Greg began mountain biking in 2005, and since then, the pursuit of singletrack has taken him around the world. While Greg first started adding trail reviews to Singletracks in 2008, his career in mountain bike media officially began in 2010. He started writing for Singletracks in 2011 while simultaneously finishing his formal secondary education in writing and publication. Greg has the distinction of being the first employee that Singletracks ever hired, and he went on to serve for seven years, including five years in the Editor in Chief role. After a six-year hiatus, Greg is back at Singletracks, serving in the Managing Editor role.
While Greg has reviewed innumerable mountain bikes and products over the years, his true passion lies in writing about mountain bike trails and destinations. Greg has ridden over 8,000 trails and visited 21 countries (and counting). He recently spent four years traveling full-time, including two spent living in a camper van with his wife, Christine. In between epic trips, he now resides in Durango, Colorado.
Author snapshot
MTB Background and expertise
- Riding experience: Primarily trail and enduro, with experience including endurance XC, bikepacking, downhill, and gravel riding.
- Mountain biking since: 2005
- Number of trails ridden: 8,000+
- Number of countries visited: 21+
- Current stable: Pivot Switchblade V3, Pivot Vault, Scott Big Jon
Education and writing experience
- Bachelors of Arts, English: Writing and Publication, University of North Georgia
- Other publications: Strava, FATMAP, Dirt Rag Magazine, MTB Project, Hiking Project, GearJunkie, Outside 365
A review of the Shimano Deore XT M8000 mountain bike brakes.
IMBA has officially released the results from their 2016 Member Survey, conducted this spring. 6,299 members completed the survey, representing all 50 states. Note that this survey was only open to…
Photo: Twelve50 Bikes Update: Twelve50 has just released an update: The stakes are there from when the forest was planted and weren’t manufactured with the sole intention of…
No complaints from Marcel, even though we were shouldering our bikes. "Quick, get a picture!" he said. "I think this is the first time ever I've really had…
Photo: Jesse Horton? / Mountain Bike Eagle Facebook Page According to VailDaily.com, law enforcement officials have identified a suspect in the recent instance of trail vandalism in Eagle.…
Photo: Roo Fowler, Youtube Update: The mountain bike skills instructor has been found 80% liable in this case, and is expected to pay £3 million in…
Rider: Greg Heil. Photo: Marcel Slootheer Editor’s Note: “Over a Beer” is a regular column written by Greg Heil. While Greg is the Editor in Chief for…
All Photos: Jesse Horton? / Mountain Bike Eagle Facebook Page Riders in and around the Eagle, CO area: keep your wits about you out on the singletrack, as…
Editor’s Note: “Over a Beer” is a regular column written by Greg Heil. While Greg is the Editor in Chief for Singletracks.com, any opinions expressed in this column are his alone and…
Editor’s Note: “Over a Beer” is a regular column written by Greg Heil. While Greg is the Editor in Chief for Singletracks.com, any opinions expressed in this column are his alone…
It's good to see Danny MacAskill back on the mountain bike! While we share Danny's videos without fail here on Singletracks, his only true mountain bike film that didn't involve…
What are some important factors to consider for that first bikepacking adventure?
The Fission Bib Knicker from Hincapie is the perfect pair of riding shorts for cool spring and fall weather, or even as a base layer during mid-winter. While I had gotten along just…
The companion to the Fission Bib Knicker from Hincapie is the Fission Long Sleeve Jersey. Specs The jersey is made of extremely soft, smooth QuadroHot fabric that offers claimed insulation properties. The…
Getting to know the pros and cons of the Pinion internally geared mountain bike drivetrain.
