For this edition of Readers’ Rides, Roland Lovell shares his Curtis AM: “it was bound to happen eventually”. There’s not a whole lot of deep detail in this submission but…
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Articles and features published exclusively for our full members.
Forestry England’s Cycling Strategy: A sign of things (not) to come?
Forestry England published its first Cycling Strategy a few weeks ago. Big organisations need this sort of thing so that everyone knows what they should – or shouldn’t – be…
Interview: Joe Breedon – chasing the fractions of seconds
While at the Saddleback House Show, I had a chat with Joe Breedon, who was there with his bike and team mate Lou Ferguson. I stopped him for a chat…
Readers’ Rides: Luke B’s Scott Spark
For this edition, Luke Bradley shares his Scott Spark: “they’re very popular and with good reason – it’s lightning fast.” Bike brand and model Scott Spark Why this bike? While…
Route Assembly – making UK manufacturing more than a Pipedream?
A few weeks ago there was the announcement that Pipedream Cycles had been bought by Route Assembly. Who or what is Route Assembly and what do they plan to do…
Interview: Kade Edwards in Anytime BTS – ‘I’m not going to get any better in the next 10 minutes’
I went down to Dyfi Bike Park for a day of riding followed by a UK Premiere of ‘Anytime’, the latest film from Anthill and Red Bull, that celebrates freeride.…
Our go-to winter riding apparel
We were asked to list one item of clothing that we always pick out of the pile for a wintery mountain bike ride. Here’s what we picked. Following on from…
Bike Check: James Love’s Cotic Cascade
Mr Love, formerly of this parish, dropped by via the back roads of Calderdale. ‘You look like Jeremy Corbyn with that stem!’ cried our Benji. Cue much excited jabber about…
Interview: Lou Ferguson on ‘being alive and being happy’
Lou Ferguson was at the Saddleback House Show with her bike, freshly cleaned from Loudenville. We had a good long chat about her season so far, what next year might…
Retrobike Check: Isla Rowntree’s 1993 Race Bike
At the Retrobike Show and Shine at the Malverns Classic, this yellow and red bespoke racing machine was on display. It’s one of Isla Rowntree’s own personal bikes, built to…
Interview: The Word According To Landosteezy
If you’re on any kind of social media, you’ve probably seen Leo ‘Landosteezy’ Smith bringing his BMX style to the world of MTB. Now riding for Calibre, you might also…
Spotted: Wonder Woman and the KeeWee Cromozone
I’d barely arrived at the Malverns Classic when we were rolling through the camping field and spotted the kind of freak bike collection that no self-respecting bike nerd can walk…
Retrobike Barn Find Bonanza!
It’s the collector’s dream: you enquire about a single bike, end up discovering a whole collection of bikes – and the person that owns them wants rid. That’s what happened…
Rachel Atherton: From World Champ to Family Cycling Champion
It was Rachel Atherton’s first year at the Malverns Classic, and like many festival-goers she was there with her family. While she wasn’t juggling child demands with racing, she was…
Project Mjolnir: The Most Interesting Bike Of The Year?
At the Malverns Classic Festival there were a bunch of riders with Bowhead adaptive trikes taking part in the racing, which was great to see. But then this rolled by…
Bikemon Go! Your August Ride Inspiring Download
Back in issue 153 in February, Hannah proposed an alternative approach to measuring rides. As part of that, we gave you a set of ride ‘achievements’ to collect in the…
Nerd Alert! Rare Structure SCW1 Prototype Bike for Sale
This caught our eye in the Singletrack Classifieds. I mean, why wouldn’t it? With echoes of the old Whyte PRST1 but a stack of new tech, it’s a bike nerd’s…
Interview: Atherton Bikes at Bespoked
In our final interview from Bespoked, Manchester, I stopped for a chat with Alex from Atherton Bikes to see if I could find out what’s ahead for the Welsh brand.…
Bike Check: Sour Bikes ‘Pasta Party’
Jürgen from Sour Bikes talked us through the features of this ‘Pasta Party’ bike from Sour Bikes, a German brand that’s managed to make production in Germany work for them.…
Readers’ Rides: Ally’s Resurrected Nicolai Saturn 14
For this edition, Ally Mitchell shares his “resurrected” Nicolai Saturn 14. What made him choose it? “Geometry and sizing mostly”. Bike brand and model Nicolai Saturn 14. Why this bike?…
Bespoked Interview: Auckland Cycle Works
I first saw these bikes when they were a very early prototype, at Bespoked in October 2022 at the Velodrome in London, where Gary explained to me how he’d used…
Interview: Ted James Designs
I always enjoy chatting with Ted about his bikes. For one, it’s a bit like listening to Tom Waits or Iggy Pop – there’s more gravel in his voice than…
Cduro Epona: Innovative Carbon Fibre Mountain Bike | Bespoked Interview
Humphrey and Martin brought this wound carbon fibre Cduro Bike to Bespoked, Manchester, all the way from the Czech Republic. As the more confident English speaker of the two, Humphrey…
Crankworx – What is it and why it should be on your bucket list
The next round of the Crankworx World Tour takes place on the 19th – 28th July in Whistler, Canada. Here’s our short Singletrack guide to Crankworx. Crankworx is no ordinary…
Bikemon Go! Your July Ride Inspiring Download
