Benji invites you to celebrate soil, in (almost) all its forms.
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Issue 161: Post-Backpack Hydration
Without a bladder on your back, you need a different way to carry your water.
The Grinder 161: Orbea Alma, Industry 9 Hydra2 wheels, Muc-Off AirMach and more
Ride fast, train hard, stay young. Or just have a lot more fun. The Singletrack Test Team put this parade of products through their paces.
Issue 161: Mountain Biking at the Bottom of the World – A Journey to the Falkland Islands
Imagine the Falkland Islands as having the scenery of the Scottish isles, but the size of Wales. With penguins…
Bike Check: Ted James’ Adjustable Moto Proto
On the Ted James stand at Bespoked Manchester, this bike was practically just cooling down, having still been being built the night before. Ted talked us through the build of this Moto Proto.
Alfano Froad: when Fat Bikers hit the drops
'Watching it go from a pile of loose tubes to a bike frame never ceases to be magic.' Meet the maker of the Alfano Froad bike
Bike Check: Harry’s HP Bike Project ‘My Downhill Bike’
Check out this impressive first effort at bike building!
Tools: A love letter to those who put them in our hands
This was originally the editorial piece in a Weekly Word Newsletter. When it went out, a few people suggested that it would make a great Forum discussion/reminiscing topic. So here it is for you to read, and then head to the comments to recall the…
Sideways – a journey from motorsports, fishing and sailing to custom carbon fibre bikes
Vee from Sideways makes custom carbon fibre bicycle frames. Mainly road and gravel and ‘single speed fun bikes’, but she also says there’s a ‘hardtail pending’. I spent a few minutes with her at Bespoked Manchester in order to find out a bit more about…
Bike Check: Creature Cycles Galago – with bushings, not bearings
James from Creature Cycles had one of the more eye catching bikes on display at Bespoked Manchester. The pearlescent turquoise paint, the low offset stem, and the organic form of the bike were all likely to grab your attention, but there was plenty more going…
Tomo Bikes: Tall Bikes and more, for more fun
Jonathan Thompson from Tomo bikes was at Bespoked Manchester with three very different creations. His Apocalypse build entry was pretty epic, while his mid-tall bike with giant hooter looked as refined as a Victorian penny farthing. And then, as if to prove he can be…
Meet The Maker: Rasch Bikes – second ever frame!
Kata Rasch was at Bespoked Manchester with her steel brazed hardtail. As a new builder landing in a foreign land and having a whole bunch of people ask you about your frame in a second language, it must have been quite an intimidating experience. I…
Meet The Maker: RTiiiKA’s bike art with attitude
Rosa Ter Kuile, who works under the name RTiiiKA, was at Bespoked Manchester with her range of bike inspired art, and drawing bike portraits. I’m in awe of anyone who can draw, and I liked the punk attitude in her creations, so I took a…
Burf’s Rat Bike Project: affordable UK made frames for making chores fun
Paul ‘Burf’ Burford is best known for his BTR range of mountain bikes and trail tools, as well as his Gasser downhill bike. On his stand at Bespoked Manchester, he had all those things on display (including the Forum’s own Tom ‘How Much!’ Howard’s new…
Craig’s StAyTB – old school bike with all mod cons
Craig, more commonly known as 2nd Life Bikes, brought this Stayer ATB to the Bespoked Manchester bike show. While this bike was built for him by Stayer, you can also go on one of their Frame Building 101 courses and build one yourself. Or, build…
Best MTB at Bespoked: Ballern Pressing Iron
Bennet Janz is the man behind Ballern Cycleworks, and the winner of the Best Mountain Bike Award at Bespoked Manchester 2025, for his ‘Pressing Iron’ full suspension bike. Bennet is described in Petor Georgallou’s article in Singletrack Issue 160 as ‘built like a horse conditioned…
Issue 160: Calm Down – Interview with Brage Vestavik
Hannah interviews Brage Vestavik, freeride’s wildest Norseman.
Issue 160: What The Hike?
Is hikeabike just for masochists with no friends to go and ride with? Or is there real pleasure to be found in carrying your bike?
Issue 160: The American Dream
Ambition is not always enough to succeed, but should the risk of failure stop you trying?
Issue 160: Trailside Tools
These are our six favourite multi-tools and (whisper it) puncture repair items that we actually choose to use.
Issue 160: Biking in a Winter Wonderland
Sanny contemplates the joys of changing plans on the hoof and how sometimes the best rides are the ones that don’t follow the script.
The Grinder 160: RockShox Vivid Air, Thule 945 EasyFold, Bontrager G-Spike and more
Shut up legs, we’re trying to figure out what that rattle is.
Issue 160: Last Word – Digital Dependency
Should ‘ready to ride’ mean more than just having a charged phone?
