Indholdsfortegnelse for November 2015 i Mountain Biking UK

It’s great to get out and explore the different riding the UK has to offer. A few of our Bristol-based MBUK team had never been riding up in the Yorkshire Dales before. So what better introduction to its stunning landscapes than taking part in the aptly named ’Ard Rock Enduro right in the heart of Swaledale? It’s a truly beautiful part of the UK, with soft rolling hills, green pastures and glacial valleys stretching for miles. But it can also appear bleak and harsh, with its exposed underlying limestone and landscapes that bear the scars of its mining past. Riding it was a completely different experience to anything they’d tackled before but they all came away grinning and desperate to return. Head to page 82 to find out what made…

With all the hype over electronic shifting and suspension, it’s been interesting to see some brands at the autumn’s big trade shows turning to more old-fashioned technologies that don’t require computer chips to operate. Bigger pistons, better seals, cooling fins and higher fluid volumes mean today’s disc brakes don’t overheat as badly as they used to. But Germany’s BrakeForceOne think there’s more work to be done in this area. They’ve developed a brake that relies on water instead of hydraulic fluid to operate the pistons. Why? They say that because water has a higher thermal capacity and less thermal expansion than oil it’s the perfect material to use in brakes that are exposed to a wide range of temperatures. And there’s no need to worry about the brakes freezing in…

By the time you read this the hype-train will be at full speed and a fearless crew of riders will be gathering in the Utah desert ready to huck their meat of some massive cliffs and toss in some big tricks for good measure. Yep, it’s Red Bull Rampage time again. Last year’s was an electric event. Andreu Lacondeguy smashed the competition with his first run, earning an unbeatable 95.25 points for his huge drops and floaty steeze – we’re already stoked to see what he pulls out of the bag this year. Our very own Brendan Fairclough bagged eighth place with a superb technical line – let’s hope he can do even better this time round, along with fellow Brits Sam Reynolds and Bernard Kerr. You can watch all…

In the world of cross-country racing the hardtail used to be king, but full-suspension bikes can now be built light enough to compete with their rigid-reared cousins. Their extra grip and comfort means they’re a common sight at marathon events, and they’re great for trail rides on flowing terrain too. 1 Light weight Light wheels reduce rotational weight, which is one of the best ways to improve the acceleration of a bike. Carbon wheels offer the ultimate combination of strength, stiffness and weight, but often at the expense of comfort. 2 Foam grips The lightest grips going are little more than thin slivers of foam. Glue them onto the bar so they don’t spin and they offer surprising amounts of grip. They’re used by many of the top racers on…

FLASHBACK LATE ’90S 50T CHAINRINGS WAY BACK, WHEN downhill racing mainly involved riding at crazy-high speeds down fireroads, riders used to fit huge chainrings with up to 52 teeth so they could carry on putting the power down. Keeping the chain on called for chunky metal chain guides that were usually held in place by the driveside BB cup. Bikes had seven or eight gears, which was the most available on a cassette at the time! 2015 SRAM X01 DH ALMOST GOING FULL circle, SRAM’s X01 DH groupset has taken downhill bikes back to seven-speed cassettes, but this time with super-close ratios and a tiny 10t top gear. Narrow/wide rings and clutch-equipped rear mechs mean the chain guide is now a safeguard rather than an essential, and ISCG mounts make…

Biking background I raced BMX as a kid until I was 17, then started racing mountain bikes properly in 1997. 2002 was to be my first full World Cup season but I suffered a life changing ankle injury. After that, I got more involved in working with Jeff Steber at Intense on bike ideas and designs. In 2007 I decided I really wanted to run a race team. I met Michael Cowan, who’s a really good rider and passionate racer and one of the directors at Chain Reaction Cycles, and eight years on we have one of the best downhill teams in the world. Party time There have been some fun times over the years, especially back in the day with Peaty, Warner, etc. I’m sure there are still a…

MBUK FORUM www.bikeradar.com/ forums Technique for hitting boggy mud at speed? Manual – ilovedirt Lean back and unweight the front wheel if you can’t manual. This also helps in sand – buddy_club Hit your front brake while moving your weight forward. As you start to launch over the bars, stretch forward into a Superman pose – Thewaylander Drop down a gear or five, get out of the saddle, pedal and pray! – mattyfez FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/ MBUKMag Would you ever ride a DH trail blind? You never know what’s around the corner, that’s life! – Chris Hutchinson Riding a trail flat out and blind isn’t always gunna end well – Ben Walton ‘Walk the trail first’ is such nonsense when they’re 20 minute runs in some places – Gareth Richards TWITTER…

