Indholdsfortegnelse for May 2016 i Mountain Biking UK

We consider ourselves very lucky here at MBUK to be good friends with a lot of great riders who’ve dominated the mountain biking scene over the years. Right at the top of that list is Martyn Ashton, who’s been doing incredible stunts and features for many years in the pages of MBUK, and always with the most positive ‘can-do’ attitude of anyone we’ve ever worked with. So we’re thrilled to not only have him back in MBUK but also on the cover for the first time since his devastating accident left him paralysed. There’s plenty for us all to take from Martyn’s inspirational story and outlook on life (see pg 66), and that’s why he leads the way for us this month, headlining our ‘Hero’ special issue. As part of…

AN EXPANDER SPROCKET with a whopping 50 teeth landed on our Tech Ed’s desk this month, begging the question, how big is too big when it comes to the ever-increasing size of our granny rings?* When SRAM unveiled XX1’s 11-speed cassette back in 2012 the 42t biggest sprocket seemed enormous. But several brands now o er 44t hop-ups, Shimano have announced an 11-46t cassette and there are rumours of 12-speed transmissions in the works with even bigger sprockets. This search for extra gears makes you wonder if we wouldn’t have been better o sticking with double or even triple cranksets! That ignores some of the major benefits of single-ringing it though, from thought-free shifting and reduced weight to better chain management. The aim of these massive granny rings is twofold…

What? Downhill is the Formula 1 of mountain biking, with the sleekest machines, toughest tracks and top athletes, and the World Cup is the premier race series for this most exciting of cycling sports. Why? You don’t have to be a downhiller yourself to enjoy watching it. You’ll soon find yourself gripped by the thrills and spills of live World Cup racing, as riders put everything on the line to beat the clock and their rivals at seven rounds across the globe. Who? With UK talent as strong as ever, keep an eye out for Josh Bryceland, Gee and Rachel Atherton, Manon Carpenter, Danny Hart, Tahnée Seagrave, Steve Peat and Brendan Fairclough, among others, who’ll all be looking to make their mark. Where? The 2016 series kicks o in Lourdes,…

The company was founded by Paul Turner, who came from a motocross background and longed for a similarly plush ride on his mountain bike. Working out of his garage, in 1987 he teamed up with Keith Bontrager to design a full-suspension bike. When they revealed it at a California show, it was ridiculed by the industry. Undeterred, Turner set up RockShox in 1989 and joined forces with Steve Simons to produce the RS-1 fork. With oil-based damping and an air spring, it was well ahead of its time. Despite having skinny 25.4mm stanchions and just 49mm (1.9in) of travel, it was a massive hit. Forks such as the Mag 21 (trail),Judy (trail), SID (XC) and BoXXer (DH)solidified RockShox’s position as the market leader in the 1990s, but by the turn…

Fatbikes were originally designed for riding on snow and sand but an increasing number are cropping up on UK trails, where their floaty tyres and ‘auto-steer’ handling make them a quirky alternative to regular hardtails, and their enthusiastic owners won’t hear a bad word said about their beloved fatties! 1 Frame From the side a fatbike looks pretty conventional but stand to the front or rear and you’ll see the stays and fork legs are much further apart than usual to make room for 65 to 100mm wide rims and 3.8 to 5in tyres. 2 Geometry Geometry varies, with fatbikes designed for adventure touring or racing tending to have steep head angles (70-71 degrees) and short top tubes, while more trail-orientated models are generally slacker (68-69 degrees) and longer. 3…

#11 Big Breakfast Dalby Forest, North Yorkshire Every epic bike ride needs a similarly epic breakfast and that’s what you get with the Big Breakfast from the Dalby Forest Cafe. With two of everything, this brekky is sure to leave you fuelled up for some serious miles! Being situated in Yorkshire, no stop would be complete without a steaming mug of tea. If you want something a little lighter, go for the breakfast baguette – also great if you’re in a hurry.…

FANCY MEETING SOME new riding buddies? How about several hundred?! #MTBMeetup started as a Twitter hashtag for organising group rides but has grown into a free celebration of all things mountain biking, with 300 people registered for this year’s event at Coed Llandegla in North Wales. Described by organiser Si Bradley as “an excuse to come and ride some of the best trails in the country with friends old and new” there’ll be group rides, skills sessions and demo bikes at the event on the weekend of 23-24 April. To register, head to www.mtbmeetup.uk.…

