Goodyear have some new tyres out - the Newton MTF and the Newton MTR. They've also got a new online tyre pressure assistant. From our preliminary messings about, it seems pretty useful.
Ben Haworth
185cm tall. 73kg weight. Orange Switch 6er. Saracen Ariel Eeber. Schwalbe Magic Mary. Maxxis DHR II. Coil fan.
50 years of Merida pushbikes
Who doesn't love a good ol' trip down a mountain biking memory lane, hey? Let's look back over the last 50 years of Merida...
Fresh Goods Friday 598: Bluebell Search Edition
Hannah is back from the USA in body but not mind. She keeps waking up in the night convinced she’s still camping out in some California woodland, or jerking awake as dry ground skids underneath her tyres. Perhaps she needs a new mattress. Charlie is…
YT Capra Core 2 review: doing it for the lolz
After the carbon launch models, then the aluminium Uncaged versions, here is the more affordable alloy YT Capra Core 2.
£290 saddle: Specialized Power Pro with Mirror
The new Specialized Power Pro with Mirror is not for inspecting your undercarriage at leisure, it's a honeycomb 3D printed saddle.
Switchcraft Cycles: simple but not ordinary
Switchcraft Cycles is Jakub Junek. Hailing from the Czech Republic and specialising in steel machines with really short back ends.
Canyon Strive CFR: Shark Attack’s hacks maxed
EWS beast and all-round ace human Jack Moir has been a big influence on the new Canyon Strive CFR. His race mods have all been 'made flesh'.
Santa Cruz Megatower 2 joins the downtube storage gang
The new Santa Cruz Megatower 2 remains a big travel 29in wheel enduro bike with the most progressive geometry to date. And a Glovebox.
Review: Adidas FIVE TEN Freerider Pro
This review featured as part of the Kit Essentials grouptest in issue 142 of Singletrack World. Predictable winner that still has few real rivals Price: £130.00 From: adidas.co.uk Tested By: Benji The Pro version of the iconic Five Ten Freerider is a very different beast…
Review: Bontrager Flatline Shoes
This review featured as part of the Kit Essentials grouptest in issue 142 of Singletrack World. Never mind the grip, feel the feel Price: £124.99 From: trekbikes.com Tested By: Benji The Flatline has been out a few years now, but we don’t see very many…
Review: Endura MT500 Burner Flat
This review featured as part of the Kit Essentials grouptest in issue 142 of Singletrack World. Sturdy, sticky and race-focussed Price: £119.99 From: endurasport.com Tested By: Benji There is plenty of ‘white coat scientist’ tech in the upper and the insole of the MT500 Burner…
Review: Ride Concepts TNT Shoe
This review featured as part of the Kit Essentials grouptest in issue 142 of Singletrack World. The flattie fan’s winter boot Price: £145.00 From: silverfish-uk.com Tested By: Benji Though I’m loath to say the words ‘Five Ten’ any more than I already have, I have…
142 Bike Test – The Big Short
Benji ponders the meaning of ‘short’ as he rags these three not-long travel bikes round his local trails. What is short travel? Too short? Short enough? Shorter than what? What is the average travel of A Mountain Bike in 2022 anyway? It’s hard to say.…
Review: Cotic FlareMAX Gen4
The Cotic FlareMAX Gen4 is reviewed in Issue 142 Bike Test – The Big Short. Gen4 means fourth generation. This is the fourth iteration of Cotic’s shorter travel (125mm) full suspension bike. As with most Cotic bikes, although there are preset complete builds available, a…
Review: Giant Trance Advanced Pro 29 1
The Giant Trance Advanced Pro 29 1 is reviewed in Issue 142 Bike Test – The Big Short. The Trance has been in the Giant line-up for a long time now and the Trance Advanced Pro 29er is the most recent incarnation. Designed as a…
Review: YT Izzo Core 3
The YT Izzo Core 3 is reviewed in Issue 142 Bike Test – The Big Short. The YT Izzo came out a couple of years ago and made waves principally because it was a bike from YT that wasn’t overtly aimed at the enduro or…
Five brand new tyres from Continental
Say hello to The Family 'Tal! The Xynotal, Kryptotal Fr & Rr, Argotal and Hydrotal are a massive revamping for Conti's mountain bike tyres.
Crankbrothers Highline 11: yes, that’s a carbon stanchion
The latest Crankbrothers Highline 11 bum bling uses a carbon stanchion (or 'quill'), a carbon head and oh-so-desirable titanium bolts.
Fox 36 gets new crown, more steerer overlap
The iconic Fox 36 receives a new crown with more steerer tube overlap improved stiffness and durability (whilst shaving 20 grams).
Orange Switch 7 : Linkage bike from Orange unveiled
The Orange Switch 7 is a 170mm travel MX wheeled enduro bike using a linkage-driven trunnion shock, mounted low in the frame.
Ortlieb Seat-Pack QR: best saddlebag ever?
The new Ortlieb Seat-Pack QR is a waterproof saddle bag with ingenious quick-release mounting. Just what you need for a bit of bikepacking.
Things The Bike Industry Will Try To Sell Us This Year
Call us cynical, or call us highly informed industry insiders with our fingers on the pulse. But we think the marketing departments of the bike industry are going to find new ways to sell old things. As component shortages continue, companies will seize the opportunity…
New downcountry and trail bikes from Last
The Last Celo and Last Asco use the same essential frame but with different suspension and build kits.
