Indholdsfortegnelse for January 2020 i Mountain Biking UK

Shimano have filed a patent application suggesting that they’re developing a gearbox for mountain bikes. It specifically relates to a special lubricant and low-friction coating that have the potential to enormously reduce the drag of a gearbox – one of the key downsides of the ones we’ve tried. However, the amount of detail the patent goes into about exactly how the gearbox could work suggests its development may already be pretty far down the line. In brief, the patent describes a gearbox that mounts to the bike around the bottom bracket area. It’s driven by a standard crankset that rotates a chainring located within the gearbox. This, in turn, drives the first ‘transmission member’ – a vague term used in the patent to describe a cassette of sorts – via…

New years are all about resolutions, overhauling your life and becoming the person you’ve always wished you were… Invariably, these good intentions last about a fortnight, until you get suckered into that Friday night pub trip and all that ‘new year, new me’ stuff is replaced by five pints and a polystyrene tray of doner meat. Now, we’re not going to preach to you and tell you to clean up your diet, overhaul your training regime, lube your chain at the end of every ride or service your suspension after precisely 50 hours of riding. Instead, we thought we’d ask our team what they learned this year, in the hope that their tips may help you have even more fun on your bike in 2020. 1. Jimmer, art editor “This…

1 Refining the numbers Rafi describes his approach to geometry and sizing as ‘restrained progressive’. Reaches extend to 505mm, but he aims to make bikes that are fun on all trails. 2 Testing and tweaking Test frames were lengthened until responsiveness gave way to stability, then reeled back in. Rafi’s coaching revealed that longer bikes are better for less advanced riders, but he wants to keep the fun factor in equivalent sizes. 3 Bucking the trend A Rå hardtail has a 30mm-shorter reach than its equivalent full-sus, as hardtail geometry changes when riding. Only the fork compresses so the bike pivots around its rear axle, lengthening the reach and pulling the rider’s weight forward. Rafi’s idea is that a shorter frame keeps weight better centred.…

Andreu and his older brother Lluis exploded onto the scene over 10 years ago now. The pair, from near Barcelona in Spain, instantly got noticed for their racer speed combined with silky style and huge tricks. Thirty-year-old Andreu is the one who’s really taken things to new heights though, sending it bigger and bigger every year, whether that’s off cliffs at Red Bull Rampage, across 90ft gaps at the FEST Series or hanging off the back of his motocross bike in his private training compound.…

IDENTITI METTLE RC £3,999.99 Designed to shred on UK soil The second-generation Mettle looks a lot like its predecessor but it’s been revamped to make it even more fun to ride. It now has a slacker head angle (64.5 degrees), steeper effective seat angle (76 degrees) and longer reach (500mm, large). Identiti say this keeps the effective top tube length similar but places the rider in a more centred position and gives a more stable platform when you want to put the hammer down – which is what this 160mm-travel bike is designed for. Ample mud clearance and chunky bearings should help it withstand UK conditions. We like that 5mm Allen bolts are used throughout. The RC comes set up tubeless with Identiti wheels, Gusset controls, 12-speed Shimano XT gearing,…

Frame Carbon fibre front triangle, alloy rear end, 125mm (4.9in) travel Fork Fox 34 Float Performance GRIP, 130mm (5.3in) travel Shock Fox Float DPX2 Performance EVOL Drivetrain Shimano SLX with Deore XT rear mech and FSA Gradient cranks (1x12) Wheelset Marin rims on Shimano hubs, Maxxis Minion DHF 3C MaxxTerra EXO+ 2.5x29in (f) and Minion DHR II 3C MaxxTerra EXO+ 29x2.4in WT (r) tyres Brakes Shimano SLX, 200/180mm rotors Bar/stem Deity Skyline, 787mm/ Marin, 35mm Seatpost/saddle X-Fusion Manic with PWN Loam Lever/ Marin Trail Speed Concept Pro Weight 14.33kg (31.59lb), large size without pedals…

Strolling through Cardiff University, our conversation turns to student life. For former professional downhill racer Manon Carpenter, the morning commute to lectures must seem pretty far removed from the jet-setting lifestyle and adrenaline-fuelled pressure of being an Elite-level racer. When the 2014 downhill world champ and World Cup series winner announced in 2017 that she’d be retiring from international competition, it came as a shock to many fans. A big injury sustained at Val di Sole in Italy the previous year was weighing heavily on Manon’s mind and she came to the difficult decision that she was no longer able to accept the risks involved. “Making the final call to quit was so hard,” she tells me, as we pass by the stately grandeur of Cardiff’s science department. “But I…

