Everything is now just social media: Influencers on Instagram, politicians on X and Tiktok, all of life is seemingly spun through these digital mills. As society drifts into superficiality, Ride is considering a complete exit from social media. Thomas Giger explains in his blog why we should finally do something to counter this dangerous maelstrom.

The MTB race tracks of this world are getting a new prominent face at the finish line: Scott Sports is joining the Mountain Bike World Series as an official partner. With a two-year contract under its belt, the traditional brand is focusing primarily on the cross-country disciplines.

Brake specialist TRP hires an experienced Youtuber to increase the visibility of its stoppers. While Eurobike, as the leading trade fair, is getting a bloody nose, all signs seem to be pointing to a boom at the Cyclingworld event. Speaking of boom: Bixs is probably planning to make a killing in this area, as the fresh gravel bikes have lots of tasty ingredients for a great gravel experience.

While the Aletsch Arena opens the Enduro season with the Elite Rider Meeting on May 16-17, 2026, EKOÏ and DragonSpeed DH are focusing on the UCI Downhill World Cup and are looking towards a long-term partnership.

The Sleuth DLX 2 shoe remains true to the Five Ten heritage, but packs it into a design that is much more suitable for everyday use. Function, durability and style meet at eye level. If you wanted to, you could take this shoe from the hospital corridor straight to the trail - or from the pump track straight to the office. Is that right?

CrossWorx Cycles presents the Dash MK2, the second generation of its enduro bike, developed and manufactured in Germany. The Dash comes with newly developed rear suspension kinematics and pressure-side linkage. This provides greater stiffness, more precise control off-road and less stress on the bearings. The Thuringian bike manufacturer therefore places particular emphasis on durability, function and quality craftsmanship.

Brakes need a little maintenance from time to time to get them working perfectly again. Zine Sports has developed a few simple and inexpensive tools for bleeding brakes, aligning them or repairing squatted brake pistons.

Most people celebrate milestone birthdays. Kurt Resch does it differently. The man behind the Hotel Steineggerhof, a pioneer in mountain bike tourism, can look back on thirty years of mountain bike guiding. His anniversary is the perfect opportunity to look back and gain a deep insight into the soul and development of the entire sport of alpine mountain biking.

From 2026, Shimano will no longer be an exhibitor at Eurobike. Instead of a traditional trade fair presence, the component manufacturer is shifting its focus to its own, consumer-oriented event formats - a move that clearly reflects the change in the bike industry.

The Hybe 9 and 11 models are not just getting a facelift from Haibike: the potent e-mountainbikes now have more power as well as better control and agility. Speaking of facelifts: Ritchey now offers various stem adapters for internal cable routing. Patagonia doesn't ride cables but threads through clothing. The clothing brand is back on the Worn Wear Tour in Europe, repairing outdoor clothing on site.

A new team will be competing in the World Cup this season. The Lapierre PXR Racing Team is made up of Lapierre's former team and the Ghost Team. There is also a change in the World Cup: Monster Energy replaces Red Bull as a partner. The Swiss Enduro Series is opening registration for the 2026 season.

Ebay is always good for a surprise. In December, the Canyon race truck was on sale. A few days ago, Rockshox Boxxer Ultimate forks turned up - in a version that is not even on sale yet.

The "Sex-Wäldli" near Kriessern in the St. Gallen Rhine Valley has been a thorn in the side of the local population for years. A trail center is intended to make the meeting point for open-air sexual intercourse unattractive and offer mountain bikers a versatile training ground. The municipality supports the project, but it has not yet been approved.

The Isartrails on the outskirts of Munich appear to be one step closer to realization. Construction work is set to begin in winter 2026-27. Ten years after the first officially accepted concept, the official trails in the Isar valley could be realized. But perhaps it will take a little longer.

Whether roadies, cross-country racers or downhill riders, many cyclists are coffee geeks. That's why they don't leave coffee enjoyment to chance, even when traveling - whether in the camper, on the trail or on the summit. The right portable machine plays an important part in this. Here are the five (perhaps) best coffee makers and kettles for on the go, which are as varied as they are tried and tested and combine high quality.

No one else has shaped mountain bike racing as much as Nino Schurter. Now his long-standing sponsor Scott has produced a fantastic illustrated book that looks back on his career spanning over twenty years.

Winter is not the time for Ride to lie around. It's a time to prepare new tour suggestions. 16 new routes were added in January 2026 with a focus on Eastern Switzerland and Graubünden as well as some attractive routes in Tyrol.

