Freehub Issue 17.2 (Current Issue)

The 2026 Community Issue

This issue of Freehub, loosely woven together with themes of community, is lined with examples of mountain bikers helping mountain bikers for nothing other than sheer love of the sport. Danielle Baker writes about the all-too-short life of Matthew “Mattmo” Jeromkin and the trail that sprung up in his honor, now cared for by Nanaimo’s mountain bike community. Betsy Welch writes about Maui’s steady ascent toward building legal places to ride. Ben Haggar shares nuances from Japan’s riding scene—home to an interesting mix of strict adherence to cultural norms while also striving for progression. And, finally, in the feature “A Gift for Giving,” Brice Minnigh details the life of Don Cook, a Crested Butte icon at the forefront of so much development that we now take for granted in the bicycling world.

Shorts

Hole Shot | Fixating on Fitness Killed My Social Life

Main Artery | A Trail Town on the I5 Corridor Blossoms

Building Mattmo | A Trail Tribute Opens in Nanaimo

Now and Then | Finding Community in a Soup of Uncertainty

Features

Groundswell | Waves of Change Hit Maui's Trail Community

A Gift for Giving | The Extraordinary Life of Mountain Biking Pioneer Don Cook

Secret Society | Japanese Mountain Bike Culture Thrives Behind the Scenes

Soaked to the Bone | Exploring Poland's Wild Krkonoše Mountains