WIN Lezyne tool package…

First Rides Ratings WE BASE OUR SCORES ON VALUE FOR MONEY AND PERFORMANCE EXCEPTIONAL: A genuine class leader VERY GOOD: One of the best you can buy GOOD: It’ll do the job and do it well BELOW AVERAGE: Flawed in some way POOR: Simply put, don’t bother! THE V10 CARRIES SPEED SERIOUSLY WELL, TRUCKING THROUGH THE UGLIEST OF SECTIONS AT AN EYE-WATERING PACE SANTA CRUZ V10 C ZEE FRAME C carbon fibre, 216mm (8.5in) travel FORK Fox 40 Performance Elite, 203mm (8in) travel SHOCK Fox DHX2 Performance DRIVETRAIN Shimano Zee w/ Truvativ Descendant cranks and e*thirteen LG1+ chain guide (1x10) WHEELSET Novatec DH61 (F) and DH82 (R) hubs on DT Swiss FR570 rims, Maxxis Minion DHR II 27.5x2.4in tyres BRAKES SRAM Guide RS BAR/STEM Easton Havoc 35, 800mm/Santa Cruz direct…

A slightly steeper head angle and shorter wheelbase than the standard bike mean Martyn’s custom GeoMetron can be manoeuvred more easily, and the Fox 40 fork and DHX2 rear shock are tuned to perfection. The custom bucket seat is taken from sit-skiing and bolts to bespoke mounts on the top tube. The EGO electric motor under the down tube produces 2,500w – think having four Bradley Wiggins bolted to your bike! Nicolai had to beef up the BB area to handle the immense power output. The motor is only designed to give pedalling assistance, but Martyn’s has been remapped to be the sole source of power, with a custom throttle like a motorbike.…

TO START WITH I WAS PRETTY BAD ON A BIKE, BUT I SMILED THE WHOLE TIME, WITH COUNTLESS NERVOUS GIGGLES Talking to Traharn Chidley she’s the epitome of a beautiful, confident, bubbly, adventure-seeking woman. Even more so when you watch her on her bike, when the pure delight she takes in riding manifests itself in the form of a huge grin. “My cheeks hurt from smiling so much!” she tells us in a follow-up email after our ride, describing her weekend biking antics. The 29-year-old is talented on two wheels too, winning her category at the British Downhill Series (BDS) and Pearce Cycles Series in only her second year of cycling, racing the Fort William World Cup in 2013 and racking up some good results since changing her focus to…

Stu Thomson sits in front of one of Glasgow’s largest computer screens. His desk is big and is surrounded by speakers but there’s none of the usual office clutter. His company, Cut Media, have only recently moved into their new office/studio space just minutes from Sauchiehall Street in the heart of the city. They first inhabited the high ceilinged, whitewashed space during the 2014 Commonwealth Games, when they provided big-screen images for the closing ceremony. At just 32, Stu has already packed a lot into his life, but it’s pretty much all been focused, one way or another, around riding bikes. Breaking new ground One of Stu’s breakthrough films was Imaginate. “It was cool because there were so many talents in the team that put it together, but it was…

When you’re a pro rider every competitive run is potentially the biggest of your life, whether you’re waiting for the beeps or trying to focus on taking it one trick at a time. When it comes to gravity, the clock and merciless judges, the margins between victory and defeat, greatness and mediocrity are tiny. But now and again we get to see the miraculous – the race runs or freeride lines touched by genius, when a rider puts things together in a way above and beyond what should be physically possible. Turn the page for eight runs that will go down in MTB history. DARREN BERRECLOTH 2005 Crankworx Slopestyle, Whistler, Canada Compared to today’s ridiculous antics, a 360 drop doesn’t sound like much. But back in 2005, Bearclaw’s massive sender…

Rob Weaver With two decades of riding and racing experience, Rob knows what works and what doesn’t Guy Kesteven Our ultra-experienced northern test engine is the ultimate exposer of kit that doesn’t measure up Alex Evans Our Features Editor is back in the UK after seven years in the Alps and has a reputation for wrecking bikes Seb Stott Seb’s passion for engineering helps him pick products apart, and he’s no slouch on the race track either James Blackwell Short and fast, pinned or binned, Art Editor Jimmer has been testing kit longer than he’ll happily admit to Adam Wight This enduro loving upside-down face spends more time on two wheels than he does on two feet…

Why upgrade…? “A quality multi-tool will have the right tools to get you back on the trails, be compact enough to carry easily and durable enough to survive life rattling around inside your pack.” Axiom Tuck 16 Paligap www.paligap.cc SO GOOD… The Tuck 16 is compact and fairly light, at 130g. It’s the cheapest tool on test by a fiver but the chrome vanadium steel tool bits are neatly made. It includes a Mavic spoke key and all the essential Allen keys, from 2mm to 8mm. NO GOOD… The chain tool was by far the hardest to use of all those here and failed to loosen a stiff link. The handle is hard to get a decent purchase on and flexy. Although an 8mm Allen key is included, it’s…

