Articles by Colin Levitch, Freelance writer

Born and bred in Colorado, and now based in Australia, Colin comes from a ski racing background and started riding as a way to stay fit through the summer months. His father, a former European pro, convinced him to join the Colorado State University collegiate cycling team, and he hasn't stopped since. It's not often he pins on a number nowadays, and you'll likely find him in search of flowy singletrack, gravel roads and hairpin corners. Colin has worked at Bikeradar and is a regular contributor to Australian Mountain Bike and Cyclist magazines.

Rides: BMC Team Machine SLR01, Trek Top Fuel 9, Ibis Ripley

Articles by: Colin Levitch

Maxxis MTB tires 2023 – a deep dive into every Maxxis MTB tire

By Colin Levitch, Graham Cottingham last updated 14 September 23

Buyer's Guide We break down Maxxis tread patterns, casings, and compounds so you can pick the best Maxxis MTB tire for your riding

A mountain bike rider on mountainous singletrack wearing an Osprey Raptor 14 hydration pack

Best hydration packs 2023 – comfortable ways to carry water on your bike

By Colin Levitch last updated 21 July 23

Buyer's Guide The best hydration packs, on top of carrying water, should fit comfortably, have room for essentials, and be rugged enough for all trail usage

Best MTB liner shorts 2023 – great MTB bib shorts for added comfort on the trail

By Graham Cottingham last updated 10 November 22

Buyer's Guide Wearing a pair of the best MTB liner shorts under your MTB baggies is a great way to increase comfort, and storage on off-road rides

Best mountain bike lights 2023 – hit the trails after dark with the most useful MTB lights

By Colin Levitch last updated 15 September 23

Buyer's Guide Ride your favorite trail at night with the best mountain bike lights

Best mountain bike jerseys – fresh feeling riding tops for summer and beyond

By Richard Owen published 5 August 22

Buyer's Guide The best mountain bike jerseys need to fit well, be tough enough to ride in and keep you looking and feeling fresh in all riding conditions

Best trail bikes 2023 – top mountain bikes for hitting the trails

By Colin Levitch last updated 5 September 23

Buyer's Guide Trail bikes have become the ultimate do-everything mountain bikes, efficient on the climbs and confident on the descents. Here's our pick of the best around

Best mountain bike travel bags and boxes 2023 – the safest way to pack your bike

By Colin Levitch published 13 May 22

Buyer's Guide Bike Perfect's round-up of the best mountain bike travel bags and boxes to buy for your next trip abroad

Best mountain bike gloves 2023 – full-finger gloves for every trail and situation

By Colin Levitch last updated 12 January 23

Buyer's Guide Our expert pick of the best options that give ultimate grip and hand protection for summer and beyond

Best saddle bags for mountain bikes: under-seat storage for essential tools

By Graham Cottingham published 8 April 22

Buyer's Guide The best saddle bags for mountain biking will let you ditch the pack, and strap your spares to your bike

The best 1x chainrings for mountain bikes: our pick of the most sorted single rings around

By Colin Levitch published 1 March 22

Buyer's Guide The best 1x chainrings are beating heart of a simplified drivetrain, and these are Bike Perfect’s pick of the bunch

Best mountain bike disc brake rotors: the key to better braking power

By Colin Levitch published 24 February 22

Buyer's Guide Brake control is crucial and these are best mountain bike disc brake rotors to help you achieve it

Best MTB grips 2023 – models that will improve your mountain bike's comfort and handling control

By Colin Levitch last updated 11 September 23

Buyer's guide Wherever you ride, choosing top MTB grips will give you maximum comfort and control on your bike

Best MTB handlebars: our expert guide to upgrading your bars

By Colin Levitch last updated 22 February 22

Buyer's Guide MTB handlebar shape and construction has a massive effect on ride quality – and these are the best out there

A mountain bike being cleaned with a pressure washer

Best pressure washers for mountain bikers – Bike Perfect's picks for post-ride bike cleaning

By Colin Levitch published 14 February 22

Buyer's Guide A pressure washer makes light work of the muckiest ride when it comes to post-ride cleaning. Here is our roundup of the best pressure washers for MTB that are currently available

A close up of a black Arundel bottle cage on a silver Arundel downtube with an orange background

Best MTB bottle cages: bottle cages for bringing water on a MTB ride

By Colin Levitch published 9 February 22

Buyer's Guide Bike Perfect's round-up of the best bottle cages for mountain bikes

The best mountain bikes for beginners: trail-ready bikes for novice riders

By Colin Levitch published 7 February 22

Buyer's Guide The best mountain bikes for beginners offer value for money component packages and predictable handling. Here's our pick of the best models available today

Garmin Edge 1030 Plus review – feature-packed GPS with XL screen

By Colin Levitch published 12 October 21

The 1030 Plus is Garmin's top of the range computer, but how does it fare for mountain bike use?

Loic Bruni at racing at the DH World Cup in Slovenia

Best MTB mud tires – grip in even the worst winter conditions

By Colin Levitch last updated 5 December 22

Buyer's Guide MTB tires that will help keep you and your bike upright in the most slippery trail conditions

Best MTB smart trainer 2023 – get faster on the trails without leaving your home

By Colin Levitch last updated 30 November 22

Buyer's Guide Buying a MTB smart trainer will help you stay race-fit even when the weather's bad

Best mountain bike backpacks: Carry everything you need for long days on the trails

By Colin Levitch published 9 September 21

Buyer's Guide The best mountain bike backpacks have storage for spare clothes, food, hydration and storing body armor between descents

Best MTB mudguards 2023 – keep the mud off your bike and body

By Colin Levitch last updated 29 December 22

Buyer's Guide The best MTB mudguards and fenders to protect you and your bike in muddy conditions

SRAM mountain bike brakes range overview

By Colin Levitch published 11 May 21

Buyer's Guide Bike Perfect's guide to the hierarchy of SRAM mountain bike brakes

Best XC forks: the best cross country forks for a lightweight, plush ride

By Colin Levitch last updated 22 July 21

Buyer's Guide The best XC forks for cross country and marathon racing

Shimano mountain bike brakes range overview

By Colin Levitch published 29 April 21

Buyer's Guide Shimano mountain bike brakes are well renowned, but if you're unsure of what makes Zee different from XTR, here's everything you need to know

Schwalbe tire range overview: details, pricing and specification

By Colin Levitch published 27 April 21

Buyer's Guide Everything you need to know about Schwalbe's current range of mountain bike and gravel tires

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