Dirtscrolls

By Zach White  Being thrown on a brand new, completely unfamiliar and slightly wrong sized bike, and expected to follow a Canadian cross-country legend on his backyard trails could’ve gone a few different ways. Luckily for me, Rocky Mountain’s new Instinct 29 is an easy bike to adapt to, and maybe Dre Hestler was being ...

By Trina Haynes The dictionary definition of Digital Detox is: “a period of time during which a person refrains from using electronic devices such as smartphones or computers, regarded as an opportunity to reduce stress or focus on social interaction in the physical world.” Taking a break from all the digital in our life for ...

Earlier this month, almost 200 women gathered at Burke Mountain Resort and the neighboring well-known Kingdom Trails for the first New England Mountain Bike Association (NEMBA) Women’s Summit. The goal of the Summit was to identify obstacles to leadership that women face in the cycling world, bring together female NEMBA members and leaders and ultimately ...

Follow high school senior and Canfield Brothers rider Lorin Whitaker on his final cross-country race of his high school mountain bike racing career and for a run down the infamous King Kong freeride line in the Utah desert.

Eric McKeegan has been promoted to Editorial Commander of Dirt Rag Magazine. McKeegan moves to the top editorial role after five years as Tech Editor for Dirt Rag and Bicycle Times. McKeegan has worked at Rotating Mass Media for 10 years and has a perspective on almost every position on staff. “With his long-standing tenure ...

Tester: Eric McKeegan Age: 43 Height: 5’11” Weight: 160 lbs. Inseam: 32″ There is no getting around it, the Deadwood SUS is perhaps the weirdest full-suspension bike released by a major player in a long time, for a number of reasons. There is little that is normal about this bike. The name, geometry, suspension travel, wheel ...

Ed. Note: Mountain Bike Trailer Park is a regular column written by Uncle Dan that appears monthly on the Dirt Rag Interwebs. If you missed his previous columns, check them out here. It’s early and I’m skittish. The roots are still wet with dew and I’ve had too much coffee and not enough sleep. Joe and ...

Kona Gravity team rider Graham Agassiz and Kona Canada’s resident fishing enthusiast Matt Stevens head out to do some fly fishing in British Columbia on the new Kona Remote. What are your thoughts on e-bikes for applications like bikepacking? Let us know in the comments!

By James Murren We woke inside our tents under a cloudy, early morning sky. Knowing we had a hard ride in front of us and unsure of what the trail conditions would be like on this backcountry route, we welcomed the cover from the sun. The Fiske Peak loop, in California’s new Berryessa Snow Mountain ...

Contest ended. Congrats to Winner: Yancy Bodenstein of Gaithersburg, MD We’re sorry The promotion you are trying to access has ended. Sena has partnered with us to giveaway a X1 Pro Cycling Helmet. Enter to win below.   The X1 Pro is the first-ever Bluetooth integrated cycling helmet with a built in QHD action camera. The X1 allows for ...

Words by Jeffrey Stern, photos by Dylan Jones One of the best things about mountain biking is planning for the excitement and adventure of escape. Escape from the real world, into mountains and pastures unknown that can lead to any number of amazing experiences. Simply planning an overnight trip of any magnitude stirs the pot ...

Ed. Note: It Sounded Like A Good Idea is a new semi-regular column by Olympic track racer Bobby Lea and endurance mountain bike racer Ian ‘Big DiRtY’ Mullins who have teamed up with plans to race Cape Epic and the Leadville Trail 100 next year, among others. But, this isn’t just another story about some ...

Tester: Helena Kotala Age: 27 Height: 5’3” Weight: 127 lbs. Inseam: 29” The Jamis Dragonfly is a little bit of everything. Parts of it seem decidedly old-school, like a steel hardtail frame and 26 inch wheels. But these seemingly archaic standards are combined with modern geometry, boost spacing, a dropper post and plus tires to ...

Trail Boss is a video series produced by Jeff Lenosky and documents his attempts to ride some of the most technical trails he can find. A veteran rider with a 20-year professional career and three Observed Trials U.S. National Championships to his name, Lenosky uses his skills to ride the unrideable. Check out all the ...

Heller Bikes launched last year as a QBP-affiliated brand that aims to give the customer “the best bang for the buck” and create quality bikes at an affordable (relatively-speaking) price point. The brand’s first bike was the Bloodhound carbon fatbike, soon followed by the Shagamaw, a 27plus carbon hardtail. For Saddle Drive this year, the ...

Contest ended. Congrats to Winner: Peggy Cole of Beckley, WV We’re sorry The promotion you are trying to access has ended. Cateye has partnered with us to giveaway a Volt800 front light, one lucky winner will be ready for some evening shenanigans. Enter to win below. The Volt800 has quickly become the go-to light at CatEye America, ...

By Ryan Taylor Well, that’s a wrap! Singletrack 6 ended with a fantastic day in Nelson, BC, one the birthplaces of freeride. Luckily, the rash is completely gone and I woke up ready to attack the day. Of course, we started with a massive climb, and kept on climbing. Pavement, gravel, dirt…yada, yada, yada…climb, climb, climb. ...

