There are a lot of signs that the bike industry is going to struggle in 2023, so we thought we’d start a story to track some of the stories we hear about that take the temperature of what’s happening. Things like signs of cash flow…
Hannah Dobson
More than bikes, I like what bikes do. I think that they link people and places; that cycling creates a connection between us and our environment; bikes create communities; deliver freedom; bring joy; and improve fitness. They're environmentally friendly and create friendly environments.
Fresh Goods Friday 653 – The Fast & Bulbous Edition
That's right, The Mascara Snake, fast and bulbous. Bulbous also tapered? That's right. Certainly when it comes to carbon enduro bikes at least.
Bicycle Frame Making in UK classed as ‘Endangered Craft’
The Heritage Crafts Association has been tracking the health of crafts in the UK since 2017, ranking traditional crafts by the likelihood they will survive to the next generation. This year, ‘bicycle frame making’ has joined the list of ‘endangered’ crafts, shifting from a previous…
Cycling UK opens nominations for 100 Women in Cycling 2023
The UK’s cycling charity invites public to nominate women doing exceptional work inspiring others, in any corner of the cycling world. Cycling UK is looking for nominations for 100 Women in Cycling 2023, its annual list celebrating inspirational women who empower others to cycle. Each…
Fort William Podcast Special – Making Up The Numbers
Round 2 of the British Cycling National Downhill Series would be the only opportunity to race Fort William in 2023 before World Championships in August. As well as his armour, George also packed his mic and in between runs he caught up with the crème…
We Pledge Our Allegiance To… 10 Alternative Oaths For Mountain Bikers
Stand tall, mountain bikers of the UK. Place your hands over your hearts – or press them firmly onto any bleeding wounds – and pledge your allegiance to the majesty of mountain biking, your airs and successes according to gnar. Oh help us, oh shit,…
Ride Concepts Vice Mid Shoe Review
The Ride Concepts Women’s Vice shoes are my current favourite flat pedal shoe, so I wanted to give the Mid version, with raised ankle, a go. The Mids only come in a unisex version, but the difference in fit is pretty subtle. The Mids feel…
Fresh Goods Friday 650: Fashionable Goods Friday
FGF is often a series of photos of bad modelling, so it seems in keeping to share some wedding dress shopping nonsense.
UK Government Issues Concussion Guidance For All Grassroots Sports
The UK Government has issued concussion guidance for all grassroots sports. You may recall that British Cycling recently issued its own guidance, having decided that it couldn’t wait any longer for the Government’s awaited report to be published. The British Cycling Guidance is (obviously) more…
Survey: Riders, Nature, and Environmental Action
This survey, funded by IMBA Europe with support from Specialized and Patagonia, aims to gather information on how mountain bikers in the UK experience and interact with the landscape and nature around them. With access rights and climate change on the policy agenda, this looks…
Spotted At Sea Otter: Freaks, Geeks and Retro Bikes
Sea Otter is a bike expo and festival of racing that takes place in Monterey, California each year. We didn't make the trip over there for 2023, but our US correspondent Fahzure Freeride dropped in to catch up with bicycle peeps of the world. He's…
Fresh Goods Friday 649 – Sparkling Finger Magic Edition
Hello, good evening and welcome to this week’s Eff Gee Eff. It must be evening somewhere, right? We’ve been struggling for instrospiration this week, possibly due to motivation being carried off by the 75km/h wind. But fear not! The rain has arrived, and brought with…
Santa Cruz and Chris King Builders’ Bike Show
In advance of Sea Otter, Santa Cruz and Chris King hosted an event for builders to show off their wares. Our American correspondent Fahzure Freeride (and my soon to be husband - eep!) went along to warm up his bicycle nerd antennae in advance of…
New Endura Kit – Protection For Even More Of Your Body
Endura has entered the helmet market across the pond, with helmets now certified to USA standards and on sale now. But never fear, it’s not just the Americans that get new gear (and all the best snow, and iconic riding locations, and the better tacos…
Issue 148 Kit Essentials: Sleeping Out
Words Amanda, Hannah and as credited Photography as credited Let us try to persuade you that a night outdoors can be a life-affirming experience, rather than one that has you questioning your life choices. While it’s not technically legal to sleep outside in most places…
Issue 148 Is Out Today – How Will You Read Yours?