HOW WE TEST THE KIT Starts with a detailed product check in the workshop. We strip and rebuild, checking for any problems. Next we hit the trails… hard! We test in real riding conditions for the complete picture. And finally we re-test with another tester. WHY OUR TESTS ARE THE BEST! Our test team is made up of the most respected bike and kit testers in the world. We have unrivalled knowledge and experience, and spend a vast amount of time making sure we get it right. We tell you the truth and aren’t influenced by PR or advertisers. ABOUT OUR TEST TEAM Our technical-editor-in-chief, Rob Weaver, gets new products in as soon as they’re available and coordinates all the testing through our vastly experienced band of reviewers, who’ve ridden…

I bloody loved the 650b-wheeled G-170 that I rode throughout 2018 and, if I’m honest, I wasn’t totally enamoured with the 29er version when I first threw a leg over it. That wasn’t because it was a bad bike. Far from it. It was easy to ride fast and totally planted. It just didn’t feel quite as much fun. I’m not sure whether it was my preference for smaller wheels or the fact that the 29er version just felt like a bigger bike, with a bit more stability and control. Thankfully, the more I rode other big-travel 29ers, the more I began to appreciate and enjoy my time aboard the G-170 29er. And the harder I pushed it and the more I got accustomed to its limits, the more fun…

The Habit Carbon’s got a lot going for it – as it should for £6k! It’s light, lively and more capable of taking on burlier terrain than its 130mm of rear travel might suggest. The suspension balance is decent and the frame geometry is modern without being so stretched-out and progressive that it takes the fun out of flatter tracks. The spec is great too, right down to the triple-compound Maxxis tyres. I’m not saying it’s perfect though – especially in this XL size. The short (for a 29er) 435mm chainstays give a lively feel on slower tracks but feel out of proportion with the 490mm reach at speed (the medium has a closer 435/430mm balance), although this does make it easier to drift (sometimes unintentionally!). With the seatpost extended…

CLEAT The shaped metal part bolted into the sole of your shoe, which has tabs at the front and rear that engage with the clipless mechanism on the pedal. Often available with varying float and release angles. Can be specific to the pedal brand. CLIPLESS MECHANISM Sprung jaws or retention bars that engage with the cleat bolted to your shoe, holding your foot on the pedal until twisted to release. Some let you adjust the release tension. Most allow some ‘float’ of the shoe. FLOAT Knees don’t like to be restrained too rigidly, especially when you’re moving around on the bike off-road. A few degrees of float allows your shoes to rotate while remaining engaged. This prevents knee pain and gives a more natural ride feel. PLATFORM The contact area…

Brakes One-finger braking lets you keep a better hold on the bar. Also, try adjusting the lever throw so your brakes bite a comfortable distance from the bar. Angle your brakes so the backs of your hands make a straight line with your forearms. This keeps your weight behind the bar, reduces fatigue and helps you absorb impacts. Tyres Think about fitting a set of more aggressive treads, in a softer-compound rubber. This helps to bite into loose dirt. Pay attention to your pressures – too hard and you won’t get enough traction, too soft and not only are you at risk of pinch flats and damaged rims, but your tyres will squirm unpredictably in corners. Suspension Get to know your fork and shock, and what effect different pressures and…

1 Wash your bike somewhere with proper drainage so that the dirt, oil and detergent that runs off won’t do any harm to nearby plants and animals. Starting from the top and working down, rinse the worst of the muck off with a hose. 2 If the bike is particularly filthy, turn it upside-down to allow the wheels to spin freely. Doing this makes it easier to rinse mud off the tyres, hubs, cassette and brake rotors, as well as providing better access to the underside of the frame. 3 Once you’ve rinsed the worst of the muck away, turn the bike the right way up again. Give it a good spray with bike cleaner or use a sponge and diluted soapy water to cover it in suds. If possible,…

THE LOST ARC The Lost ARC cafe in Rhayader provides great breakfasts, coffee and cake to replenish low energy levels, along with light lunches and locally-produced ice cream. It’s only open from Thursday to Monday, between 9.30am and 4.30pm. On Fridays, it stays open until 9.30pm and offers wood-fired pizza, with occasional evening events featuring acoustic music too. There are vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options available, and it’s dog- and cyclist-friendly. www.thelostarc.co.uk…

