It’s a different world out there, far away from the low gnar doorstep riding we’ve grown accustomed to. Though, not so different – competitors at the Freeride Fiesta might be more used to peeing in a cup than having their nose and throat swabbed, but…
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.
Deviate Cycles releases the Highlander 150
Want an extra 10mm travel? Maybe you do – and the Deviate Highlander 150 now offers you just that. Already got a Highlander 140? Great! You can update that with the new linkage and add 10mm travel. The frame remains the same – though there’s…
Stolen! Gowaan Gal Martha Gill’s Marin Bikes
Gowaan Gal Martha Gill has just posted on Instagram that she’s had two bikes stolen from her van in Sheffield tonight. Thieves, reported to be on mopeds, have taken her Marin Alcatraz dirt jump bike plus her Marin Alpine Trail Carbon. The theft looks to…
New Pivot Trail 429 – Now with added flip chip
Designed in the deserts of Arizona, the Pivot Trail 429 gets an update – head this way for a sprinkling of dust, sunshine, and a turn of speed. No, wait, to save us all going green with envy – or maybe to show us it’s…
Fresh Goods Friday 537 – The Hope Edition
It’s that time of year when each ride is an opportunity to look out for signs of hope. Snowdrops, daffodils, lambs, bees – with each sighting Spring gets a better foothold and we escape winter’s clutches. Of course there can be false starts – mild…
Thanks for your help – Beat Cancer With Mint Sauce
Update: We had a nice note from Jo Burt so we thought we’d share it with you all: hi folks, thanks every so much for mentioning this last week on your site, it really prompted a healthy flourish of donations… The JustGiving raffle is all…
Munro Bagging By Bike – Why Bother?
What approach would you take to Munro bagging? Are you a ‘gotta catch em all’, or a ‘when the sun shines I’ll bag another’ kind of person? Our very own Sanny set out to bag the Munros by bike as an incentive to get out…
Freak Bike Check! Revel Rascal Arizona Breeze edition
If you thought pro bike checks were just a gushing list of sponsor names then this is a breath of fresh air from Mason ‘Arizona Breeze’ Bond. Mason has been riding for Revel for a while now, but has previously ridden for Orange and Pivot.…
Specialized Chisel LTD Elements – Bike or Art?
Specialized has revealed four limited edition runs of the Chisel, its alloy XC race hardtail: Earth, Air, Water and Fire. Let us grab some lamé and chiffon and boogie this way for a closer look. Just as the Chisel rides a thin ribbon of dirt…
10 Reasons your bike will cost you more this year
It seems like there’s been a lot of bad news about price rises on bikes and components recently, so we thought we’d look at what’s driving it – and whether it’ll change any time soon. 1. High demand 2020 saw half the world go out…
You Can’t Buy Happiness – but you can buy an eMTB
Hannah explains why she thinks an eMTB should be your next gift to yourself if you want to add a little joy to your life. I have never really ‘had money’. For a brief period in my twenties I had a disposable income, and I…
From The Frozen North It’s Fresh Goods Friday 536
Opening with the obvious – it’s really cold. Instead of grumbling about this relentless deep freeze we’re experiencing, I’d like to show you this incredible ice sculpture created at the top of the hill out of Hebden Bridge. At first I thought it was field…
EWS 2021 – Rescheduled and Restructured
The Enduro World Series (EWS) has revealed a revised 2021 event calendar in response to ongoing uncertainty over Covid and travel restrictions. Both the Whistler round and the Trophy of Nations have been deferred until 2022, leaving an EWS 2021 race season based solely in…
Islabikes founder Isla Rowntree steps back after 15 years
After starting Islabikes 15 years ago and redefining the standard for children’s bikes, Isla Rowntree is stepping back from the running of the company. The direction of Islabikes has always been very influenced by Isla’s own personal circumstances and experiences. First in making children’s bikes…
‘Ooh!’ or ‘Argh!’? Dangerholm’s Hyper Spark
Maybe it’s all the lack of travel that’s getting to people, but it seems to us like there’s a new ‘dream build’ bike build every week at the moment. Cooped up in their sheds, people are building bikes and dreaming of future days of riding.…
Dropping In – Short Stuff You Should Know
For this instalment of Dropping In, we have some general bike culture clippings that we think lovers of bikes will enjoy. What’s more, we hope they’ll help you consider how to build bikes into your daily life rather than just leisure time and exercise, and…
It’s here – Have you got yours? Singletrack Magazine Issue 135
Whoop! Well it was all a bit confusing, with the usual courier notification sequence of ‘we’re coming’, ‘no we’re not’, ‘ding-dong SURPRISE! We’re here!’, but we’re delighted that the latest issue of Singletrack Magazine has now landed at the office and is landing on doormats…
Specialized UK HQ Devastated By Fire
Over the weekend, Specialized’s UK headquarters has been significantly affected by a fire. At present investigators are on site establishing where on the industrial park the fire started. 12 fire engines and around 80 firefighters are tackling a blaze at Barwell Business Park in #Chessington…
British Cycling Reveals New Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group
British Cycling has named the members of its new Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group – and it’s great news for the mountain bike world to see Aneela McKenna as co-chair. Let’s see what changes the group manages to bring about. Here’s the official British Cycling…
Josh Bryceland asks riders to stop digging
Josh ‘Ratboy’ Bryceland has asked riders to not build any new features in the Nab Quarry and Styperson Park area, near Stockport, as he is working on managing the area to preserve it and access for the local community. In an Instagram post he says:…
Ride To Survive with Tomomi Nishikubo
Go fishing and make fire with Tomomi Nishikubo as he tries to survive being shipwrecked on an island – with the help of his bike. We’ll admit we missed this video when it was first released, but the recent addition of a ‘making of’ video…
Oxford Aqua Evo Waterproof Backpacks – for wet commutes?
