Dirtscrolls

By Emma Walker If you’ve ever spent a night in the Moab desert, you know what it’s like to feel like you’re on another planet: otherworldly red dirt, towering cliffs, countless bright, shining stars. That’s the feeling Kate Harris grew up longing for. As a kid, Harris wished for nothing more than to visit Mars—to ...

**Editor’s note: Sorry this Mixtape Monday is hitting on the second Monday instead of the first; we got set back by Labor Day. I met Kyle Kelley one rainy, chilly early evening in July 2016 somewhere in Canada. My two friends and I had been riding in the rain for about eight days straight on the ...

This summer, just about any minute not spent writing has been spent pedaling and camping. From Pennsylvania to West Virginia, Vermont, and Colorado, I’ve relied on a small selection of clothes to keep me comfortable in and out of the saddle. I chose to bring a short-sleeve Shower’s Pass Hi-Line wool jersey, a long-sleeve Shower’s ...

You found the best fundraiser in 2018. The Gravel Experience Raffle.   All things gravel, all things awesome! All proceeds from this raffle will go directly to World Bicycle Relief, People for Bikes, The International Scholastic Cycling Association (Idaho Chapter), and Club Ride’s local trail association The Wood River Bicycle Coalition. One lucky winner will ...

Away from the lift lines and away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Park City lies the small town of Kamas, UT. Kamas, known as the gateway to the Unitas Mountains, sits in the rolling foothills. Kamas is home to cattle ranches, tumbleweeds and, much to our delight, the High Star Ranch Trail System. ...

As a culture, we Americans tend to put a lot of focus on the external healing of a wound or injury. We bandage, splint, cast. Eventually, maybe, we venture into the realm of physical therapy and/or yoga. But our beautiful, complex bodies are doing so much work on the inside to heal what’s broken that ...

This summer, I had the luxury of traveling quite a bit for work and spending most nights sleeping outside, staring lovingly at my bicycle shining under the moonlight in five states. For shelter, I brought a Sierra Designs Backcountry Bivy and Backcountry Bed 700/35 degree. In Colorado, I was on a guided tour that provided ...

…between ridiculous and awesome! Are you tired of waiting for your toddler at the top of a climb? Do you find yourself taking out unnecessary “extra” bolts and other heavy componentry so that your three-year-old can hold more momentum on the flats? Has your child learned how to ride a pedal bike but their downright ...

Words and Photos by Andrea Wilson I hail originally from the hot, flat realm of Memphis, Tennessee. I moved to the Colorado Front Range almost three years ago, and I’ve been obsessed with finding all of the nooks and crannies of the mountains ever since. When I realized that the population density of the Denver ...

Enter for a chance to win a registration to brand new products from 45NRTH yet to be revealed! Start clickin’ below to earn 20+ entries. Once you enter, you’ll receive an email with additional sharing instructions to improve your odds! 🙌 Win It Before You Can Buy It! The team here at 45NRTH has taken our expertise ...

Most long-time bike nerds have that bike. The Frankenstein Monster, built up maybe over a long time or maybe just put together in one frustrated afternoon, to hopefully satisfy that need. The road bike is too aero but the mountain bike is too slow. There has to be a bike that can get to work ...

Effectively an open secret for at least a year, Fox is finally taking the lid off its new computer-controlled shock valving.  Fox describes Live Valve as a “fast-acting automated electronic suspension system”. This system is made up of tiny motors to control the valving, accelerometers on the front and rear wheels, a control unit (CPU), a ...

Words and photos by Erik Mathy It was Sunday morning and I was running late, as usual. We’d had a last minute change in plans and family had stayed at our place overnight, nixing my ability to figure out what bags would fit where on the new Rawland Ravn. My original plan had been to ...

In the early 90’s snowboarding was a relatively new sport. Resorts weren’t quite sure what to do with the new breed of snow sliders. Some resorts restricted them to certain areas on the mountain and others outright banned them from riding. Snowboarding in the early 90’s as a teen was my obsession. Each fall when ...

Built for smashing out big miles on the roughest of gravel roads, the Topstone’s confident rider position, nimble handling and grippy high-volume tires make it an ideal weekend tourer, an all-weather commuter, or simply a supremely comfortable all-around road bike. The light and smooth-riding SmartForm C2 Alloy frame offers plenty of clearance for 700c tires ...

International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA), SRAM Cycling Fund and Ohio University have teamed up to create a survey that aims to gain insight into how riders use both our local and destination trails, and how we interact with our advocacy groups. While mountain biking enthusiasts are often engaged in their communities, providing information about their ...

Enter for a chance to win a registration to a just release Burley Coho XC trailer! Start clickin’ below to earn 20+ entries. Once you enter, you’ll receive an email with additional sharing instructions to improve your odds! The Coho XC single wheel cargo trailer brings durability and thoughtful design to gear-hauling for bike camping, ...

