The new Cannondale Scalpel HT is revealed: a race hardtail, for riding as fast as you can between the tape. This replaces the Scalpel F-Si, but is a completely new platform. Whereas the head angle on the last F-Si model had been ‘slackened’ over its…
Moving Mountains – A New Zealand Bike Packing Adventure Film by Kona
This video features two Kiwi riders Khulan Tumen and Viet Tieu, coming together to ride Aotearoa/New Zealand’s latest purpose built alpine bike packing route, The Paparoa Track, on the west coast of the South Island. The two riders took on the route on a pair of fully rigid 2022…
Spotlight Interview: Digging Deep With Blake Hansen
El Jaskowska is a rider and passionate advocate for broadening participation in mountain biking. In this Spotlight Series, she is interviewing riders from all walks of life and styles of riding to discover the common joys and passions that bring us all together through mountain…
New Hope Fortus 30 SC – Lighter wheels for trail and enduro
Hope has released a new wheel, the Fortus 30 SC. SC stands for Single Cavity, so unlike the Fortus 30 – which is aimed at ebikes and Downhill – the SC forgoes the internal rim structure, saving you 100g and giving you a trail/enduro wheel.…
Internet Rummagings | The Pick Your Own Geometry Edition
Welcome to this month’s edition of Internet Rummagings, where I rummage around in the more embarrassing parts of the internet, so you don’t have to! (for clarification, that’s weird and wonderful bike websites…) Dawley Bikes Prize for the best bike manufacturer web address goes to…
Video Vault | Downhill, XC, Freeride and Trail – it’s all here
We’ve got videos from many different mountain bike disciplines for you here. Watch them all, or pick the ones that match your interests. Then get out and ride! Who Stops You – Loic Bruni Loic Bruni may have had a dream result, but it wasn’t…
Fresh Goods Friday 573 – Snacks, Slacks and Old Words
Get your boosters, wear a mask, play outside. Try not to be a dick. Be nice to people, say hi, take your litter home. Make someone else happy, hug your loved ones. Here endeth Friday’s lesson. Here beginneth Fresh Goods Friday 573. Ghost E-Riot Trail Pro Price:…
Fillmore Valve – did the worst bit of bike tech just get better?
It seems pretty universally agreed in the mountain bike world that Presta valves are horrible. Fiddly little bits of tech that leak, clog, spontaneously take themselves apart, or break at the merest whiff of a clumsy and cold set of fingers. It’s perhaps one of…
New Canyon Neuron Carbon Models Revealed
The popular Canyon Neuron frame remains the same, but gets new build kit – and, importantly, there’s stock available to buy right now. For this year there will be four models, one of which is a women’s model with women-specific contact points. The suspension travel…
Bold LINKIN – Integrated tech for the ambitious trail rider
Are you ready for the hype? Hold onto your trucker caps! “The BOLD LINKIN is the pinnacle of innovation, focused on technical and aesthetic details to emphasise its industry leading innovation and design. Created by passionate bikers and engineered for those wanting a high-end experience…
Singletrack Recipe Column: Cuban Cluckio Sandwichio
Our very own Charlie Hobbs has been persuaded to give up some of his al fresco culinary skills in the Singletrack recipe column. Because, what is mountain bike riding without eating well? We have been adding a fantastic food recipe to Singletrack magazine for a…
Get a taste for adventure at Kendal Mountain Festival 2021
Fancy an adventure themed night at the cinema? A weekend of talks with people who love the outdoors? Maybe it’s a chance to try something new? The Kendal Mountain Festival is back for 2021, Thursday 18th to Sunday 21st November. Given recent headlines, this part…
Back From The Dead – Our bike shop doesn’t run like yours
Dieter is the kind of bike nerd mechanic that every good bike shop should want. He is endlessly enthusiastic about getting people of all kinds onto bikes of all sorts. He can fix your bike even when the outlook looks bleak. Go for a ride…
Coming together for the future of our trails | The Scottish Mountain Bike Trail Summit 2021
Way back at the 2018 Scottish Mountain Bike Conference, a day was given over to a first ever “Trail Summit”. It had a day of presentations and discussion, and finished with some actual trail building on a chilly hillside near the Laggan Wolftrax trail centre.…
Last Chance To Vote! Singletrack Reader Awards 2021 In Association With Kona
Voting closes on 1st November! Make sure you vote for those you want to win before then! The time has come for you to cast your votes in this year’s Reader Awards. What happens next and who wins is down to you. REMEMBER! You must…
Fresh Goods Friday 572 – Firing On Most Cylinders
A combination of staffers taking half term off, and three staff households having the Covid has led to a half-staffed Singletrack this week. Many of us have been pinged by the NHS app and have gone off for testing, and Hannah, despite being double jabbed,…
Boardman MTR 9.0 review
// intro // Pros Cons blah Overall blah Boardman MTR 9.0 specification Geometry of our L size Boardman’s MTR 9.0 is the company’s flagship mountain bike. No high-falutin’ DH or Enduro monster, this – the aim of the company is to produce perfect machines for…
2022 Giant Trance X is a 27.5 trail bike built for fun
27.5in isn’t dead and thanks to the new Giant Trance X it looks like it has an exciting life ahead! Giant has had a mixed relationship with 29in wheels, and although they now make plenty of big-wheeled bikes they haven’t turned their back on 27.5in…
Smith Engage Helmet Review: High-End Protection At A Low Cost?
