Innehållsförteckning för December 2020 från Mountain Biking UK

Epic is an overused word, but appropriate in this case! This issue is all about taking on personal challenges, trying new things and not letting anything stand in your way – be that a sheer rock face or budget equipment Epic is an overused word in mountain biking, and I’m as guilty of that as anyone. But just one look at the photo above should convince you that it’s appropriate in this case! This issue is all about taking on personal challenges, trying new things and not letting anything stand in your way – be that a sheer rock face or budget equipment. Ed Thomsett and Joe Flanagan lead the way, as they see whether rock climbing beats hike-a-bike as a way to reach the top of the trails (p50).…

How did you go from downhill racer to freerider? “I always just wanted to progress my riding, and working on fitness wasn’t really my thing. At my last World Cup in Fort William in 2013, I flatted in qualifiers. When I heard the air coming out of my tyre I thought: “I’m so glad I didn’t spend all winter in the gym!” From that moment on I did my own thing, building trails with huge jumps and berms. I became a full-time freerider, which worked out well." How did Loosefest come about? “When I did my first project at Royal Hills in 2013 I invited Makken [Mads Haugen]. In turn, he invited me to Huckfest in Norway, together with Aggy [Graham Agassiz], Sam Reynolds, Andreu Lacondeguy and more. We thought…

1 AeroPress GO travel coffee press Jimmer’s always been partial to a coffee and we had to limit his intake in the office. With the AeroPress GO he can unleash his inner Tasmanian Devil anywhere he likes. £31.99 www.aeropress.co.uk 2 Break Fluid Outlaw coffee What better for our irrepressible art editor than Break Fluid’s Outlaw coffee – their ultra-high-caffeine blend. From £7.50 www.breakfluid.com 3 Wolf Tooth Singletrack Pogies JCW’s constantly moaning about cold hands, because his salad fingers (Google it) mean winter gloves never fit. Here’s the (somewhat over-budget) solution – bar-mounted paw shields! £105 www.wolftoothcomponents.com 4 A Dictionary of Bristle We thought it might be wise to give French native Julia, our new designer, a little help with the local dialect so she can better decipher Jimmer’s lightning-fast West…

“I was heavily into bodybuilding growing up but started having back problems. That prompted me to switch sports. I soon got into mountain biking, and never looked back. The thrill of speed and the challenge of riding big jumps and technical trails is something I wouldn’t want to miss. “In 2007 I had a secure marketing job for a major fitness brand. One day I saw two young lads riding dirt jumps, whose talent was being limited by their crappy bikes. That made me think whether there was a way to offer good bikes at an affordable price. I explored numerous solutions and was able to develop 150 dirt jump bikes, which I wanted to sell direct, bypassing distributors and their profit margins. I didn’t know if it’d work. Germany’s…

STAR LETTER STAYCATE THE PREMISES While this year has been a bit of a nightmare, it hasn’t been bad for my mountain biking! In March/ April, I biked pretty much every square inch of my local area (Stirling), finding new trail gems despite having lived here for over 40 years. Once we were allowed to travel, I ventured to Ballater, where I hadn’t been for 20 years, and, armed with your ‘Dirty Weekender’ guide, enjoyed all your recommended routes. I’ve just returned from five days with friends in Aviemore, Glenlivet and Grantown, which was incredible, followed by eight days in the Yorkshire Moors and the Peak District, again using some of your route guides for inspiration. I’ve been fortunate with the weather, but these trips have reminded me how wonderful…

Frame Carbon fibre front triangle, aluminium alloy rear end, 120mm (4.7in) travel Fork RockShox Pike Select, 130mm (5.1in) travel Shock RockShox Deluxe Select+ Drivetrain Shimano Deore XT (1x12) Wheelset Merida Expert TR rims on Shimano Deore XT hubs, Maxxis Minion DHR II 3C EXO TR 29x2.4in (f) and Maxxis Forekaster Dual EXO TR 29x2.35in (r) tyres Brakes Shimano Deore XT, 180mm rotors Bar/stem Merida Expert TR, 780mm/ Merida Expert TR, 50mm Seatpost/saddle Merida Expert TR 170mm dropper/ Merida Expert CC Weight 13.71kg (30.2lb), large size without pedals…

