MAY 2014 l 4.50 l mbr.co.uk

QUANTOCKS, EXMOOR, BEACONS & DALESFOUR PULL-OUT MAPS AND DETAILED DIRECTIONS FOR YOU TO FOLLOW

FREE ROUTE MAPS

GROUP TESTS

Disc brakes & saddles

YOUR GUIDE TO SUPERB NEW BUILDS AT AFAN AND CWMCARN

NEW TRAILS NEW THRILLS

JUMP TO IT!LEARN THE SKILLS YOU NEED TO BOOST YOUR AIR TIME

ENDURO BIKES ON TEST FROM SPECIALIZED, TREK, YT AND KONA

Discover wild singletrack in the QuantocksFix your gear cables for swifter shiftingVisualise your way to better riding

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58 WELSH TRAILS: THE REBIRTH OF COOLNew developments at Afan and Cwmcarn

are guaranteed to have you grinning

68 BRITAINS BEST SINGLETRACK: QUANTOCKSHead west for some old-school

trail riding at its absolute best

80 FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING: BIVVY BIKINGPhotographer turns guinea pig to

spend a night sleeping under tarp

ContentsO N T H E C O V E R

O N T H E C O V E R

FEATURES

BIKES & GEAR

MAY 2014 Trying out the newSouth Wales trails atAfan and Cwmcarn

We head to Molini,

Italy, to try out the

latest enduro bikes

The great outdoors:

under the stars with

a bike and bivvy bag

BIKES IN THIS ISSUE

Commenal Meta AM

Girly 104

Ghost ASX 5500 40

Giant Trance Advanced

27.5 2 100

Intense Tracer 275C 22

Kona Process 153DL 136

KTM Ultra Race 29 98

Mondraker Dune XR 102

Orange Five RS 104

Specialized Camber

Expert Carbon Evo 44

Specialized Enduro

Expert Carbon 139

Specialized

Stumpjumper FSR Comp

Evo 104

Trek Slash 9 143

Vitus Sentier 275VR 42

Whyte T129 102

YT Industries Capra

Pro 146

40 FIRST RIDESGet a quick lowdown as

we take out some of the

latest bikes to hit the market

92 PRODUCT TESTSCarbon wheels, thick/thin

chainrings and loads more

on test this month

98 LONGTERMERSMacca takes delivery of a KTM

hardtail to join the mbr shed, while

disaster strikes Jason and his Stumpy

118 SADDLESAvoid a bum deal on your

next perch purchase

120 DISC BRAKESThe latest and greatest stoppers

put through their paces

132 ENDURO BIKESTomorrows bikes today

and one very special winner

O N T H E C O V E R

O N T H E C O V E R

O N T H E C O V E R

ON THE COVERThis months enduro bike test

necessitated (well, kinda) a trip to

the testing trails of Liguria, Italy

here, Al hits a drop at Diano

Marina on the awesome YT Capra.

Photographer: Roo Fowler

MAY 2014 mbr 7

Spring clean

They say that when Tiger Woods was learning to play golf, his dad Earl would try everything to break his concentration shouting, screaming, throwing things it was all fair game.

Now I know how Tiger felt. This issue is due at the printers and Im surrounded by chaos. Two words: of ce move. One more: nightmare.

Moves are never easy, but when youve got the mbr storeroom to take into account, youre on a whole new level. Depending on your view, the store is either an Aladdins cave of mtbs greatest gear, or an out-take from Britains Biggest Hoarders. If you have a problem if no one else can help if you can nd it its somewhere in the mbr storeroom.

But its not our fault. Expecting mountain bikers to throw away gear is like asking Brian Blessed to whisper. We need it. All of it. Even the things that havent been touched for a decade. Cometh the hour, cometh that dirt bike with cobwebs on it.

Becoming a rider means becoming an expert in gear, becoming self-suf cient, learning about trailside bodges. Its a state of mind that means every accessory is both a missed opportunity to attain perfection, and something that one day could be exactly what you need. And thats why, whether your stuff is kept in a cardboard box, a corner of a shed or a sparkling workshop, you will never have as much space as you need.

