My bike of the year is an odd choice, given how badly it scored in our latest review. The Trek Fuel EXe 9.7 managed to…
Opinion
I’ve tested dozens of e-bikes but none of them will ever thrill me like this regular pedal-powered MTB, and it’s my Bike of the Year 2024
It’s been coming for a long time, but 2024 was the year e-bikes steamrollered normal, analogue mountain bikes. Leading brands pumped more energy into the…
E-biking is one of the fastest growing sports in the world according to Garmin data, with e-MTB rides surging 18% in 2024
E-biking is one of the fastest growing outdoor activities in the world according to data from Garmin, which reckons the number of completed mountain bike…
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…
Downhill racing shows “brilliance, and moments when I’m bored watching,” says World Cup’s Greg Williamson
For the best part of 30 years, Will Longden has been involved in downhill racing. Starting as top rider himself, he progressed on to managing…
The Santa Cruz Vala has to be the biggest u-turn in mountain biking. Well, since the Heckler…
The recently released Santa Cruz Vala broke new ground for the boutique California brand in a couple of ways. For starters it’s the first design…
Being there in person made me understand why Red Bull Rampage is the most terrifying yet awe-inspiring bike event on the planet
Watching Red Bull Rampage is a visceral experience—a fear that grips your throat and sends a nauseating knot of anxiety into your stomach as you…
Technology like ABS braking, automatic shifting, and reactive suspension is on the rise, but are modern electronics making mountain biking too easy?
In episode 12 of the MBR Show we take a look at the increasing use of electronics and algorithms to improve our ride. Are they…
Mountain bikes are more expensive than ever, but if you’re buying your first MTB, I reckon you’ve never had it so good
Bikes are really bloomin’ expensive now: Google knows it, your local bike shop knows it, and your significant other knows it too when you come…
I love enduro racing, but competing with a mate at Enduro2 in the alps made for double the fun!
There aren’t many mountain bike events around where you can clock up over 15,000m of timed vertical descending in a three-day weekend and make it…
I love watching downhill mountain biking, but I’d hate to see it at the Olympics
Why not downhill? It’s a question I ask myself every four years in the run up to the Olympics – why is XC racing alone…
When e-bikes first came out I hated them. Now I hardly ride anything else
When the first full-suspension e-bike turned up at the MBR office it was certainly a novelty. It couldn’t be further away from the best electric…
Are we all being ripped off by mountain bike brands?
Are we all being ripped off? Do mountain bikes cost too much money? Are big brands creaming high profits off the top? Or is this…
Red Bull Hardline: Has it gone too far?
If you’re one of the hundreds of thousands of mountain bike fans that watched footage of Bernard Kerr, Matt Jones, and Jim Monro testing the…
Wiggle Chain Reaction will relaunch its websites next week, but will there be any Nukeproofs or Vitus bikes left in stock?
The Wiggle Chain Reaction websites will relaunch as early as next week according to a statement from Frasers Group, which bought the struggling retail giant…
I’ve witnessed e-bikes dying all winter – these are my top tips to keep your motor running when it’s muddy and raining
Up until now, most of my e-bike riding mates see winter as a time for smugness. Showering me with roost as they spin sticky rear…
What the government’s proposed changes to e-bike laws mean for mountain bikers, and why it’s missing the most important point
UK riders could get access to double the average power output from e-bikes, with throttle controlled motors also on the table, after the department of…
Have trail centres had their day?
Twenty years ago, purpose built trail centres were the bright new future of mountain biking. But how are they doing today, and are they still…