveling. Each city on this list offers its own unique charm and attractions, best experienced at the leisurely pace of a bike ride. Remember, cycling tours are not just about physical activity; they’re about connecting with the city, its people, and its culture in an intimate and eco-friendly way. So, grab your helmet, hop on a bike, and start pedaling your way through some of the world’s most bike-friendly cities.</span></p> <p><span>More Articles Like This…</span></p> <p><a href="https://thegreenvoyage.com/barcelona-discover-the-top-10-beach-clubs/"><span>Barcelona: Discover the Top 10 Beach Clubs</span></a></p> <p><a href="https://thegreenvoyage.com/top-destination-cities-to-visit/"><span>2024 Global City Travel Guide – Your Passport to the World’s Top Destination Cities</span></a></p> <p><a href="https://thegreenvoyage.com/exploring-khao-yai-a-hidden-gem-of-thailand/"><span>Exploring Khao Yai 2024 – A Hidden Gem of Thailand</span></a></p> <p><span>The post <a href="https://passingthru.com/exploring-cities-around-the-world-by-bike/">Exploring 10 Cities Around the World by Bike – Pedal-Powered Discoveries 2024</a> republished on </span><a href="https://passingthru.com/"><span>Passing Thru</span></a><span> with permission from </span><a href="https://thegreenvoyage.com/"><span>The Green Voyage</span></a><span>.</span></p> <p><span>Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / PR Image Factory.</span></p> <p><span>For transparency, this content was partly developed with AI assistance and carefully curated by an experienced editor to be informative and ensure accuracy.</span></p>

The Bottom Line

Exploring cities by bike offers a unique perspective on urban landscapes and promotes a sustainable and healthy way of traveling. Each city on this list offers its own unique charm and attractions, best experienced at the leisurely pace of a bike ride. Remember, cycling tours are not just about physical activity; they’re about connecting with the city, its people, and its culture in an intimate and eco-friendly way. So, grab your helmet, hop on a bike, and start pedaling your way through some of the world’s most bike-friendly cities.

More Articles Like This…

Barcelona: Discover the Top 10 Beach Clubs

2024 Global City Travel Guide – Your Passport to the World’s Top Destination Cities

Exploring Khao Yai 2024 – A Hidden Gem of Thailand

The post Exploring 10 Cities Around the World by Bike – Pedal-Powered Discoveries 2024 republished on Passing Thru with permission from The Green Voyage .

Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / PR Image Factory.

For transparency, this content was partly developed with AI assistance and carefully curated by an experienced editor to be informative and ensure accuracy.

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An indoor swimming pool, drained of water, beneath a vaulted glass ceiling, with Olympic rings on the far wall.

In Paris, the Olympics Clean Up Their Act

Organizers of the Games promise to slash greenhouse gas emissions by re-using historic buildings, adding bike lanes, even putting solar panels on the Seine. Will it work?

A pool from the 1924 Paris Olympics is getting a makeover for the 2024 games. Credit... Yulia Grigoryants for The New York Times

Supported by

Somini Sengupta

By Somini Sengupta and Catherine Porter

Somini Sengupta and Catherine Porter reported across Paris and the northern suburbs in Seine Saint-Denis.

  • Published March 16, 2024 Updated March 17, 2024

How do you produce a global sporting event, with millions of people swooping down on one city, in the age of global warming?

That is the test for the Paris Olympics this summer.

The organizers say they’re putting the games on a climate diet. These Olympics, they say, will generate no more than half the greenhouse gas emissions of recent Olympics. That means tightening the belt on everything that produces planet-warming emissions: electricity, food, buildings, and transportation, including the jet fuel that athletes and fans burn traveling the world to get there.

An event that attracts 10,500 athletes and an estimated 15 million spectators is, by definition, going to have an environmental toll. And that has led those who love the games but hate the pollution to suggest that the Olympics should be scattered around the world, in existing facilities, to eliminate the need for so much new construction and air travel. That’s why Paris is being watched so closely.

It is making more space for bikes and less for cars. It’s doing away with huge, diesel-powered generators, a fixture of big sporting events. It’s planning guest menus that are less polluting to grow and cook than typical French fare: more plants, less steak au poivre. Solar panels will float, temporarily, on the Seine.

