Sometimes the tarmac of the Greenway is the right choice.
Opinion
Rants, opinions and general observations from the wide ranging smorgasbord that is our pool of editorial contributors. The usual stuff about what gets said in here isn’t necessarily the view of Singletrack blah blah.
Opinion: Click and collect (much later)
Take a minute to think about the moments you'd like to experience this year, and start sowing the seeds
Tools: A love letter to those who put them in our hands
This was originally the editorial piece in a Weekly Word Newsletter. When it went out, a few people suggested that…
Recreation Must Pay – But It’s Everyone Who Will Suffer
Hannah thinks that public funding of outdoor recreation is at a crisis point. In the race to balance budgets, we’re…
Thin Pickings For Cycling In UK Autumn Budget Announcement
I had high hopes for yesterday’s Budget announcement. Today, I’m feeling deflated and defeated – was I just too optimistic?…
Is It Time For A Shakeup In The MTB World?
We can’t pretend that mountain biking is green. Riding your bike instead of getting in a car is green, but…
High School Mountain Biking: How the bike industry could save itself?
But perhaps there's a possible option that might see bikes put to good use, and actually generate demand in years…
Off The Beaten Track
This piece was originally published as the editorial in our Weekly Word newsletter. It’s free and available to anyone who…
Not In My Name: Trans Athlete Bans
Hannah has been pondering this article all summer, trying to find the words to express how she feels about the…
Know Your Trail Users
Charlie takes a light hearted look at the wonderful variety of people we share the trails with. It’s that time…
How Much?! Why we should care about the closure of Kitsbow
If you’re in the UK, there’s every chance you’ve never heard of Kitsbow, so why should you care that they’re…
After Slashing Active Travel Funding, Government Keeps £4.8 billion Fuel Price Discount
Hannah argues that the 2023 budget is taking us in the wrong direction.
Women and Bikes: How Far Have We Come?
Hannah charts the advance of women in the bike industry, as she sees it. Are you as optimistic? What changes…
From The Archive: Womens’ Specific Bikes – do we need them?
Back in issue 15 of Singletrack Magazine, in 2004, we reviewed three of what were then a new development: women’s…
Do we need trail maintenance trousers?
Rapha has launched a limited edition collection of clothing. It’s a collaboration with ‘Brain Dead’, a trendy LA-based international fashion…
From Dangerous Sport to Fun Activity – Reframing Mountain Biking
I was recently asked to give a presentation on ‘Image and Mountain Biking’, as part of an event held by…
Don’t think about Monday
This editorial was originally published in one of our Weekly Word newsletters, which comes out every Friday. To get your…
Strava adds mountain biking as an activity: hurray or uh-oh?
A recent update to Strava has given users the option of selecting mountain biking as an activity.
Why You Should Read The Outsiders Project: Beyond Representation
The Outsiders Project report ‘Beyond Representation: The Future of Diversity and Inclusion’ is aimed at brands in the outdoor industry.…
Why we (probably) won’t be making a themed women’s issue of Singletrack Magazine
As part of our Members’ Newsletter we give our readers the chance to ask us questions about what we do.…
Access Rights: Be Nice, Say Hi, Ask Why
Recently, I’ve been thinking again about access rights. Previously I was definitely on the side of ‘ride legal, or keep…
A Closer Look At Trek’s Sustainability Report
Tom is a Climate Change and Green Infrastructure Officer, a mountain bike guide, Cytech mechanic, Greenpeace activist and holds a…
Throwback Thursday: Shakespeare’s Sister
‘All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players’. How your ride will play out –…
From Enduro To E Cargo | A New Perspective on 2 Wheels
Aran Francis is giving teenagers – and cyclists – a good name. What has this keen enduro rider learnt from…
Ibis Exie Is Made In-House – Is This A New Movement For Bike Companies?