If you receive a printed copy of the magazine each issue, it’s now in the post – we can’t be sure exactly when it will land with you, but if you’re in the UK and you’ve still not got it by 24th April please email us.…
XO Bikes: Rebuilding Bikes and Lives
XO Bikes is a bike recycling project based in London that’s doing just a bit more than bringing bikes back to life. Since it opened in early 2022, XO Bikes has trained 14 prison leavers to become professional bike mechanics – or ‘Fixers’ as XO…
Bike Check: Ted James’ Ti Bride Custom DH Bike
Have you placed your credit card at a safe distance away from your current position? Then you may be safe to read on. Custom, titanium, BMX, EXT, DH, Ted James, single speed… no, this is not bike fetish bingo, this is the ‘Ti Bride’, as…
Government To Launch ‘ReGenR8’ Energy Scheme For Unemployed
Following a string of measures aimed at addressing rising energy costs, the Government is understood to be poised to enter into a multi-million pound deal to encourage benefits claimants to partake in micro-generation schemes for local services. Observers say the inter-departmental collaboration will see the…
Fresh Goods Friday 646 – The Weird Galactic Soup Edition
Let’s start out with something approaching normal service… For the CNC and skate nerds, it’s kinda cool, but also seems like a vest waste of metal. Beware the wormhole that awaits you if you explore the rest of that channel, you may get lost: …and…
Free Uplifts For Little Legs At Glentress This Easter
Planning a visit to Glentress? This might just help you out – especially if you’ve got kids that you want to get to the top of the hill. From Monday 3rd April to Sunday 16th April, thanks to Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland (DMBinS) and…
Red Bull banned from Welsh mansion after Hardline damage
It’s been reported that Red Bull has been blocked from renting its usual accommodation of Plas Tan-y-Bwlch in Wales, due to excessive damage caused over the past two years. Plas Tan-y-Bwlch is part of the Snowdonia National Park, and offers accommodation, an education centre, as…
Bike Check: Hannah’s Schwinn Traveler
This is my 1964 Schwinn Traveler, given to me as a rather special 40th birthday present from my partner. I did protest that he shouldn’t give it to me, as it’s too nice, and I’m not worthy and I’ll probably break it, but he didn’t…
Podcast – The Giant Interview
Hannah, Amanda and Mark run through the news of the week, and Mark talks to one of the product engineers behind the new Giant Trance X Advanced E+. In the podcast, we talk about how applications to record historic rights of way need to be…
Fresh Good Friday 645 – Things that make you go Mmm…
Mmm… Pentax 645. Benji wrote that, and then went on holiday. So who knows? What sort of ‘Mmm’ is it? Perhaps it’s a ‘Mmm’ of the variety you give to your three year old as they tell you a long winded tale of what their…
Government Changes Policy on Rights of Way: The Deadline is Back
Having previously announced that the 2026 deadline for registering historic rights of way would be removed, the Department for Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has taken an about turn and decided that there will be a deadline – in 2031. By way of explanation, DEFRA…
How Much?! Why we should care about the closure of Kitsbow
If you’re in the UK, there’s every chance you’ve never heard of Kitsbow, so why should you care that they’re closing? And who even are they? Kitsbow were (or, until 7th April, are) USA based makers of cycling clothing. With an RRP of $289 –…
The Classic Ride Is Coming – with Cycling UK
The next issue of Singletrack World is about to whirl its way around printing presses, and you’ve got until 25th March to get your name on the list if you want to receive the printed copy! Within, you’ll find another Classic Ride, this time written…
The Answer To Everything Is…
This piece was originally published as the editorial in our Weekly Word – a newsletter which brings you a piece like this, plus a round up of news, offers, and whatever else we think you’ll like. It’s free to get the Weekly Word, and you…
Fresh Goods Friday 644 – The Where Am I Edition
It is, inexplicably, Friday again. The longest fastest week to date. Are we sliding ever faster, reaching terminal velocity, and then about to hit British Summer Time? Hopefully it’s like one of those waterslides, that then launches you high into the air, whoosh into the…
After Slashing Active Travel Funding, Government Keeps £4.8 billion Fuel Price Discount
Hannah argues that the 2023 budget is taking us in the wrong direction.
Urgent call on Government to reverse devastating cuts to active travel budget
It feels like, given the response to our original story on this, this press release from the Walking and Cycling Alliance is worthy of a share. For what it’s worth, the Department for Transport still hasn’t answered the questions we asked them: In an open…
DirtFund Vitus Privateer Programme – 2023 riders announced
Having successfully launched the first DirtFund Vitus Privateer Programme in 2022, volunteers Daniel O’Shea and Tom Scott have announced the three new programme riders for 2023. Leah Maunsell, Ruairidh McRitchie, and Aidan Coulthard are the privateers set to benefit from the support for the coming…
What’s Inside Singletrack Issue 148? Don’t Miss Out!