REGULAR READERS WILL be familiar with our mantra of fabric and fit being key to the performance of any jacket – and guess what, here we go again... A good softshell is a combination of jersey and jacket, giving versatility across a wide range of temperatures. Most are made from windproof rather than waterproof fabrics but will still hold o a good amount of rain. This does vary though, and as you head up the price scale you’ll find softshells that are almost as weather resistant as full waterproofs, making them a good solution if you only want one jacket. As with waterproofs, softshells also vary in their ability to wick moisture and ‘breathe. Pit zips and front vents will help if you’re looking to hold to a budget. But…

Tester says… “The quality of jackets in this test was very high and it was a close call between the Gore and 7mesh for the top spot. Greedily, we want them both for di erent riding! We make no apology for awarding a rare five stars to the Strategy jacket though – it’s that good.” 7mesh Strategy £200 7mesh www.7meshinc.com THE STRATEGY IS one of two £200 jackets in this test and we make no apology for the winning spots they both hold. This isn’t high fashion, where price doesn’t necessarily equate to performance. This is a case of the best fabric – Gore Windstopper, once again – being combined with incredibly well-specified functionality and pattern cutting that must have been refined again and again to get just…

WITH THE POPULARITY of dropper seatposts skyrocketing, brands have to o er something special to stand out. Race Face’s new Turbine earns props (sorry) from us for its ‘Quick Connector’ system, which allows tool-free disconnection of the cable for easier internal routing. It’s also got a choice of remotes – you can stick with the standard above-the-bar thumb lever or (assuming you’ve got a single ring up front) upgrade to the 1x Hop-up Lever, which mimics the shape of a left-hand shifter paddle and sits in the same position under the bar. Elsewhere, it’s business as usual. The Turbine is available in four lengths (350, 375, 415 and 440mm), two diameters (30.9 and 31.6mm) and three drops (100mm, 125mm and 150mm), and can be adjusted to any position within that…

“WE CONVERSED IN THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE OF THE WHEELIE!” “Packing our bikes for Jamaica’s Fat Tyre Festival, we knew that a culture shock was on the cards, but still weren’t prepared for the sights and experiences that a Third World country throws your way. Leaving our guarded hotel complex, the true extent of the rich/ poor divide hit home. Our bright green and red bikes got a lot of attention, with people flocking over to have a bounce on these foreign craft. Wary at first, we soon realised our bikes were 100 times safer in the middle of a poor Jamaican community than left unchained outside a corner shop back home. Heading up into the hills, we met people with even fewer possessions and tinier homes. One thing that became…

Flow is a state of riding where there’s no harsh braking or grinding gears – it’s efficient, feels great and carries speed. To flow you have to use the terrain to your advantage, which means sucking up bumps and pumping the trail to stay smooth. Your feel for what’s actually going on is often masked by pedalling hard to regain speed you didn’t know you just lost. To get better flow, try a few full downhill runs without pedalling to heighten your sense of where you’re gaining and losing speed, and if you’re actually pumping and squashing to generate more speed.…

What to wear: Aside from the mandatory beard we recommend at least one prominent tattoo, and finish the look o with your best Iron Maiden T-shirt! Where to ride: Anywhere! Seriously – a fatbike will be fine on your local trails (unless they’re super-gnarly DH runs) and take you to places your regular bike won’t. They’re great for carrying loads of kit too. Whom to watch: Ned Overend is an old-school MTB legend who’s been winning XC races since the 1980s. The American is now 60 years young and crushing fatbike racers left, right and centre!…

1996 SHAUN PALMER BACK IN THE day, DH racing provided a platform for a booze-fuelled ‘rock star’ lifestyle, and no one did it better than Shaun ‘Napalm’ Palmer. Partying hard was Palmer’s way to depressurise from the stress of competing. He wasn’t the only one to work hard and play hard though – Myles Rockwell, Steve Peat, Rob Warner and Cedric Gracia were all prolific partygoers and accomplices to Palmer’s wild antics. 2016 AARON GWIN WHEN GWIN HIT the scene back in 2008, people were as shocked by his professionalism as they were by his prowess on a bike. Abstaining from alcohol and openly religious, Gwin didn’t need to party to deal with the stress of winning. In fact, his almost superhuman ability to cope with pressure is an important…

As the ongoing debate about the wearing of helmets rumbles on, it’s good to see that most mountain bikers literally ‘use their heads’ and wear one. That said, there are still several people who ride my local trails without any head protection whatsoever. Now, I know that’s their choice and they feel they don’t need one, but as food for thought I’d like to share a short tale... When riding my local trails recently, I was busy concentrating on a very short but slippery climb and didn’t take much notice when I felt something hit my head. It was only when my mate informed me that I’d picked up a ‘souvenir’ that I realised how close I’d come to being seriously injured. It turned out that a stump from an…

