Jeff Barber

Jeff co-founded Singletracks with his wife Leah in 1998 and has been dedicated to sharing the mountain bike information that inspires others to take epic adventures ever since. He started mountain biking in high school and served in the US Air Force before devoting himself full time to Singletracks in 2007.

Though formally educated as an engineer, Jeff began writing stories at an early stage, inspired by his mother who is a longtime accomplished author. He enjoys covering the world of mountain biking from every possible angle, whether it's trails or gear or skills. His goal for every story: that readers learn at least one new thing.

Author snapshot

MTB Background and expertise

  • Riding experience: Trail, XC, and bikepacking.
  • Mountain biking since: 1992
  • Number of products reviewed: ?. I think my first product review for the site was this one for a plastic wallet.
  • Current stable: Canyon Neuron, Orange P7 hardtail, and Scott Fun XC

Education and writing experience

  • Bachelors of Science in Engineering, Duke University
  • Masters of Business Administration, Duke University
  • Other publications: Panther Press (Lakeside High School - Augusta, GA), CitySearch.com
 
Exterior of a Trek Bicycle Store, featuring a brick façade, green awnings, and large windows displaying bicycles. A parked car with a bike rack loaded with bicycles is in the foreground, and parking lines are visible in the lot.
Mountain Bikes and Gear
Trek Concept Store: Not clear
May 7, 2007
  1
A group of mountain bikers riding through a rock-lined path underneath a highway, with concrete pillars supporting the structure above. The terrain features winding trails and earthy surroundings, providing a unique biking experience in an urban environment.
Mountain Bike Trails
New MTB trails in downtown Seattle
May 4, 2007
Mudhunny spotted an ad in Endurance magazine for North Carolina's first <a href="http://trekraleigh.com/index.cfm">Trek concept store in Raleigh</a> and since the trails were wet Saturday we decided to check it out. Before heading out we searched the Google for directions and came across the <a href="http://trekraleigh.com/index.cfm">store website</a> which left us a bit underwhelmed. The site looked like some bad B2B site or at the very least a rip off of the OSCommerce default web store template - but you can't always judge a business by its website. The store is located in a pretty non-descript suburban shopping center far outside town (see photo below) and from the outside we could tell our idea of "concept store" was way off. I mean, to me a concept store should be all about the brand and it should be flashy and hip and innovative in some way. This looked like a newish mom and pop bike store that would probably be out of business in 6 months or so (not unlike alot of bike shops). <div style="text-align: center"><img alt="trekstore.jpg" id="image274" src="https://www.singletracks.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/trekstore.jpg" /></div> Inside we saw some pretty flashy Trek bikes along with some other brands we didn't expect to see (like Intense and LeMond). The store wasn't all Trek as they carried plenty of Pearl Izumi clothes, Wrench Force tools, and Crank Brothers pedals. The size and layout really reminded us of an understocked Performance Bike store and the Trek branding was pretty crappy. Instead of huge wall-size lifestyle photos there were dorm-room style posters and a lone flat screen television looping some boring cycling video. I don't even remember any music playing in the store. Merchandising wasn't impressive and the endcap display bikes in the mountain bike section were some kind of flat bar road or triathalon bikes with slick, skinny tires. Signs printed on 8.5x11 inch white copier paper explained in Comic Sans font what a Trek Elite 9.9 mountain bike is all about. "The name says it all" the poster explained - what the hell does that mean? It weighs 9.9 pounds? It goes 9.9 mph? We did see a few cool bikes there that most bike shops probably wouldn't carry including the Trek 69er. I had seen these online but wasn't sure what 69er meant (69 inch wheels?). Seeing the bike in person made things clear though - it has a 29 inch wheel on the front and a standard 26 inch wheel in the back (26 &amp; 29 -&gt; 69). No fancy poster to explain why this was a good idea and at more than $2,000 this single speed seemed a bit out of most people's price range. It seemed especially out of place given the fact the store also sells $30 plastic tricycles. Anyway, as you can tell we were completely unimpressed with Trek's concept of a bike store but we did come out with some ideas of our own about what Trek <em>could</em> have done. I also did some research about the Trek concept store idea and I'll be presenting a business perspective in a subsequent blog post so stay tuned. If there's a Trek concept store in your area don't get your hopes up - just head over to your local Trek dealer instead.
Community
Forget Everest: Mountain bike race in Nepal
May 4, 2007
Mudhunny spotted an ad in Endurance magazine for North Carolina's first <a href="http://trekraleigh.com/index.cfm">Trek concept store in Raleigh</a> and since the trails were wet Saturday we decided to check it out. Before heading out we searched the Google for directions and came across the <a href="http://trekraleigh.com/index.cfm">store website</a> which left us a bit underwhelmed. The site looked like some bad B2B site or at the very least a rip off of the OSCommerce default web store template - but you can't always judge a business by its website. The store is located in a pretty non-descript suburban shopping center far outside town (see photo below) and from the outside we could tell our idea of "concept store" was way off. I mean, to me a concept store should be all about the brand and it should be flashy and hip and innovative in some way. This looked like a newish mom and pop bike store that would probably be out of business in 6 months or so (not unlike alot of bike shops). <div style="text-align: center"><img alt="trekstore.jpg" id="image274" src="https://www.singletracks.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/trekstore.jpg" /></div> Inside we saw some pretty flashy Trek bikes along with some other brands we didn't expect to see (like Intense and LeMond). The store wasn't all Trek as they carried plenty of Pearl Izumi clothes, Wrench Force tools, and Crank Brothers pedals. The size and layout really reminded us of an understocked Performance Bike store and the Trek branding was pretty crappy. Instead of huge wall-size lifestyle photos there were dorm-room style posters and a lone flat screen television looping some boring cycling video. I don't even remember any music playing in the store. Merchandising wasn't impressive and the endcap display bikes in the mountain bike section were some kind of flat bar road or triathalon bikes with slick, skinny tires. Signs printed on 8.5x11 inch white copier paper explained in Comic Sans font what a Trek Elite 9.9 mountain bike is all about. "The name says it all" the poster explained - what the hell does that mean? It weighs 9.9 pounds? It goes 9.9 mph? We did see a few cool bikes there that most bike shops probably wouldn't carry including the Trek 69er. I had seen these online but wasn't sure what 69er meant (69 inch wheels?). Seeing the bike in person made things clear though - it has a 29 inch wheel on the front and a standard 26 inch wheel in the back (26 &amp; 29 -&gt; 69). No fancy poster to explain why this was a good idea and at more than $2,000 this single speed seemed a bit out of most people's price range. It seemed especially out of place given the fact the store also sells $30 plastic tricycles. Anyway, as you can tell we were completely unimpressed with Trek's concept of a bike store but we did come out with some ideas of our own about what Trek <em>could</em> have done. I also did some research about the Trek concept store idea and I'll be presenting a business perspective in a subsequent blog post so stay tuned. If there's a Trek concept store in your area don't get your hopes up - just head over to your local Trek dealer instead.