Tire selection is a very personal choice. Bontrager understands that.  The company’s website says, “The first step in finding the right tire is deciding how much tread you need.” That’s solid advice. I find that few components choices are more personal than tires. Bontrager classifies its tires on a 0 to 5 scale (plus a ...

Durango is the kind of town where all the bike racks are full. You’ll be hard-pressed to find any regular ole commuter bikes with ergonomic grips, rear racks, and 700 x 38cc tires. I found myself ogling like a bicycle fiend, checking out the antique Specialized Hard Rocks, Clark Kents, Kleins, and Rocky Mountains leaning ...

Burley Coho XC Trailer By Stephen Haynes Weight: 22 lbs. MSRP: $419 Online: burley.com Back in 1978, there weren’t the myriad options for stowing and towing your cargo by bike that we luxuriate in today. Burley founders Alan and Beverly Scholz took it upon themselves to develop a method for transporting goods, gear and their ...

The headline might be a little misleading on this one as there is some nuance to the idea of Esker and the Orion suspension system being “new”. Esker has some of the DNA of Advocate Cycles, a brand built around a non-profit model that donated over $85,000 to cycling-related causes. Advocate quietly closed up shop with ...

Crankworx has been happening all week and will continue through the weekend. It’s a great time to check out some feats of mountain biking. Sometimes is inspirational, or at least entertaining, to see how these tricks are learned. Here’s a little video Haro put together that shows Ryan Nyquist training for the Crankworx Whip-off.

  Enter for a chance to win a registration to a Kessler Mountain Jam and a Fayetteville schwag bag! Start clickin’ below to earn 20+ entries. Once you enter, you’ll receive an email with additional sharing instructions to improve your odds! 🙌 The Kessler Mountain Jam is the newest event in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It’s a two-day mountain ...

Trek has released their updated Marlin, their entry level bikes that come in both “standard” and as a “women specific design” (WSD). Between the two model lines, not much is different. The smallest sizes (13.5″ and 15.5″) of the WSD models have a more sloped top tube for standover clearance compared to the slight slope ...

Words and Photos by Brett Rothmeyer There’s a certain romance to summer living in the Northeast. Winter can be long and cruel; spring often teases you with a warm day here and there, but only when it’s not raining or just above freezing. I remember being 13, and those first few warm days of summer ...

A few weeks back, Shimano took me (and other media) to the mountain town of Crested Butte, Colorado for a few days of high-altitude riding on the newly-released, 12-speed XTR M9100. Unlike the previous two generations, this newest version of XTR looks and feels like a true redesign rather than a few small updatess. Shimano ...

Woman-specific designs have long had a bad rap as being shrinked-and-pinked or more commonly, shrinked-and-stinked—charging the same amount of money for a bike with lesser quality components. Many women had different body geometries than most men, with a lower center of gravity, narrower shoulders, and a different transference of power based on our builds. Buying ...

Enter for a chance to win a Sunrace CSMX8 11-46 11 speed cassette & DLMX30 11 speed rear trigger shifter! Start clickin’ below to earn 20+ entries. Once you enter, you’ll receive an email with additional sharing instructions to improve your odds! 🙌 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Words and Photos by Leslie Kehmeier “Time doesn’t really matter now – we just talk about lunch time, dinner time…” says Beth Roberts. Her tone is soothing. Beth is a guide for Rim Tours, a mountain bike outfitter based in Moab, Utah. She’s leading us on a section of the Arizona Trail on the north ...

Ah, late summer, the early winter of the bike industry, when companies take stock in what they did over the past 12 months, what worked and didn’t. This is the time when new bikes are unveiled, old bikes are rehashed, and, hopefully, poorly designed models are left for people to resell on the internet for ...

Testers: Scott Williams and Jess Nelson Flylow Gear flylowgear.com The millennial tuxedo. Athleisure. A decision to seek attire that can keep up with the on-the-go active lifestyle. Whatever you call it, casual athletic wear is here to stay and more companies such as Flylow are looking to jump on board. Since the company’s initial debut ...

  As we flip our calendars to August, it’s time for Vol.5 of the Dirt Rag Monday Mixtape. This month, we let our Operations Manager/ CFO Scott Williams take control of the soundboard: It’s been quite some time since I actually created a playlist. Particularly one which was limited to that hour and a half ...

Last weekend, I took a scenic drive up to Montpelier, Vermont to check out the unassuming state capitol and spend three days pedaling along dirt roads and single track with a group of Women, Transgender people, Femme-identifying individuals and non-binary folks (WTFs), coordinated by WTF Bikexplorers. I spent a night stealth camping in a bivy ...

