Dirtscrolls

Salsa has an all-new line up for 2019 featuring their Split Pivot design. We got a sneak peek of the bikes at Frost Bike last week and they look just as good in person as they do on the screen. With three all-new models, Salsa is covering the disciplines from cross-country rocket to big trail ...

Created by Adam Miller of Borealis and Why Cycles, Revel Bikes began when Miller began shopping for a dual suspension trail bike for himself. Miller teamed up with Canfield Balance, a relatively unknown suspension system and Revel was born. Together they assembled a team of industry veterans to iron out design and marketing, and today ...

Pearl Izumi has just launched their new line for 2019 under the tagline, “Here We Go”. Pearl Izumi explains that “Here we go celebrates the common feelings all riders share and the positive impact we can have on our communities through bicycles. “Here we go” is anchored by one simple, powerful word: Go. Sometimes it’s a ...

Ruff Wear By Stephen Haynes The outdoor industry is littered with success stories of forward-thinking entrepreneurs who, through grit, determination and an unmet need, have made their dreams a reality through hard work and great products. One such story is that of the active dog equipment company, Ruff Wear, whose founder began tinkering with his ...

by Carolyne Whelan In all my thousands and thousands of miles of bike touring and bikepacking, I’ve always just used my mountain bike shoes. I already owned them, for one; plus, they were comfortable enough to walk around for a while yet sturdy enough to ride in for hours at a time without fatigue. This, ...

If you have flipped through issue 209 then you have likely seen our feature on the Sunshine Coast, B.C. In this latest video from Commencal Cycles, Brendan Howey shows off this summer paradise. Enjoy the video and to make sure you don’t miss future issues of Dirt Rag subscribe here!

I love winter. I know this goes against our basic feelings as mountain bikers, but it’s true. I love winter, but I should clarify, I love ‘real’ winter. The snowstorms followed by blue skies and crisp air can be and are just as magical as those long summer days. Winter’s here in Pittsburgh however can ...

Assos expands its ambassador program for 2019 by adding Brian Lopes. Joining Rebecca Rusch, Assos looks to increase its presence in North America with more mountain bike athletes. Lopes has been shredding dirt in all of its forms for most of his life and looks to be a great asset for Assos as they grow their line ...

FSA Flowtron Dropper Seatpost – $250 By Scott Williams Introduction In late 2016, Full Speed Ahead (FSA) announced that it would discontinue its Gravity dropper post series to avoid confusion with the brand, GravityDropper.The Flowtron takes its place with a completely redesigned the remote, improved durability and a couple hundred less grams. The Flowtron has ...

Love them or hate Rapha is constantly redefining comfort and style on the bike. After three years of research and redesign, they have released a new chamois just for women and will be offering it as part of three new bib shorts. While we firmly believe that for most rides a fine pair of jorts are ...

By Rob Kristoff   The higher purpose of practicing a sport such as fly fishing, hunting, or mountain climbing is to affect a spiritual and physical gain. But if the process is compromised, there is no transformation.- Yvon Chouinard “If you’re not worried, you’re not paying attention.” It’s an old cliche, but it captures an ...

Dakine Hot Laps 5L – $70 By Eric McKeegan Water bladders in hip packs have never been a combo that I could get along with, at least until this guy came into my life at a recent press camp.  Designed to carry a 2-liter bladder and enough supplies for a lengthy ride, the Hot Laps ...

In celebration of our 30th birthday, Dirt Rag is doing a number of throwbacks and slamforwards for things we love, both bike related and non-bike related. In this column, Punk in the Beerlight, Evan Robinson takes a look at a modern album creating a timeless sound, and pairs it with an album from 30 years ago ...

YT has just recently released the latest version of their downhill sled in the TUES29. To help usher the latest machine out into the world Angel Saurez pummels some good looking track into submission. Enjoy the video and see more about the new TUES29 below. For years YT is best known for their downhill bike ...

Who doesn’t love a cute couple on Valentine’s Day? Just like the new kid at school, the Hydra Hub from i9 has been getting a lot of attention since its release this past Tuesday. Today, ENVE announced a partnership with Industry Nine to create an American made hub pairing that will lower the MSRP of ENVE’s M Series mountain ...

By Brendon Voelker It’s a quarter ‘til sunrise in the Blue Ridge Mountains. You step out of bed as the day begins to break and the rays of light cascade through the windows. You flip on the hot water kettle, grind up some coffee, and prep the pour over just like that hipster at the ...

    No, it’s not a pet hamster. New for 2019, Industry Nine introduces Hydra, a project over two and a half years in the making. Since the success of the company’s lightning-quick 3-degree engagement Torch Series hub introduced in 2013, i9 continues to advance forward in re-defining what is capable.   Hydra offers a ...

