Andi tackles the trails on Orange’s latest creation, the short travel, progressively angled 2021 Orange Five Evo LE. A few years ago I reviewed the Orange Four and I concluded that the short travel, single-pivot Orange was probably the bike most riders should be on.…
Review
First Ride Review: 2021 Specialized Epic Pro – No Mercy XC Racing Beast
Wheel this new Specialized Epic Pro out of the box and you’re immediately struck by how neat and purposeful it looks. Thanks to the SRAM AXS Eagle wireless shifting and a puritanical approach to dropper posts, there are only brake hoses coming from the bars.…
Julbo Quickshift MTB Goggles | 2 Modes, 1 Pair of Goggles
James tries out the Julbo Quickshift MTB Goggles – will he be glad of the protection they give his eyes? Ever since I was about 7 or 8, I’ve worn glasses (-5.75 in both eyes on my last test, thanks genetics) and when I’m riding…
DZR Turin Boots | Now With European Distributor For Easy Purchasing
Hannah checks out the DZR Turin boots, just as they get a whole lot easier to get hold of int he UK and Europe. When offered a pair of these DZR Turin boots to try out before the launch, I thought they looked like the…
2021 Juliana Furtado | First Ride Review
The 2021 Juliana Furtado has seen some significant changes. Pitched as being a very capable trail steed, we’ve sent one of our favourite Van Girls out to play on the Juliana Furtado CC X01 RSV build. What’s new? The first thing you’ll notice on the…
Bontrager Rally SPD Shoe Review
My old shoes have died. They were lightweight, XC and absolutely knackered. I am neither particularly lightweight nor XC, so was delighted to be given the opportunity try something a bit different, the Bontrager Rally. The styling is not something that I would have normally…
First Ride Review: 2021 SRAM GX Eagle, 2 more teeth and 520% range.
Andi has been on the latest version of the SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain with new 520% range cassette for 2 weeks, and here are his first impressions. Before we delve in I want to stress that this is a first ride impression of the latest…
Fox Transition Duffel Bag | The Bag You Didn’t Know You Needed
Bike Connection Agency is a twice yearly, intimate event with a small selection of big brands. It’s surprising how quickly you accumulate enough items to make travelling home difficult, so when presented with a Fox Racing Transition duffel bag this February there was an all-round…
Showers Pass Ranger Hip Pack | Waterproof Biscuit Transport
Wet weather specialists Showers Pass have just released the big sister to their Rainslinger hip pack. The Showers Pass Ranger hip pack boasts more room, a tool roll, back protection and wider straps, meaning it could be the bridge between the carrying capacity of a…
Review: Crankbrothers Synthesis E Alloy Wheelset
The Crankbrothers Synthesis range is made up of both carbon and alloy wheelsets, and there are wheels to suit everyone from XC racers to eBikers and downhill racers. For the past few months, I’ve been riding the Alloy Synthesis E wheels, E for enduro, not…
Evoc FR Lite Race 10litre Backpack – Protection & Pockets Galore
The Evoc FR Lite Race pack made its way into my life and onto my back in November 2019. Riding some extremely steep trails in Thessaloniki, Greece, on an EVOC press camp, I didn’t feel confident with just my hip pack on yet I didn’t…
Evoc Bike Travel Bag | Planning Some Adventures?
If you’re dreaming of far flung adventures, maybe you want to take your own bike with you. The Evoc Bike Travel Bag is designed to keep your favourite toy safe in transit. The Evoc Bike Travel bag is a soft bag with hard shell bottom,…
Review: Leatt DBX 3.0 Flat Pedal Shoes
Leatt DBX 3.0 shoe review. Leatt entered the highly competitive shoe market in 2020, so how does the DBX 3.0 stack up? Leatt finally achieved its goal of offering a complete rider outfit at the beginning of 2020 with the release of the brand’s first…
Roval Control SL Team Wheels – First Ride Review
The world of the carbon-rimmed wheel is a complicated one. After all, you need to know why you’re making your rim out of expensive carbon fibre instead of affordable, durable, but ductile aluminium. The Roval Control SL Team is singleminded in its approach and its…
5 Packable Jackets Tested – Because You Can’t Predict The Weather
Packable jackets are becoming more and more popular. Whether it be for the growing popularity of bikepacking or simply our unpredictable British weather, having a spare weatherproof layer is a good idea. There are many packable jacket options available, so I have selected five that…
Thule Chariot Cross Trailer – For Riding, Running or Skiing With Kids
Rachel gives the Thule Chariot Cross trailer a long term test, out on the bike, running, walking… but sadly not on the skis! Ah, the peace, quiet and restorative nature of a solo bike ride, truly one of my favourite things… But I now have…
Cannondale Scalpel 2020 SE 2 – First Ride Review
One of the more interesting aspects of reviewing the new crop of XC bikes is that the press packs manufacturers send out often start with an old photo of what the bike looked like 20 years or so ago. It might not surprise you to…
Review: Únic Signature Series, custom riding kit for everyone!
