Mountain

If you think Xterra riding isn't "real" mountain biking, just ask Conrad Stoltz and Ned Overend. Oh, and they'll also tell you all about the benefits of riding 29ers while they're at it.

Press Release

Sixteen-year-old Neko Mulally went two-for-two at the first major gravity race at the new Vertical Earth Mountain Bike Park at Blue Mountain.

Julien Absalon has won just about everything there is in the cross-country discipline and he's done it all on a 26-inch-wheeled Orbea Alma. Now you can ride like Julien. Well, actually you probably can't ride like him, but you can ride his bike.

Check out the lines of 20 big-hit bombers in a slideshow from the rocky trails and bright lights of Interbike 2009. What was the take-away from Vegas? Options, options, options.

If after viewing these slideshows you have dreams of boosting tranny to tranny over the ultra-mega double-jump pimping one of these beauties in particular, pony up for it.

Wheels, hydration, helmets, lights and more: Singletrack.com's Zack Vestal runs down Interbike for you.

Out of the Arizona desert comes the Titus crew and their dually carbon 26ers, alu and ti options and a Rockstar 29er.

A round-trip revelation in the way-back machine makes a stop in Marin and ends in a room beneath millions and millions of dollars worth of lust-worthy products on the Interbike floor.

With the help of a few of the cycling industry's heavy-hitters, what started out 10 years ago as the NorCal High School Mountain Bike Racing League is now the National Interscholastic Cycling Association.

Heather Irmiger and Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski talk to Singletrack.com about her win at the Singlespeed World Championships, tattoos and life as a husband-and-wife mountain bike racing powerhouse.

The first ever Mellow Johnny's Classic will be held at the Juan Pelota Ranch near Austin, Texas.

Cycling guru Lennard Zinn falls in love with Santa Cruz's carbon full-suspension 29er and takes a look at other big-wheeled mountain bikes at Interbike's Outdoor Demo in Bootleg Canyon, Nevada.

The debate over the merits of 26-inch and 29-inch mountain bikes has been raging fitfully over at VeloNews' sister Web site, Singletrack.com, ever since Matt Pacocha declared 26-inch hardtails deader than John Edwards' political career.

Without further ado, here's some nuts and bolts — and the fun stuff — from day-one of Interbike's Outdoor Demo in Bootleg Canyon outside Las Vegas..

Six-time 24-hour solo world Chris Eatough announced that he will retire from professional cycling following the upcoming 24 Hours of Moab.

Editor's Note: This column marks the return of a popular rider journal, the Mud and Cowbells report, by Greg Keller and Brandon Dwight. The first report is from this weekend's Single Speed Mountain Bike World Championships in Durango, Colorado. For more on the scene, including a large photo gallery, check out our sister site, Singletrack.com.

In the men's cross-country in Austria, it was Jose Antonio Hermida Ramos who won the day, but it was Julien Absalon who won the overall World Cup title. Homegirl 'Lisi' Osl took the day and the 2009 title. Hill wins on Sunday and takes overall crown.

It's said at the Singlespeed World Championships that if you don't want the winners' tattoo, don't win. 'Rad' Ross Schnell and Heather Irmiger were up for the tat on Saturday.

The folks hosting the Singlespeed World Championships in Durango promise an eclectic stroll of fun, raucous ballyhoo hindered by nothing more than a slight residue of common sense.

Sam Hill and Gregg Minnaar will duke it out for the men's downhill crown in Schladming, Austria. American Jill Kintner is fighting for second overall in 4-cross.

Vertical Earth Gravity Park at Blue Mountain ski resort hosts the biggest event of its young life Sept. 25-27 when Gravity East pays a visit.

Documentary on the Leadville Trail 100 will play Oct. 20. Those willing to pay can eat and chat with Lance Armstrong to raise money for Fort Lewis College cycling program and Trails 2000.

The chill of fall may be in the air in some places - autumn officially starts on Sept. 22 - but that doesn't mean mountain biking season is finished. Head to New England and get a blast of color on these great trails.

Singletrack.com has found a great new product that will keep the coming fall chill from your head while at the same time ward off the bike-industry-induced lust for the coming 2010 mountain bikes.