Community
Sorry for the lack of news
May 2, 2007
Mudhunny spotted an ad in Endurance magazine for North Carolina's first <a href="http://trekraleigh.com/index.cfm">Trek concept store in Raleigh</a> and since the trails were wet Saturday we decided to check it out. Before heading out we searched the Google for directions and came across the <a href="http://trekraleigh.com/index.cfm">store website</a> which left us a bit underwhelmed. The site looked like some bad B2B site or at the very least a rip off of the OSCommerce default web store template - but you can't always judge a business by its website. The store is located in a pretty non-descript suburban shopping center far outside town (see photo below) and from the outside we could tell our idea of "concept store" was way off. I mean, to me a concept store should be all about the brand and it should be flashy and hip and innovative in some way. This looked like a newish mom and pop bike store that would probably be out of business in 6 months or so (not unlike alot of bike shops). <div style="text-align: center"><img alt="trekstore.jpg" id="image274" src="https://www.singletracks.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/trekstore.jpg" /></div> Inside we saw some pretty flashy Trek bikes along with some other brands we didn't expect to see (like Intense and LeMond). The store wasn't all Trek as they carried plenty of Pearl Izumi clothes, Wrench Force tools, and Crank Brothers pedals. The size and layout really reminded us of an understocked Performance Bike store and the Trek branding was pretty crappy. Instead of huge wall-size lifestyle photos there were dorm-room style posters and a lone flat screen television looping some boring cycling video. I don't even remember any music playing in the store. Merchandising wasn't impressive and the endcap display bikes in the mountain bike section were some kind of flat bar road or triathalon bikes with slick, skinny tires. Signs printed on 8.5x11 inch white copier paper explained in Comic Sans font what a Trek Elite 9.9 mountain bike is all about. "The name says it all" the poster explained - what the hell does that mean? It weighs 9.9 pounds? It goes 9.9 mph? We did see a few cool bikes there that most bike shops probably wouldn't carry including the Trek 69er. I had seen these online but wasn't sure what 69er meant (69 inch wheels?). Seeing the bike in person made things clear though - it has a 29 inch wheel on the front and a standard 26 inch wheel in the back (26 &amp; 29 -&gt; 69). No fancy poster to explain why this was a good idea and at more than $2,000 this single speed seemed a bit out of most people's price range. It seemed especially out of place given the fact the store also sells $30 plastic tricycles. Anyway, as you can tell we were completely unimpressed with Trek's concept of a bike store but we did come out with some ideas of our own about what Trek <em>could</em> have done. I also did some research about the Trek concept store idea and I'll be presenting a business perspective in a subsequent blog post so stay tuned. If there's a Trek concept store in your area don't get your hopes up - just head over to your local Trek dealer instead.
Culture
Knowing your limits versus building your MTB skills
Apr 30, 2007
Alt text: Movie poster for "2 Solo," featuring a mountain biker in action and a close-up of a cyclist's face, with the tagline "One man's quest for a 7th world title and the punishment he'll take to get it." Brands like Volkswagen, Trek, and Nike are also featured.
Culture
24 Solo mountain bike movie
Apr 27, 2007
  1
A winding dirt path through a forest with tall, bare trees and a view of distant mountains under a blue sky with scattered clouds. Leaf litter covers the ground alongside the trail, and patches of green vegetation are visible.
Mountain Bike Trails
Douthat trip not all that
Apr 21, 2007
  2
Mudhunny spotted an ad in Endurance magazine for North Carolina's first <a href="http://trekraleigh.com/index.cfm">Trek concept store in Raleigh</a> and since the trails were wet Saturday we decided to check it out. Before heading out we searched the Google for directions and came across the <a href="http://trekraleigh.com/index.cfm">store website</a> which left us a bit underwhelmed. The site looked like some bad B2B site or at the very least a rip off of the OSCommerce default web store template - but you can't always judge a business by its website. The store is located in a pretty non-descript suburban shopping center far outside town (see photo below) and from the outside we could tell our idea of "concept store" was way off. I mean, to me a concept store should be all about the brand and it should be flashy and hip and innovative in some way. This looked like a newish mom and pop bike store that would probably be out of business in 6 months or so (not unlike alot of bike shops). <div style="text-align: center"><img alt="trekstore.jpg" id="image274" src="https://www.singletracks.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/trekstore.jpg" /></div> Inside we saw some pretty flashy Trek bikes along with some other brands we didn't expect to see (like Intense and LeMond). The store wasn't all Trek as they carried plenty of Pearl Izumi clothes, Wrench Force tools, and Crank Brothers pedals. The size and layout really reminded us of an understocked Performance Bike store and the Trek branding was pretty crappy. Instead of huge wall-size lifestyle photos there were dorm-room style posters and a lone flat screen television looping some boring cycling video. I don't even remember any music playing in the store. Merchandising wasn't impressive and the endcap display bikes in the mountain bike section were some kind of flat bar road or triathalon bikes with slick, skinny tires. Signs printed on 8.5x11 inch white copier paper explained in Comic Sans font what a Trek Elite 9.9 mountain bike is all about. "The name says it all" the poster explained - what the hell does that mean? It weighs 9.9 pounds? It goes 9.9 mph? We did see a few cool bikes there that most bike shops probably wouldn't carry including the Trek 69er. I had seen these online but wasn't sure what 69er meant (69 inch wheels?). Seeing the bike in person made things clear though - it has a 29 inch wheel on the front and a standard 26 inch wheel in the back (26 &amp; 29 -&gt; 69). No fancy poster to explain why this was a good idea and at more than $2,000 this single speed seemed a bit out of most people's price range. It seemed especially out of place given the fact the store also sells $30 plastic tricycles. Anyway, as you can tell we were completely unimpressed with Trek's concept of a bike store but we did come out with some ideas of our own about what Trek <em>could</em> have done. I also did some research about the Trek concept store idea and I'll be presenting a business perspective in a subsequent blog post so stay tuned. If there's a Trek concept store in your area don't get your hopes up - just head over to your local Trek dealer instead.
