Rachel's back home and better already...
Chipps
With nearly 25 years as Editor of Singletrack World Magazine, Chipps is the longest-running mountain bike magazine editor in the world. He started in the bike trade in 1990 and became a full time mountain bike journalist at the start of 1994. Over the last 32 years as a bike writer and photographer, he has seen mountain bike culture flourish, strengthen and diversify and bike technology go from rigid steel frames to fully suspended carbon fibre (and sometimes back to rigid steel as well.)
Editorial Juice
Is it that time again? Again?
Singletrack Mind Celebrates Ten Years
The south-Wales club that hand-made many of the early trails at Afan is having a party to celebrate ten years since it started. And you're all invited...
Chipps Draws First Blood – Updated
A quick afternoon distraction for you. Chipps has finally (nearly) finished his Orange Blood. Here's a preview of the next issue's Long Termer before it gets dirty...
European Handbuilt Bike Show
Thanks to our German Reporter, Thomas Paatz, we have a great report, with scores of pictures from the European Handbuilt Bikes Show that took place last weekend in Germany.
Steve Peat Wins French World Cup!
Peaty takes World Cup win at La Bresse in France this weekend. Tracy Moseley continues to lead the Women's World Cup after a second place.
Rachel Atherton Out For The Season
World Downhill Champ Rachel Atherton is having surgery on her injured shoulder which will put her out for most of the season. Undeterred, she hopes to be back in time…
40 High-End Bikes Stolen from Paligap.
Paligap has over 40 bikes stolen. Keep your eyes peeled for dodgy looking folk selling Kona, Merlin, Litespeed and Quintana Roo bikes and frames.
UK cycling to school doubled in 2008
Good news! Sustrans has good news for pro-ride to school campaigners. The bad news is that it's still under 10% that ride every day, though 26% ride at least once…
Sea Otter Eight
Colours from Lezyne, Santa Cruz, crazy military types from Genuine Innovations, the Ibis Tranny in orange, funky vicar bars from FSA, a singlespeed Specialized carbon and carbon fibre dog bowls.
Marzocchi 2010 – Sea Otter Sneak Preview
Chipps got a sneak preview of a good looking and 'back to basics' Marzocchi. They're focussing on their previous strengths with a return to open bath cartridges and coil springs.
The Best Five Minute Mountain Bike Film Ever – Danny MaCaskill
That says it all really. Danny MacAskill's new video on Youtube has old and new-school riders' jaws dropping all over the world...
Sea Otter Report Six – Team Bikes and Precious Things
Chipps delves deep into the pits, peeks behind some curtains and finds out some of the hot-tuning mods that the pros are running. A time trial shifter on a dirt…
Sea Otter Report Five – DT Swiss, Ritchey, Syncros
Carbon mountain bike rims were everywhere at this year's Sea Otter. Here are the latest offerings from DT Swiss, Ritchey and Syncros.
Sea Otter Report Four – Race Face
Even lighter carbon cranks, 785mm Atlas bars, superduper chainrings, body armour - and the return of colours - including purple!
Sea Otter Three
Another random look round the pits of the Sea Otter with Chipps. Chub hubs, cranks from the Hive, the Santa Cruz freakbike, Rocky Mountain 29ers, the Ibis Tranny and more...
The Best Mountain Bike Video Ever? (Fixed link too)
My favourite five minute MTB video ever...
Sea Otter Report Two – SRAM 2010
It's 2010 time at SRAM - and they have a brand new Revelation for you, with a huge amount of options and new chassis, there's coloured XO, Centrelock Avid discs,…
Fox 2010
We've still got Christmas cake leftover here and already Fox Racing Shox are showing off their 2010 forks at a press camp in California. Fortunately the future is closer than…
Specialized Unveils Carbon Race 29ers
Just a quick one for you. Specialized pro riders have been spotted riding brand new carbon 29ers – in both hardtail AND full suspension Epic flavours. Â Todd Wells and…
Sea Otter 2009 report one.
First day of the first big race... Lots of new stuff on display. The usual 'sunburn and freezing wind weather too. All is well. Tomorrow sees the big SRAM launch…
Cross Lobster and Santa What?
We're off to the Sea Otter tomorrow, where all the fun starts, but in the meantime, here's a smart - if niche - singlespeed 'cross bike from Rock Lobster Cycles,…
New Blur LT Carbon!
It's another new Santa Cruz! Only this time it's a 5in+ bike made from carbon fibre that'll handle anything you throw at it and still come in under 28lbs... {Apologies…
UCI World Cup #1 News
Minnaar wins, Peaty third, Gee fifth. And TRACY MOSELEY wins for the UK on her birthday and on her new bike. Yay! Fionn is fourth too!
