Barney Marsh takes the word ‘career’ literally, veering wildly across the road of his life, as thoroughly in control as a goldfish on the dashboard of a motorhome. He’s been, with varying degrees of success, a scientist, teacher, shop assistant, binman and, for one memorable day, a hospital laundry worker. These days, he’s a dad, husband, guitarist, and writer, also with varying degrees of success. He sometimes takes photographs. Some of them are acceptable. Occasionally he rides bikes to cast the rest of his life into sharp relief. Or just to ride through puddles. Sometimes he writes about them. Bikes, not puddles. He is a writer of rongs, a stealer of souls and a polisher of turds. He isn’t nearly as clever or as funny as he thinks he is.
rockshox lyrik fork rct3 barney santa cruz hightower

Longterm Review: Is the 2018 RockShox Lyrik RCT3 the butteriest of them all?

For 2018, both Fox and RockShox have come out swinging with updates to their long-travel suspension forks: Fox with its new 36, and RockShox with the new Lyrik. Over the...

Singletrack Magazine Issue 118 : Last Word

barney marsh Train, Train Go Away Barney faces up to the inevitable: he’s not magically going to get fitter by doing nothing. It sits against one wall of the cellar,……

norco sight yt jeffsy santa cruz tallboy barney ross rob lee quarry

We Test & Review 3 Alloy Full Suspension Bikes That Prove Carbon Isn’t The Be-All, And End-All

Barney sets out to test three bikes made of metal, not plastic

yt jeffsy

Review: The £2199 YT Jeffsy AL One 29 Is One Of The Best Value Trail Bikes We’ve Ever Tested

The build kit on this bike is insanely good for the money

santa cruz tallboy alloy lee quarry

Who Needs Carbon? We Test & Review The 2018 Santa Cruz Tallboy Alloy R

Santa Cruz is best known for its carbon bling-wagons, but it makes bloody brilliant alloy frames too

norco sight 29er a2 alloy lee quarry ross

Review: The 2018 Norco Sight A2 29er Shows Just How Good Alloy Mountain Bikes Can Be

Barney gives us his review of the alloy version of the 2018 Norco Sight 29er

identiti mettle barney

Video: Barney Puts The Pedal To The Mettle In His Review Of This Brute Of A Bike

The Identiti Mettle is one of the new breed of UK-designed long travel enduro bikes, and it ain\'t no featherweight. Barney explains.

identiti mettle barney

Review: Identiti Mettle GX Eagle

Identiti has gone all-in with the 160mm travel Mettle. Barney\'s been razzing about on one, and is ready to deliver his verdict.

Review: Specialized Butcher & Slaughter GRID 27.5×2.8 Tyres

When a Butcher and a Slaughter go plus sized, is there more fun, or more blood? Barney\'s been testing these 2.8in rubbers to find out.

Barney Marsh - A Right Old Pyrenees Up

A Right Old Pyrenees Up

Barney takes a trip way, way down South with his family - can mountain bike riding on a family holiday actually work?

Review: Cube Freeride Plus 20 pack

Review: Cube Freeride Plus 20 Pack

Barney takes Cubes Freeride Plus 20 pack into the wilds of Calderdale for six months

issue 111 29 plus group test trek stache salsa woodsmoke jones plus tom hill antony celia

Group Test: 29+ Mountain Bikes

We review three 29+ mountain bikes from Jones, Salsa and Trek. Are wagon wheelers here to stay? After this test, Barney certainly thinks so. There\'s more to this story... BUT…

Review: Trek Stache 9.8

Trek has committed hard to the 29+ wheelsize with the Stache 9.8 - a carbon fibre trail hardtail built around 29x3.0in tyres and a 120mm travel fork

Review: Jones Plus 29+ Steel

With its slender steel frame, truss fork and unique geometry, the Jones Plus bike takes a very different approach to things.

Review: Troy Lee A1 MIPS Helmet

Barney comes over all beat poet. We don\'t think anything hit him on the head during the test…

Review: Bluegrass Tuatara Idro Body Armour

Barney stormtoopers up, but don\'t worry - his reviews are much more accurate than the average \'troopers marksmanship.

Singletrack Magazine issue 114: Shropshire

Barney heads off to Shropshire to try to answer a question which has been bugging him – why are there so many good riders from such a quiet county? Words……

Review: RockShox Reverb Stealth Dropper Post

Is the latest RockShox Reverb the best dropper post on the market? Barney notches up 15 months aboard his to deliver us his longterm review

Review: Maxxis Minion DHF 29 x 2.5in 3C DH Tyre

Is the 2.5in Minion DHF the burliest 29er tyre out there? At 1300 grams, Barney thinks so. But it\'s also one of the grippiest too

UK Exclusive: Cannondale Trigger Review

Barney gets his paws on the all-new Cannondale Trigger for an exclusive UK first ride review

Review: Trail Helmet Group Test

Looking for a trail helmet guide? Then check out Barney\'s feature on some of the top trail helmets from Giro, Bell, Met, POC, Smith, Lazer and more.

Intense launches new Primer 29er

Intense unveil their Prime cut of 29er juiciness

Review: Intense Primer 29 Factory

Intense\'s brand new Primer 29in trail slayer, given the full review treatment

Intense launches the ACV – carbon 27.5+ trailmonster

Intense get a full on chubby with the new ACV

Fresh Goods Friday 297

Fizzing Fresh Goods on a Friday, tinged with sadness as Barney hands the Megaphone of Truth back, before paddling off into the sunset

Fresh Goods Friday 296

It\'s that Friday feeling, lovingly served up with a steaming pile of hot Fresh Goods, just for you

Glentress Seven 2016

Video: Glentress Seven 2016

The Tweedlove\'s flagship Endurance Race was a hoot this year - and here\'s the video to prove it. Warning: Chipps may be hot!

The Hope PMBA Enduro Series Northern Champs – report and video

Race report from a glorious Hope PMBA do in the lakes

Fox Transfer Seatpost

New Fox Transfer Seatpost Announced

After a long wait, there\'s a new uppy-down post from Fox Racing Shox, with lots of lever options - and a Kashima-coated shaft!

Flare Clothing Co. Announces New Collection

UK MTB clothing brand\'s new duds for biking boys and girls everywhere