Aaron Chamberlain has been in the bike industry since 2012, and was a member of the Singletracks staff from 2015 - 2018. He's written dozens of product reviews and travel reports and is an expert on mountain bike components.
Aaron says, "I love any kind of mountain biking, but especially all-day rides with plenty of climbing and descending. Used to race a lot and I still do the occasional endurance event or stage race. Most of my rides now are just about enjoying my time in the woods."
The new SkyRise rooftop tent from Yakima (all images courtesy of Yakima) File this one under "Aaron's Christmas Wishlist." The SkyRise is Yakima's first entry into…
Competitors in the Singletrack 6 are 2/3 of the way through the race! Stage 3 saw the race move an hour west from the start in Fernie, to Cranbrook. This stage covered…
When it comes to mountain biking in British Columbia, most people think of the North Shore, Squamish, and, of course, Whistler. While there's no doubt those places are amazing, there's also…
High above Santa Rosa in Annadel State Park Before my recent visit, I knew very little about Santa Rosa, California. I knew it was in Sonoma…
This article is focused primarily on the amenities and culture found in Santa Rosa, California. For more details on the mountain bike trails, be sure to read my other article. While…
The new 2017 Trek Slash. (All photos by Sterling Lorence, courtesy of Trek) Looks like the rumors I had heard about the new Trek Slash were…
My first ride aboard the Pivot Mach 429 Trail (photo courtesy John Watson / theradavist.com) Pivot launched the Mach 429 Trail last year as a do-it-all trail bike.…
For 2017, Santa Cruz is offering aluminum frames on three of their most popular models, including the 5010 Santa Cruz has been churning out new and updated bikes…
Photo: Icon Media Asheville Our friends over at Blue Ridge Adventures are gearing up for their next two events: the Jerdon Mountain Challenge (JMC) and the Off Road…
Trek recently announced some significant updates for 2017 to two of their most popular bikes: the Fuel EX and Remedy. Can anyone guess what the major changes were? Anyone? Anyone? If…
Hardtails aren't just for beginner mountain bikers. Here are the 10 most aggressive hardtail mountain bikes.
"Do you guys have any good trails there?" It's a question I get all the time from other riders and colleagues in the "industry" while I'm on the road. So, for the…
The Norco Revolver 7.1 FS, looks fast standing still After taking a few years off from regular racing, I decided to get back on course in 2016. I…
Cane Creek is well-known for their Double Barrel (DB) line of shocks which includes both air and coil models.The Double Barrel's claim to fame has been it's adjustability, and it's hard to…
Finishing up the first stage of the 2016 Trans-Sylvania Epic (photo: TSEpic Media Team / Firespire Photography) As soon as the Trans-Sylvania Epic (TSEpic) ended last year, I…
Tools. I love them. I come from a family of craftsmen and furniture builders, so I grew up around all sorts of tools--everything from fine chisels to industrial table saws. That upbringing taught…
Riding the Marin Hawk Hill in Marin County, CA. Many mountain bikers on a budget have to choose between a hard ail with a solid parts spec or…
Photo: Trans-Sylvania Epic Media Team Stage 4 of the Trans-Sylvania Epic had us racing in R.B. Winter State Park, about an hour from the Scout Camp. The drive…
A rider created this two-bike contraption for biking on abandoned railroad tracks.
