It is one of the great mysteries of the mountain biking world: why are there no flat pedal deep winter boots? In recent years we have seem some efforts at warmer shoes, or even waterproof hi-tops, but we’ve yet to experience some true winter boots…
A Klunker From The Future – Stooge Cycles Unloads The Dirtbomb
Given the unrelenting daily churn from the bike industry’s marketing hype machine, you could be forgiven for thinking that mountain bikes have always had suspension. Our more ‘mature’ readers will know that this simply isn’t true. The wonderful leisure activity of mountain biking did actually…
Review: Can DT Swiss unseat Fox & RockShox? The new F 535 ONE fork may do just that
As good as it gets? Not far off – DT Swiss is back and has Fox and Rock Shox in its sights.
Review: The Specialized Stumpjumper Expert Carbon 29 rides well beyond its spec sheet
Earlier this year Wil had the pleasure of heading out to Spain for the launch of the new Specialized Stumpjumpers. We’ve now had the Stumpjumper ST Comp Carbon 29 (130/120mm) and Stumpjumper Expert Carbon 29 (150/140mm) back on test to see how they perform on…
Singletrack Magazine Issue 121: There Be Dragons Here! Probably …
In search of trail treasure, Sanny and chums tackle what is reputed to be ‘the worst trail in the Lakes’. Do they find a hidden gem or should they have heeded the warnings? Words & Photography Sanny (unless credited) Let me be honest with you,…
Singletrack Magazine Issue 121: Simon Gallup – There Is No Cure
Simon Gallup: There is no cure. He plays in a world-famous band and has toured the globe for the last 40 years. And yet, all he really wants to do is ride bikes. And if he can’t, then he likes nothing better than to talk…
Singletrack Magazine Issue 121: Clwydian Hills
Tom Hutton dodges the sheep but feels the heat at one of the lesser-known mountain bike hotspots in North Wales. Words & Photography tom hutton Every year, there’s a day when winter relents and spring takes over. By midsummer, you could be forgiven for thinking…
Singletrack Issue 121: Jason Miles
Jason Miles Your big ride. Is it pure? Jason rails against the self-appointed, solo bike ride Council of Elders. I remember a couple of years ago, I threw my hypothetical hat into the imaginary ring and tried to put my name on the start list…
Singletrack Magazine Issue 121: Just When It Was Going So Well
Jason Miles headed to Valencia for a multi-day stage race armed with his race shoes, a positive attitude and, well, that was about it, actually. Words jason miles Photography T Pascual (unless credited)
Specialized launches new S-Works Recon SPD shoes, and they weigh less than a Melton Mowbray pork pie
Fresh out of the oven from Specialized is the brand new S-Works Recon shoe, which is designed to be both superlight and super-stiff for XC racing. Giving the boot to the existing S-Works 6 XC, the new S-Works Recon takes place as the Californian brand’s…
Singletrack 121: Build it and they will come
Are ‘pirate trails’ breathing new life into our trail networks, or threatening their very existence?
Review: The Specialized Stumpjumper ST Comp Carbon 29 may be shorter on travel, but it ain’t short on fun
Earlier this year Wil had the pleasure of heading out to Spain for the launch of the new Specialized Stumpjumpers. We’ve now had the Stumpjumper ST Comp Carbon 29 (130/120mm) and Stumpjumper Expert Carbon 29 (150/140mm) back on test to see how they perform on…
Last Chance To Subscribe: December Issues Includes FREE 2019 Calendar
The December issue of Singletrack includes a free 2019 wall calendar.
Review: Ulefone Armor 5, Flagship Features And Rugged Body On A Budget.
In a world of £1000 smartphones, it's nice to sometimes come across a device that doesn't cost a small fortune yet does come with features that those eye-catching flagships shout about. We're talking things like dual cameras, full-screen displays, large batteries, fast charging e.t.c.
Singletrack Magazine Issue 121 : Editorial
Longer shortcuts. Words Chipps Out in the car, running errands on a Saturday lunchtime… the Council tip, the shops, the cheese stall on the market… The usual. Wondering why it takes half an hour to go eight miles – and that’s even before the temporary…
These are the 5 UK hardtails we want to ride this winter!
Is it just us or do all mountain bikers pine for the love of a good hardtail come the winter months? Being able to thrash it out on a sloppy hillside, or careen down a boulder-filled trail without a care in the world, safe in…
Over The Hill – What can a group of OAPs teach us about mountain biking and life?