Tuscany fans among mountain bikers can rejoice, because the Maremma now has one more trail. Thanks to the collaboration between Tuscan Hill Enduro, the Mata Group and Nino Schurter's new trail building company GOATtrails, a challenging single trail almost two kilometers long has been created by hand on the Monte Argentario peninsula, riding almost all the way to the sea.

37-year-old Alex Pretti, who was shot dead by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in Minneapolis on January 24, was a member of the local bike scene. They are now calling for a memorial ride in honor of their friend, and hundreds around the world are following suit.

Welcome on board! The Ride website is now also available in English. All content, from news and tours to the weekly newsletter, is now bilingual. Ride wants to make its online content accessible to a wider audience.

32 inches seems to be unstoppable - at least that's what the hype would have you believe. However, actual bikes are still a long way off. But not so at Dirtysixer. Since 2013, the company has been building mountain bikes with 32 or even 36-inch wheels, especially for tall people. With the Dirtysixer MonsterEnduro, another offspring is now rolling in.

Freerider Jérôme Caroli presents his new film project "Combine", which combines skiing and mountain biking, as well as paragliding in alpine terrain. Shot on the Grand-Combin massif near Verbier, from which the name derives, the film provides an exciting insight into the Valaisan, showing images and scenes, both of breathtaking nature - absolutely worth seeing.

Red Bull is in talks with Stuttgart to hold a downhill race of the Cerro Abajo series in the capital of the 2-meter rule. The date and course plan have already been set. But no permit yet. The community vacillates between disbelief and anticipation.

On two winter evenings, the ski slopes on Flumserberg will be open to mountain bikers as part of the SnowBike NightRides. On January 30 and February 27, 2026, mountain and fat bikers will be able to ride downhill between Prodalp and Tannenheim at night.

Steffen Kanduth's article about the problem child Enduro sheds light on a mountain bike discipline in a sickbed and the reasons why it has come to this. In his blog, Balz Weber addresses the enduro discipline personally, reminisces with it and ponders its future.

Forbidden Bikes has two must-see cross-border hardtails at the starting line. At Bulls, a lot of mountain bike technology is packed into an everyday e-bike. And at the bikepacking specialists Cyclite, everything appears in new splendor.

Short track world champion Alessandra Keller is venturing into the long distance and wants to ride for victory with South African Candice Lill at the Cape Epic. Mathis Azzaro also wants to win, but in the World Cup, as he explains in this portrait. The Marathon World Cup is about to start, the East Coast Enduro Tour announces six race dates and Pivot presents its 2026 downhill team.

In April 2025, Kawasaki presented its futuristic Corleo concept at Expo Osaka, a four-legged, hydrogen-powered robotic vehicle for off-road mobility. The device looks more like an animal than a vehicle: the four legs with rubberized hooves master a wide variety of terrain, controlled by the rider's shifting weight and body movements - a "fun to ride" experience like riding a motorcycle.

With the Meta Vanguard, Oakley is launching performance eyewear that films, processes training data and communicates directly with the Garmin ecosystem. An exciting approach. Also for use on a mountain bike?

Fewer teams, fewer races, less money. The Enduro World Cup continues to shrink. The reasons for this are manifold, but so far there seems to be no cure.

The bicycle industry has been through turbulent times. At first, sales went through the roof during Covid and the warehouses were empty. Only a short time later, the warehouses were overflowing and the tills were empty. Calm is slowly returning and it is becoming clear who is to blame for the misery: greed.

The Koblenz-based bicycle manufacturer Canyon is repositioning itself in the face of a changing market environment. After years of strong growth, the company is planning significant job cuts and wants to streamline structures in order to remain competitive in the long term.

Not a day goes by without a new online scam. Identity theft is one of the classics, as is ordering things in someone else's name. This fraudster had test bikes delivered for 50,000 dollars in the name of bike Youtuber Seth Alvo. The unusual thing about this story is that the crook was caught. Despite his relatively clever use of AI.

With the Grevil, Pinarello presents a gravel bike based on the mountain bike frame and with 100 millimetres of suspension travel. Ursus also has the matching wheels. The Italian wheel brand offers new rolling stock for gravel, mountain bike and road bikes. Reserve Wheels are not launching any new wheels, but the Californians are upgrading their portfolio with the DT-Swiss 350-DEG hubs at no extra cost. And if you can't decide between clipless and flat pedals, Shimano offers both in one.