Route summary A figure-of-eight loop taking in some lovely, sometimes technical, trails with stunning views, but also making use of some easygoing, quiet tarmac roads Start/finish Lochinver car park (grid ref NC 094/226, postcode IV27 4LB) 1 Go left out of the car park (heading north), then left over the bridge (signed to Baddidarrach) and keep left by the church. Head right and follow the signs to Glendarrach after crossing a cattle grid. Continue uphill and bear left at the fork, then shortly after, turn off left onto a path signed to Ardroe and Achmelvich. 2 Follow this path over a hill, then descend past Loch Dubh and over a bridge to a minor road. Go right here (or turn left to visit Achmelvich beach first). Proceed on the tarmac…

GETTING THERE Cathkin Braes Country Park is situated on the southern edge of Glasgow. There are parking areas on both sides of the park, from which you can join the XC route. The trailhead and pump track are located on the northern side, at G76 9EY. FACILITIES Parking. NEARBY BIKE SHOPS As Scotland’s biggest city, Glasgow is well-served with bike shops. Two of the best for MTB are Alpine Bikes (www.tiso.com/alpine)and Dales Cycles (www.dalescycles.com). CONTACT www.facebook.com/ CathkinBraesMountainBiking OTHER RIDING Campsie Glen On the northern outskirts of Glasgow, this unofficial locals’ spot is the most accessible place to ride. There’s a cafe and bike shop at the bottom. Carron Valley An 8km surfaced red route at the east end of Carron Valley Reservoir, halfway between Glasgow and Stirling. Dunoon For a…

BELL SUPER DH MIPS BEST OF BOTH WORLDS? We all want a bike that can climb like an XC race rig and descend like a thoroughbred downhill machine, so why not get a helmet that can do the same? Once you’re strapped in, Bell’s Super DH feels just like a regular full-face, and meets the required safety standards for downhill racing. But remove the chin bar – a simple job, although easier done when not wearing the helmet – and it’s comfortable for extended pedalling. It comes with the latest MIPS Spherical brain protection, and at 880g in full-face mode and 480g in open-face guise, it’s competitive in terms of weight too. £249.99 www.zyrofisher.co.uk FOX RAMPAGE PRO CARBON KEEPING SUPERBRUNI SAFE Fox’s top-end downhill lid – as worn by reigning…

SRAM CODE RSC MASTERS OF MODULATION If you prioritise control over outright power, then the Codes should be your go-to brakes. While they’re still pretty powerful, the modulation they offer to help you handle the trickiest situations is unmatched, thanks in part to SRAM’s SwingLink lever cam. Tool-free lever reach and contact point adjustment make it a breeze to personalise the lever set-up and get both brakes biting at the same time. Pivot bearings make the lever pull very smooth. SRAM’s highest-capacity reservoir helps with heat build-up on long descents, and their Bleeding Edge technology makes servicing simple. These are the brakes used by 2019’s male and female Enduro World Series champs, so you know they’re robust and up to the job. £294 (with 180mm rotor and adapter) www.zyrofisher.co.uk TOP…

There’s a new documentary series on Red Bull TV, narrated not by David Attenborough, but by the one and only Rob Warner. In Rob’s Wild Rides, the former World Cup star and Team MBUK racer jets off to exotic locations to ride the trails and soak up the culture. Each time, he’s joined by another pro rider. We asked Matt Jones – who accompanied him to Lesotho in Africa – what it was like globe-trotting with Warner. “We got the full experience!” he laughs. “Camping out with lions, sleeping in mud huts and cutting the first ever tyre tracks into mountains. But the locals were so welcoming and the riding was amazing. Being heli-dropped onto the summit of Mount Kenya (5,199m) was insane. Our suspension didn’t work due to the…

“I was lucky enough to be involved in Formation, a women’s freeride progression session where six girls spent five days in the Utah desert building and riding our own lines at the 2015 Red Bull Rampage site. I reckon the event’s going to be huge in the future, for two reasons. “Firstly, it wasn’t a competition. I’ve never been part of something so progressive with an all-female crew before. The fact that no one was competing allowed us all to bounce ideas around and help each other hit features that were unfamiliar. It helped us progress so quickly! Everyone loved seeing the others shred, and that’s the way to boost this new wave of women’s freeride – bringing the riders together, not making them compete. “Secondly, it wasn’t exclusively for…

