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
Smith's Forefront helmet with its unique Aerocore construction (featuring Koroyd) has become one of the most recognizable and widely-used enduro helmets on the market today. And for good reason: the performance…
Mountain biking in the Cairngorms, close to the H+I Headquarters in Inverness. Photo courtesy H+I. If you look up Inverness, Scotland on a map, it looks…
Marcel Hagener and Simone Maier, Red Bull Defiance Adventure Race, New Zealand. Photo: Graeme Murray/Red Bull Content Pool Editor’s Note: “Over a Beer” is a regular column…
A spike booby trap found at Buffalo Creek in Colorado. Photo: Tim Fishback We've reported about trail booby traps many times in the past, and often the argument has arisen…
Photo: Interbike Utah legislators have been in the hot seat in recent weeks, with many proponents of public land, including both advocates and industry members, viewing…
Rider: Darren Berrecloth filming for "Where the Trail Ends." Photo: John Wellburn / Red Bull Content Pool Editor’s Note: “Over a Beer” is a regular column written…
All photos courtesy of Salsa Cycles Salsa has just launched the first-ever full suspension 29+ mountain bike: the Deadwood Sus. We have postulated before that creating a…
Photo: Chris Gibbs The competition in our #TrailTales contest was fierce, with stories of high adventure (and misadventure) submitted from all corners of the globe. The…
Photo: Greg Heil Riding in wet and muddy environments can quickly decimate your chain lube, clogging up your drivetrain with mud and dirt, creating chain suck,…
If you've been paying attention, you might be a bit confused right now. "Wasn't Dave Wiens just elected to be the chair of the IMBA board?" Yes, yes he was. "In what…
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…
Trail: Little Rainbow, Salida, Colorado. Rider: Scott Link. Photo: Greg Heil As Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow and predicts 6 more weeks of winter, I find…
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…
Collegiate DH racing. Photo: Jesse Palmer, via Flickr Creative Commons https://www.flickr.com/photos/jp3d/ As a 17- or 18-year-old in your senior year of high school, you're now faced with one of the toughest decisions…
Mountain bikers should carry a multi-tool, spare tube, and an inflation device with them at all times. These items are non-negotiable, because mountain bikes break. A lot. The problem with most multi-tools is that when…
Not only will Lenzerheide have played a significant role in the World Cup for three years running, but they've officially been awarded the 2018 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships.
Photo: BC Bike Race Congratulations, you've made it through a long, long week of work! You've slaved away for the man, working to put food on…
Photo: Enduro World Series 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…
Here in the US, "lift rides" and "backcountry" are two mutually-exclusive terms. But in Europe, they don't have to be. On my second day riding in Switzerland we used a pair…
Have you ever heard a friend tell you a tale of an epic trail, and knew that you just had to go and experience that mountain bike ride for yourself? That's exactly how…
A proposal has been put forth that mountain bikes be allowed on a historic trail in the Alleghany National Forest: Tracy Ridge, in Pennsylvania. The USFS conducted an environmental assessment about the fitness…
9:zero:7 has just launched two all new fat tire bikes: the Tundra, and the Squall kids fat bike. Tundra The new Tundra is "an all-rounder built for anything you can throw at…
In his early 50s, Micheal Woodruff still sends bigger jumps than I'm willing to attempt. (Note the distinguished gray beard poking out beneath the chin guard.) …
Guerrilla Gravity (GG) has just released the 2017 updates to their popular Megatrail enduro rig, and has announced the addition of an all-new Megatrail SS model to their lineup. All-New Megatrail…
Monarch Crest Trail, Salida, Colorado. Photo: Scott Anderson Featuring thousands of trails all around the world, the Singletracks trail database is your first stop for MTB trail…
The best possible bike buying advice you can take to heart is to set a budget for yourself, stick to it, and don't go hopelessly into debt when it's time to upgrade…
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: Scott Anderson 2016 was a fantastic year on Singletracks, filled with epic adventures, incredible stories, and engaging conversation! Every year you vote with your clicks,…
Photo by Karl Nielsen, from Maureen Gaffney's article titled "'I Wish They Had That When I Was in High School!' How NICA Continues to Inspire." I…
Descending Meall a' Bhuachaille. Photo: Ross Bell. As my wife and I walked into a bar in Aviemore, Scotland, for a bite to eat, well after…
The author in the front, embracing the frigid water. Photo: Ross Bell As we rolled up to the beginning of a rotten bridge that abruptly ended…
Scotland has a national strategy for developing mountain biking in their country.
Capturing the ride. Photo: Sergio Barboni Editor’s Note: “Over a Beer” is a regular column written by Greg Heil. While Greg is the Editor in Chief for…
Photo: AZT Expeditions AZT Expeditions has just announced the addition of two new self-guided trips on the Arizona Trail to their lineup: Flagstaff to the Grand…
All photos courtesy of Fatback The Fatback Corvus has made a name for itself by setting the course record for the Iditarod Trail Invitational, an adventure…
Heads in the clouds during an MTB Dreams fantasy. Adventure tourism as an industry is growing rapidly worldwide, and within that industry, the niche of mountain…
The very best mountain biking that I experienced during my time in Europe wasn’t found in the Alps like I thought it would be—it was in the Pyrenees.
We got dumped on during our second ride at the Scotland MTB Conference. Photo: Ross Bell Editor’s Note: “Over a Beer” is a regular column written by…
Gallinero Trail, Benasque I set a tall order for myself when I visited Spain: mountain bike the very best enduro-friendly singletrack trails that the Spanish Pyrenees…
Choosing to live in a small mountain town like Salida, CO requires a serious meta-level decision about the type of life that you want to lead.(Rider: Marcel…
The Hincapie Kessel Bibshort is a dedicated pair of XC bibs with features that cross-country shredders can appreciate. The main short body is composed of several moisture-wicking lycra panels that conform to…
Luxuriating in the Swiss Alps. Editor’s Note: “Over a Beer” is a regular column written by Greg Heil. While Greg is the Editor in Chief for Singletracks.com,…
Winter is coming in the northern hemisphere, but the onslaught of cold temperatures, limited daylight, and snowy conditions doesn't require you to stop mountain biking. The advent of the fat bike means that…
The French brand Mavic jumped on the enduro bandwagon long before many US brands decided it was a thing, and has been creating and selling enduro-specific shoes for years. With…
No matter how long the tunnel is, there's always light at the end of it. Editor’s Note: “Over a Beer” is a regular column written by…
Singletracks readers choose their favorite fat bikes for 2016.
Photo: Roo Fowler, Youtube The mountain bike skills instructor in the UK who was sued by a paralyzed student has lost the case, with the judge…
Rider: Jo Pauly. All photos by Greg Heil unless otherwise noted. The Morzine and Les Gets area is best-known for their bike park trails and the…
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