Graham Cottingham
Graham Cottingham joined the BikePerfect team as our senior tech writer in 2020 and has over five years of experience writing about bikes. He is all about riding bikes off-road and based in Edinburgh, he has some of the best mountain biking and gravel riding in the UK on his doorstep. With over 20 years of riding experience, he has dabbled in downhill, enduro, and gravel racing. Not afraid of a challenge, Graham has embraced bikepacking over the last few years and likes nothing more than strapping some bags to his bike and covering big miles to explore Scotland's wildernesses. When he isn’t shredding the gnar in the Tweed Valley, sleeping in bushes, or tinkering with bikes, he is writing tech reviews for BikePerfect.
Rides: Cotic SolarisMax, Stooge MK4, 24 Bicycles Le Toy 3, Surly Steamroller
Height: 177cm
Weight: 71kg
Latest articles by Graham Cottingham
![Endura MT500 Lite](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/C6A4tGnwAMLPYnUgg2eQkn-320-80.jpg)
Best mountain bike knee pads – we review and rate 8 top knee pads for all kinds of MTB
By Rich Owen last updated
Buyer's Guide MTB knee pads will protect your legs from the inevitable crashes and falls. We've taken the hits to find you 10 of the best
![Topeak Tetrafender G1 and G2 gravel mudguard review](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9fb3WamqaiMFCo9udMqFMV-320-80.jpg)
Topeak Tetrafender G1 and G2 gravel mudguard review – clip-on gravel weather protection
By Graham Cottingham published
Review Topeak Tetrafender gravel mudguards keep dirt and spray at bay, but are they up to handling the muddiest gravel conditions?
![Salsa Cycles Tributary bikepacking e-adventure bike](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vENtnfAZrVeam5dphReo55-320-80.jpg)
Salsa Cycles launches two new adventure e-bikes, with more e-MTB's coming soon
By Graham Cottingham published
News Salsa Cycles wants to “Charge Your Adventure” with new Tributary e-gravel bike and Confluence e-adventure bikes
![New Panaracer Gravelking X1](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/2Yjv6LHKYBTjXSV3ugEEnX-320-80.jpg)
Panaracer's legendary GravelKing range gets a huge 10th anniversary overhaul, including a new 'fastest ever' gravel tire
By Graham Cottingham published
News Panaracer GravelKing is dead, long live the Panaracer GravelKing
![Revel Rascal V2 pictured from the side](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ggRHwavRXUvM9DJfhdAiCG-320-80.jpg)
Revel's Rascal V2 promises to be a playful scamp out on the trails with updated, geometry, stiffer chassis, and lower weight
By Graham Cottingham published
News The all-new Rascal is the second generation of Revel's most popular bike
![Sonder Evol pictured from the side](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/t8pupVbxxHbfropmsNcdZF-320-80.jpg)
Sonder refreshes its alloy Evol enduro bike with more travel, updated geometry and a mullet wheeled setup
By Graham Cottingham published
News Sonder's new Evol is an evolution, not a revolution
![Albion Three Season Pocket bib tight review](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ZWPogpn5donRktkMu7cUkD-320-80.jpg)
Albion Three Season Pocket bib tight review – cargo bibs for winter adventures
By Graham Cottingham published
Review Albion’s winter cargo bib tights feature a unique jacket-stashing rear pocket configuration
![Norco Optic 2024](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FEVijZCYDfo6RaZvLJZCgj-320-80.jpg)
Norco goes high-pivot on its brand-new Range and Sight trail bikes
By Graham Cottingham published
News Norco's latest all-mountain and trail bike borrows High Pivot (VPS HP) platform suspension tech from its Range enduro bike
![A rider on 7stanes trails](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yALy54SJheQszNjNiTrGUS-320-80.jpg)
Have your say on future plans for the 7stanes trail networks
By Graham Cottingham published
News Forestry and Land Scotland seeks a collaborative effort with communities, businesses, government, and public bodies to boost Scottish Borders tourism
![Lapierre Overvolt GLP3 being ridden down a rocky section of trail](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/W59Xr9nAKpKhXqnyvHLUbA-320-80.jpg)
Five essential tips that will give you the perfect MTB tire setup
By Graham Cottingham published
Opinion Tires are your sole contact between you and the ground. Seasoned bike tester, Graham Cottingham explains how to set them up for the best performance
![Nukeproof Megawatt 297 Carbonbeing jumped off a cliff](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/LEjbYq9Yc3fXMAF3izc6MN-320-80.jpg)
With mass redundancies at WiggleCRC, what does the future hold for in-house brands Nukeproof, Vitus, and Ragley?