Setting out from Buttermere village, Ed and Joe’s day started with a ride south-east along the shore of the lake to Burtness Combe, where they hitched up the bikes and scrambled steeply upwards to the base of Grey Crag and the start of the real rock climbing. Choosing to follow the classic two-pitch ‘Oxford and Cambridge Direct’ route – graded ‘severe’ in the British grading system – they topped out near the summit of High Stile. Back on two wheels, they then followed the undulating craggy ridgeline from here to High Crag, before tipping steeply down Gamlin Edge to a junction with Scarth Gap Pass. A left turn here eventually led them to Warnscale Bottom and the southern tip of Buttermere. The riding was a typical Lake District affair –…

Keep pressures low I often ride this sort of stuff with pretty low tyre pressures. It really gives you traction to run a big tyre with strong sidewalls at low pressure, tubeless, and perhaps with a foam insert as well. Use different modes The Shimano motor I have on the GT makes it feel like a normal bike – acceleration is very natural and the new version has great software that allows a lot of adjustability via an app. Boost may be too powerful at times so Trail can be a better option for some sections. Try the Half-Way Rey My asymmetric set-up of one flat pedal and one clipless pedal works really well. Clip in whichever foot you like to have in front when your pedals are level; I…

The Wainwrights are a collection of 214 hills and mountains spread across the length and breadth of the Lake District in Cumbria, in the North West of England. The name is a homage to author and king of all the ramblers Alfred Wainwright (1907-1991), best remembered for his comprehensive walking guides to the Lakeland Fells. To be classified as a Wainwright, a peak must be featured in one of his seven guidebooks, the pages of which document each “true summit” in poetic detail and with his beautifully drawn illustrations. Getting to the top of all of them is no small feat, not least if you’re doing it in Dan’s style, fully self-sufficient and with your bike in tow!…

ROB WEAVER With With two tw decades s of o riding experience e e , , Rob R knows ws what works w and what doesn sn’’t t TOM MARVIN Riding anything up to five days a week means Tom has plenty of time to hammer test kit RUSSELL BURTON Long days outdoors mean photographer Russ needs kit that won’t let him down LUKE MARSHALL Keen racer Luke is quick to identify what helps or is a hindrance between the tape ALEX EVANS Many years of breaking bikes means Alex can give reliable buying advice SEB STOTT No slouch on the race track, Seb’s passion for engineering helps him pick products apart…

CHASSIS This is the ‘frame’ of the fork, made up of the upper tubes (stanchions), crown, steerer tube, lower legs and axle. It determines how stiff the fork is, as well as how much tyre clearance it offers. AXLE As well as influencing the stiffness of the fork, some axles are easier to use than others. Look out for quick-release options if you regularly remove the front wheel. SPRING Air springs offer quick and easy fine-tuning of the spring rate with a shock pump, and usually allow the end-stroke progression to be adjusted independently, using volume spacers (see below). Some air springs suffer from a stiff beginning stroke relative to the middle third. Coil springs don’t have this problem, but lack adjustability. DAMPER The damper forces oil through valves to…

1 With the bike in a workstand or held securely, remove the front wheel. Cover the front brake calliper with a rag, in case of any oil splashes. Ensure the hose and lever are positioned how you like them because this will determine how long the hose must be. 2 Remove the rubber boot from the lever and slide it down the hose. Using an 8mm open-end spanner (or an adjustable spanner), turn the nut anticlockwise, then unthread it and slide it down the hose. Carefully pull the hose out of the lever. 3 Mark where you need to cut the hose. Position the hose next to the brake lever where the cut needs to be made and check that the bar can still turn as far as you need…

Route summary A multi-day ride taking in a wide variety of terrain that feels remote but passes through, and past, various towns, cities and villages, with a wealth of history and sights to see along the way Start/finish King Alfred statue, The Broadway, Winchester (grid ref SU 485/293, postcode SO23 9BE) DAY1 From Winchester, at the foot of the King Alfred statue in the centre of town, the route heads west, following ancient tracks and Roman roads to Salisbury. Follow the River Avon northwards to Amesbury and Stonehenge before skirting around the edge of Salisbury Plain and the Ministry of Defence area on the Imber Range Perimeter Path. The route then drops off the northern escarpment and passes through a few picturesque villages to arrive at Avebury. DAY2 Join the…

