Newsletter sign-up

Current Issue

Mountain bike rider

Just occasionally, the weather doesn't make a mockery of our attempts to publish a Summer issue, instead letting us pack the mag with sunshine-filled features and pics that really do look summery. That's exactly what's happened for our latest issue, but the exception was of course Andy's Big Mountain feature in Wales, which like all the other Big Mountain features from 2009 was shot in cloud and drizzle.

Wales is something of a theme this issue, as we celebrate the country's contribution to 15 years at the heart of a trail revolution. Dafydd Davis's pioneering use of forestry land spawned an explosion in the UK's total mileage of legal singletrack. His masterplan also brought cafés, toilets, car parks, year-round weatherproofing and freedom from map reading to mountain biking, essentially removing any obstacles that could put people off. The brainwave worked in a big way, and a whole new generation of riders has been introduced to mountain biking since his first two trails were sculpted out of Coed y Brenin's corridors of pine.

If you're one of the many riders to have found yourself hooked on singletrack as a result of Dafydd's vision, there couldn't be a better time to spread your wings and explore the terrain beyond the boundaries of the trail centre. Across Wales, often a mere stone's throw from one of these new breeding grounds, lie pockets of incredible natural trails. Trails that have been hewn from the earth, not by the jaws of an excavator, but by centuries of human movement. They are the perfect complement to man-made trails, offering unrivalled escapism among some of the most rousing landscapes in the country, and in this issue we offer them to you on a plate, packaged alongside all the important route details to make your transition from trail centre junkie to wide-eyed natural explorer trouble-free.

Danny
(MBR acting editor)

Summer issue
in the shops on July 1

Free Tube Scarf on this month's cover
Lightweight and breathable, multi functional head and neck wear, free with this month's MBR!

Just get out and ride
Natural Welsh singletrack
There's more to Wales than just trail centres, as we find out on some of the finest wilderness riding in the world. We reveal eight inspiring alternatives to man-made singletrack

Big Mountains
Cader Idris
The last in our trio of Big Mountains, we ride one of the most rugged wild routes in the UK

Bike test
120mm trail bikes
Shorter travel trail bikes can make for the optimum shralping machines, depending on where and how hard you ride. We've got six of the best on test

Group tests

Shorts
Long enough to hide those knobbly knees, but short enough to distinguish you from 'da youth', we find the right balance in our 12 short test

Glasses
Scottish tester Macca calls them 'glesses', acting ed Danny says their invaluable for keeping 'dog eggs' out of the eyes. Whatever you call them, we've reviewed 12 sets of eyewear

How to
Pop a manual
You don't need to be able to manual half the high street but getting your end up is a must. Chris Ball, Scottish DH coach, shows us how

Plus
• FOUR PULL-OUT RIDE GUIDES with Ordnance Survey mapping.
• Pages of advice on maintenance, consumer, route and health issues.
• Step-by-step workshop guide to fitting a double and bash.
• Shedloads of new products ridden and rated.

Important news – In 2009 we're continuing to publish 13 issues rather than the usual 12. This means there'll be a new mag every four weeks, rather than one per month. And instead of popping into your local newsagent on the first Wednesday of every month, you'll need to get down there every fourth Wednesday. The August issue's out on July 29th, then every fourth Wednesday following – you get the picture.