What is the sound of shred? In the quiet of quarantine, you can hear it! This MTB video comes from the Croatian quarantine zone. While many of us have been enjoying the sound of birdsong without the background hum of cars, or the buzzing of…
If Santa Cruz made steel bikes they would probably look like this
No this isn’t an early Santa Cruz prototype, but an entirely different steel frame handcrafted by the folks over at Zoceli Bikes in the Czech Republic. We all know that steel is real, but did you know that steel is real popular right now? It…
Review: Leatt DBX 3.0 Flat Pedal Shoes
Leatt DBX 3.0 shoe review. Leatt entered the highly competitive shoe market in 2020, so how does the DBX 3.0 stack up? Leatt finally achieved its goal of offering a complete rider outfit at the beginning of 2020 with the release of the brand’s first…
Roval Control SL Team Wheels – First Ride Review
The world of the carbon-rimmed wheel is a complicated one. After all, you need to know why you’re making your rim out of expensive carbon fibre instead of affordable, durable, but ductile aluminium. The Roval Control SL Team is singleminded in its approach and its…
Roval Wheels Control SL Team – Its Lightest Wheel Of Any Kind Ever
At 1240g, the Roval Control SL Team wheel is the lightest wheel that Roval has ever made. Bearing in mind that Roval makes road race wheels for Tour de France teams, that is quite a statement. And while its previous Control SL wheels were no…
More EWS 2020 Dates Announced!
There’s still some hope that the Race Series could be held later this year, with more EWS 2020 dates just announced. More dates have been added to the 2020 Enduro World Series Calander as organisers rush to salvage a season before the end of the…
Review: Giro Ventana Fastlace Shoes
The two models of Giro Ventana shoes are looked on as being the spiritual successor to the Terraduro – a shoe whose rise to prominence seemed to parallel the enduro racing movement that inspired it. And despite some early quality issues, the Terraduro has gone…
5 Packable Jackets Tested – Because You Can’t Predict The Weather
Packable jackets are becoming more and more popular. Whether it be for the growing popularity of bikepacking or simply our unpredictable British weather, having a spare weatherproof layer is a good idea. There are many packable jacket options available, so I have selected five that…
Thule Chariot Cross Trailer – For Riding, Running or Skiing With Kids
Rachel gives the Thule Chariot Cross trailer a long term test, out on the bike, running, walking… but sadly not on the skis! Ah, the peace, quiet and restorative nature of a solo bike ride, truly one of my favourite things… But I now have…
Podcast 501 | What sorts of magazines did Hannah read as a teenager?
This week Hannah, Andi and Mark have a three way chat about everything from the latest mtb news to the strange and unusual things that people are typing in to Google. Also, if you wondered why we are no longer selling Singletrack in the newsagents…
Matt Walker | 5 Minutes With The Pivot Factory Racer
Matt Walker stops doing silly things with cars and motorbikes just long enough to answer a few questions about the pedal powered bikes that are his actual job. Tell us who you are, what you do and why we should go for a bike ride…
Fresh Goods Friday 501 – Dicing With The Gods Of Luck
This Fresh Goods Friday is not brought to you in multiples of thirteen. There are no thirteens in this Fresh Good Friday, none at all, no. There are no black cats, either, or ladders, or new shoes on tables. There are not thirteen products bringing…
Diversion Diary | Indulging In Nostalgia
Hannah is alone during lockdown since her partner, BK, lives in the USA. Each week, she brings us some ramblings, plus a selection of the internet she’s been using to keep herself company. This week is nostalgia week. Last week I hoped for a better…
Bontrager WaveCel Helmet Range Expanded
Bontrager’s WaveCel technology, claimed to provide better impact protection than traditional helmet construction, is introduced to three new helmets: the Rally WaveCel and Starvos WaveCel for adults, and the Jet WaveCel for kids. The Rally WaveCel, price £129.99, is an off-road helmet with a Boa…
Cannondale Scalpel 2020 SE 2 – First Ride Review
One of the more interesting aspects of reviewing the new crop of XC bikes is that the press packs manufacturers send out often start with an old photo of what the bike looked like 20 years or so ago. It might not surprise you to…
Cannondale’s New Scalpel And Scalpel SE – XC riding reimagined
There’s a new Scalpel on the block and Cannondale is keen for everyone to see how new and how dramatically different it is from what has gone before. Originally pitched as a full suspension, World Cup-worthy race bike back in 2001, the newest 2020 Cannondale…
Cotic BFeMax Gets The Big Wheel 29in Hardcore Hardtail Treatment
Only a week after Cotic announced that there would be no more 27.5in Cotic Soul bikes in future, it has now announced the new Cotic BFeMax . “It’s the result of gene-splicing our award winning, super fast SolarisMAX 29er trail hardtail, with our tough-as-old-boots, 27.5in wheeled BFe do-it-all fun machine.”…
First Look: Microshift Advent X 11×48 10-Speed
Microshift’s Advent X promises to be a great, low-cost drivetrain. We take a first look at this new wide-range 10-speeder ahead of our long-term review. Microshift has quietly been making a name for itself as a value for money alternative to wide-range groupsets from the…
Millyard Racing shows off Hyper Ride 2 rear shock – 1950’s parts 2020 tech
