Mountain Biking UK

Mountain Biking UK has got all the latest news, kit and exclusive info on the newest and best bikes. The MBUK Wrecking Crew testing team are out there right now, riding new bikes and products to destruction, to give you expert reviews you can count on to be brutally honest. We live to ride - and that's what makes MBUK Britain’s best-selling bike magazine.

ON THE COVER

MOUNTAIN BIKING IS FOR EVERYONE

HELLO

IN THE MAG THIS MONTH

MEET THE TEAM • What I like most about summer...

CLOSE TO THE EDGE

SPRING IS IN THE AIR

Say what!?

DIRTY SECRETS Veronique Sandler • What our favourite MTBers get up to when they're not messing about in the mud

ATHLETE VS INFLUENCER • The line between being a pro rider and a social media personality is a sketchy one to shred. Can you be just a racer/freerider/adventurer, or do you also need to be a web sensation – and what impact is that having?

THE MBUK ARCHIVES VIRAL LOAD • Four of the biggest MTB YouTube stars

MBUK SEND IT! + Win all of this

BONUS TIME

MARTHA GILL • Racer Martha hops across the pond for the season-opening Sea Otter Classic

Want That! FEMALE FOCUS • Our designer Julia’s top kit picks for sisters who like to send it

REMARKABLE LEVERAGE

DNA • We go behind the scenes with Lukas Knopf, freeride aficionado and YouTube sensation

WHO IS... LUKAS KNOPF

FRISCHI GOINGS-ON

EL LOCO HOMBRE • Frenchman Rémy Métailler blew up on the MTB scene when a video of him blasting monster gaps in Whistler Bike Park went viral. Since dubbed ‘the king of bike park’, he’s proven he’s no one-trick pony, taking on urban DH races and launching canyons at Red Bull Rampage. But out of all that terrifying stuff, this is the moment that had Rémy the most shook up…

Launch pad • THE NEWLY-UNVEILED BIKES & KIT GETTING US EXCITED THIS MONTH

MBUK month • The highs & lows of life on the mag

FIRST RIDES

FIRST LOOK

GOING DEEP

THE KIDS ARE ALL RAD! • THERE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN SOME TALENTED YOUNGSTERS RISING UP THE RANKS, BUT THE LATEST GENERATION OF LITTLE RIPPERS ARE IN A WHOLE NEW LEAGUE

STEVE BEHR ON THE RISING STARS OF MOUNTAIN BIKING...

HENRY RUSKIN

TOP TIPS FOR TOP TOTS

OLIVIA TAYLOR

417 BIKE PARK

SMALLER LIGHTER PLUSHER FASTER • HOW TO MAKE ANY MOUNTAIN BIKE WORK BETTER FOR WOMEN RIDERS – & SOME MEN, TOO

FIT FOR PURPOSE • MANY ELEMENTS OF YOUR BIKE SET-UP CAN BE DIALLED IN TO GET IT WORKING BETTER FOR YOU. CONSIDER SOME OF THESE TWEAKS AND PARTS SWITCHES TO SUIT YOUR SPECIFIC BODY ‘GEOMETRY’ AND RIDING STYLE

SUSPENSION INTERVENTION • SUSPENSION SET-UP IS ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL THINGS TO GET RIGHT. THE BEST SETTINGS WILL DEPEND ON YOUR WEIGHT, RIDING STYLE, FRAME GEOMETRY AND FORK/SHOCK

THE RACE OF 1,000 HILLS • BIG MILES AND EVEN BIGGER SMILES IN THE ‘RWANDAN EPIC’ STAGE RACE

NEED TO KNOW: RWANDA

Josh Ibbett UK pro rider

WRECKED & RATED

MEET THE TESTERS

WHY OUR TESTS ARE THE BEST!

HOW WE RATE • We base our scores on value for moneyand performance

8 OF THE BEST RIDING GLASSES • Get set for dry, dusty trails with a pair of sports sunnies

LONGTERM RIDES • Team bikes ridden hard for a year

GROUPTEST ULTIMATE UPGRADES • Our pick of the parts to improve your bike’s performance and your experience on the trail

THE MANUAL

HOW TO... BOOST YOUR TRAIL POWER • Vitus ambassador and strength coach Ben Plenge explains how you can become a more powerful rider

PRO-FILE BEN PLENGE

GRIME TIME • EXPERT WORKSHOP ADVICE

TRAILSIDE REPAIRS

HELMET SAFETY TECH • We take it for...