Long-time readers will undoubtedly recognise this man. A contemporary of Steve Peat and another lightning-fast racer from Sheffield, Will Longden is a bona fide legend of UK downhill, with four British Champs titles to his name. As a staple member of the MBUK team from 1997 to 2008, Will didn’t just race 4X and DH to World Cup top-10 level, but also managed the team from 2000 onwards too, mentoring future stars such as Marc Beaumont and Danny Hart. Now retired as a racer, Will has continued in his managerial role, heading up Madison Saracen Factory Racing. The team’s impressive results prove that Will’s 20 years of racing experience must be worth something! Who is Will Longden? A professional MTB racer from the ’90s and ’00s who raced on and…

STAR LETTER NO MONEY? NO WORRIES As we all know, mountain biking isn’t cheap. Bike prices continue to rise as they get fitted out with the latest must-have gizmos, but do we really need them to have fun? To try and answer that question, we [The Midlands MTB Club] set ourselves the challenge of buying a bike for under £35 and riding it around Cannock Chase’s ‘Follow The Dog’ red trail. We ended up with ’80s MTBs, homemade three-wheelers, grannies’ shopping bikes complete with baskets, road bikes and even a singlespeed track bike. I was on a GT Aggressor 2 dressed as Batman and my fellow admin in the club was on an Elephant Bike (an ex-Royal Mail postal bike destined for Africa), dressed as, you guessed it, an elephant!…

THE FRAME DOESN’T FLOP ABOUT LIKE A WET PLAYING CARD, NOR DOES IT HAVE SO MUCH ‘GIVE’ THAT THE COTIC CONFORMS TO THE TRAIL LIKE A LONGER-TRAVEL ENDURO BIKE Sheffield-based Cotic have been making steel-framed mountain bikes for over 15 years. In 2017, the brand got our attention with their ‘Longshot’ geometry (stretched-out wheelbases and slacker head angles), inspired by Chris Porter’s Nicolai GeoMetron bike. For 2020, they’ve tweaked the recipe slightly. The new FlareMAX trail bike gets a touch more reach and a significantly steeper seat angle to take advantage of the extra room in the cockpit and help it climb better. The frame The FlareMAX pumps out 125mm of travel via Cotic’s ‘droplink’ suspension design, which places a rocker link between the single-pivot rear end and the shock.…

We enlisted local expert Sandy Plenty to devise a ride that’d put these bikes to the test. He drew up a route on his laptop using Komoot. The accompanying app meant we’d have a guide in our pocket with turn-by-turn navigation. With stats on distance, elevation, ride time and trail surface, we could scope out our route and be sure that Sandy wasn’t trying to destroy our legs! With Komoot, you don’t need the local help though, because rider-added highlights can point you towards the best trails (and post-ride pubs!). Check out our route & highlights:…

When you grow up in a mountain bike epicentre and you’re the daughter of a race series organiser, you can’t help but fall into riding. This is how it started for the now 26-year-old from Caerphilly in South Wales. Manon’s father is Jason Carpenter, founder of the now-defunct but hugely influential Dragon Downhill series, which was responsible for massively accelerating the progression of UK DH in the ’90s and 2000s. After helping her dad at events, Manon soon graduated to racing herself and quickly found success, winning the Junior World Cup overall and World Champs titles in 2011. When she moved up the senior ranks, her winning ways continued and, in 2014, she achieved the remarkable feat of clinching both the World Cup series title and the world champ’s rainbow…

O-Dub One of our favourite riders to watch, Olly Wilkins combines an insatiable appetite for fun with serious style on a bike. He’s now with Focus Bikes, but still reps the DMR kit he helped design. The Deakinator Larger-than-life former Royal Marine Ben Deakin is known for his “Oi oi!” catchphrase and his entertaining YouTube vlogs, but he’s pretty handy on his DMR Sled too. Roo Pro snapper Rupert Fowler has been on overseas trips with the hyperactive duo before, so he knew what he was in for and made sure to keep O-Dub and Deaks fuelled with sugary treats.…

ROB WEAVER With two decades of riding experience, Rob knows what works and what doesn’t TOM MARVIN The only thing Tom loves more than his clapped-out VW Caddy is hammering test kit SEB STOTT No slouch on the race track, Seb’s passion for engineering helps him pick products apart ED THOMSETT Always on the hunt for new technical challenges, Ed gives his gear some serious abuse LUKE MARSHALL Keen racer Luke is quick to identify what helps or is a hindrance between the tape ALEX EVANS Many years of breaking bikes means Alex can give reliable buying advice…

I spent years riding hardtails. Even when I was racing downhill – when there were no trail bikes as we know them today – the regular runaround bike was a burly hardtail for razzing in the woods and hooning off jumps, when the DH bike was deemed a little too much. And that’s almost exactly the type of bike that the Scout has proven itself to be, with a bit extra. From the get-go, I found myself consistently impressed with just how capable the bike felt, regardless of where I chose to ride it. Sure, it’s never going to be as easygoing as a full-suspension bike, but those massive 2.6in Maxxis Minion DHF tyres sure as hell help to take the sting out of the hits. More than anything though,…

