Designed in the deserts of Arizona, the Pivot Trail 429 gets an update – head this way for a sprinkling of dust, sunshine, and a turn of speed. No, wait, to save us all going green with envy – or maybe to show us it’s…
2021
SRAM Buys Time Pedals
For years, SRAM had a clipless-pedal-shaped hole in its complete groupset picture, compared to rivals Shimano. With almost* universal acceptance of Shimano’s SPD platform for clipped-in riding, it seemed unlikely that SRAM would be able to come up with a pedal system as simple and…
Review: Fox Flexair Neoshell Water Waterproof Jacket
The Flexair Neoshell Water jacket is a new addition to Fox’s range for this winter. Designed to keep you dry and comfortable in the worst possible conditions, Fox has constructed the jacket from Polartec Neoshell, which on top being rated as 10,000g/m2/24hr for waterproofness, is…
Maxxis Shorty Gen 2 – An updated spikey tyre for mud and extreme dust
Ever popular for UK wet weather trail, downhill, or enduro riding, the mid-spike Maxxis Shorty is getting an update. It’s also apparently suitable for ‘extreme dust’, but unless there’s room to ride under your bed, we’re not sure where in the UK such conditions could…
Untold British history of mountain biking hits 1 million views
The feature length documentary, Mountain Biking, The Untold British Story, charts the history of the mountain bike viewed from a British perspective. Through interviews and rides with many of the key personalities and companies who were part of the scene back in the late 80’s…
Fresh Goods Friday 537 – The Hope Edition
It’s that time of year when each ride is an opportunity to look out for signs of hope. Snowdrops, daffodils, lambs, bees – with each sighting Spring gets a better foothold and we escape winter’s clutches. Of course there can be false starts – mild…
Bike Check: Neil Sutton’s Sonder Titanium Dirt Jump Bike
What bike would you build yourself if you had access to all the software and the people to build it for you? For Sonder’s Neil Sutton, the answer is this stunning Titanium Sonder dirt jump bike. You might not be aware of this, but as…
Video – UR switches to NS Bikes
NS Bikes is the new bike sponsor of the UR Team who will compete in downhill, freeride and enduro events this year. NS Bikes has taken over from Polygon as the main title for the UR Team supplying the riders with downhill, freeride and enduro…
Thanks for your help – Beat Cancer With Mint Sauce
Update: We had a nice note from Jo Burt so we thought we’d share it with you all: hi folks, thanks every so much for mentioning this last week on your site, it really prompted a healthy flourish of donations… The JustGiving raffle is all…
Munro Bagging By Bike – Why Bother?
What approach would you take to Munro bagging? Are you a ‘gotta catch em all’, or a ‘when the sun shines I’ll bag another’ kind of person? Our very own Sanny set out to bag the Munros by bike as an incentive to get out…
Opinion: The Illegal Trail Builder
Building unsanctioned trails is a touchy subject. But are there shades of grey when it comes to building illegal trails or is it a black and white issue? We talk to one trail builder who wants to keep his activities secret.
Orange Factory Racing Returns with EWS race squad
Orange Bikes has announced the return of Orange Factory Racing with a new 3 person EWS race team. Orange Bikes is back to racing with an official factory team for 2021. The new team will focus on select EWS races and will include UK riders…
Freak Bike Check! Revel Rascal Arizona Breeze edition
If you thought pro bike checks were just a gushing list of sponsor names then this is a breath of fresh air from Mason ‘Arizona Breeze’ Bond. Mason has been riding for Revel for a while now, but has previously ridden for Orange and Pivot.…
Specialized Chisel LTD Elements – Bike or Art?
