Could this be the best kids bike on the market today?
Shimano ME502 Review – An all round trail riding shoe?
Updated for 2021, The Shimano ME502 (or ME5 for short) can be found nestled in Shimano’s Enduro/Trail category along with the ME7 Enduro shoe, and their more insulated winter counterparts. They’re a visibly less beefy shoe than the race focussed ME7, designed as they are…
7 Bike Videos To Watch With Your Kids
It’s not always easy to persuade your kids to get out there and ride – maybe you’ve bored them to death with tyre pressure discussions, scarred them for life with an epic bog slog, or they just don’t like bikes because you do. Whether you’re…
Fresh Goods Friday 538 – Are You Jumpy or Grumpy?
The countdown to (a bit more) freedom is on. We might (possibly maybe) soon be able to meet a few friends outside, or head to the pub after a ride, or travel to our favourite trail centre. Possibly, maybe, hopefully, if all goes well and…
Singletrack Podcast: Cairn Cycles and the Adventure 1.0 eGravel bike
Cairn Cycles – part of The Rider Firm that also makes Hunt Wheels and Privateer Bikes – produced one of the first e-gravel bikes we experienced, the Adventure 1.0. We’ve followed it from prototype through to production and testing, and as Cairn opens up the…
Salsa Timberjack 2021 – New Alloy Geometry
Salsa’s aggressive trail hardtail gets a makeover in alloy, and will be available in the UK in two builds plus a frameset. The SLX build is the red bike shown here, the XT the white. If titanium is your thing, that’s still available but doesn’t…
Classic Ride 135 – North of Reeth – The Quest for the Holy Dale
Barney explains why the trails north of Reeth are truly classic – especially if your eyesight is up to the task. Words & Photography Barney Marsh The original idea for this Classic Ride was to try to find something as close as possible to Barnard…
Sierra Buttes’ Feel-Good Video Is Inspiring For Trailbuilders Worldwide
If you need a bit of feel-good viewing to keep you going until the weekend, then have a look at Sierra Buttes’ video that it has produced, documenting its campaign to connect 15 mountain communities via building and restoring trails through California’s ‘lost’ Sierra mountains.…
Johnny Salido’s Freeride Fiesta Highlights
It’s a different world out there, far away from the low gnar doorstep riding we’ve grown accustomed to. Though, not so different – competitors at the Freeride Fiesta might be more used to peeing in a cup than having their nose and throat swabbed, but…
Deviate Cycles releases the Highlander 150
Want an extra 10mm travel? Maybe you do – and the Deviate Highlander 150 now offers you just that. Already got a Highlander 140? Great! You can update that with the new linkage and add 10mm travel. The frame remains the same – though there’s…
Stolen! Gowaan Gal Martha Gill’s Marin Bikes
Gowaan Gal Martha Gill has just posted on Instagram that she’s had two bikes stolen from her van in Sheffield tonight. Thieves, reported to be on mopeds, have taken her Marin Alcatraz dirt jump bike plus her Marin Alpine Trail Carbon. The theft looks to…
New Pivot Trail 429 – Now with added flip chip
Designed in the deserts of Arizona, the Pivot Trail 429 gets an update – head this way for a sprinkling of dust, sunshine, and a turn of speed. No, wait, to save us all going green with envy – or maybe to show us it’s…
SRAM Buys Time Pedals
For years, SRAM had a clipless-pedal-shaped hole in its complete groupset picture, compared to rivals Shimano. With almost* universal acceptance of Shimano’s SPD platform for clipped-in riding, it seemed unlikely that SRAM would be able to come up with a pedal system as simple and…
Review: Fox Flexair Neoshell Water Waterproof Jacket
The Flexair Neoshell Water jacket is a new addition to Fox’s range for this winter. Designed to keep you dry and comfortable in the worst possible conditions, Fox has constructed the jacket from Polartec Neoshell, which on top being rated as 10,000g/m2/24hr for waterproofness, is…
Maxxis Shorty Gen 2 – An updated spikey tyre for mud and extreme dust
Ever popular for UK wet weather trail, downhill, or enduro riding, the mid-spike Maxxis Shorty is getting an update. It’s also apparently suitable for ‘extreme dust’, but unless there’s room to ride under your bed, we’re not sure where in the UK such conditions could…
Untold British history of mountain biking hits 1 million views
The feature length documentary, Mountain Biking, The Untold British Story, charts the history of the mountain bike viewed from a British perspective. Through interviews and rides with many of the key personalities and companies who were part of the scene back in the late 80’s…
Fresh Goods Friday 537 – The Hope Edition
It’s that time of year when each ride is an opportunity to look out for signs of hope. Snowdrops, daffodils, lambs, bees – with each sighting Spring gets a better foothold and we escape winter’s clutches. Of course there can be false starts – mild…
Bike Check: Neil Sutton’s Sonder Titanium Dirt Jump Bike
What bike would you build yourself if you had access to all the software and the people to build it for you? For Sonder’s Neil Sutton, the answer is this stunning Titanium Sonder dirt jump bike. You might not be aware of this, but as…
Video – UR switches to NS Bikes
NS Bikes is the new bike sponsor of the UR Team who will compete in downhill, freeride and enduro events this year. NS Bikes has taken over from Polygon as the main title for the UR Team supplying the riders with downhill, freeride and enduro…
Thanks for your help – Beat Cancer With Mint Sauce
Update: We had a nice note from Jo Burt so we thought we’d share it with you all: hi folks, thanks every so much for mentioning this last week on your site, it really prompted a healthy flourish of donations… The JustGiving raffle is all…
Munro Bagging By Bike – Why Bother?