Now Ive got to go. Muldoon just nearly killed someone while moving a cupboard, and Bens found the decades-old archive of Superbike Readers Wives. God help us all

Now available on the iPad, Kindle and all Android devicesmbr.co.uk/digital-edition

HOW TO

Editor, mbr

youtube.com/user/MBRmagazine strava.com/clubs/mountain-bike-rider-5839mbr.co.uk facebook.com/MBRmagazine twitter.com/mbrmagazine

Cardboard boxes, chaos and time

to tackle the dreaded storeroom

108 FIX Q&AYour guide to the when, how

and why of bike servicing

110 REPLACE YOUR REAR GEAR CABLEIts a simple job but one that

can transform your shifting

112 JUMPING: THE BASICSHow to jump big and land safe

REGULARS12 BIG PICTURES

21 BUZZ

46 REAL WORLD RIDING

48 TRAIL-FINDER GENERAL

53 MAILBOX

56 READER PHOTOS

130 RIDE GUIDE

154 SOAPBOX

SUBSCRIBE TO TODAY AND GET A FREE PROLOGO SADDLE Turn to page 50 WORTH

150!

Get off the ground:

we show you how to

master jumping

Cutting edge advice

in Workshop

Get the lowdown on

Lee Valley on p28

The storeroom isnt

a pretty sight

C O N T E N T S

8 mbr MAY 2014

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B I G P I C T U R E

12 mbr MAY 2014

MAY 2014 mbr 13

Big pictureAfter a steep climb up the front

side of A-Basin, Lenawee trail in

Colorado unfolds on the rugged

backside of the resort and opens

up to expansive views of the White

River National Forest. Topping out

at 12,500 feet, the descent rips

through technical steeps above

the treeline, across high alpine

meadows, and nishes on the

twisting and varied terrain of the

pine-laden forests, landing back in

Keystone 3,000 vertical feet later.

Joey Schusler is the rider here,

and were just one hours drive

from Denver.

Craig Grant

S p o n s o r e d b y S i l v e r f i s h w w w. s i l v e r f i s h - u k . c o m

B I G P I C T U R E

14 mbr MAY 2014

MAY 2014 mbr 15

Big pictureThere was a hint of spring in the air

when I took this photo. The clouds

were slowly peeling themselves off

the valley sides, the sun was trying

to break through and bringing with

it the tiniest glimmer of warmth.

It was a welcome tease, and I just

couldnt resist. I spent the rest of

the day burning out my legs on the

great array of trails around my local

stomping ground. Bring on summer.

Sam Needham

S p o n s o r e d b y S i l v e r f i s h w w w. s i l v e r f i s h - u k . c o m

16 mbr MAY 2014

Big pictureIt feels like barely a month goes

by right now without a new

trail opening in Wales, and this

month on page 58 we present our

rst impressions of two of the

latest additions to the countrys

increasingly brilliant trail network.

The Blade, at Afan, is funded by

the developers of a new wind farm

in the area but will complement

the much-loved Skyline once

construction is complete.

Roo Fowler

S p o n s o r e d b y S i l v e r f i s h w w w. s i l v e r f i s h - u k . c o m

MAY 2014 mbr 17

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N E V E R T R U S T

A W A R M P R A W N

S A N D W I C H

B E F O R E Y O U

E M B A R K O N

A N A D V E N T U R E Wisdom of the bivvy-biker, page 80

MAY 2014 mbr 21

Quite possibly the most aggressive

bike in Britain, this custom-designed

170mm-travel Nicolai Ion is the

brainchild of Mojo owner Chris

Porter and sports the longest

wheelbase of any bike weve seen.

My old bike, the FrankenDune

(Porters heavily modi ed

Mondraker Dune), was riding so

well because of the chainstay

length, Porter tells mbr. So we

set out to custom-build a bike

with a longer back-end, because

everyone wants to corner faster,

dont they? How do you know

youve reached the limit if you

dont try?

With a 63 head angle and

1,285mm wheelbase, is this the

limit? Were not yet riding bikes

that are long enough, Porter

reckons. And Ive already ordered

450mm chainstays for the Nicolai,

10mm longer!

Its a pretty industrial-looking

machine, with massive welds, tubes

like scaffolding and a brushed

aluminium nish. Porter has

tted a 10mm stem straight from

Mondrakers Forward Geometry

programme, and theres plenty of

room in the cockpit thanks to the

long wheelbase.

Anyone can get a Nicolai Ion

custom made from nicolai-uk.

com, with Porters bike costing

around 3,000 for the frame. If

youre daunted by the idea of

making your own angles, just copy

a bike you like and tune it a little

longer chainstays perhaps, or a

slacker head angle.

