Innehållsförteckning för November 2023 från Mountain Biking UK

MEET THE TESTERS ROBIN WEAVER TECH EDITOR IN CHIEF With three decades of MTB experience, Rob can identify the kit that works RACHEL BENNET STAFF WRITER Rach hails from northern Scotland and has spent years riding rough tracks LUKE MARSHALL TECH WRITER Downhiller Luke is always looking for what saves time between the tape NICK CLARK BIKERADAR DIGI WRITER Nick’s based in North Wales and descends those peaks hard and fast ANDY LLOYD PHOTOGRAPHER Andy’s snapped away all day for years, and can tell what’s up to the task WILL POOLE WORKSHOP MANAGER When not prepping bikes in our workshop, Will’s out putting the miles in 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…

With Halloween looming, we reckoned that an atmospheric ride on a gloomy autumn evening would be a great way to make the most of the new season. And where better than out on the remote and wild terrain of Dartmoor? This is the largest area of open country in the South of England, providing rough, rugged and remote moorland landscapes. Over the years, there have been many strange sightings, unexplained deaths and tales of ghosts, witches, pixies and the Beast of Dartmoor. We decided to head out into this wild land at dusk and see how scared we could get, while naturally bagging a fun ride while we were at it. Dartmoor is still a popular haunt for walkers, riders and other outdoors types, despite the horror stories and myths…

GEE ATHERTON UTAH PODIUM THREAT? We caught up with Gee ahead of the mother of all freeride comps, Red Bull Rampage, to find out about his scariest moment – p12 KATIE CHARLTON REPS US ON THE RACE SCENE Fourteen-year-old Katie’s had a great start to her first season on the MBUK-backed GT Viris team. We check out her new GT Fury on p16 EMDAD RASHID BREAKING THE MTB MOULD In part two of our ‘Many faces of MTBing’ series we hit the trails with Emdad to see what it’s like being into mountain biking as a Muslim – p48 CHRIS SMITH WEST COUNTRY BIKE WIZARD How many different riding disciplines can you squeeze into one ‘XXXc’ loop? Only one way to find out! Chris gives it his best shot on…

After months of rumours, SRAM have launched their first e-bike motor. The Brose-built Powertrain drive unit is a big deal, not only because it could shake up the Bosch/Shimano hegemony, but because it contributes to a near-complete SRAM Group ‘ecosystem’, covering everything from gears and brakes to suspension (RockShox), wheels (Zipp), pedals (TIME) and finishing kit (Truvativ). The motor itself boasts 90Nm of peak torque and 680W of peak power, and is compatible with 630Wh and 720Wh batteries, with a 250Wh range extender available. It’s claimed to weigh 2.9kg. Combined with one of SRAM’s latest Eagle AXS Transmissions, it’ll automatically change gear for you, should you so wish, and also allow you to shift while coasting. That’s nothing we haven’t already seen from Shimano’s Deore XT Di2 drivetrains, of course,…

OUT FRONT We’ve spotted all kinds of things out on the trails, but never a reigning monarch! A trio of Scottish riders – Andrew McAvoy (aka @McTrailRider), Ben Jones (co-owner of Deviate Cycles) and Louise Haggarty – did just that recently when they bumped into King Charles. Their meeting has over 2.5 million views on YouTube. Congratulations to Britain’s Tom Pidcock for his win at the Mont-Sainte-Anne XCO World Cup in Canada. Also, to Evie Richards, who took her first victory of the season in Snowshoe, West Virginia, in the XCC. Meanwhile, in the DH, our issue 388 cover star Bernard Kerr took fifth place overall – good work! It was also great to see two Irish riders on the podium in Snowshoe, with Oisin O’Callaghan bagging his first Elite…

GOING DEEP ALL-IN-ONE LOOP STREET RIDING ON AN E-MTB IS DIFFERENT TO HITTING LINES ON MY JUMP BIKE BACK IN THE DAY I’m lucky enough to have some amazing riding right on my doorstep, which has kept me entertained for 25 years of two-wheeled fun. I have cross-country trails, bike parks, freeride spots, dirt jumps, trials riding and street locations just minutes from my front door. The one thing I don’t have is actual mountains, although the hills here are plenty big enough. In those 25 years, bikes have changed drastically. Back then, I had a downhill bike, a freeride bike, two XC bikes (one hardtail, one full-sus), a short-travel slopestyle bike, a dirt jump bike, a 24in-wheeled street trials bike and a 26in comp trials bike. Yep, my garage…

HALFORDS BIKE CLEANING SET £10 www.halfords.com SO GOOD… Stiffness of the metal cores is good, and the brushes can reach most places on a frame. The claw brush has decent versatility for helping to clean plenty of drivetrain parts. For the money, these will get the job done. NO GOOD… Without a large brush, it takes longer to clean a whole frame. Add the plastic handles, which feel cheaper and less comfortable than others here, and the fact the bristles aren’t very dense, and using this kit simply takes more effort. Also, it feels easy to hit the metal core of the brushes against the frame, potentially damaging the paint. MOBI 5 PIECE BIKE BRUSH SET £19.99 www.wiggle.com SO GOOD… Five brushes give you plenty of cleaning power…

