Innehållsförteckning för February 2021 från Mountain Biking UK

“The goal was to have perfect jumps and berms through an idyllic grass field, but that’s just not how it turned out. It was a huge mess, where we struggled to build in bad weather and had all sorts of other problems. In the end, we left a fun trail that can be used by other people to ride on, learn and enjoy, so that was cool. The Redhill guys were great and their hearts are in the right place, helping riders of all ages progress. It was 50 per cent of what I was hoping for, but we had great fun and got a brilliant edit from our short time filming.While the BERM2BERM idea may be done with, there are more big plans in the pipeline!”…

1 FINDRA Betty beanie Designed and knitted in Scotland, this British lambswool beanie is ideal whether you’re heading to the trailhead or the cafe. £35, www.findraclothing.com 2 Peregrine Porter ribbed beanie This classic fisherman-style beanie is just the ticket for chilling at the harbourside with a brew post-ride. £24, www.peregrineclothing.co.uk 3 Extremities Baslow beanie A chunky-knit beanie made from British wool with a fleece lining, ideal to warm you up after the epic-but-freezing descent back to the car park. £35, www.terra-nova.co.uk 4 BBCo Fistral beanie What’s better than pure British wool to keep your head cosy on a miserable winter’s day? You’ll get a lot of use out of this hardwearing hat. £30, www.bbcoheadwear.com 5 Silverstick Snowdon bobble hat Just the job for staying toasty when climbing Wales’s highest peak,…

“I suffer from generalised anxiety disorder, badly at times. Mountain biking helps get me outside and takes my negative thoughts away, even if for a short time. Seeing how people on social media, such as BKXC, inspired thousands to get out and ride, I wanted to do something similar. “Looking into Instagram, I noticed most big accounts were only posting and reposting crashes or famous riders. I saw a gap, which was to repost anyone who was mountain biking, in the hope it’d encourage them to keep riding and inspire others to start. “My background is in design and marketing, so I came up with a logo and name. The biggest challenge was getting people to find the Instagram account and tag it in their photos. Somehow it worked. I…

To claim you’ve “built the ultimate mountain bike” is a pretty bold statement, but that’s what ex-Nicolai rep Paul Aston says about his aluminium GeoMetron G1. Even though Paul no longer has any ties to the German brand, he maintains that his bike is as close to perfect as he’s found, albeit with some potential for improvement. “A high pivot and chain idler to improve the action of the suspension, and moving the derailleur from the rear wheel to the mainframe would make it better – but this is an industry-wide problem,” he explains. Don’t be fooled by the 210mm-travel, dual-crown Manitou Dorado fork – this isn’t a downhill rig, but a trail/enduro bike that’s been winched up mountains and undertaken 110km epics. The frame geometry is “as extreme as…

IT WAS EXHILARATING TO PUSH TO THE LIMITS OVER GNARLY, TECHNICAL, ROUGH AND STEEP TERRAIN, AND FELT LIKE IT HAD MORE THAN 135MM OF TRAVEL PACE RC295 ULTIMATE GX (2020) £3,999 Legendary UK brand’s first full-suspension bike for a decade Forever remembered for the iconic, square-tubed RC200 – one of the most lusted-after bikes of the ’90s – Pace have kept a low profile in recent years, focusing on building hardtails for the faithful. So the release of the RC295, not just their first full-sus for 10 years, but their debut carbon fibre bike too, came as a bit of a surprise. We’ve put it through its paces (sorry) to see whether it’s worthy of their long-standing reputation. The frame The RC295’s frame is built from hand-laid, unidirectional Toray carbon…

October 2020. Leogang, Austria. The World Champs. For the first time in 13 months, the best downhill racers in the world are all in one place and poised for the starting beeps, after a year turned on its head. In the mix are all the big names – Minnaar, Bruni, Hart, Gwin – all experienced, calculated and deadly fast. A shrewd gambler would never have put money on a wildcard Scotsman – with one podium and a few top-10s – to shake things up. But from the instant the first practice session got underway, it became apparent that this Brit was on a mission and possessed a greater capability for taming the brutal track conditions than anyone else. Pulling gaps that were sending most of the field floundering through the…

