Not everyone wants to ride with a big ‘n’ heavy backpack, so we’ve been testing a variety of different options for the minimalist mountain bikers out there, including waist packs, frame…
Review
4 Mini-Backpacks Tested & Reviewed For The Minimalist Mountain Biker
Not everyone wants to ride with a big ‘n’ heavy backpack, so we’ve been testing a variety of different options for the minimalist mountain bikers out there, waist packs, frame bags…
Get that weight off your back and down low on the bike – We test & review 4 frame bags
Not everyone wants to ride with a big ‘n’ heavy backpack, so we’ve been testing a variety of different options for the minimalist mountain bikers out there, including waist packs, frame…
4 Waist Packs Tested & Reviewed
Not everyone wants to ride with a big 'n' heavy backpack, so we've been testing a variety of different options for the minimalist mountain bikers out there, including waist packs, frame…
Unsprung Heroes – 3 Fully Rigid Bikes Tested & Reviewed
Chipps rides three fully rigid bikes from Kona, Pinnacle and Surly. Words Chipps Photography James Vincent I always like to wear a watch. I’m lost without one and don’t like to…
Review: Surly you can’t have fun without suspension? We test the fully rigid ECR
 Surly has always been individual and self-confident in its outlook. From pioneering the first production singlespeed (the 1×1, which pre-dated even Kona’s Unit and the On One Inbred) to…
Review: Blue Flow BF37/31 All Mountain Carbon Wheels
Rachel’s been testing some value-oriented carbon mountain bike wheels from a UK-based company called Blue Flow Wheels. How did they hold up? Over to Rachel for the review! I first…
Review: After a playful bargain? The Pinnacle Ramin 3 Plus might be the bike for you
Pinnacle is the house-brand of retail giant, Evans Cycles, but the range is way more than a selection of rebadged catalogue bikes. The brand’s bike designer James Olsen has a…
Review: Formula’s compressible Neopos spacers change the way your air fork works
Ever since RockShox brought its Bottomless Token system to market in 2014 alongside the re-release of the Pike, more riders have been considering air spring volume as a legitimate way…
Review: Kona’s Unit X is like a singlespeed, but with 10 more gears?
The Kona Unit has a long history, from a Canadian company with an equally deep heritage. While Kona celebrates its 30th birthday in 2018, the Unit name dates back at…
Review: The ODI F-1 Float & Vapor grips might just be the perfect option for British XC riders
Ah, the modest grip. It’s probably one of the cheapest parts on your bike and likely one of the most overlooked. But given a pair are responsible for 40% of…
Review: 45nrth Ragnar̦k Winter Shoe РFor Cosy Toes
Winter’s back! Rejoice! I’m pretty sure everyone, like me, was a bit bored of the ridiculously long and hot summer we were subjected to by the time September hit. Thankfully…
First Ride: We Test The Brand New 2019 Canyon Neuron CF
For those who were taking notice, you’ll remember that a short while ago we reported that German direct sales giant, Canyon, had quietly released an updated 2019 version of the…
Review: The brand new 29×2.6in Maxxis Minion DHF is an absolute monster of a tyre
The Minion DHF may be a classic tyre for Maxxis, but this 29×2.6in size is brand spanking new. In fact it’s so fresh, that it isn’t even on the Maxxis…
Reviewed & Recommended: Push Industries ACS3 Fork Coil Spring Conversion Kit
Push Industries is a US manufacturer that specialises in producing high-end suspension components and upgrades for existing forks and shocks. The ACS3 Fork Coil Conversion kit is one of its…
Reviewed: Endura MT500 Plus Flat Pedal Overshoes – Come with a free yoga workout before every ride.
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…
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)…
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)…
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…
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…
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.…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Mondraker Foxy R 29 Review – Don’t read this review if you don’t like riding fast.
I spent the first part of this year onboard the fantastic Mondraker Foxy, so when the 29er version of the same bike arrived at Singletrack Towers I was quick to…
Helmet Review: Bontrager Rally MIPS vs Specialized Ambush
Both of these are what I'd refer to as 'trail' helmets. They're heavier than a XC race lid, though they do come with more coverage to add protection around your…
Review: X-Fusion Trace 36 Fork – A big fork to take on the big hitters
New for this year, the Trace 36 is X-Fusions’s top end, big wheeled enduro fork, aimed at the influx of long travel, hard hitting big wheeled bikes that have become…
Don’t Skewer Yourself With A GoPro – Camelbak Sternum Protector Review
I’ll make a bet. If you were drawing up a shopping list for new bits of body armour right now, I reckon it’d be highly unlikely that you’d have ‘sternum…
Review: Brother Cycles Big Bro – For long and short adventures
There’s something very exciting about getting a new adventure bike out of the box for the first time. With a trail bike, you kind of know what you’re going to…
Review: Curtis AM7 – Not just a pretty face, pretty fast too.
