Biking
ArchiveHere in the Southwest, autumn has been mostly warm and choking dry, turning the trails to rubbly moondust and me into a total whiner about even the faintest whiff of cold. I've braved a few icy mornings and misjudged the light a few times to end up out in the…
Do you wish you could take your dog for a spin, but aren’t sure how to manage the mechanics? Love to take your Lab for a lap on the local singletrack, but don’t have a way to roll with him safely to the trailhead? Biking with a dog can be…
“One must always go back to the fundamentals. And get your face out of the computer.” So said Alex Moulton, an engineer and the designer of a handmade, small-wheeled steel bike with rubber suspension, who died this past Sunday. He was 92. The Brit…
In the 1990s, Dan Coyle started making wooden helmets for himself and his buddies for whitewater kayaking, as well as wooden eyeglass frames and paddles. It was a hobby, a use for Coyle’s chainsaw and grinder. Coyle noticed that, structurally, wood is similar to rigid, closed-cell…
Jon Kennedy shows off his Diamondback at White Mesa. Photo: @portermtb. Review season is upon us here in Santa Fe, with stacks of bikes arriving on the UPS truck each day, daily rides underway, and Outside's annual Tucson…
In recent years, GT Bicycles has been the Rodney Dangerfield of bike brands—they don’t get enough respect. The company continues to roll out hard-working, high-value bikes that are too often overshadowed by marquee brands. Case in point: the Zaskar 100 9r Carbon…
Bicycling is the best way to see a city. If you agree with that statement, you'll want to sign up with liquid.com. It's a new worldwide network of bike owners and would-be bike renters that seeks to connect the two groups with an ease never before…
https://youtube.com/watch?v=AZRwlcz0pxU Like much of New York City, the Brooklyn neighborhood of Red Hook, best known in cycling communites as the host to an eccentric, annual urban criterium in October, is still reeling in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. In light of the damage, Red…
I’d like to do more biking on dirt roads in the countryside, but my road bike just can’t hack it. I’ve been hearing about new “gravel” bikes. What’s the deal?
At first glance, the Santa Cruz TRc (as in Trail Carbon) seems to fit neatly between the California company's venerable Blur XC model, a nimble, fast race platform with four inches of travel, and its more enduro oriented 5.5-inch Blur LT. Indeed, looking at the TRc stats on paper (five…
Originally created for epic winter races like the Iditabike, fat bikes lately have gotten as big as … well, their oversize tires. In addition to dedicated snow events—and the list of those is ballooning—we’ve seen these beefy bad boys at 24-hour races, on tour in the desert, and, most recently, at the Leadville 100.
You’re late getting home from work, and your buddy will be over in 10 to pick you up for the epic mountain bike ride you’ve been scheming all summer. You still need to get dressed, but you also need to find your wrenches, chain tool, patch kit,…
Aaron Gulley reviews the best utility bikes for the value-minded buyer
Whether you’re night riding, hiking, skiing, cooking or just rummaging around your tent, a bright and long-lasting lamp can make a big difference between loving the great outdoors and cursing it. Light and Motion’s new USB-rechargeable Solite 250 will help you choose the former.
Tires have been a major headache for me this season. Early on, every time I went out I had a flat tire of some manner—often a sidewall slash from our desert Southwest rocks. I spent a lot of time whinging about the state of bike tires, and the more I…
We’re still digging through our notes from Interbike. In addition to our Gear of the Show picks, a flurry of cool new bikes, and stacks of interesting-looking…
Though the complete bikes are the lowest hanging fruit at Interbike, the show floor is full of parts and components bling. Here's a collection of small bits and pieces that we're most psyched to try out in the coming months.
