Indholdsfortegnelse for July 2021 i Mountain Biking UK

STAR LETTER A MINT RESCUE I absolutely love mountain biking, but my main passion is farming. While out on a bike ride in Brinscall Woods, Lancashire (my local), my friend James and I came across a baby lamb, curled into a ball. It had bloody cuts on its face and leg, and with my agricultural experience (I grew up on a farm), I instantly knew it had been attacked by a dog. So, we offered it some water and then popped it into one of our bags. We rode to the farmer who owns the land and livestock in Rivington, and returned the frightened creature. Now, a few weeks later, the lamb is happy and healthy, chilling with her friends, and her wounds have healed nicely. Big props to James,…

BLUE TRAIL Where: Bike Glenlivet, Cairngorms Trail length: 9km Get there: AB37 9AR ANEELA MCKENNA Go-Where Scotland guide & coach “If you’re dreaming of smooth, flowy singletrack, this is the place to go. The 9km blue trail starts with a singletrack climb out of the beautiful Scots Pine woodland into the open to the top, where you can soak up the majestic views. Now get ready for fun and flow as the trail winds its way down through the forest, with plenty of berms, rollers and a tunnel feature to keep you entertained. There’s just one more climb to get over the hillside and that’s you descending all the way to the cafe, where you’re guaranteed a bike-friendly welcome and some good cakes, too!” More info: www.glenlivetestate.co.uk LARG HILL Where:…

WITH BLUR PROCLAIMING THAT ‘MODERN LIFE IS RUBBISH’ and my allegiances torn between the old vestiges of grunge and the emerging Britpop scene, mountain biking couldn’t have been further from my mind in 1993. But fast-forward three decades and, when my eyes fell upon Bristol-based Zetland Cycles’ retro rebuild of an early Specialized Rockhopper on Instagram – with its shiny bullmoose handlebar, tan-wall tyres and svelte steel frame – I was hooked. I wanted one. No… I wanted to build my own, and it’s been an obsession ever since. In the doghouse, again “What are you looking at?” my better half asked. “Erm, nothing.” “No really, what are you looking at?” “The internet.” “Yes, but WHAT on the internet?” I’d have got off lighter if I’d said porn, I reckon,…

Downhill bikes were once the king of the hill, ruling the roost for anything more hardcore than XC riding. However, with the rise of the trail bike over the past 15 years and huge improvements in the pedalability of long-travel, single-crown-forked machines, they’ve been knocked off their perch. Nowadays, they’re a niche product, reserved for racers and riding bike parks. Still, World Cup downhill racing remains a pinnacle of the sport. Tens of thousands of fans follow the action on Red Bull TV, idolise the riders and dream of following in their footsteps and finding fortune and glory – just as many of us did with the likes of Steve Peat and Tracy Moseley. While modern enduro machines may be more capable than the downhill bikes of old, continued development…

IN WHEEL TROUBLE Q I want to give my wheels a bit of TLC, because I’m pretty sure the spokes aren’t as tight as they should be. Before I go in guns blazing, have you got any tips? Mel, Berkshire A Take your time with spokes and make tiny adjustments each time. If you go in all gung-ho, you’re at risk of pulling the wheel out of true. Working around from the valve, give pairs of spokes a gentle squeeze to find the ones that are slack. Tighten the spoke nipple a quarter of a turn at a time until the tension is fairly equal around the wheel. Next, put the wheel in a truing stand, if you have one; if not, pop your bike upside down and spin the…

With the A466 closed today north from Tintern, my sat-nav is working hard to calculate a route to deliver me to Redbrook. If I was riding my bike, the little squiggle on the screen wriggling around the steep valley would be exciting, but alas in a van at prime commuter time, it is not. If I wasn’t meeting Russell, who’s wisely taken the longer but faster route, I’d quite happily stop in this beautiful valley and ride the newly-opened Wye Valley Greenway. This trail runs for 7km from just north of Chepstow to Tintern and is fully open to cyclists, with a fun 1.1km-long tunnel along the way and the impressive ruins of the 12th century Tintern Abbey – dissolved by Henry VIII following his break from Rome when the…

Filled with surfaced flow trails, rugged rock gardens and jumps, the rolling fields of this Cotswolds farm are a veritable MTB playground. With mostly red and black-graded runs, all uplift-accessed, it’s ideal for competent riders. Besides the main trails there’s no shortage of airtime opportunities, with 4X and dual slalom tracks, a field of dirt jumps with continually expanding lines, barns housing yet more dirt jumps, and a tarmac pump track with wallride, making the 417 a brilliant place to hone your skills. Check out their double-black track, Infinity and Beyond. Online booking is essential. TOP TRAILS Blue Raccoon 1km A flowy blue with rollable features, big berms and small tabletop jumps, equally fun at speed for experienced riders. Cheese Roller 1.2km This line of well-sculpted berms, rollers and doubles…

Situated next to the town of Bodmin in Cornwall, Cardinham Woods is a Forestry England-owned woodland that boasts a 12km blue trail called the Bodmin Beast. This hidden Cornish gem immerses you in a beautiful valley, carved through by a bubbling stream. The woodland haven is easily reached from the A30, but be prepared to leave civilisation behind. Taking in technical climbs and descents along snaking singletrack, the trail has plenty of features to keep you entertained. Parts of the final descents are in need of maintenance, but they’re still fun all the same. Two optional red sections up the ante and add an extra 15 to 30 minutes to a loop. Once you’ve got to grips with the Bodmin Beast, the Lanhydrock trails (see p79) are just a stone’s…