We were two days into our bikepacking trip across the scorching desert landscape of Moab, Utah, when a Native American man pulled up in his pickup. The first other human we’d seen, he took one look at us, then ordered us to show him our map and pointed the route to his secluded house. “When you get there, you’ll find water on the porch,” he said, introducing himself as Tom. “The door is open, so help yourself to Coke and beer from the fridge.” FIVE HOURS LATER WE FINALLY ARRIVED-SUNBURNT, EMACIATED AND WITH OUR BOTTLES ALMOST DRY We were so exhausted that the invitation didn’t seem real. But when, five hours later, we finally arrived at this homestead in the middle of nowhere – sunburnt, feeling emaciated by the waves…

LUKE’S CUBE STEREO 170 RACE 29 £2,999 Big wheels, big travel, big fun – 2021 looks like a big year for Luke! After spending last year on the Giant Reign 29 with its modest 146mm of rear wheel travel, I’m excited to be riding the Cube Stereo 170 for 2021, which pumps out a more enduro-friendly 170mm. It’s a burly bike built for hard thrashing on rough descents, which just so happens to be my favourite type of riding. The spec on this shop-stocked bike is impressive for the price and rivals many direct-sales brands. It’s fitted with a Performance-grade Fox 38 fork and Float X2 shock, a SRAM GX Eagle 12-speed drivetrain (with NX shifter downgrade), Newmen Evolution SL A.30 wheels, Magura MT5 brakes and a cockpit from…

BODY-MAPPING The body heats up and perspires more in some areas than others, and this also varies between menandwomen.Using this knowledge, manufacturers can make the fabric thicker/thinner, or vary its properties, in certain areas to aid comfort. MERINO WOOL With its odour-preventing properties and great comfort and warmth, merino is superb for insulation. It holds more moisture than synthetics, but stays warm even when wet.Itis,however,more expensive, less durable and slower to dry. ODOUR PREVENTION Synthetic fabrics build up bacteria that stink when warm, so brands have come up with treatments such as Polygiene to prevent this. That said, we haven’t tried one that’s lasted more than a few dozen washes. SYNTHETIC Synthetic baselayers, generally made from polyester, are excellent at absorbing moisture, quick to dry and very durable. They develop…

Sintered Made of a mixture of metallic particles pressed together, these offer a longer lifespan and better performance in wet, gritty conditions then organic pads. They also conduct heat away from the braking surface more readily and so tend to fade less on long descents. However, they can be noisy, and provide less power when cold. Semi-metallic A compromise between sintered and organic pads, made from both metallic and organic materials. The initial bite is better and the power more predictable than with sintered pads, but the lifespan and wet-weather performance are better than with organic pads. Organic Organic brake pads are generally made up of Kevlar, rubber and silica, bound together with resin. They’re relatively soft, bed in quickly, remain quiet and provide excellent initial bite, especially at low…

Route summary This ride takes in some big climbs but repays your efforts with fast, rocky descents and stunning views Start/finish Dunster car park (postcode TA24 6SE, grid ref SS 993/439) 1 Head left into Dunster. After the traffic lights, turn right on St George’s Street. Bear right and climb past the school. At the edge of the village, go left on a bridleway by Hanger’s Way, then climb into the trees and fork left, keeping straight ahead. This becomes the Macmillan Way West (MWW). 2 Ride over the top and, after a bridleway crosses the track, fork right. Start to descend and fork left towards Tivington, then go right on the road and fork right soon after. Follow the narrow road uphill, cross the A39 and keep right at…

