The latest issue of MBR is out now, and as ever it’s packed full of inspiring ideas and routes to help you find new places to get out and ride. Here’s what you’ll find inside MBR August 2022.
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On the Cover
That Voodoo feeling, riding hardtails for the in the North Downs. Photographer: Roo Fowler
Features
Money saving tips!
Share lifts to the trails, make your own tools, bake a DIY energy bar, supercharge the bike to work scheme, learn to sew, buy second hand, clean your drivetrain, learn to spanner, ride light, buy in the sales, take the train… the list goes on and on. Check out our top tips on the best way to keep riding when your purchasing power is taking a squeeze.
Bikes and gear
First rides
We ride the new Trek Fuel EXe, a bike that could well be the new benchmark for lightweight e-bikes – it’s got a 50Nm torque TQ motor, a 360Wh removable battery and takes the e-bike idea on to new pastures. Plus we sling a leg over the desperately pretty Intense Tracer 279 with JS-Tuned suspension platform. And the delightfully named Carbon Wasp Truffle, a carbon fibre down country bike from Yorkshire, shows us its turn of speed.
Longtermers
The Focus Jam has been with us a year now, test pilot James Bracey has been impressed with its good geometry and sizing and XT spec level – is it enough to earn the bike a top score? Plus Sean has a go at making his Sonder hardtail whisper quiet, JD changes the fork on the Kenevo SL for a 36 with less travel, Ben gets to grips with the Ohlins coil shock on his Privateer 141, and PB goes e-bike enduro racing on the Reign E+ 1.
Product
The new Specialized Ambush 2 helmet is top of the line, it gets a fixed peak, sophisticated dual-density EPS construction, and Spesh Integrated Fit system… but is it better than the budget Camber lid? Plus we review Peaty’s Bicycle Brush Set, Rapha Trail Pants, Scott Traction Contessa Signature Gloves, Michelin Wild Enduro Racing Line Front tyre, Alpina Rocket Bold Q-Lite Glasses, Squirt Chain Lube E-bike, and the Ring Rechargeable Handheld Tyre Inflator.
Tested: Trail jerseys
Part of the standard mountain biker’s uniform, a dedicated trail jersey is much more than just a fashion statement (plenty are pretty elegant, mind). The best out there are tough enough to resist trail and washing machine damage alike, comfortable to the skin, and wick sweat away to keep you cool. We’ve got 10 on test, from Rapha, Fox, Endura, Altura, Patagonia, Race Face, 7Mesh, Spada, YT and Troy Lee Designs.
Bike test
Hardtail of the Year
Bang for buck, hardtails are the best way to get into mountain biking without spending a fortune. It’s also where bike brands have to work their hardest, squeezing the best components they can into a package that doesn’t exceed £1,000… at least for our test in 2022. That’s what makes our Hardtail of the Year test a must-read.
We’ve split our test into two this time round, with the Voodoo Bizango Pro and the Vitus Sentier representing the direct sales brands: and Whyte’s 429, the Trek Roscoe 6, Specialized Rockhopper Elite 29 and Kona Mahuna stepping up for the shop-bought bikes.
Bikes featured this issue
And as ever we’ve taken the newest bikes available and put them through their paces to help you find the perfect bike for you and your riding.
- Carbon Wasp Truffle
- Focus Jam 6.9
- Giant Reign E+ 1
- Intense Tracer 279 Expert
- Kona Mahuna
- Privateer 141 Ohlins
- Sonder Signal ST GX
- Specialized Rockhopper Elite 29
- Specialized Turbo Keneo SL Comp
- Trek Fuel EXe 9.9 XX1 AXS
- Trek Roscoe 6
- Vitus Sentier
- Voodoo Bizango Pro
- Whyte’s 429
How to
Buzz: Fit and fast
As boring as it is to perform, stretching is vital if we want to stay limber on and off the bike. It relaxes the individual muscles, and works on your nervous system as a whole to reduce stress, relax better and recover faster. Jonny from Fit4Racing walks us through 12 of the best exercises, from your ears (honestly) to your calves.
Skills: Progressive jumping
Over the past two issues Andy Barlow from Dirt School has taken us from the basics of getting airborne, to adding control to absorb a jump and stay low. Now it’s time to boost it to the moon.
It’s not for show though (well, maybe a bit), the idea is you can link features together on trails that you never thought possible. To get there you need a neat and tidy bunny hop technique though, so this month our enabler skill is to unlock the bunny inside you to reach your full trail potential.
Buzz: World Champs, Scotland
Valentina Holl at Fort William World Cup
The World Championships is coming to Scotland in 2023, for the first time combining 13 disciples in one country and creating a festival of two wheels. Best of all, Glentress will host the XCO and marathon events and work is already underway to make the Tweed Valley favourite ready. New sections of trail and a rework of the infrastructure that all riders will benefit from mean the Worlds 2023 should deliver a real legacy for trail riders and XC racers alike.
My best trail
One of the most skilful and craziest riders on the planet, Kade Edwards rides downhill and freeride for Trek and Red Bull. His favourite ever destination is the Coast Gravity Park in Canada.