Southern certainly doesn’t mean soft at this Devon downhill venue! The tracks are steep, rocky and unforgiving, making it a must-visit spot for DH addicts. There’s a pump track and some easier, more flowing red runs, too – just don’t let names like High Speed Death (HSD) put you off! Seven of the nine tracks have been revamped this year, with plans for further improvements. An uplift service and events run by Woodland Riders Racing make Gawton one of the South West’s prime DH spots. The club do a great job of maintaining the tracks and are always coming up with new features to test you. TOP TRAILS Pump track HSD 1.1km Less brake-burning than Gawton’s other tracks, what HSD lacks in steep chutes it makes up for in speed.…

Although it’s just a stone’s throw from the M5, this woodland sanctuary makes you feel like you’ve been transported to deepest, darkest Devon, It’s a good family venue with several short waymarked trails, suited to beginners. The red trail begins with a flat and then downhill section, at odds with most UK trail centres. It’s great fun, but make sure you’re warmed up first – you can do this in the skills area by the car park. To make a day of it, there’s fantastic natural riding on Dartmoor nearby. TOP TRAILS Discovery 2.4km A well-surfaced route for beginners and families. Walkers use this trail too, so be aware. Spicers 3.7km This trail is one step up from the green, with some narrower sections and gentle gradients. Kiddens 6.4km The…

Putting Leeds on the MTB map since 2018, Leeds Urban Bike Park is an excellent free-to-ride facility – there’s no need to book, just turn up and ride. Not only is it a great place to build skills, but it offers enough progression for seasoned riders, too. It’s complemented by the compact yet popular trail centre at Stainburn Forest, just outside town towards Harrogate. Built and maintained by volunteer group SingletrAction, the short trail loops here are feature-packed and lie on the doorstep of a host of great natural riding in the Yorkshire Dales. TOP TRAILS Green trail 2.3km Blue trail 0.8km These short urban trail loops make for a great introduction to MTBing. Red trail 3km One of the best city trail loops in the country, this is fun…

A staple of the South East’s riding scene for years, Rogate Downhill has helped develop some of the UK’s best MTB stars. It’s that sense of community that really sets this place apart, and the fact that it has a brilliant range of tracks – 12 and counting – for progressing your skills and pushing your limits. Whether you’re a novice or a pro, there’s something here for everyone, and you’ll be welcomed all the same. The sandy soil means Rogate runs well in the wet, making it a great winter riding spot. While the runs are short (each section under 400m), what the hill lacks in elevation it makes up for in fun by the bucketload. TOP TRAILS Bottle Rocket Split into upper and lower sections, this is the…

While there’s no ‘trail centre’ as such here, Eastridge Woods and Hopton Wood both have official waymarked trails. Shropshire boasts fantastic natural riding, too – rooty, rocky and muddy – and the Pearce DH series is hosted here. At Bringewood, a bit of scouting around will reward you with multiple DH runs and XC tracks that have been rebuilt this year after forestry harvesting. Bucknell Woods has a DH track, too, while the Long Mynd boasts miles of bridleways that’ll challenge you both up and down. TOP TRAILS Hopton Wood Warm-up loop 1.1km Red qualifier loop 1.7km Hopton Blue 4km This route is suitable for novices and follows wide forest tracks, with steep gradients in places. Pearce XC 13km An all-natural trail through Hopton Wood that incorporates tough climbs and…

Situated among some of the northern Lake District’s biggest hills, in the shadow of the 790m Grisedale Pike, Whinlatter is one of the few trail centres in England where you can ride your mountain bike on an actual mountain. But don’t let this intimidate you – the three manmade trails here are relatively easy, with an all-weather surface and just the occasional optional black section on the red route to challenge you. This makes it a great place for improvers, but still fun for experienced riders riding at speed. In bad weather, it becomes a lot more challenging. TOP TRAILS Gorse 10km Suitable for riders on gravel bikes or hybrids, this well-surfaced trail opened in 2019 and sticks mostly to forest roads, where gradual climbs take you to some of…

Castlewellan is an hour’s drive south of Belfast, and offers a great mix of singletrack trails and stunning views across the Mourne Mountains. Boasting great facilities and a gentle green, a flowing blue and an exciting red trail (with a few black options), there’s something here for every rider – even a pump track. They’re all set in a forest park, next to a Victorian castle and a lake. The centre hosts all kinds of MTB events too, from enduros to cross-country races. TOP TRAILS Green 4km This easy loop around the lake is ideal for families or first-timers. Blue 4.5km The blue trail starts off on undulating singletrack through the woods, with a number of rollers thrown in for fun, before joining the green trail to follow the shoreline…

Boasting Ireland’s first purpose-built downhill runs, Rostrevor is known for its exhilarating singletrack descents and stunning coastal views. Located on the banks of Carlingford Loch, it also has two quite long XC trails, so isn’t really suitable for novices. Rostrevor also plays host to some enduro rounds. If you want to make a weekend of riding, visit Castlewellan, Davagh Forest and Ticknock (over the border in the Republic of Ireland) trail centres too, all within a couple of hours’ drive. TOP TRAILS Red 27km The red climb is a real lung-buster, eventually taking you up to 400m above sea level, but the trail uses the hillside beautifully. You must stop at ‘Kodak Corner’ for a photo on the way up. There are a series of exciting downhill sections, including some…