A complete Oveja Negra bikepacking setup. Photo: Greg Heil While bikepacking participation continues to climb, the growth in the production of bikepacking products--specifically bags--is accelerating at an exponential pace. While these bags…
After a very favorable reception for the Torrent 27.5+ hardtail, Norco has tripled down on 27.5+ mountain bikes, releasing 3 all-new models for 2017! Torrent 7 FS+ The most notable of the new additions…
Spotted at a trailhead for the Mount Massive Wilderness. Photo: Greg Heil The US Forest Service has proposed a "cultural shift" with the intent of promoting recreation…
I was cruising around the Interbike showroom floor, late for yet another appointment, but the Wilier Triestina Jaroon+ stopped me in my tracks. This mountain bike, while of questionable real…
Having earned a coveted spot on our list of the 5 Most Innovative Mountain Bikes of 2016, I knew that I had to get on the Pivot Switchblade to see if the bike…
Photo by Sergio Barboni. Taken in Italy. Editor’s Note: “Over a Beer” is a regular column written by Greg Heil. While Greg is the Editor in Chief…
The DrTray hitch rack, an all-new offering from Yakima, is designed to eliminate bike-on-bike banging and damage during transport by allowing both of the trays on the hitch rack to…
Every time we turn around another high-dollar, boutique full suspension mountain bike is being announced by a major bike brand. So when a reputable brand announces an all-new full suspension trail…
Rider: Greg Heil. Photo: Zach White. With every piece of gear that I carry with me on the mountain bike, my first question is: “how packable…
Editor’s Note: “Over a Beer” is a regular column written by Greg Heil. While Greg is the Editor in Chief for Singletracks.com, any opinions expressed in this column are his alone…
Photo: Alex Strickland / Sea Otter Sea Otter, arguably the largest cycling festival in the world, has just announced that it will be adding a new Sea…
While the mountain bike media is constantly reporting on the latest trends and the newest products, adoption of these new products in the real world is often much slower than you'd…
During my visit to Sun Valley, I happened to randomly bump into a marketing contact of mine—Adrian Montgomery—at the top of the ski lift on Bald Mountain. Naturally we went…
It's not often that we get the chance to truly review products over the long term. I mean, 2-3 months is pretty standard, but what about really long term? What about,…
Gone are the days of one or two dropper posts monopolizing the entire market. While ebikes may have been the main trend on display at Eurobike 2016, after spending some time…
Rumors have been swirling for months now about the first drivetrain release from Box Components. While mountain bike drivetrains have been primarily a two-brand-show for many years, Box thinks that…
A small village on the French side of the Pyrenees. Riders: Juan Garcia and Jordi Bonet / MTB Dreams Editor’s Note: “Over a Beer” is a regular…
We spotted eight mountain bikes with gearbox drivetrains at Eurobike in 2016.
Yeti has just released their first ever 27.5 plus-sized mountain bike, the SB5+. Based on the popular SB5, the 5+ has very similar specs, but sports a slightly steeper head…
RST has just launched a brand-new Inverted XC/Trail fork, dubbed the “Rebel.” Available in travel lengths from 80mm all the way up to 140, this model can definitely cover a wide…
Locating information about RST products online is difficult. Back in 2014, we published a sneak preview of a new fat bike fork from RST, dubbed the "Renegade," that was supposed to…
Bike legal singletrack in the foreground, and the now-off-limits Wilderness off in the distance. Sun Valley, Idaho burst onto the radars of many mountain bikers in the worst way possible: by losing…
Complete Skinwall line Maxxis has expanded their line of Skinwall tires with the addition of the Ikon. Previously, the Skinwall design was only available in the Ardent and…
-90° Rocky Mountain is jumping on a wheel/tire size bandwagon that Trek pioneered with the launch of the Farley Fat Bike back in 2015: 27.5 fat. While…
After 12 years with IMBA, Mike Van Abel, currently serving as the Executive director, has resigned. His resignation has been accepted by the board, and will be effective September 2, 2016. “Mike…
Rider: Ray Gadd "Sun Valley's brand is high-speed riding on endless, well-maintained trails," commented Adrian Montgomery, the Executive Director of the Wood River Bicycle Coalition, as we rode up the chairlift at Bald Mountain.…
Imperial Gulch trail. Rider: Ray Gadd. If you visit Sun Valley, Idaho in the summer you will see a lot of three things: multimillion-dollar mansions, range upon range of mountains, and endless…
According to the Bureau of Land Management, the wire found strung across a trail in Fruita, CO was not a booby trap. Rather, according to a Facebook post distributed by mountain bike…
Photo: NBCOlympics.com Nino Schurter of Switzerland and Jenny Rissveds of Sweden, both sponsored by Scott Sports and riding the new ultra-lightweight Spark, both took gold at…
Collegiate Peaks Wilderness. Editor’s Note: “Over a Beer” is a regular column written by Greg Heil. While Greg is the Editor in Chief for Singletracks.com, any opinions expressed in…
Unfortunately, we have two acts of trail terrorism to report this week, to remind our readers to stay safe and alert while out there on the trail. Both of them come from…
Specialized has totally revamped their acclaimed Enduro model for 2017, with slacker geometry, shorter stays, a suspension overhaul, and the full SWAT treatment. As far as the geo, the head tube…
Factory Build. All photos courtesy of Intense Intense has just announced an all-new trail bike: the Recluse. With 140mm of rear suspension featuring a proprietary I-Box…
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