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
US Senator Mike Lee of Utah introduced Senate bill 1686 recently which seeks to "amend the Wilderness Act to allow local Federal officials to determine the manner in which nonmotorized uses may be permitted in wilderness areas, and for other purposes."
We ask Chiropractor and professional bike fitter Adam Phaneuf how bike fitting and sizing works to eliminate pain and make riders faster.
There are plenty of reasons to wear eye protection on the mountain bike trail: wind, sun, dust, and tree-branch protection, just to name a few.
Privet is an invasive plant that shades many suburban mountain bike trail systems in the southeastern US.
Rotational impact protection is nice to have, but what we really need is a way to keep our hair coiffed.
Kitsbow utilizes a made-to-order model for many of the items in their cycling clothing line to reduce waste, cut lead times, and support the local economy in Old Fort, NC.
Electronic shifting adoption remains limited in the mountain bike world, but as prices come down, it's likely to increase.
Ombraz ditches the temples (side-arms) to make for more comfortable, helmet-friendly sunglasses.
Brings new meaning to the term "no hander."
The 2021 Schwinn Axum DP is an entry-level mountain bike with a dropper post, disc brakes, 29er wheels, and a 1-by drivetrain.
Mountain biking is full of things to be stoked about, and right now, FKTs are at the top of my list.
Transylvania County, North Carolina is home to the Pisgah National Forest and Dupont State Recreational Forest, each offering their own flavor of epic mountain bike trail riding.
Ashley Korenblat is the CEO of Western Spirit Cycling Adventures and founder of Outerbike, as well as the Managing Director of Public Land Solutions, a non-profit dedicated to “providing comprehensive recreation planning and stakeholder coordination to support effective and sustainable public land solutions.”
When it comes to mountain bike handlebars, there are pros and cons to choosing carbon. We want to know what you're running, and why!
Mountain bike photography is a hazardous occupation, especially for expensive cameras. The Peak Design Everyday Backpack comes highly recommended.
If you ate Powerbars in the 1990s, you'll know the feeling. Fortunately trail snacks have improved.
Can trail etiquette be boiled down to just four words?
Josie Fouts is a two-time National Paralympics Road and Track Cycling Champion with plans to compete at the 2021 Games in Tokyo. She's also working to make mountain biking a Paralympic sport and stars in a new short film called Go Josie.
There are plenty of ways to learn new bike skills, including working with a mountain bike skills coach in person.
Several mountain bike trails were opened or re-opened in April, with many large trail projects on track to open later this spring and summer.
Maybe the tire isn't crap; could be the rider.
Lindarets has portable lockring and crank tools that use a bike's thru-axle as a handle.
USA Cycling recently announced a date change for the 2021 Mountain Bike National Championship, which includes the High School Cycling Festival July 12-14.
Much of the design and tech from the groundbreaking Roval Control SL is now available in a more affordable version of the wheelset named simply Control Carbon.
Renee Hutchens is a mountain biker, storyteller, and artist living in Colorado. As a member of the Diné Nation, Renee is an advocate for both indigenous people and the lands they call home.
There's a lot to consider when choosing a mountain bike tire, and with so many options it's helpful to prioritize the most important factors.
Riders at two Arizona trail systems can grab a free bell when they hit the trail this spring, and the news is music to hikers' ears.
As the name implies, FKT record holders aren't definitively the fastest. But they are pretty dang fast.
Tomorrow is Earth Day, and Yoann Barelli is working to get everyone stoked to pick up a little trash this week.
The Cleary Meerkat is a do-all kids bike that should be appropriate for everything from asphalt to singletrack.
Dream Bikes is a non-profit organization that strategically places used bicycle stores in low-to-moderate income neighborhoods to provide hands-on, paid job training to teens.
With more folks on the trails than ever before, trail conflicts seem to be on the rise as well.
The updated, second generation bike lights from Gloworm generally keep the same form factor as the previous versions, but see improved specs and added features.
The Repairing Existing Public Land by Adding Necessary Trees (REPLANT) Act of 2021 seeks to access existing funding for reforestation projects in the US.
Sometimes the best solutions aren't necessarily the simplest ones.
On May 1 FB4K is encouraging bikers around the globe to join them on a virtual group ride, with all proceeds from registration supporting the non-profit.
The Fugitive features a straight seat tube for longer-travel droppers, a Super Boost rear end, and fresh geo.
We geek out on a topic many of us take for granted, and learn how waivers and warranties work in the bike world.
Capital One asks "what's in your wallet." Singletracks wants to know: What's in your toolbox?
That sick long-travel 29er build just might have to be a 26er with a rigid fork until the proper parts arrive.
The Bryton Rider 750 is a fully-featured and connected GPS designed for cycling that boasts a color touchscreen and more options than any rider could possibly exhaust in a season. Here's what I've learned after testing the device over the past few weeks.
In the second half of our conversation with pro MTB skills coach Gene Hamilton, we ask which skills separate pros from advanced riders, which tires are best for cornering, and more.
Mountain bikers tend to be a pretty prepared bunch, but it's impossible to plan for every contingency.
Dropper posts and bike prices have at least one thing in common.
Here are ten MTB-related prank ideas from the Singletracks team that you can use on your ride today, or any day really. In fact we've pulled many of these ourselves.
Van-lifers and car campers heading to Crested Butte this summer may find some of their favorite camping spots and pull-offs are no longer available for use.
Gene Hamilton is a former pro downhill racer who created one of the first mountain bike skills courses in the late 1990s. Today Better Ride holds clinics around the US, teaching regular riders and pros alike how to ride faster.
In 2018 Singletracks surveyed readers and found that 85% of respondents had never ridden an electric mountain bike. We're curious to know how things have changed in three years.
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