The latest issue of MBR is out now, and as ever it’s packed full of inspiring ideas and routes to help you find new places to get out and ride. Here’s what you’ll find inside MBR October 2022.
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On the Cover
Steve Larking makes steep look easy. Photographer: James Vincent.
Features
The UK’s best descents
Our list of the top-24 trails this small island has to offer: some are rocky and gnarly like the Ciaran Path, some flowy and fast like the Elan Valley’s blue trail; but all leave you buzzing by the end.
Bikes and gear
First rides
We ride the new Whyte T-140 RS, YT Capra 29 Core 2, and Mondraker Crafty R with Bosch e-bike ABS brakes.
Longtermers
Updates on the Privateer 141 with Ohlins suspension, Sonder Signal hardtail, Specialized Kenevo SL lightweight eeb, and the Giant Reign E+ 1 e-bike.
Product
On test this month is the new Mavic E-Deemax S 30/35 wheelset, Endura MT500 Mips helmet, Syncros Boundary 1.0SH Digital Shock Pump, and loads more.
Tested: Trail forks
The best 120-140mm travel forks for trail and downcountry bikes, ridden and rated: Fox 34 Float Factory GRIP2, RockShox Pike Ultimate, Suntour Durolux 36 EQ RC2, Marzocchi Bomber Z2 Rail, and Öhlins RXF34 m.2 on test.
Bike test: British built bikes
With Brexit, global supply problems and inflation bumping up prices and slowing delivery times, bikes made right here in the UK look ever more appealing. We test a carbon Hope, alloy Orange and steel Cotic.
Bikes featured this issue
- Cotic Rocket Max
- Giant Reign E+ 1
- Hope HB 916
- Orange Switch 7
- Mondraker Crafty R with Bosch e-bike ABS
- Privateer 141 Ohlins
- Sonder Signal ST GX
- Specialized Turbo Kenevo SL Comp
- Whyte T-140 RS
- YT Capra 29 Core 2
How to
Buzz: Fit and fast
How strong a mountain biker are you? Check out our seven performance metrics that every mountain biker should strive to meet.
Skills: Gradient
Dirt School shows us how to smooth out complicated bits of trail, swap gravity for grip, and make the control you have on complicated trails feel more consistent and predictable.
The Buzz
Llys y Fran reservoir trail in Pembrokeshire.
Llys-y-Fran in Pembrokeshire is a new 14km trail at the edge of Wales, packed with old-school features and new-school flow.
My best trail
Lakes local Tristan Tinn took up photography at a young age to document the daft stuff he was doing and seeing on his mountain bike. Fortunately for us, he’s still mucking about like this today. Check out his fave trail.