If you're new to the world of mountain bikes, you might find it an unfathomable world of tech jargon, incompatible standards, and marketing babble. To cut through it all, you might go in search of advice, from other humans that ride bikes. Maybe you find…
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Fake Bikes? How To Spot A Scam Website
Off the back of a couple of stories we’ve published, and a suggestion from someone in the Forum, we thought we’d give you a bit of a guide to spotting a scam bicycle sales website. Even if they pass all these tests, if something smells…
Spanish Bikepacking Diary – The End?
The final day of a 1,400km ride with just shy of 21,000m ascent. Will it be an emotional end to an epic trip? Will Amanda throw her bike into the ocean? Catch-up: Granada – Torrox Costa Today is the roadie equivalent of an uplift day,…
Spanish Bikepacking Diary Day 12
Amanda and Rhys are nearing the end of their journey from Barcelona to Malaga, and continue to avoid the passing snow storm. Today’s destination: Granada. Catch-up: Quesada – Granada Our day off in Quesada yesterday was as lazy as we could manage, although the tall…
Kinematic Coyote FSt Bike Check and Quiz!
Phil Thomas is working on prototypes for his Coyote FSt – Full Suspension trail – bike. As part of the process, he’s developed a bunch of suspension path sketches that we thought would make a great quiz. But before you get to that, take a…
Learning To Lead
I’ve quite often found myself ‘leading’ a ride – but only in the informal sense of being the person that knows the way. There’s a big (legal and insurance) difference between following your friend that knows where to turn left or right, and following someone…
Bespoked Bike Check: Bididu Ragnarök
For the first time ever, the Bespoked Bike Show has left the UK and is taking place in Dresden, Germany. From 13th-15th October, people are able to go and peruse gorgeous hand built bikes and accessories, and chat to their makers. Sadly we couldn’t make the trip…
Bespoked Bike Check: SUBA FLOW
For the first time ever, the Bespoked Bike Show has left the UK and is taking place in Dresden, Germany. From 13th-15th October, people are able to go and peruse gorgeous hand built bikes and accessories, and chat to their makers. Sadly we couldn’t make the trip…
Bespoked Bike Check: Two Bikes To Make Tarmac Tempting
For the first time ever, the Bespoked Bike Show is leaving the UK and taking place in Dresden, Germany. From 13th-15th October, people will be able to go and peruse gorgeous hand built bikes and accessories, and chat to their makers. Sadly we couldn’t make the trip…
Bespoked Bike Check: Kutaloni Presto
For the first time ever, the Bespoked Bike Show is leaving the UK and taking place in Dresden, Germany. From 13th-15th October, people will be able to go and peruse gorgeous hand built bikes and accessories, and chat to their makers. Sadly we couldn’t make the trip…
Bespoked Bike Check: WOODALPS YGGY
For the first time ever, the Bespoked Bike Show is leaving the UK and taking place in Dresden, Germany. From 13th-15th October, people will be able to go and peruse gorgeous hand built bikes and accessories, and chat to their makers. Sadly we couldn’t make the trip…
Back From The Dead: What A Lucky Boy!
Where in the world - and life - can bikes take you? The ever enthusiastic Dieter is feeling very stoked on the possibilities.
Malverns Retro Components Memory Lane Gallery
Remember when you used to search for bike parts by flicking through a catalogue, or the back of a magazine? Perhaps you phoned a landline to check stock, or maybe you just put a cheque in the post and hoped for the best. No apps…
Singletrack Kitchen: Okay Poke Fish Recipe.
The first thing you need to know is that “poke” is pronounced “pow – kay”. Okay? It’s from the Hawaiian word for “slice”. So that makes this a bowl of sliced food. Traditionally it would be served with roughly cut chucks of octopus but try…
Back From The Dead: Malverns Classic Special!
We took our columnist Dieter away from the bike shop and off to the GT Malverns Classic for some retro bike love.
