MBR Summer 2023 – 291

MBR Summer Issue 291 cover

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 May 2023.

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On the cover

Be a better rider

We’ve teamed up with YT Industries to help improve your riding this summer, learn how to get the best from your bike and body, and boost your skill level

Caersws Bike Park

We head to Mid Wales to meet Matt Simmonds, who’s taken Caersws from a collection of hammered downhill tracks to a fledgling new bike park

How to

MBR Fit and Fast Greg Minnaar

Fit and Fast

What does it take to stay fit, fast and injury free over the years? Greg Minnaar’s coach Alan Milway talks us through the GOAT’s approach

Skills: Racecraft Part 2

How to plan your race weekend, set up your bikes, learn the tracks, pace your efforts out, and tackle corners blind, with expert advice from Dirt School’s Innes Graham 

Bikes and gear

MBR Bike Test issue 291 Summer 2023

First Rides    

Canyon Strive:ON CFR, GT Sensor Carbon Pro LE and Pivot Mach 4 SL Team XX SL

Longtermers

Updates on the Pivot Firebird Pro, Sonder Signal and Scott Genius ST 900 Tuned, and it’s verdict time after nearly two years with the Specialized Kenevo SL

Product

Lifeline Pro workstand, Rab Women’s Cinder Borealis jacket, Leatt Airflex Hybrid Pro kneepads, POC Oseus VPD kneepads, Spank Spoon 35 handlebar, Birzman Tiny Tanker pump tested,  and more

Tested: Pedals

A quintuple of clipless pedals, and a quinary of flats on test, from Nukeproof, Crankbrothers, Deity, Burgtec and more reviewed

MBR 291 skills

Biketest: XC bikes

Two bikes that blur the lines between trail and XC, the Trek Top Fuel 8 and Lapierre XRM 6.9

Bikes in this issue;

  • Canyon Strive:ON CFR
  • Giant Glory
  • GT Sensor Carbon Pro LE
  • Lapierre XRM 6.9
  • Pivot Firebird Pro
  • Pivot Mach 4 SL Team XX SL
  • Scott Genius ST 900 Tuned
  • Sonder Signal ST GX
  • Specialized Turbo Kenevo SL Comp
  • Specialized Diverge STR Expert
  • Specialized Epic Hardtail Comp
  • Trek Top Fuel 8

Regulars

The Buzz: XC versis gravel

We put a Specialized Diverge against the Specialized Epic to find out whether gravel deserves a place in mbr