WHAT YOU COULD WIN… The Lezyne CNC Dirt Floor Drive track pump is made from durable CNC machined aluminium and has an oversized barrel, piston, hose and connectors to deliver twice as much air per stroke and quickly fill tyres or seat tubeless tyre systems. For more info, visit www.upgradebikes.co.uk.…

RADON SWOOP 170 9.0 1X11 This 170mm travel enduro bike from Germany can be switched between three modes – ‘tour, ‘trail’ and ‘park’ – using a flip-chip at the lower shock mount. This alters the head angle from an already fairly relaxed 65.8 degrees to a super-slack 64.8 degrees and lowers the bottom bracket too. The rest of the geometry is pretty progressive as well, with our medium sample sporting a 597mm e ective top tube, 460mm reach and 1,204mm wheelbase. The 9.0 1x11 model seen here is decorated with some quality kit for the cash, including a RockShox Lyrik RCT3 fork and Vivid Air R2C shock, SRAM GX transmission and Guide RS brakes, and DT Swiss E1900 SPLINE Two Boost wheels – a testament to the benefits of buying…

DH racer turned photo/videographer Robin met Martyn 12 years ago, on the road with the Animal Bike Tour, a stunt show Martyn created that, in Robin’s words, was “inspiring its way around the UK”, and would continue to do so for the next nine years. He says: “Martyn was an amazing trials rider and when the cogs weren’t turning on his bike they were turning in his head, creating bonkers ideas such as taking a carbon road bike to places it really didn’t belong! The day after Road Bike Party went out we laughed down the phone at the fact a million people had watched our video, and the realisation struck that we could make more films” He continues: “Martyn has always been someone excited by a challenge, be it…

Mojo Suspension’s Chris Porter has been working closely with Martyn since his accident, trying to get him back on two wheels. “We just had the ‘can do’ attitude to give it a go”, says Chris. “I mean, what could possibly go wrong? He couldn’t hurt himself much more!” He continues: “He loves bikes – that much is clear. But he also loves and appreciates life in a way that some people with four working limbs forget to do. His positivity is incredible. He’s changed his focus in life to the present and rid himself of some of the weight of the past and future. I’m sure he still gets black days, but who’d deny him those?” Just what is it that makes this partnership so successful? “Working with Martyn is…

Eastridge, Shropshire How can I not love my back garden? I can literally step out of my front door and onto some of the most technical trails in the UK. No matter how amazing an adventure I’ve had elsewhere, I always love coming home. Hopton, Shropshire This is where my first ever downhill race was, and the tracks are insanely fun. Now that it’s got a full cross-country loop too, and you can link in the downhill tracks, it’d be rude not to… Sunshine Coast, BC, Canada I’ve been lucky enough to be guided around by the Coastal Crew boys, and not only do they have a sick bike park (the Coast Gravity Park), they know all the hidden gems too. Coronet Peak, Queenstown, New Zealand I’ve spent three summers…

“It’s weird because it’s not the kind of film I make, or have ever aspired to make, but Sprung 4 just captures riding bikes for me. There’s a roadtrip section with [Ross] Tricker and Donny [Neil Donoghue], who’s incredible in it!, and they’re just riding trails and having a laugh. There’s World Cup DH, BMX, MX... a bit of everything, all set to tunes that you went out and bought an album o the back of. All the little skits and stu ... The mountain bike filmmaker who gets the least amount of credit for being one of the best is Milan Spasic. Alex Rankin did Earthed, which was brilliant too, but the combination of those two together on Sprung was unreal.”…

1 Turbo training and road riding have their place to improve fitness, but nothing can replicate real mountain biking. Get yourself out into the hills as much as you can. 2 New Zealand was hotter and drier than I’d expected, with temperatures up to 35°C. It can be tough to adjust when coming from a cold UK winter. Remember to take plenty of fluids on board, at the start, during and after each stage. 3 Find a short trail section with a climb and technical descent. Blast the climb and go straight into the descent, trying to be fast and e cient on the downhill while also recovering from the ascent. 4 Many people shy away from cross-country races but they can be the perfect way to improve fitness and…

TO MAKE THE GRADE, RIDES HAD TO MEET THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA: 1. Evoke the ‘wow’ factor We can’t really sum this up. It’s that feeling that stirs in your stomach and pulls you forward in your chair the first time you see a run. It’s that intangible sensation of seeing something special. 2. Involve overcoming the odds Chris Kovarik in the rain or Aaron Gwin without a chain – neither of those winning runs should’ve been possible given the meteorological or mechanical adversity the riders faced. 3. Be a standalone performance It doesn’t matter whether you’re a rider being chased by the brands with the biggest cheque books in the sport or still have to buy your own brake pads – reputation doesn’t matter when it comes to the runs…