Located near the coast, Dalbeattie’s most famous feature is a 14m-high lump of granite called The Slab – venture onto the red-graded Hardrock trail and you’ll soon find yourself rolling down it. This venue has a great range of tracks given that there isn’t a huge amount of elevation to be found, and it’s the expanses of rock that really define the riding here. TOP TRAILS Taster Loop 4km Taster Loop 4km Ironhash 11.5km An easy ride into the forest. Fairly flat, and ideal for beginners who want to get a feel for what mountain biking has to offer. Mostly on forest roads, the green trail does include two small sections of singletrack and a short climb. Moyle Hill 14km While not that technical, the blue trail is a good…

The hugely, and deservedly, popular Glentress is the flagship of the Scottish 7stanes trail centre network. It’s home to 73km of well-designed and maintained trails in the Tweed Valley, with something to suit every ability. Adding to its appeal is the fact that a visit can be combined with a trip to Innerleithen, its 7stanes sister centre just down the road. Adrenalin Uplift run a shuttle service, taking riders to the Buzzard’s Nest car park (halfway up the hill) and around the valley. TOP TRAILS Green 3.5km or 4.5km There’s a choice of two trails here, one from the Buzzard’s Nest car park and one starting at the Peel Cafe. Both feature smooth, wide, flowy singletrack. Blue 8-16km The blue route is made up of two 8km loops, which can…

This superb centre may be small but it’s perfectly formed. It has more than 20 miles of well-built singletrack trails, with an out-in-the-wilds feel, fantastic views and plenty of rock features. Situated in the western Cairngorms, it’s best suited to more advanced riders. Work has started on a blue trail and a pump track, but has been temporarily put on hold. The visitor centre is being extended with roofed decking. If you like your riding rough, steep, rooty and rocky, seek out the locals-built trails on the Black Craig, over the road. TOP TRAILS Green trail 3.5/4.5km A gentle climb and fun singletrack return. Lower red trail 6.9km Fast, flowing and technical, with plenty of rock features, including the black-graded slab known as ‘Air’s Rock’ (with chicken run). This red…

This purpose-built downhill venue in Snowdonia offers a good mix of flow and tech, with 15 runs graded from green to double-black, including three designed to be rollable for newbies. In a formidable setting opposite a huge slate quarry, Antur has tons of rock slabs to negotiate and incredible views. You can get in up to 20 runs a day on the fast uplift. Over lockdown, the crew built a new jump trail – the Meehhh Line, with over 30 opportunities to get air – and a pump track. Hire one of their Saracen DH or enduro bikes for the full ‘Antur experience’. TOP TRAILS Plug and Feathers 2km A gentle flow trail aimed at beginners and families. Jympar 1.8km Smooth and fast with sweeping turns and flowy singletrack. Drafft…

This beautiful forest in Carmarthenshire is home to some superb natural-feeling trails. Mostly singletrack, they have some great features, especially the black-graded Raven. The Derwen and Raven loops start at the Byrgwm car park and the red Gorlech begins at Abergorlech. To fuel your ride, there are two local pubs – the Forest Arms in Brechfa village and the Black Lion in Abergorlech – which both offer excellent grub. There’s another red trail, Cwm Rhaeadr, about 20 miles north of Brechfa, which has a fantastic long singletrack descent (see p82). TOP TRAILS Derwen Green 9.2km Unusually for a green trail, this has a good amount of quite wide singletrack. An ideal starting point for beginners, with steady climbs and a fun descent. Derwen Blue 4.7km The blue route branches off…

Cwmcarn has a big reputation, having hosted downhill races since the Nineties. A few recent changes have altered the trail layout. There’s a full-on DH track, two red XC trails, a black descent and a new blue run, Pwca. The classic Twrch trail has a 4km extension. TOP TRAILS Pwca 3.3km After a 10-minute climb, this new trail is a twisting flowy descent, with rollers and steep corners with vertical berms. Great for a quick blast after riding the Cafall or Twrch, or as a standalone trail for less experienced riders. Twrch 15.5km A legendary red route with a steep, techy climb to start, the Twrch takes you through woodland up to an open ridgeline. There’s plenty of tight singletrack to keep you on your toes and the fun final…

The first 2021 Downhill World Cup round is in the books and we were treated to a heady mix of prototype parts (Greg Minnaar’s Shimano Saint mech, Aaron Gwin’s ‘mullet’ Intense M279), muddy practice and frenetic racing on the rapidly-drying course in Leogang, Austria. In the women’s event, Vali Höll’s assertive run showed confidence beyond her years before a crash on the final corner relegated her to second place behind world champion Camille Balanche, who took her first World Cup win. Monika Hrastnik, Marine Cabirou and the UK’s Tahnée Seagrave rounded out the podium. An incredible comeback from a broken spine saw Brook Macdonald showcase some exuberant riding on the bike park course, including an enormous gap into the wooden wallride, before a crash in the same place as Höll…

It’s been a busy year for me so far, but not in the usual way. Instead of ramping up my training for the World Cup season, I’ve been getting slower and growing a baby! As I’m writing this, we just had the first DH World Cup in Leogang, and our team rider Charlie Hatton did brilliantly in the men’s Elite. After qualifying eighth, Charlie had a blinder of a race run – he was up at all the splits until the last woods, where he nearly had a massive OTB but managed to save it and rode for the entire section, showcasing his bench-press strength and finishing in 15th place! Such a solid finish. I’m really excited to see the rest of the season unfold! We’ve also been super-busy with…

Not only does Scotland’s Tweed Valley have a well-earned reputation for great trails (see Blues Cruise, p62), but it also has a rich heritage of mountain bike racing. For over a decade, the TweedLove crew have been at the heart of that, putting on everything from entry-level kids’ taster events to full-blown international MTB fests. After an unplanned (and pretty unpleasant) year away, the Chain Reaction Cycles TweedLove Bike Festival is back for 2021 – here’s what you can expect from one of the year’s biggest and best celebrations of all things mountain biking... Top-class racing Why do the enduro elite want to race in the Tweed Valley? Here’s a chance to see for yourself. There aren’t many sports – or venues – where you can truly measure yourself against…