DISTANCE 21.7KM (13.5 MILES) CLIMBING 620M (2,034FT) TIME 2HRS TO 3HRS Route summary An easy ride out into the Cairngorms, using 4x4 tracks throughout, keeping it safe and ideally suited to less experienced riders. Just watch out for the small burn (stream) crossings! Start/finish Glen Tilt car park, Blair Atholl (grid ref NN 874/662, postcode PH15 5TP) 1 Go back up to the road, by the house, and turn left on the tarmac, then bear right at a fork, across the open to a track crossing, and head right. Start climbing, keeping left to pass by the farm, and continue to ascend steadily up lower Glen Tilt. Keep left at another fork and climb past a shooting range, out onto the moor, to join alongside Allt Slanaidh (lake). 2 Pass…

ED THOMSETT Being a northerner, Ed’s not so familiar with south coast riding, but came away suitably impressed BEN DEAKIN Mr Oi Oi himself needs little introduction. Any time the Deakinator’s involved it’s always going to be a laugh GRANT ‘CHOPPER’ FIELDER Ex-big-name slopestyler, Crankworx judge and MBUK regular Chopper was in pain but couldn’t resist the jumps SAM MARZETTI Today was the first time we’d heard anything about Sam, but after seeing him ride, we’re sure it won’t be the last…

GETTING THERE Southampton Bike Park is in a park on the northern side of the city. The most convenient parking is found in Coxford Road (SO16 5DA). Bike Park Bishopstoke is located in Stoke Park Woods, to the eastern side of the M3. Use the postcode SO50 6BW. FACILITIES Free parking NEARBY BIKE SHOPS Southampton is well served with places to get your bike fixed. Two shops we’d recommend are DC Cycles www.dccycles.co.uk and Hargroves Cycles www. hargrovescycles.co.uk CONTACT www.facebook.com/ southamptonbikepark www.facebook.com/ Hampshirefreeride OTHER RIDING Rogate Downhill B1kepark A regular haunt for the likes of Brendan Fairclough and Bernard Kerr, this Sussex spot boasts everything from blue-graded cruisers to senders big enough to challenge the elite. www.b1ke.com Isle of Wight Mountain Bike Centre Just a ferry ride away from Southampton and…

It’s been a tough couple of weeks for me, with some pretty nasty crashes – not the 2020 I’d envisaged! Through 2019 and this season, I’ve been racing a ‘mullet’ version of the Atherton downhill bike, which I find a bit more responsive. At the end of last season, we finalised changes to the back end and the team are loving how it rides now. I was feeling optimistic that before the year was out I’d be given the chance to show what this beast can do. My 2020 race set-up took a while to perfect. No matter how many test runs you do and however brilliant a track you’re shredding, it’s never quite the same as racing. We definitely put in the hours at Dyfi Bike Park, but after…

1 Power boost Originally a burly freeride bike, the Bullit has been reimagined as a long-travel e-MTB. It uses Shimano’s new EP8 motor, which boasts 85Nm of torque and 400% max assistance, while weighing just 2.6kg and having 36 per cent less drag than their previous E8000 drive unit. Here, it’s paired with the largest-capacity battery option (630Wh). 2 High-grade carbon The frame is built from Santa Cruz’s CC-grade carbon fibre, which is laid up and cured at the same time. This is claimed to decrease the amount of material used, reducing weight without sacrificing strength. 3 Mullet style Like many longer-travel e-bikes, the Bullit uses mixed wheel sizes – 650b at the rear, for a livelier ride (and to help fit in the motor and extra squish), and 29in…

“One of our biggest goals is to improve the customer experience,” says Markus. “The YT Mill Surrey Hills (www.facebook.com/theytmillsurreyhills) is a major step to achieve this. There are two main benefits for our YT family in the UK. Firstly, we’ve created a way for customers to physically explore our website, in the showroom. They can receive first-hand advice and book our bikes to demo in the Surrey Hills. Secondly, behind the walls of the showroom, we’ve got a highly-professional customer service team and experienced mechanics. This means UK customers with problems don’t need to send their YT bikes to Germany any more. By saving on shipping time alone, we can get them back on their bikes two weeks faster. And because riders in the UK aren’t queuing with the rest…