But the organizers’ most significant act may be what they are not doing: They aren’t building. At least, not as much.

Two construction workers in fluorescent orange work vests bend over a stretch of pavement next to the shovel of an excavating machine.

Instead of building new showpieces for the games (which generates lots of greenhouse gas emissions from the manufacturing of concrete and steel), the Paris Olympics are repurposing many of the city’s existing attractions, including the Grand Palais, the plaza known as the Concorde and even a swimming pool built for the 1924 Paris Olympics.

It’s not without controversy.

One notable emissions-reduction effort, a decision to forego conventional air-conditioning at the athletes’ village, has raised concerns. Instead, the buildings will rely on a cooling system that uses water pulled from underground. Several Olympic teams, are considering bringing their own air-conditioners.

Still the hope is that experiments like these will offer a template for other Olympics in the future, and other cities worldwide. The few new buildings that are being built, including the athletes’ housing, as well as a swimming complex and an arena, are using less cement and more wood. They have solar panels and greenery on their roofs.

The new buildings are also meant to have a life far beyond the Olympics. They’re designed to be used by local residents for decades to come and, the leaders of the Paris 2024 organizing committee say, revitalize the city’s suburbs. “We set for ourselves ambitions that have never been set for any event before, let alone have this scale,” said Georgina Grenon, who is in charge of the games’ environmental efforts.

Critics counter that, while much of what Paris is doing is commendable, particularly the limits on new construction, to truly address the climate crisis requires more than paring back emissions here and there. “We need to fundamentally rethink these huge mega events,” said Cesar Dugast, co-founder of a climate analysis group called Eclaircies. “Instead of concentrating all the events in a single city, it could be envisaged to distribute them around the world.”

‘It’s a big test’

There’s a more immediate risk facing the Olympics: climate change itself. Rising global temperatures are making Paris summers dangerously hot. That has heightened concerns about how to protect athletes and fans in late July and August.

City officials say they have planted thousands of trees in recent years to temper summer heat. They are erecting misting towers to spray the air. The search is on for wide umbrellas under which fans can wait. “We have solutions. We are preparing,” said Dan Lert, the deputy mayor in charge of preparing the city for heat. “It’s a big test.”

One major thing that sets the Paris games apart from previous Olympics is that it has imposed a limit on the total emissions it will produce. The target: Generate no more than half the greenhouse gas emissions of the 2012 Olympics, which were held in London.

London was chosen as a benchmark because the organizers there also sought to reduce emissions, and they measured them. Estimates like these are based on standard measures of, for instance, how much carbon dioxide is produced by the amount of cement used in new buildings.

The Paris organizers say they will offset those emissions by purchasing “carbon credits” to help fund emissions-reducing projects worldwide. The games organizers have not said what projects the games will fund and at what price. In any case, the market for carbon credits can be murky, with some projects not delivering on their promise.

Refashioning a historic city

What Paris is doing shows what can be done to remake an old city for a new global climate. It also shows what the limits are.

The Place de la Concorde, an 18th century plaza where guillotines were once erected during the French Revolution, this summer will be home to Olympic events like skateboarding.

The plaza is also now home to an unassuming metal box designed to spur an electricity revolution. It contains a high-powered electrical outlet connected to the national grid, enabling every big event on the plaza to throw off the shackles of diesel.

Diesel generators are the dirty secret of sports events. Typically they are trucked in to provide a stable source of power.

The Paris games have also cut a special deal with the electric utility stipulating that there be enough wind and solar energy in the grid to produce all the energy that the games consume.

When it comes to emissions, transportation is another headache. Paris has already been limiting space for cars and making space for bikes, and it’s using the games to accelerate that shift.

But the Olympics, with its huge crowds, threatens trouble for how Parisians get around their city, with many making plans to flee on vacation.

Pierre Rabadan, a former pro rugby player who is now Paris’ deputy mayor for sports, lifted his shoulders against a wind and walked briskly out of the tram stop in front of the city’s new basketball arena, at the top of Rue de la Chapelle. He pointed to an almost finished bike lane along the road, carved out of what had been a wide boulevard devoted to automobiles.

