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
 
Two mountain bikers navigating a wooden bridge on a trail through a lush green forest. One rider is mid-jump, while the other rides behind on a dirt path. The scene features tall trees and scattered foliage, creating a natural woodland environment.
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A promotional flyer for Ray's Indoor MTB Park, featuring events for two locations: Cleveland, OH and Milwaukee, WI. The flyer includes a bright blue section announcing a grand opening BBQ, event dates, times, and activities such as a membership drive and celebrity BBQ events. Images of food, including BBQ sausages, are prominently displayed, along with contact information for event coordinator Eric Schuett.
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Aerial view of a mountain bike race starting line, featuring a group of cyclists riding through a rustic dirt path beneath a blue archway. Surrounding the track are trees and sparse vegetation, with a vehicle parked off to the side.
Close-up of a bicycle headlight mounted on the handlebars, featuring a shiny metallic design and an illuminated beam, with a blurred background of tree bark.
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A scenic outdoor setting featuring a mountain biker loading bicycles onto a vehicle. The image includes the text "Howell at the Moon production" prominently displayed, indicating a focus on biking adventures. Trees and nature surround the scene, suggesting an active, adventurous lifestyle.
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A white mountain bike with a sturdy frame, black handlebars, and wider tires. The bike features a single gear setup and disc brakes, positioned at an angle to display the wheels and seat.
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Two mountain bikers navigating a winding dirt trail through a dense forest. One rider is wearing a black and red jersey, while the other is dressed in an orange and black jersey. Both cyclists are focused on their path, surrounded by tall trees and lush ferns.
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Cover of the Mountain Bike magazine featuring a mountain biker navigating a trail through a wooded area. The headline highlights "Singletrack of the Future" and mentions "11 Hot Bikes 2011" along with articles on Colorado's trails and a profile of mountain biker Gary Fisher.
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Image of high-tech sports eyewear featuring a heads-up display system. The display includes metrics such as heartrate, cadence, power, speed, and time, designed for athletes to access performance data while training. The product is branded with "Sport-iiiiis."
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Mobile screenshot of the Singletracks website, displaying a navigation bar with links to trails, reviews, and blog. The page features an advertisement for Waterford Bikes, along with a section labeled "Peavine Creek Check-ins" showing the username "trek7k" and a timestamp of "mon @ 1:03pm."
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A group of seven people, including adults and children, posing together in a forested area. They are wearing helmets and casual clothing, and several are holding bicycles. The scene conveys a sense of camaraderie and enjoyment of outdoor biking activities.
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Image of a Delorme GPS device and satellite communicator. On the left, a small black satellite communicator with indicator lights; on the right, a larger device featuring a color display and various buttons for navigation and settings. The two devices are shown with a connection symbol between them, indicating they can communicate with each other.
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A close-up image of a mountain bike featuring a solid gold carbon fork and a thick tire, against a blue background. The bike frame showcases a sleek design with a focus on the fork and wheel detail.
A mountain biker navigates a rocky trail surrounded by tall trees under a clear blue sky. The rider wears a helmet and protective gear, showcasing an intense focus as they tackle the challenging terrain. A red and white sign indicating a race course can be seen in the background.
A close-up view of a black mountain bike frame in a desert landscape, featuring a handlebar and symbol marked with question marks. The background shows rocky hills and sparse vegetation under a clear blue sky.
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A package of Finish Line Gear Floss, a microfiber rope designed for cleaning bicycle components, displayed on a stand. The packaging features a black and white checkerboard design with the product name prominently labeled.
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A gray and yellow backpack rests on the ground beside a mountain bike, with a scenic backdrop of mountains and greenery. The scene is bright and sunny, indicating an outdoor adventure setting.
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A man in a green t-shirt stands in front of a display featuring bicycles and bike components. He is holding a white bicycle handlebar with both hands and smiling at the camera. In the background, there are visible bike wheels and a staircase.
