Brendan Fairclough won’t be at Red Bull Rampage in 2025, after revealing just how “gutted and butt-hurt” he is about finishing in 11th place at this year’s event, his worst…
Mountain Bike Rider
Nukeproof and Ragley are gone: step forward Merida’s new Big Trail, one of the few properly radical hardtails left
The original 2020 Merida Big Trail started as a collaboration between Merida and UK dealers wanting something more rad than the average trail hardtail. Four years later it’s become available…
POC’s VPD Air Flow knee guards are supremely comfy and cool… and on sale right now at 63% off!
The POC VPD Air Flow knee pad takes its design cues from roadie bib shorts, it’s the lightest and most minimal knee protection offering from the Swedish brand and targeted…
Downhill racing shows “brilliance, and moments when I’m bored watching,” says World Cup’s Greg Williamson
For the best part of 30 years, Will Longden has been involved in downhill racing. Starting as top rider himself, he progressed on to managing the Madison Saracen team when…
Why Innerleithen’s mountain bike centre won’t now be housed in a renovated textile mill
Innerleithen’s promised mountain bike innovation centre will not now be housed inside a renovated textile mill, after its costs ballooned. A redeveloped Caerlee Mill had been the preferred site for…
Best mountain bike saddles: Make sure you’re sitting comfortably
We've ridden the backside out of our shorts to draw up this list of the very best mountain bike saddles available for all types of trail riders.
BikePark Wales opens a new Quarry Skills Area with tables, gap jumps, drops and techie steeps designed to replicate real trail features
BikePark Wales has just opened a brand new skills area, packed with gaps, drops, skinnies and techie bits the idea is to mimic the features you’ll find on the trails…
Remember Sunn? The French brand has the hardest-hitting e-bike I could find with the new Bosch CX motor
It’s been a while since I’ve come across a Sunn bike, but maybe I should have been looking harder, because the latest e-bike from the French brand looks seriously heavy-hitting,…
Forest of Dean’s new kid-friendly green trail opens, 2km of berms, rollers and “mini rock gardens”
The Forest of Dean has announced the addition of a brand new green level trail to its repertoire. It is called Old Bob’s Trail and is graded green, or easy.…
The Santa Cruz Vala has to be the biggest u-turn in mountain biking. Well, since the Heckler…
The recently released Santa Cruz Vala broke new ground for the boutique California brand in a couple of ways. For starters it’s the first design to stray away from Santa…
Best budget electric mountain bike: Power-up your ride without breaking the bank
You can bag one of the best budget electric mountain bike models for around £3k nowadays... but are they up to the job of proper trail riding?
Fox’s Union Flats are some of the best flat pedal shoes I’ve ever tested and now you can save 35% on a pair in this excellent deal
The Fox Union Flats are some of the best mountain bike flat-pedal shoes we’ve ever tested. Danny gave them a 9 out of 1o in his Fox Union Flat shoes…
Shimano’s EP801 firmware update is a must for e-bikers: it’s not always free, doesn’t match DJI’s power, but the overrun is perfect
In the race to build the best e-bike motor, Shimano has been falling behind. Bosch has its new Performance CX motor and it’s smarter than ever. Yamaha, Specialized, and now…
Which is the best e-bike motor? Power, punch and range compared
Brose, Bosch, Shimano, Fazua, Panasonic, Yamaha ebike systems... which has more power, which has more battery punch, which is more reliable? Our guide to e-bike motors has the answers.
Being there in person made me understand why Red Bull Rampage is the most terrifying yet awe-inspiring bike event on the planet
Watching Red Bull Rampage is a visceral experience—a fear that grips your throat and sends a nauseating knot of anxiety into your stomach as you witness riders drop into the…
Michelin’s DH22 Racing Line tyres offer unmatched traction in the wet… but there’s a price to be paid
Michelin has completely rebooted its gravity tyre line up this year and the latest on test is its DH22. It’s more gravity focussed, heavier and grippier than the also-new Wild…
Tom Pidock’s elbows, Charlie Aldridge’s style, and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot’s swansong – these are the XC racing highlights that have kept me glued to the screen in 2024
It’s that time of year again where we take stock on the epic season of XC racing that’s been and gone. 2024 had plenty of surprises, some great comeback stories,…
I’ve never ridden a heavier lightweight e-bike than Marin’s new Rift Zone EL, but it crushes the descents and starts at just £4,699
The Marin Rift Zone EL is a new lightweight e-bike straight out of California, it comes with the punchy Bosch’s SX motor, 29in wheels and tyres built for dust. It’s…
Best mountain bike grips: lock-on grips for all types
The best mountain bike grips don't need to cost the earth. There are hundreds of grips on the market - a bewildering choice! Here's a shortlist of the best.
“I’ve done it for my crew, the sport, and all the other riders” – Robin Goomes on winning the first Women’s Red Bull Rampage aboard her Barbie-themed bike
This year has marked a historic first for women’s freeriding, and women’s mountain biking in general. It was the first time that women have been invited to compete at the…