Spanish Bikepacking Diary – Days Six – Eight
This 17 day series of Amanda’s first ever multiday bikepacking trip is exclusively available to Singletrack World Members. It gets more scenic as the journey unfolds, so stay tuned for more updates! Catch-up: Utiel – Almansa Yesterday was tough, so a relatively flat ride is…
Am I Being Unreasonable? MTB Court now in session! #Case002
One couple is struggling to ride together as family dynamics have changed their lives. Can it be like it was in the beginning, and who needs to change their expectations? Rebecca: I just want it to be like it used to be, where we had…
Spanish Bikepacking Diary – Day Five
This 17 day series of Amanda’s first ever multiday bikepacking trip is exclusively available to Singletrack World Members. It gets more scenic as the journey unfolds, so stay tuned for more updates! Catch-up: La Puebla de Valverde – Utiel It’s getting harder and harder to…
An Ode To (Not) Being Rachel Atherton
Hannah recently dislocated her shoulder. Like Rachel Atherton, she didn’t actually crash… but she wasn’t actually riding. Rachel’s shoulder popped out under the force of landing a massive jump at Fort William. Hannah twisted hers out while pushing her bike down a feature she thought…
Singletrack Kitchen: Stufato Di Ciclista Affamato Recipe
I stumbled (literally, my legs were tired, the day had been long, the sun was beating down, the steps were uneven, and the wine was very good) upon this in a small inn down a dusty trail in rural Italy. I was wowed by the…
Am I Being Unreasonable? MTB Court now in session!
You be the judge! James and Dave have different perspectives on what their group ride is about. Who is right?
Spanish Bikepacking Diary – Day Four
This 17 day series of Amanda’s first ever multiday bikepacking trip is exclusively available to Singletrack World Members. It gets more scenic as the journey unfolds, so stay tuned for more updates! Catch-up: Vilafranca – La Puebla de Valverde Today should be a relatively easy…
New Rider – Battery Included (Three Months In…)
Gareth wrote about his tentative steps from road rider to mountain biker. Three months later, how is he getting on? A Cycle Scheme I am a fortunate soul; fortunate to live in a beautiful part of the country with access to some amazing countryside and…
Spanish Bikepacking Diary – Day Three Continued
This 17 day series of Amanda’s first ever multiday bikepacking trip is exclusively available to Singletrack World Members. It gets more scenic as the journey unfolds, so stay tuned for more updates! Catch-up: Day Three: Corbera d’Ebre to Vilafranca Where did we leave it last…
Singletrack Members Get 20% Off Malverns Classic Tickets!
The Malverns Classic is back again! There will be bikes, and dodgems, and retro bikes, and races, and bikes, and an airbag, and retro bikes, and DJs, and bikes, and... well, you get the idea. It's a whole festival of fun, with bikes at its…
Back From The Dead: 2 Brakes, 1 Lever
Dieter is a mechanic who will always fix things if he can. With his spare parts bin and Dremel, he'll breathe life back into almost any bike. Join us for another of his regular columns, full of bike fettling, and occasional philosophical (or political) sidetracks...
Chipps with Everything: 2023 Eurobike Highlights
Chipps brings you a curated tour of the eye-catching highlights of this pivotal European trade show.
Bike Check: Charlie’s Surly Singlespeed Karate Monkey
At Singletrack we get to see all the latest technology and ride countless bikes, but what bikes do Singletrack staffers ride home on? After we have downloaded new firmware for an electronic mech, set shock pressures using the ebikes app and bluetooth pressure sensors, charged…
Spanish Bikepacking Diary: Day Two
This 17 day series of Amanda’s first ever multiday bikepacking trip is exclusively available to Singletrack World Members. It gets more scenic as the journey unfolds, so stay tuned for more updates! See Day One here. Day Two: Valls to Caseres We enjoy a continental…
Interview | Rob Warner: ‘Look At The Time!’
Chipps quizzes Rob Warner, on lucky breaks, World Cup racing and how commentating saved him from himself. Words & Photography Chipps CAUTION, CONTAINS ALL OF THE SWEARS. NORMALLY WE TONE DOWN THE ODD BIT OF SWEARING IN INTERVIEWS SO AS TO NOT OFFEND MORE SENSITIVE…
Spanish Bikepacking Diary: Day One
This 17 day series of Amanda’s first ever multiday bikepacking trip is exclusively available to Singletrack World Members. It gets more scenic as the journey unfolds, so stay tuned for more updates! In February 2023 me and my Partner In Climb Rhys embarked on a…
Bike Check: Benji’s Stif Squatch
I got the Stif Squatch frame in to act as a testbed for the sort of stuff that wouldn’t quite suit my other longer-travel full-sus testbed.
Can You Ebike a 100 Mile Bikepacking Route?