JAMES COSTLEY-WHITE EDITOR I love night riding, but I’ll admit that the human-like sound of foxes screaming does freak me out a bit ROBIN WEAVER TECH EDITOR IN CHIEF Any time I manage to stay upright when riding at night is a win for me! JULIA BROUSSIER CREATIVE DESIGNER Animal eyeshine is creepy – and even more so when attached to the Forest of Dean’s wild boars CHRIS BARNARD PRODUCTION EDITOR Bikepacking on Dartmoor, trying to find somewhere to sleep and hearing the first peal of thunder rolling in RACHEL BENNET STAFF WRITER Ride at night? Are you mad! I can’t go 10 miles in daylight without picking up a wee injury!* * Rach was off for deadline and may not have actually said this, but should still take heed,…

OUT FRONT 1 Lifesystems hand warmer Whether you’re knocking on doors with chocolate-crazed kids or out on a long ride, this pocket-sized nugget of warmth should keep frozen fingers at bay. It has four heat settings and comes in two battery sizes, the largest of which should last for up to 12 hours. Plus, it’ll help you stay connected, as it doubles up as a power bank. From £26.99 www.lifesystems.co.uk 2 Fist Handwear Chapter 18 Skull socks More than just bare-bones socks, these are a treat for your feet with their ultra-soft cotton fabric, cushioned footbed and arch compression. Other lairy designs also available! £16.99 www.freewheel.co.uk 3 Fist Handwear Chapter 20 Lynx Lacey Slime youth gloves Youngsters will love the ghoulishly gooey-looking green graphics on these lightweight gloves, which are…

YOUR MAIL, PHOTOS, IDEAS & RANTS Write to: MBUK Send it! Eagle House, Bristol, BS1 4ST Email: mbuk@ourmedia.co.uk Visit: www.mbuk.com STAR LETTER WINS... Lezyne Pocket Torque Drive torque wrench & Alloy Drive (M) mini pump worth £105 THAT’S GOTTA HURT WINS... 661 Recon Advance knee pads (M) & Rail Classic gloves (L) worth £125 SHOT OF THE MONTH WINS... DMR OiOi saddle, Deathgrip (Thin) grips & V11 pedals worth £123 INSTA-BANGERS WINS... Lezyne Super Drive 1600XXL & KTV Pro Smart lights worth £160 STAR LETTER A PRO IN THE MAKING This is a photo of our son Jesse, who’s been a keen mountain biker since he was a toddler, and loves reading your magazine. Jesse was able to ride for 10 miles before he was six –…

Our trails are haunted by the horrors of single-use pollution, but this Halloween, Trash Free Trails are here to help you fight back. They’ve come up with a handy tear-out Trash Bandit Bingo sheet so you can tally up the rubbish you find and submit the details online (www.trashfreetrails.org/reportyourtrailclean). Not only will you be doing your bit for the planet, by helping the not-for-profit group compile their annual State of Our Trails Report, but it’s the perfect incentive to head out for a ride as the days get darker. You could even get into the spooky spirit of things and hit the trails in fancy dress! Whether you’re out on a witching-hour ride across the moors or hitting some monster jumps, it’ll only take seconds to take part.…

SARAH’S SANTA CRUZ BLUR XC C S £5,599 The miles are taking their toll on the Blur as multiple components need replacing at once At the time of writing, the Blur and I have covered almost 3,000km. Predictably, the chain and cassette, rear tyre and headset bearings are all making it known that their days are numbered. I’m pleasantly surprised by the SRAM DUB BB bearings, though, which are still running smoothly. Admittedly, I left it far too long before checking the SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain for wear, and by 2700km, the chain-wear tool showed 1.0. Thankfully, the friendly folk at SRAM sent me a new cassette and chain – in high-spec XX1 Eagle form, no less, and with a wireless GX Eagle AXS mech and shifter to go with…

Unless this is your first winter of mountain biking in the UK, you’ll have noticed that when the thermometer drops and all that wet stuff starts falling out of the sky, both trails and rider are likely to end up seriously damp, for months on end. Splashes coming up off tyres and precipitation falling from above can leave you cold and soaked, seriously impacting on your ability to have fun slipping and sliding around in the mud. If you want to ride year-round, a decent pair of riding ‘pants’ (an Americanism that’s stuck, as it helps differentiate form-fitting, motocross-style legwear from shapeless hiking-type trousers) is one of the best investments you can make to keep you drier and more comfortable. All nine pairs here are designed to keep you warm,…

TECH Q&A STORAGE HUNTER I’m trying to squeeze a couple of extra bikes into the garage now that my partner is getting into riding. I was looking at hooks on the wall or ceiling – is that OK? I have carbon fibre wheels on my Orbea Wild FS e-bike and don’t want to damage them! Luke, London Generally speaking, there’s no issue with hanging a bike by its front wheel between rides – and, as you’ve guessed, it can make better use of your space. If the hooks you buy have a rubberised or plastic coating, we can’t foresee any problem with using them with carbon rims. However, if they have a bare metal finish, we’d advise wrapping thick tape or similar around, to reduce the chance of them…