A foggy start. Photo: Annie Simcoe. I stood alone under the big tent as rain poured down outside, butterflies in my stomach. My heart was pounding and I…
What are some important factors to consider for that first bikepacking adventure?
Colton Lock out in Moab, UT for Outerbike 2016 hanging out with the guys from Ellsworth Bikes and riding the Rogue Forty. The Rogue Forty is Ellsworth's newly-released 27.5-inch-wheeled trail bike.…
The Fission Bib Knicker from Hincapie is the perfect pair of riding shorts for cool spring and fall weather, or even as a base layer during mid-winter. While I had gotten along just…
The companion to the Fission Bib Knicker from Hincapie is the Fission Long Sleeve Jersey. Specs The jersey is made of extremely soft, smooth QuadroHot fabric that offers claimed insulation properties. The…
Finding a decent cycling GPS, let alone one you can wear on your wrist, priced under $150 is difficult. Yet somehow, Polar is offering the new M200 for $149, and it includes a built-in…
Over the past few years many riders have purchased 27.5 bikes, only to have plus-envy once 27.5+ bikes started catching on. Some intrepid 29er owners (including yours truly) found they could…
Colton Lock here checking in from Outerbike in Moab, UT with Joe from Rocky Mountain. We are taking a look at the 2017 Element which has been redesigned to appeal to…
Thule steps up their game with the new Thule T2 Pro. Life would be great if every one of our rides could start right out our…
Mountain biking protection continues to improve, both in comfort and safety. Knee and elbow pads have evolved from bulky, hard pieces of plastic to ergonomic accessories that look and feel very…
The eastern trailhead for the Lost Lake trail; not easy to find. For day two of my aspen weekend in Vail, the goal was to get…
Getting to know the pros and cons of the Pinion internally geared mountain bike drivetrain.
Cool bike tools spotted at Interbike 2016.
A complete Oveja Negra bikepacking setup. Photo: Greg Heil While bikepacking participation continues to climb, the growth in the production of bikepacking products--specifically bags--is accelerating at an exponential pace. While these bags…
A Vail Haiku:Bright shimmering goldI am infinitely blessedby the autumn leaves Rediscovering Gold in my Homeland I spent almost the entirety of my adult life moving…
Industry Nine has had a rim named "Enduro" in their line long before it became a buzzword. For 2017, Industry Nine has widened the Enduro rim's internal width to 31mm. The…
The new Pantera line of plus hardtails from GT GT is getting in on the plus game for 2017 with a line of affordable hardtails called…
These are the most popular bikepacking routes in the USA.
In this episode of the Singletracks podcast, Greg talks about his summer MTB trip to Spain.
DT Swiss has taken their 1501 Spline One series of wheels and expanded the number of rim widths offered. No matter what your discipline is or what tire size you…
The 2017 Cannondale Habit Carbon SE is definitely a good-looking bike, especially if you like purple. It's categorized as a do-it-all trail bike that is "playful, agile, and ultra-capable." Sounds…
There are now more wheel and tire sizes than ever, and it's hard for anyone to keep up, including tire manufacturers. Maybe you wouldn't think that this would be an…
SHRED is already well-known in the snow sports industry, and now they're taking on mountain biking with a great-looking line of helmets packed with serious tech. The line includes two full face…
Wolf Tooth Components is always coming up with an eclectic blend of interesting products, designed around making the experience of riding a bike better and more fun, and focusing on…
While part of my job is to test and review mountain bike gear, I'm also a mountain bike buyer just like everyone else. In fact, I decided to purchase both of my current mountain…
photo: Bombtrack.com In conjunction with the bikepacking craze of 2016, several bike companies are offering drop bar mountain bikes. Not to be confused with gravel grinders or…
Plus bikes have been all the rage at Sea Otter and Interbike over the past two cycles, and at this point, pretty much every bike brand has at least one 27.5 plus…
The new Ritchey WCS Trail dropper post Ritchey is an interesting company. On the one hand, Ritchey has frames made from steel with classic profiles. But…
The new Rocky Mountain Slayer equipped with 26x2.8" Maxxis Minions Maxxis didn't have too much in the way of new mountain bike tread patterns at Interbike…
Interbike tends to be dominated by some of the largest brands, but if you look closely, there are many small companies doing interesting and oftentimes weird things. Here are just a few examples from this year's…
The Voytek is a versatile carbon fiber mountain bike from Otso, a new bike brand founded by the crew from Wolf Tooth Components. I took the Voytek on a quick test spin at Interbike, and…
After a very favorable reception for the Torrent 27.5+ hardtail, Norco has tripled down on 27.5+ mountain bikes, releasing 3 all-new models for 2017! Torrent 7 FS+ The most notable of the new additions…
The $13,000 BMC fourstroke team BMC is a large brand, but they are known predominantly for their road bikes. While they have a full line of…
9point8 is a small Canadian company with a unique take on the dropper. The post is entirely mechanical, which they say makes it more durable and reliable when compared to the…
Spotted at a trailhead for the Mount Massive Wilderness. Photo: Greg Heil The US Forest Service has proposed a "cultural shift" with the intent of promoting recreation…
I was cruising around the Interbike showroom floor, late for yet another appointment, but the Wilier Triestina Jaroon+ stopped me in my tracks. This mountain bike, while of questionable real…
We test rode a Ventana mountain bike with a Rohloff internally geared hub at Interbike.
Bikepacking. It's so hot right now. Seriously though, bikepacking seems to be one of the few bright spots in an otherwise down industry. Bikepacking is nothing new, but until recently…
The DBX 5.0 hardshell jacket Leatt is known for their neck braces and pads, but for 2017 the company is making a big push into the…
Photo: Nicholas Carman The Baja Divide is a newly-published off-road bikepacking route that spans the 1700-mile-length of the Baja Peninsula from San Diego, CA to San…
You may have heard of Cycliq after their wildly-successful kickstarter for their original model, the Fly6, and Jim Hodgson's subsequent review, here. After widespread demand by their loyal customers, they released…
When I used to think of Ergon, my mind would automatically jump to grips. But more recently, they've jumped into the saddle game, and they've also started making hydration packs, gloves, and…
Feedback Sports Team Edition tool kit Feedback has a reputation for building some of the best portable workstands around. In fact, we've had their Pro-Elite stand…
The all new Razik Epitome is a carbon hardtail mountain bike that utilizes a unique carbon Isotruss framework in place of traditional top, down, and seat tubes. The company claims this not…
Two years ago I rode the Salsa Bucksaw full suspension (FS) fat bike, and at the time I said it was the best bike, fat or not, that I had ridden all…
Having earned a coveted spot on our list of the 5 Most Innovative Mountain Bikes of 2016, I knew that I had to get on the Pivot Switchblade to see if the bike…
Interceptor Most of us have heard that mountain bike helmets need to be replaced after a serious crash, but the thing is, few riders actually follow through. Often…
The GT Sensor has been around for several years, though it's a bike I've never personally ridden. So I jumped at the chance to saddle up on the 2017 Sensor Carbon Pro…
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