Únic Wear offers riders quality riding kit, with custom design options for the same price as off the shelf brands. If you’re in the market for new clothing to take to the trails in then you’re in a pretty good position. These days, riding kit…
Nukeproof Horizon Sam Hill Pro Enduro Flat Pedals | Go Gripped-in
Back in February at Bike Connection Agency, the Nukeproof demo guy was appalled to see that I was still carrying around a very worn out (and bent at the axle) pair of pedals that I had previously presented him with in August 2019. I honestly…
Formula Cura 4 Brakes | Shiny Stoppers With Modulation and Power
David tests out the ever so shiny Formula Cura 4 brakes. Once he’s stopped looking at them, or himself in the reflection, how do they perform? Having tried a lot of high end brakes, I’d never actually got to try Formula’s before in spite of…
First Ride Review – Giro Manifest Spherical
That's some big, sucky venting potential there. Whatever sort of mountain biker you are, you inevitably have special cycling shoes and a particular helmet you wear. Some riders want nothing but the best, most efficient version of everything, while other riders are after the minimum…
Showers Pass Refuge Pants | Tough Trousers for Rough Weather
Hannah checks out the Showers Pass Refuge Pants – waterproof trousers from the top of their range. Generally I’ll opt for waterproof shorts for wet weather rides, and deal with the wet and chilled legs later, but sometimes waterproof trousers are worth their relative bulk…
First Ride Review: GT Zaskar LT Expert
We’ve had this mossy green-coloured hardcore hardtail in to ride for a few weeks now, and Chipps has been able to take it on enough of his local trails to bring you this first-ride review of GT’s most dramatic new hardtail in years, the Zaskar…
Shimano XTR Groupset | Premium Components Punished Through Winter
It’s no secret that Shimano was a bit late to the game with their 12 speed drivetrains. While the other ‘Big S’ was cornering the market for wide range single ring setups, Shimano was beavering away getting their products developed to the standard they wanted…
Howies Doyle Waterproof Jacket | For Summer Rides And Much More
As Spring blends into Summer, and the winter wardrobe takes more of a back seat, having a lightweight jacket is a must for any riding kit bag – and the Howies Doyle looks as if it ticks many-a-box. Howies is a brand that many UK…
Video: Andi’s Custom Commencal Meta AM 29 SRAM Edition Bike Check!
We might not be able to test a lot of gear during lockdown, but the fresh kit keeps pouring in meaning Andi has customised his Commencal Meta AM 29 with 2021 forks and more fresh test kit. Who knows when the lockdown might be finally…
Five Ten Trailcross Mid Pro MTB – High Top Flat Pedal Shoes
COVID-19 Notice – The Five Ten Trailcross Mid Pro MTB shoes arrived in time for one regular ride before isolation and have since been ridden on relatively tame trails from out Amanda’s front door. We’ll update this review once life is back to normal. The Five Ten…
Crank Brothers Stamp 1 Pedals | Shred The Trails, Not Your Legs
Hannah has spent the sloppy autumn and winter months on these Crank Brothers Stamp 1 composite entry level pedals. Having had my favourite DMR Vault pedals stolen from me (while attached to a bike), I decided it was time to try out some new options.…
First Ride Review: Kona Hei Hei CR/DL | For XC And More
The 2020 Kona Hei Hei has undergone another step-change, continuing its metamorphosis from XC race machine to something much more trail-capable, with a significantly remodelled frame design, geometry updates and upgrades to the componentry. Not too long ago, had you turned up at the start…
Orbea Occam M10 2020 Review | One Bike, Many Purposes?
Ross hops aboard the Orbea Occam M10 – is it really the all rounder it’s billed as? Last year Orbea relaunched the Occam as a 140mm travel, do it all trail bike. While the Occam name had existed in the Orbea lineup for a few…
2021 Rockshox Pike | First Ride Review
We’ve had a new Pike, in a 29in x 150mm flavour, for a few weeks now and, despite chunky riding being out of the question for the last couple of weeks, our local trails have enough lumps and bumps to be able to give us…
2021 RockShox Lyrik Ultimate | First Ride Review
Can a few internal tweaks make this updated 2021 RockShox Lyrik Ultimate even better than it already was? First ride review right here. COVID-19 Notice – We were lucky that the Lyrik arrived just ahead of lockdown, and were able to get a few rides on them.…
Canyon Neuron AL 7.0 | How Can You Make A Best Seller Better?
