Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2023 i Mountain Bike Rider

January’s weather was, I think we can all agree, challenging. Waking up to almost daily rain wasn’t the start to 2023 that I’d hoped for, and if you’re anything like me, the only thing that had dried up was the enthusiasm to ride. But after sloshing around on a couple of my usual loops, I struck out for some spots that I keep in my back pocket for when conditions really disintegrate. And no, I’m not talking about New Zealand or South Africa. Against all the odds, my strategy worked, and I ended up enjoying a two-hour ride in perfect conditions and was rewarded with a bike that didn’t even need cleaning afterwards. I couldn’t believe it. Which goes to show, at this time of year it’s worth trying something…

Some excellent sleuthing by our colleagues at sister site Bikeperfect.com has uncovered a patent application by SRAM for a new and radical e-bike motor that could – and we stress could – deliver big gains in weight and handling. As we know, e-bikes are trying to juggle several opposing requirements: power and range with weight and handling. The more powerful the motor, the more energy it uses. The more energy it uses, the bigger the battery it needs. But weight is the enemy of agility and dynamic handling, and bigger batteries and motors are heavier and are more difficult to package. Which is part of the reason why lightweight, mid-power e-bikes are trending at the moment. But as we found out in our bike test last month, even the latest,…

It’s easy to convince yourself that you don’t have time to train. But it’s simply not true. Don’t believe me? OK, stop reading this, pick up your phone, click the screen time feature and check how many hours you’ve wasted this week mindlessly browsing the web or scrolling through social media? Was it 5h? 10h? Now, think how good you’d be on your bike if you spent a fraction of that time training instead. And it can be done, as we all know people with crazy busy jobs and life stress who aren’t wasting time, in fact they are the ones who are most likely to be training already. It‘s why Benjamin Franklin famously said: “If you want something done, ask a busy person.” But let’s assume you’re not a…

£8,000 • 29in • merida-bikes.com NEED TO KNOW ● The new One-Forty shares the same frame with the One-Sixty, which means it’s a little ‘overbuilt’ as a trail bike and subsequently heavier than some ● Merida’s ‘Agilometer’ sizing sees super-long frames extending to a massive 535mm reach in size X-Long ● Thankfully the 80° seat tube angle is not as steep as claimed ● Fully mullet compatible and gains 10mm more travel (153mm) with the smaller rear wheel ● Low standover heights are paired with the brand’s own adjustable dropper post that extends up to 230mm If first impressions are anything to go by, Merida’s latest logically-named One-Forty trail bike looks like the kind of do-it-all rig you’d expect from a mainstream brand, with a well-finished, smooth-lined carbon frame and…

Every year during the summer we are faced with the same problem: where can we go on vacation as a family so that everyone gets their money’s worth? My son Lois wants bike parks and jumps, my daughter Leni wants enduro trails, and my wife Karen wants a high-Alpine experience. Me? I just want to go surfing. The unlikely land-locked recommendation from friends was Switzerland’s Valais region. So we went. And we were not disappointed. Leni, Lois, Karen, and I started our trip in the eastern part of the canton Wallis. For us it was a six-hour drive to get there from Germany. The people here speak German as well, or at least something that sounds like German: Welsh Dütsch. The Lötschental is a very wild valley surrounded by glaciers.…

JAMIE’S SPECIALIZED TURBO KENEVO SL COMP £7,400 • 29in • specialized.com THE RIDER JAMIE DARLOW Position Front section editor Mostly Rides Surrey Hills Height 6ft 1in Weight 82kg THE BIKE ■ Lightweight e-bike, splitting the weight difference between the full-power Kenevo and regular Enduro ■ Less than half the power of a full-fat e-bike, with 240W and 35Nm of torque, and a small 320Wh battery (with optional 160Wh range extender) ■ Entry-level Turbo Kenevo SL gets Fox Performance suspension, Fox Rhythm fork and SRAM GX drivetrain, but retains the full carbon frame ■ Progressive geometry and sizing makes the Kenevo SL a full-blown enduro bike MONTH 16: Forget the mind-muscle connection, JD has been using the training feature on the Mission Control app to boost his gains Mindlessly scrolling is…