Since the election of Anne Hidalgo as mayor in 2014, Paris has added some 600 kilometers of bike lanes. Around 10 percent have been dubbed Olympistes, a play on “piste,” the French word for track.

“The problem is we built the city around cars,” Mr. Rabadan said.

Another problem is that the city’s metro system is bursting at the seams. Trains are already crowded, and workers are rushing to complete new extensions of two lines in time to serve the games.

To make room for Olympics visitors, the city has urged people to stay off the trains or work from home.

Tarzan and the old pool

Key to the organizers’ climate strategy is to build as little as possible, which is why it is tapping into a leftover from the 1924 Paris Olympics: the Georges Vallerey swimming pool.

It’s getting a new air filtration system, as well as a new roof that lets in light but keeps out heat and cold. Old wood roof beams have been repurposed as countertops. The wooden bleachers, installed at least 40 years ago, remain. Sturdy stucco walls reveal the pool’s age.

“We need not trash everything or destroy everything and put it in the bin,” said Mr. Rabadan.

The pool holds history. It is where Johnny Weissmuller, an American swimmer, won a gold medal in 1924. He went on to play Tarzan in a string of Hollywood movies, Mr. Rabadan is keen to point out.

Roughly 95 percent of the venues to be used in the 2024 games are old buildings or temporary structures. For example, several temporary pools will be built for the games, then taken apart and re-installed in communities that have a dearth of public pools.

‘A laboratory’

The Olympics, Ms. Grenon said, offer “a laboratory,” particularly when it comes to the buildings designed from scratch.

A new aquatic center, on the edge of a highway in the northern suburb of Saint-Denis, is a showpiece of Douglas fir and pine. Its 5,000 square meter roof curves like a wave: The architects designed it that way to shrink the size of the building, reducing the energy needed to heat the space.

The pool is 5 meters deep only where necessary to have greater depth for diving, and shallower where it’s not. That too saves water and energy it takes to heat the water. Some of that heat will come from a nearby data center. The venue’s 5,000 seats are made from recycled plastic.

The goal, said Cécilia Gross, one of the architects, was “to do better with less.”

Rising nearby is the biggest new Olympics project: the 128-acre Athletes Village complex that is to morph into a mixed neighborhood for 6,000 residents afterward. Its builders say its emissions are at least 30 percent less than a conventional project of its size.

Timber has a starring role here, too. The village is a cluster of mostly wood-frame buildings.

While timber has its own environmental costs depending on how it’s grown, it is considered far more sustainable than concrete.

In the village, a small patch of sidewalk is paved with oyster shells that can be watered from an underground reservoir and cool the sidewalk on hot days. One experimental building is to recycle all its water. To cool the grounds, 9,000 trees have been planted, including local varieties like oaks and elms that can survive in a hotter future.

Then there’s the unconventional air conditioning.

A network of pipes, using water cooled by first being sent underground, will cool the interiors of the buildings in a technology known as a geo-exchange system. In New York City, St. Patrick’s Cathedral uses something similar, but using air instead of water. A smattering of U.S. universities are also switching to geoexchange.

Along with shade trees, insulation and a breeze from the river, the builders say indoor temperatures can be kept cool enough for the Paris summers of the future. However, the games organizers say, Olympic teams are still free to bring their own air conditioners.

The United States, Canada and Norway said they would. Australia and Ireland have too, according to press reports. The mayor, Ms. Hidalgo, in an interview with Reuters , urged teams to “trust the science.”

Léontine Gallois contributed reporting from Paris.

Because of an editing error, an earlier version of a picture caption with this article stated incorrectly the location of a new electric box that replaced diesel generators. It was on the Place de la Concorde, not near the Grand Palais.

How we handle corrections

Somini Sengupta is the international climate reporter on the Times climate team. More about Somini Sengupta

Catherine Porter is an international reporter for The Times, covering France. She is based in Paris. More about Catherine Porter

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Memento Cycles’ First-Place Philly Bike Expo Gravel Bike

Gramm Grill Bag

Previous Dispatch From Wed Mar 20, 2024

Introducing the Gramm Grill Bag

Author Photo

Earlier this week, Éliane Trudeau and Ronny Perez Jaramillo of Memento Cycles took first place in the People’s Choice category at the 2024 Philly Bike Expo with the stunning “Heart” gravel bike. Find a brief recap from Éliane plus photos and build details from both Memento bikes on display here…

A huge congrats goes out to Éliane Trudeau and Ronny Perez Jaramillo of Memento Cycles from Montréal, Canada, who took first place at the 2024 Philly Bike Expo this week, as voted by the attendees. Éliane and Ronny have been in business for just two years and took the event by storm, showcasing two stunning bicycles that garnered a lot of worthy attention.