The brain behind CamelBak's latest offering — the VeloBak — talks to Singletrack.com about developing the idea of wearable hydration for cyclists.

The unification race will pit top Kenda Cup East and Kenda Cup West series riders against one another for ultimate bragging rights with a U.S. Cup Unification Series title.

Many Europeans seem steadfastly committed to the 26-inch hardtail, at least for now. Zack Vestal does a photo roundup of the offerings at Eurobike.

The Superfly 100 - a 29er full-suspension rig - incorporates all of the highest technologies found within the Gary Fisher and Trek family.

Those who know just call it the "Eastside." For those who need a hint, well, do Mammoth Lakes or the Sierra Nevada ring a bell?

Victory follows his U-23 World Championship win in Australia. Austria's Osl takes top spot in women's cross-country.

After a break of six weeks, action resumes this weekend at the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Champéry, Switzerland. On the start line will be newly crowned World Champions Nino Schurter and Irina Kalentieva.

There is the right tool for every job, and on some race courses that ‘right tool' may be a 29er, or a full-suspension bike or maybe even — gasp — a 26-inch hardtail.

Is it any surprise that a movie of the 2009 Leadville Trail 100 has been made? Special screenings of the film will air October at select theaters. Check out the film trailer here.

After fracturing vertebrae in his back at the Intermontane Challenge, Jeremiah Bishop is taking up where he left off — winning races like the Shenandoah 100 in record time.

Editor's Note: For more on Matt's test protocol and tools and a review of three of his favorite 29ers, see Singletrack.com. The 26-inch wheeled hardtail mountain bike is, indeed, dead. OK, so I’ve been intentionally stirring the pot this summer with that proclamation. What you’re about to read is no exception.

Kathy Pruitt gave the United States its fourth and final medal at the 2009 Mountain Bike World Championships in Canberra, Australia.

Editor's note: For detailed reports on the gravity events, including exclusive interviews with the Americans and other racers, check out singletrack.com. British veteran Steve Peat finally overcame a second-place jinx to win the elite men's downhill event on the final day at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships at Stromlo Forest Park on Sunday in Canberra. Peat, 35, has four times been a runner-up but on Sunday finally experienced the thrill of donning the rainbow jersey as world champion.

Russia's Irina Kalentieva earns the rainbow jersey in Australia after passing the race leader in the final 4k of cross-country race. The USA's Willow Koerber takes third, Heather Irmiger 10th and Canada's Catharine Pendrel sixth. Complete Results

Nino Schurter and Swiss teammate Florian Vogel work together to keep Julien Absalon in second place at the mountain bike World Championships in Canberra, Australia. Canada's Geoff Kabush and the USA's Todd Wells finish in top 10. Complete Results

29er frames, wheel and tire technology has evolved significantly over the last few years and are key in allowing top racers win big races on big wheels. There is now very little disadvantage — in terms of weight and tire technology — associated with 29ers.

Using equipment readily available on the market — Garmin's 705 GPS unit and a PowerTap Disc hub — testers are able to compare what it takes to propel big- and small-wheeled mountain bikes.

Aussies grab gold in men's and women's 4X. Americans Jill Kinter and Melissa Buhl pick up silver and bronze. U23 cross-country favorite Burry Sanders takes home rainbow jersey.

Georgia Gould burst onto the U.S. mountain bike scene in 2006 and immediately dominated the sport. Three years and an Olympiad later, Gould is a legitimate contender at this weekend's World Championships in Australia.

Three Sisters mountains, which are some of Oregon's highest peaks, are just some of the eye-candy when riding around Bend.

Find out if you can dial in delayed broadcasts of the UCI Mountain World Championships from Canberra, Australia.

Two-time national champion Adam Craig is in Australia prepping for the Worlds and looking to "finish the season off right."

Cannondale builds on feedback for its 2010 marathon-trail bike.

Kabush, Pendrel lead Canadians to silver in cross-country team relay. U.S. finishes in 12 spot.

The nation's youngest pro rider at 16 won the downhill during the last stop on the Pro Gravity Tour over the weekend. Chris Heath and Darian Harvey take overall ProGRT titles.

