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
Specialized is having a big sale on select mountain bikes that you can purchase online through Monday, Oct 10.
Renting a bike when riding out of town can be convenient, but it can also get expensive, and it's not always possible to find exactly the right bike.
The Coros Vertix 2 GPS watch offers incredible battery life and a slew of features for tracking and navigating trails, though it may be overkill for many riders.
Dr. Kate Leeming is an explorer and adventurer who has biked tens of thousands of miles around the world, most recently across the Andes in South America.
The Marin El Roy is a steel hardtail that's designed for rough enduro-style trail riding, with the geo and build kit to back it up.
We all ride for different reasons, and not every mountain bike ride is the same. Sometimes it's all about blasting out a quick lap, other times we just want to catch up with friends.
The Race Face Atlas 35 handlebar is a great choice for trail riding, offering a more aggressive posture for descending without compromising comfort and control too much on the climbs.
Ned Overend is a mountain bike Hall of Famer and highly accomplished racer living in Durango, Colorado.
No guilt here; we're just looking for an honest answer! Trail building and maintenance takes time, but it's also necessary.
The American Classic Basanite is a rear mountain bike tire that's available in a trail or enduro casing for riding in most conditions.
Properly bedding in disc brakes maximizes performance. Follow these three basic steps to bed in your bike brakes and pads.
Dr. Matt Miller, inventor and founder of Brake Ace, answers mountain bike braking questions and shares data-based tips for riding faster.
The Giant Dash M200 bike GPS looks good on the outside but there are a few quirks to be worked out.
In mountain biking, as in life, it feels good to look on the bright side of things. Take new standards, for example.
These are the best mountain bike destinations around the world according to Singletracks staff and readers.
While most mountain bikers agree that descending is the fun part, some of us like to take it slow and savor the flow while others like to gun and be done.
The Trek Fuel EX gets a travel bump to 150/140mm front and rear plus a slew of frame and geo updates to suit a wide spectrum of trail riding styles.
Bike racks increase drag on vehicles, and for electric vehicles where range is limited, it's helpful to know by how much.
COTA's mission is to "develop, protect, and enhance the Central Oregon mountain bike experience through trail stewardship, advocacy, collaboration, and education."
Tell us who your mountain bike hero is: a friend, an athlete, an advocate, or someone else!
Looking for decent but cheap mountain bike shorts? We are too.
This past weekend Blevins crashed during the short track race (XCC) at Les Gets but still managed a top-20 finish. We're re-sharing our interview with him from last year.
The State Bicycle Co. Klunker is as pure as a mountain bike can get. And it will crush your ego.
Get that gear off your back AND your hips with one or more of these mountain bike frame and handlebar bags.
The low price on this complete mountain bike with a wireless electronic drivetrain has us doing a double and triple take.
Professional mountain biker and coach Rab Wardell passed away in his sleep last night at the age of 37. The cause of death is unknown at this time.
In this episode Chris Schieffer, Jeff Barber, and Matt Miller talk about the 12 best mountain bike destinations in the United States that was recently shared on Singletracks.
Among trail surfaces, loam holds an almost mythical status. Mountain bikers prize it for its soft landings, hero-like traction, and roost-ability.
Singletracks has tested nearly 100 pairs of mountain bike shorts, and these are the best we've found so far.
We check in with Pat and Doug from Kona to learn how hardtail mountain bikes are specced, and what makes for a 'hardcore hardtail.'
Given the choice between riding on a paved road or on gravel, we'll take the gravel every time. Yet there are only so many hours in the day, and the singletrack siren calls.
Eddie O'Dea set out on August 1 to raise funds for the Georgia Cycling Association and to be the first to complete the Eastern Divide bikepacking route, a meandering chain of dirt roads, pavement, and singletrack first imagined several years ago.
The Moon Rigel Power bike light blasts up to 3,600 lumens for two hours, and the all-in-one design packs three distinct beam patterns that can be switched at the push of a button.
In Gear Watch this week, Garmin announces the latest Enduro smartwatch, Pole opens a new factory in Finland, Bianchi previews a full range of electric mountain bikes, and Enve begins shipping their inverted dropper post.
Is there a secret to riding webby trails? We're asking for a friend.
Check singletracks.com/deals to find the best prices on gear, and help Singletracks at the same time. It's a win-win!
JensonUSA has complete, 2022 Ibis Ripley AF bikes in stock (sizes M, L, XL) AND on sale for $2,849.25.
The Continental Kryptotal Re is a mixed conditions MTB tire with with strong braking bars in the center and tall side knobs for grip off camber and in corners.
We learn how bike engineers and designers work together, and how brands like Evil approach e-bike design.
The latest Santa Cruz Nomad swaps balanced, 27.5 wheels for a mixed-wheel configuration, adds Glove Box in-tube storage, and tweaks the geo and suspension.
Direct-to-consumer (DTC) bike brands like Canyon, YT, and Commencal are growing, and it seems buyers are becoming more comfortable choosing and purchasing bikes online.
The Abus MoDrop MIPS is a quality bike helmet for trail riding, and is compatible with the brand's Bluetooth crash sensor.
The Manitou Jack dropper post is solidly built with an easy-to-maintain design.
It's been a minute since we've seen this many in-stock, and on-sale mountain bikes available.
Dee Tidwell breaks down mountain bike performance training for us with the Power Pyramid, and shares tips for avoiding injury.
These are currently the best mountain bike destinations in the United States.
12-speed Shimano bike chains remain difficult to find, and a quick check shows them backordered everywhere from JensonUSA to REI and Worldwide Cyclery. However a few sellers on Amazon seem to have chains available.
Choosing the best mountain bike helmet is like choosing the best bike -- all that really matters is that you have (and wear) one.
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