Singletrack

CONTENTS
09 / Editorial
Chipps asks you to trust us, even though
none of us are doctors.
10 / (Hand) Made In China
Chipps follows a Saracen frame from
design through to testing and discovers
that the factories in China and Taiwan
aren’t what you might think.
24 / Column: Jason Miles
Jason thinks there’s a place for every kind
of bike, however niche.
26 / Trail Hunter: Snowdon
Tom Fenton reminds himself why
Snowdon should be on everyone’s
must-ride list.
40 / Singletrack Recommended
We bring you a clutch of products so good,
we’d buy them ourselves.
46 / Singletrack Room 101
Judge Charlie decides which of your
submissions will be successfully consigned
to cycling’s Room 101.
48 / Bike Test: Killer Hardtails
Hardtails take many forms. We test out a
Kona, Nukeproof and Trillion from across
the spectrum.
64 / Kit Bag: Enduro
Proving that it’s not all enduro bum bags
out there, we look inside Tracy Moseley’s
more than comprehensive race pack.
66 / Classic Ride: Northern Ireland
Ian Bailey takes us on a tour of the
countryside that he loved so much that he
moved there.
79 / Oddball: The Black Fuel
We don’t just love bikes, we love coffee too.
Our Rob Crayons shares some favourites.
80 / Interview: Keith Bontrager
What’s the difference between fashion and
progress? Keith has some words of wisdom.
90 / Adventure: Shropshire
Why do so many top riders come from this
small corner of England? Barney goes on a
quest to find out.
98 / Group Test: Hi-Tech Tyres
James Vincent tests out a bundle of rubber
and narrows it down to those that you
need, whatever the conditions.
113 / We Just Work Here
Where we are, who does what (but not
why), and what our speciality dishes are.
Cover Photographer:
James Vincent
Location: Stuttgart, Germany
Rider: Wil Barrett
Towards the end of our
European road trip, team
Singletrack descended on
Stuttgart. Late in the afternoon
we managed to sneak out for a
ride and while darting between
the trees, the hazy summer
evening light hit an all time high,
so we just had to stop and shoot
some photos.
- - - - -
Contents Photographer:
Rob Crayons
Location: Hebden Bridge,
Calderdale
The longest day of the year
may have passed, but our local
packhorse trails are still in more
than fine nick, with all routes
leading us to the pub. Of course.
Premier Edition Content
This expanded section is available for Premier subscribers and Premier Dealer customers.
116 / Adventure: Azores
Karen Eller explores this tropical island
paradise in the mid-Atlantic.
128 / Column: Grand Finale
Through a blur of painkillers and
adrenaline, Ian Bailey reflects on a riding
holiday gone wrong.
132 / Adventure: My First Mountain
Sanny takes a friend to revisit the first big
mountain they ever rode. Is it any easier
on a modern fat bike than on an early Pine
Mountain?
146 / Last Word
Chipps discusses the abusive relationship
between race organisers, racers and races
themselves.
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