Earlier this month USA Cycling announced its picks for the 2009 UCI mountain bike world championships, starting Tuesday in Canberra, Australia. A quick look at the list of elite cross-country riders reveals the usual heavy hitters of America off-road racing: Mary McConneloug, Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski and Adam Craig, to name a few. There’s also the name Judy Freeman.

Boise could be written off as a pretty average city, but the mountain bike trail network just at the edge of town defies expectation.

With a World Cup victory and two Pro XCT wins, August was good to Geoff Kabush. The Canadian is hoping September continues that good form going into the World Championships in Canberra, Australia next weekend.

Editor's Note: Calvin Jones is Park Tool's education director and the chief mechanic for Team USA at next week's mountain bike world championships in Canberra, Australia. His future columns from Canberra will be published on VeloNews.com's sister site, Singletrack.com. An archive of his journals is available on the Park Tool Web site.

When Singletrack.com laid eyes on Scott Morris' photos and diary from the recently completed Colorado Trail Race, our notion of "epic ride" took on new meaning.

In the first Mountain Bike World Championship event since the Beijing Olympics, American XC athletes will square off against rivals from across the globe in the only Olympic discipline of off-road cycling.

Sentencing for Chris Jongewaard is scheduled two days after upcoming World Championships in Canberra, Australia.

Every style of riding you could ever hope to find can be found in this Canadian mountain biking hot spot.

Race tested bikes and bodies through technical lava rock sections, lots of challenging singletrack and more than 11,000 feet of climbing outside Bend, Oregon.

Australian cyclist Chris Jongewaard was convicted on Wednesday of hit-and-run charges stemming from an accident which left his training partner fighting for his life. The four-time national mountain bike champion was found guilty in the South Australian District Court of aggravated driving without due care and leaving the scene of an accident. Judge Wayne Chivell dismissed another charge of serious harm by dangerous driving leveled at the 30-year-old over the 2007 incident, which resulted in cyclist Matthew Rex being placed in an induced coma with severe injuries.

Whiteface's "Downhill" Mike says the best parties have three ingredients; they're big, cheap and involve somebody you know doing something memorably stupid.

A new cycling product brand is sure to leave a footprint despite the unfamiliar (for now) name.

For 2010, Scott's Voltage line gets a new chassis addition — the Voltage FR, an 180mm-travel freeride bike built specifically for park riding.

American Pua Sawicki notches a top-10 finish at Marathon World Championships in Austria while Belgian Roel Paulissen and German Sabine Spitz take men's and women's titles.

The final race on the 2009 Pro GRT will be the Whiteface 5K Downhill, Aug. 30 in Lake Placid, N.Y.

ESI's 100-percent silicone MTB grips offer great comfort and wear-in to your hands' shape.

Singletrack designed by and for mountain bikers gives riders a reason to discover the Northern California coast near Shelter Cove.

Nearly 700 racers lined up for the Trek Border Battle, the eighth race in the Wisconsin Off Road Series.

Before the Winter Park Mountain Bike Series concludes Aug. 29, racers dealt with the Mary Jane Circuit Course and cold temps.

Think mountain biking in places like Gotham is an urban myth? Think again. Try Philly, Boston, NYC and Houston for starters.

Kabush on a tear and Koerber ends dry spell in New York. But it's Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski and Catharine Pendrel who take overall Pro Mountain Bike Cross Country Tour titles.

As dorky as using GPS on a mountain bike might seem, the technology has real benefits, especially when it comes to safety and risk management.

Giant enters 2010 full of confidence in its long-travel line and engineering; a progression set to compete with any bike in any category.

Chalk it up to Livestrong, the elevation or both, but the heady "Lance Effect" was undeniable at the Leadville Trail 100.

Matt Shriver, one of the Trek-sponsored riders expected to ride in support of Lance Armstrong at Saturday's Leadville Trail 100, says he has his own goals, too. Armstrong told VeloNews Thursday that while he did not recruit a team of domestiques or pacers for the race, his sponsor Trek was "sending some fast guys" who could drive the pace in the first half of the race, making it more likely that Armstrong could break the course record.