Back in issue 153 in February, Hannah proposed an alternative approach to measuring rides. As part of that, we gave you a set of ride ‘achievements’ to collect in the…
Bike Check: 18 Bikes Full Suspension Prototypes
Peak District based 18 Bikes had two prototypes on display at Bespoked Manchester. Matt talked us through them. These two bikes are the first prototypes on what is already quite…
Readers’ Rides: Rick’s Custom Marino
Whether you’ve got a special new bike or just a bike that’s special to you, this is where you get to tell us about it! You send us your submissions, and…
Bespoked ‘Best MTB Award’ Interview: Craft Bikes
Jim from Craft Bikes talks us through the exquisite titanium bikes, made in Kent, UK, that were on display at Bespoked, Manchester. Their hardtail actually received our ‘Best Mountain Bike’…
Bespoked Interview: Paul ‘Burf’ and the BTR Gasser
Paul 'Burf' Burford, from BTR brought his latest creation, the Gasser DH bike, to Bespoked, Manchester. It's been a long road to this point, and at one point it looked…
Spotted: Ted’s Retro Kona Themed Collection
At the York Cycle Rally I spotted this collection of bikes, which were perhaps curated around a theme. I asked their owner, Ted, to tell us a bit more about…
Readers’ Rides: George Thompson’s ‘Making Up The Numbers’ XXL Geometron G1
George Thompson’s ‘Making Up The Numbers’ XXL Geometron G1in ‘snow leopard’ paint finish is certainly eye catching. It might even have him catching up with the rider in front. We…
Spotted: Fuquay Retrobike Collection
This year’s York Cycle Rally and Festival included a retrobike show, alongside all the stalls, grass track racing, and more. A day out was on the cards, and I clocked…
Bikemon Go! Your June Ride Inspiring Download
Back in issue 153 in February, Hannah proposed an alternative approach to measuring rides. As part of that, we gave you a set of ride ‘achievements’ to collect in the…
What Sort Of Van Lifer Are You?
Ah, the open road. Sea views. Mountain air. Waking up to the sunrise, going to bed by moonlight. Wee scented lay-bys. Supermarket toilets. Van life can be a necessity for…
A Mountain Biking Manifesto
With a snap election called in the UK, the key policies are already likely to be decided by the parties – the professional lobbyists who have been influencing their way…
Crossword: The Bike Tools Edition
We’ve got cryptic-ish clues, and the answers are all tools you might use on your bike. If you’re not from the UK, you’ll likely find this a bit harder since…
Bikemon Go! Your May Ride Inspiring Download
Back in issue 153 in February, Hannah proposed an alternative approach to measuring rides. As part of that, we gave you a set of ride ‘achievements’ to collect in the…
Bike Check: Ministry Cycles CNC Protoype
This bike at the EXT stand at Sea Otter caught my eye, so I stopped its designer Chris Curry for a bit more insight into what it’s all about. What…
Bike Check: Erik’s Rat Race Drop Out Cargo Bike
One of the joys (for me, anyway) of the Sea Otter Classic is the unusual bikes that people turn up with, and the stories behind them. I clocked this heavily…
Retro Bike Check: Foes LTS 16
I felt like there were a few fewer retro bikes rolling around this year’s Sea Otter Classic, but this one caught my eye so I stopped its owner for a…
Smart Tires: Tyres From Space Coming Your Way Soon?
At an unassuming looking booth at Sea Otter there was some mega science going down. You’ll have to take my word for it, but the hollow rod of this Nitinol…
Bike Check: Jordy Scott’s Dual Slalom Hyper
Jordy Scott is one of those up and coming riders that might not have come onto your radar unless you follow the Crankworx scene. She was just about to go…
Bikes Bikes Bikes! The Show Bikes of Sea Otter
Whether it’s a tricked out bike for a show stand, a special lucky race build, or just the garage geek project, there are some unusual bikes to be spotted at…
A Closer Look At The We Are One Modular Prototype DH Bike
We Are One makes their bikes and components in Kamloops, Canada. The Hope of Kamloops, perhaps? Their onsite manufacturing lets them prototype things quickly, which led to the slightly unexpected…
Martha Gill: The New Sea Otter Dual Slalom Champion
Martha Gill was out at Sea Otter racing Dual Slalom and Downhill. She took the gold in Dual Slalom, finally breaking Jill Kintner’s 11-year run on the top spot. I…
Bike Check: Ryan Pinkerton’s Sea Otter Mondraker Raze Carbon
Ryan Pinkerton is out at the Sea Otter Classic with his eye on the Downhill race. We had a little look at his bike and asked him how it was…
Braydon Bringhurst’s Dual Slalom Sea Otter Special Spectral
Braydon Bringhurst – a man who loves to climb as much as descend, as is big on figuring out the technical side of riding just so – is at the…
Privateer’s Fergus Ryan on Racing 3-on-1 at Sea Otter
Fergus Ryan is out at the Sea Otter Classic in California racing the new Privateer 161 Gen 2. He’s using the one bike to race all three events of enduro,…
Crossword: The Outdoor Clothing Edition
This one is designed to be gentle, just enough to get the brain cells going over a morning coffee, or while you’re dropping the kids off at the pool. Straying…
Bikemon Go! Your April Ride Inspiring Download
Back in issue 153 in February, Hannah proposed an alternative approach to measuring rides. As part of that, we gave you a set of ride ‘achievements’ to collect in the…