Indholdsfortegnelse for February 2024 i Mountain Biking UK

Japanese trials sensationTomomi Nishikubo loves food so much that he’s always thinking about which dishes he’d like to treat himself to after a tough ride. His wife, on the other hand, sees it solely as sustenance. Tomomi tells Kari Youngabout his favorite foods, as well as some of the easy recipes he makes for himself when his wife isn’t there to indulge in her favourite pastime of cooking... “For me, foodis for pleasure. Of course, it’s important for my health, too, so, I’m always thinking about that. But after practice or a show, I’ll always have one of my favourite dishes. Choosing the meal is the most difficult problem, because I have so many preferences! I love Chinese food so much, and sushi, of course. But I guess sashimi is…

AN E-BIKE IN DISGUISE Barcelona-based UNNO go incognito with the IKKI NEED TO KNOW The IKKI is UNNO’s first lightweight e-MTB. Based on the Spanish brand’s full-power bike, the MITH, it shares the same frame geometry and suspension kinematics as its big brother. This means it rolls on a mixed-wheel set-up and delivers 160mm of very progressive rear-wheel travel. However, with its diminutive TQ HPR50 motor (300W peak power, 50Nm max torque) and 360Wh battery, it looks much like UNNO’s non-electric BURN and DASH bikes. The IKKI’s Fidlock bottle holder doubles up as a mount for a 160Wh range extender. There are two models of the bike currently available – Race and Factory – with three frame sizes to choose from. While the geometry might not seem exceedingly progressive on…

End of Year SPECIAL OUR VERDICTS AFTER A YEAR OF RIDING ROB’S NUKEPROOF GIGA 297 £2,799.99 (frame only, with EXT shock) Our technical-editor-in-chief has fallen head over heels for the Giga 297 When you really like a longterm test bike, this time of year kinda sucks. Looking back at my time on the Giga 297, I’ve nothing but fond memories, so knowing our time together is coming to an end is rather sad. I knew this would be the case early on. The Nukeproof did, after all, win our Enduro Bike of the Year test in 2022, thanks to its capacity to be ridden savagely fast but never feel sluggish or dull on simpler trails. This was evident any time I hit the bike park, where lapping smooth, fast blue…

TOMOMI NISHIKUBO JAPANESE TRIALS ACE We ask Japan’s answer to Danny MacAskill what fuels his rides. Apparently, raw horsemeat is regularly on the menu... p14 KIERON BLACK OUR MAN IN N. IRELAND Same slope, same stoke? Writer and illustrator Kieron sees whether a hill that was fun on a snowboard is just as good on a bike – p20 FFI PICKSTOCK LITTLE SIS WHO SENDS IT BIG The younger sister of our Newcomer of the Year deserves a turn in the spotlight! We find out how the duo got so good, so fast – p33 HATTIE HARNDEN TWO-WHEELED TRIPLE THREAT XC/enduro/DH racer Hattie joins us and multiple-time world champ Tracy Moseley for a lap of their local, the Malvern Hills – p84…

OUT FRONT Send a pic of your bike to mbuk@ourmedia.co.ukor post it on Instagram with the hashtag #odirides. If we pick your photo for this column, you’ll win a set of ODI grips, courtesy of Freewheel.co.uk. Pick from the Vans, Elite Pro and Reflex models, in the colour of your choice.…

MERIDA ONE-SIXTY FR 600 £3,500 Burly mullet bike built for the big hits Merida have taken their One-Sixty enduro bike, increased its fork travel and given it a burlier spec to create a bike-park specialist. This aluminium-framed ripper rolls on mixed wheel sizes and dishes out 180mm of front and 171mm of rear-wheel travel to tame the trails. THE FRAME The FR uses the standard aluminium One-Sixty frame, made from Merida’s ‘PROLITE 66’ tubing, aka triple-butted and hydroformed 6066 alloy. Dualpass welds smooth the lines, making it look closer to a carbon fibre chassis. One of the most interesting features is the frame’s ‘P-Flex’ design, which uses specific tube profiles to turn the seatstays into ‘flexstays’, which can bend during suspension compression, replacing the usual pivot at the seat/chainstay junction.…

MEET THE TESTERS ROBIN WEAVER TECH EDITOR IN CHIEF With three decades of MTB experience, Rob can identify the kit that works TOM MARVIN SENIOR TECH EDITOR XC/trail/enduro wizard Tom gives his gear a proper hammering LUKE MARSHALL TECH WRITER Downhiller Luke is always looking for what saves time between the tape JAMES COSTLEY-WHITE EDITOR Riding since ’92, JCW knows the score and has an eye for the key details ALEX EVANS BIKE RADAR TECH EDITOR Years of breaking bikes means Al can give ultra-reliable buying advice WHY OUR TESTS ARE THE BEST! Our technical-editor-in-chief Rob Weaver gets new products in as soon as they’re available and coordinates all the testing through our team of tech experts, who have unrivalled knowledge and experience. Every test starts with a detailed product…

TECH Q&A SAVING FACE I’ve been mountain biking for a little over two years and my riding is progressing. Now, I’m debating getting a full-face helmet. But, I’m not doing any gnarly DH tracks – do I need one for trail riding and the occasional bike park trip? Jeff Creel, Newport Opting for a full-face is always a smart move when tackling more challenging trails. A spill can happen with minimal warning, especially when you’re working on your skills or pushing your limits, and a full-face provides valuable extra protection. The downside is that they’re heavier and hotter than open-face lids, and often more expensive, too. A good compromise is a convertible helmet, which can be transformed from a full-face into an open-face lid. On easygoing days, leave the chin…

