When Shimano launched its Autoshift system for e-bikes last year, we were intrigued. Paul Burwell went to the launch of the Shimano EP801 motor and Autoshift for MBR and came…
Mountain Bike Rider
I’m a huge fan of Trek’s high-octane Top Fuel 9, and the latest version is the best yet – but it could be even better
I was a big fan of the previous alloy Top Fuel from Trek, as were Danny and Alan when they tested the last Top Fuel 8, and this latest version…
GoPro launches new Hero 13 Black – here are 5 key upgrades for mountain bikers
GoPro has just released the latest version of its iconic Hero, now in its 13th guise, and while the updates are not exactly ground-breaking, there are some cool new features…
Despite Tom Pidcock’s Olympic mountain bike gold medal, Britain’s 2012 Olympic XC legacy course at Hadleigh Park is in a ‘terrible’ state, according to local riders
Only a month ago we were celebrating Tom Pidcock’s dramatic win in the mountain biking at the Paris 2024 Olympics. An Olympics where GB riders excelled, backing up Pidcock’s gold…
Cube launches 2025 range – 5 key highlights from the new MTB line-up, including three new e-bike models, two XC race hardtails, and a trail bike
These days, most manufacturers like to drop feed their latest bikes through the year, maximising eyeballs and keeping their brand in the mind of consumers as much as possible. Cube,…
This 1991 Boulder Bicycles boasted a 1,320mm wheelbase 20 years before Forward Geometry, Geometron, and Pole
Asked when the trend for longer, lower, slacker geometry started, most of us would say around 2012/2013 when Mondraker introduced prototype DH and enduro models with what turned into Forward…
From resurgent veterans to Juniors beating Elites, here are 6 things we learned from the 2024 downhill World Champs in Andorra
The 2024 UCI Downhill Mountain Bike World Championships took place in Andorra this weekend, on a dry and dusty track that ran even faster than qualifying earlier in the week.…
Puck Pieterse and Alan Hatherly win gold at the 2024 cross-country MTB world championships
Dutchwoman Puck Pieterse put on a dominant display to win the rainbow bands in the Elite Women’s cross-country mountain bike world championship race, while South African Alan Hatherly gained a…
Lizard Skins’ Gradient grips boast a subtle wing for palm support, and improved comfort on my longest rides
Before you even start counting colours, Lizard Skins have 23 different grip designs to try, and I’ve been working my way through a bunch of them recently. The ones that…
Viris might be a new name in eyewear, but the Raptor glasses kit impressed me with its scratch-resistant lens and prescription-compatible frame
Speculating in the biking spectacle space means going up against big, established global brands with massive marketing and ambassador budgets, such as Oakley, Smith, and 100% – the kind of…
Halfords own-brand, Voodoo, launches new full-suspension Canzo with an eye on the affordable trail bike market
Voodoo’s Bizango has won more MBR bike tests and Hardtail of the Year awards than I’ve got scars on my shins, but the Halfords-owned brand has never quite hit the…
Sonder’s Evol is a good back-to-basics enduro bike, but adding wireless gears puts it in the ring with some heavy hitting competition
Sonder Bikes has grown out of the Alpkit stable, where affordability meets good design and rugged build-quality in outdoor equipment. The comprehensive range now runs to 14 different bikes, from…
Trek’s new Procaliber gets updated geometry for gnarly XC tracks, but weighs more than the full-suspension Supercaliber
Trek has launched its Gen 3 Procaliber carbon models, which come with increased fork travel, wider tyre clearance, lighter weight, and an updated geometry. The hardtail frame is now 150g…
Vitus bikes are back in stock at Evans, and guess what? They’re already on sale for cracking prices
Vitus mountain bikes are back in stock at Evans just six months after going out of business, with the brand’s award-winning Sentier range already on sale for outrageous prices. Earlier…
Are expensive analogue bikes dead? It’s hard to see a future when Trek’s Slash + gives you a motor and battery and saves you £750!
Episode 11 of the MBR Show has just gone live and the main topic for discussion this time is the future of expensive analogue bikes – is anyone going to…
At 6ft 1in I’ve struggled to find MTB bike trousers long enough, but Gore’s Passion Pants are it
I’m a big fan of the Gore Passion Pants because they’re technically great, lightweight, good value, and don’t feel the need to dress you up in logos like a Formula…
Year’s of painstaking exploration have unearthed 275km of the best trails in the alps, and now you can follow the 6-day route for free!
The Stone King Rally and mapping app Komoot have launched a 275km Stone King enduro mountain biking route. The GPS track was previously only available to participants of the Stone…
2024 MTB World Championships: how to watch for free from anywhere in the world
The Mountain Bike World Championships is upon us and the big news is that Tom Pidcock has all but won the XCO race already, after emphatically taking Olympic gold just…
Lightweight, lively and nimble: Cannondale’s Habit LT is a proper trail bike, not an overbuilt enduro rig
As one of a handful of trail bikes with a very similar shape and suspension design, Cannondale’s Habit LT had a hard job convincing me it was a truly unique…
Although my very first mountain bike marathon race was like a Tough Mudder on a bike, I’m now totally hooked!
For the uninitiated – that was me at the start of this journey – a mountain bike marathon race is simply a long-distance off-road race. The race distance varies, but…