Tom Isted has me nervous. Despite his reassurance that he’s going to keep things chilled and just try and get down in one piece, his YouTube videos speak to a ‘wreckers or chequers’ approach to riding. That might not be too consequential at his local…
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Rampage Diary 4: Location Location Location
Red Bull Rampage owes everything to its location. If it were anywhere else in the world it would a different event. The Rampage sites, just outside Virgin, Utah, are a couple of hours’ drive from Las Vegas, and about half an hour from St George,…
First Ever Women’s Red Bull Rampage: The Results
Shovels down. It’s competition day. The dig teams are heading towards holiday mode, all the heavy work done. The riders, too, are horsing around in the car park. Maybe they’re distracting themselves from what’s ahead? The lines were set, coming together in a series of…
Red Bull Rampage Diary 3: Go Big, But Come Home
Today was the last day of practice for the women, tomorrow is showtime. But when you watch Red Bull Rampage on the TV, with all the Loud Hype Stoke production values, you’re seeing a teeny tiny tip of the iceberg. You’ve missed the days of…
Red Bull Rampage Diary 2: A Changing Soundtrack
Yesterday’s percussive accompaniment of the slapping of shovels picked up a different rhythm today at Red Bull Rampage, for the second day of practice. As I walked up the lower section of the women’s hill, dig teams were still accompanied by their bluetooth tunes of…
Rampage Diary Day 1: First Hits, And A Sense of Scale
Our Rampage coverage is supported by.. Win an ABUS full face helmet. Details below Today was a day of firsts at Red Bull Rampage 2024. After five dig days for the women, and four for the men, today was the first day bikes were allowed…
Readers’ Rides: Brian E’s Kona Process 153 DL
For this edition of Readers’ Rides, we dug one out from behind the sofa. Here’s Brian Evans’ “glorious purple” Kona Process 153 DL. Your Name Brian Evans Bike brand and model Kona Process 153 DL Fork Dt Swiss 535One Shock Fox DHX2 Suspension Set Up…
Readers’ Rides: Roland L’s Curtis AM9
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 we’re overlooking that this time because… well, look at it. It is Peak Hardtail Perfection.…
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 spending their money on, and what their goals are. On first reading, I got pretty…
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 about some of the more eye catching additions to his race bike. Your bike has…
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 some Singletrack Forum members will know me for riding up big Scottish mountains, I race…
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 with Pipedream Cycles? I caught up with new owner Ian Byrne for some more information…
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. As you’d expect, it’s a feast for the eyes, with stunning scenery and a load…
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 geometry, back road meandering, and the merits of planning your bike rides around top notch…
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 look like, plus some of the details on her bike. She’s very bright and chatty…
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 meet her precise ideas about what makes a good race bike, and a bike that…
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 have clocked him exploring the north of England by gravel bike. It’s all bikes, and…
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 past. Plus a 100% rusted car. It was too much to resist after the drive…
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 to Oliver when he got talking to a seller on eBay. I took a moment…
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 working on the Atherton Bikes stand, posing for selfies, signing helmets, and offering up advice…
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 and I realised it was something really different. And then I got chatting to 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 treat. We figured before it finds its way to a new owner, we ought to…
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. I think this is the newest model – want to talk us through it? This…
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. Unique content like this takes time to create, and would normally be paywalled. But we’d…
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? What made me choose it? Geometry and sizing mostly, but I’d be lying if I…
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 Lego to help him design his own ‘COLARP’ suspension. Since then he’s continued to work…
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 Kansas. But the other thing I love is that Ted makes everything. He’s not joining…
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 talked us through what gives this bike its unique look. How do you say this…
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 mountain biking festival; it’s a mecca for MTB enthusiasts from around the globe. This high-energy…
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 a long course to us finally launching a full-susser that will be available at some…
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 then we cast our judgemental expert lustful eyes over them and bring them to the world to ooh…
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’ award – though when we had this chat we’d yet to make our choice. Unique…
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 like he might have stopped making bikes, so we caught up with him for a…
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 it. Is it a Kona collection? Is it a Joe Murray collection? What inspires it?…
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 did do a slight double take though – because surely at this size, it should…
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 a little cluster of Fuquays on display. Given it’s only a couple of weeks since…
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 the low-budget racer, or a lifestyle choice for the digital nomad. Take our quiz and…
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 through the halls of Westminster in the past years and months will have said their…
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 are you making here? So I have started a company called Ministry Cycles. I began…
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 stickered and accessorised cargo bike and had to find out a bit more about what…
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 quick chat. You can be pretty sure that anyone riding something like this around will…
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 could be bent – and it would instantly get warm on the bend – and…
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 and compete in Dual Slalom but took a moment to have a chat. Expect to…
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 Sea Otter. Here’s a massive gallery for you, with a few mini interviews thrown in.…
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 position of them having a UCI DH team this year, with local lad Jon Mozell…
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 caught up with her at the Marin booth just as Martha had finished fourth in…
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 going in practice. Just the downhill this weekend? Just downhill, no slalom for me. How’s…
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 Sea Otter Classic racing Dual Slalom. To help with the motivation and mental focus, he’s…
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, dual slalom and downhill. We stopped him for a chat to see how it’s going.…
Philly Bike Expo 2024: Gallery of WANT
The Philly Bike Expo is a hand made bike show in Philadelphia, USA, that’s known for being more than just a display of shiny things. It’s got a history of being progressive, maybe political even, with workshops and scholarships aimed at helping frame builders beyond…
The International Variations Of Faff: What Do You Call It?
Last week’s Weekly Word newsletter was about ‘faff’. Here in the UK, we are very familiar with faff – but what is it called elsewhere in the world? Take a read, see if you recognise its symptoms, and offer up your versions of it. Faff…