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This feels like a proper adventure. It’s been a long time since we’ve been able to travel so far, let alone stay away overnight, and this time I’m the newbie to the area, rather than Julia. In our quest to find Britain’s best blue trail we’ve now made it to Scotland and the widely-acclaimed Glentress, which is the flagship trail centre of the country’s excellent 7stanes network. Glentress’s blue route emerged as a firm favourite among our team, contributors and readers alike. So, as soon as it was possible, we packed our Saracen bikes and headed north of Hadrian’s Wall. Blue fun day We knew Glentress would fit the bill perfectly to be a ‘best blue’ contender. Our requirements are pretty straightforward. First, the trail has to be an entertaining…

GREEN TORR Where: Glentrool, Dumfries & Galloway Trail length: 9km ›et there: DG8 6SZ KAREN PICTON MBUK reader “I love the Glentrool blue. It’s mostly sweeping singletrack between the trees, which rises, falls and then rises again, testing your uphill ability, before a short fireroad downhill (one of several forest road sections) leads you to the start of the descent. This is my favourite bit. Some parts are quite challenging, and with its twists and sweeping turns it gets the heart pumping! The views are spectacular and you can either do the loop without stopping or pause to admire the scenery every now and then. Then get a nice cuppa and piece of cake from the visitor centre!” More info: https://forestryandland. gov.scot…

Shimano XC3 £99.99 Sizes: 36-52 Weight:334g (per shoe, no cleat) SO GOOD… The well-ventilated upper keeps you cool, while the tongue helps keep splashes at bay. It’s easy to adjust the BOA dial while pedalling. The footbed is well-shaped with good support and solid heel hold. There’s a wide size range. NO GOOD… Shimano’s placement of the BOA dial in the midfoot makes it trickier to open the shoes to get them on, and we had to adjust tension frequently as our feet settled into them. Fore-aft foot security isn’t great on or off the bike, leading to cramped toes and inconsistent pressure. The sole is the flexiest here. www.freewheel.co.uk fi:zi’k Terra X5 £159.99 Sizes: 37-48 Weight:334g SO GOOD… Foot security is excellent, with a BOA dial to adjust the…

1 Check for chain wear. There are tools available that measure roller wear and chain stretch. If you don’t have one, use a ruler to calculate the distance between 24 pins of the chain. It should be 12in. If it’s more than 1/16in over this, replace the chain. 2 Split the chain. If it has a quick-link, use a set of quick-link pliers to remove it. Otherwise, use a chain tool to push out a pin, then discard the outer plates. If the gears have been working well, set the chain to one side and use its length as a reference for the new one. 3 Clean and lube the new chain (optional). The grease applied to chains prior to shipping is quite sticky. Replacing it with a wax-based lubricant…

For a big city, Bristol has some great riding on its doorstep. The two main trails, both a quick spin from the centre, are brilliant for beginners, with an all-weather surface and nothing too steep or technical, but they’re also fun to ride fast. Closest to town is the Nova trail in Ashton Court, with Yer Tiz in Leigh Woods five minutes down the road. The two together make a good loop. Thanks to new charity Ride Bristol, the trails are getting much-needed TLC. A short ride away is the more natural-feeling waymarked trail in Fifty Acre Woods, which is steeper, rootier and more technical. Nearby at Ashton Hill Plantation (aka Belmont) are some locals-built jumps and downhill runs. TOP TRAILS Nova (Ashton Court) 6.5km The Nova trail had a…

Dalby Forest boasts an extensive trail network, from green family routes to a black-graded XC loop, plus a bike park, and it’s on the edge of the scenic North York Moors National Park. The trails are maintained by SingletrAction, a volunteer group who work with Forestry England. If you fancy making a weekend of it, there’s some excellent singletrack on the North York Moors, including the Sutton Bank trails (see p76). TOP TRAILS Ellerburn family route 4km Ellerburn skills area 300m Adderstone trail 12.4km Taking in amazing views across the moors, this trail has long and short options, mainly on traffic-free forest roads. Jubilee Blue 11km This easy route combines flowing singletrack with open terrain and some steep sections. There’s a brilliant descent filled with berms and rollers. Red trail…

Gisburn’s manmade yet natural-feeling trails lie in the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, so the scenery is quite something. There’s an easy blue route at this Lancashire spot, plus a slightly harder and longer red cross-country route, which boasts some great sections. Both start from the Gisburn Forest Hub car park, where you’ll also find a cafe and skills loop. Further into the forest are two downhill trails with berms, jumps and drop-offs that are well worth seeking out. TOP TRAILS Skills loop Bottoms Beck 9.5km This is a short, easy ride suitable for novices. It has a good combination of singletrack and forest road as it follows an old railway line. That doesn’t mean it’s straight – you’ll twist and turn through Park Wood before finishing…

Head to Hamsterley, on the edge of the North Pennines, for a taste of Northern grit riding trails that are cut into a steep-sided valley hidden in 2,000 hectares of woodland. The three XC routes, totalling more than 30km of flowing singletrack, are maintained by Forestry England and the Hamsterley Trailblazers volunteer group. A recent addition is ‘K-Line’ – a red descent peppered with jumps. Two miles from the visitor centre there’s a playground of downhill trails at the Descend Bike Park, run by 2016 DH world champ Danny Hart, who grew up riding here. TOP TRAILS Skills loop 1.6km Blue 14.5km A wide route that uses purpose-built cycle trails, forest roads and the tarmac forest drive to explore the woodland. Red 23.5km This is a longer, harder version of…