Route summary A great ride across the wild, remote hillside of Applecross Peninsula, providing an easy-to-navigate route and a visit to a superb pub on the coast at the far side. Take the long scenic road back or return the same way you came Start/finish Kenmore roadside parking (nearest postcode IV54 8XH, grid ref NG 754/577) 1 The route begins opposite the roadside parking. Head through the gate, passing close to the bushes and trees, and descending slightly. Next is a long, gradual climb, leaving the vegetation behind. There’s only the one trail, so follow it past Loch Gaineamhach on your right-hand side. 2 As you head around the base of a peak, Croic-bheinn, ignore a faint trail to the left and continue across to the base of another peak,…

BLACK ROUTE, LAGGAN In the midst of the Scottish Highlands, Laggan is a trail centre with a really wild feel, full of rock sections, slab rollers and breathtaking views. The Black Route, a 3.7km diversion off the red trail, has the key ingredient many manmade tech trails miss – of being hard, but really flowy if you get it right. www.lagganforest.com TARW DU, COED Y BRENIN This was the first MTB-specific trail in the UK. Don’t think old means easy though, as the Black Bull is still a tough challenge. Mixing flowing berms with rock-paved descents and turns, it’s a boneshaker, but in the best way, and the tough surface makes it a solid all-weather option. www.mbwales.com VALHALLA, GAWTON Gawton Gravity Hub is an awesome little bike park built on…

What a ride 2020 was. I said to myself that I wasn’t going to talk about it, but I must. To cap the year off, I contracted the dreaded COVID-19! I was lucky enough to get loads of trips in despite the endless travel restrictions, but it finally got me on my last journey of the year. My positive test confirmed what I’d already suspected. Thankfully I got away with a couple of days of feeling feverish and not being able to taste food. My thoughts go out to those who’ve had a much worse time of it than me. Strangely, my girlfriend, who lives with me, somehow managed to avoid catching it. I can’t wait for the world to reopen so I can continue my quest to find the…

1. FUNDRAISING “Working with mental health organisation No Panic, we organise raffles and sell T-shirts (see www.totalmtb. co.uk), from which they get all the profits. They’ll receive £3 for every 2021 TotalMTB jersey bought, too. We also fundraise for a South Wales project where unused bikes are given some TLC and donated to kids (and some adults) in need. Plus, we’ve brought out an eco tee for Forestry England. We hope to hit £5,000 raised for charities and non-profits soon.” 2. WORKING WITH SHOPS AND BRANDS “We’ve organised and participated in a few social rides, and are trying to collaborate with shops and brands around the country to organise more (#LetsAllRide), so we can get more people out on their bikes. Ideally, we’d like most people in the UK to…

STAR LETTER PEDAL BY PEDAL I got back into MTBing after a 12-year break, which included starting a family, moving to Switzerland and picking up a few unhealthy habits along the way. After a diagnosis of high blood pressure due to booze ’n’ cigs and being a bit overweight, I decided to ditch the bad stuff and buy a bike. Mountain biking has moved on considerably since I last rode – and read MBUK – backin 2008, with different wheel sizes, geometry changes, dropper posts, single chainrings and huge price tags! I picked up a cheap full-sus with some branded parts I remembered from the old days and hit the trails around my home, with the idea that if I hated it I hadn’t lost much, and if I loved…

Frame Carbon fibre, 165mm (6.5in) travel Fork Fox 38 Float Factory GRIP2 E-Bike, 170mm (6.7in) travel Shock Fox Float X2 Factory Drivetrain Shimano E8000 motor with custom 540Wh battery, Shimano Deore XT gearing with e*thirteen chain guide (1x12) Wheelset Crankbrothers Synthesis E1 wheels, Maxxis Assegai EXO 29x2.5in (f) and Maxxis Minion DHR II EXO+ 27.5x2.8in (r) tyres Brakes SRAM Code RSC Bar/stem Renthal Fatbar 35, 800mm/ Renthal Apex 35, 50mm Seatpost/saddle Fox Transfer Factory dropper/SDG Radar MTN Weight: 22.9kg (50.5lb), large size without pedals…