S T A R T Y O U R R I D E H E R E

Edited by Jamie Darlow

G E A R R I D E S G E T S TA R T E DI N S P I R A T I O NFA S T & F I T

T A K E I T T O T H E L I M I THow Fox importer Mojo is pushing bike design lower, longer and slacker

V I T A L

S T A T I S T I C S

Head angle: 63

Bottom bracket: 330mm

Wheelbase: 1,285mm

Chainstay: 440mm

Front centre: 845mm

Weight: 15.0kg (33lb)

Fox Float X CTD,

with a bit extra:

something fancy

inside to make it feel

very coil-like

Fox 34mm Float

with 160mm travel,

but Porter plans to

up-spec to a Float 36

Stubby stem

comes courtesy

of Mondraker

G E A R

22 mbr MAY 2014

V O L C A N O G R I PNew space-age coating to revolutionise grip

I N T E N S E S B U D G E T

T R A C E R The Tracer has a new carbon sibling, to add to the collection from IntenseIf 2,800 looks like a bargain for a niche carbon

bike, heres the bad news: thats just for the

frame and shock. But for this kind of boutique

brand, that doesnt seem so bad. Specializeds

mainstream Stumpy is 2,500, after all. The

Tracer is made in the Far East, rather than

handbuilt in Intenses US factory, which does

mean the carbon version costs only 450 extra.

So, what can we expect from the Tracer?

Lighter: probably. Stiffer: likely. Gnarlier:

certainly. Its been designed to take the Monarch

Plus shock or Cane Creek Double Barrel but truth

is, we dont know; its so new there are no details

available as we go to press. By the time you read

this, itll be available to buy. We dont even know

the weight or the angles, all we know is there are

two colours, red and black or naked carbon, and

wed like them both, please. extrauk.co.uk

I N T E N S E

T R A C E R

2 7 5 C

2 , 7 9 9

W H A T I S I T ?Called Connect Power Control (CPC),

its a new coating designed to provide

grip and shock absorption.

H O W D O E S I T W O R K ?Its a revolutionary product that could

be as signi cant as the zip or Velcro,

because its ridiculously grippy

without being sticky like glue. CPC

binds to your grips or shorts

because the little volcanoes

(or cylinders) act like suction

pumps. Its performance

doesnt seem to decrease

over time or wear away either. Read a

full test in the next issue.

T H E M T B B E N E F I T SNever lose grip in the wet. The

squidgy air cylinders act like bubble

wrap to cushion you, reducing arm-

pump and saddle pain as you ride.

T H E V E R D I C TLooks good, gives brilliant traction,

and feels great to the touch. Wow.

The only downside right now, is its

really expensive.

i-ride.co.uk

P R O L O G O P R O D U C T S

Prologo Nago Evo X8

saddle 209.99

Prologo CPC gloves

74.99

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G E A R

24 mbr MAY 2014

S U S P E N S I O N : M O R E T H A N S K I N - D E E P

What goes on inside your fork and shock?

Discover the whole story as we delve into

the inner workings of your suspension.

Paul Shepherd from Fox importer Mojo

explains the role of each component

F O X F L O A T 3 4 W I T H

F I T C A R T R I D G E

F O X F L O A T

X S H O C K

FIT cartridge

The Fox Isolated

Technology (FIT)

cartridge basically

stops the air and

oil from mixing,

which would

impede suspension

performance

Single wall

expanding bladder

The bladder gives

the air and oil

somewhere to go

as it expands, so

it reduces uid

aeration and keeps

your fork feeling

consistent even as it

gradually heats up

Volume reducer

top-cap

An internal spacer

that reduces the

air volume, so

the suspension

gets rmer as it

approaches full travel

Top-out spring

A soft buffer for the

fork to fully extend

against when, for

example, your wheel

comes off the ground

Lower leg bushes

Oil is forced into

the tall, slotted

bushings during the

compression stroke.

When the fork cycles

up and down, the oil

is trapped between

the bushings, upper

tubes and seals to

lubricate the system

Suspension uid

Lubricates the lower

leg bushings (above)

as they slide inside

the stanchion

Float Fluid

Lubricates the

air pistons seals.