Specialized has revealed four limited edition runs of the Chisel, its alloy XC race hardtail: Earth, Air, Water and Fire. Let us grab some lamé and chiffon and boogie this way for a closer look. Just as the Chisel rides a thin ribbon of dirt…
Michelin launches new Wild and Force All-Mountain Tyres
Michelin launches new Wild and Force All-Mountain Tyres covering hard-packed and loose trail conditions. Press Release Follows Michelin is excited to announce two new additions to its market-leading range of MTB tyres. The all NEW MICHELIN FORCE AM2 and WILD AM2, join the Competition Line…
10 Reasons your bike will cost you more this year
It seems like there’s been a lot of bad news about price rises on bikes and components recently, so we thought we’d look at what’s driving it – and whether it’ll change any time soon. 1. High demand 2020 saw half the world go out…
First Look: Patrol C091 Carbon Hardtail
Andi takes a close look at the carbon-framed Patrol C091 hardtail, a budget bike with great spec and a confidence-inspiring geometry. We see a lot of people in the comments section and in the forum talking about the price of bikes, and how expensive they…
You Can’t Buy Happiness – but you can buy an eMTB
Hannah explains why she thinks an eMTB should be your next gift to yourself if you want to add a little joy to your life. I have never really ‘had money’. For a brief period in my twenties I had a disposable income, and I…
From The Frozen North It’s Fresh Goods Friday 536
Opening with the obvious – it’s really cold. Instead of grumbling about this relentless deep freeze we’re experiencing, I’d like to show you this incredible ice sculpture created at the top of the hill out of Hebden Bridge. At first I thought it was field…
EWS 2021 – Rescheduled and Restructured
The Enduro World Series (EWS) has revealed a revised 2021 event calendar in response to ongoing uncertainty over Covid and travel restrictions. Both the Whistler round and the Trophy of Nations have been deferred until 2022, leaving an EWS 2021 race season based solely in…
Pyga Bikes opens European HQ and powder-coating in Nottingham
Nottingham, made famous by Robin Hood and Raleigh Activator bikes, is now the European home of Pyga bikes. Pyga is a small South African bike brand that produces handmade alloy framesets for enduro and all-mountain fans. The Pyga range covers XC, all-mountain and enduro and…
Islabikes founder Isla Rowntree steps back after 15 years
After starting Islabikes 15 years ago and redefining the standard for children’s bikes, Isla Rowntree is stepping back from the running of the company. The direction of Islabikes has always been very influenced by Isla’s own personal circumstances and experiences. First in making children’s bikes…
‘Ooh!’ or ‘Argh!’? Dangerholm’s Hyper Spark
Maybe it’s all the lack of travel that’s getting to people, but it seems to us like there’s a new ‘dream build’ bike build every week at the moment. Cooped up in their sheds, people are building bikes and dreaming of future days of riding.…
Dropping In – Short Stuff You Should Know
For this instalment of Dropping In, we have some general bike culture clippings that we think lovers of bikes will enjoy. What’s more, we hope they’ll help you consider how to build bikes into your daily life rather than just leisure time and exercise, and…
2021 Team News РRudy Cabirou and Rafael Villegas to race CNC Production Priv̩e with The Brigade
French rider, Rudy Cabirou signs for another year on The Brigade with Colombian rider Rafael Villegas, both to ride prototype Production Privée bikes. Press Release Follows: 25-year-old, Rudy Cabirou signs on for another year with The Brigade MTB Team joining Alex Marin, Mélanie Chappaz and…
Sunn French Connexion Racing welcome 2 new elites for EWS
Louis Jeandel and Guillaume Larbeyou join French national champion Theo Galy on the Sunn French Connexion Racing team. Press Release follows; We’re proud to announce our 2 new elite riders. Louis Jeandel and Guillaume Larbeyou! Both riders had an amazing year in 2020 as privateers…
Mondraker’s MIND technology adds built-in telemetry, GPS and security
Mondraker has today revealed their new MIND technology a system of sensors and a connected app to improve your ride and add a degree of security too. Electronics are now commonplace on our mountain bikes. If electronics aren’t helping us climb hills with motors, they…
It’s here – Have you got yours? Singletrack Magazine Issue 135
Whoop! Well it was all a bit confusing, with the usual courier notification sequence of ‘we’re coming’, ‘no we’re not’, ‘ding-dong SURPRISE! We’re here!’, but we’re delighted that the latest issue of Singletrack Magazine has now landed at the office and is landing on doormats…
Specialized UK HQ Devastated By Fire
Over the weekend, Specialized’s UK headquarters has been significantly affected by a fire. At present investigators are on site establishing where on the industrial park the fire started. 12 fire engines and around 80 firefighters are tackling a blaze at Barwell Business Park in #Chessington…
British Cycling Reveals New Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group
British Cycling has named the members of its new Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group – and it’s great news for the mountain bike world to see Aneela McKenna as co-chair. Let’s see what changes the group manages to bring about. Here’s the official British Cycling…
Fresh Goods Friday 535 – Bringing colour to your life
It’s a grey old world out there right now, but this week’s mailbox has brought us a shower of colour. Which got our thoughts turning to our walls. Did you paint yours at the start of Lockdown Mk1? A nice tasteful shade of linen mist,…
Josh Bryceland asks riders to stop digging
Josh ‘Ratboy’ Bryceland has asked riders to not build any new features in the Nab Quarry and Styperson Park area, near Stockport, as he is working on managing the area to preserve it and access for the local community. In an Instagram post he says:…
YT Releases limited edition Blaze builds of the Izzo, Jeffsy and Capra
YT has taken 3 existing bikes and added a little ‘blaze’ to them with limited edition Izzo, Jeffsy and Capra bikes. YT Industries has taken the Izzo, Jeffsy and Capra bikes and built them into limited-edition Blaze bikes with just 250 Izzo Blaze available and…
Ride To Survive with Tomomi Nishikubo
Go fishing and make fire with Tomomi Nishikubo as he tries to survive being shipwrecked on an island – with the help of his bike. We’ll admit we missed this video when it was first released, but the recent addition of a ‘making of’ video…
Oxford Aqua Evo Waterproof Backpacks – for wet commutes?
