SKEM TRAILS

Thanks to Tawd Valley MTB Trails there’s now a lot more to Lancashire’s Skelmersdale than Sixties’ urban sprawl

THANK YOU, MOUNTAIN BIKING

Mountain biking sometimes plays rough, but ultimately it gives us more than it takes, moulding us into skilful, resourceful, and ultimately happy people… albeit with some scars to back up the memories

HIGH-PIVOT IDLER ENDURO BIKES RADICAL RIPPERS

DH racers have been getting busy on idler bikes for years but does the design translate to enduro? We test two machines from Forbidden and GT

STEPPING IT UP

Spring is here and conditions are (hopefully) getting drier; time to take your riding to the next level by tackling more technical trails

LAKELAND MUST-RIDES

The South Lakes offers real mountains, trails that range from mellow to hairy, Instagram-friendly views, and pubs and tea shops galore. What more do you want?

First rides

SWINGING A LEG OVER WHAT'S HOT THIS MONTH

5 BIKES YOU'VE PROBABLY NEVER HEARD OF

Global supply chains may be struggling but there are plenty of smaller brands striving to get their products onto the trails. Here are five upstarts with new models in the works

PART 6: LOWER BACK

If lower back pain is the bane of your life, strength training could be the antidote

TESTING TIMES

We've come a long way from the boneshakers of the '80s and the wacky creations of the '90s; Guy Kestevan charts the last 25 years of mountain bike tech. "I were right about that saddle though"

SAFE PROGRESSION

Now you've built a skills base, it's time to make it count when the trails get rowdy

Protection vests

As bikes get more capable, trails get gnarlier and speeds get higher, body armour is no longer just for downhill daredevils; here's six lighter-weight options to keep your body safe

LONG TERMERS

Countless hours on the trails make this the ultimate test of performance as well as reliability

Tested

NEW PRODUCTS

STORAGE WARS

Enduro bum bags be damned! Three carbon rigs with internal storage solutions take to the singletrack

RACING ROOTS

Mountain bike racing has been pushing the envelope since the first knobbly tyre popped onto a rim. This is its story told through some of its biggest names and most iconic moments

First rides

SWINGING A LEG OVER WHAT'S HOT THIS MONTH

A WILL & A WAY

At mbr, we've always sought to highlight the best places to ride in the UK and beyond. But the definition of best has evolved massively over the last 25 years

SWEET VALAIS HIGH

Crans Montana in the Valais region of the Swiss Alps is a hidden gem of high-altitude shred

PART 5 - THE ELBOWS

Strengthen and stretch your forearms to lessen the strain on your joints

VALLEYS ON THE RISE

Inclusive, progressive and intent on building a community, we pay a visit to South Wales’s Mountain View Bike Park

TI BREAKER

Stanton Bikes’ new full-sussers blend titanium and carbon, delivering 140-160mm travel in both wheel sizes

KATE THODAY & DAN WESTON, FORESTRY ENGLAND

The country’s biggest landowner is often scorned by mountain bikers but now two of its employees are helping turning diatribe to dialogue

NEW TO MTB PART 3 - BUILDING CONFIDENCE

Becoming one with the contours and flora of your surroundings isn’t just reserved for the hippy trail...

Disc brakes

Good disc brakes let you shave off speed so you can keep riding smooth and fast, safe in the knowledge that instant stopping power is a finger-flex away; we put 10 of the latest to the test

First rides

SWINGING A LEG OVER WHAT'S HOT THIS MONTH

CHEESE ROLLING

Like UK cheese, mountain biking is both brilliant and varied and there’s a geographical correlation too; here are five delectable trails to drive you crackers

THE KNEES

Five exercises to prevent your knees becoming your nemesis

JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED

Valentino Rossi launches signature e-bike

HOT STUFF

WHAT WE’RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS MONTH

NEW PLACES TO RIDE IN 2022

Now is the time to put together your mountain biking hit lists for 2022; what better place to start than our pick of six new, off-beat or improved places to ride in the UK