I hate to be the one to say it, but winter is approaching. And in the time it took me to type that, it’s probably arrived. But let’s not see this as a negative – it’s cold, so layer up and get excited for a…
Members’ Feature
Articles and features published exclusively for our full members.
North Downs Way: Riding In The Shadow Of The Rat Race
This might be what it feels like to be a rabbit, or a fox, perhaps. Scurrying along the edge of hedgerows, through labyrinths of close grown bushes, darting out into sunlight and across a field, then back into the shade of a holloway. It’s not…
Interview: Lynne Armstrong – “Watch what happens, it could be awesome”
Everyone we feature in our Inspiring Women interview series has been nominated by you, the readers. The person we have the most nominations for by far is the queen of Scottish freeride, The Clan and Air Maiden, Lynne Armstrong. And why? Over to Heather McCann…
Could we all benefit from pro-level concussion protocols?
Is the UCI doing enough to protect athletes from their own enthusiasm after a head injury?
UK Mountain Biking’s Dirty Secret
As you might already know, we had some disappointing news recently. The Welsh government looked like it was about to follow Scotland in opening up access to its amazing countryside for many more potential users. But then it quietly buried any proposals for reform. It’s…
Reinventing Suspension: We Ride The New Trust Performance Message Fork
Launched today is the Trust Performance Message, a pivoting fork that will change the look of front suspension, and improve your ride. We’re one of just three publications to get an early look at and ride on this brand new fork from three of the bike…
Bike Check: George Thompson’s Geometron G18 29er
George Thompson, ‘award winning’ writer of #MakingUpTheNumbers, joined us at the Singletrack Trade Day for a bit of a ride out in the Calderdale sun. He brought with him what might be the biggest bike we’ve ever seen – but then he might be the…
Singletrack Life Subscribers Private Whisky Riders Bottle Charity Auction
As we explained here, we have three ‘spare’ bottles of this exceptionally rare single malt ‘Laddie’ whisky. We’ve already raised over £1600 with the first two and now we are offering the third and final bottle to you, our similarly rare life subscribers. All you have…
Tested: 5 Cheap Upgrades For Your Mountain Bike You Didn’t Know You Needed
Here are five little upgrades that I've been using on my test bikes over the past year, all of which cost less than 20 quid.
Bike Check: Paul Byrom’s Kingdom Vendetta XFS 29
Before the Singletrack Reader Awards kicked off last week, we had a Trade Day ride out, where loads of our friends from the bike industry join us for an actual ride. It might come as a surprise (and something of a disappointment) to you that…
Interview: Veronique Sandler – Not In It To Win It
Sitting in the yurt at the Bike Park Wales Women’s Weekend, a group of women are gathered for a Q&A session with three pro riders: Tahnee Seagrave, Katy Curd, and Veronique Sandler. It seems that many in the audience are keen racers, and many questions…
Highland Trail 550 vs French Divide – Battle of the Epic Rides
Whilst sitting back enjoying some much-needed rest and recuperation on a small Greek Island Stu Taylor took time to reflect on what has been a pretty crazy few months. First was the Highland Trail 550 in May, which I completed in four days and seven…
Battle of the Kit: Bike packing sprint versus bike packing marathon
Whilst sitting back enjoying some much-needed rest and recuperation on a small Greek Island Stu Taylor took time to reflect on what has been a pretty crazy few months, during which he’s completed both the Highland Trail 550 and the French Divide. Read on for…
10 Outerbike Bicycle Innovators
Our roving (raving?) US correspondent, Fahzure, has been on the road again, this time he headed to Outerbike. Outerbike is a bicycle consumer demo event and party that takes place twice a year in Moab, Utah and, for the first time this year, additionally in…
The Great British Bike Off – 3 UK-Made Full Suspension Bikes Tested & Reviewed
In Issue #119 of Singletrack Magazine, we tested three big wheelers made on home soil and designed for modern riding. Words: Wil Barrett Photos: James Vincent Going against the tide of offshore manufacturing in the Far East, there’s been a recent flurry of activity in…
Five Ten And Adidas Eye Up The Olympic Effect
Five Ten has been the name in flat pedal sticky shoes for so long that it’s easy to forget that it started out life as a climbing and outdoor brand. With some bright spark having the idea that sticky rubber could prove useful at gripping…
The 10 Most Attention Grabbing Bikes Of Cycle Show 2018 Plus A Few #teamrumours
We’ve collated our top favourite bikes of the 2018 Cycle Show from over the weekend, and come away with a list of 10 bikes that grabbed our attention for some reason or another. We’ve got race bikes, new bikes, retro bikes, custom bikes and weird…
Not just #MakingUpTheNumbers – Gloopy Glory at the final round of the HSBC National Downhill Series
‘You just need to commit.’ I know Binnsy’s right but there are far better riders than I going face first into the mud. ‘Come on, give it a go at least’ I tell myself. I commit fully. I crash faster. The bike remains prone in…
Interview: Dan Jarvis – it doesn’t take much to sell women’s racing, they’re the ones serving up the drama
Dan Jarvis has been involved in promoting women’s mountain biking for many years, first through his university club in Brighton, then as the head of the BN3 DH team, and finally in his commentary and advocacy for all things MTB
Feeling Flat? 12 Tubeless Repairs that nearly all work