IT’S QUICK AND REACTIVE WHEN IT NEEDS TO BE, BUT STILL FEELS SUREFOOTED AND STABLE WHEN TACKLING CHOPPIER TURNS TRANSITION SCOUT GX £5,299.95 Can the Scout take the honours for outright fun? The Transition Scout has been a favourite of ours here at MBUK since we first slung a leg over one back in 2015. It’s evolved over the years, with the frame now having more rear wheel travel and longer and slacker geometry. The question is, have these alterations subdued the Scout’s playful nature or simply boosted its credentials further? The frame There’s no getting away from just how good the 650b-wheeled Scout looks. Its angular carbon tubing and direct, unfussy lines make this one of the sleekest, most drool-worthy frames out there. But appearances are arguably the least…

FI’ZI:K TERRA CLIMA X2 WEATHERPROOF SHOES £249.99 Perfect for puddle splashing Riding through a British winter inevitably means getting wet feet at some point. However, with these water-resistant and breathable clipless shoes from fi’zi:k, that shouldn’t happen quite so quickly, allowing you more time to mess around in the mud before your toes go numb. The upper is made from a hardwearing ripstop woven fabric, with a breathable waterproof membrane underneath. An integrated sock-like knitted gaiter helps keep out mud and debris, while a PU-coated toe box and heel add protection. The shoes secure with a Boa dial and Velcro strap, and feature a Vibram Megagrip outsole. They’re not cheap, but there have been plenty of days when we wished we were wearing boots like these. www.extrauk.co.uk ENDURA MT500 WATERPROOF…

The stuff climbers spout is as niche as MTB slang. Here are some key phrases to learn: Sending – Like in MTB, sending something means conquering it. In climbing, it means you did it bottom-to-top in one go with no falls. Crux – the hardest bit of a climb. Steep overhangs, few hand and footholds, and sustained hard moves all add to the challenge. Crimp – A tiny handhold, only big enough for one finger joint, and often even less. Jam – Wedging your hand or fist into a crack and cranking downwards (it’s exactly as uncomfortable as it sounds!). Run-out – A large gap where you can put in protection; a guaranteed trouser-filler if you’re several metres above your last bit of gear and at the limit of your…

E-bike trials, as practised by Hans and Rob, is more like bike trials used to be in the late ’70s and early ’80s, before modern hopping techniques became popular. Back then, trials competition sections were designed to be pedalled through non-stop, because once you came to a stop it would be hard to get going again. Similarly, with e-bikes it’s better to keep moving to utilise the blend of muscle and power available. As bike trials evolved in the ’80s and ’90s, hopping became the fashion and competition sections were adapted accordingly. But as Hans points out, there was something pure and simple about riding non-stop – skills, finesse and proper timing were more important than big or dangerous moves.…

MODEL SARACEN HAZZARD PRICE ROUGHLY £400 AGE 10 YEARS AND COUNTING Dan’s bike of choice for his Lakeland epic is proof, if ever it was needed, that it’s the rider, not the bike, that matters. His 26in-wheeled Saracen Hazzard is an off-the-peg budget full-sus that only received its first upgrades in the run- up to his Wainwrights challenge. To get it ready for a beating on the Lake District rocks, Dan fitted a new drivetrain, a set of cable disc brakes and a wider handlebar, but the rest of the bike he left with its stock original parts. After 607 miles, 42,653m of elevation and 214 mountains it’s still going strong. And no, Dan’s got no plans to upgrade.…

Blackburn Click USB £19.99 SO GOOD... The Click’s two modes (constant and flashing) are operated by pushing the lens cap, so there’s no fiddling for a button. Side visibility is good, with a thin but bright diffuse glow around the edges. The light from the two LEDs pierces darkness well. NO GOOD... There’s no positive click from the lens ‘button’ and it can take a few presses to work. The light body sits against the seatpost and requires 35mm of space. There are no rubber spacers/ pads to help it stay in place. Output isn’t the highest, at a claimed 20 lumens. Battery life is the shortest on test. www.zyrofisher.co.uk Bookman Curve 3 £34.99 SO GOOD... You get three flashing modes plus two solid settings where the bigger and brighter…

