Jeff co-founded Singletracks with his wife Leah in 1998 and has been dedicated to sharing the mountain bike information that inspires others to take epic adventures ever since. He started mountain biking in high school and served in the US Air Force before devoting himself full time to Singletracks in 2007.
Though formally educated as an engineer, Jeff began writing stories at an early stage, inspired by his mother who is a longtime accomplished author. He enjoys covering the world of mountain biking from every possible angle, whether it's trails or gear or skills. His goal for every story: that readers learn at least one new thing.
Author snapshot
MTB Background and expertise
- Riding experience: Trail, XC, and bikepacking.
- Mountain biking since: 1992
- Number of products reviewed: ?. I think my first product review for the site was this one for a plastic wallet.
- Current stable: Canyon Neuron, Orange P7 hardtail, and Scott Fun XC
Education and writing experience
- Bachelors of Science in Engineering, Duke University
- Masters of Business Administration, Duke University
- Other publications: Panther Press (Lakeside High School - Augusta, GA), CitySearch.com
I think I speak for 99% of mountain bikers when I say the purpose of climbing is to get to the next descent.
The Panaracer Gravelking EXT tire is a good singletrack climber and a reasonable road rider. The Best of both worlds.
The new Donnelly GJT mountain bike tire offers a responsive ride feel, excellent transitions into the corners, and a grippy compound.
Mountain biking provides a temporary escape that can and does make us into better people. But you already knew that.
Aaron and Emily Kerson founded PNW Components in 2015. The customer-focused brand is known for offering quality components like dropper posts, handlebars, and now clothing at affordable prices.
The Alchemy Arktos 120 stands out among the crowded field of trail bikes thanks to its ability to chameleon between short-travel, trail, and all-mountain with a single frame, and the Sine Suspension System that places a premium on anti-squat while delivering a supple ride feel.
The Mesa County Sheriff's office reports that a 52-year-old mountain biker died on the Palisade Plunge trail on Saturday after suffering a "heat-related illness."
Brands design tires for many different uses and situations, giving buyers the ability to dial in exactly what they need.
Otis Guy has been there for many firsts in the sport of MTB including racing Repack in the 70s and the first World Champs in 1990. Today he's still building frames and mentoring the next generation of riders.
We tested the longest OneUp dropper post with 240mm of travel and we're finally getting as low as we want to go.
Maybe this is a dumb question, but is it ever too hot to go mountain biking?
The Shimano XC7 mountain bike shoes are incredibly comfortable and should fit a wide range of foot sizes.
The Diamondback Haanjo gravel bike excels at dirt road biking, and is fine for riding singletrack and tarmac too.
In this podcast episode we talk about how mountain bikes are specced, and how product managers make decisions about which parts to include.
Has anything ever caused you to regret a mountain bike purchase?
The Suunto 5 Peak GPS tracks all the usual metrics; speed, distance, and basic navigation for hitting the trail in a compact package.
Dedicated shin guards protect against pedal strikes and trail ejecta without the discomfort of knee pads.
It's gettin' hot in here. So what's in your water bottle?
The Abus Sportflex 2504 bike lock is easily one of the flimsiest the brand offers yet it's also one of the most clever and convenient.
By reading Singletracks and sharing comments, you're helping a global community of mountain bikers.
We speak with the Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship executive director about the group's recent name change, professional trail building, and the science behind the MTB impact on trails.
The latest smartwatches and fitness trackers are pretty amazing. While the most basic can track our steps during the day, more advanced devices can watch our heart rate, track speed and distances, and even prevent us from getting lost.
Trail usage spiked in the early days of the pandemic, and data shows traffic hasn't slowed much since. And in some destinations, visits continue to grow even as bike sales slow.
The operators of Mt. Hood Skibowl in Oregon have decided to suspend bike park operations following an $11.4M verdict against them in an injury lawsuit.
Dale Boyd and Drew Hall are mountain bikers and trail builders living in Mobile, Alabama. They’re part of a group called Ride the Rebellion that posts videos and podcasts about their efforts to build and ride trails in a part of the US that isn’t traditionally known for mountain biking.
One of our favorite things about mountain biking is traveling to ride great trails all over the world. Tell us where you're heading to ride bikes this year, or where you've already been!
See which dropper posts we've reviewed and recommend, including the best value and best performing droppers for mountain biking.
Wende Cragg has been a part of mountain biking since the beginning of the sport in California in the 1970s, racing and photographing the early Repack races down Mt. Tam.
Twenty five hundred dollars is a lot of money but let's face it, that amount of cash doesn't go as far as we would like, especially when it comes to buying a new mountain bike.
This week we've got a couple new kids bikes, tips for snagging a Salsa, a GPS unit and watch, and a bike with a "Floating Damping Suspension" design.
Strapping a bunch of gear to a bike and rolling around for days feels, in many ways, like becoming a turtle.
The Whistler Bike Park in British Columbia typically opens in mid-May each year thanks to preparation, the hard work of the trail crew, and a bit of help from nature.
We ask cycling coach Ben Turits about popular fitness metrics like VO2 max and lactate threshold to understand how/if they can help us get faster.
While some may enjoy the thrill of aiming for the top of the boards, for others, wall rides are a thing to be feared. For others still, they're a little boring and unnatural.
Mountain bikers don't tend to think of the benefits of riding in terms of dollars and cents, but corporations do. People for Bikes is working to convince companies that employee bike benefit programs are good for business.
We learn about the IMBA Local program which is designed to support grassroots mountain bike organizations through services, education and mentorship programs.
Are you in the market for a longer-travel mountain bike, or are you good with the amount you have?
I asked five experienced ultra-endurance bikepackers what they do to stay loose, avoid injury, and reduce the need for recovery after a long ride.
Today is Gerow's last day at Singletracks. We look back at some of his and our favorite stories.
SORBA chapters support 3,000 miles of mountain bike trails in the southeast, with even more on the way.
Nobody like a tailgater on the freeway. The same thing goes for riding on the trail.
Words are weird, and it seems like the lingo mountain bikers use is in constant flux.
The Five Ten Trailcross CLs are basically a mashup of a trail runner with a mountain bike shoe, with specs and features to match.
Whenever mountain bikers talk about ‘hardcore hardtails’ the Kona Honzo is invariably mentioned. We find out what makes these bikes appealing.
This week we're playing a game of would-you-rather on the topic of technical trail features.
The SKS Explorer top tube bag has not just one but two zippered, waterproof compartments, a see-through plastic top for use with a smartphone, and a port for charging your phone or plugging in headphones on the go.
We talk about all of the issues facing mountain bikers in San Diego county from access and trail buidling to e-bikes and wilderness.
Are dogs a mountain biker's best friend? For many, the answer is yes!
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