Millyard Racing, the same chaps behind one of the most iconic UK downhill bikes, have released details of a Hyper Ride 2 rear shock made from 1950’s parts to 2020 specs. What do you do when you have a couple of 1950’s engine parts, a…
TRP goes 12-speed with the new TRP TR12 rear mech and shifter
TRP takes a different approach to offering 12-speed, focussing on just the 12-speed shifter and rear mech for the TRP TR12. TRP released the DH7 downhill shifting combo last year, now based on the same tech here’s the TRP TR12, a 12-speed shifter and rear…
SDG Bel-Air 3.0 launched | 25 years in the making
SDG’s iconic Bel-Air saddle gets fresh new features for 2020, a saddle 25 years in the making! Want to feel old? Well, did you know that the first SDG Bel-Air saddle was released back in 1995! Yup crazy but what’s even crazier is that the…
Bike Check: Chloe Taylor’s custom Privateer 161
Chloe Taylor switches to the Privateer 161 for 2020 and has just completed this race-spec build ready to take on the EWS (whenever that might happen). Check out the full build below plus excellent photos by Martha Gill. I received my Privateer 161 just after…
FGF Podcast 500 | The death of the Cotic Soul & Pipedream history episode
We have a double interview special for you this week as Chipps interrogates Cy from Cotic about why, why? WHY? the Cotic Soul is now just a memory. Andi then goes deep with Alan from Pipedream cycles about the history of the brand and the…
4 MTB Films For Your Weekend Feet Up Session
Stop clipping that hedge, jet-washing your patio, or scrubbing that grout. It’s time to kick back, and watch some MTB films where other people are putting in the effort. How Was It Made? It’s always fun to see how Danny manages to pull off his…
2020 Radon Swoop – Slack, or Slacker, for Steep, or Steeper?
German direct-to-consumer brand Radon launches its all new 2020 Radon Swoop, a 170mm travel 29er aimed at the enduro market. The new Radon Swoop will be available in three models, starting at €2,999 and heading up to €4,499 for the top 10.0 HD model with…
Updated 2020 UCI World Cup Dates Announced
The UCI plans to hold 7 rounds of the World Cup this year kicking off in September with XCO and DHI races in Lenzerheide. The UCI is planning a 7 round World Cup of XCO and DHI races starting on 5th September and ending in…
Shimano ME700 Trail SPDs Upgraded. Leisure Pedals Get Colours
Shimano’s fixed cage, entry level trail pedals, the M530s are getting retired, to be replaced by the new dual sided ME700 pedals. Shimano claims they’re ‘Perfect for use with mountain bikes, e-mountain bikes and gravel bikes’ the new pedals have a wider platform (by 7.7mm…
Fresh Goods Friday 500! Happy Birthday To FGF!
It’s the five-hundredth Fresh Goods Friday! Wow! That means that it’s getting on for ten years of a weekly check of the things that have appeared in the office. Started way back when by the Mark and the great Jon Woodhouse, Fresh Goods Friday has…
Review: Únic Signature Series, custom riding kit for everyone!
Únic Wear offers riders quality riding kit, with custom design options for the same price as off the shelf brands. If you’re in the market for new clothing to take to the trails in then you’re in a pretty good position. These days, riding kit…
Warning: This Book Might Make You Want To Have MTB Babies
This book might be just the right gift for the MTB baby in your life. If you’re a parent, you will know the torture of when a truly terrible book becomes your child’s favourite. Chuff chuffity chuff went the train. Bippity boppity giggle went the…
Únic Essential line cuts the cost of custom mountain bike kit but not the quality
Flamboyant Frenchman, Cedric Gracia, and the Únic team launch a new affordable way to get custom kit with the Únic Essential line. Andorran clothing brand, Únic, launched a range of custom mountain bike clothing earlier in the year, and with the help of Cedric Gracia,…
Behind the Pencil: Cover Illustrator Interview
Singletrack issue 131 deadline is fast approaching for our next issue of the magazine, and if you haven’t already heard, it’s going to be a special one. The subscription deadline is Thursday 21st May and we highly recommend you subscribe as we are most likely…
Diversion Diary | Green Shoots and Hopeful Hippies
Just like all of us, Hannah is looking to survive the social distancing and lockdown. The Diversion Diary is a tale of love under lockdown, and bikes. Only, there’s an added twist: Hannah’s partner, BK, lives in the USA, and they’re locked down on different…
Specialized Rockhopper | The Classic Gateway MTB Gets Redesigned
The classic gateway drug of MTB, the Specialized Rockhopper, gets a redesign for 2021. For many, the Specialized Rockhopper will have been one of the first mountain bikes they ever rode. It’s been the gateway drug, affordably priced but specced like a ‘proper’ bike, and…
Video | The Flight of the Pickled Onions
If you want to see some stylish riding with some weirdness and silliness thrown in, then the Hazzard boys are always worth checking out. They’ve just released a new video ‘The Flight of The Pickled Onions’, shot just before lockdown hit. Before the Lockdown and…
Nukeproof Horizon Sam Hill Pro Enduro Flat Pedals | Go Gripped-in
Back in February at Bike Connection Agency, the Nukeproof demo guy was appalled to see that I was still carrying around a very worn out (and bent at the axle) pair of pedals that I had previously presented him with in August 2019. I honestly…
Singletrack Issue 131 – Last Chance To Subscribe!