The winning bike is a triple triangle 650B gravel bike complete with curvy heart-shaped front rack and several other clever details. Éliane also had a cargo bike on display, finished off with a webbing cargo platform, Memento-made handlebars, 26 x 2.4″ / 20 x 2.2″ tires, and a 12-speed drivetrain. Find photos of both bikes, a brief recap from Éliane, and details on her bikes below.

Memento Cycles Heart Gravel Bike

Words by Éliane Trudeau , show photos by Firespire Photography

The bike is really dear to me, since it is a tribute to the LGBTQ community, and especially to trans people in the cycling industry. The color combination was curated to fit the trans flag colors. The centerpiece of the bike, the integrated rack, as a heart-shaped stopper that represents love and acceptance for trans people in the cycling world. Since I started my transition two years ago, it’s been really important to me to be able to be a strong voice and public figure for trans awareness. It’s especially important nowadays, with all the setbacks on trans rights in the US.

memento cycles 2024 philly bike expo

  • 650B wheels with 2.2″ super yummy tires by Panaracer, built by C&L Cycles in Montreal
  • Cranks by Appleman Bicycles
  • 11-speed drivetrain with SRAM derailleur, chain, and shifter
  • Brooks Cambium C17 saddle
  • RockShox Reverb dropper seatpost
  • Wolf Tooth headset and seat clamp
  • Salsa 50cm drop bars
  • Shimano disc brakes (flat-mount in the back and ISO in the front)

memento cycles 2024 philly bike expo

The frame also has a handful features that I love to put in frames when I can, including a triple triangle, a double seatstay bridge trapping the hourglass eyelet, and an extra curved tube between the top tube and downtube. It also has internal routing for the rear derailleur and rear brake. Both wheels are also thru-axle. It was made using oversized tubes, notably a 47mm headtube and 42mm downtube. The bike was made using a mix of Columbus Cromor and Zona tubing and some straight 4130 chromoly tubes.

Both my business partner Ronny Perez Jaramillo and I worked really hard on this bike and the cargo we brought to the expo to make sure we left a big mark on the event. We both weld, and I take care of the business and marketing side while he takes care of conception of jigs and parts.

Memento Cycles Cargo Bike

Words by Éliane Trudeau , studio photos by Brad Quartuccio

We’ve been working on this one for over a month, making sure to add extraordinary details and features to make it the coolest cargo frame ever made. We started it all with a wishbone paired with a triple triangle. It is our first frame with a wishbone, so we wanted to make it truly unique. The frame also has a yoke, allowing it to clear an amazing 26″ x 3″ tire. There are absolutely no limits to this one. As if it wasn’t enough already, we bent that 42mm downtube in-house, added a double top tube, and made a unique “M” shaped stopper for the platform, which is huge, by the way.

Memento Cycles Cargo Bike, Philly Bike Expo 2024

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Memento Mimosa ATB

Check out the C&L Cycles x Memento Mimosa ATB

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LIVE UPDATES

Baltimore Key Bridge collapse live updates: At least 6 unaccounted for, no evidence of terrorism

A container ship struck Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge early Tuesday.

A cargo ship crashed into Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge early Tuesday morning, causing a near-total collapse of the span and halting vessel traffic into and out of the Port of Baltimore.

A search-and-rescue effort is underway, with divers and emergency personnel desperately combing the Patapsco River for people believed to have fallen from the collapsing bridge into the frigid water below, officials said. At least six people are unaccounted for, officials said.

Latest headlines:

Personnel on ship alerted officials before collision 'which undoubtedly saved lives': biden, no cars transiting bridge at time of collapse: internal dhs briefing, 6 unaccounted for.

  • What to know about the cargo ship

What to know about the collapse

The container ship Dali struck Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge at about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, partially collapsing the bridge , officials in Maryland said.