For the 2026 downhill season, the Scott DH Factory Team is strengthening its ranks once again, bringing Jess Blewitt and Dakotah Norton on board. Meanwhile, the Norco Race Division looks back on the 2025 season and Gracey Hemstreet's breakthrough. The UCI Mountain Bike World Series is also all about teams. It reveals which teams will receive the World Cup blessing for the 2026 season. And for fans of enduro racing: the Swiss Enduro Series announces the 2026 race dates.

Haibike is considered the mother of e-mountainbikes and for the first time, a bike from this brand has made it into a test at Ride. The name Allmountain says it all, even if the suspension travel screams Enduro. The carbon frame manufactured in Portugal is equipped with the MGU motor-gearbox unit from Pinion. The E-MTB is not as nimble as "pink", but is a blast downhill.

Mondraker presents the Scree, a fresh e-mountainbike that not only relies on full motor power but also on attention to detail. At Fox, the focus is on fractions of a second, which can make the difference between victory and defeat at the top of the world in downhill races thanks to a vario support. And Cane Creek is rolling out a stem and headset that tackle the tiresome issue of internal routing.

For the first time in its 30-year history, all six major Swiss long-distance mountain bike races will be held as series partners within the Bike Marathon Classics. The Jura Bike Marathon, which will also open the Swiss long-distance season in mid-May, is a new addition to the bike marathon race series. The National Park Bike Marathon, the 141 km classic around the Swiss National Park, will be back for the 25th time in 2026.

Rob Warner swaps his headset for a microphone and makes his rap debut in New York as "Lil Rob". Between bike culture, hip-hop and self-irony, the cult commentator shows that flow doesn't just work downhill.

A twist shifter marked the start of the component giant Sram - and has been neglected by it. Not so with Zirbel, who are transporting the twist shifter into the modern age - the motto is Smart Cockpit.

The cycling world has lost one of its most influential minds: Joe Montgomery, founder of Cannondale and one of the industry's great lateral thinkers, died at the beginning of January at the age of 86. With him goes not only an entrepreneur, but also an inventor who rethought the bicycle - and set standards that still apply today.

With the "CoreCap", Dutch accessory specialist BBB Cycling is launching a newly designed valve system that redefines the classic Presta valve - with significantly higher air flow, a more robust design and universal pump compatibility.

Sram has achieved a considerable market position with the UDH derailleur hanger and the transmission derailleurs. The system of choice is therefore the derailleur. However, the US shifting specialist is now presenting a patent for a mid-motor with an associated transmission shifting system.

The e-bike is stolen - leaving behind annoyance, frustration and financial loss. For thieves, however, it is a lucrative business as long as they can resell stolen e-bikes undetected. This is precisely where Bosch comes in, cleverly expanding the anti-theft functions on a digital level.

New 32-inch bikes are gradually seeing the light of day. One of them comes from Dead Rabbit Bikes in Switzerland. Crossworx Cycles from Germany are not presenting a 32-inch bike, but a full-power e-mountain bike for enduro use. Ludo May and Steve Ude will be taking on an adventurous trail tour in Bulgaria rather than enduro riding.

Exoskeletons are currently attracting a lot of attention - and now they even want to make the classic hub motor of an e-bike superfluous. The manufacturer Hypershell claims to transfer up to 1000 watts of power directly to the thighs using a hip motor.

Something is happening in Germany: various trails created by local MTB communities went into operation in 2025. Germany in reverse gear: the long-standing Deister trails have to close, a Bavarian district wants the 1.5 m rule and a bike park has gone bankrupt.

The mountain bike scene in Austria is growing and networking at all levels. In addition, a lift was built just for bikers for the first time and mountain biking recorded the most race participants in cycling. But there were also some failures to report.

Jubilation in Solothurn, Zurich and Nidwalden, long faces in Lucerne and Bern. The year 2025 ends with progress and setbacks in terms of access to single trails. But progress is also being made in difficult regions.

You realize the craziest touring projects, but then ride over 2700 laps, i.e. around 500 kilometers around the local McDonalds branch. What sounds like a losing bet, New Zealand enduro biker Matthew Fairbrother actually did it voluntarily. It's definitely a rad way to get rid of those Christmas calories.

Ride takes stock of the year 2025 in a nutshell: over one million hits on the tour database, 226 newly researched tours and 34,000 kilometers added to the Ride Trail Map. Here are the Insides for the past year.

At Atherton, bikes are being launched that are built for difficult terrain and can be customized. But there is no e-mountain bike yet. However, they are working flat out on the Dyf-E to power up the Athertons. And at Restrap, they are not only passionate about bikepacking equipment, but also about touring with it, focusing on a fascinating cinematic summary of a gravel trip in Vietnam.