Fort William For close to two decades the slopes of Aonach Mor have seen the world’s best racers come to do battle on a track that’s as arm-pounding and bike-beating as it is dramatic. With the exception of race weekends, the gondola is open to the public all summer, so you can pit yourself against the same hallowed ground that’s seen the likes of Peaty, Minnaar and Atherton crowned champions. Just don’t expect to get down the hill quite as quickly as that lot. www.nevisrange.co.uk Glencoe Besides Fort William, Glencoe is the only place in the UK where you can jump on a chairlift to ride downhill. It may be smaller-scale and lesser-known than its big brother up the road, but the trails here are no less fearsome – in…

ROB WEAVER With two decades of riding experience, Rob knows nows what works and what doesn’t TOM MARVIN Riding anything up to five days a week means Tom has plenty of time to hammer test kit JAMES COSTLEY-WHITE MBUK’s editor has 27 years of riding experience and an eye for the details that matter LUKE MARSHALL Keen racer Luke is quick to identify what helps or is a hindrance between the tape JAMES BLACKWELL Jimmer likes to ride as fast as he talks, so he knows the right tools for the job RUSSELL BURTON Long days outdoors mean photographer Russ needs kit that won’t let him down…

NECK A standard crew neck is the default for baselayers, but take a moment to consider a zip neck instead. These give a smidgen of versatility to help withventilation,soare worth it if you tend to overheat easily. SLEEVES Summer baselayers are generally short-sleeved, and winter long-sleeved. But in the UK with our variable weather, we often ÿnd ourselves in long sleeves in summer, rolling them up when needed. You can also opt for a vest for wicking without retaining heat when the sun’s really beating down. FIT Baselayer fabric is nothing without a good, close ÿt. You need it to be touching your skin to be effective, so always choose a body-hugging cut. The stretchier, the better. We’ve indicated whether each baselayer is designed for the male form (‘Men’), has…

DOESN’T MESH WELL Q Can you recommend some knee pads that don’t have that thin mesh on the back of the knee? When I’m pushing my bike up hills, my flat pedals keep catching and tearing the mesh – I need something more hardwearing! Brian Topham, Dorset A We’ve got a couple of suggestions. If you want a fair amount of protection, have a look at the 7iDP Project pads (£110), which won the Most Wanted award in our last knee pad grouptest (MBUK 385). They’ve got a thicker woven fabric behind the knee, as well as a cut-out for ventilation. If you’re after something slightly smaller, we gave Sweet Protection’s knee pads (£89.99; not to be confused with their £59.99 knee guards) top marks in MBUK 386 for their…

We’re keen to stretch our legs with a challenging ride in an inspiring landscape, as a break from slogging around the local trails. I’ve always enjoyed riding in the Quantock Hills, which are just east of here and closer to the M5, but Exmoor is like their big brother, filled with rugged open moorland punctuated by wooded combes and steep rocky hills. It also has some great winter-proof trails and more cafes for much-needed sustenance. Named after the River Exe, this National Park is a former royal hunting ground. Now much of it is owned and managed by the National Trust, who work hard to provide excellent access to the outdoors for everyone to enjoy it, and have created a number of permissive tracks here. Of course, as a designated…

Route summary A great escape from the urban hustle and bustle, without leaving London. This route may not offer technical riding, but the all-weather trails, open land, woodland and freely-wandering deer provide a brilliant break from the metropolis Start/finish Wimbledon Windmill car park (postcode SW19 5NQ, grid ref TQ 230/725) 1 Exit the car park and turn right (at the long grassy island), keeping ahead past a green barrier, then leaving the tarmac onto a gravelled track. Keep right at the fork, ignoring the Sustrans cycle path to the left, and continue along this main track. Follow it as it bears right, to another grassy island, and keep right, past a house and small parking area, to join a dirt track into the trees (known as ‘Robin Hood Road’). 2…