Community
Julian 7500 Death March as tough as Leadville?
Apr 19, 2007
Mudhunny spotted an ad in Endurance magazine for North Carolina's first <a href="http://trekraleigh.com/index.cfm">Trek concept store in Raleigh</a> and since the trails were wet Saturday we decided to check it out. Before heading out we searched the Google for directions and came across the <a href="http://trekraleigh.com/index.cfm">store website</a> which left us a bit underwhelmed. The site looked like some bad B2B site or at the very least a rip off of the OSCommerce default web store template - but you can't always judge a business by its website. The store is located in a pretty non-descript suburban shopping center far outside town (see photo below) and from the outside we could tell our idea of "concept store" was way off. I mean, to me a concept store should be all about the brand and it should be flashy and hip and innovative in some way. This looked like a newish mom and pop bike store that would probably be out of business in 6 months or so (not unlike alot of bike shops). <div style="text-align: center"><img alt="trekstore.jpg" id="image274" src="https://www.singletracks.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/trekstore.jpg" /></div> Inside we saw some pretty flashy Trek bikes along with some other brands we didn't expect to see (like Intense and LeMond). The store wasn't all Trek as they carried plenty of Pearl Izumi clothes, Wrench Force tools, and Crank Brothers pedals. The size and layout really reminded us of an understocked Performance Bike store and the Trek branding was pretty crappy. Instead of huge wall-size lifestyle photos there were dorm-room style posters and a lone flat screen television looping some boring cycling video. I don't even remember any music playing in the store. Merchandising wasn't impressive and the endcap display bikes in the mountain bike section were some kind of flat bar road or triathalon bikes with slick, skinny tires. Signs printed on 8.5x11 inch white copier paper explained in Comic Sans font what a Trek Elite 9.9 mountain bike is all about. "The name says it all" the poster explained - what the hell does that mean? It weighs 9.9 pounds? It goes 9.9 mph? We did see a few cool bikes there that most bike shops probably wouldn't carry including the Trek 69er. I had seen these online but wasn't sure what 69er meant (69 inch wheels?). Seeing the bike in person made things clear though - it has a 29 inch wheel on the front and a standard 26 inch wheel in the back (26 &amp; 29 -&gt; 69). No fancy poster to explain why this was a good idea and at more than $2,000 this single speed seemed a bit out of most people's price range. It seemed especially out of place given the fact the store also sells $30 plastic tricycles. Anyway, as you can tell we were completely unimpressed with Trek's concept of a bike store but we did come out with some ideas of our own about what Trek <em>could</em> have done. I also did some research about the Trek concept store idea and I'll be presenting a business perspective in a subsequent blog post so stay tuned. If there's a Trek concept store in your area don't get your hopes up - just head over to your local Trek dealer instead.
Community
Floyd Landis competing at Teva Mountain Games
Apr 18, 2007
A close-up image of a bicycle handlebar mirror, featuring a round reflective surface attached to a black adjustable arm and a textured grip.
Mountain Bikes and Gear
Mirror for a mountain bike?
Apr 18, 2007
Mudhunny spotted an ad in Endurance magazine for North Carolina's first <a href="http://trekraleigh.com/index.cfm">Trek concept store in Raleigh</a> and since the trails were wet Saturday we decided to check it out. Before heading out we searched the Google for directions and came across the <a href="http://trekraleigh.com/index.cfm">store website</a> which left us a bit underwhelmed. The site looked like some bad B2B site or at the very least a rip off of the OSCommerce default web store template - but you can't always judge a business by its website. The store is located in a pretty non-descript suburban shopping center far outside town (see photo below) and from the outside we could tell our idea of "concept store" was way off. I mean, to me a concept store should be all about the brand and it should be flashy and hip and innovative in some way. This looked like a newish mom and pop bike store that would probably be out of business in 6 months or so (not unlike alot of bike shops). <div style="text-align: center"><img alt="trekstore.jpg" id="image274" src="https://www.singletracks.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/trekstore.jpg" /></div> Inside we saw some pretty flashy Trek bikes along with some other brands we didn't expect to see (like Intense and LeMond). The store wasn't all Trek as they carried plenty of Pearl Izumi clothes, Wrench Force tools, and Crank Brothers pedals. The size and layout really reminded us of an understocked Performance Bike store and the Trek branding was pretty crappy. Instead of huge wall-size lifestyle photos there were dorm-room style posters and a lone flat screen television looping some boring cycling video. I don't even remember any music playing in the store. Merchandising wasn't impressive and the endcap display bikes in the mountain bike section were some kind of flat bar road or triathalon bikes with slick, skinny tires. Signs printed on 8.5x11 inch white copier paper explained in Comic Sans font what a Trek Elite 9.9 mountain bike is all about. "The name says it all" the poster explained - what the hell does that mean? It weighs 9.9 pounds? It goes 9.9 mph? We did see a few cool bikes there that most bike shops probably wouldn't carry including the Trek 69er. I had seen these online but wasn't sure what 69er meant (69 inch wheels?). Seeing the bike in person made things clear though - it has a 29 inch wheel on the front and a standard 26 inch wheel in the back (26 &amp; 29 -&gt; 69). No fancy poster to explain why this was a good idea and at more than $2,000 this single speed seemed a bit out of most people's price range. It seemed especially out of place given the fact the store also sells $30 plastic tricycles. Anyway, as you can tell we were completely unimpressed with Trek's concept of a bike store but we did come out with some ideas of our own about what Trek <em>could</em> have done. I also did some research about the Trek concept store idea and I'll be presenting a business perspective in a subsequent blog post so stay tuned. If there's a Trek concept store in your area don't get your hopes up - just head over to your local Trek dealer instead.
