Amanda tests out the FINDRA Stroma waterproof jacket, made with…coffee? Tweed Valley based clothing designer FINDRA has only been on the market since 2014, but has already established a great reputation for its womenswear range. With a strong belief in the importance of layering clothing for…
2019
Marino Bikes Announces Sell Off Of Sick Bicycles Frames
The long and complicated saga of Sick Bicycles continues, with Marino Bikes, Sick’s Peruvian manufacturer posting this announcement on its Facebook page: Marino previously posted that it had made the frames for Sick Bicycles and the delay was due to non-payment rather than manufacturing or…
Podium battle set to be fierce at TweedLove’s Transcenduro
With an impressive list of the top international pro enduro riders signed up for TweedLove’s Transcenduro, hosted at the Transcend Bike Festival in Innerleithen, Tweed Valley from June 7 – 9, the battle for the podium top spots is set to be fierce. Canyon…
Review | Shimano SH-XC901 SPD Carbon Soled MTB Shoes
Jason reviews the latest go-fast SPD MTB shoe from Shimano; the S-Phyre SH-XC901 If you’re serious about riding bikes fast and going faster than other people, you’re probably going to be interested in the S-Phyre SH-XC901 shoes (or the XC901 if you want to keep…
The 2019 Boltby Bash Was How All Bike Races Should Be
The Fourth, modern-era Boltby Bash event took place this weekend in the tiny North Yorkshire village of Boltby, somewhere near Thirsk and Sutton Bank, in the middle of some stunning green Yorkshire hills. The main event is a modern-style enduro, but it has proved so…
Review | Chromag Contact Flat Pedals – Nip Your Cranks, Not Your Shins
Amanda tests and reviews Brandon Semenuk’s favourite flat pedals – the Chromag Contact For the past six months I have gone from trail bike to enduro bike, back to trail, and eventually ended up on a steel hardtail. I’ve been changing shoes and bikes as…
Extreme Sports Enthusiast – 8 ”Good To Know” Ways To Prevent Long-Term Injuries
Advertisement feature As most sports enthusiasts know, injury risks never go away. Racing downhill or simply riding in unknown territories comes with its own risks. At some point, every sports enthusiast has dealt with an injury. But it doesn’t mean that many injuries can’t be…
Review | 7Mesh Women’s Revo Shorts – Waterproof Your Bum
Hannah has been grinding these 7Mesh Revo waterproof shorts through a winter of slop. Is her bum still dry? 7Mesh is a clothing company based in Squamish, British Columbia. If you are British, this is of interest, because they have weather that is not too…
Pace RC529 review: the business in front, party in the back hardtail
Andi reviews Pace Cycles’ low-slung Pace RC529 steel 29er to see what this versatile hardcore hardtail is made of. I remember leafing through mountain bike magazines in the mid-’90s and being drawn to Pace Cycles’ radical products. The Yorkshire based brand was at the cutting…
Fresh Goods Friday 448 | The If Only It Had A Freezer In It Edition
Move along. There’s nothing to be read here. And if there was one of us would probably misunderstand the other’s intention and we’d all end up hacked off with each other. It’s been one of those weeks where words shouldn’t be allowed. He said, she…
Newsdesk 12: How to save 47% at Canyon UK, Rich Energy vs Whyte and more
In Newsdesk 12 we take a look at Canyon UK new cycle to work scheme that could save you 47% off a new bike, dip our toes into the Whyte vs Rich Energy saga and spy that new Cannondale It is Newsdesk 12 although I…
10 More Stunning Steel Full Suspension Bikes You Cannot Ignore
Steel remains real in 2019 with no sign of steel full suspension bikes disappearing from the market, in fact, there could be even more on offer than ever before. 2019 Production Privée Shan No5 Price: From €1,499.00 frame only From: Production Privée For 2019, Andorran…
#MakingUpTheNumbers | Fort William – The Warm Up
National Downhill Series Round 2 & SDA Round 3 – Fort William. George Thompson brings us his latest downhill race report from the shadows of the podium. “Let me message Jules and see which one she wants to go to?” “No, no, no, no, NO! Don’t…
