Rocky Branch Park now has something for everyone in Belmont, North Carolina. Photo: Craig Brickser. Belmont, North Carolina is a small town just west of Charlotte off I-85. Like other small towns in the region, its economy once revolved around textile mills before the industry declined. Today, it is a bedroom community for people who commute to Charlotte for work, and an access point for outdoor recreation. Thanks the new Rocky Branch Park trail system, the product of a master plan developed with the help of different community stakeholders, Belmont is connecting its residents to hiking and bi ..read more

Photos: Canyon Canyon has just announced their first lightweight eMTB: the Neuron:ONfly. The lightweight yet powerful ONfly fits into the center of the Neuron line. The “Neuron” is the human-powered version of the 140mm travel 29er with the “Neuron:ON” as the full-bore e-bike version.  Despite weighing dramatically less than the Neuron:ON, the new Neuron:ONfly is more than just another featherweight eMTB offering. The new Neuron:ONfly “pairs a cutting-edge carbon chassis with Bosch’s recently launched Performance Line S ..read more

The Hudski “booth” at Sea Otter was easily one of my favorites, consisting of a re-purposed horse trailer and what appeared to be thrift-store furniture. Their bikes are pretty rad too (look for a feature coming soon). Urban Dictionary defines a dirtbag as a “piss-poor, unemployed rock climber who lives off scrounged food and sleeps, obviously, in the dirt. The pinnacle of climbing committment [sic] and idol of employed climbers.” Substitute “rock climber” with “mountain biker,” and I think that’s a good description of where the MTB industry finds itself at this moment in t ..read more

Photo: Kona. The biggest news out of the 2024 Sea Otter Classic wasn’t about a new bike launch or even a new brand, but instead a swirling rumor mill around a brand that wasn’t there: Kona Bikes. Kona employees set up a display at the Sea Otter Classic on Wednesday prior to the expo’s opening on Thursday, only to begin taking it down before the end of the day. Kona had no presence at the show despite having just launched their new Ouroboros gravel bike days before. According to sources at other brands, in order to even begin setting up, Ko ..read more

Photo: State Bicycle Co. Gear Watch Wednesday is a weekly update on the latest mountain bike gear releases and products that Singletracks has received for test. Have gear news to share, or products you’d like us to check out? Email jeff@singletracks.com. State Bicycle Co. x Bob Marley collection State Bicycle Co. is known for doing some pretty cool collabs, but this has to be the most chill of them all. On April 20th the brand debuted a line of bikes, clothing, and accessories to celebrate the “music and culture surrounding Bob Marley, the unity of cycling, and sustainable living.” The Klunker ..read more

Photo: Jeff Barber Gravel bikes remain a hot category in the bike world this year, but cross-country (XC) mountain biking is also having a moment. It is an Olympic year, after all, and many brands are rolling out new bikes and gear designed for their athletes to win gold at the Paris Games this summer. Among the rules governing which bikes are allowed to compete, one stipulates that equipment must be available for purchase by the public for a period of time leading up to the games. With that in mind, many of these items aren’t necessarily intended for the mass market, but t ..read more

Photo: Greg Heil Singletracks is stoked to officially announce our new Managing Editor, Greg Heil. Long-time readers will remember Greg as our former editor with a zeal for exploring and sharing the best places to ride while absolutely abusing review bikes and equipment. He’s also known for having an opinion or two about the world of mountain biking, and he’s not afraid to share his honest thoughts with readers. And we’re incredibly stoked to have him back. “It’s wild to think that I’m right back where my career in outdoor media began, and even after 14 years, I find myself more passionate tha ..read more

Pity the poor Presta valve. It seems everyone is trying to kill it. At the Sea Otter Classic last week, we learned about three brands with new takes on the ubiquitous valve standard, which has been little changed since its invention in the 1800s. Two of the brands had their products on display, while the third is still in stealth mode and will be launching later this year. Stans Tubeless Exo-Core valves The new Stans Exo-Core valve is clearly bent on improving how Presta valves work with tubeless tire sealant because, well, Stans is all about sealant. In 2021 ..read more

evo is kicking off the Spring bike season with components, helmets and clothing up to 40% off. Some classics like DHaRCO Gravity shorts and the Fox 34 are on sale. Here are the perfect deals for refreshing your kit and your bike. And evo isn’t the only one with deals, the Planet Cyclery closing sale has up to 30% off sitewide savings and there are plenty of mountain bike deals. Don’t forget to sign up for our email list and get deals like these delivered to your inbox! DHaRCO Gravity Shorts $106.00 | $75.00 sale The DHaRCO Gravity shorts feature DWR-coated, four-way stretch materi ..read more

All photos: Tommy Mulvoy Since I started seriously riding bikes 25 years ago, I have broken my shoulder blade, index finger, numerous ribs, and something called a coracoid process. I have also bruised my lung and tailbone, sprained my shoulder and wrist, and have enough road rash on my hips, elbows, and shoulders to garner looks when I go swimming. My shins look like I kicked a barbed wire fence. With injuries on my mind, I bought my son, Aksel, a bike for his first birthday. I set up his shiny blue Strider Balance Bike on its rocker base and, after eating cake, helped him climb on. Within min ..read more