Big picture Leaving the vans in the base of the valley, we are met by a brisk breeze. The sky overhead is pure blue, the ground beneath our feet increasingly solid, as we gain altitude quickly. Before long, we break onto the ridge, views expanding to Blackpool and beyond, until cloud rolls in. We descend into the clag, which starts to fall apart like torn candy floss as we engage the sweeping scree switchbacks. Fog bows and broken spectres – we descend through heaven and into the icy valley below. Tristan Tinn Women’s freeride is literally taking off right now. Riders are pushing the boundaries like never before, and event organisers are rising up to meet the demand for progressive courses and venues to showcase this talent. Much credit must…

RAINBOW TINT The limited-edition version of SunGod’s Vulcans uses a photochromic lens for maximum winter light and jazzes it up with a colourful polymer frame designed by London-based crit cycling team Tekkerz. Hydrophilic contact points, multiple frame colour options. £165, sungod.co DIMARO DESIGN Best known for its Italian-crafted XC race shoes, Sidi now has an enduro or DH SPD model out, called the SDS Dimaro. It features a breathable mesh upper, Vibram sole, laces and Velcro retention, reinforced heel and toe for protection. £149.25, saddleback.co.uk OSO RAN The Ibis Oso e-bike uses a DW-link suspension design, gets 155mm travel, a 170mm-travel fork, comes as a 29er or mullet depending on the size, and all use the Bosch motor. Comes in four really progressive sizes (XL boasts 540mm reach), GX build…

£8,999 • 29in • boldcycles.com NEED TO KNOW ● Bold’s enduro bike gets a redesigned frame, with hidden horizontal Fox Float X shock ● Frame travel has been increased to 160mm and paired with a 170mm-travel fork ● 29in wheels on L and XL sizes, mullet for S and M ● Increased standover height, with longer dropper posts on all sizes ● Clean lines, thanks to Syncros Hixon one-piece bar/stem and SRAM AXS shifting ● Two models: Pro with Fox fork and Ultimate with Öhlins, or a frame, shock and bar/stem only option for £5,999 ● Down-tube storage with a Save the Day tube/pump/tool wrap When 29ers first started to appear they looked plain wrong – malproportioned machines with crappy head angles and sky-high frames. And to be fair, those…

INSTA360 GO 2 CAMERA £294.99 SPECIFICATION Weight: 42g (case 64g) • Storage: 32GB • Contact: insta360.com Traditionally, the go-to product for mountain bikers looking for the best action camera has been the GoPro. But Insta360 has been chipping away at the GoPro faithful recently thanks to its innovative range of products, one of those being the minimal Go 2. Controversially, with its compact dimensions, light weight and unobtrusive mount, I actually believe it’s a better solution for most riders than a GoPro, but a few issues hold it back from perfection. Here’s why. To begin with, let’s go through the basics. Insta360 sells the Go 2 in two different storage capacities (32GB and 64GB) and various bundles with different accessories depending on what activity you’re doing. The kit tested here…

TESTED THIS MONTH Are the days of the XC hardtail numbered? It’s a legitimate question given that industry heavyweights and microbrands alike seem to be to be showcasing either the latest in e-bike tech or their new take on the trail and enduro categories. With that in mind, it would be easy to think that XC bikes are sitting in the background being ignored. But surprisingly, we’ve seen far more new lightweight XC machines roll through the doors here at mbr over the last 12 months than in previous years, from both direct-to-consumer and shop-bought brands. Guided by the more technical nature of modern cross-country race courses, there’s been a noticeable reworking of XC geometry and sizing, taking more than one leaf out of the trail bike rule book, while…

