CATEGORIES
THE WHYTE STUFF
We hit the trails with elite downhiller turned bike designer Sam Shucksmith, the engineering muscle behind Whyte’s acclaimed machines
RIDE WITH CONTROL
Get the basics right and your skillset can grow on solid foundations. Here’s how to set up your body and your bike
SCOTT PATRON eRIDE 900 TUNED
Its stealth profile is a futuristic tour de force, but will Scott’s new e-bike offer a rocketship ride?
SALSA BLACKTHORN CARBON
Salsa’s Blackthorn is a hot proposition: a trail bike that you can dress up or down
TRAIL BLAZERS ADAM STALLARD, ELAN VALLEY
If Mid Wales is mountain biking’s faded classic, one man is on a mission to give it a makeover and turn it into a masterpiece
WET AND WILD RIDES
Whether we like it or not, water plays a huge role in our riding. Here are five routes that make a feature of the stuff – getting wet is purely optional
Ben's Vitus Escarpe 29 CRS
MONTH 13: Ben’s found his goldilocks machine in longtermer number three
YETI 160E T1
Five years in the making, will Yeti's e-bike debut delight disappoint its dedicated fans?
SPECIALIZED STUMPJUMPER EVO COMP
While there have been highs and lows along the Stumpy Evo’s journey, 2022 is the year that marks its current zenith. Available in a whopping six sizes, the carbon Stumpy Evo 29 has shaken off its tentative, niche beginnings and gone mainstream.
ARBR RB2
The second bike from British brand ARBR swaps trend chasing for enduro racing
SPECIALIZED STATUS 160
£2,760 / 29-27.5in / specialized.com
GIANT LIV INTRIGUE X E + 1
£5,799 / 29in / liv-cycling.com
VITUS ESCARPE 29 CRX
Trail riding means different things to different people, so a good trail bike needs to be able to handle all sorts of terrain.
CANYON SPECTRAL CF8 CLLCTV
Canyon’s new mullet Spectral is a cut-andshut job, but it’s no Frankenbike monster
THE INSIDE LINE
No more bent mechs, as Canadian engineer Cedric Eveleigh has invented a rear derailleur hidden inside the rear triangle
YT INDUSTRIES DECOY MX CORE 4
£7,292.82 / 29-27.5in / yt-industries.com
How To Fend Off Fatigue
Along with general fitness, careful forethought and planning will let you ride for longer than ever, says Dr Shaun Phillips
DOWN TO THE WIRE
The story of how two Swiss riders racked up more descending in one day than most of us manage in several months
THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GARY FISHER
The godfather of mtb tells us about his Hollywood history, inventing the first klunkers, and his plans for a global trail network
MY BEST TRIALS
Mtb’s movers and shakers select their favourite places to ride
VOODOO BIZANGO
Voodoo’s dark arts continue, with the latest Bizango representing crazy value for money
YT CAPRA 29 CORE 4
Will we enjoy another fairytale shred into the sunset on YT’s latest Capra?
SEASIDE RIDES
With 31,368km of coastline, and great riding along the way, there’s no need to travel abroad to get your seaside fix; here are five routes that skirt the Great British briny
GT FORCE CARBON PRO LE
Is GT’s new enduro 29er a lazy idler or a Force to be reckoned with?
ROCK FACES
After three long years the Ard Rock enduro is back... so how did the riders rate it?
GOLDEN OLDIES
The retro market is booming as riders seek to recreate the dream machines of their youth; mbr pays homage to some iconic designs and wonders what future collectors will warm to
GOING FOR GOLD CUTTING EDGE XC RACE BIKES
Following Tom Pidcock’s gold medal ride at the Tokyo Games we test two XC bikes which, with a bit of training, are good enough to go wheel-to-wheel with Tom
STATE OF OUR TRAILS
Over the past 18 months, riding has been a lifeline for many but a mixed blessing for the state of our trails; we sound out some of the biggest stakeholders to find out what lessons have been learned
HOW TO FEND OFF FATIGUE
What makes us tired when we ride? Pretty much everything, it seems, from the climbs to the descents, the terrain, the temperature and even how well we slept last night
KILLER LOOPS FOR NEWBIES
The perfect place to start for new riders and young ‘uns – all killer, no filler mileage