Within the first lap on these bikes, it was clear that the Vitus would be the runaway winner of this test. If you’re looking for a bike to hit a wide range of trails on, from the more mellow to the full-on technical, the Nucleus 29 VR immediately felt like it could do it all, with no complaints. The kit list is great, especially for the money, from the fork to the wheelset via the drivetrain, and it’s all plugged into a frame that’ll stand the test of time. Its disadvantage over the other bikes here is that you can’t just go and see it, or try it, before you buy (unless you can track down a Vitus demo day) – it’s an online-only purchase, unfortunately. Not only does the…

PLATFORM SIZE The ideal platform size depends on your riding style. XC racing benefits from low weight and stiff shoes, so a small platform works fine. For DH and enduro, a larger platform helps support the softer shoes and gives a bigger area for stamping back onto. PIN LENGTH On flat pedals, pins are a necessity for grip, digging into the shoe’s sole to keep it in place. On clipless pedals they should only function when not clipped in, as a backstop if you miss the mechanism and temporarily need some grip. If they’re long enough to engage with the sole while clipped in, it can make it harder to release the shoe from the pedal or reduce the float, causing knee pain. COMPATIBILITY Most clipless pedals are compatible with…

Trail centres are great places to find your feet with mountain biking. But as your skills progress you’ll undoubtedly feel an itch for the unknown that lies beyond graded and waymarked routes. Natural or hand-dug trails make for a super-fun challenge but taming them requires a refined set of skills. Often steeper, looser and with tree roots in abundance, you don’t just need to be on the ball to predict what’s around the next corner, you need to adjust the way you ride based on the conditions. Adjectives like ‘steep’, ‘techy’ and ‘gnarly’, along with the hurdle of knowing where to go, can make first-timers tentative about venturing off-piste. But if you plan your ride, set up your bike to suit and practise some core techniques, you’ll soon be able…

If you force yourself to ride hard every week, right through the year, you’re likely to burn out at some stage. Not just physically, but mentally too. Sometimes it’s valuable to take a break from the bike and return to it refreshed, recovered and with renewed excitement. Don’t misconstrue ‘a break’ to mean slumping on the sofa bingeing on box sets and Ben & Jerry’s all winter (although we all do that sometimes), think of it as an active break that gives you time to try out some different sports. These activities won’t just freshen things up, they’ll make for a fun way of learning new skills and building fitness to take back to the mountain bike. MOTOCROSS What is it? A favourite with pro MTBers, motocross is like the…

Max loves travelling up and down the country, searching for the best routes for you to ride. He’s the man behind www.roughrideguide.co.uk PLAN YOUR RIDE WITH With over half a million ready-made routes, OS Maps by Ordnance Survey is the ultimate navigation tool on smartphone, tablet and desktop. Covering the whole of Great Britain, it’s the perfect way to discover rides up and down the country, at any time, and start exploring on your mountain bike. Extremely detailed and highly accurate OS mapping at 1:25,000 and 1:50,000 scales makes it easy to understand the gradients and terrains of each route, and you can preview rides in stunning 3D before even stepping out the door. It’s the ultimate tool for planning some serious dirt missions! OS Maps also comes with Augmented…

Route summary A great rocky ride around the Peak District which, while the rest of the area can suffer badly in the wet, stands up well in the worst weather Start/finish Hayfield car park (grid ref SK 036/869, postcode SK22 2PB) or Edale car park (grid ref SK 142/853, postcode S33 7ZL) 1 Go east over the A624 road crossing, to the road junction by the church. Turn right, then left at a crossroads. Immediately afterwards, keep right at the fork and continue uphill on Highgate Road. After 1km, make a left opposite a cottage, onto a bridleway towards Highgate Head. Climb to the corner of a wood, where the trail becomes a technical, rocky descent. Bear right at a T-junction at the end. 2 Join the better track to…

TRAIL STATS Distance: 5.5km red route + four 0.5km descents Climbing: Fireroad and surfaced singletrack Time: 20-40 minutes for a lap Grading:Blue, red, black WHY RIDE HERE? Two feature-packed trail loops that mix the rough with the smooth for a varied ride RAD… It’s on the doorstep of the city Descents of varying grades and progressively bigger jumps make it a great place to build skills The full-scale Velosolutions pump track is the best we’ve ridden BAD… The full red route has quite a lot of flat, unexciting terrain, but can easily be shortcutted Although it’s still fun, the ‘Double Dare’ dual track is overgrown and in need of some love The pump track is quite affected by the wind…

