Dirtscrolls

We often hear the usual complaint about always testing bikes that are well out of the price range of riders who don’t have a substantial disposable income. But Dirt Rag has always covered (or at least attempted to cover) a wide variety of price points in the bike world. We gathered six bikes to review that represent the ...

The Bell Built trail building project, a partnership between Bell Helmets and IMBA, will award a $100,000 grant to a single mountain bike project in the USA this year to construct an advanced and aggressive technical trail. The award is a departure from previous years where the grant was split into three winners, one in ...

Editor’s note: Last weekend Dirt Rag’s “sponsored” SoCal racer Lance Nicholls lined up for his first cross-country first race of the new year. While the rest of the vet pros (and open pros) were on geared bikes, Lance races only on a singlespeed. Here’s how his winning ride unfolded. Congratulations Lance and thanks for doing ...

Editor’s note:The Tao of Singlespeeding first appeared in Dirt Rag #110, published in October 2004. Adapted by Corvus Corvax from The Tao Te Ching, translation by Gia-Fu Feng and Jane English, Random House, Inc., New York (1972), with apologies to Lao Tzu. Illustrations by Michael Pfaltzgraff. The ride that can be finished is not the perfect ...

Editor’s note: Here at Bicycle Times we are as mindful of price as you are. So we gathered together a group of six very diverse bikes to showcase what you can find right now at the $1,000 price point. See our introduction here. I’m pretty stoked to be testing the Minnesota 2.0 fat bike from ...

Giro may have made the perfect “shoulder season” footwear with the Alpineduro. Seriously. These are amazing boots. Looking more like a pair of Italian hiking boots than the typical tech-y bike shoes, the Alpineduro fits in perfectly with Giro‘s New Road ascetic of performance riding wear without the typical racer influenced design cues. At $200 they ...

While Pivot is perhaps best known for its high-performance suspension bikes like the new Mach 429SL, it is expanding its lineup into the fat tire realm with the launch of the new LES Fat model. Because the full-carbon frame uses an arching dropout system like to the one found on the LES hardtail, the LES Fat ...

Here at Dirt Rag we love all kinds of riding, not just mountain biking. That’s why we launched our sister magazine, Bicycle Times, in 2009. This year we’re adding some adventure to the mix with a new event—in the spirit of Dirt Rag’s Dirt Fest—where cyclists of all types can share a weekend of riding under ...

Oregon has a lot going for it: some of the best beer, wine, food, and of course riding anywhere in the world. Hailing from Portland, Limberlost is a new guide service that can help you experience the diverse riding opportunities throughout the state with a series of four, premium guided tours in 2015. The tours include ...

Courtesy of Transition Bikes https://vimeo.com/115999020 This video by Andrew Santos features Transition rider Sid Slotegraaf riding the perfect terrain for the Patrol in Squamish, British Columbia, Canada. A beautiful mix of up and down mountain riding that showcases exactly what we designed the Patrol to handle. Earn your way to the top and then shred ...

Traveling with a bike is always an adventure—and not the good kind. Packing your bike in a cardboard box for flying works sometimes, but when things go wrong they go really wrong. While a soft-sided case might seem less protective than a hard-shell, the security of your precious cargo really comes down to 1. how ...

Courtesy of Pivot Cycles Pivot Cycles is pleased to announce the addition of Aaron Chase to their roster of riders. Chase, a master in the world of freeride, is best known for pushing boundaries and for his technical and creative style, both on and off the bike. He has graced the covers of countless magazines, ...

We first brought you news of the resurrection of the Fat Chance brand back in September, and now it’s one step closer to a reality. The new Yo Eddy Team will be an American-made, steel, trail hardtail with all the modern touches, including a tapered head tube, dropper post compatibility and 142×12 thru-axle. It will ...

Editor’s note: This story first appeared in Dirt Rag Issue #8, published in April 1990. Words and drawings by Mark Tierney One of the most notorious of mountain biking maneuvers is a feat referred to as the faceplant. This action is one in which a bicycle rider is thrown forward over his or her handlebars, ...

We’re excited to announce Pivot Cycles will join us at Dirt Fest 2015 as our Presenting Sponsor. Pivot Cycles will be on-hand with a demo truck packed full of the latest Mach 4 Carbon, Mach 429SL and Mach 6 models. Registration to Dirt Fest 2015 is open now at BikeReg. If you don’t already know, ...

Editor’s note: Here at Bicycle Times we are as mindful of price as you are. So we gathered together a group of six very diverse bikes to showcase what you can find right now at the $1,000 price point. See our introduction here. Marin describes the Lombard as having been “Birthed from cyclocross and touring ...