Xpedo GFX Pedals – $170 – $200 By Stephen Haynes The southern California pedal pusher, Xpedo makes pedals for every type of riding from cross to downhill, in a dizzying array of colors to keep the most discerning tastes appeased. The all-mountain, downhill, enduro loving GFX is a clipless structure, surrounded by a full-bodied aluminum ...

Wahoo ELEMNT BOLT – $250 wahoofitness.com By Scott Williams Claimed to be the first, fully aerodynamic GPS bike computer, the Wahoo ELEMNT BOLT is packed with features that will please data junkies and weekend warriors alike. While I find the aerodynamic computer and mount integration impressive, the simple user interface is what makes the Wahoo ...

We just got Dirt Rag Magazine #209, the first issue of the year, in our boxes this weekend, which means subscribers are getting yours as well! If you don’t subscribe yet, never fear, you can start your subscription with #210 by subscribing today (how many times can I say “subscribe” in one sentence to get ...

This contest has ended. Congratulations to the winner: Fernando Rivera! 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 Surly Bikes here. Surly bikes have partnered with Dirt Rag to give away a Karate Monkey 27.5 SUS. Enter to win below! The Surly ...

SRAM GX Eagle – Long-Term Review By Eric McKeegan SRAM’s first 12-speed drivetrains, XX1 Eagle and X01 Eagle and their 10-50 cassettes, brought the gearing range of multi-chainring drivetrains to the single-ring universe. Everyone who rode them had little negative to say, if anything at all. But, unless you get the parts for free, there ...

Niner has completely redesigned their flagship trail bike in the Niner RIP9 RDO. For more than a decade, the RIP 9 trail bike has ruled Niner’s off-road lineup. For 2019, the Niner RIP9 has evolved once more. Now with 140mm of consistent, controlled CVA suspension, progressive and adjustable geometry, increased frame stiffness, and available in two ...

BERKELEY, Calif. The National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) is relaunching its Teen Trail Corps program. NICA Teen Trail Corps is a program that provides student-athletes the opportunity to serve and volunteer their time towards bike related advocacy activities while earning merit badges. The program is designed to provide exposure and be a gateway for NICA student-athletes into ...

Revelate Designs has been busy this winter revamping their line up and adding some new pieces to their already impressive offerings of bikepacking gear. The latest from Revelate is the fork mounted Polecat and the redesign of their popular Terrapin System 14L seat pack. “Cargo cages have been around for a while now and I didn’t want ...

Light Bicycle AM928 Wheelset – $1,269 us.lightbicycle.com By Scott Williams Back in 2010, the carbon wheelset market was just starting to gain momentum, and low-cost, unbranded carbon fiber rims started emerging online. One of those companies was Xiamen Light Bicycle, a global manufacturing company that started with carbon rims shipped directly from the facility in ...

Enter for a chance to win a Hurricane Mountain Bike Festival & DEITY Components Weekend Giveaway. Win a VIP Access Pass to the 2019 Hurricane MTB Festival & DEITY Saddle, Pedals and Grips! Start clickin’ below to earn 20+ entries. Once you enter, you’ll receive an email with additional sharing instructions to improve your odds! Prize pack ...

Our newest design is now available in our Threadless store for you to order in a variety of flavors and style. Get Gnar with the Gnarwhal and order yours now!

Hey ladies! Are you ready to improve your mountain bike skills in a fun and safe environment? Are you interested in trying the sport for the very first time? Or do you already ride or race and want to take your riding to the next level? If so, then join the Ladies AllRide crew and ...

There is just something about a hardtail, it’s like that old ax hanging in the garage that your grandfather handed down to you. You know no matter how big the job or how long the ride it’s going to get it done. We here at Dirt Rag are exceptionally excited to see the revamp of the Santa ...

Transition Bicycle Company brings us a little Monday morning relief by way of ‘Another Day On Patrol’. A video for no other reason than to celebrate a day out on the trails with friends. So clock in or call off and enjoy.

Words and Photos by David Wilcox The winter solstice marks the onset of winter, and the shortest day of the year, usually falling on December 22 in the northern hemisphere. Short, dark days that are often cold, wet, and coincide with the hustle and stress of the holidays make getting out for any kind of ...

Depending on where you live the winter months can be challenging to stay out on the trail as much as you would like to. Whether it’s wet and muddy trails or they are buried under two feet of snow, our time on the bike is limited to the few days where conditions are favorable. When ...

There are so many options for bike racks these days, each with obvious pros and cons. A hitch rack is so easy but I’ve also bottomed them out and been rear-ended. Roof racks gets the bikes away from all the road gunk, but reduce MPG and take up real estate that could be utilitized for ...