Review | Stanton Switch9er FS – UK Made Steel Full Suspension Play Machine
Hannah reports back on her time on the Stanton Switch9er FS, a hand made steel and alloy bike from the UK. Stanton Bikes has a well established reputation for building steel hardtails, so it was with some excitement that the move into full suspension frames…
Tuesday Treats: Ty Beic the MTB friendly cottage in Wales you have to visit
Premier Dealer Ty Beic fills us in on what has changed in the past 4 years since we last spoke to them, and tells us all about their all new personal MTB track. Tuesday Treats is a chance where independent MTB related companies have a…
Video: Danny MacAskill goes retro in his latest edit
Forget drones, 4K cameras, and video stabilisation! Danny MacAskill has gone back to old skool VHS for his latest edit. Watch Danny MacAskill’s latest video below and check out the range of Endura kit he is wearing here. Endura Press Release Follows “Danny MacAskill chooses…
€72.000 worth of bikes stolen from Propain Bicycles
Propain Bicycles has reported that 17 bikes worth a total of €72.000 have been stolen and they want them back! Press Release Follows “Bikes wanted! We came back from Bikefestival Riva unscathed! That’s the good news. Unfortunately, there are also some bad news to report:…
There are only 50 of these Nukeproof Mega 290 WORX available!
Nukeproof has announced details of an ultra limited edition Nukeproof Mega 290 WORX bike built up with some of the best kit on the market. If you’re a fan of the original Nukeproof Mega with brushed alloy finish then you’re going to love this 2019…
Making Up The Numbers World Cup Podcast | Episode 1 | Part 2
Part 2 In part 2 of Making Up The Numbers Podcast, Joe Breeden describes his race run and how it felt to be on the Red Bull live feed for the first time, before George gives Mojo’s Chris Porter a call. Listen to Part 2…
Review | The 2019 Merida One-Twenty 8000 is a zippy, fun-loving trail bike
Wil reviews the 2019 Merida One-Twenty – a zippy, fun-loving trail bike Following a 2.5 year gestation period, the Merida One-Twenty arrives on the scene as a brand spanking new trail bike for 2019. Following in the footsteps of the longer travel One-Forty and One-Sixty,…
SRAM SX Is The Cheapest 12 Speed Groupset You’ve Never Heard Of
SRAM is usually great at letting us media-types know about its new components, often giving us a chance to try it a few weeks before the news breaks to the public. However, we’ve had a couple of instances of ‘SRAM SX’ turning up in the…
Is It Summer Yet? No? Then Enjoy Fresh Goods Friday 447 Instead!
Oh, woe is us! The sky is falling down! Well, wet bits of the sky are falling. The woodburners of the forum have been lit again and Jess the dog won’t come out from underneath the Swobo jacket that she’s adopted to keep the wet…
Newsdesk 11: DJI Action Camera rumours, Sam Hill’s 29er, Trust Price Drop and more
In this week’s edition of Singletrack Newsdesk 11 we take a look at the DJI action camera rumours, get a first look at Sam Hill’s new 29er Mega, and check out what’s hot from China. Watch the Newsdesk 11 video or skip below for the…
Making Up The Numbers World Cup Podcast | Round 1 With Joe Breeden
Our very own racer of mediocrity, George Thompson, has started a brand new Downhill World Cup Podcast for the 2019 season in association with Hope Technology, Revolution Bike Park and us, Singletrack. Intense Factory Racing UK’s Joe Breeden joins George and co-presenter Richard ‘Binzy’ Binns…
Video: Are Mountain Bikers Faster Than Roadies? Madison Gets Two National Champions To Find Out
Ever wondered if the time you make up on the descents would be enough to give you enough head start on the climb back up to the top? Or are you a climbing god who’s merely average at descending. It’s always a fun challenge to…
Longterm Review | 2019 Giant TRX 1 Carbon Wheelset
After four months of testing, Wil gives us his longterm review of the Giant TRX 1 carbon 29er wheelset Giant has been producing wheels for a good few years now, primarily for its own range of mountain and road bikes, but also for the aftermarket…
Sick Bicycles – Are Things As Bad As They Sound?