The Scott Enduro Cup presented by Vittoria has announced three competition stops for the 2015 season: Moab, Utah (May 9), Sun Valley, Idaho (June 27-28) and Canyons Resort, Park City, Utah (July 18). Each location provides a challenging and unique mountain bike race experience for both men and women professional, amateur and junior athletes. Enduro Cup ...

Editor’s note: Here at Bicycle Times we are as mindful of price as you are. So we gathered together a group of six very diverse bikes to showcase what you can find right now at the $1,000 price point. See our introduction here. All-surface road bikes are what the popular kids are riding—especially here in ...

Ahhhh Surly’s Karate Monkey. Released at the Interbike trade show in 2002, it was the first 29er to come through the doors of Dirt Rag. I reviewed it for issue #103 and later purchased it for my own use and abuse. I’ve had many life-changing experiences on this bike, and some near-death ones as well. ...

Photos by the author and Anthony Bareno, Velo Cult It’s hard to point a finger at what was the “first” fat bike. Just like the origins of the mountain bike itself, there are several branches in the family tree. This prototype of what would later become the production Hanebrink “Extreme Terrain Bike”—which is still in ...

It’s not often we feature video submissions from readers, but Bjørn Olson is no ordinary cyclist. He is a fearless and dedicated Alaskan explorer, and often uses his adventures to highlight the perilous balance between man and nature in the forty-ninth state. This trailer is for an upcoming film about a week-long expedition dubbed “reEvolution.” ...

Most submissions we receive for Rider’s Eye are photographs, but Bryan Kirkwood sent this short film he made from a trip along the Colorado Trail. Has us looking forward to a big trip in 2015! Want to share your photos (or video) with readers? Email it to [email protected].

Editor’s note: Charlie Kelly’s Fat Tire Flyer began in 1980. It is considered the first ever mountain bike publication and until 1987 it was the only one. Kelly wrote most of the copy himself using different names, took photos, did the layouts, edited submissions, handled publishing and took care of the mailing list. The magazine closed ...

Hailing from southwest Wisconsin, 1Up USA’s products represent some of the same qualities that its Midwestern roots are known for: understated, hard work. There’s nothing flashy or glamorous about the 1Up rack, it is broad-shouldered and square-jawed in a reassuring way. Aside from oozig quality, its standout feature is the unique corner expander ball system that ...

Joe Cocker passed way December 22. Say what you will about his singing, but there is no denying that man put his heart and soul and body into his performances. It was against that backdrop that I unpacked boxes this Christmas Eve, the help from our friends to get the XTR and Deore groups we have ...

Bilenky’s Junkyard Cyclo-cross celebrated its ninth anniversary and as usual, it was a scene like no other. It’s the first and only race held entirely in a junkyard. More than just a legendary North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania party, it’s a signature of all that’s great with bike riding. A true gathering of tribes from not only ...

We recently got a pair of unique bells in the office, a U.S.A. made model from Spurcycle that may be the best bell on the market, and the tiny Roadie from Osaka Bells, which may be the most versatile bell on the market. Spurcycle Bell By Emily Walley A bicycle bell goes unacknowledged until needed, and ...

The California Enduro Series (CES) is pleased to announce the 2015 race schedule and promises another great year of enduro racing. In its third year, CES proves its commitment to growing this popular cycling sport by expanding its schedule to include additional fun and challenging venues, offering more race categories, and maintaining equal pro payout ...

The Stan’s NoTubes Elite Women’s Team is heading into its fifth year and has announced its roster for 2015, including eight returning riders and two new signings. “We will be participating in a variety of races across the country and the world, and we’ll be leading ladies’ riding clinics at many of the races which ...

Editor’s note: This story first appeared in Dirt Rag issue #173, published in October 2013. By Paul de Valera Mountain biking is a province of firsts. Repurposing cruisers for dirt duty: a first. Bikes with suspension on the front and back (that work): a first. Hucking huge gaps: a first. Using your coaster brake to ...

Last fall, Ian Provo (pro skier), Neil Provo (pro snowboarder), and myself embarked on a trip of a lifetime in our own backyard.  We rode the “forgotten trail” of the Uinta mountain range to connect several seldom fished rivers.  We got lost, carried our bikes over hundreds of down trees, rode some of the best ...