Adding uid also

reduces the amount

of air, so it makes

the suspension

more progressive

Negative spring

A long, air-

negative spring

makes for a more

linear spring-

feeling fork

Air volume reducer

Tinker with this to change

your air-spring curve. Larger

spacers make the spring rate

progressive; smaller ones

make for a more linear feel

LV air sleeve

Also called the air can, the

sleeve is pressurised when

you put air into the shock

Positive air chamber

Pressurised air

acts as an easily

adjustable spring

Negative air pressure

Pressurised air

preloads the shock

into its travel, so

theres less effort

needed to get it

moving at the start of

the stroke

Air-sleeve transfer port

Lets air move between

positive and negative

chambers, so the shock

can automatically

balance its spring rate

Piston assembly

Damping is

created by shims

that ex open,

allowing oil to

ow across the

piston on the

rebound stroke

Suspension uid

Provides the uid for

damping and lubricates

the shock internals

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WHAT WERE EXCITED ABOUT THIS MONTHH O T S T U F F

M O S T

W A N T E D

Dropper posts have transformed trail bikes, but in a

way they make more sense on cross-country or race

bikes, simply because youre riding with the saddle

right up, which isnt conducive to fast (or even safe)

descending. The problem is, XC racers are reluctant to

t droppers because of the weight, and the fact that the

125-150mm of drop is often too much on a short-travel

bike. But with a total drop of 65mm and weighing 450g,

KSs new LEV Carbon looks set to change all that.

The drop may seem limiting, but on an XC bike

its just enough to lower your centre of gravity for

descending or riding rough trails. The post is 400mm

long so has a good range of height adjustment, and the

lower stack height is perfect for frames that dont have

the space for a full-length dropper.

KS has managed to knock around 100g off the

current LEV by using carbon for the lower part of the

post, one of the clamps and part of the head, plus

titanium bolts and a lighter remote lever, which features

some extra machining on the clamp. Even the cable has

gone on a diet KS is using a lightweight cable system

with a non-compressible outer and Kevlar inner to save

a further 20g.

Like the current aluminium version, the carbon LEV

has a xed anchor point, so theres no apping cable,

and it has the same head design so you can alter the

orientation of the anchor by swivelling the head on the

upper shaft. Two diameters are available 30.9mm

and 31.6mm but no 27.2mm or Integra (internal

routed) version so far.

The price isnt exorbitant for a post of this quality but

its still considerable. However, if you want the lightest

dropper post on the market or struggle to t a regular

one, this could be the answer to your prayers.

480, jungleproducts.co.uk

K S L E V C A R B O N

S E A T P O S T

Slimmed-down

remote lever

G E A R

26 mbr MAY 2014

H A R D C O R EBontragers new SE4 Team Issue TLR is the current

XR4 trail tyre but on steroids. It features three-piece

Core Strength protection, a dual-rubber compound

and is fully tubeless-ready. Available in 29x2.3in,

but oddly no 650b. 44.99, Bontrager.com

WA X O N , WA X O F FCleaning your bike is a lot easier if you have the

right tools for the job. Fenwicks Stealth mountain

bike kit includes the companys excellent FS-10 Bike

Cleaner, Disc Brake Cleaner and Suspension Lube

Spray, plus much more. 39.99, zyro.co.uk

F I D D L E T R I C K SPocket Mountain Bike Maintenance is the ideal

reference manual for those lacking in bike

fettling skills. Compiled by cycling journalists

Guy Andrews and Mike Davis, it includes a ton of

x-it advice. 9.99, bloomsbury.com

S A F E H AV E NChain Reactions Pro Bike Bag features Crush

Protection Inserts and clever foam spacers to

keep your toy in one piece while it ies through

the air (like when its dropped by baggage

handlers). 99.99, chainreactioncycles.com

H O O D Y B U D D YThe name says it all the Hoodie Buff is a buff

with a hood on it. Its genius, and perfect for

wearing at the tea stop or retaining heat at the

end of an epic ride or race. 27, buffwear.co.uk

C R O C K S O C K SIn addition to its bamboo T-shirts, Broken Riders is

now selling accessories including beanie hats, key

fobs, hoodies and these great value Merino wool

socks. Theyre available in S/M and L/XL.

