Dirtscrolls

By Stevil Kinevil “New bike wood.” Robert Ives first uttered this phrase to me some 18 years ago in reference to that specific and very special feeling one gets when he or she has a new bike. Specifically, for those whose minds are not naturally in the gutter, it refers to an erection. Now, unlike ...

Conation Collective Conation Collective is a new, Colorado based boutique clothing manufacturer that specializes in high-end “western” look apparel. While the brand sources top quality materials from France, Italy and Australia, it’s all sent to the U.S., where the clothing is designed, printed and constructed. Founder Matt Hayes is a long-time industry veteran with the ...

Photos and information from MTBProject.com. The Tour de Patapsco is a 53.7 mile ride for experienced intermediate and advanced riders that will challenge the technical skills and endurance of even the most accomplished mountain bikers. Although at all times you’ll be within minutes of suburban Baltimore/DC, you’ll feel like you’re on a remote backcountry adventure. ...

Editor’s note: This story first appeared in Dirt Rag Issue #181, published in November 2014. Words by Jeff Archer. Photos by Seth Archer. For every component that makes it to the bike shop, there are hundreds that never see the market. Some of these come from undercapitalized garage tinkerers, while others are from big-name companies ...

Contest ended. Congrats to Ben Berry of Columbus, OH! We’re sorry The promotion you are trying to access has ended. Elevate your bike maintenance with this professional level tool kit to take you and your bike anywhere. Feedback Sports has partnered with us to giveaway one of their Sports Team Edition tool kits, enter to win ...

Editor’s note: This “Beer Me” column first appeared in Dirt Rag Issue #150, published in July 2010. Words and photo by Alastair Bland. Our favorite bubbly beverage just may be beer. For other occasions—like when we’re feeling a bit more culinary or just want a faster kick—we often reach for wine, and together these forces ...

Photos and information from MTBProject.com. This 12.5 mile loop offers a choice selection of the 30-plus miles of trails in Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness Loop trail network. All trails are only 2-4 miles from downtown Knoxville, Tennessee. The trails offer something for everyone: rock gardens, buff singletrack, paved greenways and gravel doubletrack. There are several trailheads ...

By Watts Dixon Illustration by Stephen Haynes He’d been walking around the shop for 15 minutes or so, silently taking everything in. Occasionally he’d stop and examine a particular bike … squeezing a brake or running a hand across the tread of a tire … staring fixedly at a fork crown … or absently at ...

Lezyne, now in its 10th year of existence, has branched out well beyond making just pumps and minitools. Its product portfolio now also includes LED lights, GPS units and heart rate monitor straps mixed in among multitools, minipumps, floor pumps and digital floor pumps. On the tool side the company now makes high quality shop ...

Editor’s note: This story first appeared in Dirt Rag Issue #184, published in May 2015. Words and photos by Jeff Archer. Early “klunker” mountain bikes were based on balloon-tired cruisers from the ’30s through the ’50s. Because of this, many of the parts used on these bikes were not really suited to the task. Cruiser ...

Contest ended. Congrats to Robert Rader of Butte, MT! We’re sorry The promotion you are trying to access has ended. Evoc USA has partnered with us to giveaway one for their CC10L Hydration Packs! Enter to win below.     The newly re-designed EVOC CC 10l is an extremely versatile, compact and lightweight bike backpack. Despite its ...

by Zach White Weight: 29.5lbs with pedals, size Large Sizes: Small, Medium, Large(tested), XL MSRP:  $6999   After a couple of years out of the rotation, Rocky Mountain is putting Slayer back into the mix. This is where it’d be appropriate to reminisce of the original Slayer models and share little tidbits of personal experience ...

Cover illustration: Riding the primordial soup by Stephen Haynes This issue is all about daring and adventure! Get it right here right now! Columns and Readings Watts Dixon tells about making a gorilla adjustment in Hangdown In The Wheelstrings and Stevil Kinevil makes his thoughts very clear on hikers who throw their bag of pupper’s ...

Editor’s note: This “Beer Me” column first appeared in Dirt Rag Issue #147, published in February 2010. Words by Alastair Bland. Photo by Justin Steiner. As the sun first peeks over the eastern skyline, coffee pots beyond counting begin to gurgle throughout the time zone. But beer at dawn is taboo. Even a mid-morning pint ...

Advocacy work isn’t often fun or compelling reading. But it is important. Vitally important. Which is why we went to the IMBA World Summit. There is much to talk about from the summit, but since we all know most of us riders won’t want to read about the nitty-gritty, I’m going to hit you with a ...

Words by Trey Richardson Photos by Mike Cushionbury and David Wltshire A former mountain bike pro for the Giant Mid-Atlantic Pro Cycling Team turned mad scientist, Matt Miller took his hands-on racing experience and conjured up an idea that, quite honestly, both he and I couldn’t believe hadn’t been done before … and not just ...

Words: Karen Brooks Photos: Sterling Lorence Women’s brand Liv doubles down on the women’s market with two fresh new models. A group of 20 female journalists from around the world got to sample the all-mountain/enduro Hail and the XC/trail Pique on beautifully rugged trails around Sedona, Arizona, led by Liv celebrity coaches Lindsey Voreis and ...