Situated deep in the heart of Dorset, Okeford Hill Bike Park is a gravity rider’s dream. With 125m of vertical descent on alpine-style downhill trails, there is ample challenge to be found here. The site is aimed at intermediate to experienced riders and serviced with an efficient uplift that allows for about 20 runs a day. Okeford Hill is run and maintained by an enthusiastic group of riders, making it an informal and relaxed venue. At present there are eight trails, increasing in difficulty and exposure. Two new runs will be launched this summer and two of the existing runs are being reworked. The top part of the hill offers a series of progressive jumps and features with an easy push back up – a good place to warm up…

The Steel City, on the edge of the Peak District, is a hive of MTB activity, with advocacy group (and charity – everything they do is funded by riders) Ride Sheffield promoting access for MTBers. They’ve built three distinct areas of trails, all close to the city, from mellow blues to challenging descents. There are some techy DH trails in Wharncliffe Woods, opposite Greno Woods, but they can be tricky to find. Nearby in Rother Valley Country Park, another community riders’ group have been busy improving their trail network. TOP TRAILS Lady Cannings Plantation There are two trails here – Blue Steel (1.4km) and Cooking On Gas (1.6km). Both are ‘rollercoaster’ tracks with no jumps. There are lots of bridleways if you want to extend your ride. Parkwood Springs Right…

With a massive network of trails spread across four main areas – Leith Hill, Holmbury Hill, Pitch Hill and Winterfold – the Surrey Hills are a honey pot for London-based MTBers. But with only nine officiallysanctioned trails, varying access rights and just one waymarked route, it’s best to enlist some local help if you want to make the most of one of the South East’s best venues, and find the ‘secret’ runs in the woods. For dirt jumps, head to the S4P B1KEPARK in Milford (p78). TOP TRAILS Summer Lightning (Leith Hill) 7.3km This is the only waymarked MTB trail in the Surrey Hills and starts near the tower at the top of Leith Hill. It’s a flowy mix of swooping berms and jumps, with a few off-camber roots to…

Adjacent to Wiltshire’s Longleat safari park, Wind Hill has only been around for a few years but it’s a firm rider favourite. Operated by B1ke – the guys behind the Rogate, Tidworth and S4P bike parks – it does have a few natural-feeling descents, but it’s the perfectly-sculpted jumps that have put it on the map. The B1ke ethos is to provide a progression pathway to help riders of all levels advance. Because the hill is smallish, pedalling out laps isn’t an arduous task, but often riders will just congregate to session their favourite jumps. There are currently eight freeride and downhill tracks at Wind Hill – the ‘Tina Turner’ section added last year is very popular – with more in the offing. To ride here you have to first…

Davagh Forest, in the beautiful Sperrin Mountains, is one of Northern Ireland’s best riding spots. There’s a gentle green trail, a twisty blue and a rocky red, plus a skills area and a pump track. It’s currently undergoing works to extend both its red and blue trails. Davagh Forest may be out in the sticks but it’s well worth a visit, offering spades of flow on naturally-sculpted trails. It also hosts the annual Davagh Enduro. TOP TRAILS Green 3km Blue 7.5km Fast and flowy, the blue trail has a quick ascent and an even quicker descent, complete with some great rock sections that are at the more technical end of the spectrum when ridden at speed. Red 16km The beginning and end sections of this route are the same as…

Ae has something for everyone, with a varied blend of trails for families, beginners and more experienced riders, along with an uplift service for its downhill tracks. Set in the rolling hills of the Scottish Borders, there are three XC loops – a green, a blue and a red, the Ae Line, which is great fun and challenging, at 24km. Ae is also a legendary race venue with two DH runs – one natural and tech, the other jumpy and flowing. TOP TRAILS Ae Valley 9km Larch View 13.5km This blue-graded trail combines forest roads with singletrack. It’s an ideal step up from the green route and includes some boardwalk sections. Ae Line 24km The red trail takes you high up onto the side of the valley before dropping back…

Famed as a UCI World Cup venue, Fort Bill’s Nevis Range boasts three race courses (DH, XC and 4X), all open to anyone to ride. There are also several XC trails, blue descents and a skills loops, plus the Witch’s Trails network, which is suitable for all the family. If you want big thrills, jump on the gondola to tackle Top Chief, 543m of gravity-fed fun starting with a fast boardwalk section, or take on the ultimate challenge – the World Cup downhill track! Further down the hill there are a couple of fun black sections, Cackle and Black Crane. A new uplift-accessible blue run, Blue Steel, is planned to open this summer. TOP TRAILS Broomstick Blue 1.8km Flowing singletrack by the river. Turn it into an 18km+ loop using…

Innerleithen is a hotspot for gravity riders, but the less experienced can enjoy its trails too. Just a few miles east of Glentress, it has four DH tracks that drop down the hill, a challenging XC route and, if you know where to look, dozens of the best off-piste trails you’ll ever be lucky enough to ride, some of which are world-renowned Enduro World Series tracks. Adrenalin Uplift provide a slick uplift service. TOP TRAILS Innerleithen XC 18km A trail not for the fainthearted! It starts with a leg-burning and lung-busting climb up to the top of Minch Moor and then leads into swooping singletrack with optional black-graded features. There are tight, technical sections, and the fast, steep final descent filled with berms and jumps guarantees you finish with a…