10, brokenridersuk.com

M E T A L G E A R S O L I DPilo Engineering makes over 300 different types of

gear hanger, including this emergency one. It only

works if you have a quick-release and it limits gear

choice, but its (much) better than the alternative,

walking home. 18.99, gearmechhanger.com

S P E E D I N G B U L L E TDeveloped with the help of DH pro Aaron Gwin, the

Chamber is Giros SPD-compatible race shoe. Also

available in plain black and in a new mid shape

with more ankle protection. 109.99, zyro.co.uk

MAY 2014 mbr 27

O R A N G E B O W LFor 2014 the Troy Lee A1 Turbo is available in an

orange colourway. Its no different to a regular A1,

it just looks hot and we thought you should see it.

149.99, sheroutdoor.co.uk

W H E N T H E D U S T S E T T L E S

The capitals urban mountain bike venue

returns, but is it worthy of the Eastway

circuit it replaces?

When Eastway closed in 2006, London lost its only

centrally located mountain biking venue, and with

it the case for riding a mountain bike in the city

disappeared. The trails werent up to much, but

they were ours, and the Beastway summer series,

held from the early 1990s, was a melting pot for

anyone in the South-East bitten by the mtb bug.

The Lee Valley Velopark sits where Eastway

once stood, and once fully open will sport 8km of

Dafydd Davis-designed mtb trails, a multi-level mtb

skills loop, a (huge) BMX track, a BMX warm-up

pump track, a road racing circuit and, of course, the

centre point, the Olympic Velodrome. Davis was the

man originally behind Coed-y-Brenin and has since

become a great advocate of taking mountain biking

to the people, installing trails in urban areas and

the Velopark in Stratford is certainly urban.

The winter of 2013-14, however, didnt make life

easy for the contractors building and landscaping

the Veloparks mtb trails, and as a result, at the

press day in March, only the skills loop was fully

open. The remainder of the trail network, which

criss-crosses the A12 and appears to make good

use of what little gradient the site has, is due to

open at the end of March. At present, the site looks

like, well, a building site hopefully it will be a bit

more attractive by the time Beastway returns to its

spiritual home on May 15.

Our rst impressions are limited, therefore, but

given the location and the intent to be a place

where non-mountain bikers can gain access to the

sport, were positive it will become a much loved

and used facility. Are experienced riders going to

nd any terrain that pushes their limits or those of

a modern enduro bike? Probably not. But thats

not the point this is somewhere you can ride

to and have fun after a day stuck in the city, and

more importantly, it will inspire a new generation of

mountain bikers. visitleevalley.org.uk

The BMX track has been remodelled since the Olympics to make it more

suitable for a wide range of abilities. Fancy a go? You can hire a bike and

take part in a taster session with a coach for 15 (12 concessions).

Lee Valley enjoyed a

glorious beginning

at London 2012. The

future looks promising

too, with BMX and XC

competitions as well as

recreational riding.

R I D E S

28 mbr MAY 2014

One small patch of trees remains from the Eastway days, with a trail

snaking through and dropping down via tight switchbacks to the river.

London road bike

shop Condor

won the tender

to provide road

and track bikes

to the Velopark,

leaving them the

unexpected task of

creating mountain

bikes as well. For

what its worth, the

26in-wheel hardtails

that will be hired

out look ne, with

a sensible spec and

decent geometry.

The skills course has dozens of options to let riders progress. These

rock drops are actually quite intimidating from the top, especially as

the fencing contractor hasnt allowed much run-off at the bottom.

The areas around the trails had only just been seeded when we visited

in March. Hopefully, by the time the trails open in April, the grass will

have taken hold and the scene will be more attractive theres no

denying theres a lot of trail to play with, though.

J O I N T H E

A D V E N T U R E X

I N G R I Z E D A L EOn-road, off-road, ups and downs try a

new kind of cycling adventure this April

The Adventure X series from

mbr and Cycling Weekly offers

challenging long-distance group

rides thatll test your legs and your

skills. Whether youre on a hardtail,

a cross bike or even a full-sus, youll

nd yourself ying through some

sections and ghting through others

and thats all part of the fun.

From tough Cumbrian climbs to

rocky singletrack and fast-paced

forest trails, the Grizedale Grizzly

on April 27 takes in two of South

Lakelands most famous waters,

Windermere and Coniston. Choose

from the 45-mile Mini Massif or the

epic 65-mile Massif route.

Starting from the small village of

Cartmel, the ride winds its way out

through the fells on virtually traf c-

free lanes before reaching the rst

off-road sections.

The riding here is challenging

and occasionally technical, as slate

and rock-strewn paths put your

skills to the test. Steep climbs offer

a true challenge, but youll be well

rewarded by spectacular views and

fast, owing descents.

