Contents 4|

7. Editorial Chipps is back at the helm and inspired to ride.

8. The Joy of Filth It’s winter soon. Better to embrace it than to fear it. Love the grime!

16. Tod to Dent 100 miles of grit, heading north through Yorkshire.

24. Bling on the Winter Ed Oxley saves his best bike for the winter. It’s what it was designed for.

26. Interview – Mary McConneloug and Mike Broderick Inside the nomadic life of a professional bike racer.

33. Bike Test – Carbon Sussers Full suspension carbon bikes from Lapierre, Pronghorn and Santa Cruz

42. Blame the Dog Mike Ferrentino takes refuge in his mountain biking memories.

44. Bike Porn What better way of bringing back Bike Porn than with Peaty’s World Championship winning bike?

46. Through the Grinder Eight pages of products put through some real-life wear and tear by the team.

58. Montane Kielder 100 The UK’s first 100 mile mountain bike race crushed the unprepared and rewarded the fit and determined.

64. Grouptest: Jackets Ten riding jackets to help you face the worst of the winter wet.

72. Column: Everyone needs a shed. Andrew Haynes writes in praise of the humble mountain bikers’ shed.

74. One Ton Weekend Ed Oxley takes his £100 and has a weekend away in the north at a ‘natural’ trail centre.

82. Singletrack Propaganda Buy Singletrack stuff! Lots to treat yourselves with or to hint for the holiday season.

84. Long Term Test Bikes The team’s sheds show up some radically different machines this issue.

88. Competition Win a Lupine Tesla light. Small, bright and free to win!

90. Column: Palmer Violets Our Matt writes about his admiration for the iconic Shaun Palmer.

92. We Rock! Singletrack was voted ‘Consumer Magazine of the Year’ by the UK bike industry and we’re rightly proud.

94. Column: In the Balance Alex Leigh spends more time than he cares to admit just getting away with things.

96. Subscribe to Singletrack There are many ways to subscribe – and we’ll give you a free tee if you do.

98. Column: My life as a bike messenger. Roly Lambert gives us a warts and all look at the life of a London messenger.

100. International Basque Force Mark takes off to this little-known corner of Spain for some unforgettable riding.

108. Fitness: Hydration A 1% drop in hydration gives a 5% drop in performance. Learn more from fitness guru Matt Hart.

112. Grouptest: 15mm wheels A half dozen wheels for the eagerly-adopted new 15mm fork standard.

116. Route Guide: Brecon Beacons Benji gets towed around the sunny Beacons by top rider Matt Page.

126. Members’ Club Subscribe to Singletrack. Get discounts here!

127. Outro And then it all went a bit wrong.