Back in the not so dim and distant past, when it came to repairing punctures, life was pretty simple. Pull out your half deflated tube, pore over it to find the offending hole (or two if you had experienced a pinch flat), open your Chemco…
8 Top US Metal Acts From Interbike 2018
Rather than making the long trip to the sunshine of Reno, Nevada, for this year’s Interbike trade show, we stayed home in the comfort of Todmorden rain and let roving reporter and almost-local Fahzure risk the wildfires of the American west to make the trip…
Internal Struggle – making your dreams come true isn’t always easy
This article was first published in Issue 118, and Tom has been nominated for Best Author for the Singletrack Reader Awards 2018. Tom Johnstone rides across Iceland’s interior and learns that making your dreams come true isn’t always easy. Words & Photography Tom Johnstone This…
The 7 Top Apps That Will Make Mountain Biking More Fun, Safer, and Social
There’s an App for reminding you to drink enough water, there’s an App that can add a lifelike crocodile into your riding photos and there was even a social networking app that lets you find people who simply want a cuddle (we kid you not!).…
There’s A Hole In The Road, Please Can We Keep It?
Hannah reflects on the disruption that a burst water main near home has caused, and hopes it continues. There’s a hole in the road where I live. Not your average pothole, but quite a substantial chasm. In the way of things in small towns where…
Why Tyre Pressures Matter – And Why You Need A Pressure Gauge
Modern mountain bikes come with a dizzying amount of adjustability. To get your riding position nice and comfy, you’ve got things like bar height, saddle tilt, saddle height and brake lever reach to dial in. For those with a hardtail or full suspension bike, there…
Bike Check: Richard Baybutt’s Murdered Out Longshot Cotic Rocket
Richard Baybutt is Cotic’s marketing man, he’s also a wheelie machine and Megavalnche slayer, and this murdered out Longshot Cotic Rocket is his current ride of choice. Richard didn’t know he was going to be doing this bike check with us when he arrived at…
These Are The 8 Bikes To Get Fox Live Valve First For 2019
After years of speculation and rumour, Fox finally announced Live Valve this week. If you want to know what Live Valve is and what it does we have a full write up here, or you can watch our video explanation below. Basically though, the system senses…
Geraint Ain’t Right: why helmets are a good idea, but shouldn’t be mandatory
A British cyclist wins the biggest sporting event on earth, then almost immediately opens his mouth and spoils it.
Interview: Sally Bigham – I’ve certainly not made it easier by having a baby
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. Sally is probably one of the most successful British MTB racers of the current day…
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. Below are 10 bikes which we either lusted over, owned or have reviewed from the…
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 cool stuff, or golden oldies we’d forgotten about. While choosing today’s Fresh Goods Friday tune,…
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 the way, Hannah asked him about e-bikes. If you want, you can watch the interview…
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 we all had a special superpower, I have no doubt Mrs MakingUpTheNumbers’ would be making…
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. Driving through Vancouver and seeing the landscape change from a bright, vibrant city to a…
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? Because the Transport Committee of the UK Government has launched an inquiry into Active Transport.…
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 pink gin and tonic” said my wife. Good choice, I thought, I’ll have one of…
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 downhiller Pat Horscroft, to MTB coach Ally Campbell and finally Amanda Tanfield who is the…
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, Russian border stations, saunas and moose stew. Before it came to mean an afternoon’s bike…
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 DH; not building bikes out of washing machines but just thinking about things differently. The…
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 not the first to follow the ‘Trickstuff’ signs off the main thoroughfare into the residential…
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 days I took notes on products from 32 different brands, plus spoke to many more.…
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 from the suppliers throughout the process. Should be easy, right? Well, I started working at…
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. It turns out that some of us should probably consider a career in picking lottery…
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 bike journos together in one place to show off their wares and talk about their…
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 long stand (ta!) and a left handed screwdriver, and after he’d made us all 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 make Friday great again, we’ve put together a super listicle so incredible that your neighbours…
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 but it’s just summed up the mood pretty perfectly. In four years of racing I’ve…
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. It’s not just mountain bikes – there’s every sort of two wheeled pedal powered (and…
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 show for all things cycling. Whether you’re a bike brand, an accessory company, or a…
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, the answer is ‘sort of…’ Read on for the full story and watch out for…
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 much is just nice to have? And is ‘nice to have’ actually a need when…