Bold, fun, functional, hot. That’s what Shredly is all about: performance sports shorts—and tops—that women will reach for first when they're heading for their bike, skateboard, paddleboard or backpack. Good looks and functionality are the anchors of the Shredly brand. Each Shredly fabric is painstaking created for athletic women. Designs are…
A new online bike-rental service provides an alternative to other bike-share programs
We're back from the festival in the desert and still swimming through the flood of new bike gear. There's tons of interesting new products on the horizon, including a rash of 650B mountain bikes and more than a few disc-brake road bikes. Check here for our…
The Cascade Flyer. Photo: Erin Berzel My work commute consists of 10 steps through my house, to my home office. Plus, I do not have children. Still, I find myself jonesing for the Cascade Flyer, a bike that is a commuter-cargo-tandem-kid-carrying hybrid and…
Today at Interbike, North America's largest bicycle trade show, Thule, leading manufacturer of bike, ski and cargo carriers, announced two new bicycle fork roof-mount carriers—the Thule Sprint and Circuit. We’re most enamored with the Sprint because it has features designed specifically to…
Downhill mountain bikers, moto riders, extreme skateboarders and anyone else who is likely to have a rib-crushing crash: take a look at this. POC’s new low-profile VPD 2.0 Jacket is a non-restrictive compression shirtthat will protect your back as well as…
Kickstarter has been the source of many outdoor gadgets and gizmos. We've written about several here on The Gear Shed, from seatpost bottle openers to sidecountry ski carriers to 360-degree video cameras and cases that convert your iPhone into a helmet cam.
Two design students spent seven years crafting a new cycling safety device that's been dubbed the invisible bike helmet. They raised $10 million and spent years studying crash data in order to make their dream a reality. I won't ruin the surprise. Watch the video above to see the result…
Mountain bikers tend to get short shrift when it comes to high-quality apparel, especially shorts. While many companies make solid outers, the accompanying chamois is often thin and insufficient. We used to lament baggies that don't ship with pads but have recently changed our tune: Not only are they cheaper…
Unlike with road jerseys, where trim and minimal is ideal, mountain biking tops are generally looser and burlier, for coping with errant branches and the occasional trip over the bars. There's a lot more variety in styles and applications as well, so gear up according to your locale, needs, and…
There are probably very few cycling ideas that seem more suited for the scrapheap than a cardboard bike. Naysayers told designer Izhar Gafni of Israel to forget about such a dream. He took their incredulous responses and used them as motivation to craft a bike that is strong and durable…
Pushing the new Genius hard in Sun Valley, Idaho. We've been saying for awhile that one of the big stories in cycling for 2013 will be the rise of the 650B wheel in mountain bikes. Of course this 'tweener wheel size that splits the difference between…
This year's Tour de France has been anemic, at best. I mean, the most fascinating story line was the rivalry between Sky's leader Bradley Wiggins and his first lieutenant—and likely the stronger rider—Chris Froome, and in the end it was a drama…
Wiggins has been road testing the new Shimano Dura-Ace 9000—seems to work okay. Photo. Cor Vos One of the best things about this year's Tour has been all the new toys the teams have been showing off. But while $10,000 bikes are great eye candy, given…
This summer in London, Trek will debut the lightest mountain-bike frame ever built.
This September, Specialized Bicycles will release a limited edition Source Two WBR. It’s not a bike for winning high speed road races or for hurling yourself down rocky outcroppings. It’s a metro-styled urban cruiser that won a host of design awards in Europe last year. But the best thing…
You are, no doubt, already familiar with the mini power plants known as camp stoves. The ReadySet is a different kind of mobile energy source that generates and stores electrical power generated by the sun or pedal power. While it wasn't originally designed for outdoor recreation, it…
It's easy to make a road jersey: Just tack on three pockets and a zipper to a t-shirt, and presto. It's not easy to make a good road jersey. A good jersey has to hang right in a drop position, compress but not constrict, hold plenty of gear in back…
The folks at 718 Cyclery in Brooklyn, New York, offer the ultimate lesson in bike maintenance. They will teach you how to build your dream bike. Everything starts with an initial meeting at the shop where the customer lays out what they want and how…
You don't need to spend a fortune to get a solid road bike. Aaron Gulley picks out the best inexpensive models for your next group ride.