Smith bolsters its helmet range with the Smith Engage, a price-conscious helmet with high-end features and protection. The Smith Engage, by eyewear and helmet brand Smith, was launched as a cheaper alternative to their top-end open face helmet – the Forefront 2 – which I’ve…
Specialized releases updated Gambit full face and Roost flat pedal shoes
If you like to ride the bike park or downhill parks in flats, then Specialized has 2 new updates tailored just for you. Specialized Roost – £110 The Roost are a new flat-pedal shoe designed for riders wanting that casual skate shoe look, but requiring…
Now there’s a Canyon Spectral for all the family!
27.5, 29, alloy, mullet and even kids bikes are all covered in the new and improved 2022 Canyon Spectral range. One Family, Any Trail In December last year, Canyon filled a sizable hole in their trail bike line up with the Spectral 29. The new…
Mondraker goes down country with the all-new Mondraker Raze
The Mondraker Raze is a 130mm travel trail bike designed for pedalling efficiency and rowdy downhill fun. Full disclosure, I only used the term ‘down country’ so that you would hit the link. If you’re reading this then thanks for not jumping to the comments…
5 Pro Bike Checks from Red Bull Rampage 2021
What tyres for… back flipping off a cliff, hitting the lilypad, then heading straight into a sui? Our man on the ground at the Red Bull Rampage practice days, Fahzure Freeride, talks suspension settings, contact points, and brake set up with five Rampage hopefuls. The…
First ride review 2022 Canyon Spectral CF 8 CLLCTV
The 2022 Canyon Spectral range received a massive update today, and James Vincent has been testing the mullet Spectral CF 8! Update! Canyon has just informed us that they’ve been working on their pricing and have managed to lower it on several models in the…
Do plants have feelings? Forum Thread Of The Week
The Best Forum Threads Now Get Prizes. The Singletrack Forum, both the “Chat” and “Bike” variations, are really remarkable bits of the interweb. Here you will find over 523,000 topics, with 8,670,000 replies covering everything from removing Sudocrem from a cat to “what tyres for not riding…
Photo Story: Red Bull Rampage
This story looks even better if you’re a Singletrack Member. To view it with larger images and without ads, check out the Members’ Edition. This year marked 20 years since the first Red Bull Rampage. Since the Singletrack staff were trapped on this side of…
Last Chance For Better Access To Dartmoor!
Dartmoor National Park is celebrating its 70th birthday this weekend, and with it comes the closure of its consultation on amendments to its byelaws. You should probably take the chance now to respond and help add your voice to calls for better access of bikes.…
Photo Story: Red Bull Rampage – Members’ Edition
This year marked 20 years since the first Red Bull Rampage. Since the Singletrack staff were trapped on this side of the ocean, we asked USA based photographer JP Gendron to capture the scenes for us. Grab yourself a big screen to make the most…
TotalMTB Charity Raffle: Win Stuff, Do Good
With almost £10,000 worth of prizes to be won, TotalMTB’s charity raffle might be the best £5 you spend today. Last year’s raffle raised £3,376 for mental health charity No Panic, but this year #TotalMTB is hoping to raise £5,000 to be shared equally between No…
Fresh Goods Friday 571 – The ‘Quick! It’s briefly sunny outside’ issue
It’s all got a bit ping-tastic up here, so some of us are diving outside and enjoying a bike ride while we can, others have their fingers crossed for half term holiday plans, and others are gazing longingly out the window at the forbidden world.…
Three Things Thursday? 3 Backpacks with spine protection
This might not be Three Things Thursday – it might be Tech Tuesday, or Whoop There’s New Kit Wednesday. Ideas welcome. But what this is, is a run through the features of some products with something in common. This week, it’s back packs with built…
Generations – An Excuse For A New Bike?
You needed an excuse to buy a dirt jump bike, didn’t you? Well, Kona is doing its best to give you one with this sentimental video: As we get older, our priorities change, time becomes fleeting, and we learn to take less for granted. Ambassador Tim…
How to buy a second hand mountain bike
Dieter is a bike mechanic at Happy Days Cycles in Sowerby Bridge, where he regularly revives donated bikes to sell to customers, or repairs customers’ bikes with parts retrieved from bikes that can’t be saved. He’s happy to get you rolling again without upselling you…
Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes – Leatt’s Quest To Protect Them All
This feature has been produced in association with Hotlines. Doctor! Doctor! I have double vision, I am seeing two of everything.Dr: “Take a seat on the chair there”Which one? OK, it’s probably not the best doctor doctor joke of the genre (personally, I like the…
E*13 Vario Dropper Post review – an adjustable dropper on the go!