There’s no actual reason to buy a Curtis, other than the fact that you want one. And that’s a perfectly good reason. The bikes are hand made in the UK,…
Don’t Bonk! 5 Nutrition Products For Your Next Riding Trip
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been travelling around parts of Europe on a road trip to check out some absolutely mint riding destinations, such as Punta Ala, Finale Ligure…
Singletrack Issue 121: XXC: Cross Country Extra
Three bikes that take the short travel full suspension bike to another world.
UK-Made Full Suspension Group Test – Robot R130 Review
Robot Bike Co. first shot to fame at the 2016 Fort William World Cup when it debuted a stunning full suspension mountain bike called the R160. Made from carbon fibre…
UK-Made Full Suspension Group Test – Swarf Contour Review
In comparison to the other two on test, our third bike comes from a much smaller outfit. Founded in Dorchester in 2011, Swarf Cycles is currently a one-man show that…
UK-Made Full Suspension Group Test – Orange Stage 4 RS Review
When it comes to UK-made full suspension bikes, there was one brand that was always going to be in this grouptest. Put simply, few manufacturers can rival Orange Bikes’ rich…
Review: Crank Brothers reinvents the wheelset with Synthesis
Oh look, another expensive carbon fibre wheel review! But before you roll your eyes and click the ‘back’ button, allow me the opportunity to wow you a little. If I…
Review: Commencal Meta Trail V4.2 Race 650B: Fun and confidence inspiring
When the bike first arrived, aside from being blown away with just how damn good the bare aluminium with orange and black graphics looked, I was puzzled; Commencal Meta TR…
Review: Cotic FlareMAX. Is Longshot Geometry a step too far or a step in the right direction?
The Cotic FlareMAX 29in/27.5+ was first introduced by the Peak-district based purveyors of made out of metal bicycles, in 2016. This bike here is the second iteration of Cotic’s 120mm…
Review: Want to run non-Boost wheels in your Boost frame/fork? VeloSolo has you covered
Remember when you could walk into a bike shop and buy a mountain bike wheel, any wheel, and then put it on your bike and it would fit? No, me…
Review: Stan’s Podium SRD Wheelset Weighs Less Than 1300g
I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve read somewhere or been told by fellow bike riders that the best place to save weight on a bike is on…
Review: Met Roam Helmet – Keep cool and look cool
Described as ‘an all-mountain enduro helmet’, the MET Roam is designed to combine streamlined enduro styling and goggle compatibility with hours-in-the-saddle trail-riding wearability. Straight out of the box, and it’s…
Syntace C33i Carbon Wheelset Review. Are These Lightweight German Wheels Worth Buying?
Syntace is a German-based manufacturer of high-end alloy and carbon fibre components. It’s the same company as Liteville; a brand well known for full suspension alloy frames with a suspension…
Review: Bontrager Flatline Flat Pedal Shoes
Ask any mountain biker what flat pedal shoes they’d recommend, and there’s one brand that inevitably comes up in conversation: Five Ten. With its gooey Stealth rubber-soled shoes, Five Ten…
Review: Simplon Cirex 120 – Slammed and svelte, but not just for suffering
As I’m sure everyone has noticed, there’s been something of a change in mountain bike geometry in the last few years. The longer-lower-slacker trend has become de rigueur, and aside…
Review: Don’t like wearing bulky, uncomfortable knee pads? Leatt’s Airflex Pro is made for you
Most famous for pioneering the modern-day neck brace, South African company Leatt also produces a broad range of protective wear for mountain biking that includes helmets, body armour, spine protectors,…
Review: Is Kona Still Ahead Of The Curve? We Get To Grips With The Satori DL
The Satori is a bike that’s returned to Kona’s lineup after a lengthy leave of absence. It was originally released back in 2012 when longer travel 29ers were considered a…
Group Test: 6 Tyre Pressure Gauges Tested & Reviewed
Ensuring your tyres are set to the right pressure can feel like a chore, but it's a relatively simple adjustment that can have a huge effect out on the trail.…
First Look: Canyon Lux CF SL 8.0 Pro Race. The Bike Starsky And Hutch Would Ride
Here’s one for you XC racers, or for anyone with a soft spot for lightweight and racy full-suspension bikes. This all-new Canyon Lux arrived in the office last week and…
Review: Bluegrass Skinny D30 – Your Knees Are Worth It!
Bluegrass offers two versions of the Skinny kneepad, one is the regular Skinny, and the other is a premium kneepad called the Skinny D30. We’ve been sent the upmarket version…