A titanium bike with swooping lines and parallel triangles for added flex and greater shock absorption.
Since 2011, when Specialized unveiled its Epic 29er, which became the benchmark for cross-country 29ers by notching the first big-wheeled wins on the World Cup circuit, the other major brands have been playing catch-up. To that end, this year has been a good one for consumers with the launch of…
You asked for affordable rides, we listened. Aaron Gulley reviews the best mountain bikes for value-minded buyers.
Since Cadel Evans won the 2011 Tour de France, BMC has unveiled a pair of pro-level bikes, including the classics-oriented GrandFondo GF01 and a yet-to-be-publicized TMR01 aero bike. And while those bikes—in addition…
Last week in Park City, Utah, two dozen bike manufacturers rolled out their 2013 product lines to a handful of journalists. We already showed you a smattering of the coolest bikes, but there were even more interesting accessories. There were no quantifiable trends—sure, lighter, faster, and stronger,…
Outside reviews the best triathlon gear of 2012, including the Felt B12 triathlon bike.
This week, on the unseasonably dry slopes of Park City, Utah, two dozen bike manufacturers rolled out their 2013 product lines to a handful of journalists. The biggest talk in bikes was of 650B, the (re)new(ed) ‘tweener wheel size—it’s approximately halfway between a 26 and a 29—that’s set to flood…
Bid to win this S.I.R. 9 IMBA edition and support trail advocacy with your entry. Yesterday at Bike Press Camp in Park City, Utah, Niner Bikes launched a fully revised edition of it's venerable S.I.R. 9 mountain bike. That's Steel Is Real for you acronym-impaired. This…
There are dozens of hydration packs out there. Which ones are best for specific activities, such as mountain biking, running marathons, or a weekend hike?
I bike a lot. Between my sweat and the sun, I wonder—how long does a helmet last? Is there something I can do to extend its life? If it is time for a new lid, what do I buy?
Up this week in our series of head-to-head reviews are helmets. With more and more manufacturers jumping into the head-protection fray, the options are enormous and often overwhelming. And with top models going for $250 and up, it's easy to wonder whether you need to spend a…
The titanium masters prove they can do carbon just as well as they do metal. American bike manufacturer Litespeed built its reputation on high-end titanium. The company still sells plenty of metal—over half its bikes are titanium—but in recent years it has bowed to market pressures and launched into carbon…
With Shimano XT parts (plus an XTR derailleur), Trek’s proprietary dual-chamber technology in both shocks, and adjustable geometry, this aluminum model is the best value.
The stout chromoly tubing on Jamis’s Aurora Elite (27 lbs) gave us confidence, even on circuitous descents with full loads.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2012 Summer Buyer's Guide, including the Linus Gaston 3.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2012 Summer Buyer's Guide, including the Tern Link P7i.
With gran fondo season kicking off around the country and glorious spring already giving way to premature summer heat, it's time to get kitted up for riding season. We've been testing stacks of gear for the past few months and will bring you a series of head-to-head reviews in coming…
Electric bikes are for wussies, right? They're alright for commuting but they're not for sport. That might have been true in the past, but if Audi's Wörthersee e-bike and the Parlee-Toyota Prius X concept bike are any indication, things are changing. Audi introduced the Wörthersee e-bike just…
A solid value from the Swiss manufacturer that presages good things to come The European market has been slow to adopt the 29er trend. Just last summer, on a mountain bike press launch in Austria, after all 30 journalists (85 percent of…
British Council Film recently posted the following 17-minute video on how a 1945 Raleigh bike was made. It's a pretty detailed period piece on the step-by-step assembly of a steel stag, complete with corny transition scenes.