Tester: Mike Cushionbury Age: 47 Height: 5’10” Weight: 158 lbs. Inseam: 32” Scott’s revamped Spark line is vast and thorough. It hosts 39 models all based on a new-single pivot rocker-link suspension design and the elimination of links at the dropouts. Included in the lineup are options to choose 27.5 or 29 inch wheels at ...

Words and photos by Simon Stewart Standing in a FedEx copy center the other day, I noticed a “Let us pack and ship the tough stuff” sign complete with a picture of a full-suspension mountain bike. A quick look around revealed not a single bike tool in sight; I’m not sure they could even get ...

By Ryan Taylor What time is it? What day is it? I have no idea. I asked a woman on the street if I had to put money in the parking meter. She said, “Of course, it’s 2 pm on a Wednesday.” I’m not sure if these memory lapses are from fatigue or because days ...

Contest ended. Congrats to Winner: Michael Ambrocik of Somerset, PA We’re sorry The promotion you are trying to access has ended. Syndicate Cycling and their top sponsors have partnered with Dirt Rag to give away over $1000 of swag.  Sign up below! Combined Prizes worth over $1,000!  Schwalbe Tires, Wolf Tooth Components, Highland Training, Pro Bike & Run, Specialized, ...

By Ryan Taylor I am halfway through Singletrack 6 and life is moving in slo-mo. Stage 2 was a test of wills. Between the heat, constantly-steep climbs and choppy trails, I’m beat up. The majority of the day was spent going uphill, and the descents were so dusty if anyone was around you that there ...

The Beargrease is Salsa’s trail-oriented fatbike and in 2015, became the brand’s first carbon fatbike. It was designed to be agile, fast and totally singletrack-capable, dispelling the myth that “fatbikes are slow” (yes, they are slower than an XC race bike but quicker than you think if you’ve never ridden one). As the happy owner of ...

This month, the International Mountain Bicycling Association is challenging riders everywhere to get out and ride their local IMBA Epic or nominate their favorite backcountry singletrack ride for this designation. An IMBA Epic is a demanding, mostly-singletrack experience in a relatively-backcountry setting that is at least 20 miles in length. Currently, 37 IMBA Epics can ...

Words by Ryan Taylor Ryan Taylor is writing about his escape from the rat race of life at Singletrack 6 stage race in British Columbia. His race reports are interlaced with personal observations and dashes of humor. If you missed the first installment, check it out here.  Rossland stirred to life this morning for the ...

Ed. Note: It Sounded Like A Good Idea is a new semi-regular column by Olympic track racer Bobby Lea and endurance mountain bike racer Ian ‘Big DiRtY’ Mullins who have teamed up with plans to race Cape Epic, Breck Epic and the Leadville Trail 100 next year. But, this isn’t just another story about some ...

Words and photos by Ryan Taylor The moving circus of Singletrack 6 has lured me in again with the promise of six days of prime Singletrack and mountain bike bliss in the heart of British Columbia, Canada. This year, the organizers have pulled out all the stops and it should be a real tough mans race. ...

Ed. Note: It Sounded Like A Good Idea is a new semi-regular column by Olympic track racer Bobby Lea and endurance mountain bike racer Ian ‘Big DiRtY’ Mullins who have teamed up with plans to race Cape Epic, Breck Epic and the Leadville Trail 100 next year. But, this isn’t just another story about some ...

Ed. Note: It Sounded Like A Good Idea is a new semi-regular column by Olympic track racer Bobby Lea and endurance mountain bike racer Ian ‘Big DiRtY’ Mullins who have teamed up with plans to race Cape Epic, Breck Epic and the Leadville Trail 100 next year. But, this isn’t just another story about some ...

After seven years of annual Dirt Fests at the Allegrippis Trails in Pennsylvania, we hosted our first Dirt Fest West Virginia at Big Bear Trail Center this past July 14-16, and we’re happy to report that it was a rousing success! Big Bear Lake Trail Center proved to be the perfect venue for the event, with ...

Ed. Note: It Sounded Like A Good Idea is a new semi-regular column by Olympic track racer Bobby Lea and endurance mountain bike racer Ian ‘Big DiRtY’ Mullins who have teamed up with plans to race Cape Epic, Breck Epic and the Leadville Trail 100 next year. But, this isn’t just another story about some ...

Arriving at Paul Camp in Chico, California (Back in May), I was immediately drawn to one particular bike-to-rule-them-all, Travis T’s “Krusty Diamond,” built by Cameron Falconer over in Quincy, California, painted by Russ Picket of Mountain Goat fame, and built with as many California and U.S. made parts as humanly possible. I thought I should find out ...

Welcome to Dirt Rag #200. Two hundred issues: It’s a significant milestone for all of us here at the Rag, and we have you, the reader, to thank. As we flipped through issue after issue looking back at all we’ve done and everywhere we’ve been, it became clear that mountain biking is a joyous community ...