Are the Oxford Aqua Evo backpacks the waterproof luggage solution you’ve been looking for? The Oxford Aqua Evo bags both have a waterproof rating of IPX-6, which means they should be waterproof against all but total submersion. They come in both a 12 litre and…
What’s Wrong With This Bike Tattoo? (and no, the answer isn’t ‘everything’)
Ahh, tattoos. At least in 2020 in the UK there should have been a downturn in the frequency of questionable tattoo decision making. And of people from the UK going to Vegas for their impulsive tattoo choices. Isn’t that right, Mark? Anyway, that was just…
Behind The Scenes – Danny MacAskill’s The Slabs
If you watched The Slabs and felt a bit wobbly and clammy, then here’s the behind the scenes footage to make you relive the experience. All images: Dave Mackison No, it’s not going to make you feel much better, although it does show the level of…
Staff Bike Test | Commencal, Ibis, Juliana, and Stooge
This article was first published in Issue 129 of Singletrack Magazine. Chipps and the Singletrack test crew get the enviable, but surprisingly difficult, job of reviewing the bikes that they’ve chosen as long termers for the next (or last) few months. One of the cardinal…
Rémi Thirion Joins Giant Factory Racing
Teased yesterday on Giant’s Instagram with a ‘Who dis?’ video, Giant has revealed its newest big signing: Rémi Thirion. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Giant Factory Off-Road Team (@giantfactoryoffroadteam) Giant’s website says: A new addition to the Giant Factory Off-Road Team…
UPDATED: Is this the UK’s biggest drop?
Is this the biggest drop ever on a bike in the UK? Are we stoked and awed, or are we all thinking ‘you’re a very naughty boy?’. We’re conflicted. In ordinary times we’d probably say ‘wow, that’s insane, our stoke is high!’. Maybe there’d be…
New Danny MacAskill Video – The Slabs
Danny MacAskill is at it again, riding things on the Isle of Skye and scaring us. If you just look at the odd clip some of this almost looks like the sort of thing we could manage. And then you look at the photographs and…
Vali Höll Joins New RockShox Trek Race Team of Youngsters
RockShox and Trek have teamed up to create a new team consisting of gravity focused riders who are all under 21. The team includes two-time UCI Junior Downhill World Champion and World Cup Overall winner Vali Höll, up-and-coming Scottish shredder Jamie Edmondson, twice-crowned Canadian National…
All The Bikes, Many Distractions – Bike Video Round Up
Close your tabs, loosen the waistband on those elasticated pants, set your chair to recline and chill out for a few minutes. It’s out latest round up of videos from the bike world. Nukeproof: 9-5 with Lil Robbo This is going to prompt squeals of…
9 Bike Locks, Chains and Anchors to keep your bike safe
If you've got a bike, you need a lock. Whether you are just wanting to deter someone from walking off with your ancient pub bike, or trying to keep all but the most determined thieves from stealing your treasures, it's going to take more than…
Leatt 4.0 MTB Enduro – DH Certified helmet with removable chin guard
Leatt has launched its first DH certified full face helmet with removable chin guard, the 4.0 MTB Enduro. The helmet is DH certified and is fitted with Leatt’s 360 Turbine Technology, an impact protection system designed to the brain protect from rotational forces in the…
Editor’s Choice Awards 2020 – Hannah and Ross pick their favourites
First published in Singletrack Magazine Issue 134. It’s been a ‘special’ year, for sure, but the sun has continued to come up and bikes have still been ridden. We’ve perhaps not been to as many far-flung places (even in the UK) as usual, but that’s…
2021 Team News | Emily Batty joins Canyon
The departure of Pauline Ferrand-Prévot from Canyon-SRAM left a space on Canyon’s roster for another big name fast XCO rider, so it may not be a surprise that Emily Batty will be joining Canyon. Though Batty’s record is more narrowly focussed than Ferrand-Prévot’s, it’s still…
Grenzerfahrungen – Borderline experiences along the Iron Curtain
You’ve probably already watched the whole series of Bridgerton and are ready for some new viewing. We have the perfect thing for you – a new film by Markus Stitz, covering his journey along the former Iron Curtain. We’ve got a story in the upcoming…
Not The News: MTB Video Distractions
Want to spend a few minutes being entirely unproductive? You’re in the right place. Sam Hill & The Mega A new video from Sam Hill showing off his skills on the new Nukeproof Mega. Complete with extreme dramatic music. Which makes us wonder, what would…