What approach would you take to Munro bagging? Are you a ‘gotta catch em all’, or a ‘when the sun shines I’ll bag another’ kind of person? Our very own Sanny set out to bag the Munros by bike as an incentive to get out…
Opinion: The Illegal Trail Builder
Building unsanctioned trails is a touchy subject. But are there shades of grey when it comes to building illegal trails or is it a black and white issue? We talk to one trail builder who wants to keep his activities secret.
Orange Factory Racing Returns with EWS race squad
Orange Bikes has announced the return of Orange Factory Racing with a new 3 person EWS race team. Orange Bikes is back to racing with an official factory team for 2021. The new team will focus on select EWS races and will include UK riders…
Freak Bike Check! Revel Rascal Arizona Breeze edition
If you thought pro bike checks were just a gushing list of sponsor names then this is a breath of fresh air from Mason ‘Arizona Breeze’ Bond. Mason has been riding for Revel for a while now, but has previously ridden for Orange and Pivot.…
Specialized Chisel LTD Elements – Bike or Art?
Specialized has revealed four limited edition runs of the Chisel, its alloy XC race hardtail: Earth, Air, Water and Fire. Let us grab some lamé and chiffon and boogie this way for a closer look. Just as the Chisel rides a thin ribbon of dirt…
Michelin launches new Wild and Force All-Mountain Tyres
Michelin launches new Wild and Force All-Mountain Tyres covering hard-packed and loose trail conditions. Press Release Follows Michelin is excited to announce two new additions to its market-leading range of MTB tyres. The all NEW MICHELIN FORCE AM2 and WILD AM2, join the Competition Line…
10 Reasons your bike will cost you more this year
It seems like there’s been a lot of bad news about price rises on bikes and components recently, so we thought we’d look at what’s driving it – and whether it’ll change any time soon. 1. High demand 2020 saw half the world go out…
First Look: Patrol C091 Carbon Hardtail
Andi takes a close look at the carbon-framed Patrol C091 hardtail, a budget bike with great spec and a confidence-inspiring geometry. We see a lot of people in the comments section and in the forum talking about the price of bikes, and how expensive they…
You Can’t Buy Happiness – but you can buy an eMTB
Hannah explains why she thinks an eMTB should be your next gift to yourself if you want to add a little joy to your life. I have never really ‘had money’. For a brief period in my twenties I had a disposable income, and I…
From The Frozen North It’s Fresh Goods Friday 536
Opening with the obvious – it’s really cold. Instead of grumbling about this relentless deep freeze we’re experiencing, I’d like to show you this incredible ice sculpture created at the top of the hill out of Hebden Bridge. At first I thought it was field…
EWS 2021 – Rescheduled and Restructured
The Enduro World Series (EWS) has revealed a revised 2021 event calendar in response to ongoing uncertainty over Covid and travel restrictions. Both the Whistler round and the Trophy of Nations have been deferred until 2022, leaving an EWS 2021 race season based solely in…
Pyga Bikes opens European HQ and powder-coating in Nottingham
Nottingham, made famous by Robin Hood and Raleigh Activator bikes, is now the European home of Pyga bikes. Pyga is a small South African bike brand that produces handmade alloy framesets for enduro and all-mountain fans. The Pyga range covers XC, all-mountain and enduro and…
Islabikes founder Isla Rowntree steps back after 15 years
After starting Islabikes 15 years ago and redefining the standard for children’s bikes, Isla Rowntree is stepping back from the running of the company. The direction of Islabikes has always been very influenced by Isla’s own personal circumstances and experiences. First in making children’s bikes…
‘Ooh!’ or ‘Argh!’? Dangerholm’s Hyper Spark
Maybe it’s all the lack of travel that’s getting to people, but it seems to us like there’s a new ‘dream build’ bike build every week at the moment. Cooped up in their sheds, people are building bikes and dreaming of future days of riding.…
Dropping In – Short Stuff You Should Know
For this instalment of Dropping In, we have some general bike culture clippings that we think lovers of bikes will enjoy. What’s more, we hope they’ll help you consider how to build bikes into your daily life rather than just leisure time and exercise, and…
2021 Team News – Rudy Cabirou and Rafael Villegas to race CNC Production Privée with The Brigade
French rider, Rudy Cabirou signs for another year on The Brigade with Colombian rider Rafael Villegas, both to ride prototype Production Privée bikes. Press Release Follows: 25-year-old, Rudy Cabirou signs on for another year with The Brigade MTB Team joining Alex Marin, Mélanie Chappaz and…