Looking Foxy After 10 years on the market, Fox’s popular Flux helmet is beginning to show its age. They’ve been beavering away for some time now on their new trail lid, the Metah. Specific details are sparse, but the photos suggest it has a decent amount of coverage, a new retention system and long vents that should help with cooling. It’ll cost £100 and there’ll be five colour schemes to choose from. Head on over to www.foxhead.com for a closer look at the new lid. Phoenix refreshed Pivot have given their DH bike, the Phoenix, a makeover for 2016. While the angles remain pretty much untouched, the frame is a claimed 300g lighter than the previous iteration, apparently with no loss of stiffness. Interestingly, Pivot are speccing the bike with…

ALEX’S NUKEPROOF MEGA 275 PRO £3,199.99 Hotlines www.hotlines.co.uk I’ve been getting to grips with my new Nukeproof, racking up the miles during our wet and dreary winter. Despite the weather, the bike has kept my motivation high to get out there and get covered in shit! At one of my favourite local haunts there’s a wealth of tracks filled with jumps, roots, rocks, steep sections, flat bits and even some of the coveted loamy soil us mountain bikers dream of. The Mega Pro has been doing a great job of keeping my stoke-o-meter high here, taking the varied terrain in its stride. It’s confidence-inspiring on the jumps. So much so that I’ve been getting a little carried away and have sent a few too many hucks to flat. Couple…

FINAL VERDICT The good news is that alternative brands are alive and well, and you can get a ‘boutique’ frame for less than £1,800 (or a complete bike for £3k) without settling for an out-of-date design or sub-par performance. In fact, this issue’s bike test selection contained a broader spectrum of materials, shapes and performance balances than normal. Pivot’s Mach 6 is stiff, efficient and an excellent technical climber. The short, high ride feel leaves it less confident than we’d expect for a 155mm bike though. Cotic’s Rocket275 has the length and vibration-damping compliance to really push corner speed, but the standard X-Fusion shock option sells it short on speed sustain on more ragged, rocky trails. In contrast, the Orange has some obvious issues but its intuitively interactive feel and…

Drop tail An extra-long back hem that extends over the back of the saddle. Some jackets have a fold-up version that tucks away when you don’t need it – useful if your softshell does street duty too. Gore Windstopper One of the original softshell fabrics. Now sometimes used as a generic term, but if it doesn’t come with the tag, it’s not Windstopper. Pit zips Vertical zips that run under the armpits and down the side of the jacket and can be opened for extra ventilation. Offset zip Moving the main zip from dead centre to one side reduces the amount of windchill directly through the front of the jacket and, when done well, sits the zip under the side of the chin. This improves comfort when layering or if…

“MOST OF THE TRACKS ARE XC LOOPS THAT PACK IN A ROLLER-COASTER RIDE AROUND THE WOODS” Despite being a relatively new phenomenon, trail centres can now be found up and down the UK, from the midge-plagued Highlands of Scotland to the darkest cider-addled depths of Devon and Cornwall. These networks of officially sanctioned, professionally built and clearly signposted mountain bike routes are a good starting point for beginners, with tracks rated according to difficulty and any hazards clearly marked. But their flowy all-weather trails make them popular with more experienced riders too. Whether you’re a wobbly mountain bike newbie or a grizzled veteran of more natural riding who wants to give manmade routes a go, here’s what you need to know... What to expect Trail centre tracks are normally surfaced…

Q I was interested to read your group test of budget full-sus bikes (MBUK 326) – particularly the review of the VooDoo Canzo, where you improved the performance of the SR Suntour Epixon fork by making an adjustment to the elastomer bumper under the air-spring top cap. I’ve just purchased a 2015 Epixon and have adjusted the travel to 120mm and find the fork a bit harsh. Would cutting the bumper down alleviate this, and does the amount to be cut off depend on the fork’s travel? Steve Jones, via email A Guy Kesteven, the tester behind our budget full-suspension shootout, has checked with Suntour and says it should be a simple job to make your fork plusher. Simply release all the air from the spring, unscrew the top cap,…

CLEAN YOUR FOX FORK’S WIPER SEALS TIME 45 minutes COST £13.40 for 8oz bottle of Fox Float Fluid If your Fox 32, 34 or 36 feels sticky but isn’t due a service, re-lubing its foam rings could boost performance 01 Clean your bike. Pay particular attention to the fork, using a rag and degreaser to get it near-spotless. Any dirt left around the wiper seals, arch or stanchions could contaminate the internals. Make a note of the air pressure and the number of clicks of rebound damping you’ve been using. 02 Flip the bike upside down so it’s resting on the bar and saddle. Remove the front wheel. Use a 2.5mm Allen key to unscrew the brake hose guide from the lower legs, turning the bolt anticlockwise. Then use a…

