Guy Kesteven
Guy Kesteven is Bike Perfect's technical editor-at-large. Hatched in Yorkshire, he's been hardened by riding round it in all weathers since he was a kid. He started writing and testing for bike mags in 1996. Since then he’s written several million words about several thousand test bikes and a ridiculous amount of riding gear. To make sure he rarely sleeps and to fund his custom tandem habit, he’s also penned a handful of bike-related books and he reviews MTBs over on YouTube.
Current rides: Cervelo ZFS-5, Forbidden Druid V2, Specialized Chisel, custom Nicolai enduro tandem, Landescape/Swallow custom gravel tandem
Height: 180cm
Weight: 69kg
Latest articles by Guy Kesteven
![Riders on e-gravel bikes on a long trail](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mDcMyqWSWB8kpfCVrSFNQU-320-80.jpg)
I've been riding 'gravel' for more than four decades, but here are 10 things that really suck about gravel biking
By Guy Kesteven published
Opinion For a bike genre founded on opening up boundaries and celebrating freedom, gravel riding seems to really stir up emotions. But what particular beefs does our tech ed Guy Kesteven have about the mostly wonderful world between road bikes and mountain bikes?
![Santa Cruz Heckler SL](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VKYQgASGQ2Xj893jdZUG55-320-80.jpg)
Santa Cruz Heckler SL review – is this the Californian brand's most fun e-mountain bike ever?
By Guy Kesteven published
Review Santa Cruz’s latest mid-weight, MX wheel e–MTB is an absolute riot on the trails but is the Fazua motor a potential weak link in terms of all-weather play time?
![Best gravel shoes grid layout](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NVAw9UgZ8f4jGWCskLfwNY-320-80.jpg)
Best gravel shoes 2024 – we test 10 top off-road shoe options for racers and explorers
By Paul Brett last updated
Buyer's Guide The best gravel shoes that will make your pedaling more efficient so you can ride faster and longer in comfort
![Rider on the Santa Cruz Tallboy, one of the best trail mountain bikes](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7td6jPTgGt5PPKs2CGoiyX-320-80.jpg)
Best trail mountain bikes 2024 – the top-rated trail MTBs you can buy right now
By Richard Owen last updated
Buyer's Guide Trail bikes have become the ultimate do-everything MTBs, efficient on the climbs and confident on the descents. Here's our expert pick – every bike has been fully tested by our expert team
![Yeti SB140 T3 XO profile with a forest back drop](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/3vypL2MhJVN5wxD7Pijw3i-320-80.jpg)
Yeti SB140 LR T3 X0 Turq review – pricey and lacking a host of modern features, but it still quietly rips like nothing else
By Guy Kesteven published
Review Is Yeti’s all-round ‘mountain bike’ the ultimate blend of iconic brand and innovative technology? Guy Kesteven has been enjoying the last few months finding out.
![100% Celium – one of the best MTB gloves](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/6JqUU6NPfw5RkTQUHTgEwD-320-80.jpg)
Best mountain bike gloves 2024 – top-rated full-finger gloves for every trail and situation
By Richard Owen last updated
Buyer's Guide Our expert pick of the top glove options that give ultimate grip and protection all year round
![A group of kids on mountain bikes](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/XnTDoHBn7sNA3bkv48a6i4-320-80.jpg)
How bikes can change lives forever by activating kids instead of medicating them
By Guy Kesteven published
Opinion Guy Kesteven is a firm believer in the mental as well as physical benefits of biking at all ages, but now the evidence is so strong even Hollywood is picking up on it
![compilation image of the best MTB sunglasses](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7oCecJNXvjJEdwqoYCjPaR-320-80.jpg)
Best mountain bike sunglasses 2024 – we test the top MTB eyewear for protection and clear vision
By Rich Owen last updated
Buyer's Guide Our experts choose 10 of the best mountain bike sunglasses that will protect your eyes from debris, harmful UV rays, and keep you looking stylish on the trail
![Cameron Mason at The Gralloch](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/gtjqRvmULMZB6FyR7vLkpS-320-80.jpg)
Bespoken Word – Off-road cycling is hard enough without being abused by keyboard cowards
By Guy Kesteven published
Opinion Mountain and gravel bike riders have to cope with a lot. Rocks, roots, drops, techy climbs, slippery surfaces, filthy weather, stinging, scratching plants, punctures, mechanicals. But whatever level you ride at, sometimes the worst challenge you can face is other people
![Gravel and MTB rider on mountain fire road](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FENjJifqQqBJCEjBDrxZsn-320-80.jpg)
It's a gravel gold rush as 100km of new off-road trails open in Wales this weekend
By Guy Kesteven published
News You could win a Trek gravel bike or Rab clothing when you ride the new trails around Coed y Brenin at Saturday's opening
![Valentina Holl braking hard at the DH World Cup in Vallnord, Andorra](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KdgVvQmfrzGEE6hzTigbFK-320-80.jpg)
Best mountain bike brakes 2024 – our testers rate the most reliable MTB stoppers around
By Guy Kesteven last updated
Buyer's Guide No matter your riding style and budget, our experts have picked out the best mountain bike brakes available
![Whyte E-Lyte 140 Works POV riding shot](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/TDVBk6GW3TRERvvEmUVTPF-320-80.jpg)
10 things you need to know before buying an electric mountain bike
By Guy Kesteven published
Opinion E–MTBs get you further, or fit in more fun runs however fit you are (or aren’t), but which design trends are dead ends and which features fail? Guy Kesteven gets revved up about his biggest e–MTB frustrations
![Riders on a Gravel trail](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/bRNgERBKghSASWctL9RNVE-320-80.jpg)
Bespoken Word – Do the new gravel trails at Coed y Brenin complete the “it’s just old skool MTB” circle?