R.A.L. PAINT A European standard for paint hues, allowing accurate colour matching. ISCG-05 Industry-standard three-point mounting system for chain guides and bashguards. FILLET BRAZING Construction technique where a joining metal with a lower melting point than the tubes is fed in to ‘glue’ the tubes together, before being sanded back smooth. DYNAMIC GEOMETRY The geometry of the bike under riding loads, rather than when static, taking into account suspension sag and fork travel. T.I.G. WELDING A fast, high- temperature method of welding, where the tubes melt together with the addition of a filler rod material. TYRE COMPOUND The composition of the tyre’s rubber – softer rubber offers more grip, but rolls slower and wears faster. You can get dual or triple-compound tyres to combine the best of all characteristics. REYNOLDS…

1. Durometer Durometer denotes how soft the rubber is. It’s measured with a spring-loaded pin; the further it penetrates, the softer the rubber. Bike tyres use the Shore A scale, where 100a is super-hard. Most MTB tyres sit between 40a (soft) and 70a (hard); the softer it is, the more it deforms and grips – and wears down too. 2. Damping Imagine dropping a tennis ball and a stress ball. The former bounces up, the latter barely leaves the ground. This is due to damping – the material’s internal friction. Tyres with more damping (usually softer) bounce less, and thus provide more traction, but have increased rolling resistance. 3. Rolling resistance Every time a tread block rolls onto the ground it deforms and then springs back as it rolls off…

Route summary An easy ride out into the Cairngorms, using 4x4 tracks throughout, keeping it safe and ideally suited to less experienced riders. Just watch out for the small burn (stream) crossings! Start/finish Glen Tilt car park, Blair Atholl (grid ref NN 874/662, postcode PH15 5TP) 1 Go back up to the road, by the house, and turn left on the tarmac, then bear right at a fork, across the open to a track crossing, and head right. Start climbing, keeping left to pass by the farm, and continue to ascend steadily up lower Glen Tilt. Keep left at another fork and climb past a shooting range, out onto the moor, to join alongside Allt Slanaidh (lake). 2 Pass some grouse butts and through a few burn crossings, but nothing…

Route summary A superb variety of trails, from remote moorland crossings to technical rocky descents and even some flowing manmade sections, plus it holds up well in the wet Start/finish Woodcroft car park, Longshaw Estate (grid ref SK 267/801, postcode S11 7TY) 1 Turn right out of the car park, on the A6187. Ride for 0.5km then turn sharply left on the A625 towards Sheffield. After 0.9km turn right on a bridleway, pass through a gate onto the open moors and follow the trail until it meets a wider track/T-junction and bear left on this. 2 After nearly 1km, turn left at a junction and head through a gate on a singletrack bridleway around the hillside. Descend to the bottom and continue through another gate. Bear left, ascend across the…

TRAIL STATS Distance: 7-8 trails at each venue, around 0.5km each Climbing: Push up at both venues Time: 30secs to 1min per trail Grading: Orange bike park grading using the lozenge system, with one dot being the easiest and three being the hardest WHY RIDE HERE? Short but feature-packed jump trails that are easy to lap out and have the scope to suit all levels of riding ability RAD… Lots of rollable stuff and progressively bigger jumps make these venues the ideal places to work on your technique Larger take-offs and mandatory gaps allow frequent flyers to get the buzz they crave It’s all free! You can ride here any time, but just be aware that Bike Park Bishopstoke closes over winter and Southampton Bike Park is best avoided after…

GRANT ‘CHOPPER’ FIELDER – SKILLS COACH, CRANKWORX JUDGE AND RIDER FOR LAPIERRE BIKES “Southampton Bike Park is run by the most stoked guys I know. They crafted the entire place with just spades, and have done such a great job to cater for all levels of rider. “Bike Park Bishopstoke is a step up. Considering it’s in a small, contained area, they’ve packed a load of lines in, from beginner roller trails to big doubles. It’s tricky to find, but once you hit the fireroads in the woods you’ll be fine. I park in the nearby estates.”…