Sneak Peek: 20 Years of MTB Photography With Ale Di Lullo
If you’re a Singletrack Subscriber, you can go and read our full interview with Ale di Lullo, one of the most prolific photographers in the mountain bike world. Here’s a teaser. Subscribe today and get instant digital access to all our content, including the full…
Interview: Ale di Lullo – 20 Years of MTB Photography
Ale di Lullo is one of the most prolific photographers in the mountain bike world. You’ve definitely seen his work – he’s photographed 19 years of Mountain Bike World Cup races, as well as countless product launches and sponsored athletes. It’s his shot of Brage…
Quick Crossword: All Hail The End Of Winter
Well done, you made it. Give yourself a pat on the back. The clocks are changing and it’s British Summer Time. Which isn’t really summer yet, so this crossword is a celebration of all things spring. Now, spring out of bed, or off the loo,…
Bike Check: Petor G’s Star Wars Sturdy Cilla
I took a custom-made Sturdy Cilla, with a deep design connection to the X-Wing from Star Wars, which was appropriate in the landscape.
Why now is the best time to Subscribe to Singletrack
The simple answer is we’ve never offered as much to our members as we do now and we need our members now more than ever to keep us in the position of the UK’s only remaining independent mountain bike magazine. We are owned by mountain…
Catching A Break: From Baseball Pro to MTB YouTuber
Matty Johnson is a pro baseball player turned MTB YouTuber. He’s on a mission to make people see mountain biking differently and get everyone out on the trails. Matty Johnson is a professional baseball player turned mountain bike YouTuber. His videos caught my eye because…
Issue 159: Fitting In
Chipps encourages us to get (just a bit) fitter. Do you know any rowers? They’re a special breed, aren’t they? Up before dawn for a few lengths of the river or 15km on the rowing machine before breakfast. How about triathletes? Same modus operandi, right?…
Issue 159: Tour de Farce
The Adventure Syndicate attempts to bring progress to bikepacking by taking it back to a simpler, sillier time.
Issue 159: Secret Diary Of Benjamin Haworth Age 47 3/4
What is a press launch these days? Who benefits? Who gets short-changed? Are they immoral? Are they ecologically indefensible?
Issue 159: Last Minute Tuscany, Bikepacking in Style
Sanny ditches the traditional endless planning of a bikepacking trip and jumps all in last minute.
Issue 159: Where are we going (with geometry, that is)?
Benji opines on what is right and wrong with the world of mountain bikes right now.
Issue 159: Hand Bagging
After a lifetime of thinking it could never happen for him, Neil and friends set out to bag a Munro – on a handcycle.
Issue 159: Digital Detox
Could you leave all of your electronic gadgets behind on a ride? No GPS, no Strava, no phone. How about three rides in a row? Chipps takes on the challenge.
Issue 159: (Calculated) Risks
Hannah reveals the careful behind-the-scenes work that brings the wild spectacle of Red Bull Rampage to the masses.
Issue 159: Last Word – It’s my birthday and I’ll fly if I want to
Hannah’s nerves age a little as her husband chases youth
The Grinder 159: RockShox Pike Ultimate, Stan’s Flow MK4 Wheels Alpkit Floe trousers and more
If you rest you rust, and there’s no rest for the wicked… so no rust on this batch of wicked products then? Stan’s Flow MK4 Wheelset The USP here is the M-Pulse hubs, specifically the rear. Instead of trad spring-loaded pawls, the M-Pulse system uses…
What should you upgrade on your mountain bike?
Some things are worth the money. Some things very much are not. Here’s where you should splash your cash for maximum reward. Every bike is different and so not every one of our suggested upgrades will be applicable to you bike. But there are still…
Islands In The Mud
You know how there are islands in the Galapagos where there’s a finch that’s perfectly adapted to eat just that one seed that grows on that one island? And then on the next island there’s another finch that’s perfectly adapted to eat just that one…
20 truths about indoor training from a mountain biker
Lessons learnt. Myths and truths. The good, the bad, and the ugly. They'll prove useful if you're contemplating starting indoor training - you may also have a laugh at my expense.
Crossword: The GT Edition
Just before Christmas, the ‘pausing’ of the GT brand was announced. It seems like a good time to have yourself a trip down memory lane and see if you can fill in the blanks. Need a bit of a refresh? Here’s a video that might…
Issue 158: Bourganised Chaos
Barney skips the lifts for a self-propelled – and self-inflicted – Alps adventure. Words and photos by Barney Marsh It seemed like such a fine idea. In the thick of a holiday to the French Alps with the family – so (in order of importance),…
Issue 158: Special Notice Of Appreciation
Issue 158 was brought to you by a whole bunch of behin dthe scenes people but a huge part was played by all the people listed below.
Issue 158 – Last Word: Going Nowhere, Getting Somewhere
Hannah suggests we don’t need miles of new trails to become better riders. When it comes to bike infrastructure and mountain biking facilities we usually think of new trails. Perhaps a whole trail centre with routes of different gradings, a café, a car park, a…
Singletrack Quiz Of The Year 2024
Quizzy times ahead. To make it harder still, we’ve added a time limit – you’ve got one minute to answer each question. Which means you’re going to have to be very quick at typing if you’re going to cheat… Maybe do a spot of revision…
Singletrack Spineline Quiz
You know those slightly odd words printed down the spine of the magazine? They’re ‘spinelines’. Each one has been said by someone in the office, to odd looks and cries of ‘Spineline!’. The context of most has been forgotten – we’re quite good at writing…