At £60 the Blackline Exile MTB Trousers have good VFM and - for the most part - perform well in form and function.
Review
Mibro GS Explorer S Watch review
We gave the Mibro GS Explorer S to our tame enduro racer Aran to see if he could fathom it out to push him into a podium spot. Did he manage it?
Tailfin Bar Cage & Bag review
If you’re serious about bikepacking, on road or off, this system is up there with the best.
Issue 162: Trail Trousers
Riding trousers have migrated into all-year-round apparel for a lot of riders, like those who feel rather vulnerable going back to bare leg flesh after spending half the year riding covered up
Issue 162: Through the Grinder
Lauf Elja, 100% Altis Gravel helmet, Patagonia Nano-Air Ultralight jacket, Wahoo Kickr Core Zwift One, Fox Enduro Pro knee guards, HoverAir X1 Pro, Aenomaly SwitchGrade 2.0, Peaty's Monarch Knurl grip.
Fox Women’s Ranger Fire Lunar glove review
Anything Fox that’s called ‘Fire’ means it’s apparel for chillier conditions; these aren’t full-on winter boxing gloves
Specialized Recon 3.0 Shoe review
Chipps reviews Specialized Recon 3.0 clip-in shoes. Can they be stiff AND comfortable at the same time?
Hope Evo Carbon Cranks review
If you’re looking for light, pretty and tough cranks - with aftersales support for years to come - these are well worth a look.
Jacket off! Sportful Supergiara v Castelli Unlimited 2
Two similar-but-different jackets, both reviewed here for your cosy convenience.
Fox Speedframe Pro helmet review
This has become my go-to helmet: comfortable, airy, looks great and has industry-leading protection levels.
Merida eOne-Sixty SL 6000 review
Merida eOne-Sixty SL 6000 is only a handlebar swap away from being pretty much perfect.
Galibier Liberté Insulated Packable Jacket review
The Galibier Liberté Insulated Packable Jacket has so many functional features coming in at such a competitive price.
Trek Blaze WaveCel helmet review
At nigh-on £200 the Trek Blaze WaveCel helmet is on the expensive side of open face lids but it is fully featured.
DT Swiss GRC 1400 DiCut 50 x 24mm Carbon Clincher wheelset review
As a set of wheels for a long/flat/fast gravel bike, these are well worth looking at if you have deep enough pockets.
Early Rider Hellion 20 review
Triple-butted aluminium frame, thru axles, internal cable routing... Its long, low, and slack geometry boosts confidence too
Crankbrothers Guardian Universal Handguards review
Haters gonna hate. Mockers gonna mock. But I love pinky protectors at this time of year.
The Grinder 161: Orbea Alma, Industry 9 Hydra2 wheels, Muc-Off AirMach and more
Ride fast, train hard, stay young. Or just have a lot more fun. The Singletrack Test Team put this parade of products through their paces.
Sweet Protection Fixer Composite 2Vi Mips helmet review
The super secure Sweet Protection Fixer offers a clean and simple design, making for a rather pretty premium full facer.
Reolink Altas Solar Power Security Camera review
Loads of functionality and I can't really fault the quality of the footage, nor the ease of use of the attendant app.
Big Agnes Rapide SL vs Exped Ultra 5R Mummy sleeping mats
Fancy a night in the great outdoors? We've put a couple of top choices for insulated mats to the test. How do they compare?
My 10 favourite things about new Shimano XTR Di2
And two things I'm not so keen on. Here's a first ride review thoughts of the whole new Shimano XTR gruppo.
Sonder Broken Road Ti long term review
Marketed as a ‘hardtail mountain bike for long rides, remote places, and wilderness bikepacking’. It's ideal for covering the miles in comfort.
Exped Ultra -5 Sleeping Bag review
Light, warm and compact, this goose-down sleeping bag has a limit temperature of -5°C
Moustache Clutch w/ Pinion MGU first ride review
The Moustache Clutch with Pinion MGU gearbox motor is seemingly the answer to all our prayers. Benji ponders.
Gear patch kits round up, for wear and tear repairs
Having spent all your pocket money on some nice outdoor gear, it can be pretty annoying to put a hole in it. Whether it’s a barbed wire fence, a brush with a rough rock, a crash, or just good ol’ wear and tear, a hole…
Coros Dura Solar GPS Bike Computer review
This Coros Dura bike computer combines great functionality at good value. It's changed my attitude to bike computers.