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! MONDRAKER DUNE CARBON XR FRAME Carbon fibre, 160mm (6.3in) travel FORK Fox 36 Float FIT RC2 Factory, 170mm (6.7in) travel SHOCK Fox Float X2 Factory DRIVETRAIN SRAM X01/X1 (1X11) WHEELSET Mavic Crossmax XL Pro Ltd wheels, Mavic Crossmax Charge XL Ltd (F) and Crossmax Quest XL Ltd (R) 27.5x2.4in tyres BRAKES SRAM Guide RSC BAR/STEM ONOFF Stoic Carbon, 780mm/ONOFF Stoic FG, 30mm SEATPOST/SADDLE RockShox Reverb Stealth/SDG Circuit MTN WEIGHT 12.75kg (28.11lb), medium size without pedals PRICE £6,599 (complete bike) CONTACT Silverfish UK www.silverfish-uk.com…

THE LOWDOWN ETHIOPIA Getting there: Ethiopian Airlines’ (www.ethiopianairlines.com) modern and comfortable planes serve Addis Ababa daily from 83 European and US cities. Flights start at £566 return and taking your bike as excess baggage costs €80 in each direction. How and when: Traversing the Simien Mountains is a tough challenge that requires fitness and a sense of adventure. The riding is tough but the rewards are plentiful. The expedition is offered every year by Secret Compass (www.secretcompass.com) between October and March. Temperatures can reach 30°C in the daytime but drop to 0°C at night at the high campgrounds. We’ve been on the trail for seven hours by the time we limp into camp – a circle of dusty earth in the village of Ambiko. It’s been a tough day of…

The ’Ard Rock Enduro is fast becoming one of the most talked about events on the UK calendar. Set against the glorious rolling backdrop of the Yorkshire Dales, this is a course that bites back in the form of gnarly scree, rocky chutes and steep, dusty descents. But the event is just as well known for its laidback vibe and festival feel, which are the perfect antidote to the full-on aggro riding. Spurred on by its reputation, we sent four of our team to take on the challenge. Each just about survived, albeit with very different experiences… MATT ORTON Bike: Surly Ice Cream Truck Ops Mods/tweaks: I switched to tough Maxxis Mammoth EXO Protection tyres and swapped my rigid steel Surly fork for a RockShox Bluto. Best bit: Crossing the…

Less is more If you’re a fan of lightweight knee protection, check out SixSixOne’s new Recon pads, which have been developed by 10-time DH world champ Nico Vouilloz. They’re kept in place by an elasticated strap, a stretchy mesh sleeve and silicone print. The futuristic-looking padding is of the highly flexible XRD variety, which firms up on impact. Head to www.hotlines-uk.com for pricing. Try before you buy The wizards with welders at BTR Fabrications now have a demo bike ready to roll. The Ranger is equipped with a 120mm (4.7in) travel Marzocchi 350 CR fork, AugustWheelWorks custom wheels, Shimano brakes and SRAM GX 1x11 transmission. It’ll be available to try at a series of ride days. Check out www.btr-fabrications.com for more. Scouting about Nukeproof have expanded their hardtail line-up to…

GUY’S GT FORCE CARBON EXPERT £3,499.99 GT Bicycles www.gtbicycles.com It’s coming up to a year of relentless hard-working hammer for the Force and I’m still always keen to take its distinctively smooth, high-traction characteristics out onto the trails. Feedback from the team of long-term riders who help us put extra miles and vertical metres on it has been consistently positive too, especially from those who mix serious descending with the determination to claw back up the steepest, loosest slopes rather than hopping off and shoving. The complicated three-piece frame has had a ton of test kit thrown at it but there’s no wobble and the bearings still feel smooth. Despite hosting several forks the headset is fine too, and I’m still in love with the smooth, carbon mimicking ride…

From the humble shopping bike to the World Cup podium placer, every bike needs pedals. In mountain biking there are two camps – flats and clipless. Basically, do you want to attach your feet to the pedals or not? Clipless pedals (so-called because they replaced the mildly terrifying concept of shackling your feet in place with old-fashioned buckle-and-strap toe clips) greatly improve pedalling efficiency. They also ensure that on choppy, technical terrain your feet are always in the right position on the pedal, with no risk of being bounced off. If you’re new to ‘clips’ they may seem daunting at first, but after a lap of your local trail practising clipping and unclipping they soon become second nature. If you’re looking for your first pair of clips, consider models offering…