Culture
Equestrians gone wild
Apr 17, 2007
Three handheld GPS devices are displayed side by side on a wooden surface. The left device is a Garmin eTrex Vista, the middle device is a Magellan eXplorist 200 in yellow, and the right device is a Garmin Edge 305. Each device features a screen and varying designs in gray and yellow colors.
Mountain Bikes and Gear
Magellan eXplorist 200: Not for bikers
Apr 16, 2007
  2
Mudhunny spotted an ad in Endurance magazine for North Carolina's first <a href="http://trekraleigh.com/index.cfm">Trek concept store in Raleigh</a> and since the trails were wet Saturday we decided to check it out. Before heading out we searched the Google for directions and came across the <a href="http://trekraleigh.com/index.cfm">store website</a> which left us a bit underwhelmed. The site looked like some bad B2B site or at the very least a rip off of the OSCommerce default web store template - but you can't always judge a business by its website. The store is located in a pretty non-descript suburban shopping center far outside town (see photo below) and from the outside we could tell our idea of "concept store" was way off. I mean, to me a concept store should be all about the brand and it should be flashy and hip and innovative in some way. This looked like a newish mom and pop bike store that would probably be out of business in 6 months or so (not unlike alot of bike shops). <div style="text-align: center"><img alt="trekstore.jpg" id="image274" src="https://www.singletracks.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/trekstore.jpg" /></div> Inside we saw some pretty flashy Trek bikes along with some other brands we didn't expect to see (like Intense and LeMond). The store wasn't all Trek as they carried plenty of Pearl Izumi clothes, Wrench Force tools, and Crank Brothers pedals. The size and layout really reminded us of an understocked Performance Bike store and the Trek branding was pretty crappy. Instead of huge wall-size lifestyle photos there were dorm-room style posters and a lone flat screen television looping some boring cycling video. I don't even remember any music playing in the store. Merchandising wasn't impressive and the endcap display bikes in the mountain bike section were some kind of flat bar road or triathalon bikes with slick, skinny tires. Signs printed on 8.5x11 inch white copier paper explained in Comic Sans font what a Trek Elite 9.9 mountain bike is all about. "The name says it all" the poster explained - what the hell does that mean? It weighs 9.9 pounds? It goes 9.9 mph? We did see a few cool bikes there that most bike shops probably wouldn't carry including the Trek 69er. I had seen these online but wasn't sure what 69er meant (69 inch wheels?). Seeing the bike in person made things clear though - it has a 29 inch wheel on the front and a standard 26 inch wheel in the back (26 &amp; 29 -&gt; 69). No fancy poster to explain why this was a good idea and at more than $2,000 this single speed seemed a bit out of most people's price range. It seemed especially out of place given the fact the store also sells $30 plastic tricycles. Anyway, as you can tell we were completely unimpressed with Trek's concept of a bike store but we did come out with some ideas of our own about what Trek <em>could</em> have done. I also did some research about the Trek concept store idea and I'll be presenting a business perspective in a subsequent blog post so stay tuned. If there's a Trek concept store in your area don't get your hopes up - just head over to your local Trek dealer instead.
Community
Crankworx Colorado
Apr 16, 2007
A scenic view of a rocky landscape featuring a winding dirt path, with a cyclist riding along the trail. The background showcases a river meandering through the valley, surrounded by hills and sparse vegetation under a clear blue sky.
Community
Good chance to ride the Kokopelli trail
Apr 13, 2007
  2
Mountain Bike Trails
MTB trail access: Illegal trails
Apr 13, 2007
  3
Community
Klunkerz MTB documentary screening at Newport Beach Film Festival
Apr 12, 2007
Logo of TopoFusion featuring a stylized globe with an elevation graph and the text "topofusion.com."