Mabie is perfect for family rides, with its beautiful oak woodlands and chilled-out vibe, but there’s still plenty of magnificent singletrack to get your heart and adrenaline pumping on the red trail. This scenic forest also contains a green and a blue route as well as a 300m freeride line. TOP TRAILS Big Views loop 8km Check out the viewpoints along this scenic route to see some great angles of the Solway Firth and Nith Estuary. The vistas are interspersed with short climbs and descents, mostly on forest roads. Woodhead loop 10km This is a longer version of the Big Views Loop and includes some singletrack as well as fireroad, but it’s still pretty easy. The Phoenix 19km Featuring 80 per cent singletrack, this is a classic 7stanes trail with…

The UK’s first large-scale bike park is hugely popular thanks to its great range of constantly-maintained trails for all abilities. BPW has a growing network of 44 descents that you don’t need a DH bike to enjoy. The runs vary from green to black-graded and are classified as Flow, Tech or Blend, and you can link them up in various combos. Buy an uplift pass to get in maximum runs, or pedal up if you have the legs. They’ve added four new runs over lockdown, plus expanded the visitor centre and car park. TOP TRAILS Here are just a few of our favourite BPW runs... Kermit 5km New this year, Kermit is BPW’s easiest trail. It’s smooth and flowing, making it great for novices. Merthyr Rocks 0.9km This newly-created track…

Llandegla Forest has a good selection of fast and flowing trails, from a mellow green right up to a black, plus a skills and freeride area. There are also a number of optional loops, such as ‘Parallel Universe’ and ‘B Line’, which are steeper and more downhill-orientated. During the first lockdown the trail crew revamped the ‘Dave the Fox’ black section and ‘B Line’, and they’re currently building a new 2.5km red-graded section, going from ‘Rollercoaster’ at the top of the forest. TOP TRAILS Skills area 600m Freeride area 650m Pump track Green trail 5km Designed with families in mind, this route ascends gradually to a high point with views across the Clwydian Range. Blue trail 12km The blue shares its long climb with the red route but splits off…

Eight of the world’s best female freeriders returned to Virgin, Utah, for the second Red Bull Formation – an extended, women-only ‘progression session’ on the harsh desert slopes of the 2015 Red Bull Rampage course. Travel restrictions prevented MBUK columnist Veronique Sandler from attending, but the other riders – including former World Cup DH racers Vaea Verbeeck (pictured) and Casey Brown – went huge. As at Rampage, riders had to create a line that would enable them to showcase their riding and push the sport forward, with help from industry mentors and their dig crews. Here, though, the emphasis was on collaboration and working together to conquer the intense terrain. There was no formal competition, but the riders themselves voted for the winner of the Arc’Teryx Evolution in Action award,…

XCO (cross-country Olympic) first became a feature of the Olympics at Atlanta 1996 and is currently the only mountain biking discipline in the Olympic Games. It’s a mass-start event, with riders completing around five laps of a 4km to 10km circuit. At the inaugural event, all the bikes were hardtails with rigid posts and 26in wheels. This year most riders will be on 29in wheels and many are likely to opt for full-suspension frames with dropper posts, owing to the increased technicality of modern courses. A fifth-place finish by Liam Killeen at Athens 2004 is Team GB’s best ever Olympic result. Commonwealth champion in 2006, Killeen was one of the favourites going into both Beijing 2008 and London 2012, but British hopes were dashed when he crashed out of both…

CROUCHING SPARK, HIDDEN SHOCK Scott’s XC/trail bike gets an integrated damper and updated geometry With a sleek new look and tweaked geometry, Scott’s Spark (above) looks poised to attack the climbs and lap up the miles, on or off the race track. The biggest change is that the rear shock is now integrated into the seat tube – a weight-saving design inherited from Bold Cycles, who were bought by Scott in 2019. It’s driven via a hidden linkage attached to the single-pivot swingarm, giving 120mm of rear wheel travel. A port on the down tube allows access to the damper’s adjusters and air valve. The Spark RC models are outright XC rigs with a 120mm fork, while the more trail-orientated Spark 900-series bikes have 10mm more front travel and a…

Where: Comrie Croft, Perthshire Trail length: 4.2km Get there: PH7 4JZ ANDY MCCANDLISH MTB photographer “Comrie Croft has, from day one, managed to walk a tricky tightrope, offering manufactured trails that largely feel like they’ve developed organically and been around forever. They just feel natural, yet have all the highs and lows, ridability and flow of bike-specific routes elsewhere. Built in three easily-accessible and sessionable sections, the blue route maximises on that flow, dropping from the shared climb all the way back to base via flowing and easy- gradient berms, followed by a final drop down a ludicrously fun dual trail. The only thing that breaks the flow, particularly on a sunny summer evening, is the need to stop and soak up the gorgeous views of Perthshire rolling away to…

RE-RIDE SECTIONS. TOO MANY PEOPLE MESS UP A CORNER AND DON’T RETURN TO FIND OUT WHY Racing mountain bikes is as exciting as it is nerve-wracking, giving you the opportunity to push body and bike to the limit, whether it’s a local enduro race or a DH World Cup. Although competing against the clock can be a way to make a living for some, for most it’s done for the enjoyment and camaraderie that comes from being with friends and challenging yourself while having fun. This being said, we all want to leave the track feeling that we’ve given our best and are satisfied with our performance, regardless of where we are on the time sheet. After a truncated 2020 season and the cancellation of this year’s opening World Cup…