Contest ended. Congrats to Philip Seaton of Heber Springs, AR! We’re sorry the promotion you are trying to access has ended. XPEDO has partnered with us to give one winner a pair of ZED flat pedals. Enter to win below. The ZED flat pedal is a low-profile, extra large platform pedal designed for all-mountain, downhill or dirt ...

Ed. Note: Mountain Bike Trailer Park is a regular column written by Uncle Dan that appears monthly on the Dirt Rag Interwebs. If you missed his previous columns, check them out here. Chuck, Bill, and I laughed as I cracked my first cold, foamy, and sweetly malted can of America. I had just arrived at Big ...

Words by Andreas Hestler, photos by Dave Silver Last time I went bikepacking it was with a 50-pound backpack while smashing my personal undercarriage to smithereens on the saddle! It was tough (maybe we were just tougher then), and it gave me reason to pause whenever considering a repeat. Fast-forward a few years, the equipment ...

Tester: Eric McKeegan Age: 43 Height: 5’11” Weight: 165 lbs. Inseam: 32” At first glance, the Pivot Switchblade doesn’t seem to be much different than bikes with similar travel numbers and 29/27plus wheel compatibility. But look closely and you’ll start to see a lot of small differences that add up to a compelling machine. Those ...

By Maureen Gaffney  Clouds indistinguishable from 50’s-style UFOs marched past, a sleek and silent armada against a blue background. Red, pink and sand-hued rock formations towered, bulgy and swirling in the wavy heat. Any vegetation in this stern expanse looked ready for a fight, scrappy little dukes raised skyward, each fist or finger equipped with ...

Contest ended. Congrats to Donna Fulton of Chalmette, LA.! We’re sorry the promotion you are trying to access has ended. Framed Bikes has partnered with us to give one winner a Framed Marquette Alloy Bike. Enter to win below!  The Framed Marquette aluminum alloy frame with a 148 x 12 thru axle is held sturdy ...

Words and photos by Leslie Kehmeier Austin, Texas? For mountain biking? The capital of the Lone Star State isn’t usually on the radar when it comes to destinations worthy of riding. However, when you think about the food, the vibe and the Hill Country terrain, it totally makes sense. Here are five reasons that Austin ...

We asked friends, contributors, pros and industry insiders to give us the lowdown on their favorite trails and watering holes around the country. Selene Yeager – Writer “I’m a bit of a mountain bike stage racing nut, having completed (and occasionally done quite well) in Trans-Sylvania Mountain Bike Epic, BC Bike Race, Cape Epic, Brasil ...

Tester: Eric McKeegan Age: 43 Height: 5’11” Weight: 165 lbs. Inseam: 32” Self, you need to go for a ride.” “Yeah, but I have to finish writing this review and box up a bike and do some laundry and think about dinner and, and, and, and.” “Shut up.” “Hey asshole, watch it, we’ve both got ...

By Nick Lubecki, photos by Brad Quartuccio  Anyone can ride 1,000 miles. Anyone. -Nick Lubecki Nick Lubecki isn’t someone you know, but his attitude towards long distance riding is one you should know. He’s pedaled around the United States and Canada using equipment most enthusiasts would balk at. He finds his food in dumpsters and ...

Contest ended. Congrats to Robby Bennett of Calera, AL! We’re sorry the promotion you are trying to access has ended. SR SUNTOUR has partnered with us to give one winner a Auron 35 or 34 RC2 PCS Fork. Enter to win below. The Auron is our multitool trail fork. We designed it to perform to task ...

To be honest, when Trek told me, somewhat cryptically, that there were shock updates coming this summer, I was a bit baffled. The regressive valve RE:Aktiv shock, combined with the rest of Trek’s suspension tech, makes for a stellar trail-bike suspension package. I didn’t see a lot of room (or need) for improvement. And also ...

In the beginning, there were axle nuts. They were simple and crude and required a tool to remove. They still exist today on many bikes, from cheapie department store numbers to the finest BMX bikes money can buy. They work and work well. Then came wing nuts. Racers needed a way to get wheels off ...

Words and photos by Burt Hoovis  If you’re like most folks, you probably have a few local rides that you gravitate to. And if you tend to do a ride frequently, there’s going to be a point in that ride where you find yourself thinking, “Man, a beer would be bitchin’ right now.” This is ...

In the days of old, the Shimano freehub body standard was universally used in most hubs (we are not counting Campagnolo; after all, this is a mountain bike magazine). SRAM’s XD driver threw that standard out the window with a new design that accommodates a 10 tooth cog. No more interchangeability between SRAM and Shimano ...

By Stevil Kinevil  The year was 2007. One person or another asked me if I’d planned on attending the first-ever Singlespeed Cyclocross World Championships, which were to be held a few weeks later in Portland, Oregon. Having been in the trenches both organizing and racing in some of the first Singlespeed World Championships of the ...

Did Santa Cruz ever expect the Hightower, with its 135 mm of rear travel to become the darling of  hard-charging EWS riders? Did it expect consumers to start experimenting with longer-stroke shocks to bump up travel? Did anyone really expect 2017 to be the summer of 29 inch wheels in gravity events? I can’t really ...