Photos and information from MTBProject.com. The Rattling Creek IMBA Epic offers a mix of rocky singletrack, woods roads, punchy climbs and flowy singletrack. The 22 mile route is fun in both directions. Riding the system in a counter-clockwise direction will give you a chance to see the general order in which the trails were built. ...

Mountain Bike Trailer Park is written by Uncle Dan. He thanks you for your attention. If you’ve been reading this column for a while, you may notice that I close each post with an admonition to “be brave.” You may wonder why I do that (but probably not). Either way, let me explain. There’s a ...

Editor’s note: This story first appeared in Dirt Rag Issue #188, published in November 2015. Words and Photos by Jeff Archer. Occasionally we get an orphan bike that can make researching very difficult. A “garage” builder may have made only five bikes for his friends, it could be a sample that never entered production or ...

Contest ended. Congrats to Owen Kleberg of Maple Grove, MN! We’re sorry The promotion you are trying to access has ended.     Sturmfist Gloves are designed to block cold wind winter weather while wicking moisture to keep hands dry and comfortable in the worst winter conditions. Aerogel blocks cold transfer from the handlebars.   ...

Editor’s note: This “Beer Me” column first appeared in Dirt Rag Issue #144, published in August 2009. Words and photo by Alastair Bland. Hopheads: these loud and influential beer drinkers have been slapping their dollars on brewpub countertops for two decades now, demanding the bitterest beer in the house. The India Pale Ale satisfied them ...

Trail information and photos courtesy of MTB Project. Overview Being one of the least rocky trails in the Phoenix area makes this a great place for the cross-country rider. The trails wind through scenic Sonoran desert that provide picturesque views of Red (McDowell) Mountain. The last of half of the Saguaro Trail (aka Mine Trail) ...

Reprinted from Dirt Rag #194.  Thank you, thank you. Thank you very much. Friends, readers and fellow cyclists: I humbly and gratefully thank you for bothering to read another edition of The Rant. Who would have believed that when I started this journey—because I started out packing boxes at Dirt Rag headquarters more than eight ...

Words: Hurl Everstone Wednesday nights got weird in the mid ’90s in Minneapolis, Minnesota, when some of the local dirt bags darkening the door on the weekly Wednesday night ride started showing up on singlespeed mountain bikes. These hump-day rolls had been initiated by several employees from Quality Bicycle Products and typically included a singletrack ...

Editor’s note: This story first appeared in Dirt Rag Issue #157, published in July 2011. Words and photos by Jeff Archer. Much of the early mountain bike action was taking place in and around Marin County, California, but there were pockets of activity around the country. One such place was Steamboat Springs, Colorado, home of ...

Contest ended. Congrats to John Hanlon of Catonsville, MD! We’re sorry The promotion you are trying to access has ended.   The Freerider EPS with Primaloft was designed for winter use, protecting you from the elements and delivering the classic performance of the Freerider’s Stealth® S1- rubber outsole in even the coldest of conditions. Heavily insulated and ...

Marin reintroduced this new Pine Mountain to celebrate its 30th anniversary and it harkens back to the early days of mountain biking, when exploration and adventure were coded into the DNA of the then-emerging sport. However, this is not a throwback reproduction bike. Rather, Marin produced an adventure-ready rig with a modern geometry and plus-sized ...

Tester: Katherine Fuller Age: 30 Height: 5’4″ Weight: 120 lbs. Inseam: 31” Price: $4,200 Sizes: S, (Tested), M, L, XL Online: Kona Bikes I laughed when the powers that be said I was getting a “race” bike to test because racing is not exactly my thing, but it immediately became apparent that approaching this review ...

Words: Alice E. Key Illustration: Stephen Haynes She said comfortable clothes. My powder blue linen short overalls are comfortable, and I like how they look with my dorky powder blue Mary Jane Birkenstocks. Just because it is a mountain bike ride, it doesn’t mean I have to look like an athlete. Besides, I don’t own ...

Editor’s note: This “Beer Me” column first appeared in Dirt Rag Issue #188, published in November 2015. Words and photo by Alastair Bland. When beer time rolls around these days, I won’t drink just anything. Session beers are all the rage now, but these low-alcohol brews are too little and too weak for those of ...

Photos and information from MTBProject.com  Skyline is a 15-mile (one-way) singletrack trail in southern California’s Big Bear and San Bernadino National Forest—a cross country ride on a high mountain ridge with few sustained up or downhill grades. The trail is relatively flat but hangs out between 7,500 and 8,000 feet, so bring your lungs! The ...

Tester: Mike Cushionbury Age: 46 Height: 5’10” Weight: 157 lbs. Inseam: 32” Price: $6,199 (as tested), $2,999 (frame and shock only) Sizes: S, M, (tested) L, XL More: Ibis Cycles It’s been just over 10 years since the legendary Ibis Mojo 2 was released. At that time it was one of the most definitive trail ...