Sanny checks out the latest release from Canyon: the Canyon Neuron AL, an update to their best selling full suspension bike. Another day, another bike to test. Last time around, I shared with you my thoughts about Canyon’s latest gnarpoon ebike, the Spectral:ON. Fair to…
Evolution not Revolution – Identiti Mettle Mk 2 Review
James Vincent spends a winter in the Lake District on the new Identiti Mettle Mk2. Introduction For someone who spends a lot of their time riding bikes in the Lake District, I’ve tended to steer clear of your typical “Lakes Bike”, in favour of something…
Granite Design STASH Multi-Tool Review – A Mini tool that slides in a tube
Granite Design’s STASH multi-tool is an in head tube solution to trail tool convenience, and it’s easy to fit and cheap to buy. It’s easy to go out for ride have a mechanical and then realise you haven’t got a multi-tool with you. Well, at…
Cotic Flare Ridden And Rated – Now in 135mm Option
Words Daz Hall Photography Chipps First published in Singletrack Magazine issue 126 Price: £3,249.00 (as tested) From: Cotic, cotic.co.uk On a recent holiday to California, I was brutally reminded of a side of human nature that I’ve never been very comfortable with. The ostentatious displays…
Review | Shimano SLX M7120 4 pot power for pennies
Andi bolted a pair of the Shimano SLX M7120 4 Pot brakes to a heavy eMTB and pointed it downhill to see if these mid-range stoppers are up to the job. Shimano SLX has long been my go-to groupset over the years, and now that…
Review: 9 Months With the Ride Concepts Hellion Flat Shoe
Launched in 2018, Ride Concepts are the new kids on the MTB shoe block, but can their kicks take on the establishment? Had you asked me just a few years ago which flat shoe I would recommend, I would probably tell you to look at…
2020 RockShox SID Trail Fork – First Ride Review
We’ve had one of RockShox brand new, 120mm SID Ultimate forks – basically the ‘SID Trail’ on test for a couple of weeks. Here’s what we thought: The world of 100mm suspension forks seems to be a very narrow one of either top-flight cross country…
2020 RockShox SID Slims Down – And Gets New 120mm Trail Option
The RockShox SID has been around since 1998 as RockShox’ top end, no compromise cross country race fork, and the new 2020 Rockshox SID SL is no exception. Everything on it has been tuned and whittled down and lightened to make a fork that comes…
DMR Versa Pedal – Clips, Flats or Both?
Clips or Flats? Both! The DMR Versa pedal seeks to offer the best of both worlds, by giving you both options in one pedal. The DMR Versa is an extruded an CNC machined aluminium pedal with chromoly axle, featuring a clip-in pedal interface on one…
ION Scrub Amp Flat Pedal Shoe – First Ride Review
Ion has been making shoes for four years now, and flat pedal shoes since 2018. The new range is launched today, and we have had the new ION Scrub Amp shoes in for a quick pre-launch test. The flat pedal shoes for 2020 use a…
Vee Tire Snap Trail Review: Downhill inspired sticky trail tyres
Trail ready Thai tyres built on trickle-down downhill race tech. We test that fast-rolling Vee Tire Snap Trail Top 40. Vee Tire Co. has been growing in popularity at a very steady and consistent pace over the past few years, and that’s a pretty outstanding…
Lone Parabellum Review | Poppy and playful standards smasher
Lone Bicycles lent us their refreshingly unique Lone Parabellum to test against the UK finest winter weather. Romain Olmos is a French mountain bike legend who once shared sponsors with Darren Berrecloth, Anne Caroline Chausson and Neil Donoghue. Known for his stylish 4X wins and…
Salsa Spearfish | A Really Very Practical Type Of Bike
Charlie checks out the latest Salsa Spearfish, for ‘down country’ riding, and a lot of other stuff too. Down country, what the hell is “Down Country”? A large demo bike arrives at Singletrack, complete with not only gears, full suspension, and a carbon frame… but…
Deviate Highlander 29er – Ultimate Enduro Bike Contender
Sanny checks out the new Deviate Highlander, an enduro bike with idler. Back in November 2017, Deviate took a bold step into the mountain bike market when they launched their Guide carbon fibre Enduro machine. Building on Chris Deverson’s years of engineering experience and Ben…
Intense Primer 29 Pro | A Solution For The One Bike Shed?
“WTF is that?!”, exclaimed my pairs partner when I rolled up to the 10@kirroughtree endurance race late last summer. I thought he was talking about my newly acquired beer belly, the result of six months of no racing or training, and lots of drinking and eating.…
Rotor Kapic Carbon Chainset | Tune Your Race Set-Up
We put mile-muncher Jason Miles to work on the Rotor Kapic Carbon Chainset. Is he leading the pack with these light weight cranks? Spanish component manufacturer Rotor has been around since the early 1990s and claims, probably quite rightly, that it developed oval chainrings to…
Review | SRAM AXS Eagle – Wireless Shifting That Works
David tests out the flagship SRAM AXS Eagle XX and X01 groupsets – will the wireless drivetrain stun him with its performance? Historically, I’m not a fan of mixing mountain bikes and electronics, but I have ended up riding AXS Eagle more than probably anyone…
Review | EXT Storia V3 – The Last Shock You’ll Ever Need To Buy?
The EXT Storia LOK V3 is a high end, Italian coil shock. I first spoke with EXT at Eurobike in 2017, but at the time they didn’t have a UK distributor. Enter Chris Porter, with Mojo Rising. Before talking about the hardware or the setup,…
Review | Manitou Mara Pro – Do You Like To Party?
Manitou, and parent Hayes Group have spent a while focussed on enduro-type products, from forks, to brakes, wheels and now this new Mara Pro shock. In Sanskrit, the word mara means “death”, which is pretty much the exact opposite of what I’d hope to get…