Ebikes are great when it comes to allowing people to do things they don’t normally do. Look at all the 50+ people returning to mountain biking with the help of a little electricity and quite a bit of money. However, can an unfit 51 year…
Back From The Dead: Holiday Club
Dieter is a mechanic who will always fix things if he can. With his spare parts bin and Dremel, he'll breathe life back into almost any bike. Join us for another of his regular columns, full of bike fettling, and occasional philosophical (or political) sidetracks...
Singletrack Kitchen: Wild Garlic Soup
Let’s get this out the way right from the start. You are probably wondering why there is a wild garlic soup recipe on your favourite mountain bike website. Science and statistics are the answers. Stick with me here on this. A good Saturday afternoon ride…
Spotted At Sea Otter: Freaks, Geeks and Retro Bikes
Sea Otter is a bike expo and festival of racing that takes place in Monterey, California each year. We didn't make the trip over there for 2023, but our US correspondent Fahzure Freeride dropped in to catch up with bicycle peeps of the world. He's…
Back From The Dead: Breathing life into a Lizard
Dieter is a mechanic who will always fix things if he can. With his spare parts bin and Dremel, he'll breathe life back into almost any bike. Join us for another of his regular columns, full of bike fettling, and occasional philosophical (or political) sidetracks...
Santa Cruz and Chris King Builders’ Bike Show
In advance of Sea Otter, Santa Cruz and Chris King hosted an event for builders to show off their wares. Our American correspondent Fahzure Freeride (and my soon to be husband - eep!) went along to warm up his bicycle nerd antennae in advance of…
Bike Check: Chipps’ 1994 Fuquay Logic Prestige
This 1994 Fuquay Logic Prestige was custom-built for Chipps in 1994, after a full measuring-up session with Mr Fuquay.
Bike Check: Ted James’ Ti Bride Custom DH Bike
Have you placed your credit card at a safe distance away from your current position? Then you may be safe to read on. Custom, titanium, BMX, EXT, DH, Ted James, single speed… no, this is not bike fetish bingo, this is the ‘Ti Bride’, as…
Bike Check: Hannah’s Schwinn Traveler
This is my 1964 Schwinn Traveler, given to me as a rather special 40th birthday present from my partner. I did protest that he shouldn’t give it to me, as it’s too nice, and I’m not worthy and I’ll probably break it, but he didn’t…
New Rider (battery provided)
A new reader and rider sent us this piece, before he’s even hit the trails. Welcome to mountain biking, Gareth, we hope you like what you find. So I’ve just bought a mountain bike, my first one, that I have no idea how I will…
The Answer To Everything Is…
This piece was originally published as the editorial in our Weekly Word – a newsletter which brings you a piece like this, plus a round up of news, offers, and whatever else we think you’ll like. It’s free to get the Weekly Word, and you…
Singletrack Kitchen: Pub Bike Gumbo
By popular demand, here’s another recipe from Charlie to warm you up and fill you up after a ride. This is a really efficient recipe as it is great for using things up. I suppose in many ways this is the pub bike of recipes,…
Retro Ridgeback gallery and video walkthrough
2023 marks Ridgeback's 40th anniversary and Madison had a bunch of retrobike beauties on display at their recent iceBike* trade show. For those who couldn't attend the show, here's our gallery and video for your delectation.
27.2 Dropper Posts: 15 Options For Skinny Seat Tubes
27.2 dropper posts are not common but if you have a bike frame with a skinny seat tube you can still take advantage of the benefits.
11 Things That Should Be Standard Issue, Not Special Feature
We've rounded up some of those product 'features' that we think should go without saying. Feel free to disagree, or add your own below! When you're looking at products, especially on the web, you'll find yourself seeing bullet pointed lists of 'product features'. Some of…
Reyt Good Bikepacking: Rider Kit Lists
Some of you who enjoyed our A Reyt Good Time Bikepacking in the Dales article will no doubt want to know what sort of kit the riders used.
How Long To Rebuild A Bike? – Back From The Dead
Dieter is the kind of bike nerd mechanic that every good bike shop should want. He is endlessly enthusiastic about getting people of all kinds onto bikes of all sorts. He can fix your bike even when the outlook looks bleak. Go for a ride…
15 Ways To Spend Less On Mountain Biking
Mountain biking is not cheap. You'll never 'save' money as a mountain biker. But you can stop a lot of avoidable spending if you're canny.
Taiwan: A storm brewing for the bike industry?
Remember when that ship got jammed in the Suez, and goods shipped around the world got stuck? Remember when Covid disrupted the natural flow of shipping containers and products, and everything got delayed? If you thought that was a mess, that’s nothing to what could…