The new Dirt Rag is hitting shelves and showing up in mailboxes, here is a peek inside the new issue. We aren’t just keyboard jockeys. We’ve even got proof in this issue with three DIY projects: carbon frame repair, bamboo frame construction, and lugged-steel frame making. Maybe you’ll find some inspiration here for a new project. ...

Words and Photos by Andrea Wilson I hail originally from the hot, flat realm of Memphis, Tennessee. I moved to the Colorado Front Range almost three years ago, and I’ve been obsessed with finding all of the nooks and crannies of the mountains ever since. When I realized that the population density of the Denver ...

In 2011, I broke my tailbone on a bike ride. Combined with a youth of contact sports, contact-with-ground sports, and general punk rock idiocy, I have the same spine diagnosis as my 95-year-old grandmother. But like so many mountain bikers who have eaten their share of dirt, I don’t let a little pain keep me ...

Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in Dirt Rag Issue #142, published in May 2009. Words by David Alden-St. Pierre, MS, PA-C. Medical illustrations by Molly Thompson of Thompson Medical Illustrations. There’s nothing like an epic day in the saddle: a few hours of riding, burning lungs, tired muscles, and for some riders, an aching ...

In their latest film Jeff Kendall-Weed and Co. head to Costa Rica to ride with the locals and find out just what mountain biking in this beautiful Central American country is all about. Enjoy the film and to see more from this trip check out the story and photos below! https://readymag.com/1107972

By Emma Walker If you’re coming from the Front Range, Del Norte is on the way to big-name destinations—Wolf Creek, Pagosa Springs, Durango—but blink, and you might miss it. It was hard to believe, as I circled my truck around the block to pull in at the historic Windsor Hotel, that this was the place ...

Dirt Components has partnered with us to giveaway a Rough-Country 36.1mm Wheel Set! You can earn 20+ entries below. The ride-anywhere carbon wheel, Dirt Components presents the brand new Rough-Country line. Overbuilt, stiff and balanced, designed for when the trail gets rough. 36.1mm external, 30.1mm internal. Contest includes: Dirt Components 10-degree engagement hub set laced into ...

Roadrunner Bags Americano – $380 by Stephen Haynes In the last year or so I’ve taken to painting outside. As my interest in the activity has grown, so too has my list of supplies that I carry with me into the field. To that end, I’ve been looking for a bag that would remain unphased ...

This contest has ended. Congratulations to the winner: Timothy Doughty of Denver, CO! Subscribe to Dirt Rag Magazine and sign up for our weekly newsletter so you don’t miss a chance to win our next bike giveaway. Check out Niner Bikes here. Niner bikes has partnered with Dirt Rag to give away a Sir 9 2-Star Bike! Take charge of your ride ...

by Jen Rose Smith In Huaraz, Peru, local athletes don’t really have a place to swim—the town’s river is clogged with trash, and nearby mountain lakes are glacially cold—but they’ve got easy access to the Cordillera Blanca and the Cordillera Negra, a matched set of mountain ranges that rear up in the country’s northern Andes. ...

Reviewer: Brett Rothmeyer Search and State S2-R Performance Bib Shorts: $215 When it comes to cycling clothing, there is nothing more important than a solid pair of bib shorts while tackling long days in the saddle. Multiple days of grueling riding are hard enough without having to worry about comfort and the wear and tear ...

Sometimes after a long ride, beer just isn’t the right thing, nor is more warm water from a hydration pack, gross drink mix in the bottom of your bottle, or a can of sickeningly sweet soda. Thankfully, we’ve learned to enjoy LaCroix. A blend of sparkling water and light flavoring, the LaCroix disappears from the ...

We are still reeling from the festivities at Dirt Fest West Virginia. If you made it out to ride and party with us, then you might be having a hard time processing the all the group rides, demo bikes, skill sessions, great food, awesome music and movie, and, of course, the totally radical trails at ...

Euroline has partnered with us to giveaway a Yeti Fox Factory Team signed Richie Rude jersey! You can earn 20+ entries below. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Just as Burley is rounding the corner into middle age with their 40th anniversary, they received a wonderful and deserved present of being recognized with this year’s Eurobike Award in the Accessories category. Their new Coho XC is a single wheel cargo trailer; it transitions to each of your bikes for all your cargo needs, regardless of road conditions. ...

by Colleen O’Neil A recent Facebook ad read: “Ready for Adventure! 1978 Minnie Winnie Camper $4900” It was a real classy remodel: white with blue and brown stripes, a bright new coat of interior paint over the original particle board walls, some amateur woodworking, and a few tasteful decorative accents à la Target. “This Minnie ...

Shimano’s component arm moves slowly with new product development, but when it comes to its shoes, Shimano clips along at a pretty fast rate. The new AM7 is Shimano’s newest clipless all-mountain/gravity shoe, also known as the SH-AM701. The old AM700 was a platform pedal shoe. The platform pedal version of this new shoe is ...