This week, Ibis Cycles has launched the Ibis Exie (‘X C’ – geddit?) cross country race bike. It’s a 120/100mm…
Sometimes Riding Really Freaks Me Out
I start to pedal, anticipating the ride ahead. My mind is quiet. I chat on the climb, everything is normal…
Is What3Words Really That Bad? Or Good? Let’s Ask Mountain Rescue.
Given the recent fuss about What3Words in the outdoor world, we thought we'd ask forum member and rider, Jon Bateman.…
Making Time To Ride: a health check for your home
Leave the ‘mum guilt’ and ‘dad guilt’ at home – check your habits and find everyone the ride time and…
Opinion: The Illegal Trail Builder
Building unsanctioned trails is a touchy subject. But are there shades of grey when it comes to building illegal trails…
You Can’t Buy Happiness – but you can buy an eMTB
Hannah explains why she thinks an eMTB should be your next gift to yourself if you want to add a…
British Cycling – Not Stepping Up For Downhill
Racer and team manager Jack Reading explains why he thinks British Cycling is failing its downhill athletes. This article will…
Whether you like it or not, bikes are political
Columnist Mildred Locke addresses those who would say ‘stick to bikes, keep politics out of it’ – she thinks bikes…
What people mean when they say cycling has a race problem
…Spoiler alert: it’s not about you. Mildred Locke examines why cycling brands’ support of the Black Lives Matter movement gets…
Would You Give In To An E-Bike – Or Resist?
To E-Bike or not to E-bike, that is the question? That's the question that Gary from Dorset is having to…
Dear Diary, Lock Down 2020 | Trails Are Better With Friends
One of our readers shares his tale of discovering that in lock down the trails are quiet – just a…
Deciding Not To Die Isn’t The Same As Choosing To Live
Just over a year ago, we published a powerful piece on mental health called ‘What If I Want to Die…
How to be a dick during the Coronavirus
Never one not to be topical, or controversial, Sanny is back with his latest in his “How to be a…
Winter Cycle Commuting | It Might Be Grim, But It’s Not All Bad
Hannah peers into the driving rain of the daily commute and sees sunshine and spring at the other end. The…
A Bike Love Affair | My Ragley Piglet
The day my new Ragley Piglet frame arrived I washed my hands before opening the box. I didn’t want to…
Remembering Jenn Hill – And All Those Who Remind Us To Live
It’s been four years since Jenn Hill, our Deputy Editor, died. Hannah reflects on the legacy she’ll never know she…
Stolen | It’s More Than Just A Bike
Hannah and Amanda had their bikes stolen from under their noses. In the immediate aftermath, Hannah wrote this. I had…
Opinion: Insult and Battery – The Times Has A Pop At E-Bikes
I’ve written before about the fractious relationship that cyclists have with newspapers, and it seems like it’s not getting any…
Mental Health | What if I want to die every day of my life?
I’ve asked Singletrack to withhold my real name and publish this piece under a pseudonym. Why you might ask? Whether…
Opinion: Facial Hair Rorschach Test
Do fellow riders acknowledge your cheery greetings, or swiftly look at their front derailleur? If they have one
The Future of Mountain Biking Isn’t in the Mountains
I’ve been thinking a bit recently about the future of mountain biking, and what it might look like. There will…
Warning: Cliff Edge Ahead – we need to talk about mental health
As I climb back onto my bike I realise I’ve just seriously considered stepping off a cliff edge to escape…
Column: Moving On – mountain bikers don’t need to ride to stay fit
Jason Miles has moved to another country. Well, Scotland. I’ve very recently moved house. It wasn’t a particularly straightforward move…
Ride and Prejudice – how mountain bikers became the bad boys of the outdoors
Recently I wrote about how most of the UK’s outdoor access laws favour users who don’t happen to be mountain…
UK Mountain Biking’s Dirty Secret
As you might already know, we had some disappointing news recently. The Welsh government looked like it was about to…
There’s A Hole In The Road, Please Can We Keep It?
Hannah reflects on the disruption that a burst water main near home has caused, and hopes it continues. There’s a…