Our Inspiring Women interview series has featured a wide range of people doing impressive things in the world of mountain biking. This month we feature our first professional rider: Sally Bigham.…
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These Are Our Top 12 Orange Bikes From The Past 30 Years
With the 30th Anniversary of Orange Bikes fast approaching we thought we would look over the past 3 decades and pick the Orange models that meant the most to us.…
Aretha Franklin: A Playlist For Mountain Bikers
Here at Singletrack Towers we’ll take any excuse to play a tune to everyone in the office. There’s a fair amount of track sharing goes on, whether it’s new and…
David Turner E-bike Interview: ‘This is an opinion on our nature, which of course is arguable to the end of time.’
When Hannah was in Idaho for the Impact Sun Valley Media Event she caught up with David Turner to talk about his new all-road titanium drop bar bike. Somewhere along…
Slip Slidin’ Away – #MakingUpTheNumbers At HSBC National DH Series – Round 4, Rhyd-Y-Felin
“Is it impolite to hurry the pharmacist along?” I message Mrs MakingUpTheNumbers. The response comes quickly “Can you check if the missing box from my online order has arrived?” If…
Jessica Brousseau – Bike mechanic, pro wheel builder and free spirit
I’ve recently spent some time in British Columbia on a press launch, courtesy of Liv Bikes. From the moment I stepped foot outside the airport, I’ve been overwhelmed with beauty.…
UK Government Launches Entirely Unnecessary Consultation Into Active Transport.
Hannah’s had enough with Government transport planners. Again… I’m going to scream. Actually, I did, though it was more of a desperate guttural groan of suppressed rage and frustration. Why?…
As Seen In Singletrack Issue 120: Yorkshire Cycle Hub
In Issue 120 of Singletrack Magazine, our Classic Ride writers stayed at the Yorkshire Cycle Hub. Here’s what’s in store if you choose to do the same. “I’d like a…
Inspiring Women: Michelle Haigh and the MTB Chix and Trails internet sensation
So far we’ve featured quite a different range of people in our Inspiring Women series. From Rachael Walker in the bike industry at Hope Technology, to the 75 year old…
Finland. It’s not all about snow (okay mostly…)
This article was originally published in Issue 115 of Singletrack Magazine. Words & Photography by Hannah. Hannah takes a wintery fat bike trip to the Arctic Circle to discover dangerous downhills,…
It’s coming home! – #MakingUpTheNumbers at Masters Worlds 2018 – Vallnord, Andorra
“It’s an honour to ride this track in these conditions!” It’s 11am on Monday morning and Mark Weightman is eulogising. Mark’s one of a kind, like a Graeme Obree of…
Talking Trickstuff: Factory Tour
Back in Premier Edition issue 116, Team Singletrack caught up with German precision engineering company Trickstuff, in its hidden factory deep in a German housing estate. Photography: James Vincent We’re…
Are We Blinded By Bling?
This year marked my first trip to Eurobike, the enormous trade show at which all parts of the bike industry converge on the small German town of Friedrichshafen. In three…
Bamboo Bicycle Club: Go behind-the-scenes to see what it takes to build your own frame
For those of you who missed it, last year Wil was challenged to build a bike out of bamboo. A home build kit, complete with an extensive manual and support…
Eurobike: The Predictions That Came True
Before we even scanned our press passes through the gates of Eurobike, we’d looked into our crystal balls and brought you some predictions of what we thought the future held.…
19 Brands In 2 Days: CrankTank Impact Sun Valley Round Up
A couple of weeks ago Hannah went out to Ketchum, Idaho, to a new media event ‘Impact Sun Valley’. It was a chance for brands to get a bunch of…
We Asked Rachel, Gee And Dan Atherton 21 Questions They Weren’t Expecting
A few weeks ago, we had a young lad, Aran Francis in on work experience. Along with the regular work experience jobs of going to find some tartan paint, a…
7 Essentials For Riders With Tiny Hands
Oh my god it’s Friday, easily the best of all the days, Friday, Friday, Friday. Did you know that we actually invented the word Friday? It’s the greatest. So to…
Making It Out Alive – National Downhill Series Rd 3: #MakingUpTheNumbers at Rheola
“Once more unto the breach dear friends, once more” It’s not often that you hear a bit of Shakespeare in the Land Rover on the way up for race runs…
What’s going to be hot this year? Here’s our 10 predictions for Eurobike 2018!
Ah, Eurobike. It’s the humongous bike show where tons of brands, media, buyers and even the public come together to check out all that is new in the bike world.…
Throwback: 14 Highlights From The 2017 Eurobike Show
In less than 24 hours, the world’s biggest bicycle industry show, Eurobike, will be kicking off in Friedrichshafen, Germany. Notching up 26 years in 2018, Eurobike is known as THE…
Bamboo, Sweat & Tears: Attempting To Build The Bamboo Bastard
Back in February for issue 117 of Singletrack Magazine, we decided to see if a self-confessed perfectionist who’s terrible at woodwork make a bamboo bike from scratch at home? Well,…
We Bet You Didn’t Know There Was This Much To Know About Fabric: An interview with 7mesh
Enduro baggies, XC lycra, gravel shorts, merino baselayers, merino boxers, waterproof jackets, windproof gilets…the list of possible ride kit is pretty endless. How much of it do you need? How…
Interview: David Turner – “You’re either ‘enduro’ – or you’re not”
This article was first published in Issue 109 of Singletrack Magazine. Subscribe today from just £1.99 Chipps tracks down the quiet man with his name on the frames at Turner…
Interview: Amanda Tanfield – When Ladies Do DH
We’re now well underway with our series featuring inspiring women (and those that inspire women) in MTBing. If you’ve missed the interviews so far, you can read about HopeTech’s Rachael…
Eating Dust With #MakingUpTheNumbers – Pearce Cycles Rd 3: Bala
They say, ‘if you want to get faster, ride with faster people’ and Lord knows I’m trying. As I sit on the start line for the first of my two…
The Ten Best Carbon Wheel Crash Replacement Schemes
Lighter, stiffer and more available than ever. Is there anything about a carbon wheelset that there’s not to like…? Oh yes, the fact that they’re monumentally expensive compared to most…
Notes from a small island: A Scottish sea to sky adventure
In association with Canyon UK “So I’m off to Arran for a biking adventure” I said with no small degree of excitement and genuine anticipation to my erstwhile riding companion…
Stu Taylor’s Highland Trail 550 – Done And Dusty!