Mountain Bikes and Gear
GPS software review: TopoFusion
Apr 12, 2007
  2
Culture
Indoor mountain biking
Apr 11, 2007
Mudhunny spotted an ad in Endurance magazine for North Carolina's first <a href="http://trekraleigh.com/index.cfm">Trek concept store in Raleigh</a> and since the trails were wet Saturday we decided to check it out. Before heading out we searched the Google for directions and came across the <a href="http://trekraleigh.com/index.cfm">store website</a> which left us a bit underwhelmed. The site looked like some bad B2B site or at the very least a rip off of the OSCommerce default web store template - but you can't always judge a business by its website. The store is located in a pretty non-descript suburban shopping center far outside town (see photo below) and from the outside we could tell our idea of "concept store" was way off. I mean, to me a concept store should be all about the brand and it should be flashy and hip and innovative in some way. This looked like a newish mom and pop bike store that would probably be out of business in 6 months or so (not unlike alot of bike shops). <div style="text-align: center"><img alt="trekstore.jpg" id="image274" src="https://www.singletracks.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/trekstore.jpg" /></div> Inside we saw some pretty flashy Trek bikes along with some other brands we didn't expect to see (like Intense and LeMond). The store wasn't all Trek as they carried plenty of Pearl Izumi clothes, Wrench Force tools, and Crank Brothers pedals. The size and layout really reminded us of an understocked Performance Bike store and the Trek branding was pretty crappy. Instead of huge wall-size lifestyle photos there were dorm-room style posters and a lone flat screen television looping some boring cycling video. I don't even remember any music playing in the store. Merchandising wasn't impressive and the endcap display bikes in the mountain bike section were some kind of flat bar road or triathalon bikes with slick, skinny tires. Signs printed on 8.5x11 inch white copier paper explained in Comic Sans font what a Trek Elite 9.9 mountain bike is all about. "The name says it all" the poster explained - what the hell does that mean? It weighs 9.9 pounds? It goes 9.9 mph? We did see a few cool bikes there that most bike shops probably wouldn't carry including the Trek 69er. I had seen these online but wasn't sure what 69er meant (69 inch wheels?). Seeing the bike in person made things clear though - it has a 29 inch wheel on the front and a standard 26 inch wheel in the back (26 &amp; 29 -&gt; 69). No fancy poster to explain why this was a good idea and at more than $2,000 this single speed seemed a bit out of most people's price range. It seemed especially out of place given the fact the store also sells $30 plastic tricycles. Anyway, as you can tell we were completely unimpressed with Trek's concept of a bike store but we did come out with some ideas of our own about what Trek <em>could</em> have done. I also did some research about the Trek concept store idea and I'll be presenting a business perspective in a subsequent blog post so stay tuned. If there's a Trek concept store in your area don't get your hopes up - just head over to your local Trek dealer instead.
Mountain Bike Trails
Voice your opinions in Oregon
Apr 11, 2007
A mountain biker navigating rocky terrain, leaning forward as they ride downhill over a steep, uneven surface under a clear blue sky.
Mountain Bike Trails
Pickin' your lines
Apr 10, 2007
Culture
Responsible New England riders & Marin whiners
Apr 9, 2007
Mountain Bike Trails
MTB trail access: Do bikes damage trails?
Apr 6, 2007
  1
A computer screen displaying a map and a corresponding elevation graph. The left side shows a green line tracing a route on a topographic map labeled "Taiwan Datan Equivalent Cylindrical Map," while the right side features a graph representing elevation changes over distance. Various data points are visible along the route on the left.
Mountain Bikes and Gear
Mac GPS Pro review: Solid but...
Apr 6, 2007
Graphic featuring the text "Singletracks bike the net" at the top, with "MTB Trail Access 2007" prominently displayed in the center. Below, there are four colored icons with the keywords: "Speak," "Build," "Respect," and "Ride." The background is a gradient from light blue to white.
Mountain Bike Trails
MTB Trail access: Share the trail
Apr 4, 2007
A 3D satellite map showcasing a mountainous landscape, with a winding road labeled "40" and the town of "Cherry Creek" marked. The image also displays the interstate highway "I-70" and various terrain features in the background.
Mountain Bikes and Gear
Topo maps in Google Earth: Map your bike trails
Apr 3, 2007
  1
Culture
MTB trails: Good and bad news
Apr 2, 2007
A Garmin Edge 205 Cycle Pack, featuring a GPS device and a blue water bottle, displayed in packaging. The package includes a photo of a cyclist and informational text about the product's features.
Mountain Bikes and Gear
Buy my Garmin Edge 205 GPS & get free membership
Mar 30, 2007
Image featuring the text "Upgrade to Premium" in stylized red font above a black barcode, with the website URL "S1NGL3TRACKS.COM" displayed below.
Community
Singletracks email newsletter launched
Mar 30, 2007
A muddy pathway through a wooded area, showing tire tracks and patches of grass surrounded by trees. The ground is wet and uneven, indicating recent rain or poor drainage.
Mountain Bike Trails
Wait for the mountain bike trails to dry before you ride
Mar 29, 2007
  1
A close-up view of two cyclists riding on a basketball court, focusing on their bikes. The cyclist on the left is wearing blue jeans and a dark sweater, while the cyclist on the right is on a yellow bike. The court surface features different colored sections.
Culture
The $242 track stand
Mar 28, 2007
  2
Alt text: A Garmin Edge 200 cycling computer and heart rate monitor, featuring a display screen that shows various metrics related to cycling performance. The device is black with a sleek design, alongside a chest strap used for heart rate monitoring.
GPS
Garmin Edge 305 review: Sweet but spendy
Mar 28, 2007
  1
Mudhunny spotted an ad in Endurance magazine for North Carolina's first <a href="http://trekraleigh.com/index.cfm">Trek concept store in Raleigh</a> and since the trails were wet Saturday we decided to check it out. Before heading out we searched the Google for directions and came across the <a href="http://trekraleigh.com/index.cfm">store website</a> which left us a bit underwhelmed. The site looked like some bad B2B site or at the very least a rip off of the OSCommerce default web store template - but you can't always judge a business by its website. The store is located in a pretty non-descript suburban shopping center far outside town (see photo below) and from the outside we could tell our idea of "concept store" was way off. I mean, to me a concept store should be all about the brand and it should be flashy and hip and innovative in some way. This looked like a newish mom and pop bike store that would probably be out of business in 6 months or so (not unlike alot of bike shops). <div style="text-align: center"><img alt="trekstore.jpg" id="image274" src="https://www.singletracks.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/trekstore.jpg" /></div> Inside we saw some pretty flashy Trek bikes along with some other brands we didn't expect to see (like Intense and LeMond). The store wasn't all Trek as they carried plenty of Pearl Izumi clothes, Wrench Force tools, and Crank Brothers pedals. The size and layout really reminded us of an understocked Performance Bike store and the Trek branding was pretty crappy. Instead of huge wall-size lifestyle photos there were dorm-room style posters and a lone flat screen television looping some boring cycling video. I don't even remember any music playing in the store. Merchandising wasn't impressive and the endcap display bikes in the mountain bike section were some kind of flat bar road or triathalon bikes with slick, skinny tires. Signs printed on 8.5x11 inch white copier paper explained in Comic Sans font what a Trek Elite 9.9 mountain bike is all about. "The name says it all" the poster explained - what the hell does that mean? It weighs 9.9 pounds? It goes 9.9 mph? We did see a few cool bikes there that most bike shops probably wouldn't carry including the Trek 69er. I had seen these online but wasn't sure what 69er meant (69 inch wheels?). Seeing the bike in person made things clear though - it has a 29 inch wheel on the front and a standard 26 inch wheel in the back (26 &amp; 29 -&gt; 69). No fancy poster to explain why this was a good idea and at more than $2,000 this single speed seemed a bit out of most people's price range. It seemed especially out of place given the fact the store also sells $30 plastic tricycles. Anyway, as you can tell we were completely unimpressed with Trek's concept of a bike store but we did come out with some ideas of our own about what Trek <em>could</em> have done. I also did some research about the Trek concept store idea and I'll be presenting a business perspective in a subsequent blog post so stay tuned. If there's a Trek concept store in your area don't get your hopes up - just head over to your local Trek dealer instead.