Beat Zaugg, the patron at bike manufacturer Scott for decades, received around 128 million euros for 50.01% of his shares back in 2015. As in the recently announced ruling by the ICC arbitration court, Zaugg must hand over his remaining 47% of Scott shares to majority shareholder Youngone. What sums are involved here, how much wealth does Zaugg stand to gain from the loss of his company?

What until now has been more of a theoretical nightmare scenario for the mountain bike scene will soon become reality in places like Finale: from 2026, mountain bikers in Liguria will have to buy an access ticket for trails as a contribution to financing trail maintenance. Particularly controversial: only out-of-town bikers are affected, while hikers and locals are not.

With "Damn Big Dams", Scottish mountain biker Kriss Kyle provides an impressive example of how extreme sport, architecture and storytelling can be combined. He moves at dizzying heights along massive dams and uses the concrete as a playing field for precise lines, jumps and controlled maneuvers.

Three men steal more than 300 bicycles, some of them high-value, over several years and sell them on online marketplaces. In the week before Christmas, they stand trial and receive prison sentences.

The MTB concept of the Canton of Zurich is cause for joyful whips and trail whoops. But it also contains a few points that need clarification. We asked the canton's project manager, Livio Peterer from the Bicycle Traffic Office.

Ornus Bikes are taking the wooden path, but in a different context. With the Grain and Radix models, the Italian brand from Grossetto offers two high-performance gravel bikes with wooden frames! Further north in Italy, we head to Lake Garda, where the oldest bike festival returns to the iconic lakeside promenade. Italy is often associated with excellent coffee, but this fine roast comes from Switzerland, from a former mountain bike world champion.

After the prologue in June 2025, the race premiere of the Aventyr enduro multi-day race will follow in summer 2026. The Enduro2 race format, which will also be held in the Aletsch Arena for the first time in 2026, will also celebrate its premiere. Downhill, but in a downhill format, there are seven races in the Vpace Kids Cup for the very youngsters. And last but not least, the Swiss Cross Country and Short Track Championships will return to Leysin after 2022.

The years-long power struggle surrounding the sporting goods manufacturer Scott has come to a clear end. What began as a partnership between company patron Beat Zaugg and the South Korean investor ended in one of the most spectacular corporate disputes in the bike industry. At the finale, it becomes clear: Zaugg is out, but his account is full to bursting.

After eight years, the "Five Friends" test format is now retiring. There is a new, exciting concept for 2026. For once, the five products tested have no common denominator. Or perhaps five "friends" that don't fit in anywhere? But that would be misleading, because they are all exciting products that have proven themselves.

Ride is known for its extensive print reports and large tour database. But the ride makers also take to the trails in person at the ride camps. They start in Barcelona in March, followed by numerous camps in the Alps and the Finalissima in Genoa in October.

The Alpenbikepark in Chur is (involuntarily) giving mountain bikers a little Christmas present and opening the bike trails before the holidays. The reason is the significant lack of snow and the first-class biking conditions.

Schweizmobil recently announced a new strategy. Dominik Blunschy, also the new president, and Dominik Hug, MTB manager, explain in an interview what this is all about and what trail bikers can expect from Schweizmobil in the future. Attention Long Read.

Counterfeit Specialized frames, wheels, forks and more, plus knock-offs from Cannondale, Trek, Cérvelo and Pinarello - Chinese law enforcement officers have confiscated goods with a total retail value of 1.6 million dollars. Seven suspects have been arrested.

Björn Riley is one of the most up-and-coming and technically refined riders on the World Cup circuit. The US biker from the Scott-Sram team masters his everyday sporting life with meticulous precision, quite unlike his leisure time. This is when the pro transforms into a free, wild artist. The short film "Dual Lines" reveals a unique perspective on Riley's worlds - on athleticism and artistic expression.

There are still around five months to go before Cycle Week takes place in Zurich, but it is already clear that exhibitors are already busy getting their feet wet. In Munich, gravel and road cyclists in particular can rejoice, as Café du Cycliste will be at the start with a chic boutique. At YT, words are followed by deeds and a classic rolls into the program that has nothing to hide in terms of price/performance ratio.

The Skoda Swiss Bike Cup and the BIKE REVOLUTION race series present their calendars for the 2026 season and underline the importance of Switzerland as a central stage for cross-country races. With several attractive events, international participation and a focus on promoting young talent, both series once again offer an attractive platform.

