Were I to look outside right now, surely disappointment in the conditions would be eminent. We're smack dab in the middle of that fall to winter transition period where for a few weeks straight the sun has failed to make an appearance and rain has been falling steadily through 40-degree air. Riding could be a possibility so long as pounds of caked on near-freezing mud, soaking wet clothing and whizzing shotgun slugs are all taken into consideration. Alas there is hope though as this year the MBT has, for the first time in history, added a few 29ers to the test fleet. This summer, while the charms of fully suspended 26-inch wheeled mountain bikes were at their peak, we resisted the proverbial currents and picked up a couple 29ers with long-term ideals guiding our credit cards.

In the event that you happen to live in one of those most impressive environments where the only snow you receive comes in the form of television commercials and greeting cards, allow me to share a revelation known by most who receive their fair share of the stuff: 29ers are a secret weapon for carving through the powder.

Of course I don't want you to mistake that fact for my eagerly anticipating the arrival of the snow or anything. In fact I'm still contemplating the notion of hibernating, not unlike a bear, right on through till spring; nutrition and restroom accommodations not withstanding. But at least when the ground freezes solid and a nice dusting of snow arrives, I have ambitions of doing a little shredding typically reserved for skiers, ice skaters and snowboarders this time of year.

And speaking of time of the year, this issue bears the honor of transitioning right on through from 2011 to 2012. I suppose it's natural as editor to feel the desire to recollect upon the year in review. 2011 will likely tumble to the archives of history without too much notoriety. The global economy remained shaky, gas prices never dipped below ridiculousness, and the world's population hit a milestone at 7-billion. I suppose there's some kind of lesson to be had there in our species' desire to reproduce even in less than perfect conditions.

On a much smaller scale, MBT pumped out 6-issues, reviewed half a dozen bikes and had our Facebook account grow to include over 1,000 friends. We witnessed the rise of new bike brands (like Airborne) and the fall of industry icons (like Titus). We've heard reader complaints of tough times putting the squeeze on recreational pastimes and the resilience of those who refuse to allow the roller coaster of life to keep them out of the saddle or away from the sport they love.

With 2012 on the horizon, there's a lot of optimism that the economy will continue to gain strength and in our own corner of the universe, bike manufacturers are poised to sell 4-million mountain bikes to Americans this upcoming revolution around the sun.

As always in this issue, I'd like to thank a moment to thank the contributors who make Mountain Bike Tales possible. Truly their hard work and dedication surpasses whatever value mere mention in this paragraph can provide. Our product testers ranging in geography from NY (CG), Florida (Mike Sullivan) to Colorado (Erik De La Rosa) are some of the most die-hard contributors an editor can hope for… Truly theirs is the passion fueling this publication's continued mission. Patty Mooney's rich history and involvement with the sport since its inception never fail to fascinate and entertain while Amanda Brunner's knowledge as an RN who happens to love mountain biking represents the epitome of usefulness. Finally our webmaster Andy Nidzieko deserves mad props for balancing the responsibilities of college, a girlfriend, working, web-mastering and still finding time to get out there and dazzle with his digital camera at mountain bike races all around the country. My sincere thanks to each and every one of you! And to the readers, should you happen to appreciate the work any of our contributors put forth, don't hesitate to take a moment to let them know. Emails coming in to any of our contact links will be passed along to the proper recipients.

That said with 2011 in the waning phases and a busy, fun-filled holiday season on the horizon, I'd like to close this column with warmest wishes from all of us here at MBT. Here's to a safe and riding-filled 2012. Cheers!