Filmed not far from MBUK’s Bristol HQ and featuring a trio of top UK riders, the fourth episode of Brendan Fairclough’s A Dog’s Life series is an impressive showcase of skill and style – check it out on YouTube if you haven’t already. However, things didn’t exactly go according to plan behind the scenes. Brendog’s concept for the video, BERM2BERM, sounded fairly simple – to build a track where riders could jump from one feature to the next, and from corner to corner, without their wheels ever touching the grass that the jumps and berms were built on. It was born from a similar idea planned for his Deathgrip movie in 2015.When that attempt ended up being a bit of a disaster and never came to fruition, Brendan was determined…

We don’t think we’ve ever ridden so much over Christmas! It turns out that there are advantages to contact with friends and relatives being limited. Mudguards and waterproofs are so much better these days that riding in the wet is no chore at all (although we still hate having to clean our bikes after every ride!) – and there’s nothing that’s quite as much childish fun as smashing your back wheel into a puddle to soak a mate! Our navigationally-challenged production editor Chris hasn’t got lost for at least two months… …but only because his new long-term bike hasn’t turned up yet. Fingers crossed that the last couple will be here soon. We may have ridden lots, but we’re still working off those “just one more…” pigs-in-blankets, not to mention…

When things go wrong, you can always rely on your friends to make the best of a bad situation and keep things light-hearted! “This is me (left), after getting the landing badly wrong on a jump in Wales,” explains Gary Ebeling. “The photo was taken while I was in a concussed state, and was supposed to allay the fears of my wife. It failed… massively. While my friends ended up with an amusing selfie, I unfortunately ended up with a cracked C2 vertebra, broken collarbone, three broken ribs and a punctured lung – all on the day before my birthday, as well. What a great present to myself! I’ll be honest, I’ve had better days riding, but I’m glad to be mended and back out on the bike again.”…

SCOTT RANSOM ERIDE 910 £6,299 Future king of e-nduro? Scott have taken their big-hitting enduro rig, the Ransom, and developed a pedal-assist version – the Ransom eRIDE – to compete in the growing long-travel e-bike category. With a monstrous 180mm of squish front and rear, we’re willing to bet there aren’t many situations this 29er can’t handle. It uses Bosch’s Performance Line CX drive unit and a 625Wh battery, integrated into an aluminium frame. On this 910 model, you get a Fox 38 Performance Elite fork, Float X2 Performance air shock and Transfer dropper, plus SRAM Eagle gearing (an NX shifter and chain, GX cassette and X01 mech), Shimano XT four-pot brakes, 2.6in Maxxis 3C EXO+ tyres and in-house Syncros kit. The geometry looks pretty sorted too (64-degree head angle,…

1 Don’t get cold My first tip is to try to stay as warm and dry as possible. You’re not going to have much fun or be able to stay out in the mud that long if you get freezing cold and wet. Good-quality clothes are key – a breathable waterproof jacket and trousers, and thicker-backed gloves that still allow you to feel the bar. Glasses or goggles and a mudguard with good coverage are absolute essentials, too. Editor’s note: For help deciding what to buy, check out our recent head-to-head tests of jackets (MBUK 388), trousers (390), gloves (388) and goggles (p77). 2 Mind the brakes Spotting your braking zones and deciding where you’re going to brake is much more important in the wet. If your brakes are on,…

Scotty planned his trip using the route-finding app komoot. You can find this ride in his Cairngorms Collection – scan the QR code below with your phone to view and follow it.  Here are his tips for using the app: • Select ‘mountain biking’ as your sport. This customises the map to show the Highlights and Segments that you’ll want to ride • Use the Highlights and any suggested tips from other users. Komoot is community-based and using others’ suggestions can help you plan a route or let you know sections to avoid. • Move waypoints around and look at the waytypes and surfaces to find the best terrain for your ride. I’m looking to be on singletrack as much as possible.…

