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.

Hardtail heroes • Function beats flash when starting your mtb journey

MOUNTAIN BIKE RIDE mbr

BIG PICTURE

RAINBOWS, NOT RAIN • Cycling gets serious next summer, the UCI is combining 13 World Championship disciplines into a two-week party in Scotland, with Glentress bagging the XCO racing

GENERATION EXE • Can the new crop of hi-tech e-mtbs offer the perfect balance of power and agility?

THE MIDDLE AISLE

GIRO INSURGENT SPHERICAL HELMET £349.99

WERA BICYCLE TOOL SET 4 £49.99

SOUTH WEST (IS BEST) • Beyond the cream teas, pasties and ice cream, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall have some gurt lush riding, as the locals might say

12 STRETCHES TO STAY LOOSE ON & OFF THE BIKE • Target all your riding muscles to stay lithe and limber in just 10 minutes per day

TREK FUEL EXe 9.9 XX1 AXS • Trek’s latest e-bike is teeming with new tech, but will the Fuel EXe get us gassed?

INTENSE TRACER 279 EXPERT • Delayed but finally here, the Californian brand’s new Tracer shoots for enduro glory

CARBON WASP TRUFFLE • We’ve rooted out Carbon Wasp’s new Truffle, but would it leave us buzzing?

Mountain Bike Rider

Mailbox • We’ve got a massive feature this month, filled with our best tips for how to save money and keep riding. We don’t know it all though, here’s your advice on keeping to a budget…

NEXT MONTH

SUBSCRIBE TO mbr FROM ONLY £13*

HARDTAIL OF THE YEAR 2022 • In the post-Covid world, top-quality hardtails are in short supply, but we’ve still pulled together six of the best entry-level models from both shop-bought and direct-sales brands

WHERE TO BUY & HOW TO SET UP YOUR NEW HARDTAIL • High street shop or online retailer? We weigh up the options and offer top tech tips to get you up and riding

KONA MAHUNA £948.99

SPECIALIZED ROCKHOPPER ELITE 29 £949

TREK ROSCOE 6 £1,000

WHYTE 429 £999

VITUS SENTIER 29 £949.99

VOODOO BIZANGO PRO £950

Conclusion

47 MONEY SAVING TIPS! • Times are tight and even our riding budgets need to be reassessed so mbr’s put together a treasure trove of cost-cutting tips you can take to the bank

PROGRESSIVE JUMPING • Part 2 was all about keeping a low profile; now it’s time to get flamboyant. And it all starts with the humble bunny-hop

JAMES’S FOCUS JAM 6.9 • MONTH 12: Has a Jam-packed year left James with sweet memories of Focus’s 29er trail bike and would he pay to be stuck with it?

IN THE SHED

BEN’S PRIVATEER 141 OHLINS • MONTH 2: Ben gets to grips with the Öhlins suspension, albeit without the assistance of a Moto GP mechanic

PB’S GIANT REIGN E+ 1 • MONTH 7: Off to the races: PB takes the Reign E+ 1 back to its natural habitat and proves that’s he’s still got it…

JAMIE’S SPECIALIZED TURBO KENEVO SL COMP • MONTH 8: Jamie finds out that not all Fox 36 forks were created equally

SEAN’S SONDER SIGNAL ST GX • MONTH 3: The devil is in the detail when it comes to keeping a frame riding quiet

SPECIALIZED AMBUSH 2 HELMET

YOUR TESTERS

PEATY’S BICYCLE BRUSH SET

mbr ratings explained • The scores on the doors

RAPHA TRAIL PANTS

SCOTT TRACTION CONTESSA SIGNATURE...