Danny Hart Joins Cube on two-man Factory Team
We hate to say we told you so, but… well, we did. At least, we told you the rumour that we were hearing and that has finally become official news today: Danny Hart joins Cube. It’s not just a case of Danny joining Cube though…
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot Joins BMC
Swiss bike brand BMC welcomes Pauline Ferrand-Prévot- arguably one of the greatest all round cyclists ever – to the team. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot was the first ever cyclist to simultaneously hold the World road, World cyclo-cross and World cross-country mountain bike titles, back in 2015. Since…
Fresh Goods Friday 531 – The Homeschool Breakdown Edition
What have you learnt this week? And what have your kids learnt? Have you thrown yourself into creative home schooling and your offspring are now adept at cooking, sewing, and can recite pi to 100 places? Or can they list all the episode titles of…
New To Cycling? Let us help you get rolling over the hills and far away
We welcome you to the gang with some helpful advice for new cyclists. Hopefully actual good advice that makes you want to ride more, further, and off to new places! New to cycling? Welcome to the greatest club on earth! We’re delighted you’ve discovered the…
Order Good Things for the year ahead – Singletrack Issue 135 Is Coming
Some of you may be barely digesting your Christmas edition of Singletrack Magazine – and if you were lucky enough to be given a gift membership make sure you activate it so that your magazines start arriving! But while we’re not going to rush you…
Not The News – MTB Video Distractions
You probably need a distraction right about now, so here’s a quick selection of an alternative reality. Imagine it – you have perfect control of your bike, in all conditions. You can ride over spiky rocks without elbow pads and without whimpering. And feeling the…
Top 10 Singletrack Forum Threads of 2020
Our Forum is a place where many minds meet. They don’t always see eye to eye, but if you want to know the answer to something obscure, there’s every chance that someone will know the answer. Has anyone got one of those left hand widgets…
Fresh Goods Friday 530 – Well Hello 2021!
We know that it’s been pretty hard to keep track of what day it is all year, and whack the amorphous zone of Twixtmas into the equation and we suspect some of you might be very surprised to hear it’s Friday. It may not surprise…
Bonus Giveaway Day! crankbrothers BOA shoes!
Stop what you are doing! No! Carry on, because you’re reading this, and that’s the only thing in the world you should be doing right now. We bring you good tidings! Yes, it’s 2021, and that’s pretty good news. To make sure we’re kicking things…
The Singletrackworld.com Mountain Bike Quiz of 2020
20 mountain bike news based questions to see whether or not you’ve been paying attention to anything this year! Not sure if you know enough? Why not do a little homework. All the answers can be found within the pages of Singletrackworld.com Or if you’re…
Christmas Countpast Giveaway Day 32 – Leatt MTB 1.0 Helmet
Christmas may be over, but our giant giveaway is not done yet. Seeing you through until 2020 is well and truly done with, we have daily prizes, plus the near legendary Megasack. What’s up for grabs today? Leatt MTB 1.0 Helmet Price: £69.99 From: Hotlines With…
Singletrack Reader Awards 2020 The Winners Revealed!
It’s time to reveal all the winners of the Singletrack Reader Awards 2020 – your independent mountain biking awards, as voted for by you. It’s with some sadness that we’ve had to forgo the traditional meet up, presentation and celebration, but with some very find…
Christmas Countpast Day 31 – Muc-Off Pressure Washer
Christmas may be over, but our giant giveaway is not done yet. Seeing you through until 2020 is well and truly done with, we have daily prizes, plus the near legendary Megasack. What’s up for grabs today? Muc-Off Pressure Washer Price: £139.99 From: Muc-Off This is…
Top 10 Singletrackworld.com Stories of 2020
With millions of readers every month, there are lots of different paths to reading an article on Singletrack. Maybe you come straight to the homepage every morning over your coffee, or maybe you click through from Facebook or Twitter. Perhaps a friend shared a post…
Christmas Countpast Day 30 – Brand-X Ascend XL 200mm Dropper Post
Christmas may be over, but our giant giveaway is not done yet. Seeing you through until 2020 is well and truly done with, we have daily prizes, plus the near legendary Megasack. What’s up for grabs today? Brand-X Ascend XL 200mm Dropper Post Price: £169.99…