Cyclo-cross riders will be in their

element on the narrow lanes and fast

gravel re roads, but when it comes

to the rockier off-road sections,

anyone whos opted for a hardtail

will be laughing.

Reserve your place now at

bookmyride.co.uk.

A D V E N T U R E X 2 0 1 4QGRIZEDALE GRIZZLY, Sunday April 27,

Cartmel, Cumbria

QRHINOG RAPTOR, Sunday May 11,

Coed y Brenin, Snowdonia, North Wales

QMOORS & SHORES, Sunday June 15,

Dalby, North Yorkshire

QGALLOWAY GALLOP, Sunday Sept 21,

Galloway Forest Park, Dumfries, Scotland

QLAKELAND MONSTER MILES, Sunday

October 12, Keswick, Cumbria

MAY 2014 mbr 29

FA S T & F I T

30 mbr MAY 2014

In 2007, Fabien Barel took

second place at the World

Championships in Fort William,

Scotland, with a broken foot.

Incredibly, it was the rst time

hed been on a bike in two

months, with zero training and

no bike testing. So how did he

do it? How did he win a silver

medal, missing the win by just

seven tenths of a second to

Sam Hill? Simple, he practised

in his mind.

I went outside every night

for two hours, put my feet in

cold water and listened to the

noise of the rain on my mp3

player, Fabien tells mbr. I

visualised the track. It helped

my brain react to the cold and

rain. Summer in Nice is boiling

hot and nothing like the Fort

William conditions. You actually

train your body through a

certain feeling to react to the

actual race moment.

D AY D R E A M B E L I E V E RHow to think yourself faster from the comfort of your sofa

Fabien Barel: immersed

his feet in cold water to

prepare for Fort William

FA B I E N S

V I S U A L I S AT I O N

T E C H N I Q U E S

H O W D O E S

V I S U A L I S A T I O N

W O R K ?

Visualising yourself riding

reduces the mental impact of

the exercise when you actually

do come to ride. It helps your

brain have a faster instinctive

reaction and gives it less to do.

You dont simply see the

track; you visualise and feel

everything about it. That

stimulates all the nerve capacity

and adrenaline in the same way

as doing it for real.

If you come into a corner and

know where the rocks and roots

are, you can avoid a lot of the

calculations your brain normally

has to do during the run. It

means you can go into more

detail as you enter the corner,

rather than just analysing it.

H O W C A N I T

W O R K F O R Y O U ?

Sit at the end of your chair,

keep your back straight, put

your head on your knees. Close

your eyes and focus. First train

your focus: think for one minute

about an object, like an apple,

a brush or a fork, anything that

doesnt give you any feeling.

You will see how hard that is!

Then you can train yourself to

start to visualise.

1. Reset the basics: your heel

position, your elbow position

and your general attitude on the

bike. Try to visualise how that

feels into corners or jumps, and

it will actually help you to repeat

it easily on the bike.

2. Technical riding: analyse

where you want your wheel

to go there, there and over

there so you can clear the

section of trail or downhill

before you. Try to visualise the

body position and the hand and

foot pressure to commit through

the section. This will help you to

go more safely.

3. Find more ow: the most

enjoyable thing on a bike is just

to play with the terrain, not ght

against it. Find ve minutes in

your day to think about it in

your mind, to ride it as you

wish you could ride it and one

day you will.

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T H E B I G B I K E PA R K D E B AT E

B I K E P A R K WA L E SMerthyr Tyd l, South Wales

More like a trail centre than a bike park, BPW

has loads of fun trails you dont need a DH bike

to get down. Theres also a proper singletrack

climb to take you up and eschew the uplift. If

you still dont like it, natural riding in the Brecon

Beacons is just a few miles away.

R E V O L U T I O N B I K E P A R KLlangynog, Powys

Formerly the home of the Athertons, Revolution

Bike Park has some seriously challenging,

handmade trails to enjoy, nishing with some

jumps and tables at the bottom. Antur Stiniog

is really close too, and theres a new pump track

section just opened that looks great fun.

B I K E P A R K S F O R D I F F E R E N T L A R K SF O R B I K E P A R K H A T E R S F O R B I K E P A R K L O V E R S

T H E Y R E F A K EB U T F U NB E N J I H AW O R T H

Im not a big fan of old-school trail centres. Sure, I had

fun when I rode them, but Im back on natural trails

now. For the past few years, each trail centre thats

come along has shown less and less inclination to be faux-natural.

