It’s getting harder and harder for women to choose kit these days, because we seem to have more choice than ever before. The Osprey range alone features women’s specific packs…
Amanda Wishart
Amanda is our resident pedaller, who loves the climbs as much as the descents. No genre of biking is turned down, though she is happiest when at the top of a mountain with a wild descent ahead of her. If you ever want a chat about concussion recovery, dealing with a Womb of Doom or how best to fuel an endurance XC race, she's the one to email.
FINDRA Stroma Jacket | Eco-Friendly Doesn’t Sacrifice Performance
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…
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,…
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…
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…
Women’s Wear, Cranks Worth More Than Your Bike & a DOG | FGF 444
There are several reasons behind the number 444 being spiritual (yes, I’m going there…). You are on the path of awakening – are you new to mountain biking? If so,…
Liv Intrigue Advanced 1 – Easy Climbing Meets Playful Descending
For 2019, the Liv Intrigue has returned to the women’s specific brand line-up. This is after taking a couple of years off in 2016 to allow for the Pique SX…
FGF 443 | Alcopops, bottle cages & body armour – the perfect Fresh Goods Friday combo!
Well our work experience lad has left, not taking up our offer of an extra week having realised that we really don’t ride bikes very often. So normal service has…
Specialized Women’s Power Comp MIMIC Saddle – ‘I don’t even notice it’
The Specialized Women’s Power Comp saddle with MIMIC technology ain’t no gimmick, and has been awarded a Singletrack Recommended award from a rider that can find almost anything to complain…
More multi-tools than bikes! Plus a trail toad | Fresh Goods Friday 441
There are various things that can slow you down on natural trials. A dog you need to pet, walkers, rearranged rocks, a fallen tree… Well here in Calderdale we have…
FGF 439 | Where Have All The Good Words Gone? At Least We Have The Goods. It’s Fresh Goods Friday 439!
Where is Barney when you need him? We need words of wonder and wibble to kick this thing off here, and if you’re looking in ST Towers for them, you’re…
Singletrack 124 | Subscribe Now And Get A Potato Through Your Letterbox!
We’ve been so distracted with extreme weather changes, new bikes and Chipps’ holiday photos that this issue really has crept up on us. That’s not to say we aren’t prepared…
FGF 437 | Protection, Lubricant, And A Nasty Itch – It’s Fresh Goods Friday
Last week somebody got me some snacks. I don’t really question the ingredients of anything I eat, despite my strict dietary requirements, so I wolfed them down without a care…
A Beautiful Mason, Several Gurns, A New Frame – And The World’s Smallest Samurai Sword… It’s Fresh Goods Friday 436!
No sooner had Chipps returned from his most recent endless holiday, but it seemed that everyone else took that as a cue to take time off for half term (or…
Fresh Goods Friday 434 – The Ross Isn’t Our Friend Edition
Chipps is still on holiday, none of the rest of ST Towers cares. Except maybe Amanda, who is falling out of love with Jess The Love Croissant Very Naughty Dog. Techno…
If You Don’t Own A Flannel Shirt, Are You Really A Mountain Biker?
There’s no denying it, flannel shirts are a staple item of a mountain biker’s wardrobe. Some might say they are our uniform, or even a shirt of honour, worn to…
Tyre Guillotines, An E-Backpack and No Snow References – It’s Fresh Goods Friday 433
And just like that, January is over and Chipps is on holiday again. The past week has seen most of the Singletrack team struck down with some sort of illness…
Singletrack Editors’ Choice Awards – Accolades from Amanda
Over the last year, our writers have tested a bucketful of bikes, a barn load of clothing and gear, and attended a bookcase full of cycling events. Which of these,…
The Post Is Back To Normal And We’ve Got a Bunch Of Parcels! It’s Fresh Goods Friday 429
It's the first Fresh Goods Friday of 2019 and our hangovers have subsided enough that we are comfortable looking at screens once more.
Chrome Barrage Cargo Backpack – For Commuters With a Heavy Load
Well what a deceiving pack this one is. I wasn’t supposed to be testing this Chrome Barrage Cargo backpack, it was sent in for Chipps, but late one day in…
Two Bikes, Many Clothes and A Pair of Juicy Nipples – Fresh Goods Friday 426
The Fresh Goods Friday you’re about to see, Was written by journos, numbering three. They’re OK at bikes, and photography But their poetry sucks. You can blame Barney For setting…
We’ve got bikes, bras, backpacks and bonce lids. It’s Fresh Goods Friday 422!
Everyone rides bikes for different reasons. For some it’s purely fitness, some it’s fun, others it’s the social aspect, and for some it’s stress release. For many of us it’s…
9 Creature Comforts To Make Winter Riding Better
I hate to be the one to say it, but winter is approaching. And in the time it took me to type that, it’s probably arrived. But let’s not see…
The office dog is better dressed than the lot of us! It’s Fresh Goods Friday 421
If you could design your own bike, what colour would you go for? Would you just choose your favourite colour, or would that mean you’re too matchy-matchy given that your…
Chill out everyone, Fresh Goods Friday 420 is here
50% of the editorial team are on holiday. Only 50% of that 50% are enjoying themselves… Meanwhile in the office, there’s an abundance of fancy coffee and a carrot cake…
Is it really that easy? A beginner’s guide to going tubeless
Produced in association with Finish Line Sealant It was quite surprising for the Singletrack team to learn that one of their own was still running inner tubes. The guilty party,…
Wearables for the body and the bike. Plus a free poem! It’s Fresh Goods Friday 416
This week at Singletrack there has been some drama. Someone used the last of the oat milk without saying anything, there was a birthday cake with no candles, and thanks…
Leeds Urban Bike Park – For all riders great and small
Whether you’re looking for a fun family day out on the bikes, a solo adventure, somewhere for skills practice, or a place to meet your mates for a ride, Leeds…
Last Chance To Nominate! Singletrack Magazine Reader Awards 2018 #STRAW18
The Singletrack Reader Awards are awards given to a bunch of deserving individuals and companies by you, the readers. The awards are split into two phases. First comes the nominations…
It’s a bit nippy here, good job we have all these fresh goods to keep us warm. Some of us, anyway. Fresh Goods Friday 412!