Singular Cycles Peregrine Mk3 review
Hey, it's not a mountain bike. But this is still a very nice bicycle.
Norco Optic C1 review
Unlike most idler-equipped bikes, the Norco Optic doesn’t have that much travel and its main pivot location isn’t all that high.
Cotic Cascade Drop Bar Bronze review
It's very hard to fault the Cotic Cascade. I am sad to be sending it back. Do you need to know more?
The Grinder 160: RockShox Vivid Air, Thule 945 EasyFold, Bontrager G-Spike and more
Shut up legs, we’re trying to figure out what that rattle is.
New RockShox Reverb AXS first rides review
Goes up to 250mm, new air-over-air design, new battery location and it's cheaper.
Privateer 161 (Gen 2) review
The Privateer 161 (Gen 2) has great geometry, a decent build kit, external routing (yes!) and rides very, very impressively.
SRAM Motive Ultimate Expert disc brake review
Gone are Codes. Ditto Levels. Here is the new mineral oil SRAM Motive.
SRAM Eagle 90 Mechanical Transmission review
Look Ma, no batteries! SRAM Eagle 90 Transmission is cable actuated but T-Type full-mount interface (replaces your UDH hanger).
Nixit Menstrual Cup Review: The IUD-Compatible Solution
The Nixit is advertised as a menstrual cup (or cap, or disc) that doesn’t rely on suction to stay in place. In theory, this makes it better suited to those with an IUD contraceptive device, for whom suction-based solutions are not advised. To be on…
Cannondale Scalpel long term review
I find it very hard to imagine being disappointed with the Cannondale Scalpel 1 (once you'd got over the actual spending of all that money!)
Hunt Proven Carbon Trail H_Core MTB 29 Wheelset review
Hunt Proven Carbon Trail H_Core MTB 29 wheelset offers a fast, responsive ride feel that adds a directness and sprightliness.
Carbon Wasp Compound-150 first ride review
The Carbon Wasp Compound-150 is a 150mm travel full-carbon trail bike made in Yorkshire. And we’ve been for a spin on one. According to the bods from the Carbon Wasp Factory, the Compound-150 is “designed to get you quickly to the top of the trails but still…
Merida Big Trail 600 review
The latest generation Merida Big Trail takes the previous incarnation and runs with it. It runs all the way to the top of the hardcore hardtail heap.
Shimano EX7 (EX700) Gore-Tex Shoes review
The Shimano EX7 (EX700) Gore-Tex shoes can be hard to find; searching for Shimano EX700 often results in the the low-top version. So make sure you find this high-top version, with the fantastic cuff.
Merida One-Twenty 700 review
The confusingly-named 130mm-travel Merida One Twenty is essentially more at the XC end of the trail bike spectrum.
Polar Vantage 3 and H10 Heartrate Monitor review
The Polar Vantage V3 is a hammer to crack a nut for me - it has so many functions that you really want to be on a proper training schedule in order to get the most out of it.
Exposure Six Pack Mk14 & Zenith Mk3 review
It will come as a surprise to precisely nobody that these two lights from Exposure are class-leading illuminators with unique looks and unbeatable support.
Endura MT500 Women’s Waterproof Jacket review
The latest version of the Endura MT500 Women's Waterproof Jacket is huge improvement on the previous one. Better thought out, lighter, more comfortable.
7Mesh Men’s Thunder Pant review
The price of the 7Mesh Men's Thunder Pant is a major barrier - £350 is a good starter mountain bike - which is a pity as they have proven to be terrific.
Deuter Trans Alp 32 EL Backpack Review
The Deuter Trans ALP 32 EL (extra long) backpack is a pack for big galoots going out on big rides.
HT Components AN-71 Talon MTB Pedal review
The HT Talon pedal seems to be at a glance a no nonsense metal flat pedal for a decent price and after a few months of use I’d say this pretty much mirrors my opinion of them. Simple is as simple does. For £75 the…
Fox Defend 3L Water Pant review 1 of 2
This is the first part of a longer-term review of the Fox Defend 3L Water Pant. The second part will be coming in spring, where we’ll have a better idea about the garment’s durability. A good set of waterproof trousers is really an essential for…