The E*13 Vario dropper post offers smooth action and simple travel change in a durable package. The dropper post has been around for decades. Even before it became a must-have item for a modern mountain bike, the concept of the dropper post isn’t new. While…
Most Outstanding Human – The Finalists
We’re revealing the Finalists in each of the Singletrack Reader Awards 2021 categories. Thanks to all of you for your nominations, and to our awards sponsors, Kona Bicycles. Here’s who made the cut for the Most Outstanding Human. Whose work has really changed your point…
Gusset Slim Jim Nylon Pedals Review
The Gusset Slim Jim Nylon pedal is another composite flat pedal that proves you don’t need the latest CNC flats to get rowdy off-road. I remember buying my first ‘proper’ mountain bike. It was a Giant Boulder and I was pretty chuffed with it. I…
Best Use of Lockdown – The Finalists
We’re revealing the Finalists in each of the Singletrack Reader Awards 2021 categories. Thanks to all of you for your nominations, and to our awards sponsors, Kona Bicycles. Here’s who made the cut for the Best Use of Lockdown. Who made the most of the…
Best Brand Initiative – The Finalists
We’re revealing the Finalists in each of the Singletrack Reader Awards 2021 categories. Thanks to all of you for your nominations, and to our awards sponsors, Kona Bicycles. Here’s who made the cut for the Best Brand Initiative. Which brand has championed a cause for…
Best STW Article – The Finalists
We’re revealing the Finalists in each of the Singletrack Reader Awards 2021 categories. Thanks to all of you for your nominations, and to our awards sponsors, Kona Bicycles. Here’s who made the cut for the Best Singletrack World Article. Which article, published in our magazine…
Best UK Community Initiative – The Finalists
We’re revealing the Finalists in each of the Singletrack Reader Awards 2021 categories. Thanks to all of you for your nominations, and to our awards sponsors, Kona Bicycles. Here’s who made the cut for the Best UK Community Initiative. This award is about people. Who…
Bespoked 2021 – A Few Highlights – Now Go and Pick Your Own!
You can disagree with my choices or complain that I’ve missed something important, but I had a fairly briefly dash around Bespoked yesterday and these are the things that caught my eye and heart. Mostly, I wasn’t thinking about writing a story, I was just…
Best Singletrack World Image | Pick Your Winner
We’re revealing the Finalists in each of the Singletrack Reader Awards 2021 categories. Thanks to all of you for your nominations, and to our awards sponsors, Kona Bicycles. Here’s who made the cut for the Best Singletrack World Image. Some things don’t change, and Singletrack…
Best UK Environmental Initiative – The Finalists
We’re revealing the Finalists in each of the Singletrack Reader Awards 2021 categories. Thanks to all of you for your nominations, and to our awards sponsors, Kona Bicycles. Here’s who made the cut for the Best UK Environmental Initiative. This is about the ground beyond…
A Very Colourful Fresh Goods Friday 570
What joys will this weekend bring? Hopefully some clear skies, low winds and crunchy trails. If autumnal rides aren’t your bag, how about a duvet day with the latest issue of Singletrack World? Subscribers should have received the magazine by now, The One With Arguably…
Kit Essentials: Fancy Pants
Where once the knee sock reigned supreme, now the riding trouser has emerged as a seriously practical option. Here’s what the Singletrack Staff have been using. We’ve had a little sun, we’ve enjoyed a few days of dusty summer trails, but now the temperature is…
Únic Signature Pants Review
This review was part of the Singletrack World Issue 139 Kit Essentials Feature Tested by: Andi Price: €88.62 From: Unicwear.com Únic is a clothing manufacturer based out of Andorra with a factory in Poland. The company only produces clothing to order, and they’ll happily customise…
Showers Pass Refuge Waterproof Trousers
This review was part of the Singletrack World Issue 139 Kit Essentials Feature Tested by: Hannah Price: £185.00 From: Showerspass.co.uk These are not trousers for packing just in case. These are trousers for when the weather forecast says no, but circumstances insist that you ride.…
Best UK Trail Stewardship Initiative – The Finalists
We’re revealing the Finalists in each of the Singletrack Reader Awards 2021 categories. Thanks to all of you for your nominations, and to our awards sponsors, Kona Bicycles. Here’s who made the cut for the Best UK Trail Stewardship Initiative. This award is about the…
Giro Havoc Trousers Review
This review was part of the Singletrack World Issue 139 Kit Essentials Feature Tested by: Chipps Price: £119.99 From: Giro.co.uk Giro’s Havoc trousers are part of its surprisingly large clothing range (there’s a Havoc short and also a Havoc waterproof short). The trousers are made…
Fox Women’s Defend Kevlar Review
This review was part of the Singletrack World Issue 139 Kit Essentials Feature Tested by: Amanda Price: £145.00 From: Foxracing.co.uk These trousers are designed for extreme mountain biking, enduro and downhill riding. They feature Kevlar® reinforced knees for extra tear and scuff resistance where you’re…