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Image of three bicycle pumps in varying colors and sizes, displayed against a bright background. The pumps include a close-up inset illustrating the two types of valve compatibility: Presta and Schrader. The left pump is black, the middle one is silver, and the right one is gold. Text at the bottom reads "TEAM ISSUE NEW."
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Two packets of Clif Shot energy gels are displayed on a metal surface. The packet on the left is labeled "CLIF SHOT TURBO" in silver, featuring "Double Espresso + Caffeine," while the packet on the right is labeled "CLIF SHOT ENERGY GEL" in brown, with "Chocolate" written on it. Both packets indicate the “New Formula.”
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Mountain bike displayed on a stand, featuring a sleek black and red design. The bike showcases a lightweight frame, prominent suspension fork, and rugged tires, indicating a focus on performance and off-road capability. In the background, people are browsing other bicycles in a trade show setting.
A Garmin GPS device displaying a map with the status message "GPS is Off." The screen shows various roads and landmarks, with a highlighted location marked as "Coordinates." The device is positioned on a stand, with a charging cable connected.
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Purple bicycle grips with textured design attached to a display card featuring a graphic background. The grips are labeled as "Long Jolly" by Spank.
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A red and orange backpack displayed in a silver frame, featuring tags and a hydration tube attached to it. The backpack has multiple compartments and is set against a neutral background.
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A black bicycle with yellow handlebars positioned on rocky terrain, set against a backdrop of desert hills and a clear blue sky. The bike features thin tires suitable for off-road cycling, and there are sparse shrubs in the surrounding area.
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A mountain bike positioned on rocky terrain, with a background showing another cyclist on a trail. The setting is a dry, desert-like environment with sparse vegetation and distant hills under a clear blue sky.
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A mountain bike resting against a large rock in a desert landscape, surrounded by dry brush and rocky terrain. The sky is clear and blue, with distant mountains visible in the background.
Mountain bike resting on rocky terrain, with a backdrop of red and brown hills under a clear blue sky. The bike features a sleek design with a black and white frame, prominent tires, and visible gear components, showcasing its suitability for rugged outdoor trails.
A large cardboard box labeled "Trek 7K Bicycles" with caution stickers indicating "DO NOT FLAT" and "FRAGILE." The box is positioned in a parking lot with a clear blue sky and mountains in the background.
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Graphic design featuring a circular gear symbol at the top with the text "2010" above and "BEST OF MTB" below, accompanied by two green ribbon tails.
A set of ski goggles paired with a compact action camera, positioned next to a map highlighting Whistler, British Columbia. The map displays geographic coordinates and elevation details, emphasizing an outdoor adventure setting.
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Close-up view of a Cannondale mountain bike frame featuring bold green and black lettering. The bike's shock absorber is visible, highlighting its suspension system. In the background, other bicycles and people are partially blurred, indicating a busy outdoor event or exhibition.
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A mountain biker crossing a wooden bridge on a trail surrounded by lush green foliage and mountain scenery. The rider is in motion, emphasizing a dynamic outdoor adventure experience.
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A group of three men standing near bicycles in an outdoor setting. One man, wearing a black shirt and shorts, is speaking animatedly. Another man, dressed in a cycling jersey and helmet, listens intently while standing next to a bike. The third man, in a dark shirt, appears engaged in the conversation. In the background, there are trees and a wooden structure.
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A cyclist riding on a rocky mountain trail, with steep slopes and pine trees in the background. The path winds gently up the hillside under a cloudy sky.
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A topographical map displayed in the MapSource software, featuring a highlighted track in yellow that outlines the trails in Heritage Park. The map includes a menu on the left side with options related to track management. The background shows detailed elevation contours and roadways.
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Two individuals biking along a dirt trail in a lush green forest, surrounded by tall trees and sunlight filtering through the leaves. A small pool of water reflects the surrounding vegetation on one side of the path.
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