10 Things I Loved in 2023: Dario DiGiulio

Time flies when you're having fun, and suddenly the utterly sci-fi sounding year of 2024 is looming over us. That means it's time for another round of year-end lists, a chance for Pinkbike's editors to share what we've been enjoying over the last 12 months. These are our personal picks, items that we individually enjoyed, as opposed to the Pinkbike Awards, where we argue politely(ish) amongst ourselves to determine the winners.

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1. Crank Brother's Mallet E Pedals

I've spent the majority of my time as a mountain biker clipping into pedals, with plenty of time just standing on them for good measure. Initially, I used Time's ATAC pedals, but eventually graduated to the ever-ubiquitous Shimano options due to accessibility and adjustable release tension. After a few years riding flats, I went back to Shimano, but never loved the lack of outer-foot support that came along with the system. Saints fixed this a bit, but the oversized pedal seemed more and more prone to damage, eventually leading me to try something different.

Enter the Crankbrothers Mallet E, my new favorite pedal. Though definitely less durable than the tank-like Shimano DX and XT pedals I love, there's something about the in and out of the Crank Bros system that I've really come to like. They also provide excellent foot support when paired with the right shoes, making for a secure yet flexible feeling connection to the bike.

Price: $179 USD
More information: crankbrothers.com

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2. Specialized Tires

Not new this year, and not the first time I've mentioned how much I like them, but it's worth reiterating just how impressed I've been by the Specialized tire lineup recently. Their rubber has massively improved, now up there with the stickiest in the game. The casing feel is probably my favorite of the current options out there, particularly the Grid Gravity for any bike that's meant to go downhill fast. It might be too stiff for some, but I love the durability and relative suppleness vs. some other DH options. Tread patterns like the Hillbilly, Butcher, and Ground Control have become my benchmarks for their category, with the first of that list sitting as my go-to mixed conditions front tire for a while now.

As nice as it is to have tires that perform this well, it's equally wonderful to not have to wince every time you need to buy one. Specialized's rubber isn't cheap, per se, but their prices are consistently half to 3/4 that of equivalent products. A strong track record of durability helps this prospect out, giving you a bit more time between shop visits.

Price: $30-80 USD
More information: specialized.com

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3. Big Bikes

My ride time has been pretty evenly split between trail and long-travel enduro bikes this year, with even a smattering of XC and DH thrown in for good measure. That said, there's a special joy in hopping on a big squishy bike and trucking along without a care in the world. Sure, the novelty wears off as you get used to it, but those moments of lucidity when you realize just how capable the downhill-oriented bikes of today are feel too good to forget.

Standouts have been the Frameworks Trail Bike, Trek Slash, and Specialized Status (on the right trail). I'm happy to say that I have a few more waiting in the eaves for review, so winter should be well-accompanied by plenty of travel.

Price: Usually a lot, but not always.

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4. Fox's Grip2 34 (especially the Performance Elite)

We've certainly touched on the 34 in years past - it actually took our Suspension Product of the Year spot in 2021 - but sometimes you just have to be reminded how much you like something. I had a few bikes come specced with Fox's little-heavy-hitter this year, and in every case I was simply impressed by how well it worked. Regardless of the bike, the fork felt like it lets you push harder into steeper, rougher, and looser terrain than you'd expect out of a fairly svelte package.

I mentioned the Performance Elite variant because that's really my pick for the best of both price and performance. The damper is identical to the Factory model, and I'm of the opinion that black looks better than the flash of Kashima, plus it's less expensive.

Price: $949 ($759 right now)
More information: ridefox.com

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5. The Downieville Classic

I'm a very infrequent bike racer, so perhaps the love I feel for Downieville would be watered down if I were keeping up a busier calendar, but I can't help but sense that there's something special about that weekend in the Sierra. The history is rich and present, the surroundings are beautiful and unique, and the racing is hard and fun. The amalgamation of all that results in a weekend that was worth 20 hours of driving in each direction, and one that I'll try to get back to as often as possible.

As a native Northern Californian, I think there's a personal connection to the area as well, but it's the love anyone feels for a small and vibrant community. If pedaling your brains out and descending for nearly an hour sounds fun to you, perhaps it's worth a stop. Heck, you might even be surprised with how well you do.

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6. YT's Pants and Shorts
I truly never thought I'd be saying this. As someone who staunchly rode in various pairs of cutoff Dickies for years, the idea that I'd prefer a purpose-built pair of mountain bike pants is anathema. That said, I've seen the light recently, and can humbly admit that there are many good options out there that contain a lot less cotton. Amongst them are my current favorites, the YT Gravity and Trail pants/shorts. The Gravity models are burly yet comfortable, with some clever features on the pants that set them apart. The Trail pieces are super lightweight and airy, with plenty of pockets for carrying bits and bobs.

Every piece in the lineup fits me well, primarily in the fact that they cut the pants and shorts with more room in the thighs, which fits the larger-than-average legs of cyclists quite well. They're not cheap, but they are less expensive than many other options out there. You can read all my thoughts on these fancy pants here.

Price: $80-130
More information: yt-industries.com

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7. The Frameworks Trail Bike

Anyone who regularly rides with me has probably been subjected to my ceaseless frothing over this bike, but it's not without good reason. In a year when I had the chance to ride a wide variety of excellent bikes, something about this one has continued to impress. It's definitely still a work in progress, but the overall fit and function of the bike is what keeps me stoked. My thoughts from the First Ride have continued to hold true, even as I put it through the paces as my new daily driver / parts tester at home.

Price: $N/A
More information: First Ride: Frameworks Trail Bike

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8. Logos Eudae Wheelset

I've mentioned these here and there before, be it in my Downieville bike check or comparisons to other test wheelsets that have come through this year. You'll note that any of those mentions are quite positive, and that's simply because these wheels have been nothing but impressive for a while now. They use the old Hügi-patent DT Swiss design, meaning freehubs are easy to find, the internals are durable, and the assembly is quite simple. The rims have proven to be very robust, even after a long time spend on some bikes that certainly exceed the trail category. I've hardly had to true, tension, or service the internals yet. They've basically been trouble free, save for one ill-fitting axle endcap that I had to replace, likely due to some fault of my own.

I bought these after a test for a different publication, and they've proven to be a great investment, serving as a solid benchmark wheel for trail bikes of all sorts.

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9. Handmade Bikes

"Handmade" has always struck me as a bit of a misnomer, as pretty much all of the bikes we ride were made with hands in some way or another. In this case let's let it be the perfect representation of the artistry, craftsmanship, and time that goes into the one-off creations I've tried to document on the site. Many of these centered around the Made Bike Show earlier this year, but just as many were spotted on trail in Whistler or the Sierra, getting ridden hard by the people that brought that bike to life.

I've always had a fond eye for these one-off creations, but it feels like recently there has been quite the uptick in complexity, finish quality, and design professionalism in the garage projects we're seeing on the site. Maybe that's due to the access to knowledge and design programs that the internet affords, or perhaps it's simply what happens when people realize they can just build the things they want, and figure out how to do so.

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10. My Job

If you allow me to be sappy, I promise I'll keep it brief. Having only started my time at PB earlier this year, I'm very much the baby of the crew, learning a lot and trying to keep up with the excellence of the rest of the team. It's been everything I hoped for and more, and I'm really looking forward to the projects and coverage we have in store for y'all.

To all of you reading this: thanks for having me, even though you didn't really have a choice in the matter. I'm so happy to be here.

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