Innehållsförteckning för March 2025 från Mountain Biking UK

We’re bringing you a combination of the cutting-edge and the old-school this issue. The former includes a buyer’s guide to ¾-shell helmets – which I still haven’t got used to the look of, but are very tempting right now, given how cold my ears got on my last ride – plus a test of two e-bikes that are shaking up the status quo, along with a report on the emerging MTB scene in Sweden. At the opposite end of the spectrum, we detail some natural navigation techniques that could get you home safely if modern tech fails, catch up with former MBUK staffer Andrew ‘Doddy’ Dodd for some fun tales from the past of the mag and, sadly, pay tribute to stunt rider Jez Avery, who died this January. Jez…

Sometimes described as ‘the British Hans Rey’, Jez Avery was one of the original characters of the UK MTB scene and helped pioneer 26in-wheeled trials riding on these shores. Hailing from Sunderland, his love for two wheels began in the 1980s with BMX, where his technical skill and performance flair quickly set him apart. As mountain biking emerged in the late ’80s and early ’90s, he transitioned seamlessly to bigger wheels, becoming a driving force in the sport’s evolution in the UK. Jez was a founding member of the legendary Hot Pies! MTB team, alongside Paul Wilson and Graeme Matthews, and later raced for Offroad-Daihatsu Proflex. During this time, he claimed three Dual Slalom National Championship titles, cementing his reputation as one of the most skilled riders of his era.…

As I strain my easiest gear against the gradient for all I’m worth, just about holding my front wheel on the ground, I try my best to stay vaguely composed. It’s just before Christmas, so it’s relatively cool up in these wild and wonderful – yet mysteriously foreboding – borderland mountains. As I grapple past two bewildered Akha hilltribe women, I crack the chilly air with a smile and a pidgin Thai statement that I need an engine. Sure enough, grins and chuckles follow – yet another preconception bunnyhopped over on this journey. Dois ‘R’ Us Many years ago, I lived just down the road from this doi (mountain) and climbed it several times. But an analogue-era lack of mapping apps plus mutterings about the area’s dangerous past kept me…

£129.99 https://saddleback.co.uk The Drift Windbreaker is designed to be whipped out of your pack and worn in the event the weather takes a turn for the worse, when out in the hills. It comes in five sizes (S-XXL) and is made from a ripstop fabric, coated in a Teflon EcoElite finish, to help keep the rain out as much as possible. At the rear, the jacket drops down low to protect your backside from rear-wheel spray, and the hem is fully adjustable so you can ensure it fits nice and snugly. The high collar helps provide a little more protection against the elements and doesn’t droop down too much, and there’s also a hood that’ll fit under a helmet and can be adjusted. Despite the minimal design, TLD include a…

“WINTER CAN BE A REAL DRAG, AND THE BEST WAY TO GET AROUND FEELING DOWN IS TO GET out ON YOUR BIKE” Hurtling downhill, all Tom can see is the trail stretching out in front of him, and Rob’s rapidly diminishing figure disappearing into the darkness ahead. The trees on either side are a swathe of black, he can’t see the backside of any of the rollers he’s hitting and he really wishes he’d put a few more psi in his tyres as he scythes through the berms. Meanwhile, Rob is merrily sending jumps and popping manuals. They’re both whooping and hollering with exhilaration (or maybe, in Rob’s case, it’s to keep the ghosts at bay). “I mainly just keep forgetting that when I put my front wheel in the…

The pace at which e-bike technology has progressed is astounding. While early e-MTBs were novel and fun to ride, their quirky geometry and untameable levels of power kept them very much a sideshow for most, largely down to their downhill performance. Fast forward 10 years and we’re in a dramatically different place. Better battery and motor integration has led to improved proportions and handling on the trail, plus you can now ride much further thanks to bigger battery capacities. Despite increases in torque and power, the way in which the assistance is delivered is far more natural on the latest bikes. It’s no wonder then, that the trails are flooded with e-MTBs. But what’s next for the category? While it’s hard to say for sure, the two bikes on test…

