Singletracks' Best MTB Reads [January 2021]

The Singletracks staff and our contributors spend a lot of time every day, week, and month drafting up gear and bike reviews, and informing readers with breaking news and press releases. All of us try to devote an equal amount of time diving into the culture of mountain biking, digging into news and trends on a deeper level, and connecting with the mountain bike organizations and advocates who make our riding happen.

For a typically slow month, we still wrote about some great topics in January. Here are some we think are worth checking out if you missed them the first time around.

Newfoundland, Canada is one of the oldest territories in North America and weather in the province, sandwiched between Maine and Greenland, makes for a resilient people. Wayne Parsons explores what makes the MTB community just as notable as the one in BC, even though it’s on the other side of the continent.

Just because a bike has drop bars doesn’t mean it’s meant for taking things easy. We take a look at Troy Lyon’s drop bar adventure bike.

Backpacking in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness. Photo: Greg Heil

Mountain biking in Wilderness is still a hotly debated issue. Sustainable Trails Coalition board member and contributor John Fisch takes a look at the newest bill and attempts to demystify some of the assumptions and concerns.

Ever wonder what’s actually happening in the physics department when the rubber knobs on your tire hit the dirt? Us too. Gerow chats with the engineers at Specialized for a deep understanding of tire chemistry and physics.

Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance is one of the most progressive and successful MTB organizations in the nation. Yvonne Kraus has been leading the group and state to better trails. Read how.

Last year, we saw a flock of new riders enter the sport unexpectedly. This year, we expect the same to happen, but we’ll be ready. Is 2021 finally our year?

Bitten by jaguar, snake, or enjoying cocoa at the finish line? Sometimes the “fun” in a race comes well after it’s over.

Start the year off by getting more familiar with the trees that line the trails. The Cottonwood can grow 10-20 feet high and live for centuries.

Want to know why carbon can be advantageous over aluminum for typical reasons beyond weight savings and stiffness? Gerow chats with We Are One Composites and learns all about carbon wheel engineering.

If you’re trying to get your hands on a new mountain bike this year, it’s best to start shopping as soon as possible.

Curious what the trails and mountain bike race scene are like in Israel? GT-sponsored enduro athlete Noga Korem explains. “The 2019 event brought two of Israel’s main cultural groups together since the trail begins in a Jewish village and ends in an Arab village. There were spectators from both villages cheering together alongside the tracks and racing between the tape.”