By Graham Cottingham published
News It's not looking good for the beloved British bike brands
![Scott Voltage eRIDE e-MTB](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/etU8xewePdpQrd78yXobVf-320-80.jpg)
The Scott Voltage is back from the dead, returning as a 155mm lightweight e-MTB
By Graham Cottingham published
News The Scott Voltage returns as a new long-travel lightweight TQ-powered trail e-MTB with a touch of Genius
![Gee Atherton riding Hardline](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/2ecrHHz8doNEW7DumbFXce-320-80.jpg)
"10 years ago, we never could've imagined that Hardline would reach the stage that it’s at now". We look back at a decade of Red Bull Hardline
By Graham Cottingham published
News We revisit the last 10 years of Red Bull Hardline – the most extreme downhill race in the world
![Favero Assioma Pro MX SPD power meter pedals](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/AMCpfZLEGhKiQbg2A87NxJ-320-80.jpg)
Favero claims new Assioma Pro MX SPD power meter pedals to be “the lightest” SPD power meter pedals, they undercut rivals on price too
By Graham Cottingham published
News Favero Assioma Pro MX power meter pedals are aimed at cross-country, gravel, and cyclocross
![Nukeproof Megawatt 297 Carbon RS X0 Eagle AXS Powertrain](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Pppq3miCWTRUENU4TLFmAG-320-80.jpg)
Nukeproof's Powertrain Megawatt e-MTB goes on sale
By Graham Cottingham published
News Nukeproof's Megawatt is now available with a carbon frame and SRAM's new e-MTB motor
![Best mountain bike saddles grid layout](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/28NadHrRcJCZHKbuvbLVUG-320-80.jpg)
Best mountain bike saddles 2024 – the top 6 most highly rated MTB seats we've tested
By Graham Cottingham last updated
Buyer's Guide Whether pounding out the miles or winching back to the top of the trail is your thing, here is our round-up of the best mountain bike saddles
![Privateer Bikes Release Gen 2 161 and 141](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/CdS5ASz4cNzxDYWw5KUr3C-320-80.jpg)
Privateer Bikes release the Gen 2 141 and 161
By Graham Cottingham published
News New kinematics, geometry, and hardware are designed to heighten predictability and durability
![A MTBer risding up a rock](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MSAg5XddAYV5t3dv8kSRDC-320-80.jpg)
Are you using the best MTB tires for the riding you do? Here's everything you need to know to get a sorted tire setup
By Graham Cottingham published
Opinion There is a lot more to choosing MTB tires than you might think. Graham Cottingham will help you get the ideal tire setup
![Reval tirade hardtail mountain bike](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pUwwLmPD2TQerwYwAAfXsZ-320-80.jpg)
Revel's new Tirade is a rowdy titanium hardtail with a super short adjustable rear-end
By Graham Cottingham published
News Revel's new 140mm Tirade titanium hardtail takes inspiration from its Rascal full-suspension trail bike
![Downhill mountain biker at Val di Sole](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/cebokUcab9oW8QYZ7gMHmW-320-80.jpg)
Best mountain bike wheels – the lightest cross-country options to the strongest downhill MTB wheels
By Paul Brett last updated
Buyer's Guide Upgrading to the best mountain bike wheels is one of the most significant modifications you can make to your bike, resulting in better overall control and more speed on the trail
![Trek Marlin+ bike](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/5yiRdpCTysky2ByinYZy5R-320-80.jpg)
Trek's best-selling budget mountain bike gets an e-MTB boost
By Graham Cottingham published
News Trek takes its most popular mountain bike - the Marlin - and equips it with a Bosch e-MTB motor and 400w battery to create the Marlin+
![Darkfest 2024](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ePCiTdAoCAzFA5DCXPXMZP-320-80.jpg)
Seriously gnarly jumps, huge tricks and massive crashes – check out the highlights from Darkfest so far
By Graham Cottingham published
News Double backflip trains, dizzying spins, and huge front flips have been already thrown down at Darkfest 2024
![2024 UCI Snow Bike World Championship](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/WUdjL9GTHfeVmpQHezrKmJ-320-80.jpg)
102 spiked tires, 51 elite mountain bikers, one snow covered Alpine ski slope – what could possibly go wrong?
By Graham Cottingham published
News Some big riders including Danny Hart and Vinny T are getting their spiked tires ready for the 2024 UCI Snow Bike World Championship is this weekend
![Sonder Broken Road ST with bikepacking bags](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Mhv7od7Qmvkfmgdkiqhhf6-320-80.jpg)
If it's not broken, don't fix it – Sonder releases a steel version of its Broken Road bikepacking bike
By Graham Cottingham published
News Sonder's new Broken Road ST has all the same geometry, adjustable dropouts, and multiple attachment points as the Titanium frame, just at a more affordable price point