Given the suburban locations of Southampton Bike Park and Bike Park Bishopstoke, it would be unreasonable to compare them to larger-scale venues. But even if you did, there’s a solid selection of trails at both, made more impressive by the fact everything is maintained by hand and by volunteers. They’re not the kind of places you’d drive hours to go and ride, but if you’re semi-local or passing through then we’d highly recommend checking them out. An afternoon spent at either wouldn’t be a wasted trip.…

HUSHFEST! How Nico Vink organised one of this year’s biggest freeride jams on the sly Every year a bunch of the world’s best freeriders and hundreds of spectators flock to the unlikely venue of Malmedy, Belgium, to check out the huge jumps of Loosefest. But this time around, tight restrictions around public gatherings put the event in doubt. Organiser Nico Vink was determined for it to still go ahead, but knew he needed to keep things on the down-low so as not to attract the usual big crowds. Nico had two main problems: how to invite the riders and get them there without anyone seeing them, and how to shape all the jumps without arousing any suspicions. This was made more complicated by the fact that the jump line lay…

With Reece Wilson’s standout ride tackling the treacherous conditions at this year’s World Champs in Leogang, we look back at a couple of other riders who managed to pull out all the stops when it mattered most... VANESSA QUIN, LES GETS, 2004 Riding not for a huge global factory team but for the small UK-based Dirt Magazine squad,Vanessa charged to the top spot at the 2004 World Champs in France, after the reigning world champ for the previous eight years, Anne-Caroline Chausson, broke her shoulder one hour before the race. The Kiwi wasn’t a complete outsider, having won two World Cup bronze medals earlier that season, but certainly wasn’t the favourite to take the rainbow stripes. MYLES ROCKWELL, SIERRA NEVADA, 2000 It was the USA’s Myles Rockwell who finally put…

Mudguards are brilliant! We’re glad brands have persisted with developing them, because they continue to get better. We’re even thinking about strapping rear fenders on to keep our bums dry, but aren’t sure our eyes could handle it. A tough dilemma! The final race of the DH World Cup had us on the edge of our seats. Matt Walker pulled off an incredible performance to take the overall, but Greg Minnaar and Loïc Bruni put on one hell of a show. There may not have been a lot of racing this year, but what there was was bloody good! Speaking of racing, British riders seem to have quietly paused the French onslaught that’s seen them dominate international DH for the past few years. We now have a Scottish world champ…

Even though I grew up in Cornwall, I actually rode bikes before I surfed! Trips to Newnham Park in Plymouth for the World Cups and seeing Steve Peat race Shaun Palmer definitely got me stoked. It was on a trip to Australia that I picked up a camera and started snapping as a hobby, but soon afterwards I enrolled on an advanced media course at the local college and subsequently a foundation degree in action photography. While I learned about film photography early on, I transitioned into digital pretty quickly. Fellow Cornish pasty munchers Jay Williamson and Nathaniel Stephens became my go-to riders, which allowed me to progress my work steadily. I feel very fortunate to photograph bikes, work outdoors and travel, but equally, to call so many riders and…

Frame Carbon fibre, 140mm (5.5in) travel Fork RockShox Lyrik Ultimate, 150mm (5.9in) travel Shock RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate Drivetrain SRAM GX Eagle with SRAM Stylo 7K cranks (1x12) Wheelset Stan’s Flow S1 wheels, Maxxis Assegai 3C MaxxTerra TR EXO+ 27.5x2.5in WT (f) and Maxxis Minion DHR II 3C MaxxTerra TR EXO+ 27.5x2.4in WT (r) tyres Brakes SRAM Code RSC, 180mm rotors Bar/stem ANVL Mandrel 35, 800mm/ ANVL Swage, 40mm Seatpost/saddle OneUp Components 180mm dropper (medium)/ANVL Forge Weight 14.2kg (31.3lb), medium size without pedals…

