Dirt Rag Issue #186 Is Here!

On the cover

Rolling Stones Trail at Blanket Creek, Revelstoke, British Columbia. Photo by Ryan Creary.

 

The Dirt and Readings

It was one of the muddiest and hardest Dirty Kanza 200’s in the event’s history, we have proof in The Dirt and Readings. We also show you why Pennsylvania’s Trans-Sylvania Epic is one of the funnest singletrack summer camps of the year. Plus, 2016 bikes from Pivot, Scott, Specialized and Trek in Inside Line

 

Features

Riding, Racing and a Can Of Beans, by Eric Porter

Author and photographer go to Ecuador to ride for a week and then race the famous Vuelta al Cotopaxi, a two-day event that circles around the base of a volcano. It seems a can of beans and tortillas carried over from the U.S. was the only thing that got them trough it.

 

A Traveler’s Guide To Riding In Alaska, by Dejay Birtch

We cover all the hot spots to ride in and around Anchorage, including Hillside and Kincaid, the Kenai Peninsula and Seward with words and stunning photography.

 

The Commute, by Kurt Gensheimer

“The shore of Lake Tahoe was 15 feet lower than it should have been in late October. Where boats normally docked, James, Justin and I sat on a pile of small rocks looking out at the glassy morning horizon. Temps were in the low 20s, but the sun and still air made matters feel warmer. We had 420 miles of hard riding to our destination, San Francisco, with nothing more than an Acre Supply pack containing barely enough clothes to endure sub-freezing temperatures and maybe a downpour. But downpours had been (and continue to be) in short supply in the Sierra Nevada. We were more concerned with wildfires, which are impossible to pack for.”

 

Access Action

Need A Lift?, by Morgan Lommele

Check out this inside look in our Access Action section on how ski lifts are helping make mountain biking even better by opening access to a wider range of trail opportunities.

 

STUFF — Product Testing

• Plus-Size: We examine this growing wheel and tire combo and offer three different bike tests showcasing the style
  • Trek Stache 9 29+
  • Jamis Dragonslayer
  • Rocky Mountain Sherpa

Also in this issue:

• BMC Speedfox SF02 29
• Santa Cruz Highball 27.5 CC

Three bike travel cases:

• EVOC Bike Travel Bag
• PRO Bike Travel Case Mega
• Scicon Aerocomfort MTB Case

Get A Copy

Get a copy of Dirt Rag #186 in our online store or at your nearest newsstand. Or quit putting it off and order a subscription and you’ll never miss one