ENDURA MT500 WATERPROOF SUIT SAY GOODBYE TO SOGGY CHAMMIES You can enjoy winter riding a whole heap more with the right kit. Wearing a separate jacket (see our grouptest in MBUK376) and waterproof shorts/trousers is all well and good, but for ultimate protection a waterproof combo or onesie is where it’s at – if you don’t mind the looks! This Endura ‘suit’ is made from their ExoShell 60 fabric, which boasts impressive breathability (64,000g/m2/24hr) and waterproofing (18,000mm). It fuses a jacket and riding pants together with a sealed back panel, so no water can spray up under your jacket and you don’t have to keep pulling up heavy, wet trousers. The price is pretty steep (which, along with the cut, is why we marked it down when we originally reviewed…

GEMINI TITTAN 4000 OLED BRIGHTER THAN THE STARS! The name gives away the power of this light – with a 4,000-lumen output, the Titan is impressively bright. It spreads its beam wide for clear illumination of trailside obstacles and corners, and reaches far ahead so you can feel confident riding at speed. The 60Wh battery gives nearly two-and-a-half hours of run time on full power, and a handy bar-mounted remote means you can toggle through the power settings to eke out more battery life without having to remove your hand from the grip. It hasn’t won a hat-trick of grouptests and been named our ‘Most Wanted’ light for nothing. £349.99 www.i-ride.co.uk TOP KIT FOR LESS CASH LifeLine Pavo Motion 2400 Not feature-laden, but the amount of usable light beats units…

Nant yr Arian near Aberystwyth is one of Wales’s most remote trail centres. For those in the know, its name is synonymous with red- and black-graded routes that weave flow and tech together in stunning scenery. A rad new skills park was built there two years ago, and there’s now another reason to go – this ‘pump track on steroids’ blue trail, created by Back On Track. We sent photographer Andy Lloyd up to check it out with spade-wielding wizard Rob Breakwell, who’s worked his magic on the trail. Named ‘Melindwr’ (Welsh for watermill), it consists of two loops, totalling 5km. The project makes use of existing fireroads for the climbs, thereby saving money to develop the descents. Everything’s rollable so it’s suitable for all riders, but with well-constructed berms,…

Norco’s 2020 Optic is a short-travel trail bike with a twist. The 140mm-travel fork sounds normal enough, as does the 125mm of rear wheel travel, but it’s not often you’ll find that amount of travel controlled by a full-on DH shock. The Canadian brand designed the suspension around an air shock with specific spring and damping characteristics. But it didn’t actually exist, so they asked RockShox to build them a custom Super Deluxe Ultimate damper for their testing. They ended up liking it so much that they specced it on every model in the Optic range. The shock reflects the aggressive nature of this trail slayer, which has a slack 65-degree head angle, steep 76-degree effective seat angle, big 37mm bottom bracket drop and long reach (510mm on the XL).…

1989 At the tail-end of the ’80s, £500 bought you a pretty competitive bike, for the time. Suspension hadn’t been developed for the mass market yet, so you could expect a steel frame and fork (with a steep 70-degree head angle), and 21 gears. If you were lucky, the calliper brakes had ‘short’ two-finger levers. 1999 Suspension forks had become commonplace, but on £500 bikes they were flexy, elastomer-sprung units with rudimentary damping and adjustment. Frames could be alloy or steel. While 100mm stems were still the rage, V-brakes had replaced callipers, 21 gears had jumped to 24, and bars now had some rise. 2009 Considered entry-level, £500 bikes now had hydraulic discs. Front suspension was the norm, but basic. Alloy frames were ubiquitous. The bikes still had long stems,…

While Brandon Semenuk’s winning run at this year’s Red Bull Rampage was the epitome of textbook execution, Andreu Lacondeguy’s balls-to-the-wall charge down the mountain was the absolute anthesis – but in the best possible way. A first-run crash from the Spaniard was followed by a near-death ride down the edge of a cliff in round two. Unbelievably, Andreu managed to stay on his bike, only to throw it away bailing out of a flatspin on the final jump. This time around, it just wasn’t meant to be for the 2014 Rampage champ, but his max-amplitude, all-or-nothing approach never fails to captivate us. Riding for YT Industries since 2011, Andreu’s bikes have always reflected his riding style –burly DH rigs but stripped back, with dirt-jump-style singlespeed drivetrains and old-school 26in wheels.…