Mountain Bike Trails
Singletrack MINDS mountain biking documentary
Mar 27, 2007
Mudhunny spotted an ad in Endurance magazine for North Carolina's first <a href="http://trekraleigh.com/index.cfm">Trek concept store in Raleigh</a> and since the trails were wet Saturday we decided to check it out. Before heading out we searched the Google for directions and came across the <a href="http://trekraleigh.com/index.cfm">store website</a> which left us a bit underwhelmed. The site looked like some bad B2B site or at the very least a rip off of the OSCommerce default web store template - but you can't always judge a business by its website. The store is located in a pretty non-descript suburban shopping center far outside town (see photo below) and from the outside we could tell our idea of "concept store" was way off. I mean, to me a concept store should be all about the brand and it should be flashy and hip and innovative in some way. This looked like a newish mom and pop bike store that would probably be out of business in 6 months or so (not unlike alot of bike shops). <div style="text-align: center"><img alt="trekstore.jpg" id="image274" src="https://www.singletracks.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/trekstore.jpg" /></div> Inside we saw some pretty flashy Trek bikes along with some other brands we didn't expect to see (like Intense and LeMond). The store wasn't all Trek as they carried plenty of Pearl Izumi clothes, Wrench Force tools, and Crank Brothers pedals. The size and layout really reminded us of an understocked Performance Bike store and the Trek branding was pretty crappy. Instead of huge wall-size lifestyle photos there were dorm-room style posters and a lone flat screen television looping some boring cycling video. I don't even remember any music playing in the store. Merchandising wasn't impressive and the endcap display bikes in the mountain bike section were some kind of flat bar road or triathalon bikes with slick, skinny tires. Signs printed on 8.5x11 inch white copier paper explained in Comic Sans font what a Trek Elite 9.9 mountain bike is all about. "The name says it all" the poster explained - what the hell does that mean? It weighs 9.9 pounds? It goes 9.9 mph? We did see a few cool bikes there that most bike shops probably wouldn't carry including the Trek 69er. I had seen these online but wasn't sure what 69er meant (69 inch wheels?). Seeing the bike in person made things clear though - it has a 29 inch wheel on the front and a standard 26 inch wheel in the back (26 &amp; 29 -&gt; 69). No fancy poster to explain why this was a good idea and at more than $2,000 this single speed seemed a bit out of most people's price range. It seemed especially out of place given the fact the store also sells $30 plastic tricycles. Anyway, as you can tell we were completely unimpressed with Trek's concept of a bike store but we did come out with some ideas of our own about what Trek <em>could</em> have done. I also did some research about the Trek concept store idea and I'll be presenting a business perspective in a subsequent blog post so stay tuned. If there's a Trek concept store in your area don't get your hopes up - just head over to your local Trek dealer instead.
Mountain Bikes and Gear
Kids learn to build their own bike frames
Mar 26, 2007
A Garmin stopwatch with a digital display showing lap time, current time, and temperature, attached to a black strap.
Mountain Bikes and Gear
Garmin Forerunner 201 review: So-so for biking
Mar 25, 2007
Cover of a National Geographic CD-ROM for topographic maps of Colorado, featuring a detailed terrain map and text highlighting features like GPS readiness and seamless state coverage.
Mountain Bikes and Gear
National Geographic TOPO! - Expensive and sucky
Mar 23, 2007
  1
Mudhunny spotted an ad in Endurance magazine for North Carolina's first <a href="http://trekraleigh.com/index.cfm">Trek concept store in Raleigh</a> and since the trails were wet Saturday we decided to check it out. Before heading out we searched the Google for directions and came across the <a href="http://trekraleigh.com/index.cfm">store website</a> which left us a bit underwhelmed. The site looked like some bad B2B site or at the very least a rip off of the OSCommerce default web store template - but you can't always judge a business by its website. The store is located in a pretty non-descript suburban shopping center far outside town (see photo below) and from the outside we could tell our idea of "concept store" was way off. I mean, to me a concept store should be all about the brand and it should be flashy and hip and innovative in some way. This looked like a newish mom and pop bike store that would probably be out of business in 6 months or so (not unlike alot of bike shops). <div style="text-align: center"><img alt="trekstore.jpg" id="image274" src="https://www.singletracks.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/trekstore.jpg" /></div> Inside we saw some pretty flashy Trek bikes along with some other brands we didn't expect to see (like Intense and LeMond). The store wasn't all Trek as they carried plenty of Pearl Izumi clothes, Wrench Force tools, and Crank Brothers pedals. The size and layout really reminded us of an understocked Performance Bike store and the Trek branding was pretty crappy. Instead of huge wall-size lifestyle photos there were dorm-room style posters and a lone flat screen television looping some boring cycling video. I don't even remember any music playing in the store. Merchandising wasn't impressive and the endcap display bikes in the mountain bike section were some kind of flat bar road or triathalon bikes with slick, skinny tires. Signs printed on 8.5x11 inch white copier paper explained in Comic Sans font what a Trek Elite 9.9 mountain bike is all about. "The name says it all" the poster explained - what the hell does that mean? It weighs 9.9 pounds? It goes 9.9 mph? We did see a few cool bikes there that most bike shops probably wouldn't carry including the Trek 69er. I had seen these online but wasn't sure what 69er meant (69 inch wheels?). Seeing the bike in person made things clear though - it has a 29 inch wheel on the front and a standard 26 inch wheel in the back (26 &amp; 29 -&gt; 69). No fancy poster to explain why this was a good idea and at more than $2,000 this single speed seemed a bit out of most people's price range. It seemed especially out of place given the fact the store also sells $30 plastic tricycles. Anyway, as you can tell we were completely unimpressed with Trek's concept of a bike store but we did come out with some ideas of our own about what Trek <em>could</em> have done. I also did some research about the Trek concept store idea and I'll be presenting a business perspective in a subsequent blog post so stay tuned. If there's a Trek concept store in your area don't get your hopes up - just head over to your local Trek dealer instead.