£199.99 www.endurasport.com Bib-style trousers, dungarees or whatever you want to call them are now the go-to for wet-weather riding, and for good reason. They offer more coverage and protection than standard pants, and these ones from Endura also have some really useful features that help make them easy to live with. They’re made from the brand’s ExoShell30 DR fabric, which is said to be highly breathable, but also waterproof, durable and tough. There are two elasticated, adjustable shoulder straps to keep them in place, along with a long zipped opening at the front, the lower half of which is covered with a poppered storm flap. Two Velcro tabs at the waist can be cinched in for a more figure-hugging fit. There are also Velcro tabs down at the ankle cuffs,…

Whether you’re a beginner or an expert rider, at some point you’re going to want to buy a new bike. This is a big investment, so you need to get it right, but finding exactly the right bike for your needs, budget and body can be quite complicated. Follow our tips to make sure you end up with a sterling steed, not a rubbish ride. 1 MESSING UP THE SIZING The biggest error you can make is to get the wrong size bike. A frame that’s too small won’t fit your body dimensions well. It’ll feel cramped when you’re stood on the pedals, because the reach (the horizontal distance from the centre of the bottom bracket to the centre-top of the head tube) will be too short. Another telltale sign…

Self-professed mountain biking super-fan Andrew Dodd has done all sorts during his career, from TV and YouTube presenting to his current role as global brand communications manager for Mondraker Bikes. But it all started in the pages of this mag, back in the late 1990s. We had a nice long chat with him for the MBUK podcast, during which we covered all sorts of topics – including how it all began for him. “My dad’s friend who he played badminton with gave me a carrier bag of [MBUK] mags, back to #1, which I still have,” recalls Doddy. “I was hooked and I was like, ‘I’m gonna work there at some point!’. Eventually, I got work experience, in ’99. I was building wheels and doing useful stuff, and got kind…

SWEDEN'S DALARNA REGION is known for its colourful wooden horse statues and red-painted houses, but it’s also home to two mountain biking greats, 2016 Olympic cross-country champion Jenny Rissveds and freeride legend Martin Söderström, who’ve helped build a thriving riding scene here. With just five days to explore the area, my host Andreas, from Biking Dalarna, was keen to show me the diverse riding on offer in its towering mountains, enchanting forests and rolling hills, making for a fast-paced adventure of discovery. We rode through XC dream forests at Lugnet in Falun, soared down manmade flow trails at Idre Fjäll Bikepark and tackled natural paths through Bjursås’s magical forests. Orsa Grönklitt wowed me with family-friendly trails and sweeping vistas, while Rörbäcksnäs offered rugged singletrack half-reclaimed by the wild. Each destination brought…

£148.99 www.deitycomponents.com These pedals are designed to offer maximum grip and support for riders who aren’t keen on clipping in. At 113x105mm, the platform is sizeable, with even more length than some of our favourite flats, the TMACs (also made by Deity). In fact, the Supervillains are some of the biggest pedals on the market. Huge cutaways within the extruded and CNC-machined 6061-T6 alloy platform help to shed mud when its claggy out, while the 14 pins per side are designed to dig into your shoes. Relatively thin and 4mm long, these grubscrew-like pins are decently aggressive. They can, in theory, be accessed from either side of the pedal. However, once you’ve installed one side, you can’t access the rear of the pins on the reverse side, so if you…

WALKTHROUGH IMPROVE BRAKING PERFORMANCE FOR FREE Our workshop manager Will Soffe explains how to optimise and maintain your stoppers 1 First, adjust the angle of the brake lever on the handlebar. Loosen the lever clamp, using the correct hex or Torx key (some Shimano levers also require you to release a safety pin, by inserting a pick into the hole on the side of the clamp). Rotate the lever around the bar until you achieve a comfortable wrist and finger position with your forefinger on the lever blade in your normal riding position. Retighten to the manufacturer’s specified torque setting. 2 Many levers offer reach adjustment. This sets how far the lever blade sits from the bar, so that you can hold your hand in the most comfortable position before you…