Luke James was riding some off-piste stuff near his house when he decided to have a go on a trail he’d not ridden for a long time. “Towards the end I went for a step-up way too fast and got thrown 12ft in the air over the top of my bike,” he tells us. Luke didn’t realise quite what he’d done until he tried to pick his bike up and his arm “flopped in half” – he’d compound-fractured both the ulna and radius of his forearm in the crash. He must be built of strong stuff, because he managed to ride home without passing out… with the bones sticking out of his arm! After five hours of surgery and three nights in hospital, Luke is now on the mend, with…

Marin’s Rift Zone follows all the latest industry trends when it comes to geometry and is well-priced too, with a choice of alloy or carbon models. Could it be the king of the new breed of short-travel pinners? The frame The Rift Zone Carbon 2 pairs a carbon monocoque front end with an alloy rear triangle. Marin’s MultiTrac suspension system – a linkage-actuated single-pivot design – gives 125mm of rear wheel travel. Frame features include internal cable routing, a single bottle cage mount, ISCG-05 chain guide tabs and a maintenance-friendly threaded bottom bracket shell. Geometry is contemporary, which on the large size means a lengthy 480mm reach, short 425mm chainstays, a slack 65.5-degree head angle, relatively steep 76-degree seat angle and 344mm bottom bracket height. The kit This may be…

Frame M5 aluminium alloy, 180mm (7in) travel Motor Specialized 2.1 with 700Wh battery Fork RockShox BoXXer Select RC, 180mm (7in) travel Shock RockShox Super Deluxe Coil Select Drivetrain SRAM GX (1x11) Wheelset Roval alloy DH rims on DT Swiss 370 hubs, Specialized Butcher BLCK DMND 27.5x2.6in tyres Brakes SRAM Code R, 200mm rotors Bar/stem Specialized, 800mm/Specialized DH direct-mount, 45mm Seatpost/saddle Specialized Command Post IRcc, 160mm/ Specialized Body Geometry Henge Comp Weight 23.9kg (52.69lb), S3 size without pedals…

TREK TOP FUEL 9.8 £4,800 RAD Aggressive geometry and a solid suspension platform make it possible to put the hammer down on the Top Fuel even when the going gets rough. A linkage flip-chip switches it between XC and trail modes, helping it be two bikes in one, and the long-travel dropper means you can slam the saddle for maximum radness! BAD While the 9.8’s component spec is solid on the whole, the lightweight, flimsy Bontrager XR3 Team Issue tyres puncture easily and the low front end and not-quite-wide-enough 750mm bar make it harder to find the limits of the 115mm-travel carbon frame. www.trekbikes.com SPECIALIZED EPIC COMP CARBON EVO £3,999 RAD An XC race bike on steroids, the Epic EVO has a snappily-accelerating carbon frame fitted with Spesh’s Brain ‘smart’…

Women’s representation in mountain biking “I think the representation of women in the sport has improved massively, although I do think there’s still some way to go. We’re far from a 50/50 split in terms of participation and I guess the representation reflects that, but in my opinion the more coverage there is showing what women are capable of – in all aspects – the more this will change.” Who’s going to win the World Cup next year “If Tahnée [Seagrave], Rachel [Atherton] and Pompon [Myriam Nicole] are all fit and firing on all cylinders next year, it’s going to be a close one! Add Marine Cabirou and Tracey Hannah into the mix (who battled hard for the overall this year), and Vali Höll, Mille Johnset and Anna Newkirk moving…

Xplova X3 £109.99 SO GOOD… Initial set-up is simple. There are different, customisable bike profiles. It’s got Strava connectivity and route planning with OpenStreetMap (great for MTBing) or Google Maps. We got 12 hours of run time using navigation and sensors. NO GOOD… Operation is clunky. The colour screen doesn’t have enough contrast, making it hard to see on the move. There’s no map, just a line on a white screen, so following a route is hard and navigating without one is impossible. You need to connect it to a computer to upload routes. It has Bluetooth for your phone, but only supports ANT+ sensors. www.nrg4cycling.co.uk Bryton Rider 450E £129.95 SO GOOD… Set-up and route creation are a breeze using Bryton’s app, which lets you use your phone’s touchscreen to…

