This week has seen us begin the annual onslaught of end-of-year looking backnesses. Kicking things off is our Editors’ Choice 2024 selections.
Following on from this we’ll soon end the voting for the Reader Voted Singletrack Awards, so if you want to get your vote in, act quickly. The results and winners and stuff will be announced between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Here’s a song by The Monkees, for no real reason other than vibes, dude.
The best song by (composed for) the Monkees (by Carole King and Gerry Goffin)
Without wishing to pre-empt things, this bike has a trio of our favourite things going for it. 1) it’s based on the YT Decoy, which we raved about a while back, 2) it features our favourite e-system (Fazua Ride60) and, 3) it has a coil shock. Well, we shall see. The spec is typically decent from YT: Fox 38 Float Factory 170mm fork, Fox DHX2 Factory shock, SRAM AXS GX Transmision, SRAM Maven Silver brakes, Continental Kryptotal tyres, 200mm dropper, Crank Brothers Synthesis Alloy wheelset… niceness. Well, some of us are not sure about the colour of those cranks. Some key geo numbers (XL size) for y’all: 63.9° head angle, 78° seat angle, 492mm reach, 443mm chain stays, 36mm BB drop. These are all in the Low setting, obvs.
Hello yellow
Those of us of a certain age will remember when mud tyres weren’t just downhill mud spikes. Tyres such as the Specialized Storm Control (non DH version), the Bontrager Mud X, the Panaracer Trailraker, the amazing Maxxis Medusa… ahh… good mud times. These days this type of 2.0in knobbler is very few and far between. Shall we blame gravel for this? Yes, let’s. Anyway, there is still the Dirty Daniel available. While (warehouse) stocks last at least. No, they aren’t going to offer much in the way of comfort or rough stuff absorption, but for slicing through turfy muck, they’re still as great as ever.
‘Tis the season. Of mysterious freezer boxes arriving at our doorstep containing pastries containing meat, vegetables and dairy product. The flaps denote cheese. As usual. Courtesy of the south westerly Silverfish UK distributors. Thanks ‘fish folk! That’s lunch sorted for a while.
What’s more nerve-wracking than carrying out your own rear shock service in a freshly cleaned domestic kitchen? Not a lot. But perhaps cleaning the sensor of expensive digital cameras is a good candidate? You can blame Red Bull Rampage for this nervy surgery.
More Christmas Care Packages from bikey brands. As well as the usual bundle of mince pies from Oddies Bakery (soon to be RIP BTW), the metalheads over in Barnoldswick have sent us some festive tree decorations. Thanks Hope Tekkers!
This is the Sumart ‘Universal Bleed Block’ for brake caliper servicing. It features a neatly machined (and anodised in seven colours) aluminium body with two steel-capped cylinders at the end. By turning the end dial (by hand or with a 3mm Allen key) it evenly separates the two cylinders to exert even and gradual pressure on your brake pistons. This tool can be used when bleeding brakes, or to push back or cycle stubborn pistons without damaging them. (Rather than doing is with a box spanner, ahem…) It’s only for two cylinders (or use two!) though there may well be other versions in the pipeline.
The new issue of The Magazine is flopping through letterboxes as we speak. We’re loving this cover by Sam Taylor – Lando throwing shapes in the foggy forest, on the new Calibre Bossnut. Doesn’t it make you want to head to the woods to play, whatever the weather? Oh, and yes, there’s a free 2025 Calendar included. Because we love you.
Last day for in-time-for-Xmas orders via the Singletrack Shop by the end of this weekend. Any orders received after that are in the lottery of Posties. Anyway, here we have three professional models sporting some examples of our new T-shirts, long sleeve Tees, tech tops and sweatshirts.
TOTW is back! Still! And this week’s winner is scaredypants for this ray-of-sunshine thread right here:
As ever, the winning TOTW in FGF gets a prize. So scaredypants please email editorial@singletrackworld.com for your random prize (it will probably be a Singletrack Forum Bottle Opener). Don’t forget to include your postal address, as it really speeds up delivery logistics like. K thx bye!
Even if you’re not that into luggage, this promo vid for Tailfin’s new top tube bags featuring Josh ‘Rat Boy’ Bryceland is quite… something.
It’s Singletrack’s long running, weekly roundup of all of the new products that have been sent in to the magazine.
They’re sent in by bike companies and marketing agencies
They’re featured and then some are reviewed down the line in either Singletrack Magazine or in online reviews and photoshoots.
They’re usually sent back after review, or kept on long-term test bikes. But no one ever asks for shorts and shoes back. Trust us on that. Once we were asked to return some brake pads.
Nothing. Nil. Zero. Diddlysquat. Sod all. Just send all ‘next big things’ to us at – Fresh Goods Friday, Singletrack Magazine, Lockside Mill, Dale Street, Todmorden. OL14 5PX. Please note that if you require the products back after they have featured then you are responsible for arranging collection at your cost. While it is our policy to feature everything we receive in FGF if we decide your product is not suitable for publication we won’t do it. Publication is at our discretion. Whether a product goes on for publication as a review is at editorial discretion. Beer, coffee & spirits will ALWAYS be tested.