A local pilot was at the helm of the ship at the time, Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld said.

The crash appeared to be accidental , not intentional, officials said.

Two people were rescued from the Patapsco River and at least six people remain missing, officials said.

Buttigieg meets with responders

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg traveled to the scene of the Baltimore bridge collapse, at the invitation of Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, according to the Department of Transportation.

Buttigieg posted a photo of him meeting with responders.

An estimated 30,000 vehicles crossed the bridge per day, according to the Maryland Transportation Authority.

Personnel on the ship alerted the Maryland Department of Transportation that they lost control of the vessel, and officials were able to close the bridge before it was struck, "which undoubtedly saved lives," President Joe Biden told reporters .

Biden gives remarks on Baltimore bridge collapse

It appears the crash was a "terrible accident," Biden said.

He said the search and rescue operation is the top priority.

"Ship traffic and the Port of Baltimore has been suspended until further notice. And we'll need to clear that channel before the ship traffic can resume," he said.

"It's my intention that the federal government will pay for the entire cost of reconstruction. ... I expect the Congress to support my effort," Biden said.

"This is going to take some time," the president said, adding, "We're not leaving until this job gets done."

Biden, who noted he’s been over the bridge many times, said he plans to visit Baltimore as soon as possible.

"Our prayers are with everyone involved in this terrible accident and all the families, especially those waiting for news of their loved one right now," the president said. "To the people of Baltimore, I want to say: We're with you. We're going to stay with you, as long as it takes."

Maryland transportation officials reviewed traffic cameras and confirmed there were "no vehicles transiting the bridge at the time of the incident," according to the latest internal Department of Homeland Security briefing obtained by ABC News.

The local pilot who was at the controls is “undergoing post-accident Drug and Alcohol Testing,” the briefing said.

The cargo ship "remains impaled in the bridge," the document said. "Several shipping containers with unknown cargo fell into water. There is hull damage above the water line to the vessel and the ship is maintaining watertight integrity."

A slight sheen of pollution was observed in the water, suggesting there could be some oil or other pollutant “in the vicinity of the ship and pollution booms have been requested,” the memo said.

-ABC News' Josh Margolin and Aaron Katersky

Six people remain unaccounted for as the desperate search continues at the site of the bridge collapse, Coast Guard officials said at a Tuesday morning news conference.

Two were rescued, including one who was hospitalized and later discharged, officials said. Construction workers were on the bridge working on potholes at the time of the collapse, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said.

"To hear the words that the Key Bridge has collapsed, it's shocking and heartbreaking," Moore said. "It's not just unprecedented, what we’re seeing today -- it’s heartbreaking."

The collapse appears to be an accident, Moore said.

There’s nothing to suggest ties to terrorism, the FBI added.

6 unaccounted for in Baltimore bridge collapse

The container ship was moving at 8 knots, which is considered fast, officials noted.

A harbor pilot and assistant onboard the cargo ship reported power issues, multiple alarms on the bridge and loss of propulsion prior to the incident, according to a Coast Guard memo obtained by ABC News. All personnel on the tanker are accounted for with no reported injuries, the memo said.

The Patapsco River channel is fully blocked, with approximately five inbound and seven outbound vessels in the queue for the next 24 hours, according to the memo.

The bridge was up to code, officials said.

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Baltimore bridge collapse live updates: at least 6 unaccounted for, officials stopped traffic onto bridge before collapse: 'these people are heroes', diddy's los angeles, miami homes raided by federal agents, what to know about the massive ship that crashed into the baltimore bridge, linda bean, an entrepreneur, gop activist and granddaughter of outdoor retailer ll bean, has died.

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    The Status 140 will become one of Specialized's first direct-to-consumer model bikes. It will also be available in a 160 mm rear wheel travel option and as a frame kit. Both the 140 and 160 are ...

  2. Specialized Status 140 review

    The Status 140 and Status 160 follow the lead of the original Status freeride/park bike and other classics like the Big Hit DH/park bike and both versions of the Pitch trail bike. This 140mm travel version of the Status might not be as forgiving as its longer travel brother, but it maxes out the disruptor vibe while delivering extremely well ...