Editor’s note: This story first appeared in Dirt Rag Issue #153, published in November 2010. Words and photos by Jeff Archer. Many riders are familiar with the current carbon fiber offerings from Ibis Cycles but may not realize the company has deep mountain biking roots that can be traced back to Scot Nicol’s garage circa ...

Contest ended. Congrats to: Winner: Arthur Wathan of Oklahoma City, OK Winner: David Jacobson of Middleboro, MA Winner: Pedro Cerda of Lareo,TX We’re sorry The promotion you are trying to access has ended.     NiteRider® is giving away two (2) Lumina OLED 950 lights, perfect for your fall after-hours singletrack sessions. — The NiteRider® Lumina™ OLED 950 Boost is an ...

Tester: Eric McKeegan Price: $500 Wireless actuation of devices is well-established in the tech world, but Magura is one of few using it in the bike world. While some might expect my normally curmudgeonly self to be grumpy about the complexity of an electronic system replacing mechanical devices, I’m willing to make an exception for ...

Words and illustration: Paul De Valera The Idea It seemed like a great idea. We go to Wal-Mart, buy bikes, race a trail loop and then return said bikes for a refund; the first one to do so is the winner. When I told people about it they howled with laughter or looked at me ...

Editor’s note: This “Beer Me” column first appeared in Dirt Rag Issue #98, published in February 2003. Back then, kind readers would occasionally send in beer samples for our Quaffing Crew to evaluate (hint, hint). Words by Brad Quartuccio. Let the quaffing session begin! With a case of Victory Brewing Storm King Imperial Stout appearing on our ...

Photos and information from MTBProject.com In southeastern Ohio, there are quite a few rides to be had in the Wayne National Forest. This challenging, 16-mile ride is just one option in an area full of technical trails. In this area alone, there are about 40 additional miles of riding you could tack on to this ...

Words: Rebecca Rush Illustration: Stephen Haynes A few columns back I wrote about my definition of winning and defiantly stated that it had little to do with a podium and more to do with personal performance. My definition of winning hasn’t changed, but lately I’ve become more aware of what losing is because in the ...

Editor’s note: This story first appeared in Dirt Rag Issue #154, published in February 2011. Words and photos by Jeff Archer. Recently, I was asked by a local high school student to be his mentor for his senior project. Jordan needed 15 project hours, which included activities such as building bikes, attending our IMBA Trail ...

Contest ended. Congrats to Lee Lewis of Livermore, CA! We’re sorry The promotion you are trying to access has ended.   This Syncros kit will get you dialed for the days ahead. The Syncros XR 1.0 carbon saddle is super light and super comfortable for miles on the trail. There’s also a Matchbox Tailor cage, ...

Tester: Jon Pratt Price: $200 (MIPS), $150 (non-MIPS) Sizing: XS/S 54-56 cm, M/L 57-59 cm, XL/XXL 60-62 cm Helmets are meant to keep you safe, and the 661 Evo Am MIPS helmet relies on two modern technologies to do just that. First, 661 uses Contego EPS foam instead of the standard EPS foam. Contego incorporates ...

Editor’s Note: This “Beer Me” column first appeared in Dirt Rag Issue #182, published in February 2015. Words and photo by Alastair Bland. When it comes to aging a special beer in a used booze barrel, most brewers follow a rather standard formula: They put a dark beer containing at least 10 percent alcohol by ...

Photos by Caleb Smith and the author. Let me start this out with some honesty. The last time I was on a downhill hike was almost two years ago, and even then I was nursing a torn rotator cuff. While I’ve always enjoyed true DH riding, it doesn’t happen very often, so keep that in ...

Information and photos from MTBProject.com.  It’s not winter just yet, nor do we want to rush it, but Oil Well Flats near Canon City, Colorado, has become a go-to winter riding destination when most of the state’s most populated area’s are covered in snow. This 13-mile ride offers a sampling of the system trails. Located in ...

MTBTP (Mountain Bike Trailer Park) is written by Uncle Dan. He thanks you for your attention. I know, “I will never write a product review” is a bold statement. My dad taught me to “never say never.” Still, I realized that it’s not in my wheelhouse last weekend, when I went on a mountain bike trip with ...

Singlespeeds aren’t rational, like eating cereal for dinner. That’s not healthy; you know better; you just can’t help it; you don’t have time to put together something more complicated or nutritional. You just want to get on with it. Cereal for dinner was an extremely rare occurrence in my childhood home and not even all ...

Editor’s note: This product review appeared in Dirt Rag Issue #66, published in July 1998. Words by Chris Cosby. Photo by Maurice Tierney. Imagine this scenario. You pull into the trailhead parking lot in your Land Rover, unload your BowTi, start to strap on your Kevlar Sidi’s when Chad pulls up. Always the one-upmanship master, ...

Contest ended. Congrats to Brent Radke of Fort Collins, CO! We’re sorry The promotion you are trying to access has ended. Ron Andrews has been making water bottle cages and toe-clips since 1993 from Durango, Colorado. Check out the video of what it takes to make a cage. After you enter to win two of these ...