Cannondale To Cease US Production…
The press release says things like '...launches Worldwide Centers of Excellence Strategy' but the reality is that Cannondale's parent company has decided to stop making frames in the US and…
British Mountain Bike Series Round One
Kiwis Clean Up at Sherwood Pines. Here's Jenn O'Connor's rather gripping report on the women's Elite race at last weekend's BC round one.
Cyclist injured by pothole, gets compensation. Good or bad?
A stern reminder for councils to keep their roads in good repair? Or another symptom of the increasingly sue-happy society?
Giro’s new Havik
Demands by pro riders for better visibility for wet and overcast races has led to the development of Giro's 'clearest lens ever' for their Havik model.
Straitline Components and Ryan Berrecloth to Release Bear Systems TM
Packing for Whistler or the 'shore this summer? Full-face - check. Body armour - check. Cool clothes - check. Bear bell - ch...what? New laws will mean that ALL riders…
The Big Welsh Weekend is now the Singletrack Big Welsh Weekend
Singletrack is stepping up to sponsor the successful 'Big Welsh Weekend' event that runs on the last weekend in May. Come and ride or race with us and with much…
Team CRC Intense Unveils Its New Rides…
Custom colour, component matched Intense EVO and Tazer frames. Very tasty bikes there chaps... Nigel Page's team riders are just off to their first race in South Africa and their…
Sunshine and, er, sunshine for Premier Demo series
The Cwm Carn date of the Premier Demo series was sunny, trails were dry(!) and dusty(!) and the bikes were tested on a fun course.
Friday Lunchtime Viewing
Here are a few vaguely mountain bike related YouTube clips to help speed the weekend closer to you... Worth getting the headphones out if you're in an office where you're…
Klunkers Trailer Out Now
The best (and only) film about the birth of mountain biking finally has a trailer to give you an idea about what's in it.
Two days to go until the second stop of the 2009 Premier Demo Series at Cwmcarn, South Wales.
This means that in just two days time you could be swinging your leg over demo bikes from Turner, Intense, Lapierre, Cove and Rocky Mountain before heading out onto some…
Manchester Mountain Bikers take on Chris Hoy
Fresh from their team gold in the Downhill at the BUSA championships, Mountain Bikers from the University of Manchester took on Sir Chris Hoy on Monday. The challenge was to…
Friday Afternoon Gear
It's Freaky Friday here in the office. Our pal Deano has just popped in with his monster truck tyred Jeff Jones titanium singlespeed, and Chipps has shown his complete disregard…
Hundreds Turn Up for Ben and Tom Memorial Ride
Over 200 riders turned up for a memorial ride and 'two minutes of noise' to celebrate the lives of the two young downhillers killed in a car accident earlier this…
Seb Rogers To Run Alpine Photo Course
Top photo-hound Seb Rogers is running a photo course with a difference this summer - it's going to have some really big scenery...
SRAM XO in Colours…
Our (other) favourite groupset now comes in half of the colours of the rainbow... Red, Green, Gold, Pink and Orange... Ideal for matching or clashing with all the other coloured…
New frame from that Brant Bloke
New Lynskey-built frame announced by Brant Richards, ex On-one and now with Shedfire. He still doesn't have a brand-name though.
Shaggy Finishes 4th in Alaska
Well done to our bearded pal in coming 4th in the Iditarod Trail Invitational in the worst snow they've ever had... The final stage involved a 40 HOUR push through…
Simandi
Or 'Sim and I' for those that prefer spaces between words... Yep, it's another 'The mag's off to the printers' blog
Another deadline crush
It’s kind of snuck up on us again. Taking a week off to go skiing earlier in February, plus our new week-shorter production schedule has meant the usual deadline cram.…
Our Boy in Alaska
Singletrack contributor, friend and all round good chap, John 'Shaggy' Ross is racing the Iditarod Trail Invitational (aka the Iditabike) right now! 350 miles of snowy fun in Alaska in…
Freak Of The Week
The first in an irregular series of odd-looking bikes to twist your melon on a Monday.
The Flooks sell TF Tuned
Word just in is that Tim and Helen are selling their successful suspension tuning business. Tim will be staying on to work there though...
Hard or soft?
Chipps ponders the ratio of hardtails to suspension in the magazine(s)
Rene Wildhaber Signs with Trek Bikes
The 'fastest European freerider' has signed a two-year contract with Trek Bicycles
New XC Series for the North
Looks like the North of England is going to finally get some good XC racing again after the Brownbacks Series announces dates at the Lee Quarry venue.