Singletrack Reader Awards 2009 – Results!

Now in its ninth year, the Singletrack Reader Awards are still the only awards that reflect what the Great British mountain biking public think. Thank you for all your votes!

So without any further ado, here are the results from literally thousands of votes cast by you, the Singletrack Reader jury…

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Best New Product: Hardware

Winner: Hope Hoops Wheels

The Barnoldswick boys’ wheelsets are well-built, versatile, serviceable and pretty much future-proof. A firm favourite with British bikers.

Runners up: Truvativ Hammerschmidt, Garmin Edge 705 GPS

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Best New Product: Software

Winner: Endura Baa Baa Base Layer

Everyone likes to be cosy and Endura’s merino wool is one of the cosiest things you can put next to your skin.

Runners up: 661 Evo Knee Pads, Shimano MW80 Boots

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Best New Bike

Winner: Orange Blood

Our readers recognise a genuinely different – but decent – bike when they see it. The Blood’s unique combination of ‘big bike’ geometry with ‘trail riding’ travel has gone down a storm.

Runners up: Ragley Blue Pig, Specialized Epic Marathon

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Bike Porn

Winner: Ibis Mojo SL

How do you improve an already much-admired bike? You shave some weight off it and stick some pretty anodised parts on it that’s how. Happily the Mojo SL has the performance to back up its looks.

Runners up: Intense 951, Commencal Supreme

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Best Photographer

Winner: Dan Barham

Good ol’ reliable Mr B. He may come across as calm and carefree but we know how much graft and slog he puts into his shoots. An Award well-earned.

Runners up: Sim Mainey, Gary Perkin

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Best UK Event, Show or Series

Winner: Fort William World Cup

For seemingly the millionth year in a row ‘Fort Bill’ has further secured its grasp on the Best Event trophy. The Singletrack Weekender will win it next year though.

Runners up: Singletrack Classic Weekender, 10 @ Kirroughtree

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Best UK Trail Centre

Winner: Glentress

Another perennial Award winner – by quite a margin as well. There’s still no beating this place’s combination of trails, café, bike shop, staff and facilities. And cake.

Runners up: Whinlatter Forest, Lee Quarry

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Best Mail Order

Winner: Chain Reaction Cycles

The big boys from Belfast require no introduction. So we won’t give them one. Well done chaps!

Runners up: Merlin Cycles, Wiggle.co.uk

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Best Bike Shop

Winner: 18 Bikes, Hope

Improving on their runners’ up spot from last year’s Reader Awards, the hard working nice folk at 18 Bikes have snatched the crown from Bike Treks.

Runners up: Bike Treks, Nirvana

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Best Singletrack Magazine Feature

Winner: ‘Man & Boy’ by Ed Oxley

This was the closest category with only a handful of votes separating the candidates. Ed’s feature must be one of the most genuinely moving pieces of writing in a mountain bike magazine for quite some time. The best man won.

Runners up: ‘One Ton Weekend’ by Chipps Chippendale, ‘21st Century Pass Storming’ by Benji Haworth

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Mountain Bike Personality of the Year

Winner: Steve Peat

Usually Steve is there or thereabouts in this category but after this year’s emotional World Champs there was simply no contest in this category. Well done Steve! And about time too.

Runners up: Danny MacAskill, Darcy Turenne

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