Are the Oxford Aqua Evo backpacks the waterproof luggage solution you’ve been looking for? The Oxford Aqua Evo bags both have a waterproof rating of IPX-6, which means they should be waterproof against all but total submersion. They come in both a 12 litre and…
TweedLove WILL Return In 2021 – With Chain Reaction Cycles As Title Sponsor
We’ve just had word that TweedLove Bike Festival has announced a new headline partnership with Chain Reaction Cycles for their 2021 festival weekend based in the Tweed Valley, Scotland. The online bike store will also sponsor two of TweedLove’s other events this year, covering gravel…
The Forbidden Dreadnought takes the fear out of climbing and downhill slaying!
Forbidden’s much rumoured big travel rig becomes official today with the unveiling of the new Forbidden Dreadnought. Forbidden jumped into the mountain bike scene with the Druid, a bike which blurred the lines between trail and enduro with a downhill inspired high-pivot suspension design and…
Bike Shop Thieves Strike Twice – Again!
It’s the second time this week that we find ourselves reporting on a bike shop being broken into for the second time in a month. This time it’s Cycle Gear in Halifax – a local bike shop with online retail outlet. During the last break…
Vee Tyre Attack HPL promises to be your one-stop trail/enduro tyre
Vee Tire Co launches the new Attack HPL tyre with the help from freerider Stevie Schneider. Vee Tire Co is quickly rising through the ranks to be one of the top tyre choices for gravity fuelled and aggressive riding. The Thai company sponsors a full…
What’s Wrong With This Bike Tattoo? (and no, the answer isn’t ‘everything’)
Ahh, tattoos. At least in 2020 in the UK there should have been a downturn in the frequency of questionable tattoo decision making. And of people from the UK going to Vegas for their impulsive tattoo choices. Isn’t that right, Mark? Anyway, that was just…
Behind The Scenes – Danny MacAskill’s The Slabs
If you watched The Slabs and felt a bit wobbly and clammy, then here’s the behind the scenes footage to make you relive the experience. All images:Â Dave Mackison No, it’s not going to make you feel much better, although it does show the level of…
Making Up The Numbers | MTB Training with Richie Rude and Todd Schumlick
Todd Schumlick has trained some of the world’s leading bike sports athletes from Aaron Gwin to Stevie Smith, Sam Blenkinsop to Emmeline Ragot. Richie Rude is the 2 x EWS Champion, 2013 Junior DH World Champion & has worked with Todd for the last 8…
Trail Centre Break-Ins Test The Willpower Of Shop Staff
It seems that number of recent bike shop break-ins at mountain bike trail centres has had some shop owners on the verge of packing it all in. Most recently, Afan Valley Bike Shed near Port Talbot had a(nother) break-in for the second time in a…
Updated Propain Hugene has all your trail needs covered
Propain updates the all-mountain Hugene now with jump, jib, and shred features! Plus updated geometry and a more elegant and lightweight frame! The Propain Hugene launched a couple of years ago with an all-new suspension platform and a carbon frame made for trail and all-mountain…
Staff Bike Test: Hannah’s Stooge MK4
This article was first published in Issue 129 of Singletrack Magazine. Sometime during high school I had an epiphany: the cool kids were always going to think I was a freak – so I may as well give up trying to fit in and just…
Staff Bike Test | Commencal, Ibis, Juliana, and Stooge
This article was first published in Issue 129 of Singletrack Magazine. Chipps and the Singletrack test crew get the enviable, but surprisingly difficult, job of reviewing the bikes that they’ve chosen as long termers for the next (or last) few months. One of the cardinal…
Staff Bike Test: Chipps’ Ibis Ripley MK4
This article was first published in Issue 129 of Singletrack Magazine. The first Ibis Ripley, back in 2001 or so, was an alloy softail, a pretty advanced bike for the time. The Ripleys that followed were equally innovative: the MK2 was the company’s first carbon…
Staff Bike Test: Andi’s Commencal Meta AM 29 SRAM Edition
This article was first published in Issue 129 of Singletrack Magazine. The Commencal Meta has been around for quite a while now, but every so often the bike receives an update to keep it in line with what the rest of the industry has on…
Staff Bike Test: Amanda’s Juliana Maverick Carbon CC XO1 Reserve
This article was first published in Issue 129 of Singletrack Magazine. As I pushed back up a certain (pretty large, for me at least) feature on a huge loop in the Peaks, I caught the eye of two young lads riding an adjacent trail. “It’s…
2021 Team News: Mélanie Chappaz Joins The Brigade
The 2017 UCI Junior World Champ, Melanie Chappaz joins The Brigade downhilll team for 2021 and will pilot the new Production Privée. View this post on Instagram A post shared by TheBrigadeTeam / SRsuntour (@thebrigadeteam) From The Brigade: Welcome to the team Melanie Chappaz, The…
Fresh Goods Friday 534: The ‘We’ve Found Bikes!’ Edition
It’s a crazy time – in general, but also in bike land. First, everyone seems to have sold all of their bikes and there are some long lead times heading our way for new models, with some surprising Brexit-related price hikes for those you can…