The cross-country (XC) clipless pedal has been a part of the MTB scene for so long it’s now part of the furniture, for all sorts of good reasons. Clipping yourself to the pedals gives more efficient pedalling dynamics, extra security over rough ground and a good trail ‘feel’ with that direct, mechanical connection to the bike. The ideal pedal should be able to deal with our muddy UK conditions without clogging or seizing and be secure when engaged yet consistent in the twisting pressure needed to release. That means well-sealed bearings are essential, as is the ability for the mechanism to shed mud when things get sticky. Of course, clipping in can mean you’re tied to the bike when you don’t want to be – in loose corners, for example,…

Navigation With no waymarkers or escape-route signs to rely on, familiarise yourself with the area and plan your ride. Ideally, head out with someone who knows the trails. Failing that, find a nearby bike shop and ask, or do some research online. Apps like Trailforks and Komoot are great for finding hand-dug gems, but make sure you’ve got the maps downloaded and enough phone battery. We recommend OS Maps and the ‘OS Locate’ app, which are great for pinpointing where you are. Above all, always tell someone where you’re going. Weather Purpose-built trails are designed to ride well whatever the weather, but having a good time on the natural stuff is much more dependent on clement conditions. If it’s rained heavily, consider where you go, because if it’s a sensitive…

SLOW DOWN FASTER Q I think I need to upgrade the brakes on my bike (Shimano M615s), because I’ve been having a few scary moments on the steeper stuff. I’ve done a bit of Googling and have narrowed it down to two options – SRAM Guide Ts, which I can get for about £140, or Shimano Zees, at around £160. Are the Zees better than the Ts and worth the extra £20? And would you say either (or both) of them are a worthwhile upgrade? Siobhan O’Haire, via email A First off, it’s worth seeing if you can get your current brakes performing better, because the M615s are a decent set of stoppers when working well. Check what size rotors you’re running. Upping the front to 200mm and the rear…

Route summary A lovely ride along picturesque ridgetops with some fun singletrack in the lowlands, making it an ideal introduction for less experienced riders Start/finish Studland car park (grid ref SZ 037/825, postcode BH19 3AU) 1 Head right out of the car park, past the Bankes Arms pub, and go left on the bridleway (Handfast Point), by the toilets. Follow this along the cliff edge (with stunning views down to Old Harry Rocks), keeping right at the fork by a stone seat. There’s a good technical downhill on the left, heading to Whitecliff Farm, if you fancy it. 2 Continue along the ridge to an obelisk and pass through the gate. Bear right, descend to the road and go left on it. Just after a road on the right, go…

Route summary A ride into the wild Welsh hills with hard climbs and boggy hike-a-biking, but also the reward of remote and challenging trails complemented by wonderful views Start/finish Pump track/rugby club car park, Rhayader (grid ref SN 969/678, postcode LD6 5BP) 1 From the pump track/car park, head back to the main road (B4518) and go left on it. Cross the bridge out of town and take the road on the right, signposted ‘Mountain Road, Aberystwyth’. After 0.5km, go left on a small lane and follow it right, behind the house, and continue uphill. Proceed on the tarmac track, bearing left at a fork, uphill, then go past a house and bear left to, and through, a gate, heading off-road. 2 Follow this through the trees, going right at…

SIXSIXONE RECON ADVANCE ARMOUR JACKET BECAUSE BIKE PARKS ARE MADE FROM ROCKS Body armour is a bit like insurance – expensive and annoying, until you need it. At least the Recon Advance jacket won’t weigh you down, being lighter and more breathable than others we’ve tried. Plus, the fit is good, so the padding stays where you need it. A nice touch is that the pads are removable, so you can customise the jacket to suit your needs. The elbow and shoulder armour is made from Astrotech, a smart foam, and the back protector is Koroyd, the same material used in Endura and Smith helmets. There’s space for a hydration bladder, plus pockets for stashing items in. It’s slim enough that it goes mostly unnoticed when riding, but it’s good…

SPECIALIZED 2FO CLIP 2.0 WORLD-BEATING CLIPLESS KICKS If you thought downhill shoes had to be clumsy and cumbersome, think again. Specialized designed the 2FO Clip 2.0s with the likes of DH world champ Loïc Bruni in mind, and they tip the scales at a respectable 942g (UK43 with cleats). Racing isn’t all they’re good for though. The soles are stiff enough for good power transfer without losing feel or feedback from the pedals, and they’re some of the comfiest shoes we’ve tested. While the upper offers decent splash protection, it also dries quickly if it does soak through. The padded ankle collar and toebox should keep your feet safe when sending it. Last but not least, Specialized’s ‘Landing Strip’ cleat pocket lets you run your cleats even further back than…