HOW WE TEST THE KIT It starts with a detailed product check in the workshop. Next we hit the trails… hard! We test in real riding conditions, incorporating feedback from multiple testers, and don’t stop until we have the complete picture. WHY OUR TESTS ARE THE BEST! Our test team is made up of some of the most respected bike and kit testers in the world. We have unrivalled knowledge and experience, and spend a vast amount of time making sure we get it right. We tell you the truth and aren’t influenced by PR or advertisers. ABOUT OUR TEST TEAM Our technical-editor-in-chief, Rob Weaver, gets new products in as soon as they’re available and coordinates all the testing through our vastly experienced band of reviewers. Mavic Mistral Trail windproof…

JIMMER’S NUKEPROOF REACTOR 290 EXPERT £3,100 Our art editor wages war on winter! Embracing the wet weather has been easier than I thought this autumn. Weirdly, I’ve been looking forward to some shitty conditions, as much to mix up my riding as to keep me on my toes on my technical local trails, which aren’t kind to ditherers! Of course, good weatherproof kit helps, as does the knowledge that your bike is up to the job. Unusually for me, I haven’t changed anything on the Reactor all year, except for a carbon bar upgrade. I’ve stayed with the original Maxxis rubber – an Assegai up front and a Minion DHR II out back, which have proven to be an awesome combination. Spinning on 29in wheels, they’ve made the rooty…

Along with the frame and tyres, the fork has one of the biggest impacts on the performance of a mountain bike. Whether you’re thinking of upgrading or buying a whole new bike, the choice of suspension fork is an important one. One of the key things that affects performance is the spring. Air springs are most common. These are easily adjustable for different rider weights and styles, by adjusting the air pressure. However, most have a spring rate (that’s the stiffness, or the amount the spring force changes for every extra millimetre of travel) that’s higher at the beginning of the travel than in the middle, and then higher again at the end. This means they can feel stiff to get going, which compromises traction and sensitivity, yet often blow…

GLAZING NOT BLAZING  Q I’ve been having issues with my brake pads inexplicably glazing after just a month or so. They’re bona fide Shimano resin pads, fitted to Deore XT brakes, and it’s usually the front ones that are affected. I’m careful not to get lube or anything like that near them. Is there any way to resurrect them? There’s loads of pad material left. I’ve heard you can sand them or even bake them in the oven! Steven Wright, Cheshire A Brake pads glazing over (their braking surface becoming smooth and shiny) is generally due to excessive heat build-up. This then leads to poorer performance and squealing. As a short-term fix, we’ve had good results from sanding back glazed pads, and giving both pad and rotor a good clean.…

Route summary A multi-day ride taking in a wide variety of terrain that feels remote but passes through, and past, various towns, cities and villages, with a wealth of history and sights to see along the way Start/finish King Alfred statue, The Broadway, Winchester (grid ref SU 485/293, postcode SO23 9BE) DAY1 From Winchester, at the foot of the King Alfred statue in the centre of town, the route heads west, following ancient tracks and Roman roads to Salisbury. Follow the River Avon northwards to Amesbury and Stonehenge before skirting around the edge of Salisbury Plain and the Ministry of Defence area on the Imber Range Perimeter Path. The route then drops off the northern escarpment and passes through a few picturesque villages to arrive at Avebury. DAY2 Join the…

Route summary A steep and rocky route that provides a physically and technically challenging ride, best suited to experienced mountain bikers. Can be ridden when wet, but best (and safest) when dry Start/finish St John The Baptist car park (grid ref SX 740/838, postcode TQ13 8QZ) 1 Turn right out of the car park. Go right to the pub, then right again on a road that becomes a track. Make a right at the T-junction, then a left on a farm road/bridleway. Head left at the fork, past Peck Farm and up to a gate. Bear left slightly, along the hilltop. 2 Descend on a rocky track, then bear right before a gate, uphill. Keep left at the bridleway forks, then drop to a road and turn right. Keep bearing…

Locals do… Dust off the old hardtail for bigger boosts! Show courtesy about where they leave cars. Parking for both venues is in residential areas Get involved in the mates’ dual races that the Southampton Bike Park guys put on Locals don’t… Dig without permission. If you’re keen to swing a spade, get in touch first Disrespect the hard work of the trail builders at BPB by riding there in winter when it’s closed Jeopardise future access by being discourteous or dropping litter…