What attracted you to the Canyon Spectral:ON CFR? Given that the Spectral:ON CF 9 was mbr’s e-bike of the Year in 2023, I figured the CFR would be the perfect…
Mountain Bike Rider
Best mountain bike chain lube: keep your drivetrain running smooth and protected
Ever hear those squeaks and creaks coming out of the drivetrain? That’s the sound of a dirty chain! A dry, gritty chain reduces both the longevity of your drivetrain and…
Could this be the next chapter for Go Outdoors? The sports supermarket invests big in mountain biking, with a nationwide apprentice scheme to train badly-needed mechanics
Ever tried to take your MTB into the bike shop for a service, only to be told the waiting list is longer than your wheelbase? Yup, us too, and that’s…
Best lightweight electric mountain bike: Ride further and faster without losing agility
While the best e-bikes are an absolute blast off-road, they are not for everyone. Some riders want do the lion’s share of the work on the climbs, and others don’t…
The Shimano GF8 winter boots kept me glued to the pedals, but here’s why I won’t be recommending them…
Shimano’s GF8 is a flat pedal shoe with a difference, it’s a pumped-up shoe/ankle boot hybrid with extra insulation and a waterproof/breathable liner to make it winter-ready. With not that…
A year on SRAM’s radical AXS T-Type Transmission – the verdict
In March last year, SRAM unveiled its radical AXS T-Type Transmission, promising that the new drivetrain would bring unparalleled strength, durability, and precision shifting. It was to be the pinnacle…
Iconic UK brand Orange Bikes appoints administrators – what does it mean for Orange’s customers?
Orange Bikes has appointed an administrator, in an effort to “restructure the business” and stave off job losses. In legal parlance it means Orange is protected from creditors and can…
The Feedback Sports Pro Mechanic HD Workstand is sturdy enough for the heaviest e-bike
Built to survive the apocalypse, Feedback’s latest and greatest maintenance workstand is geared towards porky e-bikes, with a focus on stability and durability. Given the price tag, which is more…
I’ve tested eight waterproof trousers this winter, and Rab’s Cinder Kinetic is the only pair that can keep me dry
Rab’s new Cinder Kinetic Waterproof trousers are made from, hands down, the best waterproof material I’ve ever tried. That is one hell of a bold statement given I’ve been striving…
Strava data shows more of us are riding off-road than ever before… but not always on mountain bikes
Were the trails and carparks busier than ever round your way last year? Yup, ours too, and now Strava’s confirmed the uptick, seeing more knobbly tyres on the ground than…
The Orbea Wild M-Team crushes the toughest tracks, but the battery is a pig to remove
In 2020, the organisers of the Enduro World Series (as it was then, now called EDR – as in EnDuRo) introduced an e-bike category. At first it was dismissed as…
Get fit for mountain biking and racing in just 12 weeks, with strength training, cardio training, and skills routines for all levels
Interval training is hard but it’s the simplest, quickest and most effective route to becoming a faster rider. Coach to the pros Alan Milway shows us how.
The Canyon Strive:ON CFR is a big-hit e-bike with the precision of a scalpel
For a brand so focused on racing (and so proficient at building one of the best e-bikes on the market in the shape of the Spectral:ON), it was only a…
2024’s best and worst tech trends: What’s going to excite and annoy us in the next 12 months?
In the past, technical innovation has brought us game-changing trends such as progressive geometry, 29in wheels, mullet bikes, stealth dropper posts, single-ring drivetrains and internal frame storage. All things we…
January mountain bike sales: best new deals including the Vitus Mythique full-sus at £1400, Five Ten Trailcross 70% off, and Endura jackets for just £25…
2024 is shaping up to be a great year for mountain bikers. Yup, it might not look it out the window right now, but it’s a good time to be…
Canyon Strive:ON CFR Vs Orbea Wild M-Team: Which is the ultimate enduro e-bike?
Competition has always accelerated the pace of development, and the discipline of e-enduro racing is no different. This fledgling race category has not been around for very long, but it’s…
Pace’s new RC429 steel hardtail can be a downcountry ripper, trail bike heavy hitter, or weird rigid-fork gravel drifter
Do-it-all bikes are a big trend at the moment, across mountain bikes, e-bikes and beyond. That one singular bike that you can do ‘anything’ on. Whether it exists or is…
The Exposure Six Pack SYNC Mk 13 light is sunshine in a can
Every year Exposure updates its lights with more power or more features, and the latest Six Pack SYNC Mk 13 now comes with a slightly wider beam and more Lumens…
Riding the Intense Tracer 279 Pro made me feel 20 years younger
First, I want to get some facts on the ground. At 16.33kg the Intense Tracer 279 Pro is a ballpark weight for one of the best modern enduro bikes with…
RaveMen’s XR6000 light is great value but needs a longer run-time
We’ve tested Ravemen’s PR1600 several times here at mbr and, while this all-in-one design was great value and functional, it always felt a little under-juiced in terms of power and…