Adding to its growing line of value-oriented wide-range mountain bike cassettes, SunRace has recently unveiled a brand new 12-speed option called the MZ90. This new cassette will be available in an enormous 11-50t size that’s designed to slide onto a standard Shimano freehub body, which…
TweedLove Bike Festival unveils its full line-up
Now almost ten years old, TweedLove Bike Festival seems to keep on growing. Held annually in the Scottish Borders’ Tweed Valley, more new events have been added, and the demo/expo is attracting more and more big name brands. Taking place over the weekend of June…
Winner Of ‘Most Durable’ – Time ATAC DH4 Pedals
Wil and the clip-in crew have spent the last few months trying to work out which are the best platform clip-in pedals. For this group test, they took eight of the latest platform clip-in pedals to see what each brand has to offer. Each pedal…
The Coronation Street Of Race Reports – Cwmcarn: #MakingUpTheNumbers
“I like Making Up The Numbers; it’s funny. It’s like a soap opera. Not like EastEnders though as there’s no arguments. It’s like Coronation Street. It’s the Corrie of race reports.” It’s Saturday afternoon and we’re at Cwmcarn for Round One of the highly anticipated…
2019 Specialized Stumpjumper review | Expert Carbon 29
I’d be lying if I told you that Specialized has just unveiled its most advanced and refined Stumpjumper yet. Because there are actually three new Stumjumper models for 2019. And they’re all rather snazzy. This year we’re going to see two additional models of Stumpjumper…
Specialized launches THREE new Stumpjumpers for 2019, but no more Camber
Having already relaunched the Epic and Enduro models last year, the biggest story for Specialized’s 2019 mountain bike lineup is the arrival of the all-new Stumpjumper. Except there isn’t just one Stumpjumper. There are actually three brand new platforms. Well, technically there are six new…
Cane Creek’s hollow welded titanium cranks are here – and they’re only a thousand pounds
When was the last time you saw welded, hollow cranks like these? While it’s not a new idea, it’s not something that has been done very often and, despite the advantages, it’s very hard to get right. Cane Creek today launches this set of ‘eeWings’…
Dyfi Enduro 2018 Cancelled: Welsh Water Just Too Wet
We’ve just heard that, unfortunately, persistent wet weather and a resulting high water table means that this year’s Dyfi Enduro has had to be cancelled. This is certainly a favourite event of Chipps’ – he keeps taking part even though he claims to have given…
Hunt Bike Wheels heads off-road with the new sub-£350 TrailWide wheelset
We’ve just got our hands on a brand new wheelset from Hunt Bike Wheels, which is due to be available to the public very soon. Up until now, Hunt has only offered wheels for road, cyclocross and gravel applications, but that changes as of today…
Winner Of ‘Best In Mud’ – Crank Brothers Mallet DH Pedal
Wil and the clip-in crew have spent the last few months trying to work out which are the best platform clip-in pedals. For this group test, they took eight of the latest platform clip-in pedals to see what each brand has to offer. Each pedal…
Review: Bontrager’s versatile & durable SE4 Team Issue tyre earns a ST Recommended award
With four casing options, six different tread patterns, and numerous widths and diameters available – not to mention the four fat bike tyres it offers – the Bontrager mountain bike tyre range is about as niche-filling as it gets. Thankfully its mountain bike tyre line…
FGF 392: Sticky shoes from Giro, flat pedals from Shimano, and a weird expanding tubeless foam thingamabob
Good morning all, and welcome to the three hundred and ninety second edition of Fresh Goods Friday! I honestly have sweet FA time for anecdotes this morning, because this week it has been ALL GOING ON. Hannah’s still off on her family holiday in the…
This handmade bike has a 60-70° head angle that you can adjust on-the-fly
Now that we’ve moved on from being dicks about wheel size (well, mostly), the new super exciting topic for debate in mountain biking right now would seem to be geometry. Yes, numbers. Having taken over as the focal point for online debates between bike designers…
Annie Last Brings Home Commonwealth Gold! Plus, Evie Richards With Silver!
Annie Last can add a Commonwealth Games gold medal to her trophy chest after a convincing win overnight at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games XCO race in Nerang, Queensland, Australia. In a dominating performance on the dry, dusty and highly technical 4.5km long race…
The New Singletrack Magazine Weekly Spine Line Round-up
Subscribers of Singletrack Magazine (Yes, there’s a magazine) will be familiar by now of the random and seemingly bizarre sentences that appear on the spine of every issue. They are given without explanation and certainly no context. They just exist to stimulate the imagination but…
Go on a behind-the-scenes tour with Santa Cruz Bicycles
Last month Santa Cruz Bicycles took the wrappers off the all-new, third generation Blur. This was a big deal for Santa Cruz, given that it’s been quite a few years since we last saw the Blur – a bike that has been well loved by…
Yeti’s new SB100 features a Switch Infinity suspension design like you’ve never seen before
Yeti-lovers get your wallets ready; there’s a brand new full suspension 29er in town, and it’s called the SB100. Deviating from Yeti Cycles’ current naming structure, the SB100 is labelled as such because it uses the same Switch Infinity suspension design as the rest of…
Review: Fox’s brand new 34 Step-Cast fork is here from the future and it is super light
The slender front suspender you see before you is called the 34 Step-Cast, and it’s from Fox Racing Shox. Based upon the 34 Float series, this Step-Cast version is a brand new addition to the Fox lineup for 2019. It still features 34mm diameter stanchions…
First Look: The Marzocchi Z1 Bomber Returns! Own The Trails Again…
One of the most iconic mountain bike fork names has returned, and it’s doing so in a typically unapologetic fashion. Yes, after an absence of many years, the Marzocchi Z1 Bomber is coming back! Now under the ownership of Fox Racing Shox, Marzocchi has been…
Review: The Fox 36 Factory Series fork gets the new FIT GRIP 2 damper for 2019
I’m losing likes. My followers are dropping like flies. And my stats? Well, don’t even talk to me about my stats! You see, like many of you reading this review, I live my entire life through Instagram. There isn’t a moment that goes by without…
A throttle for your mountain bike? Not quite – it’s the new RockShox TwistLoc. Plus, new 2019 SID forks!
