Mountain Bike Rider

Published by Time Inc. (UK) Ltd mbr is the UK's leading magazine for trail riding, mountain bike enthusiasts. Published since 1997, mbr aims to inspire readers to just get out and ride! with every issue, by providing the very best expert advice about where, what and how to ride. Every edition delivers the ultimate mix of inspirational riding features, with extensive bike and product reviews, along with superb advice and reader involvement - plus free pull-out route guides.

Call me Afan • A classic Welsh riding spot still hits all the right notes

BIG PICTURE

AFAN: THE RISE AND FALL … AND RISE • Closed for nearly a decade, the Skyline trail at Afan is open again and hoping to evoke the golden years

TESLA FOR THE TRAILS • Rocky Mountain’s new Powerplay gets 720Wh battery and Ludicrous mode

THE INSIDE LINE • No more bent mechs, as Canadian engineer Cedric Eveleigh has invented a rear derailleur hidden inside the rear triangle

HOT STUFF • WHAT WE’RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS MONTH

GRAND NATIONALS • The UK is home to 15 National Parks, each with its own unique character and, of course, trails. These are some of our favourite rides in our favourite parks

THE WRISTS • They absorb shocks and stablise your ride – it’s all in the wrist…

DEAD HANG PULL-UP

THE COACH

ROLLING STONE • The Santa Cruz Stone King Rally carries on the Trans-Provence legacy, with a new location, ancient trails galore, and now a smattering of purpose-built link trails too

REPAIR, RECYCLE & REPURPOSE • Make do and mend to resist the throw-away society and do your bit for the environment

First Inside • SWINGING A LEG OVER WHAT’S HOT THIS MONTH

CANYON SPECTRAL CF8 CLLCTV

ARBR RB2

Mountain Bike Rider

Mailbox

TRAIL MANNERS • We asked, do mountain bikers need to be told how to behave?

EDITOR’S CHOICE 2021

NUKEPROOF GIGA CARBON 290 FACTORY

SPECIALIZED STUMPJUMPER EVO COMP

GIANT LIVINTRIGUE X E+ 1

VITUS ESCARPE 29 CRX

YT INDUSTRIES DECOY MX CORE 4

SPECIALIZED STATUS 160

STABLE FROM THE START • If you’ve just started out on your mtb journey there’s no better time to get the foundations right; we show you how

THE COACH

FRONT VERSUS REAR BRAKE

KNOW YOUR TRAILS • There is a whole vocabulary that you’re going to have to get to know in order to communicate with other riders. It also helps you to identify different features or obstacles on the trail, as they will have common characteristics of support or traction. Let’s go through a few in order for you to ride safely.

SLOW DROPS

SEAN’S NUKEPROOF SCOUT 290 PRO • Countless hours on the trails make this the ultimate test of performance as well as reliability

BEN’S KONA PROCESS 134 SUPREME

JAMES’S FOCUS JAM 6.9

BEN’S VITUS ESCARPE 29 CRS

MY BEST TRIAL • Mtb’s movers and shakers select their favourite places to ride