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 Bikes and finds out that you’re either enduro, or you’re not, why Turner was forced…
Members’ Feature
Articles and features published exclusively for our full members.
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 Walker, Campbell Coaching’s Ally Campbell and DH hero Pat Horscroft. This month we’re featuring Amanda…
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 race runs I’m not a hundred percent sure what’s going on. Another visor destroyed in…
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 alloy versions and if you do bash your carbon rim too hard it’s unlikely to…
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 Dave. “Arran? Are you kidding me? That sounds far too dangerous to me. How will…
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 riding…and hiking. In the build-up and preparation for the event it never even crossed my…
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 a freshly sprained ankle and a set of crutches. I did not enjoy myself. I…
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 for many. There were of course highs and lows, snapped chains, brake fails, high speeds,…
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 up in the Scottish Highlands enjoying the 2nd round of the World Cup downhill at…
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 decade and brought the software up-to-date to deal with the changing internet landscape. Regular forum…
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 also has a brand new carbon fibre frame with an increase in rear suspension travel…
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). Somewhere in between the beer and the coffee, he also finds time to ride a…
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 racer Pat Horscroft. This month’s interviewee is MTB coach Ally Campbell of Campbell Coaching. Why…
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 trail and enduro bikes, this Goldilocks tyre width claims to offer similar levels of traction…
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 carried through with the threat. And how. Words: Hannah, Photography: Various Whether it’s ‘just a job’,…
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 Levo Kenveo launch, Specialized had chosen to return to Ainsa for the Stumpy launch due…
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 around on a trials bike, we weren’t sure whether this was just a side to…
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 stray cats. One of Betty’s tools of independence was her venerable Raleigh Shopper. Despite having…
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 following lines on maps and apps and assume that since it’s been published, or someone…
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 part of a longer journey “ It came with a slew of transport policies –…
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 it. And that’s OK, because, as Andy explains below, he wanted it to be a…
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 discover for those who stepped inside the old Engine Shed exhibition centre. If you’ve not…
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 Singletrack, David coordinated a flat pedal group test that put no fewer than 17 flatties…
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 Rachael Walker, intrepid rider and adventurer and force behind HopeTech Women. We then asked you…
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, seems to have lasted for most of the last 12 months. Bikes that were pristine…
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 not about the stopping. Stopping is bad – it means something has broken, and you…
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 right mess of our workshop. Since then, we’ve had new walls and windows installed, so…
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 happy to get out and ride over winter. No, it’s not dry and dusty with…
How does Santa Cruz build wheels? Wil goes to the factory to build his own set of Reserve Carbon wheels
According to Syd Newsom, Head Of Wheels at Santa Cruz Bicycles, “wheelbuilding is not magic. It’s a skill set that can be taught, and the goal of our training is to create a very consistent end product.” Within 10 minutes of wandering around the assembly…
Interview: NAHBS Winner Altruiste Bikes
When we received the images from the North American Hand Made Bike Show (NAHBS) we didn’t get any accompanying information. Just a massive folder full of images of many, many different sorts of bikes, sprung from the minds of an array of framebuilders. So, when…
The Direct Approach: How the way we buy bikes is changing
The landscape of bicycle retail is shifting, and there are now an increasing number of companies that only sell direct to the buyers. Some of the most respected brands in the business have moved to selling direct.
Crossing The Deepest Lake In The World, By Fat Bike, In Midwinter
Us UK riders often fantasise about riding holidays in places like Spain, where there is dry mud, and a warm thing in the sky, and olives taste better. It seems that Spanish riders have other ideas (though we note that they haven’t gone in search…
Review: Scream if you wanna go faster! We test and review 3 carbon fibre full suspension XC race bikes
In Issue #116 of Singletrack Magazine, Wil and the crew tested three new generation full suspension XC race bikes. Read on for a short summary of each bike, along with the links to each individual review. Images by James Vincent. Progression. It’s a pretty hot…
Interview: Rachael Walker – bringing Hope to the masses.
We hope that STW is pretty good at featuring female riders, heroes, and contributors in the same way we do men, but there’s always more that we can do. So, to mark this year’s International Women’s day, rather than a one off feature, we’re launching…
9 tips to unlock the trail-slaying potential of your fat bike
Sanny loves fat bikes - here are his suggestions for loving them even more
Into The Wild: Backcountry Essentials – Part 2
We look at some small items that could make a big difference.
A Grand Day Out With Canyon
Here at Singletrack Towers, we love it when people drop in to see us. It gives us an excuse to down tools (and keyboards) for a while, have a coffee and catch up on what’s going on and what our visitors might have to show…
Singletrack Editors’ Choice Awards 2017 – more winners!
Three more awards bestowed upon the best of the best
Wil’s Top 5 Products Of 2017 – The Singletrack Editors’ Choice Awards
Our Technical Editor's favourite products of 2017
Editor’s Choice 2017 – Hannah’s picks for the Singletrack Editors’ Choice Award
Hannah's favourite products and events from last year
The very best of 2017 – Chipps’ picks for the Singletrack Editors’ Choice Award
Chipps' favourite products and events from last year.
Into The Wild: Backcountry Essentials – Part 1
If you're planning on going into the back of beyond, Sanny has some top tips that should keep you rolling, no matter what
Build It And You Will Ride – Chipps goes on a framebuilding course
Our Editor goes on Downland Cycles’ TIG welding framebuilding course, to see if his office skills can be turned into more practical ones that can shape and build a bicycle frame from bare tubes.
Are We Taking Crashing Seriously Enough?
Chris Hall look at the very real daily dangers of mountain biking and asks if we're taking concussion seriously enough? Or even noticing it when it happens
Amanda Batty: Why We Should Stop Writing About Lance Armstrong.
Amanda thinks Lance is a distraction from a whole bunch of more important issues
Beyond Fear And Feelings: An Evidence Based Look At Why Women Aren’t Cycling
The evidence explains why women aren't cycling - and what we might do about it
8 hacks from World Cup mechanics: top tips to try at home
Maintenance tips, or budget beating hacks? You decide
Wil’s Top 5 Trail Essentials That Come On Every Ride
There are some things that we can't ride without. Here's Wil's current top-5 trail essentials that join him on every ride
Updated: Ipley Cross | Why This Type Of Road Junction Will Keep Killing Cyclists
Bez suggests that sometimes a steady driver can be the most dangerous driver - now with added content responding to comments and questions you raised
Would You Know What To Do? We learn about common trail injuries and how to treat them.
We head to the hills to find out what to do when thrills turn to spills