Tester says… There are few components that we rely on so heavily yet give so little thought to in terms of looking after them. A good set of pedals will just let you get on with riding your bike. A truly great pair will let you continue to do so for years to come. Shimano Deore XT M785 Trail £79.99 Madison www.madison.co.uk SHIMANO’S CAGED ‘TRAIL’ design has been around for a few years now and it’s a firm favourite. The SPD mechanism is protected from rocks and crashes by an alloy body and when everything gets a bit spicy you have a bit more pedal to get your foot onto. The cage’s benefits are so great that you’d have to be a weight weenie racer to opt for the unprotected…

Q I’ve worked my way steadily up the bike ladder and now own a 2014 Whyte 905. On holiday in France I had my first taste of downhilling. I enjoyed it so much that I’m not sure whether I should keep my Whyte and hire a full-sus when I need one or sell up and invest in a tough enduro bike. Any advice? Nick Box, Leeds A We’re massive fans of the Whyte 905 – it’s a very capable bike. That said, a solid full-suspension trail bike can both elevate your riding and open up new locations to ride in. You need to think hard about the sort of riding you do though. If most of it’s hardtail friendly and you’re only likely to do the odd trip to the…

ViewRanger is an app that lets outdoor enthusiasts discover, plan, navigate and share their adventures on smartphones, on tablets and online. With offline mapping (including Ordnance Survey maps), turn-by-turn navigation and bike computer functions like ride time, ride distance and current, average and maximum speed, it’ll turn your phone into a fully fledged GPS unit. You can also use it to plan or download routes, access guidebook-style information, broadcast your location and track your friends. It has a social platform too, where you can store and share their adventures. ViewRanger is used by more than 400 official bodies, including search-and-rescue teams in the UK and overseas. The ViewRanger app is available to download for Apple, Android, Blackberry 10, Kindle Fire and Symbian devices.…

OLLY  FORSTER Former MBUKstaffer Olly loves nothing more than fast and challenging trails ALEX EVANS Features Editor Alex is fresh from the Alps and ready to sample the UK’s finest trails CHRIS HYDE Local MTB club chairman and fully qualified coach who’s handy on a 29er JEZ VINCE CTC and British Cycling coach Jez sure knows how to rail the berms TOM DOWIE 4X racer, dirt jumper and coach Tom lets his riding and beard do the talking. JAMES BLACKWELL Five feet of trouble and energy,Jimmer rides quick and talks even quicker…

Four-cross racing has dropped out of the limelight since the UCI ditched it from their World Cup series, so a British success story at this year’s World Championships in Italy went largely under the radar. Luke Cryer from Stone, near Stoke-on-Trent, bagged an impressive second place in the Elite Men’s final, beating established UK names like Scott Beaumont, Lewis Lacey and Duncan Ferris. Aged just 19 and with plans to turns his attention to enduro racing, he’s definitely one to watch. Luke started racing 4X aged just 15 and earned a place on the mountain biking course at Borders College in Galashiels, Scotland, so he could train and be coached to realise his potential. With a no-compromise attitude and a love of racing, his sights were soon fixed on the…

“With any sport, there are factors that make the difference between having an incredible amount of talent and actually being the best. One of the biggest, in my opinion, is being mentally strong. The ability to block things out and execute a near perfect run with so many factors against you is something not many of us can accomplish easily. My World Cup season finished before it had hardly even started. After a great race at home in Fort William, I broke my collarbone at the fourth round. Having had surgery before, I was confident that I knew how my body would react, but it turned out a lot different. I had a plate with six screws put in on my right collarbone along with two other pins securing a…

Don’t pull up If you pull up, all you’re doing is lifting the bike, so you’re not actually getting your core mass any higher. If you push down and hop correctly, the bike will come up without you having to yank it up. CompressGet really low, just like you would if you were going to jump as high as you could. Getting low like a coiled spring gives you more range to hop. Power up You need to give it 100 per cent. Put some power into your manual, then push hard through your legs to stand up and jump. Work on technique Master the manual first, then the rear wheel lift, then bring them together with quicker timing. Manual, hop!…

What to wear Snug-fitting Lycra bib shorts and a three-pocket jersey will keep you comfy on fast and furious blasts or during races while allowing you to store essential food and tools. For longer rides we’d go for baggies. Where to go You can razz around trail centres or head out on long XC rides into the hills, as long as the terrain isn’t too gnarly. Rolling hills like the Cotswolds or South Downs are where these bikes feel most at home. Whom to watch Jaroslav Kulhavý is known for riding a full-suspension bike on almost any track, including at the London Olympics, where he won gold.…

