A strong paddock rumour has finally come to fruition as Lapierre has relaunched its international cross-country mountain biking team. Joining forces with Mavic, the Lapierre Mavic Unity Team will be racing at the highest level and boasts quite the roster.

SQlab is a brand that revels in ergonomics and with the 70X grip, no stone has been left unturned. While it doesn’t look too exciting at first glance, its subtle contours significantly improve comfort and reduce fatigue over lengthy jaunts. It does sit at the higher end of the price range but is undeniably one of the best MTB grips on the market.

Katy Curd, the rider best known for her National Downhill success, and seven World Cup podiums has launched her Youth Development Team.

Peter Sagan is a household name in the world of road cycling having won an incredible 121 races in his 12 years as a pro but he's always been a mountain biker at heart. Sagan won the world junior title in mountain biking at age 18 in 2008 before making the switch to road racing. He participated in the 2016 Olympic mountain bike race in Rio but a puncture put paid to his aspirations of a medal - something he will look to rectify come 2024 at the Paris Olympic Games.

As kids, we've all pondered what our dream superpower would be. The power of flight, right? Maybe even invisibility? For Sam Reynolds, it's to create his dream trails, wherever and whenever he likes.

Bold, the brand known for pioneering the integrated rear shock, has introduced a new bike into its line-up. Filling the space for a heavy-hitting enduro bike, the Unplugged gets that recognisable integrated shock design with a fresh linkage, an adjustable bottom bracket and clever storage solutions.

The YT Mob was YT Industries' very own race team which put the brand on the map thanks to the talent and personality of the team. In 2021, unfortunately, the Mob exited the paddock but is set to return to the freeride, slopestyle, and downhill circuit.

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This time last year we introduced our very own Team ORCC where four members of off.road.cc staff had a go at a full season's racing in their chosen disciplines. Due to the success of the first series, we're excited to announce that we've got another sponsorship deal for 2023 and this time we're doing things a little differently. But first, let's introduce our sponsors.

Welcome back to another Five Cool Things where we show off the coolest bits of off-road gear that's come through our doors for testing. This week, we've got Troy Lee Designs' latest helmet, BMC's cross-country thoroughbred, Vitus's wallet-friendly trail ripper and a titanium gravel bike from Principia. Rounding off the cool tech, we've got a light to help illuminate our way out of winter.

Boasting a comprehensive bike range that already includes a gravel adventure bike, Kinesis recognised the need for an adventure mountain bike. In stepped brand ambassador, Emma Ossenton. Armed with some cartoon-like drawings, she designed what would quickly be known as the Fernweh.