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
Pearl Izumi's X-Project P.R.O. mountain bike shoe promises to be the one tool for all of your mountain biking needs, including hike-a-bikes. But in real life, it doesn't live up to its bold claims.
As you're confronted with the next obstacle between you and your goals, ask yourself: "how bad do I want it... really?" And, "what kind of pain am I willing to sustain?"
The Yakima Dr.Tray hitch-mounted bike has sliding trays which eliminate bike-on-bike contact while driving to the trailhead.
I found the Michelin Wild AM bike tire performs well as a lightweight rear tire in aggressive big mountain terrain. As a front tire, the Michelin Wild AM is a bit lacking.
The Zerode Taniwha enduro bike features a Pinion C1.12 gearbox transmission and a carbon frame with 160mm of suspension travel. It's expensive at $6,500-$9,500, but moving more drivetrain weight to the bottom bracket makes for a well-balanced mountain bike.
Look has just released their new X-Track mountain bike pedals, which they claim provide the best weight to contact surface ration on the market today. The X-Track XC SPD pedals provide 515 mm
The Flowtron dropper seat post from FSA features 125mm or 150mm of travel and a paddle-style remote, all for a reasonable price.
Riding the Bear Creek section of the Rainbow Trail. Rider: Greg Heil. Photo: Marcel Slootheer A rider was out on the popular Bear Creek section of…
The Yeti winter bike shoe from Northwave is designed for fat biking and has an SPD cleat attachment, is rated to -13
Helmet manufacturers are working on new designs to reduce the effects of rotational impact forces to the head in the event of a crash. While MIPS was the first on the scene,…
Worrying about the future and obsessing about the past--these two things rob us of embracing and enjoying this present, singular moment. Autumn teaches us to embrace these fleeting moments that collectively make up our lives.
GoPro has just released two new cameras: the Hero6 Black and the Fusion, which shoots spherical video.
Kuat and Yakima have released nearly identical hitch mounts that allow a bike rack to swing out of the way of the rear of a vehicle.
The KHS SixFifty 6600+ is a carbon full suspension enduro 27.5+ bike... and it only costs $4,000!
Patrol is launching a new 140mm 29er full suspension trail bike: the 591.
Thule's EasyFold XT ebike rack claims a 66-pound bike weight limit and includes a ramp to roll the bikes onto the rack.
Osprey's new TrailKit, SnowKit, and BigKit gear hauling bags are superbly engineered and feature-rich.
Pearl Izumi's first-ever flat pedal bike shoe, the X-Alp Launch, is light enough for all-day rides.
Pardus Cyclone The Pardus Cyclone is currently a prototype, but prototype or not this full suspension carbon bike was a real head-turner at Outdoor Demo. That's…
Tantrum's new, patented Missing Link suspension design promises revolutionary climbing efficiency, without sacrificing descending prowess.
The Half Bottle adapter from Wolf Tooth adds a second mount for a tool to an existing water bottle mount.
Photo from Interbike 2016. Courtesy of Interbike. Editor’s Note: “Over a Beer” is a regular column written by Greg Heil. While Greg is the Editor in Chief…
Unless you only ride park, baggy shorts can start to feel pretty warm during 90-degree mid-summer rides. While you could easily strip down to the bare essentials and rock XC bibs,…
The XA Pro Under Bib Shorts from Mavic offer excellent ventilation and a thick, comfortable chamois. The chamois is very absorbant, so much so that it left me feeling dry.
The Gunnison National Forest in Colorado is home to some of the best mountain bike trails in the world, including Trail 401, Doctor Park, and Mt. Crested Butte.
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,"…
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