It’s been a busy week here at Singletrack. Hannah has become so used to her gnarly riding, foam pit sessions and BMX tracks that the moment she got back on…
Two bikes, some round things, some sticky stuff, and a key – It’s Fresh Goods Friday 410
Amanda is curating Fresh Goods Friday this week. Let’s see what’s in store… Am I actually the last person in the UK that’s still running tubes in my tyres? This…
Jessica Brousseau – Bike mechanic, pro wheel builder and free spirit
I’ve recently spent some time in British Columbia on a press launch, courtesy of Liv Bikes. From the moment I stepped foot outside the airport, I’ve been overwhelmed with beauty.…
Liv welcomes the Intrigue back to its line-up, only this time it’s advanced
The Intrigue Advanced is the new all-mountain trail bike from Liv (the women-only offshoot of Giant Bicycles). It first appeared in 2014 and disappeared from the line-up in 2016 when…
Review: Dakine Hot Laps 5L Waist Pack
There are a few things I swore I wouldn’t do when I got at job at Singletrack. Wear a gilet, ride clipped in, and use a hip pack. So of…
Ambassadors Wanted: Could You Be a Motion Hero?
Motion forks are shaking up MTB suspension. Their radically different design is specially developed not to dive during braking. This noticeably improves handling, grip and comfort, compared to standard telescopic…
Finally! A helmet you can eat your banana through
Cébé introduces its first full face enduro helmet, the Rockgarden, read on for the official press release (and unofficial captions). Since its creation in 1892, Cébé has demonstrated its know-how…
Bamboo Bicycle Club: Go behind-the-scenes to see what it takes to build your own frame
For those of you who missed it, last year Wil was challenged to build a bike out of bamboo. A home build kit, complete with an extensive manual and support…
A solution to pedal rash, or just more Eurotrash?
It’s my first ever Eurobike and although I was told there would be some weirdness on display I hadn’t realised it was going to be so hard to identify the…
Spotted: Clothing brand Rocday bring fashion to the trails
Earthy tones, modern designs and high-end fabrics spotted at Eurobike 2018 from Polish clothing brand Rocday. Hiding outside in a very modest stand, I was drawn in by the jersey…
Comfortable kit upgrades, many components and one VERY nice frame – It’s Fresh Goods Friday 402
Did you know that in Idaho there is a button you can press that induces pancakes? Instant, fresh, warm pancakes! Hannah has been over there checking out that button, so…
Limited Edition Singletrack Lifetime Subscriptions – available now!
Life subscriptions have been extremely popular each time we release a batch. The convenience of never having to renew your subscription, the joy of the cost never increasing, and the…
Go behind-the-scenes on the bike test photoshoot for Issue 119
Back in May, Wil and Amanda headed off to Hamsterley Forest with three UK made 29ers we had on test for issue 119. They were to spend a couple of…
What’s It Like To Work At Fort William? Amanda finds out
My first Fort William experience was in 2017. I was relatively new to mountain biking, said yes to everything I was invited to and completely ignored the fact I had…
The 2018 Fort William World Cup Finals Gallery
Under blue skies and unusually warm conditions, the 2018 Fort William World Cup was run and won over the weekend. You may have followed all the action via our STWFortBill…
Course Preview: Fort William World Cup 2018
Blue skies and dusty trails at Fort William (for now…). We welcome you to take a walk down the world cup track with Ross and James as they consider line…
‘You could buy a car for that!’ It’s Fresh Goods Friday 397
This week, Amanda our designer has stepped in to write Fresh Goods Friday. Mostly because she has a story to tell… Two weeks ago I was on my way to…
TweedLove Bike Festival unveils its full line-up
Now almost ten years old, TweedLove Bike Festival seems to keep on growing. Held annually in the Scottish Borders’ Tweed Valley, more new events have been added, and the demo/expo…
TweedLove’s Mega Bike Demo – Scotland’s only opportunity to demo the Hope HB160, plus many more!
Want to test one of your dream bikes? Do a bit of window shopping? We’ve just had news that the TweedLove Mega Bike Demo website is going live from 8.30pm…
What happens when you let a South African trailbuilder loose in the no-rules mountain kingdom of Lesotho?
If you’ve already got your hands on the brand new issue of Singletrack Magazine, you’ll have likely read about Kristi Stump’s wild adventure racing the 6-day Lesotho Sky event. If…
Review: 2018 Whyte 909 Hardtail – A contender for the one-bike shed?
When the Whyte 909 turned up at Singletrack HQ, there were two riders particularly keen on riding it. Hannah already owns a Whyte hardtail, albeit a slightly older 901 hardtail,…
Women’s Specific Geometry On The Canyon Spectral WMN CF SLX 9.0 – How Different Can It Be?
By Amanda Wishart, Singletrack Magazine Back in March I was fortunate enough to be one of a select group of journalists to be invited to a Canyon women’s specific bike…