Culture
MTB skills training
Mar 23, 2007
A panoramic view of the Cleveland skyline during sunset, showcasing tall skyscrapers and the iconic Key Tower. The image features a bridge crossing a river, along with bustling city streets below, painted in warm hues of orange and purple from the setting sun.
Mountain Bike Trails
MTB park coming to midtown Cleveland
Mar 22, 2007
A graphic featuring a silhouette of a bicycle against a gradient blue background, with the text "Your bike here" at the top and "Give trek7k a new name" at the bottom.
Mountain Bikes and Gear
Who watches MTB races anyway?
Mar 22, 2007
A person riding a lightweight all-terrain vehicle jumps over a log on a dirt trail, surrounded by trees. Dust is kicked up behind as they navigate an outdoor obstacle course, showcasing the thrill of off-road racing. A spectator can be seen in the background.
Mountain Bikes and Gear
4-wheel mountain bikes
Mar 21, 2007
Culture
Stripped: mountain bike movie
Mar 21, 2007
A panoramic view of the Grand Canyon, showcasing its dramatic layers of red and gray rock formations under a clear blue sky. The landscape features steep cliffs and valleys, illustrating the natural beauty and geological history of the area.
Mountain Bike Trails
MTB: in the Grand Canyon?
Mar 20, 2007
  1
Mudhunny spotted an ad in Endurance magazine for North Carolina's first <a href="http://trekraleigh.com/index.cfm">Trek concept store in Raleigh</a> and since the trails were wet Saturday we decided to check it out. Before heading out we searched the Google for directions and came across the <a href="http://trekraleigh.com/index.cfm">store website</a> which left us a bit underwhelmed. The site looked like some bad B2B site or at the very least a rip off of the OSCommerce default web store template - but you can't always judge a business by its website. The store is located in a pretty non-descript suburban shopping center far outside town (see photo below) and from the outside we could tell our idea of "concept store" was way off. I mean, to me a concept store should be all about the brand and it should be flashy and hip and innovative in some way. This looked like a newish mom and pop bike store that would probably be out of business in 6 months or so (not unlike alot of bike shops). <div style="text-align: center"><img alt="trekstore.jpg" id="image274" src="https://www.singletracks.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/trekstore.jpg" /></div> Inside we saw some pretty flashy Trek bikes along with some other brands we didn't expect to see (like Intense and LeMond). The store wasn't all Trek as they carried plenty of Pearl Izumi clothes, Wrench Force tools, and Crank Brothers pedals. The size and layout really reminded us of an understocked Performance Bike store and the Trek branding was pretty crappy. Instead of huge wall-size lifestyle photos there were dorm-room style posters and a lone flat screen television looping some boring cycling video. I don't even remember any music playing in the store. Merchandising wasn't impressive and the endcap display bikes in the mountain bike section were some kind of flat bar road or triathalon bikes with slick, skinny tires. Signs printed on 8.5x11 inch white copier paper explained in Comic Sans font what a Trek Elite 9.9 mountain bike is all about. "The name says it all" the poster explained - what the hell does that mean? It weighs 9.9 pounds? It goes 9.9 mph? We did see a few cool bikes there that most bike shops probably wouldn't carry including the Trek 69er. I had seen these online but wasn't sure what 69er meant (69 inch wheels?). Seeing the bike in person made things clear though - it has a 29 inch wheel on the front and a standard 26 inch wheel in the back (26 &amp; 29 -&gt; 69). No fancy poster to explain why this was a good idea and at more than $2,000 this single speed seemed a bit out of most people's price range. It seemed especially out of place given the fact the store also sells $30 plastic tricycles. Anyway, as you can tell we were completely unimpressed with Trek's concept of a bike store but we did come out with some ideas of our own about what Trek <em>could</em> have done. I also did some research about the Trek concept store idea and I'll be presenting a business perspective in a subsequent blog post so stay tuned. If there's a Trek concept store in your area don't get your hopes up - just head over to your local Trek dealer instead.
Mountain Bikes and Gear
Automatic transmission for bikes
Mar 20, 2007
Cover of the documentary titled "No Way!", featuring bold red text against a black background. The title is accompanied by images of BMX biking, and the logos of GT and Adidas are displayed at the top. The documentary is described as "The BMX Boy Story" by Brian Grasso.
Culture
No Way! The Hans Rey Story video clip
Mar 19, 2007
Image of the software Topo USA 6.0 National Edition, featuring a topographic map displayed on a computer screen. The design includes a white border and the title prominently shown at the bottom.