What is going on with Sick Bikes? Hannah has been trying to get to the bottom of it. ‘Sick Bicycle Co‘ first came to my attention in May 2017, when I ran a story on its rather entertainingly named company and bikes. I liked the…
Review | The Specialized Fast Trak GRID 29×2.3 is a fast AND tough XC tyre
Wil reviews the Specialized Fast Trak; a fast-rolling XC tyre with a tough GRID casing When it comes to choosing race-worthy components for XC and marathon bikes, the traditional approach has been to go as light as possible. After all, it’s your legs that have…
Review | Specialized connects you to earth with the Ground Control GRID 29×2.3 tyre
Wil reviews the latest version of the venerable Specialized Ground Control tyre I seem to have been riding a lot of chunky tyres lately. I’d say it has a lot to do with the influence of living in a steep valley amongst the Pennines for…
Dyfi Difference – Popular New Course For 1000 Riders At The 2019 Dyfi Enduro
Nearly 1000 riders turned out to ride the 2019 Dyfi Enduro in Machynlleth in west Wales this bank holiday weekend just gone. After the disappointment of last year when the event had to be cancelled due to a waterlogged camping field, over 600 riders kept…
Wales360 Event Cancelled
Wales360 cancelledWe’ve just heard from a couple of sources that the Wales360 event, which was due to take place in mid/north Wales this July has been cancelled, with the organisers, Sweetspot citing a lack of entrants. Riders who had already entered were emailed with this…
Video: Remy Morton thrashes his Commencal Clash in New Zealand
Watch Commencal rider, Remy Morton, throw his Commencal Clash around the dry and dusty trails of New Zealand. “After CRANKWORX ROTORUA we went for a ride in NZ with Australian Remy Morton. We traveled with him to legendary spots in New Zealand, COMMENCAL offices in…
Video: Fabric x 50to01 at Revolution Bike Park
Watch Josh Bryceland, Josh Lewis and the rest of the 50to01 crew rip it up at Revolution Bike Park in Wales. “The Welsh hills provided us a perfect playground for the 50to01 crew to join us for a day sessioning the popular and hidden lines…
China’s Pardus Cyclone comes with Scissor Link and hidden rear shock
China’s Pardus Cycles has developed the Pardus Cycleon, a Fox Live Valve compatible full-suspension bike with Scissor Link and hidden rear shock. It’s a busy time of year with the downhill season kicking off, handmade bike shows and Lake Garda this past week, but did…
The Bike Box Roller converts your cardboard box into a travel case on wheels
Prefer to travel with a cardboard bike box instead of a bike bag? The Bike Box Roller could be what you’re looking for It’s the age-old question. Travel with my bike and a cheap and lightweight cardboard box, or buy a purpose-built bike case? For…
Review | Upcycle your SRAM 1×11 drivetrain with the e*thirteen TRS Plus 12-Speed Upgrade Kit
This clever e*thirteen TRS Plus 12 Speed Upgrade Kit is designed to upgrade your SRAM 1×11 drivetrain to 1×12 Five or so years back, 1x drivetrains were fairly new, and making cheaper ones by converting existing cassettes with expander cogs was all the rage for…
Review | These Leatt 3DF 5.0 soft-shell knee pads are almost perfect
James Vincent gives us his longterm review of Leatt’s soft-shell 3DF 5.0 Knee Guards It’s incredibly rare that you’ll see me out on a bike sans knee pads. Ever since I had a relatively innocuous low speed crash that left me with a loose ACL…
Highlights from the Bespoked Show 2019
Bespoked Handbuilt Show 2019 The Bespoked Show 2019 opened on Friday, gathering some of the UK’s (and the world’s) top framebuilders and component companies together with handmade bike enthusiasts under one impressive roof in Bristol Temple Meads Station’s Passenger Shed. Press PreviewOn Friday morning, the…
First Look | This 2019 Pace RC529 hardcore steel hardtail is 65mm longer than last year!