It’s the shoulder season. Kind of Atlas sized shoulders, that go on forever. Snow, sun, ice, mud, frost, wind… This issue, out early April, bridges the seasons nicely. We’ve got sunny days out, snowy epics, and the brightest collection of waterproofs ever assembled on a…
First 3D Printed Thermoplastic Mountain Bike: Revel Rodeo
Revel, the Colorado brand behind Revel Bikes and Wheels, has been experimenting with 3D printing in order to make a FusionFiber bike. This is a type of thermoplastic, and using it can avoid the epoxies needed to use carbon fibre layups. In the longer term,…
After The Storm – #RideOverRacism
I first saw this film at its premier at Kendal Mountain Festival and recommended you seek it out at one of the screenings that have since taken place around the world. Now, it’s available on general release, to mark the United Nations’ International Day for…
Monday Movies: The British Connection Edition
Have yourself a bumper viewing of mountain bike videos – not just two minute shredits, but some longer stuff too. Plus, all of them have a UK connection. Should keep you occupied for a while. You didn’t really have any work to do anyway, did…
Full Suspension for Short Riders: What’s Out There?
If you’re a smaller adult looking for a full suspension bike, it can be tricky to find what you’re looking for outside of the women’s specific market. Some women’s specific bikes come with a shock tune suited to the lighter rider, which doesn’t always suit,…
Government Slashes Funding For Cycling And Active Travel
Yesterday’s announcement that HS2 is being delayed to reduce costs has grabbed most of the headlines, but buried in the statement was the news that Active Travel funding is also being cut. Understandably, there’s a lot of anger and disappointment about this among those working…
Islabikes Launches Bikes For Smaller Adults
If you’ve ever eyed up the Islabikes range with envy – or perhaps even had a go at riding one – you’re in luck. The Shropshire based company that revolutionised kids’ bikes designs has expanded its Creig and Luath ranges to suit small adults. If…
Women on The Move: The Politics of Patents
I think you’re going to like this. Fun, irreverence, freedom and a good dose of messing around. This new film looks at some of the clothing that adventurous women invented in an effort to be able to get outdoors under the disapproving gaze of society.…
Women and Bikes: How Far Have We Come?
Hannah charts the advance of women in the bike industry, as she sees it. Are you as optimistic? What changes have you seen? Apparently I am now long in the tooth enough that people have started asking me about how the bike industry has changed…
Lift Your Mood with 2 minutes and 47 seconds of video
Give yourself 2 minutes and 47 seconds to watch this video and we reckon you can’t fail to feel better. Turn that frown upside down, fill your cup half full, eat the green grass… Isn’t that better? May all your Easter holiday family rides be…
‘If in doubt, sit them out’ – British Cycling publishes first concussion guidance
We admit we’re a little surprised to see this headline – we had sort of assumed British Cycling already had policies about this. We’ve been writing stories about concussion risks since at least 2017, and by 2018 the EWS and Crankworx had concussion protocols in…
Move Over Chris Akrigg, Hello Leo Smith
Two northerners in one day? It’s almost like oop north is the centre of the mountain bike universe… While Chris Akrigg might have been the poster boy of your bedroom walls when you were younger, Leo Smith – or LandoSteezy – might be more likely…
Chris Akrigg Joins Whyte Bikes
Chris Akrigg has moved on from GT and will now be riding for Whyte – surely a great match of very British branding? You’ll be happy to know there are two videos to celebrate this move. Yeah… ebikes are heavy and difficult to handle… erm……
27.2 Dropper Posts: 15 Options For Skinny Seat Tubes
27.2 dropper posts are not common but if you have a bike frame with a skinny seat tube you can still take advantage of the benefits.
Quiz: Do You Know Your Bike Acronyms?
CNC’d XC BSO with ETT of 571 and BSA fitting… we’ve all scanned our way through the spec list of a new bike and read the letters, but do we actually know what any of them actually mean? Here’s your chance to test yourself… While…
Fresh Goods Friday 642 – Cake For Me, Corned Beef For You
It’s been mixed up week here at STW Towers, mostly thanks to everyone suddenly realising they haven’t used up their annual leave so they’d better take some time off. We assume something similar happens in the roads department every year, when they realise they haven’t…
What’s Open At Glentress? A Redevelopment Update
The Glentress Masterplan sets out redevelopment proposals that includes new trails, improved facilities, and some new accommodation options in the area. Originally conceived before the 2023 UCI World Championships were planned to take place in the area, there have been a few amendments to the…
Fresh Goods Friday 641: The Big Purple Edition
We hope you're not struggling too much with the absence of baby plum tomatoes in your packed lunch, or pepper sticks to dip in your hummus.