Sunn French Connexion Racing welcome 2 new elites for EWS
Louis Jeandel and Guillaume Larbeyou join French national champion Theo Galy on the Sunn French Connexion Racing team. Press Release follows; We’re proud to announce our 2 new elite riders. Louis Jeandel and Guillaume Larbeyou! Both riders had an amazing year in 2020 as privateers…
Mondraker’s MIND technology adds built-in telemetry, GPS and security
Mondraker has today revealed their new MIND technology a system of sensors and a connected app to improve your ride and add a degree of security too. Electronics are now commonplace on our mountain bikes. If electronics aren’t helping us climb hills with motors, they…
It’s here – Have you got yours? Singletrack Magazine Issue 135
Whoop! Well it was all a bit confusing, with the usual courier notification sequence of ‘we’re coming’, ‘no we’re not’, ‘ding-dong SURPRISE! We’re here!’, but we’re delighted that the latest issue of Singletrack Magazine has now landed at the office and is landing on doormats…
Specialized UK HQ Devastated By Fire
Over the weekend, Specialized’s UK headquarters has been significantly affected by a fire. At present investigators are on site establishing where on the industrial park the fire started. 12 fire engines and around 80 firefighters are tackling a blaze at Barwell Business Park in #Chessington…
British Cycling Reveals New Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group
British Cycling has named the members of its new Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group – and it’s great news for the mountain bike world to see Aneela McKenna as co-chair. Let’s see what changes the group manages to bring about. Here’s the official British Cycling…
Fresh Goods Friday 535 – Bringing colour to your life
It’s a grey old world out there right now, but this week’s mailbox has brought us a shower of colour. Which got our thoughts turning to our walls. Did you paint yours at the start of Lockdown Mk1? A nice tasteful shade of linen mist,…
Josh Bryceland asks riders to stop digging
Josh ‘Ratboy’ Bryceland has asked riders to not build any new features in the Nab Quarry and Styperson Park area, near Stockport, as he is working on managing the area to preserve it and access for the local community. In an Instagram post he says:…
YT Releases limited edition Blaze builds of the Izzo, Jeffsy and Capra
YT has taken 3 existing bikes and added a little ‘blaze’ to them with limited edition Izzo, Jeffsy and Capra bikes. YT Industries has taken the Izzo, Jeffsy and Capra bikes and built them into limited-edition Blaze bikes with just 250 Izzo Blaze available and…
Ride To Survive with Tomomi Nishikubo
Go fishing and make fire with Tomomi Nishikubo as he tries to survive being shipwrecked on an island – with the help of his bike. We’ll admit we missed this video when it was first released, but the recent addition of a ‘making of’ video…
Oxford Aqua Evo Waterproof Backpacks – for wet commutes?
Are the Oxford Aqua Evo backpacks the waterproof luggage solution you’ve been looking for? The Oxford Aqua Evo bags both have a waterproof rating of IPX-6, which means they should be waterproof against all but total submersion. They come in both a 12 litre and…
TweedLove WILL Return In 2021 – With Chain Reaction Cycles As Title Sponsor
We’ve just had word that TweedLove Bike Festival has announced a new headline partnership with Chain Reaction Cycles for their 2021 festival weekend based in the Tweed Valley, Scotland. The online bike store will also sponsor two of TweedLove’s other events this year, covering gravel…
The Forbidden Dreadnought takes the fear out of climbing and downhill slaying!
Forbidden’s much rumoured big travel rig becomes official today with the unveiling of the new Forbidden Dreadnought. Forbidden jumped into the mountain bike scene with the Druid, a bike which blurred the lines between trail and enduro with a downhill inspired high-pivot suspension design and…
Bike Shop Thieves Strike Twice – Again!
It’s the second time this week that we find ourselves reporting on a bike shop being broken into for the second time in a month. This time it’s Cycle Gear in Halifax – a local bike shop with online retail outlet. During the last break…
Vee Tyre Attack HPL promises to be your one-stop trail/enduro tyre
Vee Tire Co launches the new Attack HPL tyre with the help from freerider Stevie Schneider. Vee Tire Co is quickly rising through the ranks to be one of the top tyre choices for gravity fuelled and aggressive riding. The Thai company sponsors a full…
What’s Wrong With This Bike Tattoo? (and no, the answer isn’t ‘everything’)
Ahh, tattoos. At least in 2020 in the UK there should have been a downturn in the frequency of questionable tattoo decision making. And of people from the UK going to Vegas for their impulsive tattoo choices. Isn’t that right, Mark? Anyway, that was just…