Words and Photos by Kristin Winet The front entrance to the welcome center is not entirely legible, because years of snow and harsh Idaho winters have rubbed the black paint into a faint gray. The tip-off that we’ve made it here is the parking lot, which is full of cars and trucks and tourists, many—but not ...

Fox 36 Float Factory GRIP2 – $1,065 By Eric McKeegan This review is about this bright orange 2019 Fox 36 fork shown above. But in reality, this review is really about the new GRIP2 damper that replaces the RC2 damper in the all-mountain 36 and downhill 40 forks. This damper is an example of trickle-up ...

For your Friday we present a little video fun from our friends over at Muc-Off. With a little help from Ben Deakin, Muc-Off pays tribute to one of the greatest detective shows of all time. Based on the pristine beaches of Sandbanks in Dorset, this could be one of Muc-Off’s best videos ever – with no discernible plot ...

Editors note: This story originally appeared in issue #206. If you like what you see here help keep print media alive by becoming a subscriber! By Stephen Haynes What makes a place special? Is it something intrinsic or experiential? Does a special place need lots of, or very few, things to do? Perhaps it’s the ...

DJ Brandt is one of the fastest growing names in freeride. From skateparks to Red Bull Rampage, he’s a rider that can do it all. Residing in Colorado and spending much of his time in Utah, DJ has built himself numerous training grounds that have helped get him to where he is today. Coming fresh ...

Miranda Miller will headline Kona’s Global Enduro program alongside Rhys Verner, Connor Fearon, Shelly Flood, and Hannah Bergemann. She’ll be racing the Process 153 CR DL 29 and the Operator CR for select downhill races. While her official joining of the team is breaking news, her relationship with Kona isn’t. Team Manager Mathieu Dupelle has been in her life ...

The latest pedal from iSSi is the new Thump, tough enough to tackle off-road terrain but with vinyl pins, they won’t tear your shins apart due to a pedal slip. Being offered in two sizes to accommodate a wide range of foot sizes, the Thump is also offered in a wide variety of colors to ...

A few months back, we broadcast the announcement that Quality Bicycle Products (QBP) was again offering up its Women’s Bike Mechanic Scholarship. The time has come, the winners have been chosen, and we are so friggin pumped. Each of the 32 scholarship recipients will attend a two-week Professional Repair and Shop Operations class at United Bicycle ...

Introducing the latest in the Commencal line up; The META TR 29. Maintaining all 150mm of travel that is found throughout the META line, the new TR has some redesigned angles for tackling all of the terrain.  Enjoy Hugo Frixtalon proving just how capable the new META TR 29 is.

Some people like to envision tropical scenes when they feel cold in the winter. Here at Dirt Rag HQ, I’m trying something different, something a bit closer to schadenfreude: watching a video of someone train for, then compete in, a fat bike race. The training for the race takes place in New Jersey, and the ...

Editors note: This review originally appeared in Issue #206.  Tester: Stephen Haynes Age: 40 Height: 6’0” Weight: 210 lbs. Inseam: 30 in. Price: $6,950 Sizes: S, M, L (tested), XL Online: undergroundbikeworks.com Reach: 17.5” Stack: 24.2” Top Tube: 25.2” Head Tube: 67.5° Seat Tube: 72.5° BB Height: 12” Chainstays: 17.1” Weight: 24lbs. w/o pedals, specs ...

Zwift, the multiplayer online training and racing platform, today announces a formal partnership with the Absa Cape Epic. As part of the partnership, Zwift will be hosting an eight-week Group Workout series commencing on January 21. The workout series has been designed by former World Cross Country MTB and four-time Absa Cape Epic Champion, Annika ...

Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in issue 207 of Dirt Rag Magazine. Like what you see? Subscribe now at dirtragmag.com/subscribe to catch issue 209, coming real soon.  Can a miniscule dose of LSD make you a better mountain biker? There’s only one way to find out. By Adam Hurlburt WARNING: This story begins with ...

QBP’s Equity and Diversity Internship is now accepting applications. Eligible applicants include students who are members of underrepresented communities and identities and/or students with a demonstrated commitment towards advancing issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion. 2019 summer interns will jumpstart their career by working side-by-side with some of the most innovative people in the industry. ...

The human brain may never be fully understood. While scientist race to develop artificial intelligence based around the workings of the human mind, others are trying to comprehend its full potential. Amongst its many functions, how we remember things may be one of the brains most essential yet unreliable functions. When recounting the tales of ...

We are currently in the transfer window when it comes to bikes. While pro riders are lining up their sponsors for the coming season so our some notable brand ambassadors and sponsored athletes. One of the most notable this week is long time Giant rider Jeff Lenosky has joined the REEB Cycles team. Jeff  also ...