Today RockShox is releasing the 2019 SID fork range, which includes new World Cup, RLC and RL models. The 32mm chassis’ are largely unchanged for the new model year, but each fork is now equipped with a DebonAir spring and Charger 2 damper internals that…
Danny MacAskill + Claudio Caluori = 333 seconds of good times!
Danny MacAskill’s new video has just hit the internets, and we reckon this one has just a slightly higher budget than that viral video of Danny trashing carbon wheels… Nope, this time round it’s all helicopters and expensive camera stuff, with ol’ Danny having made…
Cane Creek’s Helm Goes 29in (And 27.5Plus Too)
After a successful introduction of the 27.5in version last year, Cane Creek Cycling Components has announced the release of its anticipated 29in/27.5+ version of the HELM. The HELM 29/27.5+ is available in both air and coil sprung versions with up to 160mm of travel –…
TweedLove’s Mega Bike Demo – Scotland’s only opportunity to demo the Hope HB160, plus many more!
Want to test one of your dream bikes? Do a bit of window shopping? We’ve just had news that the TweedLove Mega Bike Demo website is going live from 8.30pm tonight. You can test ride the latest bikes from over 20 brands including Yeti, Mondraker,…
6 Carbon Wheels Under £1500 Abused & Reviewed
Carbon wheels are creeping down in price, but are they worth the outlay? David Hayward and the team have been testing six sets under £1500 to see how they compare. It’s often said that wheels are the best place on a bike to shed weight,…
Battle of the mats – can you really get a good night’s sleep bikepacking?
“Sanny!” It was Mark on the blower. “We have a couple of sleeping mats we want you to test. It should be right up your street for all your bikepacking adventures!” Without even knowing what I was getting into, I was already in. “You know…
Do you like it raaaaw? Check out our new Commencal Meta Trail V4.2 Race test bike
If you’re a subscriber and supporter of Singletrack Magazine, there’s a very good chance you’ll already have your hands on a copy of the latest issue, which has just come fresh off the printing press as of this week. If you don’t have one, the…
Sixth Element combines tough Asian-made carbon rims with bulletproof UK-made hubs for the Race SE 34.28 wheelset
In Issue #116 of Singletrack Magazine, David and the crew tested six sets of sub-£1500 carbon mountain bike wheels. We subjected all of these wheels to the same bikes, the same tyres, same air pressures, riders, trails, weather conditions and abuse, all the while keeping and…
7 simple tips for taking care of your trails
If you’re a mountain biker in the UK right now, you might be feeling a bit sorry for yourself. Winter, which is hardly ever a delightful time of year here, seems to have lasted for most of the last 12 months. Bikes that were pristine…
What happens when you let a South African trailbuilder loose in the no-rules mountain kingdom of Lesotho?
