Issue 136
£7.50
Our 20th Birthday issue will be hot off the presses and landing on doorsteps around 6/4/21. Order now, and we will post your copy out as soon as it lands at Singletrack Towers.
Description
We’re about to turn 20! Thanks to all our readers and Members, the next issue of Singletrack Magazine will mark 20 years of independent mountain bike publishing. We think that’s worth celebrating, so we’ve got an extra special edition magazine coming your way. However… the clever printing did not quite go yo plam. Chipps explains:
Dear Reader,
Here is the 20th Anniversary Edition of Singletrack World Magazine. It’s been a long and eventful journey so far and we’re looking forward to even more adventures ahead.
You’ll notice that the magazine is actually double-sided, with a ‘retro’ and a ‘modern’ half. Oh, and half of it is upside-down. I can confirm that it was a right pain to proof-read…
Anyway, on that topic, despite our best intentions, a last minute feature change meant that we had to replace some pages and, unfortunately, we made a mistake and six pages from the ‘retro’ side snuck into the ‘modern’ side. This, unfortunately means that Dean Hersey’s feature on the future of modern bike technology is missing a few pages. That’ll teach us for trying to be clever, eh?
All is not lost, though. As well as having a few pages twice, we’re going to offer everyone the chance to read the complete feature online.
My apologies again, it seems appropriate that in an issue that looks forward at the future of technology, it reminds us that whatever the high-tech at your fingertips, it’s still at the mercy of the humans driving (or riding) it.
All the best
Chipps
It’s our big birthday issue – 20 years of mountain biking stories and tech. By now, you should know all about our cover – and if not, where have you been?
It’s a magazine of two halves, acknowledging where we’ve come from, but looking forward to where we’re going rather than going on about the ‘good old days’.
Because we have two fronts to this issue – start at whichever side you fancy! – we have two editorials, from our two owners:
Chipps says…
They say that 10,000 hours is how much time and dedication it takes to master a skill. If you’ve been with us since issue 1, it’s likely that you’ve ‘mastered’ mountain biking by now, but we all know that’s a lie, right?
Mark says…
Mark likes tech, he’s one of those people who buys the first version of everything. Does he think the past has anything to offer us, or is it all about what’s next?
As with every issue, we’ve got a Classic Ride and a Bike Test for you:
Classic Ride – Rivington Pike
Site of the 2002 Commonwealth Games mountain bike races, ‘Rivi’ is still wildly popular with local riders, due to its accessibility to many northern cities. Mark takes a fond trip down memory lane at this historical site.
Big Bike Test
Andi looks at three bikes that descend like enduro racers, but which which you could still consider for all day riding – climbs and all. And yes, one of them is so new, we can’t show you it here!
Column: Catch My Drift
Barney brings clarity to the world of bike language. No matter what technology we have, it seems likely that ‘stack’ will always have a place in our lexicon.
Pete’s Pros: Mikayala Parton
A young rider to watch for the future, Pete Scullion rides out with Mikayala Parton to find out more about where she’ll be taking the sport.
As well as these regular features, we’ve got some big thinking pieces too, to inspire you to get both mind and body working:
Our Place in The World
Antony de Heveningham looks at where mountain biking will sit in the context of future environmental and social changes. Can we just ride, do we need to take account of the world around us, or will we be unable to ignore the changes that are coming?
Futurama
Dean Hersey examines where technology will take the bike industry. What influence and trends can he see in other industries, and will the bike world follow? Is it hover bikes all round, or will our wheels still be firmly on the ground?
Back to the Future
Pete Scullion looks at bike marketing, racing, and the shape of future promotion of our sport. How can it continue to grow, where will the new riders come from, and what will they want their bikes to do?
Power Up
Andi looks at the fast-paced world of e-bike technology. With rapid growth (and improvement) in recent years, the focus of many bike companies is on improving their e-bike offerings. Will they leave their pedal-powered pals behind?
The Big Hitters
Hannah goes behind some of the best known usernames in the forum to find out more about the community that is Singletrackworld and what it is that brings us all together,
Keeping it Real Steel
Chipps looks at that original bike making material and examines its relevance in a world of advanced material science. Steel, it seems, is still real. Really popular, that is. But why?
We’ll still be adventuring, getting out there, and riding bikes – whatever form they take. We’ve got some tales of (mis)adventure to entertain and motivate you:
International Adventure: Kiwi Beer Vet 2020
Would a birthday be complete without a trip to the pub? Tony Hutcheson goes on a multi-day tour of the New Zealand back country, with only the shining beacons of the pubs and hotels along the way to guide his path.
UK Adventure: North vs South: Bingley Bingo
Amanda heads out for a group ride with a difference: there IS no group. United by a bingo sheet of ride goals, two geographically-remote pairs of riders head out for socially-distanced local rides in search of that group ride camaraderie.
If all that tickles your fancy, you have a few options: you can join us today for a whole year of birthday fun (and certainly by the 25th March, which is the cut off date for new Members wanting to get this issue), or you can pre-order just this single issue. Or, you could join us on an annual digital only Membership – which is just £20 per year – then invoke your new Member’s discount to pre-order this edition as a paper copy keepsake.
Additional information
| Weight | .8 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 30 × 20 × 2 cm |
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