Joe Bowman & Duncan Philpott Steel City Media You’ve almost certainly watched one of Joe’s videos – a This Is Peaty episode perhaps, or one of his World Cup edits. On the same end of a different camera, Duncan has made a name for himself taking awesome riding photos. Together they’ve turned their passion for bikes into a full-blown career. JB: Growing up in the hills outside of Sheffield I was always messing around on crappy hardtails, landing to flat down at the park. Then I got into DH, racing a few of the amazing Pearce Cycles series and Welsh Dragon rounds. Before SCM I worked as a sales rep for Bigstone, who used to import brands like Five Ten. DP: Bikes came in pretty late for me, as I…

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.…

ORANGE ALPINE 160 RS SOMETIMES IT’S BEST to keep things simple, and that’s one reason – among numerous others – why we’re big fans of Orange. The latest incarnation of the Alpine 160 continues to use their tried and tested, low maintenance single-pivot design, which delivers 160mm (6.3in) of rear travel. The lengthy 446mm reach and 1,212mm wheelbase (medium size) combined with the slack 65-degree head angle mean the Alpine should be a force to be reckoned with when it comes to the descents. There’s plenty of space in the cockpit too, with the effective top tube measuring in at 620mm. The RS build seen here comes with a top-end RockShox Pike RCT3 fork and Monarch Plus DebonAir shock, a Race Face Turbine crankset and SRAM’s new GX 1x11 transmission.…

£2,100 frame and shock (Fox Float X2 or X EVOL) £3,000 frame, shock, fork (Fox 34 or 36) and dropper post (Fox DOSS) £5,200 full bike – includes custom volume spacer and damper tuningw Shimano XTR gearsw Hope cranks, headset, stem, brakes and gripsw Mavic Crossmax XL wheels set up tubeless with Mavic Crossmax Quest tyresw Renthal/PRO handlebar and SDG saddle of choice £6,000 full bike g spare wheels – includes everything above plus a set of lightweight Mavic SL wheels set up tubeless with Maxxis Ardent tyres £5,900 full bike with Pro Set-Up – standard full bike package plus a full day’s set-up with a Mojo technician. Also includes Mavic or Maxxis tyres and pedals of choice £6,700 full bike with Pro Set-Up g Mavic SL wheels…

FIVE REASONS WHY OUR TESTS ARE THE BEST 01 Our test team is made up of the most respected bike and kit testers in the world 02 We have unrivalled knowledge and experience 03 We spend a vast amount of time and money making sure we get it right 04 We care more about telling you the truth than anyone else anywhere! 05 We aren’t influenced by PR or advertisers HOW WE TEST Detailed product check in the MBUKworkshop Strip and rebuild, checking for potential problems and improvements Hit the trails… hard! Test in real riding conditions till we know everything there is to know about the product Re-test product with another tester OUR TEST TEAM Our Technical Editor in Chief, Rob Weaver, gets new products in as soon as…

TOPEAKIGLOW CAGE AND BOTTLE £24.99 Extra UK www.extrauk.co.uk If you use a water bottle and regularly ride on the road at night, Topeak’s iGlow cage could be just the ticket. Not only does it hold a bottle securely, it also lights up to improve side-on visibility. There’s a variety of colours and flashing modes to choose from. ROB CLUGBIKE HANGER £15.99 CLUG www.getclug.com The wall-mounted CLUG replaces those ugly front wheel hooks. Installing it is a piece of cake and it works well – it if fits your wheels. The largest size is said to accommodate 1.8-2.5in tyres but we couldn’t fit anything bigger than a 2.3in. Wide rims can cause problems too. JAKE WICKENS & SODERSTROM NO.2 HL GREASE £24 Wickens & Soderstrom www.wickenssoderstrom.com This is a high-load waterproof…

IF YOUR BIKE is moving, so are your pedals. They’re treated to virtually zero maintenance despite constantly transmitting power to the cranks and helping you shift your weight around on the bike. They also get slammed into immobile lumps of rock and speared into the ground to act as a fulcrum for you and your bike’s combined weight during a crash. In short, they take a real pasting. Does play develop over time? Do the axles remain straight and the bearings smooth? Are red-hot segment times ruined by a bad case of the wobbles as you hunt for the cleat mechanism? Can bent and ground-out pins be removed without needing to reach for a drill? Are there too many or too few pins in the first place? Are you constantly…