Dorset’s UK Bike Park has reopened under new management and with a new name. Located just outside Blandford Forum, UKBP was one of the first downhill and freeride venues in Britain. Since it closed three years ago, local shop Hammoon Cycles have been working tirelessly with the Forestry Commission to reopen the site. Now called Okeford Hill Bike Park, it has four well-established DH tracks that range from easy and flowy to incredibly steep and natural-feeling. With big jumps to satisfy the senders and technical sections that’ll keep you on your toes, it’s definitely worth a visit. Hammoon are planning to get an uplift service up and running by mid 2016 so you’ll be able to enjoy plenty of laps. Until then you’ll have to make do with pushing up…

WITH TRACY MOSELEY taking a step back and choosing not to defend her Enduro World Series title this year, the time is ripe for another Brit to take her place. That could just be Katy Winton, a young Scottish racer whose passion and determination so impressed Trek Factory Racing that they’ve taken her on board for 2016. Katy moved from Elite XC racing and two British Championships titles to enduro three years ago. Since then she’s been living the privateer life with boyfriend Greg Callaghan, who rides for the Cube Action Team. In 2015 Katy dominated the UK race scene, winning every enduro she entered. On the EWS circuit she chipped away at the fast ladies, sitting inside the top 10 at four of the rounds and never finishing outside…

BROOK MACDONALD Racing since ’06, with 18 top 10 WC finishes to his name, Brook says he’s “beyond stoked” to race for GT. THE ATHERTONS After four years with GT, the formidable family begin a new relationship with Trek. TAYLOR VERNON Taylor Vernon is continuing in his role as the adopted brother of the Atherton clan, also racing for Trek. WYN MASTERS The wheelie king is preparing for a full-on season racing both the EWS and DH WC for GT in 2016. JARED GRAVES After over a decade with Yeti and success in many disciplines, Graves is be a force to be reckoned with. SAM DALE Another new face in GT’s line-up, Dale reckons the team will have “lots of laughs” racing this year. ANNEKE BEERTEN Anneke is no stranger…

This West Yorkshire town lies a couple of miles from Holmfirth and just south of Huddersfield, on the northern border of the Peak District National Park. A two-mile ride will take you straight up onto the top of the Peaks – an area strewn with doubletrack, singletrack, bridleways, off-piste routes and a whole lot more. The awesome riding is more than matched by the views, making for mountain biking perfection! THE LOCAL As a Market Developer for Specialized, James looks after the US brand’s retailers in the North West of England. He tries to join in as many shop rides as possible and get out on his bike in the evenings and weekends to enjoy all that the Peak District has to offer. ACCOMMODATION Waterhouse Farm B&B in the Holme…

The dropper seatpost has to be the most common upgrade out there, and for good reason – it’s one of the best inventions since the wheel itself! If you’re interested in partaking in any kind of singletrack action then your ride will be made infinitely better if you can lower your saddle at the push of a button. Getting the seat out of the way makes it much easier to shift your body weight around to find balance and grip, making you more confident and faster too. Fact. The dropper post is now so commonplace on trail and enduro bikes that it’s become seen as something of a feat to ride without one. Watch a good XC racer (the last bastion of the rigid post) in action through a technical…

1. SUEME TREE TRUNKS SueMe’s beech-pulp pants look ideal for commute/uplift duties, with seams away from chafing points. £16 www.sueme.com 2. GIRO HRC TEAM SOCKS The HRC Teams have an almost compression-like fit to boost circulation and arch support. £16.99 www.zyro.co.uk 3. GIRO MERINO SEASONAL WOOL SOCKS Nice and long, these are made from merino wool so they’ll stay warm even when wet. £14.99 www.zyro.co.uk 4. LULULEMON LOCK ’EM DOWN TRUNKS Sweat-wicking fabric and flat seams make these good for the commute and the boardroom. £22 www.lululemon.co.uk 5. SOCKGUY COLORADO MOUNTAIN SOCKS A merino and polypropylene mix makes for strong, shrink resistant and itch free socks. £9.95 www.silverfish-uk.com 6. SOCKGUY METRO SOCKS Stripy socks are hard to beat, and an acrylic/nylon/ Lycra mix makes these comfy too. £9.95 www.silverfish-uk.com 7.…