UK riders have a long-running love affair with Les Gets, Morzine and Châtel. The famous Portes du Soleil resorts feature on many a bucket list, while thousands of us make an annual pilgrimage to the region for a heady mix of sun, singletrack and ski-lifts. Well, there’s one more reason to head there now: this September the Haute-Savoie region will host a 10-day bike festival, for the first time bringing together downhill, enduro, e-enduro, XCO, marathon, and XC short track across two bumper weekends. From September 7-17 you’ll be able to watch coverage of all disciplines as racing takes place in Les Gets, Morzine and Châtel, with promised live coverage of all the DH final runs in full. Just how that will be accomplished remains to be seen, however, given…

QUANTOCKS, SOUTH WEST 19.2km (11.9 miles) The Quantocks have their fair share of weather-battered summits and exposed open heathland, but the creases, crevices and combes that make up its topology also provide protection from whatever might be coming off the Bristol Channel, you just need to pick the right trails. This is one of our favourite Quantock routes, partly because of the variety of trails and terrain, but feel free to adapt it to provide maximum cover from the prevailing wind, rain, sleet, snow… GPS download bit.ly/QuantockRide CANNOCK, THE MIDLANDS 32.3km (21.2 miles) Unless gale-force winds are in effect, retreating to the woods is a good idea. Cannock, on the northern edge of Birmingham, not only has plenty of trees to provide shelter but the sandy trails also drain pretty…

£7,300 • 29in • athertonbikes.com NEED TO KNOW ● The first short-travel 29er trail bike from Atherton Bikes ● DW-6 suspension delivers 130mm travel from the compact six-bar design ● X-version gets a 150mm-travel fork, standard AM.130 used a 140mm fork ● Frame construction combines carbon tubing with Ti lugs that are printed using an additive manufacturing process ● With 22 unique frame sizes and custom options, finding the perfect fit has never been easier ● Atherton Bikes are designed and made in Wales, and come with a lifetime guarantee Before we dive in, I want to get my bias out in the open as it may cloud this First Ride. I’m a big fan of the Athertons. There, I said it. I don’t really know them, other than to…

Standing on the edge of Wharncliffe Crags, my feet are level with the top of the birch trees below. Winter means they are stripped to the bone, giving a clear view of the woodland floor. Birch are pioneers and opportunists, often the first trees to occupy disturbed ground. And around me is most definitely disturbed ground – a chaotic scene of rock, root, dirt and brash. It seems an odd landscape to come to in search of flow, but I know I’m in the right place. With me is Dan Greenwood. If you ride an Orange, chances are Dan has either had a hand in assembling your bike, or cast an eye over it before it’s headed out the factory doors in Halifax. As Orange’s workshop manager, Dan spends working…

SADDLE HEIGHT Dropping your saddle 20-30mm will make a huge difference when tackling technical climbs. You can still remain seated, but this additional room will mean you can get out of the saddle if you need to, allowing your rear wheel to roll up and over things while the motor remains engaged, meaning you can almost float above your bike as it moves forward. This is an especially useful technique when passing over step-ups as well. With the dropper lever at your thumb you can put your post up and down quickly, and return the saddle to the correct height as soon as you feel the challenge is passed. BALANCE With all this movement going on underneath you on rough and technical climbs, you’re going to have to be tuned…

Alongside the development of modern geometry and the rising popularity of e-bikes, saddles have been slowly but surely evolving to better suit our changing riding positions. Steeper seat angles place more weight on the sit bones, while riders of e-bikes spend more time in the saddle than those on analogue bikes. Broadly speaking, saddles have become wider, with deeper padding and varying densities of foam used to alter the amount of support. Many saddles now feature stress-relieving channels and cutaways along the centreline, and even shock-absorbing elastomers between the rails and the base. Manufacturers have developed sophisticated fit-finding technology, backed up with a range of saddle widths to accommodate different sit-bone dimensions and riding positions. In fact, over half of the saddle brands tested here offer different width options. The…