01 Use a sharp pair of cable cutters to snip the worst of the frayed inner gear cable off, ensuring that you still have at least 30mm of free cable protruding from the mech’s anchor bolt. 02 Take a pair of pliers and use them to grip the cable from the top. Twist the pliers in a clockwise direction while pulling the cable taut to tidy the frayed end up as much as possible. 03 Carefully slot a cable end cap over the end of the cable, twisting it in a clockwise direction as you go to prevent the cable fraying again. Use your pliers to carefully put two crimps in the end cap to secure it to the cable. CONTACT US: Write to: Ask MBUK, 2nd Floor, Tower House,…

GET THERE Turn off the M25 at junction 30 and follow the A13 in the direction of Southend-on-Sea. In Hadleigh, turn down Castle Lane and follow it to the visitor centre. Parking is £1.50 per hour or £6 all day. FACILITIES Cafe, bike shop, workshop, toilets CONTACT Hadleigh Park, 01702 551072 www.hadleigh-park.co.uk BIKE SHOPS Bike Art, Thetfordwww.bikeartthetford.co.ukCycles UK, Leigh-on-Seawww.cyclesuk.comRichardson’s Cycles,Leigh-on-Seawww.richardsonscycles.com WHAT ELSE IS NEARBY? Hockley Woods Great XC trails to explore not far from Hadleigh Park. Belfair Woods Another XC venue. Link these spots together with Hadleigh for an epic day in the saddle. Danbury A cool place to ride, with jumps and a freeride area but also vast woodland for XC exploring. VERDICT An awesome all-weather cross-country venue. Don’t come here expecting to get loads of air and rack…

The Cli-MachX trail near Machynlleth is easily missed – though only half an hour down the road from Coed-y-Brenin, a small sign with a picture of a bike is the only indication of its presence and there are no facilities beyond a small car park and map board – but it’s an old favourite with those in the know and recent repair work means there’s never been a better time to check it out. The 15km loop doesn’t get off to a promising start with an extended fireroad climb, but short diversions off road make the gravel-track grinding a bit more bearable. These become more frequent as you make your way up the hill and you soon find yourself sailing along some sweet, natural-feeling singletrack. It’s the final downhill section…

Ask a group of riders what rims they recommend and you’re sure to hear the name Stan’s pop up, and for good reason – their rims just work. The new Bravo has been developed in conjunction with that rather fast Atherton family and is a wide (26.6mm internal) carbon rim designed for all-mountain/trail/enduro riding. Stan’s have paid close attention to the rim shape and carbon lay-up process. The result is their new ‘Radial Impact Absorbing Carbon Technology’ (RiACT), which is said to make the Bravo three times stiffer laterally than their aluminium rims. Stan’s reckon it’s faster too, thanks to the way the carbon absorbs radial impacts and vibrations. The Bravo is available in 26in, 650b and 29in sizes. On the Pro wheels it’s laced with Sapim Custom Force spokes…

If you like your bike to run smoother than a Mr Whippy ice cream, then be thankful for sealed cartridge bearings. With your hubs, headset and bottom bracket all rotating on bearings, it’s essential that they’re weatherproof and easy to service and replace. In the old days this meant dealing with loose ball bearings and various other fiddly components. Hub servicing would often turn into an epic, involving tweezers and a steady hand. Modern sealed bearings come in one handy piece that just presses into place but can still be lubricated at home. When they’re worn out you simply buy the correct diameter replacement, pop out the old one and drop in the new one. Top-end sealed bearings use higher quality steel or ceramic balls and better seals, and are…

1 HAGLOFS ESSENS II DOWN VEST This super-lightweight down vest will keep your core warm when it’s not cold enough for a full jacket or you need something more easily stowable. Filled with the finest goose feathers, it’s tear resistant, windproof and has a DWR coating to shrug off light showers/drizzle. At 190g you won’t even notice it’s there! £150 www.haglofs.co.uk 2 VAUDE KABRU LIGHT JACKET II Wear it as a mid-layer under your waterproof on freezing winter rides or as an outer layer while refuelling at the pub/cake shop – either way, the lightweight (285g) Kabru Light jacket ought to keep you nice and warm, with a 90 per cent duck down fill and a Pertex Quantum outer to keep the wind at bay. £150 www.vaude.com 3 BERGHAUS ASGARD…