This article was written by and stars Stu Taylor. That’s it done, the Highland Trail 550 2018, in 4 days 7 hours and 24 minutes of the most amazing Scottish…
What’s It Like To Work At Fort William? Amanda finds out
My first Fort William experience was in 2017. I was relatively new to mountain biking, said yes to everything I was invited to and completely ignored the fact I had…
Gallery: Working Fort William – Through the eyes of Mr Love
This is a retrospective look at Round 2 of the UCI Downhill World Cup. The weekend of the 2nd and 3rd of June at Fort William was a great time…
My Top Shots: Andi Shares His Favourite Photos From Fort William 2018
Last week I was somewhere hot, dusty and full of amazing people from all of over the world. No, I wasn’t in Barcelona, Monaco or Naples, I was in fact…
Site update, GDPR and being an independent media company in a perfect storm
The last 6 months have been a roller-coaster ride for us here at Singletrack. We’ve completely changed the website from the old theme that we’d been using for almost a…
11 Questions With Chris Cocalis On The New Pivot Trail 429
Last week Pivot Cycles introduced its newest mountain bike called the Trail 429. Replacing the existing Mach 429 Trail, the new Trail 429 not only has a revised name, it…
Stu Taylor’s Highland Trail 550: Ready, Get Set…
Stu Taylor doesn’t just make Singletrack Beer. And he doesn’t just roast coffee (but he does that too – he’s a good man to know at any time of day).…
Interview: Ally Campbell – it’s all about the confidence
A couple of months back we started off a series of interviews about inspiring women in mountain biking by chatting to HopeTech’s Rachael Walker and then 75 year old downhill…
Four 2.6in mountain bike tyres tested & reviewed
If a 2.4in tyre is considered ‘normal’, and a 2.8in tyre is considered ‘plus’, then where does that leave the new breed of 2.6in tyres? An emerging trend amongst modern…
Quit Your Job! Work with pushbikes instead!
This article was originally published in Issue 117 of Singletrack Magazine. Hannah interviews five people who’ve said ‘Right! That’s it! I’m leaving to go and work with pushbikes!’ Then they’ve…
Behind The Scenes On The Specialized Stumpjumper Launch
Two months ago, I had the fortune of travelling to Ainsa in Spain for the launch of the all-new Specialized Stumpjumper range. Having been there the year prior for the…
From Big Miles To Tiny Wheels – It’s All On The Spectrum
If you’ve followed Greg’s riding, you’re probably used to seeing him gobbling up the off-road miles, probably wearing lycra, possibly sleeping in a ditch. So when we saw him hopping…
What One Old Lady Can Teach You About Cycling
Betty was our next-door neighbour. She was the archetypal elderly spinster: she was feisty, she was fiercely independent, and she used her home as a sort of hostel for local…
Routes and Manoeuvres: And why you really shouldn’t follow our route guide in issue 118
Why you must not ride our route guide published in issue 118 As mountain bikers looking for new places to ride it’s easy to fall in to the trap of…
TransPennine Express Fails Basic Cycle Proficiency
Last year the Department for Transport published its Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, bolding asserting: “We want to make cycling and walking the natural choices for shorter journeys, or as…
From Mood Board To Muddy Bike – the birth of a dream bike
You may have seen ‘Andy’s Hardtail’ by Mercredi in Wil’s round up of mountain bikes from Bespoked this year. You may also have dribbled a little bit when you saw…
8 Fabulous Handmade Mountain Bikes From Bespoked 2018
Otherwise known as Bespoked, the 2018 UK Handmade Bicycle Show was held over the weekend in the centre of Bristol, with a plethora of beautiful and unusual bike-related goodies to…
8 Platform Clip-In Pedals Tested & Reviewed
Wil and the clip-in crew have spent the last few months trying to work out which are the best platform clip-in pedals. Here’s what they found. In Issue 113 of…
Interview: Pat Horscroft – after you turn 60 it’s all downhill
Last month we launched a new series featuring inspiring women within MTB or people who have done lots to promote women riders and riding. First up was HopeTech’s Brand Manager…
7 simple tips for taking care of your trails
If you’re a mountain biker in the UK right now, you might be feeling a bit sorry for yourself. Winter, which is hardly ever a delightful time of year here,…
Here’s One Tip On How To Enjoy Riding More: Stop
Riding bikes is about movement. It’s about getting from here to there, or about the fun you have while you swoop round that corner, or bounce down those rocks. It’s…
Home Makeover Singletrack Style: Park Tool Workshop Wonderland
You may recall that some time back we were subject to a ram raid attempt. Nothing was taken, but the would-be raiders (never caught, by the way) did make a…
7 Ways To Beat The Riding Doldrums This Spring
Ah, winter. It can be cold, dank and wet with an absence of those super-cold days with a bright blue winter sky that make it all worthwhile. Normally I’m quite…