BIKERADAR FORUM www.bikeradar.com/ forums Is the hardtail a dying breed? Depends how far south the riders are from. More rugged types from Yorkshire are so tough they don’t even need front suspension – Kajjal No, I have a full-sus, a hardtail, a rigid bike and a road bike. My FS gets used the most because it batters my body the least, and my body is quite old – cooldad I love my hardtail. It’s fantastic for learning proper skills on, not to mention it’ll take a luggage rack for long treks – blamybaldwin FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/ MBUKMag How can you avoid going OTB (over the bars)? Stay home and play chess or collect stamps, as my boss used to say – Dahn Haag Keep the rubber on the ground – Stuart…

instagram.com/mbukmagazine Win a set of Mallet E pedals with “I like to make American Indian battle cries as I hit the stream!” – @jasonbarkermusic “@hsgmorgan loves getting twisted up. Haha! #skidtoface” – @dan350 “At the Hammers ND[H]uro. Party on the trails, whoop!”– @5amarius (pic by @outcast77) “A fine afternoon up the Hill of Fare” – @ross_nichols WHAT YOU COULD WIN… Tag your Instagram pics with #mbukletters. We’ll pick four each issue and the best one will win a set of CrankBrothers Mallet E pedals worth £124.99, courtesy of www.crankbrothers.com. Usual T&Cs apply.…

HELLO YELLOW Rachael loved the looks of the carbon Furtado and the matt yellow frame made the perfect backdrop for Sam Needham’s doodles. THAT’S A WRAP After the graphics were completed the guys at invisiFRAME covered the frame in clear 3M vinyl that was cut to wrap perfectly around every inch of the chassis, sealing the graphics and protecting them and the bike. PERSONAL TOUCHES The master cylinder lids on the Hope Tech 3 brake levers are laser etched with Rachael’s name. There are also mountains engraved on the headset top cap and skulls and lightning bolts on the hubs, and yes, those components are all purple too! ONE LESS COG Yes, you heard right, this little bike is still 10-speed, though Rachael has added a Hope 40t-REx expander sprocket…

1993 Turns pro 1994 Sets Guinness World Record for the biggest sidehop – 41in! 1995 Wins BikeTrial World Championships in Japan 1997 Appears in MBUK’s seminal Chainspotting video, having made his debut in the previous year’s Getta Grip. 1998 Stars in Dirty Tricks & Cunning Stunts with fellow trials ‘Martian’ Martin Hawyes 2002 Becomes the frontman for the Animal Bike Tour. Also starts Ashton Bikes 2003 Breaks his back, compressing and fracturing a vertebra, after crashing while attempting a backflip, but is soon back riding 2008 Inducted into the MBUK Hall of Fame, set up to celebrate the mag’s 20th anniversary 2012 Releases Road Bike Party video, which gets over 12 million views on YouTube, having first tried trials on a road bike in a promo for BikeRadar Live two…

‘The one in Spain’ (MBUK, May 1998) “In those days we’d spend 10 days somewhere bashing out shoots for the magazine” says Martyn. “There’d be all sorts of plans – something for Helen Mortimer, something for Warner, something for Peaty... but nothing for me. Steve Behr’s notepad would just have ‘Martyn – something big’ written on it! I remember finding a drop. It was, like, 16ft straight down, and I said, ‘I’ll do that if we find nothing else. I ended up doing it, went o the ledge to a sand landing, fractured my teeth (I smacked them on the seat, but my hands and feet didn’t come o the bar and pedals) and couldn’t open my hands for a week. It was a really ill-judged idea, but I wanted…

“Enter with a friend – it makes it so much more fun getting your stoke on with a buddy! Make sure to keep things light and fun during the wait for your start time, which can be like a ticking bomb. I find dancing can be the best way to loosen up, warm up, stay focused and positive, and make sure you ride like a badass! Then, when you’re on the bike, own it! Never focus on the negatives – “You idiot, why did you hit that tree? . Stay calm, holler when you hit the line you wanted and get all yip skippy! If you think you’re going to fail you’ve already lost”…

JOE BARNES RIDES BEN A’AN Joe Barnes’s incredible riding teamed with a stunning Scottish backdrop and Stu’s creative genius. The relaunched Orange Patriot couldn’t have asked for a better introduction. www.youtube.com/watch ?v=rMwpO25nWno INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTIONS Stu’s personal favourite work. Danny MacAskill’s riding coupled with a disused train yard and a pared-down equipment list produced magic for Channel 4. www.youtube.com/watch ?v=ShbC5yVqOdI MAKING OF THE SANTA CRUZ SOLO VIDEO A mini-documentary that’s almost more impressive than the edit itself, showing the lengths Cut Media and Steve Peat went to to shoot the bike that would become the 5010. https://vimeo.com/ 68805890 THE RIDGE The calm after the storm that was Imaginate, The Ridge has clocked up 41 million views – 29 million more than Stu was hoping for! www.youtube.com/watch ?v=xQ_IQS3VKjA FREE RUDIMENTAL FT. EMELI SANDÉ Shot over two…