JAMES COSTLEY-WHITE EDITOR I need to stop being so critical of my riding – I’m a journalist, not a pro rider, and I’m never going to keep up with the team’s ex-World Cup racers! ROBIN WEAVER TECH EDITOR IN CHIEF Setbacks will happen; I need to learn to accept them and roll with the punches. JULIA BROUSSIER CREATIVE DESIGN LEAD I need to stop comparing myself to others and expecting constant progress. Riding’s supposed to be fun! CHRIS BARNARD PRODUCTION EDITOR My aim is to not let every little victory go to my head, because that usually ends in an accident! RACHEL BENNET STAFF WRITER I need to have more faith in my ability. I’m not as shit as I think I am!…

IN ASSOCIATION WITH UPGRADE Write to: MBUK Send it! Eagle House, Bristol, BS1 4ST Email: mbuk@ourmedia.co.uk Visit: www.mbuk.com STAR LETTER WINS... Lezyne CNC Tubeless Drive hand pump & Tubeless Pro Plugs repair kit worth £104 THAT’S GOTTA HURT WINS... 661 Recon Advance knee pads (M) & Rail Classic gloves (L) worth £125 SHOT OF THE MONTH WINS... DMR V11 pedals, Stage 2 saddle and Deathgrips worth £107 INSTA-BANGERS WINS... The complete Motul bike range worth £97.50 STAR LETTER NEXT-LEVEL BLUE My wife and I live on the Isle of Arran, a ferry trip and drive away from the Nevis Range and its ‘Blue Doon’ descent. Most of our mountain biking has been at Glentress, and we’re confident on blue-graded routes and competent on reds. We’d been wanting to ride ‘Blue…

OUT FRONTRAD RIDERS Shortly before Christmas, we received the news we, and many others, had been dreading – Nils Amelincx had passed away, after a long and courageous struggle with cancer. Born in Belgium but calling the Lake District home, Nils was an avid rider and photographer, who refused to let his illness stand in the way of either passion. His work appeared in the pages of MBUK several times, from photo spreads in Out Front to features and How To articles, and he was particularly stoked when one of his shots made the cover of issue 415. In the autumn, Nils was humbled to learn he’d been nominated in the Lifetime Achievement category of our Rider of the Year awards, for his work setting up Rider Resilience – a…

It was another good month for our senior tech editor Tom, as he jetted off to Chile for a Specialized launch. He didn’t rush back, either, taking some time off to explore Patagonia while he was down there. It’s a hard life for some, eh? Our staff Christmas party was a little tamer than last year. In fact, JCW even made it home! We were treated to a sensory overload at Wake the Tiger. If you’re in Bristol it’s well worth a visit – www.wakethetiger.com. Excitement is building for the Red Bull Hardline Tasmania event at the end of February. The stacked line-up features a decent number of women for the first time, including the UK’s own Tahnée Seagrave and Louise-Anna Ferguson, alongside the likes of Gee Atherton and reigning…

SIBLINGS WHO SHRED FFI GETS MORE AIR THAN THE MAJORITY OF OTHER RIDERS AT THE PARK, PULLING SEATGRABS AND ONE-FOOT CANCANS The rain drumming down on the roof of the car doesn’t fill us with a great amount of enthusiasm. In stark contrast, it’s clear to see how thrilled both Morgan and Ffion Pickstock are to be riding their bikes, even in a downpour. Asked which of them would be more likely to suggest going riding in the rain, Morg excitedly calls out: “Me!” Watching them warm up on the small tabletops and doubles at the top of Farmer John’s MTB Park, just outside Manchester, it’s obvious these guys can ride. The way they move their bikes underneath them and the confidence they have in the air speaks of hours…

KOO EDGE £110 (w/ clear lens) https://kooworld.cc SO GOOD… These goggles from KOO (sister brand of KASK helmets) are comfy, with a curved shape that reduces nose pinching, and soft foam that doesn’t irritate even when worn for extended periods. The clear lens is impressive, giving a great field of vision and an undistorted view of the trail ahead. Lens replacement is easy, via a single-clip system. NO GOOD… The lens fogs up quickly and struggles to clear, even in low-humidity conditions. Wiping with the supplied carry bag clears the misting, but the small holes in the frame don’t permit enough airflow to stop it returning. The KOO goggles are costly, too. FOX AIRSPACE X £69.99 (w/ clear lens) https://foxracing.co.uk SO GOOD… Fox’s double-glazed lens is exceptionally good at preventing…

The wheels on your bike are one of the most crucial components. They play an integral part in how well it handles, how resilient it is on technical terrain and how comfortable it is to ride. For this test, we’ve taken nine sets, split between three price points, all with 29in rims and Boost-width hubs (but most available in a variety of options). Our cheaper trio all sit at around £500 a pair, and are aimed at riders looking to upgrade on a budget or who are putting together a mid-spec bike for general trail use. The middle bunch are at the higher end of what you can expect to pay for alloy wheels, coming in at £700-£850. Then, at the top end, we have money-no-object hoops with carbon fibre…