Issue #170 is here - Dirtscrolls

By Mike Cushionbury,

Dirt Rag Issue #170 has shipped to subscribers and will appear on newsstands on May 14. In case you’re wondering, a one-year, or lifetime, subscription not only ensures you’ll never miss an issue but it also guarantees you’ll get your own personal copy before anyone else. Don’t trust your postman? Then order a single issue or subscription through one of our digital options for your tablet.

In this issue

On the cover: Artist Kyle Stecker’s interpretation of mountain bike nirvana. That’s right, we went back to an illustration!

The Dirt

We’re continuing to evolve and with this issue you’ll see more quick hit pieces that will inform, entertain and make you laugh. Remember Beer Me? Author Alastair Bland has returned to the fold with his column highlighting the newest and best beers of the month.

On A Roll: Finding A Familiar Flow in Park City, Utah, By Stephanie Nitsch

Adventure writer Nitsch travels all around the country documenting her mountain bike and snowboard encounters. In this story she re-discovers a goldmine of singletrack bliss right in her backyard.

The “Rad” Ross You Never Knew, By Devon Balet

“Rad” Ross Schnell never dreamt that cycling would take him as far as it did. Here’s a behind the scenes look at a career rider who isn’t racing full time anymore.

Cycling And Natural Foods, By Alastair Bland

Bet you never knew those sticky, sickly sweet gels were slowing you down. In this feature Bland talks to sports nutrition leaders Stacy Sims and Allen Lim. What they suggest will surprise you.

Access: Old Ways, New Trails In China, By Leslie Kehmeier

IMBA Trail Solutions travels to China to build singletrack in the resort town of Jinggangshan. It turns out to be a blending of both past and present.

Reviews

Bikes:

Intense Spider 29 Comp
Pivot LES
Nashbar Bee’s Knees
Niner S.I.R. 9
Rocky Mountain Altitude 770 MSL

Plus:

Cardo BK-1 Dou Communication and Entertainment System
Five Ten Diddie Schneider
Look S-Track pedals
Marzocchi Corsa SL RC 29
Mavic Notch kit
Michelin Wild Mud tires
Platypus Duthie AM pack
Ritchey WCS Trail group
Shimano M785 XT 29er wheels
Specialized Butcher Control and Purgatory tires
Troy Lee Designs A1 helmet