Singletrack Magazine is usually printed in two versions: one is the Newsstand Edition, and one is the Premier Edition. Both have the same cover price, but the Premier Edition has an extra bonus section at the back, and it has a clean cover without attention…
Video | The Legend of Tommy G
The Legend of Tommy G – here be dragons, steeds, swords and great feats of derring-do. Or something like that. Thomas Genon does his thing in Lenzerheide. Lenzerheide is no stranger to over the top marketing. Check out the blurb from the tourism website: WELCOME…
5 Minutes With Ed Masters – Don’t Be Serious!
Pivot Factory Racing rider Ed Masters stops for 5 minutes to tell us how he keeps things fun – and why he thinks you should too. Tell us who you are, what you do and why we should go for a bike ride with you……
Video: Choosing To Live – Riding After Loss
Anyone who has lost a loved one will likely relate to the sentiments in this video. The desire to make the loss mean something, count for something. The need to move on without forgetting. The awareness of the sadness that you carry to wonderful new…
8 Ways To Turn Your Daily Exercise Ride Into A Life Long Habit
For years active travel campaigners have been trying to persuade us to leave the car at home. They’ve shown us how expensive it is to run a car, they’ve told us about the environmental impact of cars, they’ve asked for segregated cycle lanes, wished for…
Stanton Bikes working on carbon swingarm prototypes for full-sus range!
Derbyshire based Stanton Bikes is working on a carbon swingarm for its range of steel full-suspension bikes. Stanton Bikes might be best known for producing steel and Titanium frames, but the Derbyshire based company is now dabbling in fantastic plastic. In Instagram posts from last…
Formula Cura 4 Brakes | Shiny Stoppers With Modulation and Power
David tests out the ever so shiny Formula Cura 4 brakes. Once he’s stopped looking at them, or himself in the reflection, how do they perform? Having tried a lot of high end brakes, I’d never actually got to try Formula’s before in spite of…
Markus Stitz interview, Andi’s shed and tales of a bivvy gone bad | Podcast 499
Is it a studio? Is it an office? Or is it just a shed without a roof on at the moment? Whatever it is Hannah and Andi have a considered debate about Andi’s latest lockdown project. Markus Stitz Interview Also in this week’s episode Hannah…
Deciding Not To Die Isn’t The Same As Choosing To Live
Just over a year ago, we published a powerful piece on mental health called ‘What If I Want to Die Every Day of My Life’. Since then, the author has spent some time off the bike, having been admitted to a mental health unit. Now,…
Mavic calls in the receivers amid confusion over who owns the company
As a brand Mavic has been associated strongly with the Tour de France for over 40 years, supplying the iconic fleet of support vehicles and mechanics. But in news reported by cyclingnews.com, the French company has brought in receivers on the back of a thumping…
It’s Friday? Again? | Fresh Goods Friday 499
It seems my rum recipe went down quite well last week, so I delved deeper into my drinks cabinet and made this fine concoction below. The theme this week is not Green Health Sauce, but Rouge Bitter Throat Lube. I had a craving for an…
SuperBoost And Flat Mount XTR – Things You Didn’t Know You Needed
On the same day that Shimano announced its new 12 (and 11 and 10) speed Deore groupset, it is also announcing a few more items, like bigger capacity batteries for its e-bike motors and, well, there are a few things that are particularly niche… XTR…
Shimano new Deore M6100 Goes 12 Speed. And 10 and 11…
Probably one of the most easy to guess developments this year was that Shimano Deore would be going 12 speed. Yes, Deore M6100 is 12 speed – and we’ll get to that in a minute – however what also needs shouting about is that formerly…
First Ride Review – Giro Manifest Spherical
That's some big, sucky venting potential there. Whatever sort of mountain biker you are, you inevitably have special cycling shoes and a particular helmet you wear. Some riders want nothing but the best, most efficient version of everything, while other riders are after the minimum…
Giro Manifest Spherical Trail Helmet – Giro’s Most High Tech Helmet Ever
Today, Giro launches its most high tech helmet ever, the Giro Manifest Spherical trail helmet. Spherical? Yes, this uses MIPS Spherical, a technology developed in partnership with MIPS and first seen on the Giro Aether road helmet; only this time, rather than the pared back,…