Mountain Biking UK has got all the latest news, kit and exclusive info on the newest and best bikes. The MBUK Wrecking Crew testing team are out there right now, riding new bikes and products to destruction, to give you expert reviews you can count on to be brutally honest. We live to ride - and that's what makes MBUK Britain’s best-selling bike magazine.
HELLO
IN THE MAG THIS MONTH
OUT FRONT • WELCOME TO THE WOLD OF MOUNTAIN BIKING
Want That! HOME WORKSHOP ESSENTIALS • Turn your shed or garage into a temple of bike-tinkering!
SEND IT! win all of thief • YOUR MAIL, PHOTOS, IDEAS & RANTS
#118 LACHLAN BLAIR’S ORANGE SWITCH 7 • Yorkshire brand rewrite their enduro playbook with a shock-link and mullet wheels
OUT FRONT
A CHAMPION ON AND OFF THE TRACK
Launch Pad • THE NEWLY-UNVEILED BIKES & KIT GETTING US EXCITED THIS MONTH
MBUK Month • The highs & lows of life on the mag
AZ-TECH!
DIRTY SECRETS • What our favourite MTBers get up to when they’re not messing about in the mud
THE DISTRICT LINE
TRIPLE TRICOLORE TRIUMPH!
FIRST LOOK
RIDING HIGH • What began as a mission to climb 4,000m and descend Europe’s highest singletrack in a day turned into an altogether different type of challenge…
THE MALVERNS GROWS UP • In the ’90s, the Malvern Hills Classic was known as much for its naked lake jumping and nighttime revelry as its racing, but since its revival in 2018 it’s become a much more family-friendly affair. This year JCW headed along with his wife and kids to experience a different side of the much-loved bike fest.
VAN LIFE WITHOUT THE VAN! • CAN YOU ENJOY THE MTB MOTORHOME LIFESTYLE WITHOUT FORKING OUT FOR A CAMPER VAN AND DOING IT UP? CHRIS TESTS OUT A COST-EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVE
WRECKED & RATED
6 OF THE BEST STORAGE CAGES • Neat solutions for bolting more than just a bottle to your frame
LONGTERM RIDES • Team bikes ridden hard for a year
BIKETEST 2023 ALL-STARS • With MTB design evolving, we hit the trails on eight promising-looking bikes that highlight the changes and trends for next year
HOPE HB.916 • £6,995 Beautifully-crafted high-pivot enduro machine
ROCKRIDER RACE 900 TEAM EDITION • £3,799.99 Super-light race-focused hardtail
TREK FUEL EXE 9.9 XX1 AXS • £13,250 Could this bike set the standard for lightweight e-MTBs?
SANTA CRUZ NOMAD C GX AXS RSV COIL • £8,999 Long-travel rig gets wheel-size, suspension and geometry updates
POLE VOIMA • €9,278.24 (exc. VAT and import duty) As groundbreaking as it looks
CANYON STRIVE CFR • £6,305.98 (shipped) German direct-sale giant prioritises speed while keeping versatility
MONDRAKER RAZE CARBON R • £5,499 On-board telemetry sounds fancy, but is it useful?
BIRD FORGE STAINLESS SLX CUSTOM BUILD • £3,876.60 (inc shipping) Traditional tubing meets modern geometry
GROUPTEST HIP PACKS • We’ve tested 11 of the latest MTB bumbags to see which is the top choice for comfort, stability and functionality
NAIL SCRUBS & WHIPS • Perfect these moves to add some steeze to your jump sessions
GRIME TIME • EXPERT WORKSHOP ADVICE
GREAT BRITISH GRUB • Max goes in search of some iconic British delicacies, and ends up at the lush pastures, deep gorges and hilltop moors of Cheddar – and yes, there’s cheese
VAN ROAD TRAILS • A community-run dirt jump paradise in South Wales, maintained by volunteers and with tracks for all abilities
Mountain Biking UK
Mint Sauce