By Adam Newman RockShox deserves a lot of the credit for driving the latest wheel-size trends in mountain biking these days. As the first major manufacturer to offer 27.5 forks, it created the watershed moment for that wheelsize to quickly dominate the industry. I predict the Bluto will do the same for the fat-bike scene. ...

Tale of the scale Fat bikes are it right now. While generally heavy—usually near or above 30-pounds—I do know some savvy riders who have gotten theirs down in the 23-pound range. Still, even with a healthy dose of carbon fiber, a top-shelf drivetrain, tubeless technology and a wad of cash to make it all happen ...

Since the boom of single chainring drivetrains and the narrow/wide chainrings that followed, one item has been notably absent from bike shop shelves. SRAM’s high-end cranksets have long been equipped with a removable spider, but even with the introduction of the latest XX1 and XO1 groups, they retained traditional bolt-on chainrings. The aftermarket has filled ...

As we venture into the winter months and the sun is setting before most of us get home from work, lights become a necessary accessory on our rides. And while there are tons of great lighting options out there, Trail LED has some pretty interesting products we thought were worth checking out. I have been ...

First off, this is NOT Ui2. There is no such thing and never will be. A lot of folks think the “D” is for Dura-Ace, the trim level where the electronically-controlled shifting first appeared. It actually stands for “Shimano Digital Integration Intelligence” – Di2, get it? In the six years since it’s introduction, the concept ...

We were recently invited to the Boa Technology’s offices in Denver, Colorado. What was once an industrial eyesore and waste dump on the wrong side of the tracks is now a revitalized commercial community that hosts several like-minded businesses. The corporate center Boa resides in is another case study of modern gentrification with reclaimed building ...

The retail experience can vary widely throughout the local bike shop universe. Some are mega stores, some are tiny “mom and pops”. What is essential to their long-term survival, however, is the retail experience for customers. Now a new project will give a “retail makeover” to one chosen bike shop. Bicycle Retailer and Industry News, ...

Earlier this year the release of the Mach 4 Carbon was big news for Pivot Cycles, as its first step into the 27.5 market. Now it has followed it up with something even bigger—a 429SL with the same carbon design, dw-link suspension and full XTR Di2 compatibility. According to Pivot the carbon 429SL drops more ...

Just when you thought cyclocross bikes were for riding in circles in grass fields, Chris Akrigg shreds his Mongoose in ways you likely won’t see anywhere else.

The Wasach Range has some of the best mountain bike riding (and skiing) in the world, and Eric Porter explains why in this short video from Subaru.

By Joh Rathbun. Photos courtesy of Jessica Klodnicki. Still in its infancy, the Girls Rock ride, organized by Jessica Klodnicki, general manager and executive vice president of Bell and Blackburn, hosted its monthly ride at Ibis Cycles last month. More than 70 women showed up to take advantage of the free Ibis demo fleet and to ride ...

Editor’s note: This bike review first appeared in Dirt Rag issue #102, published in August of 2003. By Philip Keyes Kona is one cool company. Case in point: these guys are offering the first-ever production, dual-suspension singlespeed. They had to know that they weren’t going to sell millions of these things, but they had the ...

Last week’s news of Fox Factory Holding Corp. buying Canadian companies Race Face Components and Easton Cycling for a cool $30.2 million should be raising more than an eyebrow in the fiercely competitive world of OEM spec and branding. After letting the news sink in over the weekend and reading Dirt Rag’s Facebook comments, we ...

Don’t hang up your bike for the winter just yet. The Old Man Winter Bike Rally (OMW), a winter cycling celebration for bike aficionados and beer lovers, will debut in Boulder County, Colorado, on February 8, 2015.  The OMW is a 31 or 62-mile adventure ride and race that promises dirt, snow, sweat, and beer, a ...

As part of the continued US Topo maps revision and improvement cycle, the USGS will be including mountain bike trails to upcoming quadrangles on a state-aligned basis. The 2014 edition of US Topo maps covering Arizona will be the first maps to feature the trail data, followed by Nebraska, Missouri, Nevada, California, Louisiana, New Hampshire, ...

  I’m a huge fan of the single ring set up with no chainguide—I have been since the day SRAM released XX1. Between then and now, every one of my personal bikes has been converted to 1×11. My final changeover was to my BMC Fourstroke 29er cross-country race bike. Because it’s spec’d with a Shimano ...

Editor’s note: This feature originally appeared in Dirt Rag Issue #180. Order one here, or best of all, order a subscription and never miss an issue. Words and photos by Jay Goodrich It took me all of 15 minutes from the time I parked my rental car in the visitor’s spot at FOX in Scotts Valley, California, to create ...