Words Adele Mitchell Photography Paul Mitchell ‘Who are all those men?’ It’s a Friday morning in the Surrey Hills – a time of the week when we usually have the trails pretty much to ourselves – and I’m with my ride buddy Rachel (no, not…
First Look: Genesis Tarn Keeping It Real With UK Steel
Made from steel, the Genesis Tarn is a dedicated 27.5 Plus bike for riders wanting the spring of steel, the boing of chunky rubber and the confidence and stability a modern geometry offers. We’re not sure how the bods at Genesis went about developing the…
Hope / PMBA Enduro Series 2019 – Entries Live Saturday 17th
Forget all about having an extra long lie in tomorrow morning, you need to be up, fresh and ready to hit the ‘Enter’ button for the 2019 Hope PMBA Enduro series. The popular racing series returns in 2019 for the 6 years, with stages being…
Ride and Prejudice – how mountain bikers became the bad boys of the outdoors
Recently I wrote about how most of the UK’s outdoor access laws favour users who don’t happen to be mountain bikers. Sadly, that’s just part of the picture. There are deep-set cultural biases at work too. Collectively I’d term these “YSBH”, or You Shouldn’t Be…
We’ve got bikes, bras, backpacks and bonce lids. It’s Fresh Goods Friday 422!
Everyone rides bikes for different reasons. For some it’s purely fitness, some it’s fun, others it’s the social aspect, and for some it’s stress release. For many of us it’s all of those reasons and more on top. So what do we do if we…
Huge Huge Savings On POC, Fox, Bell, Five Ten and More.
WHEN WILL IT END! It’s pure madness! A full week before Black Friday kicks off, and online retailers are already joining in the sales. As much as this angers many of you and us, it does represent a good time to pick up a bargain…
At LAST! LAST Glen 140mm 29er Details Revealed And It’s A Looker!
We don’t see many LAST Bikes around these parts, a real shame because we love the look of pretty much everything they’ve released recently. Those who aren’t familiar with the German brand might not be aware of the Fast Forward, once the slackest 29er hardtail…
80° seat tube! Pole Stamina Pre-Sales To Start Next Week
Just 1 month ago we wrote a story about the Finnish brand Pole and their plan to release another bike using its unique CNC/Bonded frame construction method. Since that initial news story, Pole has really leaned on the throttle and prototype Pole Stamina frames have…
COMMENCAL + FACTION Collab Skis Announced In Time For Winter
Andorran bike brand, Commencal, had a surprise launch last night. Not another bike, not even another bike related product but a range of Skis! Yup, those, things that people strap to their feet and hit the slopes on in winter. I’ll be the first to…
Poll: Carbon, Alloy or Bamboo? Which Material For Mountain Bikes?
Ok, imagine this. You’re in the market for a new mountain bike, but rather than simply choosing which wheel size, groupset, or brand you want, you also get the option of any material too. Yes, some bike available in both alloy and carbon, sometimes steel…
Review: Sixpack Racing goes straight after Shimano with the Vertic Trail SPD pedals
Sixpack Racing is known for its high-quality flat pedals, but earlier this year it released the affordably-priced Vertic Trail pedal to cater for clip-in riders too. We got a set out to Julia Hobson – an experienced mountain bike guide who churns out the miles…
Updated Bird Zero Gets The Wagon Wheel Treatment, Now Available As A 29er
Without much of a fanfare, or even a Press Release, Bird Cycleworks has rolled out another hardtail option based around its Zero framesets. The Bird Zero is an all alloy hardcore hardtail that follows the progressive geometry and sizing that makes Birds full-suspension bikes so…
Bike Check: Scott Belshaw’s Kona Process 153 CR/DL 29
Scott Belshaw is the UK sales manager for iconic Canadian brand Kona Bikes. Based in the North West, not too far from Singletrack HQ, Scott swung by last week to collect a test bike and we spotted his personal bike of choice lurking in the…
Review: Is the Liteville 301 MK14 the most German mountain bike on the market?