Mountain Bikes and Gear
GPS software review: Delorme Topo 6.0
Mar 19, 2007
  3
Mudhunny spotted an ad in Endurance magazine for North Carolina's first <a href="http://trekraleigh.com/index.cfm">Trek concept store in Raleigh</a> and since the trails were wet Saturday we decided to check it out. Before heading out we searched the Google for directions and came across the <a href="http://trekraleigh.com/index.cfm">store website</a> which left us a bit underwhelmed. The site looked like some bad B2B site or at the very least a rip off of the OSCommerce default web store template - but you can't always judge a business by its website. The store is located in a pretty non-descript suburban shopping center far outside town (see photo below) and from the outside we could tell our idea of "concept store" was way off. I mean, to me a concept store should be all about the brand and it should be flashy and hip and innovative in some way. This looked like a newish mom and pop bike store that would probably be out of business in 6 months or so (not unlike alot of bike shops). <div style="text-align: center"><img alt="trekstore.jpg" id="image274" src="https://www.singletracks.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/trekstore.jpg" /></div> Inside we saw some pretty flashy Trek bikes along with some other brands we didn't expect to see (like Intense and LeMond). The store wasn't all Trek as they carried plenty of Pearl Izumi clothes, Wrench Force tools, and Crank Brothers pedals. The size and layout really reminded us of an understocked Performance Bike store and the Trek branding was pretty crappy. Instead of huge wall-size lifestyle photos there were dorm-room style posters and a lone flat screen television looping some boring cycling video. I don't even remember any music playing in the store. Merchandising wasn't impressive and the endcap display bikes in the mountain bike section were some kind of flat bar road or triathalon bikes with slick, skinny tires. Signs printed on 8.5x11 inch white copier paper explained in Comic Sans font what a Trek Elite 9.9 mountain bike is all about. "The name says it all" the poster explained - what the hell does that mean? It weighs 9.9 pounds? It goes 9.9 mph? We did see a few cool bikes there that most bike shops probably wouldn't carry including the Trek 69er. I had seen these online but wasn't sure what 69er meant (69 inch wheels?). Seeing the bike in person made things clear though - it has a 29 inch wheel on the front and a standard 26 inch wheel in the back (26 &amp; 29 -&gt; 69). No fancy poster to explain why this was a good idea and at more than $2,000 this single speed seemed a bit out of most people's price range. It seemed especially out of place given the fact the store also sells $30 plastic tricycles. Anyway, as you can tell we were completely unimpressed with Trek's concept of a bike store but we did come out with some ideas of our own about what Trek <em>could</em> have done. I also did some research about the Trek concept store idea and I'll be presenting a business perspective in a subsequent blog post so stay tuned. If there's a Trek concept store in your area don't get your hopes up - just head over to your local Trek dealer instead.
Mountain Bike Trails
The Fruita of the Front Range ... In Pueblo?
Mar 19, 2007
  1
A blue, modern-style pedal bicycle with a unique low-step frame design and a large, comfortable seat. The handlebars are high and curved, and the bike features large wheels with thin tires. The bike is positioned against a neutral white background, emphasizing its sleek design.
Mountain Bikes and Gear
The Stair Cycle
Mar 17, 2007
Mudhunny spotted an ad in Endurance magazine for North Carolina's first <a href="http://trekraleigh.com/index.cfm">Trek concept store in Raleigh</a> and since the trails were wet Saturday we decided to check it out. Before heading out we searched the Google for directions and came across the <a href="http://trekraleigh.com/index.cfm">store website</a> which left us a bit underwhelmed. The site looked like some bad B2B site or at the very least a rip off of the OSCommerce default web store template - but you can't always judge a business by its website. The store is located in a pretty non-descript suburban shopping center far outside town (see photo below) and from the outside we could tell our idea of "concept store" was way off. I mean, to me a concept store should be all about the brand and it should be flashy and hip and innovative in some way. This looked like a newish mom and pop bike store that would probably be out of business in 6 months or so (not unlike alot of bike shops). <div style="text-align: center"><img alt="trekstore.jpg" id="image274" src="https://www.singletracks.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/trekstore.jpg" /></div> Inside we saw some pretty flashy Trek bikes along with some other brands we didn't expect to see (like Intense and LeMond). The store wasn't all Trek as they carried plenty of Pearl Izumi clothes, Wrench Force tools, and Crank Brothers pedals. The size and layout really reminded us of an understocked Performance Bike store and the Trek branding was pretty crappy. Instead of huge wall-size lifestyle photos there were dorm-room style posters and a lone flat screen television looping some boring cycling video. I don't even remember any music playing in the store. Merchandising wasn't impressive and the endcap display bikes in the mountain bike section were some kind of flat bar road or triathalon bikes with slick, skinny tires. Signs printed on 8.5x11 inch white copier paper explained in Comic Sans font what a Trek Elite 9.9 mountain bike is all about. "The name says it all" the poster explained - what the hell does that mean? It weighs 9.9 pounds? It goes 9.9 mph? We did see a few cool bikes there that most bike shops probably wouldn't carry including the Trek 69er. I had seen these online but wasn't sure what 69er meant (69 inch wheels?). Seeing the bike in person made things clear though - it has a 29 inch wheel on the front and a standard 26 inch wheel in the back (26 &amp; 29 -&gt; 69). No fancy poster to explain why this was a good idea and at more than $2,000 this single speed seemed a bit out of most people's price range. It seemed especially out of place given the fact the store also sells $30 plastic tricycles. Anyway, as you can tell we were completely unimpressed with Trek's concept of a bike store but we did come out with some ideas of our own about what Trek <em>could</em> have done. I also did some research about the Trek concept store idea and I'll be presenting a business perspective in a subsequent blog post so stay tuned. If there's a Trek concept store in your area don't get your hopes up - just head over to your local Trek dealer instead.
Mountain Bike Trails
Epic ride: What happened to Gabi?
Mar 17, 2007
  1
A handheld Garmin eTrex Vista GPS device displaying a map screen with details such as elevation, distance, and bearing. The device features a silver body with a black side grip and buttons, including the eTrex logo on the front.
Mountain Bikes and Gear
What to do with a broken Garmin eTrex Vista?
Mar 16, 2007
  3