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
Bikepacking is both complex, and yet very simple.
Ensuring that all of the gear that you need to mountain bike makes it into your vehicle and to the trailhead with you may seem like the most basic of tasks.…
Photo: Chris Daniels 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…
Ryan Kikauka, living on the edge. "If you aren't living on the edge, you're taking up too much space," our lead guide, Ryan Kikauka, quipped as we rode quite literally on the…
When you glance at the latest version of the Scott Genius hanging from a demo rack in a parking lot or in a photo on the internet, the amount of technology present…
Spike 350 Vibrocore Spank began injecting handlebars with a proprietary foam that they call "Vibrocore" a couple of years ago, and it succeeded in damping vibrations in…
Ridgemont Trail System, Fernie, BC. Rider: Ryan Kikauka British Columbia is filthy-rich with mountain bike destinations. One day over lunch I asked our guides, Ryan and Johanna, to tell me what they thought…
Photo: Kent Kanouse, via Flickr Creative Commons Editor’s Note: “Over a Beer” is a regular column written by Greg Heil. While Greg is the Editor in Chief…
All photos courtesy WTB WTB has spent two years developing the Koda saddle, which is optimized for the female anatomy. However, WTB is quick to note that…
All photos courtesy of Terrene Terrene Tires has just announced their new Cake Eater tire model, which will be available as a studdable fat bike tire…
All photos courtesy of ENVE ENVE has just announced the second generation of their M Series wheels, which they say "features game changing technology that promises…
Many riders prefer the suppleness and more consistent performance of coil suspension over that of air. MRP's new Ribbon Coil Fork is helping lead the resurgence of coil forks on…
Rider: Ryan Kikauka. Trail: G8 Loop, Canmore, AB "I told him that he couldn't go on holiday without me again," said one of the women on our…
I first spotted the intriguing Spot Mayhem at Outerbike in Moab this spring, but they didn't have any bikes available for testing. This August was a different story, and I was…
All photos courtesy of Transition Transition has just announced the addition of a new bike to their lineup: the Sentinel, a long-travel 29er with 140mm of…
Most people think steel is best suited for hardtail mountain bike frames--and if it's a singlespeed, then even better! Generally speaking, steel is much heavier than any other bike frame materials--aluminum, carbon, titanium,…
Kootenay National Park, BC 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…
I spied a new product at Outerbike this weekend that looked like it was straight out of a scifi movie: the new integrated carbon bar/stem combo from Syncros, dubbed the Hixon…
Last week Alexander Bowers, aka the Singletrack Sampler, and I got out for a pedal and shred on the Cottonwood Trail here in Salida, Colorado. Alex had just driven from 1,000…
The hottest, most innovative mountain bike products of 2017 include drivetrain upgrades, electronic suspension tuning, and onboard tool storage.
Mountain bike advocacy support is greatest at the local level, with fewer seeing the need for trail advocacy at the national level.
Niner has re-introduced an aluminum version of the AIR 9 mountain bike with updated geometry and specs.
Photo: San Miguel Sheriff "A 24 year-old Colorado man was struck and killed by lightning while mountain biking on a trail outside Telluride with his girlfriend,"…
Find the most difficult mountain bike trail in every US state. Each of these black diamond bike trails offer advanced riders a true technical challenge.
Guerrilla Gravity is the marriage between a made-in-the-USA ethos and a focus on getting sendy and shredding gnarly trails. Their head badge logo? The sign of the horns. Most brands…
Trail: Jewel Pass, Canmore, AB. Rider: Ryan Kikauka. Photo: Greg Heil Editor’s Note: “Over a Beer” is a regular column written by Greg Heil. While Greg is…
Every single rider has a set of brakes on their mountain bike. Whether you ride full suspension or hardtail, with 30 gears or 1, a new bike or an old one, we all…
The Launch model has been one of Pearl Izumi's signature baggy shorts for many years. Spring 2017 saw a refresh of this model, and I've been testing the latest for most…
There were bikes to be ridden, notes to be taken, people to network with, but Aaron and I had to stop for just a few minutes to…
After a six-day manhunt in the Pisgah National forest, the fugitive pictured above, Phillip Michael Stroupe, II, was apprehended late last night, according to an article on WLOS.com. According to reports, Stroupe…
Giant has just announced their new and improved Reign for 2018. According to Giant, this is "the most shreddable Reign ever. This new enduro crusher delivers flat-out speed and control on…
Photo: Stelios Psaroudakis Stelios Psaroudakis of Calgary publicly claimed that he had hit a barbed wire booby trap with his neck while mountain biking on a popular trail…
The suspect, Phillip Michael Stroupe III Two mountain bikers were held up at gunpoint in Pisgah National Forest on forest Road 477 on Saturday, according to reports. The…
The Kali Interceptor is a lightweight XC helmet.
Photo: Aaron Chamberlain 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…
Photo: Aaron Chamberlain When it comes to traveling with your mountain bike in North America, the road trip is king. Until gas prices climb back up…
Revelate Designs has been in the bikepacking game since the very beginning. Founded in Anchorage back in 2007, Revelate has been making frame bags for a decade and has a wide…
It comes as no surprise that Breckenridge, Crested Butte and the Grand Valley are among the top mountain bike destinations in Colorado.
Photo: Stelios Psaroudakis's GoFundMe page. Recent reports of a mountain biker being clotheslined by a booby trap consisting of barbed wire strung across a popular mountain bike trail…
A mountain biker's neck was sliced open by a string of barbed wire that was tied across a mountain bike trail at West Bragg Creek Provincial Park in Alberta, multiple sources…
The Chuckbucket is a handlebar snack bag that's designed to accommodate up to a 1-liter Nalgene water bottle or a 40-ounce Klean Kanteen.
The Gearjammer is Oveja Negra's take on the classic seat bag--a must-have for any and every bikepacker.
All photos courtesy Santa Cruz Santa Cruz has just announced a brand new bike: the Hightower LT with 150mm of rear travel. The new Hightower LT doesn't…
Real life takes place behind bars. Editor’s Note: “Over a Beer” is a regular column written by Greg Heil. While Greg is the Editor in Chief for…
A review of the Topeak Ninja C bicycle multi-tool.
A review of the Topeak Mini 10 bicycle multi-tool.
After twisting and turning through the maze of options in the greater Slaughter Pen complex, Back 40, in contrast, promised a lengthy 30-mile loop with minimal navigation required.
We knew going into it that the Upper Buffalo Headwaters Trail System was in the middle of nowhere--close to two hours of driving from our base for the weekend in Bentonville, Arkansas.