Should routes closed to mountain bikers be published? This is a question that Ride MTB has been asking for twenty years. The delete button has no effect in the age of the internet, says Thomas Giger in his blog. Transparent communication of the ban is much more effective. That's why illegal routes remain online at Ride.

The canton of Zurich has a new mountain bike concept. One key issue remains the same: Mountain biking is permitted on all mapped trails. In addition, the canton wants to expand the infrastructure in the most popular areas.

The sparrows had already been whistling it from the rooftops, but it was only on her 24th birthday today that downhill world champion and overall World Cup winner Vali Höll officially announced her change of team. From the 2026 season, the Austrian will be racing for the French team Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres.

The eighth and final episode of the video series "N1NO BEYOND" takes us through the final moments of Nino Schurter's unprecedented career, capturing the full emotional intensity and offering a glimpse of what lies ahead.

Adolf Silva is paraplegic after his horror crash at the Red Bull Rampage 2025. In his latest vlog, he answers the questions posed to him by the community. Either he's incredibly mentally strong - or he's a very good actor.

If this isn't a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: you can secure the old FMD Racing race truck from the time when it was still competing in Downhill World Cup races with Canyon bikes for a whopping 43,312 euros. The auction runs until Thursday.

Hollywood is experiencing a veritable power struggle: Paramount Skydance has submitted a hostile takeover bid of 108.4 billion dollars for Warner Bros. Discovery, challenging the previously agreed deal with Netflix. While Netflix had offered a mixture of cash and its own shares, Paramount is relying on a pure cash payment of 30 dollars per share and is targeting shareholders. This leaves open who will be responsible for broadcasting the Mountain Bike World Cup in the future.

E-mountain bike manufacturer Thok is launching its top all-mountain model TP4 as an extremely chic limited edition. Milkit's first bike care line ensures that this and other bikes stay clean and lubricated. Ledlenser are not looking after bikes or parts, but people, and are donating a tidy sum to a children's and youth hospice. Woom once again takes care of the little ones and hands over several Woom-Wow bikes to kindergartens.

After completing "Mission 25", the Bixs Performance Race Team launches "LA28" and presents its slimmed-down squad, with which it wants to fight for the coveted Olympic starting places. In contrast, the iXS Gravity Alliance wants to become the biggest team of all time. The women's cycling team Nexetis is also getting a little bigger, with the addition of young athlete Mara Winter. The "Mondraker Enduro Team" race is not concerned about young talent, but about its regular riders and is launching the 99+ category.

The US start-up Morelle is launching an e-bike on the market in 2026 that advertises a real quantum leap in terms of charging time: The battery is supposed to be fully charged within 15 minutes - significantly faster than before. But how is that supposed to work?

The inventor Colin Furze is no stranger to mountain biking and has repeatedly made a name for himself with witty inventions. His latest: a magnetic suspension. Nonsense engineering at the highest level of entertainment!

Netflix has bought the Hollywood giant Warner Bros. Discovery, whose portfolio also includes the MTB World Cup, for 83 billion dollars. However, the impact on mountain biking is still uncertain.

The turbulence in the bicycle industry remains acute: Deviate Cycles is now making headlines for being temporarily short of funds, but co-founder Ben Jones is stepping in and buying back company shares.

The northern Black Forest is rumbling: the company operating the Bad Wildbad bike park is closing its doors at the end of the year due to financial problems. The park could not be operated profitably. Its future is currently uncertain.

The Gravity Card is the most extensive mountain lift ticket in Europe. It gives you free access to 32 bike parks. To 2026 with two new additions: the Wexl-Trails (A) and the Val di Sole Bikepark (I).

The parliament of the canton of Solothurn recently passed the new forest law. Mountain bikers are still allowed to ride single trails. Lobbying by mountain bikers has worked, as just two years ago a ban on single trails was still in the draft bill.

The ski season is in sight and many snow sports resorts have already opened for business. Ideally, mountain bikers who are switching to bikes for the next few months should also stay in hotels that have a heart for cyclists in winter. Ride shows which hotels are particularly worthwhile.

The digital Ride Trail Map is at the heart of Ride. The route network is constantly being updated and expanded, with 31,000 kilometers added in 2025. There was a strong focus on the French Alps. Madeira is also a new addition.

As soon as the Bayrische Rundfunk radio station published its MTB report on Mount Etna, MTB Mag followed up with a video production of the Sicilian volcano. It seems that the mountain is the next big thing among mountain bikers.