What if you could build your dream mountain bike while chilling at your computer? Imagine clicking on thousands of high-quality component options while rotating and zooming in on each product, similar to the insane levels of detail allowed when building and customizing sick whips in Gran Turismo 6. Select almost every component, choose from different grades of equipment, pick between a variety of colors, and switch between a whole range of styles and sizes: all on your glowing screen.

That’s just what Bradley Stookey, one half of the father-and-son team that founded Sherpa MTB, wanted to do in 2018 after he imagined developing a 3D platform that would allow you detailed customization of your own bike, that would then be assembled and shipped out to you. Just launched this week after more than two tough years of development, Sherpa MTB—which is based out of Austin, TX—uses a proprietary … Read the rest

When I first moved from Chicago to ski bum in Telluride, CO, I worked as a snowmaker. During a shift change, a pal of mine began to bark the dating cliché, worn especially thin in mountain towns: There are no women here. Before he could bemoan his point too long, our boss shot back, “It’s not that there aren’t any women in Telluride. There’s just a ton of dudes without any game.” And what is true in Telluride is true in Chicago is true everywhere. If there is an issue with your dating life, it has little to do with the person you’re hollerin’ at and nearly everything to do with what and how you’re hollerin’.

To be clear, I am speaking directly to men. (Mansplaining dating advice to women is a bad idea for several million reasons, not least of which is the fact that, like … Read the rest

Until now, a bike with electronic shifting was cool, but expensive—easily costing more than $5,000. Like a Tesla Model S, it was a thing you aspired to, especially if you understood what it might mean. In the case of that Tesla, you’d be buying cachet, fun, and lower your carbon footprint. In the case of electronic shifting on a road bike, the precision of never missing a shift—which can derail the chain and in a worst-case scenario, lock the back wheel and cause a dangerous skid—is definitely desirable, but that’s more like the starting point.

With SRAM’s new Rival eTap AXS, shifting isn’t just electronic—it’s wireless, between the shifter(s) on the bar and the derailleur—or derailleurs. (Either, because you can choose a 1x front chainring or a double front chainring, so you may have a front and rear derailleur, or only a rear one.)

When warm weather arrives and the days start to grow longer, it’s time for an important annual wardrobe ritual: dusting off those summer shorts. Whether you’re knocking back brews with buds, taking a jog to the local coffee shop, or just lounging around the house, men’s shorts are a summer essential.

It’s time to stock up, and this guide will help you get started. Below, we’ve selected 10 quality shorts from top brands like Bonobos, Rhone, and prAna to keep you looking and feeling cool all summer long.

Chubbies 7” Stretch Short

Chubbies shorts are a staple of summer revelry. With their old-school seven-inch inseam, they have an iconic look, and their elastic waistband, stretchy fabric blend (including classic seersucker options) and variety of colors make them comfortable and versatile, too.

[$60; … Read the rest

The e-bike boom is here. All shapes, sizes, and speeds criss-cross the streets, from middle-schoolers who don’t want to rely on mom and dad for rides around town, to aging athletes who suffer from joint pain, to new parents looking to haul their kids in tow. And that’s just on paved surfaces. Here in Southern California, the e-bike hold has taken strongly enough that it’s almost shocking to now see someone pedaling down the street on an old-school, analog bike. But it’s no surprise; e-bikes are just too damn fun. Recently, we got a chance to test the ultimate e-bike that fills the role of daily driver for all of our parenting needs: Meet the RadWagon 4 from Rad Power Bikes.

Now, I hesitate to call this the “station wagon” of e-bikes. It’s much more sophisticated, cool, and capable than soccer-wagon labels might suggest. My family likes to refer to … Read the rest

When you’re just starting out surfing, it’s pretty obvious what kind of board you need: A big log of a longboard, ideally with a soft top so you’re less likely to hurt yourself or others. But as you progress and decide to transition to a shortboard, things become far murkier. The wide array of sizes, nose shapes, tail shapes, widths, thicknesses, bottom contours, and fin-box setups make finding the right intermediate surfboard an extremely intimidating process. Believe me, I know.

Despite having surfed for about 15 years now, I haven’t been able to spend as much time in the water as I’d like, and I’m still very much an intermediate surfer at best. I’ve been riding shortboards for over a decade, but most of them were either a bit too big or a bit too small. This winter I moved back to L.A., and I’ve been getting to surf more … Read the rest

For most of us, it’s been quite a while since we last boarded a plane, navigated a new city, or explored anywhere beyond our sanitized bubbles. But now, decision-makers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are saying fully vaccinated people have the go-ahead to book domestic travel. So, with a big post-pandemic trip on the horizon, it’s time to start thinking about ways to fortify your immune system after more than a year of laying low. It’s not a secret that traveling can take an unforgiving toll on the body. Even prior to the pandemic, savvy jetsetters knew the importance of prioritizing their health before, during, and after a vacation. But is it actually possible for you to boost your immunity?

The fact is, our immune systems are a bit of a mystery—one that researchers are still trying to fully decode. Generally speaking, our immune systems do … Read the rest

A new study in the Journal of Experimental Biology says that there’s a good reason that hikers encounter grizzly bears on trails: It seems that the path of least resistance for grizzlies is the same one that humans like to walk on.

Grizzly bears on a treadmill

For the study, researchers at Washington State University’s Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center trained nine captive bears to walk and run on a custom, air-tight horse treadmill. In addition to being a level walking surface, the steel and polycarbonate treadmill could also be pitched up or down. The reason it was air-tight was so scientists could measure the amount of oxygen used by bears as they walked. This info, in turn, allowed researchers to estimate calorie consumption.

Of course, a whole lot of persuasion was needed (just like with most … Read the rest

I never thought I’d be getting a hair transplant. But then came my 30s, and the realization that my once-thick pelt was thinning, fast. It happened around the same time as ailing knees, slower metabolism, eye bags, and two-day hangovers. So, as I contemplated just how gracefully I wanted to age, I figured that the hairline was something I could control—with a few measures, including a hair transplant. I’ll dive into my experience getting a hair transplant in Turkey, but first, here’s what led me to doing so. (Because I believe individual context is important when you learn about anyone getting a hair transplant.) Then, I’ll outline the process itself, and detail my ‘before’ and ‘after’ progress.

My specific experience with hair loss

Five years ago, at age 29, I cut my hair from shoulder length to a buzz. My barber said, “Whoa. You’ve lost a lot of … Read the rest

Shortly after this spring’s Firefall event ended in Yosemite—where the sun’s last rays lit up Horsetail Falls on El Capitan, turning the water a fire-like orange—the park’s annual spring wildflower bloom was in full color. Starting in mid-March and extending through mid-April, Lower Merced River Canyon blooms bright with tufted poppies, baby blue eyes, and purple lupine.

“They’re fully bloomed now,” says Julie Hadzega from the Mariposa Yosemite Tourism Bureau.

One of the best places to view Yosemite’s spring bloom is at the Hite Cove Trail, at the confluence of the South Fork and Merced rivers along CA 140. The 4.5-mile path meanders along the river on a hillside in the Sierra National Forest and starts at the parking area for Savage’s Trading Post. The next best spot for viewing wildflowers near Yosemite starts at the Briceburg Visitor Center (closed until April 30), located 12 miles … Read the rest