Factor launch their first ever mountain bikes
The Factor Lando XC full suspension bike and the Factor Lando HT hardtail are outright XC race machines designed to go the (long) distance.
Lazer KinetiCore offers new type of rotational impact protection
Lazer KinetiCore doesn't use a slip liner or stuck-on elastomery things. It uses an internal crumple zone array.
Nicolai Saturn 16: did someone say water bottle?
The Nicolai Saturn 16 is a new development for the German marque and is designed to sit between the Saturn 14 ST trail bike the big G1.
WTB Volt saddle review: safe bet for biking bums
The WTB Volt saddle is not a new saddle. New aesthetics aside, the shape and construction remain unchanged. Thank heavens for that!
Fresh Goods Friday 593: Sunland vs Iceland edition
I would write a slightly longer introduction to this week's FGF but... the sun's out. I'm off out on my bike to ride all the trails that have been off-limits-soggy since November!
Lapierre XRM and XR: Cross Down Country
Lapierre XRM bumps the rear travel up to 110mm and sports a 120mm travel fork up front. The XR still rocks yer 100mm of XC just-enoughness.
50 minutes of Reece Wilson: The Flying Scotsman
To help tide us all over until World Cup racing resumes, here's a 50 minute film detailing Reece Wilson's 2021 season.
Fresh Goods Friday 592: Too many birthdays edition
What is it with March? It seems like it’s someone’s birthday every day. Well, obviously it is someone’s birthday every day, every day. But you know what I mean. Don’t you? Maybe it’s just me [Benji]. Can everyone stop having birthdays in March please? It’s…
New Uncaged versions of YT Decoy MX and Capra MX
The Decoy and Capra Uncaged 9 bikes are basically Öhlins equipped (RXF 38 m.2 fork and TTX 22m shock) limited edition models.
SRM Power Meter Flat Pedals are not an April Fool
German power pedal specialists SRM have released SRAM X-Power Flat pedals with power meters in them. This is not April 1st.
It lives! Tame Valley Loop to open March 19th
The Tame Valley Loop (TVL) is a 29km predominantly off-road route situated to the east of Manchester and on the border of the Peak District.
Accu-Gage tyre pressure gauge review
The Accu-Gage is the most important tool in my drawers, so to speak. And it's certainly the most pleasing to use too.
Fresh Goods Friday 591: looking out for bluebells edition
Although the pesky wall calendar may claim that it's not spring until March 27th or something ri-dic-u-lous, we've already spotted bluebell shoots er, shooting up.
Airdrop Filter is a 27.5 lip-boosting backside-pumper
This week's little wheeler is the Airdrop Filter. 27.5 is having a mini resurgence of late. Last week we had the Pivot Shadowcat.
New Specialized Ambush 2 and Camber helmets
The new lids from Specialized take helmet peaks to the next level. Literally. Will this high visor aesthetic take off?
FGF 590: Back 2 Life, Back 2 Reality
This week saw Singletrack head back to the office. For the first time since The Before Times, we were pretty much all in the building for one day.
Trans-Savoie: 10 years of not-racing enduro
This summer will see the 10th Trans-Savoie Enduro. Perfect excuse to look at some nice piccies and watch a great little look-back promo edit.
Specialized S-Works Vent EVO: dial up connection for £400
Specialized S-Works Vent EVO are none-more-ventilated XC and gravel performance shoes. At £400 these are some pretty full-on footwear!
Endura mountain bike shoes: flat and clipless options
Endura mountain bike shoes are a thing. New range comprises MT500 Burner Flat, Hummvee Flat and MT500 Burner Clipless for the cleated crew.
Details of new Hope Tech 4 lever
All new Hope Tech 4 is intended to offer increased power but also delivers that power consistently from the moment the lever is pulled.
Pivot Shadowcat 27.5: not for average mountain bikers?
The wheels on the Pivot Shadowcat may be small but the standover is massive. And the suspension capability should be fairly large too.
Fresh Goods Friday 589: The attraction of distraction edition
Are you familiar with that meme of the 'This Is Fine' cartoon dog calmly drinking from a mug whilst its house is burning down all around it?
Giro Merit: two helmets in one, literally
New Giro Merit helmet is built around ball-and-socket Spherical Technology and features dual-density foam liner. SRP £189.
MTB World Cup broadcast rights go to Discovery from 2023
2022 will be Red Bull TV's last year as World Cup broadcaster, as the UCI announce 8 year deal with Discovery Sport.
Maxxis Minion DHR II review: the one tyre for EVERYTHING
Despite its name, the Maxxis Minion DHR II is not just for downhill and it's not just for rear wheel use. It rules everywhere.
New Giant Trance 29 alloy range from £2,699
Like night follows day, after the carbon Advanced Pro models launched the other week, here are the aluminium Giant Trance 29 models.
Canyon Spectral 125 CF 8: first ride review
Canyon has hacked some travel from the Spectral 125 but kept all of the other numbers the same. Is the Canyon Spectral 125 a trail bike?
2022 Merida EX Enduro: dates and deets
The MERIDA EX is set to return for 2022, once again taking place around Minehead on the 16-18th of September. Press Release: Variously described by the press as “one to stick on your bucket list” and “one of the best mountain biking events in the…