Absolutely gutted for my big bro @dan_atherton, the creator of Hardline. He’s getting surgery on his shoulder today. The jump got made smaller! Heal fast, bro. Won’t be the same without Affy racing it! – Rachel Atherton’s big brother hasn’t had much luck with injuries, but thanks to his hard work Red Bull Hardline was epic! What the hell... back to school today! So hard, from one world to another – It’s not easy being a 21-year-old world champ! Less than a week after his victory in Andorra, Loic Bruni had to swap his rainbow stripes for pinstripe trousers (perhaps) as he headed off to business school A bit of commitment from this fan. Good work mate – Idolising Steve Peat is one thing, having his 2009 World Champs victory…

WHY IS THIS A SUPERBIKE? Specialized have managed to package 29in wheels into a frame that still has short chainstays for lively handling and a low-ish, corner carving bottom bracket height The rollover advantage of the big wheels coupled with 160mm of front and 155mm of rear wheel travel means it takes some seriously ugly terrain for the Enduro 29 to get out of its depth Anneke uses the latest big-hitting fork from RockShox. With its Solo Air spring and stiffened chassis, the new Lyrik is supple yet supportive, and offers precise steering in the rough WHO IS ANNEKE BEERTEN? In Whistler this year Anneke was crowned Queen of Crankworx, a title earned through top results and consistency, which more or less sums up her career. With multiple 4X World…

Could a new bike really be faster than the one I’ve been riding all year – on the very first run? I was doubtful, but throwing my leg over the Mojo/Nicolai GeoMetron and getting ready to set off, it did feel special. A full-on set-up process was about to culminate in my first run down the hill on a machine with truly radical geometry and sizing. Suits you, sir Chris Porter, the main man at UK Fox suspension specialists Mojo, has strong opinions when it comes to frame measurements. He’s created some pretty extreme rides for himself – see our SuperBike in issue 303 – and has now teamed up with Germany’s Nicolai to create a production bike that pushes the boundaries of trail/enduro geometry. The GeoMetron comes in three…

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 new 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 Jake Ireland Jake spends every day riding, and his injury list proves he’s pushing the limits to provide the very best testing…

Why upgrade…? “A small rechargeable rear LED that you can quickly clip onto your bike is essential for keeping safe on those evenings when you go for ‘just one more run’ or head home via the pub.” Cygolite Hotshot SL Extra UK www.extrauk.co.uk SO GOOD… The Hotshot SL is fairly bright, with a wide field of visibility that makes it easy to see from the side. It’s simple to operate and the recessed buttons mean it won’t turn on in your pack. NO GOOD… It’s fairly big for the amount of light it puts out and has a cheap, plasticky feel to it. You have to use a Phillips screwdriver to mount the bracket to your bike, so you can’t pop it off and on quickly (though you can…

FLAT OR CLIPLESS? Flat pedals have a level or slightly concave platform with pins attached to provide grip and can be used with trainers or dedicated flat pedal shoes. Clipless (aka clip-in) pedals have to be used with special shoes with a cleat mounted to the sole. This snaps into a spring-tensioned mechanism within the pedal body, much like a ski binding, for extra security and efficiency. BODY Whether you clip in or not, the pedal body is extremely important because it’s where you stand and as a result is a key contact point with your bike. It’s also often the first point of contact for jagged rocks and roots so it needs to be tough. SPINDLE The pedal axle threads into the crank arm and is what the pedal…

Cleats Metal fixings that attach to the soles of your shoes if you use clipless pedals so that you can clip into and out of pedal mechanism. Body The platform that you stand on. It takes a beating so needs to be tough, and can vary greatly in size and shape. Spindle A pedal’s ability to spin freely and smoothly on its spindle is key. Strength is important too, and spindles contribute greatly to overall weight. Most are made from steel, but titanium saves weight. Pins Both flat and clipless pedals can use pins. These threaded pieces of metal help keep your feet in place, and their height can sometimes be adjusted to tune the feel. Bearings These ensure the pedal body rotates smoothly around the spindle. They can be…

REPLACE YOUR HEADSET TIME40 minutes COST£Varies If your headset’s creaking or wobbling and beyond repair, follow this step-by-step guide to swap it for a new one. 01 Ensure your bike is clean and clamp it securely in a workstand. Remove the front wheel. Undo the bolts securing the front brake lever to the handlebar, turning them anticlockwise with the appropriate tool. Put the bolts and lever clamp somewhere clean and safe. Allow the lever body to hang down by the fork. 02 Now remove the rest of the controls – shifter(s), rear brake lever, dropper post lever – from the bar, using the appropriate Allen and/or Torx keys and turning them anticlockwise. If the controls have split clamps, undo the bolts and pull the controls off. If they have fixed…