For 2019, Pace has really pushed the geometry to the next level on its hardcore, steel hardtails. Take a first look at the 2019 Pace RC529 to see what we mean. Back in November, we received an email from Pace Cycles telling us all about…
Review | The Rimpact tubeless tyre inserts are some of the best value rim protection you can get
Tubeless tyre inserts claim to offer additional protection for your mountain bike rim, so you can run lower tyre pressures for improved traction. The Rimpact Tyre Inserts are a relatively new option, so we got our local rim-dinger, David Hayward, to put them through the…
The new Scottish Mountain Bike Strategy covers everything from bike parks to buses
Antony gives us the low down on the new Scottish Mountain Biking Strategy. It’s one thing to advertise yourself as the best country for mountain biking in Europe. But what would it look like if you set out to actually make it happen? That’s the…
Last Chance To Subscribe! Singletrack Issue 125
You need to subscribe to Singletrack by midnight on 12th May to get the next issue of our magazine! Issue 125. One hundred and twenty five. There’s surely some kind of gemstone for that? A significant colour, metal, element? That’s a whole bundle of reading,…
Fresh Goods Friday 446 | The Products They Came In Two By Two, Hurrah! Hurrah!
Heellllooooo May! Are we pleased to see you! The traditional month for warm sunshine, terrible hayfever, and exam revision. We love you, May. So much promise. So often delivers. We’re clicking our heels and springing our steps. And not before time. Only now have we…
Review | The sub-300g Syncros Hixon iC 1.0 Rise is a bonkers all-in-one carbon bar & stem
Wil reviews the 800mm wide Syncros Hixon iC 1.0 Rise carbon fibre handlebar As the component arm of Scott Sports, Syncros originally developed the distinctive Hixon iC handlebar specifically for the flagship Genius 900 Tuned – a bike I tested last year. Standing for ‘Integrated…
Newsdesk 10: Racing news, Yorkshire bikes, and Shimano reshaping e-Bike design
This week we’re talking big wheels, racing, downhill, Yorkshire bikes, Ripley and a new battery from Shimano that could reshape e-Bike design. Mullet Bikes take 1 and 2 at Maribor If you followed our coverage of the first round of the UCI DH WC then…
First look | Jamis Dakar A2 £1100 full-suspension looks like a budget Santa Cruz 5010
U.S brand Jamis wants a piece of the Calibre Bossnut market share so has launched the Jamis Dakar A2, an £1100 full-suspension bike that looks like a 5010. UPDATE: since originally writing this article Evans has reduced the price of the Jamis Dakar A2 to…
Review | The 2019 Radon Cragger 8.0 is a whole lotta hardtail for less than €2K
David gives us his review of the 2019 Radon Cragger 8.0 hardtail Radon isn’t a name that tends to come up much in discussions I have about bikes. One of the lesser known brands in the UK perhaps, and though not unheard of, never reputed…
On-One Bikes confirms details of 15 new bikes and there isn’t an e-Bike in sight
Yorkshire based On-One Bikes has confirmed details of upcoming bike projects ranging from slack steel hardtails, to round the world touring bikes with a few component projects thrown in the mix for good measure. In a post over on the On-One Bikes website, Brant and…
Short vs Long Fork Offset | Testing On The Santa Cruz Blur
Wil delves into his experience of back-to-back testing 44mm & 51mm fork offsets to find out just how big of a difference it makes. Or doesn’t. If you haven’t already checked out Part One of my online feature on reduced-offset forks then you can do…
The New 2020 Ibis Ripley – Even Better Than The Ripmo?
Chipps gives us the lowdown on the brand new 2020 Ibis Ripley The new 29er from Ibis, the Ripley, Mk4, is a degree slacker, half a pound lighter and a whopping 47mm longer than the previous model. It’s even longer and lower than the company’s…
UPDATED | Karpiel is back with a new 29in Karpiel Armageddon prototype
Jan Karpiel and the Karpiel Armageddon is back for 2019, this time as a modern WC downhill race machine with 29in wheels. If you have fond memories of Josh Bender launching his custom Karpiel Apocalypse off cliffs in the desert, then have we got some…