By Guy Kesteven published
Opinion Guy Kesteven had an awesome day previewing the new gravel bike trails at Coed y Brenin, but what does this reinvention of past pioneering tell us about the future of off-road riding?
![Kinesis G2 viewed side on](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/WNXkz5DfQX4eSwfLBMiGce-320-80.jpg)
Is the Kinesis G2 all the road and gravel bike anyone really needs?
By Guy Kesteven published
Review The G2 packages twenty years of Kinesis design experience into an affordable alloy all-road / gravel all-rounder. I've been riding one all spring to find out how it performs
![Andreane Lanthier racing Vittoria EWS Pietra Ligure in one of the best enduro helmets](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/it2H8rTkmqfwBgWNw4MfpU-320-80.jpg)
Best enduro helmets 2024 – top-rated head protection for enduro and gravity MTB riding and racing
By Jim Bland last updated
Buyer's Guide The best enduro helmets offer good ventilation and high levels of protection for riding fast on technical, DH-graded MTB terrain
![Salsa Cycles Moraine e-mtb being ridden through the woods](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ckqqypCzrkj49wwHcGsYqi-320-80.jpg)
I've tested all kinds of mountain bikes over three decades, but these 5 modern MTB features drive me properly nuts
By Guy Kesteven published
Feature Guy Kesteven roasts horrible headsets, compromised cockpits, e-MTB mount madness, stupid storage and hidden spec horror so you don’t have to suffer at the hands of dumb design
![SRAM UDH hanger being worked on in a workshop](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7aKnUKRSjVMe7STiRWR8si-320-80.jpg)
Pipe down MTB conspiracy theorists, it turns out that SRAM's UDH gear hanger was a truly brilliant idea after all
By Guy Kesteven published
Opinion
![Mondraker Chrono Carbon DC RR](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HiJpy79sCQ3TZxznuWq3JK-320-80.jpg)
Mondraker Chrono Carbon DC RR review – Spanish downcountry bike turns out to be 'damn confusing'
By Guy Kesteven published
Review
![The interior of a bike shop](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NHfLs7QLpqnjs9ge4vJHPJ-320-80.jpeg)
Your local bike shop needs your support, but do they need to do a better job of supporting themselves?
By Guy Kesteven published
Opinion It’s Local Bike Shop Day on May the 4th and Guy Kesteven reckons that sort of initiative is a great idea. However, he also thinks a brief forensic study of how the day has officially been presented tells us why some small scale shops might be struggling.
![Our best dropper post the PNW Rainier](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Xkg8VmqjCm2WrrRgu3QgUD-320-80.jpg)
Best dropper posts 2024 – our top-rated options for dropping your saddle
By Graham Cottingham last updated
Buyer's Guide Whether you're riding XC or enduro, here's our test team's choice of the best dropper posts to get your saddle out of the way for maximum maneuverability
![Cervelo Aspero APEX AXS](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/B8EhmuhKnhqTjdALNJhbtT-320-80.jpg)
Cervelo Aspero Apex XPLR AXS review – fast but user-friendly gravel bike
By Guy Kesteven published
Review Guy Kesteven has been riding Cervelo’s new fast but friendly drop bar dirt bike to see who it’ll suit best and he reckons it’s potentially a real sweet spot for the road rooted but gravel curious
![MTB trail crash](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dRLuPZmhMRgTDqzVovzAsM-320-80.jpeg)
Bespoken Word – You are the problem, not your bike
By Guy Kesteven published
Opinion Guy Kesteven reckons it’s time most of us stopped thinking about what we can upgrade on our mountain bikes to go faster and look at the real weak link in the system – ourselves
![On One Rujo gravel bike](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xYcGAXi3wwZjskTxwyTLWU-320-80.jpeg)
I test bicycles for a living, here are the 5 must-have features to look for when buying a budget gravel bike
By Guy Kesteven published
Feature Guy Kesteven is one of the most experienced bike testers in the world, so what does he think are essential features on a cheap gravel / all-road bike?
![A man doing an air on a mountain bike](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UW5g6KskVqBAfzRPUZTsc-320-80.jpg)
5 things a lifetime of bike testing has taught me about how to upgrade your MTB
By Guy Kesteven published
Feature Starting cheap, seeing the whole system, trying before you buy, measuring carefully, or servicing rather than upgrading. What can our most experienced test editor tell you about improving your mountain bike?