Matt chose a Pivot LES 29er hardtail for the inaugural race. The lightweight (sub 9kg/20lb) build helped on the climbs but the rough and demanding trails took their toll. He’d recommend taking a short-travel full-sus instead. Punctures were a problem for some riders, so don’t skimp on fragile tyres. The 1x11 transmission with 34t chainring and 10-42t cassette made the steep climbs hard work. Trails in New Zealand don’t contour with steady gradients like they do back home – with a relatively short ‘civilised’ history and motor vehicles being present for much of that time, there’s simply been no need to take a longer, more gradual route uphill. Several times Matt was forced to walk, so he’d recommend a 2x set-up, or at least fitting a smaller chainring. A hydration…

PARK TOOL BBT-10.2 CRANK END-CAP TOOL £12.99 Madison www.madison.co.uk Most Shimano Hollowtech II crank spanners come with a plastic end-cap tool, but if you’ve worn yours out this metal replacement could be the answer, with a neat hook to lift the safety plate and an 8mm Allen key hole for removing seized end caps. JONNY FENWICK’SSTEALTH MTB CHAIN LUBE £9.99 (100ml) Zyro www.zyro.co.uk This all-weather lube has stood up to the worst the British weather can throw at it on long and multi-day rides. It’s worth applying link by link as instructed because a little goes a long way, which is a good thing for the price. MATT RENTHALQUICK BOND GRIP GLUE £6.99 Ison Distribution www.ison-distribution.com Summer is slide-on grip time for those of us who still love them. Renthal’s…

HOOD Whether it fits under or over your helmet comes down to personal preference, but make sure you can move your head from side to side and maintain visibility. CHEST POCKET Even if you always wear a pack and don’t need any extra storage space, a pocket on the chest is useful for small stuff you want to access quickly. REAR POCKETS Jersey-style open pockets make for easy access but the contents can get wet and muddy. If your local trails get mucky, go for zipped pockets instead. DROP TAIL Mountain bike jackets tend to have less aggressively dropped back hems than roadie styles but we’re fans of keeping the mud and muck off so we always look for extra coverage. VENTILATION Usually found on the front of the jacket…

TO PROPERLY TEST softshell jackets in the range of conditions they’re intended for you need to do a lot of riding, no matter what the weather or season. Where possible we tried to stick to the same trail for the first wearing in order to replicate the same combination of climbing, descending and flat-out pedalling time. After that, we took all the jackets with us on our travels for the sort of extended use that quickly shows up ease of use or, conversely, annoying issues. Fresh from the packaging we checked the fit, because what looks great in the mirror doesn’t always work on the bike, or indeed the other way round. Once on the bike it was all about the functionality of the fabric together with the quality and…

Green The trail will be wide and smooth, with shallow climbs and descents –ideal for beginners or riders looking for a really easy start to the day. Blue Still relatively easy, but the trail surface may be rougher and there could be some technical sections including roots and rocks. You’ll need basic o -road riding skills here. Red You’ll need to up the ante to ride the reds, which will have steep singletrack descents and climbs, and technical sections galore. Expect jumps, berms, roots and awkward cambers. Black Normally reserved for experts, the trail will have big features that you won’t be able to avoid or bail out of – be prepared for a wild ride! You’ll need a good bike too. Orange This status is reserved for ‘bike park’…

01 Identify any spots where two or more gear cables or brake hoses are clattering against one another. Lifting and then dropping the bike can help you to work out exactly where the noise is coming from. 02 Loop a ziptie loosely around one of the cables, right on the spot where it’s hitting the other one. Slip a second ziptie under the first one. Now tighten the first ziptie so it won’t slip on the cable. 03 Loop the second ziptie around the other clattering cable and do it up loosely. It’s important not to make it too tight. This way it’ll limit cable clatter but leave them free enough to move when the bar is turned.…

GET THERE Leave the M4 at junction 28 and follow the A467 north past Risca and then right, past Crosskeys to Cwmcarn. Take the third exit at the roundabout, then the third turning on the left (look for the green forestry signs). Turn right before the visitor centre, into the main car park. FACILITIES Toilets, cafe, bike shop, uplift service, parking, camping BIKE SHOPS PS Cycles www.pscycles.co.uk Leisure Lakes, Newportwww.leisurelakesbikes.com WHAT ELSE IS NEARBY? BikePark Wales Just 30 minutes away, this MBUK-sponsored biking hotspot near Merthyr Tydfil has tons of descents for all abilities. Afan Forest Park Fifty miles down the M4, this trail centre has a range of great XC routes, from easy to epic. Forest of Dean An MBUK favourite with lots of DH tracks, two waymarked XC…