The latest issue of MBR is out now, packed full of inspiring ideas and routes to help you find new places to get out and ride.

What about the magazine itself? Here’s a taste of what you’ll find inside…

On the Cover

Time for our annual enduro bike showdown. Alan Muldoon testing the Pivot Firebird 29 shot by Roo Fowler.

Best of British

Outdoor equipment shop Alpkit wanted to build on its reputation for durability and affordability when it pitched its tent in the bike market. We go behind the scenes with sub-brand Sonder to find out more about this unusual move.

First Rides

After a long wait and a bit of a stutter, Shimano is well and truly back in the groupset game with its new XT M8100. We’ve been riding it through the worst of the winter to see how it bears up. Plus, first rides on the 2020 Specialized Turbo Levo Expert Carbon, the Orange Switch 6 RS mullet bike and Cotic’s latest FlareMax.

Longtermers

Scott’s women-specific Contessa Ransom has arrived for Laura, and guess what, it’s pink. Meanwhile, Benji is singing the praises of his Nukeproof, Ben 2 is running out of adjectives to describe his NS Synonym and Ben 3 has been puzzling with the headset on his Canyon. Also, Jamie waves goodbye to his quirky Marin Mount Vision.

Product

SRAM’s revamped G2 Ultimate brake reviewed, along with Endura’s wet weather onesie, WTB’s Verdict Wet tyre and a waterproof sock. You’d never know we were in the middle of the wettest winter in years, would you?

Mudguards

Shot-blasting your eyeballs on a wet ride is, unsurprisingly, best avoided. Time then to invest in a decent mudguard, and with 12 top models rated, this test literally has you covered.

Enduro 29ers

Not only did Specialized have the good fortune to first adopt the word Enduro for a range of bikes, it also had the foresight to develop one of the first long-travel 29ers. Does that headstart give its latest model the edge in this hotly contested market? Pivot and Giant certainly don’t think so.

Bikes in this Issue

• Canyon Strive CF 8.0
• Cotic FlareMax Gold
• Cube Stereo 170 Race
• Giant Reign Advanced Pro 29
• Marin Mount Vision 8
• Norco Sight C NX12 VLT
• NS Synonym TR 2
• Nukeproof Reactor 290C Elite
• Orange Switch 6 RS
• Pace RC295
• Pivot Firebird 29 Pro
• Scott Contessa Ransom 910
• Specialized S-Works Endur
• Specialized Turbo Levo Expert Carbon

Buzz Get Started

We sit down for a candid interview with top racer Tahnée Seagrave, and give you some tips on working with internal cable routing.

Skills: car park skills

Part 2 of our campaign to get you losing your inhibitions in deserted car parks. No, nothing to do with dogging, but everything to do with learning new tricks, developing your balance and coordination and, eventually, translating those techniques back to the trails.

Buzz Intro

Pace Cycles stunned the mountain bike world back in the late ‘80s with its radical RC100. Now it’s back in the full-suspension game with a carbon 29er that boasts progressive geometry and a competitive price.

Mailbox

Your rants, raves and witty ripostes.

Your Trails

The other Dan Milner chooses his favourite trail. This one’s a good one; Dan’s been to most of the world’s weird and wonderful places.

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