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.
Thank you for the ride • Our final issue is set to roll off the presses, but our online adventures are just getting up to speed – see you on the web!
MEET THE TEAM • Decades of riding and writing about bikes goes into every issue, this is who we are…
Big picture
5 BEST NEW PLACES TO RIDE • Ride the freshest loam, the sharpest tabletops and the biggest berms this autumn – we show you where!
GEARING REVOLUTION • Forget high-pivot idlers, Geometron goes back to the gearbox with a Pinion drivetrain on its latest G2
HOT STUFF • WHAT WE’RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS MONTH
AFTER THE CROWDS • Schools are back, the walkers are gone and the UK’s most spectacular trails belong to mountain bikers once again
TRAIL HUNTING • Four tips for finding new trails, whether online or in person
SRAM EAGLE POWERTRAIN • SRAM’s entry into the e-bike arena marries motor and transmission for a match made in heaven
ATHERTON AM170 M1 • Will Atherton Bikes’ Worlds-winning DH design prove a winner outside the tape?
PRIVATEER E161 • Privateer’s MX-wheeled bruiser’s packing serious girth, but will riding it bring us mirth?
THE GENERATION GAME • Racing with your kids is one thing, racing against them a whole new deal, as Dan Trent finds out at Sheffield’s legendary Peaty’s Steel City DH
SEE THE BIG PICTURE • Dirt School’s skills supremo Andy Barlow takes everyday advice and finesses it for optimum deployment on the trails
CLASSIC ADVICE NO5: “INSIDE IS FASTER”
CLASSIC ADVICE NO6: “LEAN THE BIKE”
BEN’S SCOTT GENIUS ST 900 TUNED • MONTH 6: Ben looks back on his first six months on the Genius, taking stock of the outstanding performance and price tag
PB’S CANYON SPECTRAL:ON CFR • MONTH 3: With its wopping 900Wh range, the Spectral:ON’s rocking PB’s world
SEAN’S NORCO FLUID FS A1 • MONTH 2: Sean hits the ground running thanks to Norco’s Ride Aligned Setup Guide
GUY’S FORBIDDEN DRUID GX AXS FX • MONTH 2: Guy’s gone gaga over the Druid, but that hasn’t stopped him from turning it into a test-kit-workhorse
JAMES’S PIVOT FIREBIRD PRO • MONTH 13: Has a year with the Firebird Pro left James feeling lit up or burned out?
CANE CREEK DB COIL IL (NEXT GENERATION) SHOCK
YOUR TESTERS
TOPEAK D-TORQ WRENCH DX
mbr ratings explained • The scores on the doors
PIRELLI SCORPION ENDURO M RACE TYRE
CANYON MTB PERFORMANCE FLAT PEDALS
SPECIALIZED GAMBIT HELMET
ONEUP CARBON E-BAR
FIZIK TERRA AIDON X5 SADDLE
RAPHA LIGHTWEIGHT TRAIL T-SHIRT
NORTHWAVE TAILWHIP FLAT PEDAL SHOE
GET 6 ISSUES FOR £6*
RIDING PANTS • Not exclusive to winter outings, a good pair of mtb trousers can be a year-round trail tool, as well as looking cool to boot. We rank the latest items on the market…
Know your riding pants
7MESH FLIGHTPATH PANT
CANYON MTB PANTS
DHARCO GRAVITY PANTS
FOX FLEXAIR RACE PANTS
RAPHA TRAIL PANTS
RAPHA TRAIL LIGHTWEIGHT
SCOTT TRAIL TUNED PANTS
SPECIALIZED DEMO PRO PANTS
TROY LEE DESIGNS SKYLINE TROUSERS
YT TRAIL CORDURA PANTS
Conclusion
ULTRA-ADJUSTABLE TRAIL BIKES • A pair of geometrically flexible trail rigs,...