Years of riding bikes, in conjunction with genetics, have given me some monster quads. They're great for mashing the pedals, but not so great at fitting into certain gear--knee pads in particular. I've…
Stage winner Cody Phillips (Ibis Cycles Enduro Team). Photo: Trans-Sylvania Epic Media Team Day 3 of the Trans Sylvania Epic was an enduro day, meaning only the descents would…
The start of Stage 1. Photo: TSEpic Media Team I'm two days into the five-day Trans-Sylvania Epic! Stage 1 was brutal with around 37 miles and 4,000' of climbing.…
For long rides in big mountains, it's important to be prepared. After all, you never know when the weather might turn on you or when a mechanical will have you pushing home…
Aaron Chase aboard the new Pivot Switchblade (photo: Lear Miller) Pivot's newest bike - the Switchblade - has 135mm/150mm of travel (rear/front) and can be run with either…
I had an amazing time at the Trans-Sylvania Epic last year. The trails of Central Pennsylvania are just the kind of tough, technical riding I particularly enjoy. My performance was somewhat mixed though, as I…
The new RockShox SID World Cup The SID has always been RockShox's XC race fork, but over the years it did see some changes that made it more…
At Sea Otter this month we asked about a dozen mountain bike industry insiders a simple question: "What are the things you want to see more and less of from the industry over…
Catharine Pendrel/Silver Star Mountain Resort, Vernon, B.C., Canada As the resident--and likely, lone--stage racer here at Singletracks, I'm always on the look out for fun and challenging events.…
The third generation Santa Cruz Tallboy officially adds 27.5+ compatibility and goes longer, lower, and slacker.
Box Components new 1x11 drivetrain Box Components has been working on this drivetrain for years now, but it's looking like it's nearing production. In fact, Box says it…
Salsa's new trail bike - the Redpoint - is a looker Whilst booking it between appointments at Sea Otter, I saw someone wheeling around a shiny turquoise and…
Can you tell a difference between these two bikes? There's no doubt that today's 150-160mm-travel bikes are extremely capable. Most of the current crop of long-legged trail bikes…
Santa Cruz, California-based Praxis Works got their start making bottom brackets, but over the past few years their component line has exploded. They're now producing cassettes, chainrings, cranks, and as we found…
If you want the absolute best bang for your buck in a new mountain bike, it's hard to beat the offerings from Fezzari. The Utah-based consumer direct brand has bikes to fit…
Patrol's DH bike, the 871 offers top end parts for mid -range money We first spotted Patrol's bikes at Interbike last fall, where they teased their downhill (871)…
Ibis is now speccing their top wheels with hubs from Industry Nine Ibis was an early adopter of the "wider is better" ethos when it comes to mountain…
What's this? A common question at trade shows is, "What's the coolest thing you've seen?" Often it's hard to come up with an answer. Not because I haven't…
A 2016 Santa Cruz Hightower test ride review.
The new Trek Farley EX 9.8, equipped with Bontrager's new Drop Line post In what turned out to be a bit of a theme for this year's Sea…
The new Trek Farley EX 9.8 The biggest news by far from Trek's Sea Otter Launch was the addition of a full suspension Farley fat bike to their line.…
Editor's Note: Full disclosure: Aaron worked at Maxxis from 2010 until early 2015, when he joined the Singletracks team. Also, he's not neutral on his feelings towards Mulberry Gap--it's one of his "most…
photo: Magnus, of Iceland One of my all-time favorite hydration packs is an older Dakine Nomad. It's a good size for all-day rides, but not huge. The only…
Before racing in the Trans-Sylvania Epic (TSE) last year, I had never ridden my bike in Pennsylvania. To say that I was impressed with the trails there and the overall quality of the…
As I mentioned in my On Review article of the Marin Pine Mountain 2, I wasn't immediately won over by the 27.5+ wheel size. Skeptical-but-intrigued is how I would characterize my attitude.…
WTB's new 27.5x3.0 Bridger trail tire Many of the first crop of plus-sized bikes are being spec'd with WTB's Trailblazer tire. That's no surprise since the Trailblazer--in conjunction…
WTB's midfat Trail Boss 3.0 WTB has made great strides in their 27.5 tire line over the past few seasons. I've spent a lot of time on several…
A dropper post can dramatically upgrade your mountain biking experience. Here's what to look for when buying a dropper post.
Now that I've had a few months to give the Niner JET 9 Carbon a proper flogging, it's time to come back to you and report on my experience. For those that…
12