If you’ve already got your hands on the brand new issue of Singletrack Magazine, you’ll have likely read about Kristi Stump’s wild adventure racing the 6-day Lesotho Sky event. If you haven’t, then the good news we have for you is that you can grab…
Get a look at this gorgeous UK-made steel full suspension bike from Swarf Cycles
We have very good news for those of you who appreciate locally-made steel mountain bikes. We have just received a new, and very unique full suspension bike in from Swarf Cycles, which is in the house and up on the test rota! The mustard-yellow bike…
Fresh Goods Friday 391 – Sexy Steel, Ingenious Inflators & A Brand New Commencal
Today my dear reader, I regret to inform you that Singletrack Towers is in mourning. We are sad and inconsolable for the loss of a dear friend, colleague and fellow esteemed lover of panettone.. Wow, that actually sounded like Sarah’s dead! She isn’t dead! Let…
Singletrack Magazine Issue 118: A Glamorous Job
Jason Miles tells us a few home truths about the indignities of 24 hour racing. The physical battle doesn’t end at the finish line. On reflection, rounding off a cycling weekend by sitting in a hot bath shivering uncontrollably and shouting for my wife to…
Singletrack Magazine Issue 118: Surrounding Swinley
NB: Please read this article before attempting to undertake this ride. Words & Photography Geoff Waugh Fully paid-up southern mod, Geoff Waugh, takes on a tour of this riding gem within a short distance of London. The fact that it goes near his hero Paul…
Singletrack Magazine Issue 118: Staying Ahead, Being Last
Rachel Sokal spends a day with the British cross-country queen to talk all things Olympics, baggies, cake, and why if you’re not riding cross-country, you’re missing out on the fun. Words rachel sokal Photography olly townsend When I first arranged to meet Annie, we planned…
Singletrack Magazine Issue 118: Last Word
Train, Train Go Away Barney faces up to the inevitable: he’s not magically going to get fitter by doing nothing. It sits against one wall of the cellar, locked in by a barricade of old unused frames. Slowly collecting dust and detritus in the five…
Singletrack Magazine Issue 118: Finding Perspective In Lesotho
Can you really experience the culture of a country while racing through it? Kristi Stump finds herself pondering such things, when perhaps she should be concentrating on not crashing. Words Kristi Stump Photography Steffen Schraegle Shortly after the first feed station, I passed my teammate…
Review: The silky smooth Mavic XA Pro Carbon wheelset will have you dancing on the trail
In Issue #116 of Singletrack Magazine, David and the crew tested six sets of sub-£1500 carbon mountain bike wheels. We subjected all of these wheels to the same bikes, the same tyres, same air pressures, riders, trails, weather conditions and abuse, all the while keeping and…
The Full Stache! Trek’s New Full Suspension 29 Plus Adventure Trail Bike.
‘Anyone who likes to go long and get weird will like Full Stache’ is how Trek is introducing its new 29+ full suspension bike. And, having been a champion of the super-big plus tyre size, along with Surly and Salsa, since the original Stache came…
Review: At less than a grand, the Bontrager Line Pro 30 is one of the best value carbon wheelsets we’ve tested
In Issue #116 of Singletrack Magazine, David and the crew tested six sets of sub-£1500 carbon mountain bike wheels. We subjected all of these wheels to the same bikes, the same tyres, same air pressures, riders, trails, weather conditions and abuse, all the while keeping and…
Review: Alpkit Argonaut – Cheap Enough To Buy Several Of For When You Crash
While recently sorting through all my kit in preparation for the Strathpuffer I counted 12 jackets of varying makes and styles. Some waterproof, some windproof, some expensive, some cheap, some paper-thin, others full-on winter mountaineering jobs. Even though not all of them are cycling specific, they share a common cause in that…
Review: Goodbye Bell Super Helmet, Hello New Sixer!
First shown off to the public last Autumn, the Sixer is a fresh top-of-the-line lid from Bell Helmets. Designed as a replacement for the venerable Super – one of the original (and most popular) half-face trail helmets on the market – the Sixer aims to provide similar…
Review: The 2018 Genesis Mantle 20 is no boring XC race bike
Last year, Genesis Bikes brought out its brand new carbon fibre hardtail called the Mantle. We gave it to our lean, mean, climbing machine, Rachel Sokal, to put it through some winter slogging to see how Genesis’ lightest mountain bike stacks up. Over to Rachel!…
Review: Bikemonger’s Happy Bottom Bum Butter – definitely not for toast
Bum Butter. Flash in the pants or cracking good product?
Here’s One Tip On How To Enjoy Riding More: Stop
Riding bikes is about movement. It’s about getting from here to there, or about the fun you have while you swoop round that corner, or bounce down those rocks. It’s not about the stopping. Stopping is bad – it means something has broken, and you…
Check Out Danny MaCaskill’s Santa Cruz Carbon Trials Bike
Santa Cruz and Danny MaCaskill have teamed up on another project one which should see the trials superstar riding a carbon Santa Cruz trials frame in the future. We’ve all seen that video where a pair of Santa Cruz Reserve carbon wheels are ridden to…
Production Privée Launches Ultra Limited Edition Shan No5
Production Privée has announced another race inspired colour for its popular full suspension frame, the Shan No5 917. Those of you who have kept an eye on Production Privée will already know that the Andorran brand likes to release its steel frames in paint jobs…
Tyre Hack: Boost Your Roost And Get Insta-Famous
Image is everything these days. And really, a mountain bike video without roost just doesn’t cut it anymore. If you want to get sponsors, you need Instagram followers. And to get them, you’re going to need great video and photo content. And to get great…
Fresh Goods Friday 390
Last year I ruined Easter. I started off really well: I bought lots of chocolate eggs, and I wrote a bunch of riddles, and I carefully hid them all over a really beautiful wonderland of an arboretum, and then my children happily hunted all over…
Review: Ortlieb Frame Pack – A truly waterproof option?
One of the great things about the increasing popularity of bikepacking is that it is no longer confined to small volume producers with long lead times. That is not to say that the original bikepacking innovators aren’t still leading the charge in terms of product…
Shimano Apologises For Its Factory Catching Fire
Yesterday, British cycle trade news website, Cycling Industry News broke the news that local Japanese media were reporting a fire at Shimano’s Osaka main factory and company HQ. We contacted Shimano’s European offices in the Netherlands and were reassured to hear that there were no…