Smith Squad XL MTB £90 SO GOOD… These use foam that’s particularly comfy, even once saturated. The cutout in the nose piece and the fairly flat and malleable frame ensure breathing isn’t constricted. There’s a good field of vision and fantastic optics on the clear and tinted lenses included. They fitted well in our Giro Switchblade test lid. The anti-fog tech works brilliantly. NO GOOD… Open, meshless top vents let moisture from your helmet drip onto the inside of the lens, obscuring vision. When swapping lenses, it’s hard to locate the tabs in the frame. The Squad XLs struggled to fill out a Bell Full 9 DH helmet. www.smithoptics.eu Fox Vue £105 SO GOOD… The Fox goggles fit snugly and comfortably, not pinching your nose or moving on rough terrain.…

As the name suggests, the baselayer is one of the staples of your layering system, so you really want to get it right. Far more than just a stretchy top to keep you warm, it’s a moisture-management layer that wicks sweat away from your skin to leave you drier, warmer and therefore more comfortable. In fact, like a puppy isn’t just for Christmas, baselayers aren’t just for the winter months. A thin layer worn in summer will transport your sweat to the surface far more efficiently than, for example, a cotton top and will actually keep you cooler as a result of increased evaporation. In winter you still want that wicking effect, but with a little more insulation to keep you warm as well. There’s a huge range of options…

“WITH A TERRIFIC FIT AND VERY CAPABLE FABRICS, THE CHRONO IS IDEAL FOR MOUNTAIN BIKING’S MIX OF HIGH AND LOW EXERCISE INTENSITIES” Giro Chrono £54.99 Straight out of its box there was a great deal of doubt as to whether the Giro top would fit any of us – it looked tiny. But, as testament to the stretch of the fabric, not only did it fit but it was supremely comfortable and warm into the bargain. The body-hugging cut prevents any sweaty and clammy patches, while the seamless torso means there’s no irritating stitching to cause hotspots when worn under bib shorts or backpacks. The more we wore it, the more we loved it as a terrific all-rounder. It’s not too hot and not too cool, and that’s the primary…

1 Pop the bike in a workstand and remove the wheel. If the old pads are worn out, the brake’s pistons will be extended, making them easy to clean. This can boost braking power and lever feel. If you wish to skip this stage, jump ahead to step 5. 2 Remove the safety clip and use the correct size Allen key to unscrew the pad retaining pin (anticlockwise). Or with Shimano brakes, pinch the split pin with pliers and slide it out. Squeeze the pads together and remove them from the brake calliper. 3 Spray the pistons with isopropyl alcohol, then gently clean them with cotton buds. You can then lightly coat the pistons with a drop of the same hydraulic fluid your brakes use or some silicone lubricant, applied…

In Dunster, Castle Coffee House have a broad menu to suit all tastes and hot meals made with Exmoor beef on Sundays. They’ve also got a garden and patio, and an alcohol license. For a hearty post-ride meal and local ale, the 14th-century Luttrell Arms has welcoming bar rooms with roaring fires in winter. On the route, the Horner Tea Gardens are highly recommended. The staff are legends, the food is great quality and you can enjoy homemade cakes, sandwiches, hot and cold drinks, light lunches and cream teas in a lovely garden setting.…

Route summary This ride has a couple of big climbs and some hard tracks to keep you warm and moving. There’s also a nice cafe at the end to reward yourself for getting out Start/finish Carding Mill Valley car park (postcode SY6 6JG, grid ref SO 448/943) 1 Join the track opposite the coach parking area, which heads south-east up the (steep) side of the valley. At the top, turn right on the road (Bur Way) and continue uphill. You’re probably best off ignoring the bridleway to the side of the road, and just grinding it out on the tarmac. There’s a short off-road section when the gradient eases off, to the left between the small wooden posts, then you’ll rejoin the road soon after. 2 At the fork, go…