The Trek Fuel EXe launched last year and promised to be one of the best e-bikes around. A whisper-quiet motor, great suspension and damping and one of the most natural-feeling…
Jamie Darlow
Front Section Editor
2024 MTB gift guide: the most exciting, useful and inspiring Christmas gifts for any mountain biker
Here are solid ideas for gifts for the mountain biker in your life. Every budget and every type of mountain biker is catered for in this little lot.
I’ve tested kit for two decades but this is the stuff I choose to wear on a mountain bike ride… and it’s on sale for Black Friday
This riding kit is all top drawer stuff, by which I mean it’s so good I’m either wearing it, washing it or packing it into my gear bag. I’ve tested…
I’ve scoured the Black Friday deals for my all-time favourite tyres: five of them are on sale right now, and in the best compounds and casing options
I think of mountain bike tyres as expendable: to get the best grip, comfort and control those little rubbery lugs are going to take a beating, and I’m happy to…
After four kids I know what makes a great balance bike, and there’s nothing out there to match the Kids Ride Shotgun Dirt Hero for off-road riding
Kids Ride Shotgun started out with a great idea, take the traditional toddler bike seat and fit it up front and onto the top tube. And just like that you…
Coed y Brenin cafe will close on March 31 2025, with NRW accused of dragging its heels on finding a new lease
Coed y Brenin and Bwlch Nant yr Arian will close their cafes as soon as April 2025, with the last bacon butty served up to hungry mountain bikers on March…
Atherton’s first “super durable” alloy trail bike gets 150mm travel, costs £4,500 and is bonded not welded together for superior strength
There’s a new Atherton bike out, called the S.150 it’s made from aluminium, gets 150mm travel and is the most affordable bike yet from the Machynlleth brand… although at £4,499…
Best mountain bike shock pumps, digital and analogue: get your suspension dialled
A shock pump is a must-have item for for setting up modern mountain bikes. With it you can unlock the perfect suspension response for your bike and access all the…
Coed y Brenin visitor centre closure: “We need people to get angry about this”
Coed y Brenin must become a community run trail centre with a new “vision for the future”, or accept trail closures and a slide to irrelevance. That’s the view of…
I’ve used every tubeless sealant out there but Muc-Off’s No Puncture gunk works best… and it’s on sale right now with 29% off
Black Friday is a good excuse to splurge on stuff you don’t really need, but you’d really love to use. It’s more useful than that though, it’s a good time…
Gee Atherton’s latest Ridgeline edit is so gnarly he’s resorted to flat pedals… watch if you dare
Gee Atherton’s at it again, risking his life riding an impossibly steep and spiky ridge in a far-flung destination: this time in Kazakhstan. Naturally then it’s an irresistible watch, albeit…
The UK’s trails are officially harder than the rest of Europe’s, according to the first ever State of Our Trails Report… and we want more
It’s official, the UK has gnarlier trails than the continent, with a greater percentage of black and red-graded tracks than France, Spain and Italy or even Switzerland. That’s according to…
Five Ten’s Freerider Pro is on sale for a ridiculous £39!… get there quick
The Five Ten Freerider Pro is my absolute favourite riding shoe. I trust it to stick my foot to the pedal even in the roughest or wettest conditions, and as…
Trek’s Blaze WaveCel with removable side protection is a triumph of design and technology, I only wish my ears were smaller
The Blaze is Trek’s newest mountain bike helmet, it is packed out with features and technology that go some way to explaining, or perhaps excusing, its high price. Most obviously,…
England and Wales have been left behind in the race for trail access, with Scotland now boasting over 5,000km of singletrack, according to a groundbreaking new study
Scotland has nearly as many kilometres of singletrack as England and Wales combined thanks largely to its liberal land access laws, mountainous landscape and low population density, according to a…
From the Lake District to the Quantocks, here are 12 must-ride natural trails that hold up all winter long
If you want to get some good riding in this winter, don’t limit yourself to trail centres — there are plenty of natural winter routes out there too.
Merida’s two new e-bikes are night and day: a super heavyweight with full power, and a lightweight SL with Bosch SX
Merida has two new e-bikes out, one is just about the biggest hitting full power behemoth of a bike you’ll ever see, while the second is a true SL designed…
Cotic’s new Rocket e-bike is ultra expensive, and gets a lowly 418Wh external battery, but Cotic says it has a “gorgeous ride feel”
Cotic’s first ever e-bike is called the Rocket, as you’d expect from this famous ferrous brand it’s made from steel with an alloy back end, but rather unexpectedly it’s got…
Will Brendan Fairclough ever ride Red Bull Rampage again? Not likely, on the strength of these comments
Brendan Fairclough won’t be at Red Bull Rampage in 2025, after revealing just how “gutted and butt-hurt” he is about finishing in 11th place at this year’s event, his worst…
Why Innerleithen’s mountain bike centre won’t now be housed in a renovated textile mill
Innerleithen’s promised mountain bike innovation centre will not now be housed inside a renovated textile mill, after its costs ballooned. A redeveloped Caerlee Mill had been the preferred site for…