German brand Liteville sent us the 14th iteration of its 301 full suspension trail bike, which is quite possibly the most over-engineered mountain bike we’ve ever laid our hands on. Naturally, we put it in the hands of our local lover of all things German…
EWS Says Doping Tests Are Not New
EWS say doping controls at Enduro events is NOT new despite rumours
Identiti Releases Two New Hardcore Hardtails
Hot on the heels of the Dr. Jekkyl that was released a few weeks ago, Identiti bikes have just released two new hard-hitting hardtails. First seen at various trade shows earlier this year, the AKA is now available to buy. With a nod to their…
Did you forget how to get Fat? Eddy Masters didn’t
The seasons, they are a-changing. In the upper most hemisphere, the days are getting shorter, the climate’s getting colder and wetter, and the warm embrace of the fireplace at the local is doing its darnedest to draw us indoors towards the beer and mince pies.…
Love running really low pressures? We review the CushCore Inner-Tyre Suspension System
When it comes to protecting your rim from damage while running low tyre pressures, CushCore is one of the best-known options on the market. To see just how tough it is, we got our local rim-dinger, David Hayward, to put them through the grinder as…
Bike Check: Sam Jones from Cycling UK’s Surly ECR
Sam Jones is Cycling UK’s Senior Campaigns and Communications Officer. Hannah caught up with him at a recce of the planned new North Downs Way National Trail, where he was riding his Surly ECR. Here’s a closer look at his bike. What was on your…
9 Creature Comforts To Make Winter Riding Better
I hate to be the one to say it, but winter is approaching. And in the time it took me to type that, it’s probably arrived. But let’s not see this as a negative – it’s cold, so layer up and get excited for a…
North Downs Way: Riding In The Shadow Of The Rat Race
This might be what it feels like to be a rabbit, or a fox, perhaps. Scurrying along the edge of hedgerows, through labyrinths of close grown bushes, darting out into sunlight and across a field, then back into the shade of a holloway. It’s not…
Orange Alpine 6 E now available in ‘more affordable’ S spec
Orange Bikes has released it’s Alpine 6 E eMTB in a new S spec build, bringing the same handmade single pivot frame full-suspension bike down to a new lower price point. The S spec model has the same handmade, in the UK, folded alloy frames…
10 More Early Black Friday Deals!
Black Friday, once a single day in November now the entire month… Well, as we’ve said before, at least it gives us a few weeks of bargain shopping. This week we have once again delved into online web stores to uncover the best deals, as…
The office dog is better dressed than the lot of us! It’s Fresh Goods Friday 421
If you could design your own bike, what colour would you go for? Would you just choose your favourite colour, or would that mean you’re too matchy-matchy given that your riding kit has been selected on that basis? So maybe a contrasting colour, or a…
First Ride Review: Intense Tazer eMTB
A few years ago we wouldn’t have dreamt that Intense would build an eBike, but they have and judging by the fact that Intense’s head honcho, Jeff Steber managed to leak every stage of development on to his personal Instagram shows just how excited the…
Longterm Review: 2019 Scott Ransom 900 Tuned
It’s been three months since we first got our hands on the brand new Scott Ransom. Fully redesigned for 2019 and beyond, the Ransom glides into the Scott lineup as the bigger and brawnier brother to the Genius. Equipped with no less than 170mm of…
Video: On Her Terms – Manon Carpenter moves on from gnar to geek
This video contains all the usual mountain bike cliches – slo-mo action of tyres kicking up stones, unfeasible wrestling of bars from side to side on climbs, ‘casual’ standing around gazing at views… you get the idea. But what’s a breath of fresh air in…
Review | Vittoria Air-Liner Tubeless Tyre Inserts provide maximum fit-and-forget protection
Tubeless tyre inserts claim to offer additional protection for your mountain bike rim, so you can run lower tyre pressures for improved traction. The Vittoria Air-Liner is one of the newest on the market, so we got our local rim-dinger, David Hayward, to put them…
Video: Danny MacAskill Game of Bike – Which Trick Could You Do?
There’s a new video from Dany MacAskill, which has prompted some surprising reactions in the office. Chipps – not known for airtime and tricks – may be getting rad out in the slickrock of Moab, because he said: ‘It’s rather good – and not uber…
Review: Canyon Spectral WMN AL 6.0
Canyon released the new women’s specific Spectral trail bike earlier this year, and it features a unique frame, suspension design and geometry. But how different is the women’s Spectral to the unisex version? We got one in for our speedy tester Rachel Sokal to find…
A Day With Charlie Kelly, Godfather of Mountain Biking
The railing moves, or maybe the pavement is narrower than last time I passed. My bar clips the safety barrier and I’m catapulted off the bike and onto the grassy bank on the other side. I lie, laughing and staring up at the moons. It’s…
Interview: Tom Ritchey – The man behind the ‘tache.
This article was originally published in Issue 110 of Singletrack Magazine. We chat to (and ride with) this iconic framebuilder, product designer, owner and boss of Ritchey Components during his whirlwind visit to the UK. I’m at the Bicycle Academy in Frome, Somerset, and someone…
First Look: Kingdom Vendetta X2. Versatile Titanium Hardtail On Test
The 3rd bike in our upcoming Ti Hard, Titanium hardtail magazine bike test is this Kingdom Vendetta X2, custom built with matching orange decals and pre-production titanium stem. Kingdom makes a range of hardtail and full-suspension Titanium bikes, all hand welded and left in a…
Chill out everyone, Fresh Goods Friday 420 is here
50% of the editorial team are on holiday. Only 50% of that 50% are enjoying themselves… Meanwhile in the office, there’s an abundance of fancy coffee and a carrot cake on the table. The office dog, Jess, is roughly the size of a shoe box…