  3. Specialized Status 160 review: killer value for money

    Specialized's classic four-bar suspension delivers on its promise of 160mm travel. In a nutshell the 2021 Status is a solid, affordable 160mm-travel shredder that uses mixed wheelsizes to achieve an ultra-short 425mm chainstay length that should allow you to party like it's 1999. And while the rear end is short, the front is anything but ...

  4. Status 160

    The Status 160 may be an all-new bike, but it's really an all-new way of thinking about how to have the most fun possible on two wheels—even if that means they're different sizes. ... FOX FLOAT 36 Rhythm, GRIP damper, two position Sweep adjustment, 15x110mm QR axle, 44mm offset, 160mm of travel. Cockpit. Stem. Alloy Trail Stem, 35mm bar ...

  5. Specialized Status 160

    Instead, only the 160 mm travel FSR suspension provides hints to the bike's origin. Specialized furnish the new Status with a mullet setup consisting of a 29" front and 27.5" rear wheel. Becoming of its entry-level price, the Status 160 delivers the most fun on flowing tracks with small jumps and is manoeuvrable and agile on the trails.

  6. Status

    Bikes are part of a greater culture with tremendous stories. This is where you'll find them. Learn More. ... It seems like today's MTB landscape offers a specific bike for every trail out there, with the STATUS you will have the right tool for the ride you want to create no matter the terrain. On the mountain, in the park or urban settings ...

  7. Specialized Status 160 review

    Status has been leaking out on the social media of Specialized's raddest ambassadors for a while. The sorted 160mm suspension, cost-effective componentry and tidy M5 alloy frame create a great base for pushing hard too. It's the super slack front but tight rear balance, mullet wheel combo and minimal branding style that give it a real edge ...

  8. 2022 Specialized Status 140

    The new Specialized Status is a long travel mullet bike - business up front, party in the back - specifically designed around a 29er front wheel and a 27.5" rear. It's a fast and hard-hitting enduro bike and the price is good, though the super-short chainstays create a noticeably rearward weight bias that won't suit everyone. Read Review

  9. Status II

    The 200mm-travel Status II downhill bike brings World Championship FSR downhill technology to a more accessible price level. The Status II features a 135mm rear hub spacing, FOX VAN RC coil shock and RockShox Boxxer dual crown fork. Save for Later. Reviews.

  10. Specialized Status 2020 review

    Add comment. The new Specialized Status is a long travel mullet bike - business up front, party in the back - specifically designed around a 29er front wheel and a 27.5" rear. It's a fast and hard-hitting enduro bike and the price is good, though the super-short chainstays create a noticeably rearward weight bias that won't suit everyone.

  11. Specialized finally releases its new Status mountain bike

    The new Status, designed to maximise fun on jumps and drops, comes equipped with 160mm of travel, a mullet setup of 29er front and 27.5in rear-wheel, and some pretty progressive geometry numbers.

  12. Status I

    The 200mm Status I park bike features FSR suspension, plus a custom X-Fusion Vector R shock and 170mm-travel X-Fusion Vengeance fork. Save for Later. Reviews. Technical Specifications. FRAMESET. FRAME. M4 hydroformed tubing, 1.5"" forged HT, ISCG mounts, 135mm rear spacing, full- cartridge bearing pivots, 200mm travel.

  13. Bike Travel Is Surging Around the World. Will It Last?

    Countries from South Africa to Italy saw bike sales skyrocket. The NPD Group, a market research company, reported the U.S. had a 121 percent spike for the year in leisure bike sales. And when this rapid rise in bicycle transit became apparent last spring, cities and countries around the world rushed to accommodate two-wheeled travelers.

  14. Specialized Status 160 Review

    The Status, however, fits none of these stereotypes. Here, we find an anomaly in the Specialized mould. This bike's focus is on an overall fun factor, above the 'out and out' performance. Showcased by its well-priced alloy frame, spec'd carefully to suit the riding this bike craves. i.e. very much downhill-focused but not in a risk-your ...

  15. Everything We Know About the 2021 Specialized Status

    Instead of a downhill/freeride bike, it's now a 160mm travel bike that rolls on mullet wheels aimed at everything from racing to jibbing. Details. Frame: M5 aluminum. Travel: 160mm front and rear ...