Frame bag These come in all shapes and sizes. Some are just big enough for a tube and multi-tool, and nestle into a corner of the frame. Others fill the entire front triangle and have space for all your camping kit. They keep items clean, and dry too, if the bag is waterproof. There are various off-the-peg options, or you can order bespoke bags to fit your frame and storage requirements. Tube plugs For items you may not use frequently but definitely don’t want to forget, there are numerous tools that’ll slip into the end(s) of your bike’s handlebar, steerer tube (replacing a star nut) or even the crank spindle. Generally, these are secured with magnets or expanding wedges. Available options cover everything from multi-tools to chain breakers and tubeless…

We roll into Exeter Bike Park on a scorching summer’s day. Online footage of the newly-opened venue has revealed a wealth of jumps and berms, and we’re keen to give them the once-over. Manager James welcomes us enthusiastically and shows us around the MX and MTB facilities. Especially useful is the shower block, enabling riders to camp in comfort on-site. The bike park officially opened on 15 May and has been welcoming riders every weekend since, including playing host to the Velomax Women and Girls Downhill event, with over 70 riders competing. Having created the trails here, the Forte Trailscapes team are keen to enjoy them in the sunshine. Owner Kye Forte has brought the staff along to shred with us, including shovel-wielding sorcerer Toby Parker. Toby masterminded the community-run…

With a good range of green and red-graded trails, plus the Stile Cop DH area, Cannock is the home of Midlands mountain biking. It’s also very popular. This means the two waymarked red XC routes – Follow the Dog and the Monkey Trail – can get very busy at weekends. You can ride Follow the Dog on its own or combine it with the Monkey Trail to form a longer figure-of-eight route. There are also three pleasant family trails, shared with walkers and horses. Chase Trails, a volunteer group who work with Forestry England, do a great job maintaining the trails. TOP TRAILS Fairoak 4km Chase Heritage 8km Sherbrook 12/20km This trail meanders through woodland and heathland, and has two consecutive loops. Follow The Dog 10.8km The Midlands’ first dedicated…

Gloucestershire’s Forest of Dean is a popular and busy riding spot, with a real buzz at the main trailhead, Cannop Cycle Centre. It has a great family trail and two superb XC routes, alongside the slippery, rooty DH tracks the FOD is known for. Plus, there’s a skills area with a jump line and a drop line, and a pump track too – so good that riders come just to session them! The downhill runs are easily accessed via FlyUp’s slick uplift service or a fireroad climb/push-up, and they host regular mini DH and enduro events, too. Go for an explore and you might even stumble across some off-piste tracks (please don’t add to them, though). The Dean Trail Volunteers maintain all the trails, so do support them. TOP TRAILS…

Unquestionably, the Lake District boasts some of the best natural riding in the UK, but its two trail centres – Grizedale Forest and Whinlatter Forest (p36) – are a safer bet when the weather’s dodgy or you’re not in the mood for rocky gnar. Grizedale, which lies west of Windermere in the southern Lakes, is aimed mostly at novices and families, with six of its seven routes following forest roads, but the red-graded The North Face loop is perfect for intermediate riders who want an enjoyable but not overly technical ride. There’s also a short black section with a double-black-diamond option. If you fancy a more natural alternative to the trail centre loops, the bridleways through the forest offer some challenging terrain – ask for directions at the on-site bike…

Adjacent to the Scottish border, Kielder is one of the biggest and most remote trail centres in the UK, with over 100 miles of trails on a mix of singletrack and forest paths. There’s something for everyone, from short family rides to all-day epics, but it can feel bleak in bad weather. Everything is on a grand scale – it lies next to Britain’s largest artificial lake and within one of Europe’s biggest manmade forests. It hosts some iconic events too, such as the Dirty Reiver and Chiller 24-hour race. The trails are built and maintained by the volunteer Kielder Trail Reavers. TOP TRAILS Borderline 6km Lakeside Way 40km Cross Border 40km (from Lewisburn) Osprey 13km This easy blue is perfect for beginners, with open and flowing terrain and no…

Best suited to new and intermediate riders, QECP has been popular with mountain bikers since the early Nineties. It’s set in the rolling South Downs, which have plenty of great natural trails, too. QECP has a family-friendly blue trail and a more thrilling red, which both meander through woodland. A dedicated staff team supported by skilled volunteers (the QECP Trail Collective) ensure the trails are safe and fun. The loops have been well-built to keep them weatherproof, although the chalk soil on the more difficult sections can become slippery when wet. TOP TRAILS Intermediate trail 6km This easy loop is beginner-and family-friendly and can be ridden on any type of MTB, but still has some fun swoopy berms. Advanced Trail 7km Front or full suspension is advisable for the red…

Don’t confuse Sherwood Pines Forest Park with Sherwood Forest – there’s much more riding here. Set in the heart of Robin Hood country, fast woodland singletrack is the order of the day, with a couple of purpose-built XC loops, plus over 45km of unmarked trails (keep your eyes peeled for these!), a skills area and a downhill area. The tracks have had a lot of maintenance over the past year. Sherwood Pines is easy to reach by bike as it sits right on National Cycle Network Route 6. TOP TRAILS Family trail 4.8km Robin Hood trail 9.6km This loop (previously the Adventure trail) uses the green route and the nearby NCN path to lead riders deeper into the forest. It’s been overhauled this year, the main improvements being new flow…

Just a stone’s throw from London, Swinley Forest is an established trail centre with green, blue and red XC routes totalling over 24km. All these tracks have well-maintained all-weather surfaces. There’s also a 10-acre coaching zone, The Summit, with progressive features that build up to a new black line boasting 17ft gaps. To ride in this area you need to be a member or book a coaching session. For gravity action, head to Clubhouse Hill. There are plenty of walking trails and a Go Ape course in the forest to entertain non-riders. TOP TRAILS Green trail 1.2km A singletrack section ideal for all the family or just to use as a warm-up loop. Blue trail 10.1km This sweeping trail makes the most of its limited elevation. All features are rollable…