Tuff Shed, in conjunction with bike manufacturer Orbea, just announced that not only will they co-sponsor a mountain bike team, the Orbea-Tuff Shed Team, but also a modular shed designed for bikers and other outdoor athletes and enthusiasts. Tuff Shed's new Pro Sports Edition…
Immagini 2319 Brooks England has been crafting leather bicycles saddles since 1866 for Olympians and long-distance cycle tourists alike. This year, cyclists participating in the inaugural WCR Grand Tour, a competitive circumnavigation of Earth by bicycle and possibly the ultimate highspeed tour,…
What's cooler than wearing a tee from your favorite bike shop, or one with some eco, hipster or access oriented message? Having a shirt that you won't see on anybody else in the neighborhood. Twin Six, purveyor of coveted bike jerseys and tees, helps you achieve that exclusivity…
This German race machine is plenty fast and light but still left us wanting. It’s not often that a brand new suspension design shows up, so as soon as we saw the Focus FSL, we knew we had to ride it. The German bike…
Project Transport+: We don't need no stinkin' car, even for shuttling two test bikes to the bike shop. National Bike Month began yesterday. It's an annual push by the League of American Bicyclists to celebrate and promote all things…
https://youtube.com/watch?v=zdYWyY4zuGs Shimano unveiled two new gravity-oriented groupos at Sea Otter, a completely revamped version of the existing Saint components and a new, budget-minded groupset called Zee. The overhauled Saint group was apparently developed in conjunction with Aaron Gwin, and Shimano enlisted Anthill Films for the…
Cycling apparel manufacturer Search and State was established in 2010, built on the belief that what you wear for the ride should motivate, inspire and do everything it can to keep you moving forward. It’s a company committed to American manufacturing and original pieces handmade in small runs. The…
Tommeke wins Roubaix. Photographer: Courtesy of Roxanne King on Flickr. With Liège-Bastogne-Liège on Sunday, the 2012 Spring Classics season drew to a close, and there were two big winners this year. Tom Boonen,…
One of the most common questions I get about bikepacking and endurance races like the Arizona Trail 300 is how you can carry everything you need. The answer, which I've come to after…
As the winter sun starts to climb higher and the trails and roads dry out, it’s time to think about riding again. That probably means full service for bikes that have been neglected in the garage all winter. (Don’t you dare say you left them in the snow). Time to…
Outside picks the best mountain bikes of spring 2012, including the Salsa Horsethief.
Outside picks the best utility bikes of spring 2012, including the Raleigh Furley.
Eight pieces of Outside-endorsed gear for your mountain or road bike, including the Shimano SH-M315s, complete with synthetic uppers that feel as supple as suede house shoes; Pearl Izumi Launch Kicker shorts, loaded with trail-savvy technology; and Castelli BodyPaint 2.0, the plushest bibs we've ever worn.
After 1,700 miles of testing and 27 flat tires, we bring you the must-have extras for bike commuting this year, including the Brooks Team professional saddle with a supple leather shell; DZR's Minna, a pimped-out black leather-and-canvas sneaker with lots of bike-friendly features; and the Club Ride Go West jersey.
Outside picks the best road bikes of spring 2012, including the BH Zaphire/Tiagra.
Go behind the scenes with Aaron Gulley and co. as they test more than 50 bikes for the 2012 Summer Buyer’s Guide and the Spring Cycling Issue. Video by Jen Judge.
With the Sea Otter Classic just around the corner, the flood of new products is on. A few of the most compelling things we've heard about are Shimano's interesting new Alfine Di2 electric internal-hub shifting system and rumors of a gran…
Remember the days when all the kids in the neighborhood would gather in someone’s yard for massive games of Man Hunt, Kick the Can, and SPUD? This was back before play dates and carpooling soccer moms, before parents decided it was insane to let their kids ride bikes home…
Photo: Fraunhofer IZM There was a time when the ski resort experience was not punctuated by the sound of ringtones and “hey, is my GoPro on?” But those days are gone forever. You may or may not lament this. But our desire to take technology with us…
Bike season is upon us, and we've been testing lots of 2012 product. From our test trip in Arizona to endurance races across the southwest, we've been beating up on lots of gear. Here are a few of our favorite new mountain bike products hitting the market.