  16. Status MTB

    Complete bike price: $2,900. Frame only price: $1,600. Two travel models to choose from: 140mm and 160mm. The alloy Status MTB is the closest you'll come to an alloy EVO now.. but they're very different rides. Combining DNA from the freestyle BMX realm (ie durability and short chainstays) to a modern front center with a wide range of reach ...

  17. Specialized Status 160 Base 2021

    The Status is based on a mix of 29″ and 27.5″ wheels. The new Status 160 offers 160 mm travel at the front and rear. The simple cable routing and oversized bearings suit the bike well. Most of the bolts require an 8 mm Allen key, making it unlikely that you'll strip any of the heads - nice!

  18. Spotted: Is This a New Specialized Status?

    The old Status was an entry-level downhill bike that sat underneath the Demo in Specialized's line up, for more info on that check out our review of the Status from 2012 here. The new bike looks ...

  19. Specialized Status 160 review

    Specialized Status 160 is a versatile and fun mountain bike that can handle any terrain. Read our review to find out why.

  20. Compare: 2022 Specialized Status 140 vs Status 160

    Specs. Status 140 2022 Specialized. Status 160 2022 Specialized. Frame. M5 alloy chassis and rear-end, Mixed wheel Trail Geometry, threaded BB,12x148mm dropouts, sealed cartridge bearing pivots, replaceable derailleur hanger, 140mm of travel. BB Standard: BSA, 73mm, Threaded.

  21. Specialized Status 140 or 160 : r/MTB

    The 140 will climb better - but it will be a marginal difference. Id go 140, its should be enough for even the hardest trails near you except if you live at whistler or something. Itll climb better and honestly having too much travel takes some of the fun out of riding less technical trails once your a better rider. 100% get the 160.

  22. Exploring 10 Cities Around the World by Bike

    Best Overall: Specialized Riprock 20. Best Value: Co-op Cycles REV 20. Best Starter BMX Bike: Redline Rival. Best Custom Build: Trailcraft Pineridge 24. Best E-Bike: Woom Up 5. Best Trail E-Bike ...

  23. Why Bicycle Deaths Have Risen in New York City

    Why Bicycle Deaths in New York City Are at a 24-Year High. Last year was the deadliest year for cyclists in New York City since 1999, according to new data from the city's Department of ...

  24. In Paris, the Olympics Clean Up Their Act

    Since the election of Anne Hidalgo as mayor in 2014, Paris has added some 600 kilometers of bike lanes. Around 10 percent have been dubbed Olympistes, a play on "piste," the French word for track.

  25. Memento Cycles' First-Place Philly Bike Expo Gravel Bike

    A huge congrats goes out to Éliane Trudeau and Ronny Perez Jaramillo of Memento Cycles from Montréal, Canada, who took first place at the 2024 Philly Bike Expo this week, as voted by the attendees. Éliane and Ronny have been in business for just two years and took the event by storm, showcasing two stunning bicycles that garnered a lot of worthy attention.

  26. Check flight status

    Search by. Route Flight number. Mar 26, 2024. When? United Airlines (UA) Airline. Check the status of your United Airlines flight by searching by route or flight number. Stay up to date with our flight status tools.

  27. 5 Best Travel Credit Cards 2024 For Points, Lounge Access, Elite Status

    That's not to mention the more standard travel benefits: free checked bags, a 20% discount on in-flight purchases, a 15% mileage discount on award flights, priority boarding, travel insurance ...

  28. Baltimore Key Bridge collapse live updates: At least 6 unaccounted for

    Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will travel to the Baltimore Key Bridge on Tuesday to receive updates, at the invitation of Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, according to the Department of ...

  29. Status 140

    Status 140. We deliver! Just say when and how. Sure, you can decide to buck the status quo, or you could just huck it. We chose the latter with the all-new Status 140. The result? Not just a new bike, but an entirely new platform that's changed our whole understanding of what a do-it-all bike can actually do.

  30. Status 160

    The Status 160 may be an all-new bike, but it's really an all-new way of thinking about how to have the most fun possible on two wheels—even if that means they're different sizes. A 29-inch wheel offers up maximum cornering traction and roll-over capability in front while a 27.5 inch wheel out back brings with it shorter chainstays—and ...