If you like railing berms and hitting jumps you’ll have a blast at Woody’s – the rolling hills of this 110-acre Cornish farm have been transformed into a full-on MTB playground, with nine varied runs. There are some big jumps and sneaky transfer lines, but the trails flow really well and they’ve catered for lots of different ability levels. As well as gnarly rock gardens, deep berms and massive doubles, there are easy flow trails, and it’s a great spot for building confidence and skills. The hill is short, so with the help of the uplift you can hammer out runs all day. TOP TRAILS ES OL/Blue Jump 1km Fully rollable, with mellow jumps and bermed corners, these two trails are great for beginners or anyone wanting to dabble in…

The hilly character of Northern Ireland’s newest trail centre means you have to earn your turns – and some epic views. There are two trails, with lots of smooth, flowy sections, which are ideal for those looking to shred at speed, but also for less experienced riders wanting an introduction to mountain biking. With spectacular views from the top of Mullaghcarn and Ladies Viewpoint (as long as there’s no Irish mist!), you can rest awhile after the climb to soak up the Sperrins. You’ll find Gortin Glen six miles north of Omagh, at the western gateway to the mountains. It also has several waymarked walks plus a play park and barbecue area to occupy non-riders if the rest of the family are coming along. TOP TRAILS Blue 7.1km A gradual…

Cathkin Braes is a great urban riding spot whether you want to rail turns, get airborne or enjoy the views across Glasgow. Originally built for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, it also has jump lines with berms and gaps, plus red and blue-graded 0.5km DH tracks – bringing the number of descents to four – and a world-class pump track. Riders need to watch out for unsuspecting walkers on the trails, though. TOP TRAILS XC trails 9km These two fitness-building, feature-packed loops mix natural singletrack in the woods and grassland with lots of manmade rock sections. Optional blue and black sections encourage progression. Jump line 650m With more than 20 tabletops, doubles and gaps, this is a must for anyone who’s the slightest bit airtime-inclined. Air Space 500m Not to be…

The UK’s only other lift-accessed riding spot after Fort William, Glencoe boasts similarly raw and rocky terrain for adrenaline-fuelled gravity action. Be sure to soak in the jaw-dropping views from the chairlift, because you certainly won’t have time to appreciate them on the way back down! The riding here is a blend of manmade and natural, with surfaced berms and bench-cut sections linking together craggy outcrops and rock slabs. It’s an ideal stop-off point en route to a weekend of World Cup spectating. TOP TRAILS Nae Danger 1.5km Experience the views without the risk on this short loop, which starts at the top of the chairlift. Epic Glades 3.7km Another top-of-the- mountain cross-country trail, but with more technical riding and some panoramic vistas that are true to its name. Whip…

Best known for ‘McMoab’, a huge granite outcrop reached by traversing slabs and boulder causeways, this remote 7stanes trail centre is well worth the long drive west to Galloway Forest Park. It has a natural feel and boasts some fantastic features that make for a unique ride. A blue/ red trail section named Kirri Crossover was added in 2018 – 500m of sheer delight that twists up above Bruntis Loch and drops down through a series of berms to link back to the original track. TOP TRAILS Skills area Bargaly Wood 6km Larg Hill 10km A great introduction to mountain biking, this route is more than half singletrack, with small drops to practise on. Doon Hill extension 4km This short extension to the Larg Hill loop takes you past some…

With over 130km of well-maintained trails, Afan is the biggest trail centre in South Wales. It has a lot for experienced riders, with tight, techy singletrack through the trees, rock gardens and exposed hilltop trails, and there are a few family options too. Afan has two main centres, both with bike shops and cafes. Glyncorrwg MTB Centre is the biggest and the start point for White’s Level and Blade. Afan Forest Park Visitor Centre is where Blue Scar, Penhydd, The Wall and Rookie start. W2 can be ridden from either centre. There’s a bike park part way round The Wall at Bryn Bettws Lodge, with parking and food. The 46km Skyline trail has three new sections and is being reinstated to its former glory. TOP TRAILS Rheilffordd 16/22.5km Rookie 5.5km…

Set on a pretty farm in the Brecon Beacons, there are few better places for getting airtime than BMCC. Trail builder Shaun Bevan has let his imagination run wild to create interlinking lines of pristine jumps and corners. Chug up the hill on the tractor uplift, take in the stunning views and choose your descent – mellow turns or lines of jumps, some measuring over 30ft. Over the past year they’ve done a lot of track maintenance and improved drainage, while Berm Baby Berm and Wild Wood have been heavily modified. There are 16 runs graded intermediate (mostly rollable) to pro. Online booking only. TOP TRAILS Rabbit Run 0.8km A gentle introduction to the BMCC style, Rabbit Run weaves its way down the hill with plenty of rollers and optional…

The UK’s original trail centre, built back in 1997, Coed y Brenin is still one of the best. With Snowdonia as a backdrop, it has a great selection of all-weather singletrack trails, with some infamous features to test your skills. Six of the eight trails are graded red or black, so there’s plenty of tech for experienced riders to enjoy along with the stunning scenery. TOP TRAILS Yr Afon 11km Temtiwr 8.7km MBR 18.4km Y Ffowndri skills area MinorTaur 10km Aimed at newbies, the first three loops of this trail are on wide tracks, suitable for adaptive bikes. A new fourth loop, opened last year, features more technical features such as jumps and drop-offs, built closer together to up the fun factor and build skills. Cyflym Coch 10.8km A tough…