A look inside our very special 25th Anniversary Issue, #176
Originally posted on March 18, 2014 at 10:49 am
Can you believe it’s been 25 years? Who would have thought Maurice’s photocopied and black and white zine would lead to this? Things sure have changed, but a lot of things have stayed pretty much the same since Day One. We’ve compiled a lot of those things into a very special issue to celebrate our 25th Anniversary. Shipping now, it should hit subscribers and newsstands soon, and for the first time, subscribers will get a special edition without the cover lines.
Inside the special issue you’ll find a who’s-who of our best contributors over the years, tales from former editors who made it out alive, a recounting of how the magazine began, plus some special features that focus on our sport and beyond.
Finally, we’ve prepared a special section of product reviews with four brands that have innovative leaders who can also claim a quarter-century (or more) of innovations.
We also would be remiss if we didn’t extend a warm, thankful embrace to all the advertisers who contributed special ads to this issue and of course our readers. We love you all.
In this issue
On The Cover: Ryan Creary captures a moody shot of Ben Shaw on Mt. Macpherson in Revelstoke, BC.
25 Years of Dirt
See who’s in our Contributor Hall Of Fame—a celebration of those who provided the best stories and art through the years plus a historic letters section containing some of our favorite hate mail. You won’t believe it ‘till you read it.
Behind The Editorial Curtain
Replacing the usual Readings, this six-page mini-feature contains a never-before-seen look at what it’s really like to be an editor at Dirt Rag. We have unbelievable tales by every former (and current) editor as well as an intro by the illustrious Capt. Dondo.
The History Of Dirt Rag, by Gary J. Boulanger
This is the uncensored, never before told story of how Dirt Rag came to be. Go inside that small Pittsburgh house for a first hand look at the trials, tribulations and debauchery that accompanied those early years.
Singlespeed World Championships: A Brief History, By Shannon Mominee
This is a detailed account of how this now world famous “race” came to be as well as a look at some of the more noteworthy events and locations. We tracked down key players in the evolution of the event to tell their stories of what really happened.
Bikes and Craft Brew: Exploring a Passionate Relationship, by Jeff Lockwood
Undeniably, craft beer and mountain bikes have a lot of shared history, both in the time of their simultaneous rise in popularity as well as a strong support of each other. In this story we explore that relationship along with a look at some of the best bike themed breweries.
On The Road With Team Hugh Jass, by Vince Hedger
In issue #64 (April, 1998) we ran the most controversial mountain bike story the industry had ever seen. Arguably that remains true to this day. We decided to reprint this story as a walk down memory lane for some or an insight to how it was (and possibly remains to be) for those who missed it the first time.
At The Helm, by the Dirt Rag staff
Very few brands have original company founders still in charge. In this section we searched out four iconic brands that still do: Breezer, Intense, Pivot and Specialized. In this special test we not only feature enticing bikes from each but also wrap the tech around insightful interviews with said founders. Each one goes into detail about the hardships they faced (sometimes to the point of almost loosing the company completely) with candid openness.
Order a copy
Didn’t sign up for a subscription in time? You can still pick up a copy of Issue #176 (along with some other special 25th Anniversary gear) in our online store.