The rst trail centres appeared to pretend to be

natural trails, complete with seemingly endless

re-road slogging and all-too-brief, not-very-

challenging rough sections. The designers

seemed to be more about mileage

endurance rather than bike-

handling fun.

I love bike parks. Tame, pseudo-

natural mimicky trails begone!

Gimme the fakest, most

un-natural trails possible

please! Berms, jumps, speed,

carve, ow, adrenaline. Fast

food. Gimme gimme gimme.

I dont want a fake real

world. I want a really fake

world. Give me sculpted ow,

and get me back up to the

start asap so I can do it again.

Bike parks are the future.

Theyre easier for most

people to get to. They can

be squeezed in anywhere.

City centre bike parks exist!

Brilliant. Bike parks will get

more people onto bikes.

Crucially, theyll keep more

people on bikes. Will

everyone who rides bike

parks then have a go at

natural trails? No. But some

will many more than would

if bike parks didnt exist.

Double win.

R I D I N G I S N T J U S T D E S C E N T SJ A M I E D A R L O W

Im a fan of the humble trail centre but not the brazen

bike park. Its the climbs Im not happy about. Or, more

accurately, the lack of them. Whereas the trail centre

would lead you up the hill on singletrack thats received as much attention

as the downhills, a bike park pretends the climbs dont exist. To

get up there, youll either clamber aboard a van, the

atmosphere thick with sweat and bravado,

or pedal a dull re-road climb. Its a trail

builders way of telling you that half the

riding you normally do is just a big waste

of time; that the only possible reason

anyone would ride a bike is to bomb it

downhill. Climbing has no place here.

Its like fast-forwarding through a lm

and watching only the action scenes.

Its porn for mountain bikers.

Id hate to think that the only

thing mountain biking offers

us is the thrill of the descent,

especially as its far from the

truth. I very much suspect

there are riders out there

who enjoy the challenge of

a tough climb or even ride

to stay t and healthy. I

suspect there are riders out

there who actually prefer a

technical climb to a descent.

Weve ridden countless

trails in hundreds of riding

spots and, yes, we enjoy the

descents but its the other bits

we remember the views, the

people, and the shared challenges to

overcome. Going to a bike park to be

repeatedly shuttled to the top of a hill

feels a bit like practice and not enough

like a real ride.

I N S P I R A T I O N

32 mbr MAY 2014

First came the trail centre, then came the bike park. Is this a brave new world or a turn for the worse...

Illu

stra

tio

n:

Sim

on

Sc

ars

bro

ok

A VA N F O R A L L

S E A S O N S

Y O U R V A N S O N T W I T T E R

This is Toby and Sams mobile

man cave. The brothers have just

returned from round one of the

Scottish Enduro Series in the van,

which has also been across Europe

road-tripping in the Alps, taken the

pair racing at the Enduro World

Series in Italy and countless Welsh

and Scotland overnighters too.

During the week it plays a more

conventional role as work wheels

for carpenter Toby. Bought new

in 2011, the pair soon set about

transforming it into a race wagon

on a budget. Wood came from

a neighbours skip and a school

desk from a tip formed the basis

of the sleeping arrangement, with

a mattress from a car boot and

another from Ikeas bargain bin. The

interior is made more habitable by

packing sheeps wool between the

ply lining and the metal skin of the

van. The oor has simply been laid

with cheap lino on top of the ply.

Toby and Sam decided to

separate the sleeping area from

the bikes with a removable sheet

of ply, and so the garage area

is simply a shelf where bikes sit

with their wheels off, with storage

underneath. All in, it cost a couple

of hundred quid, tops. And its all

removed easily enough if the extra

space is needed.

How two brothers built the perfect mobile base on a bargain budget

ZP A U L

M O R G A N

Six seats and

room for bikes

and kit. And

still a work

in progress.

Result.

G A R Y

RO B I N S O N

All loaded up

to do some of

that fashionable

enduro stuff!

facebook.com/MBRmagazine

@mbrmagazine

Find the gap: the

brothers Pantling

are serious packers

G E T S T A R T E D

34 mbr MAY 2014

T H E J O Y O F S T E P SNo, not an album from the 90s group, but a look at all thats good and bad about trail stairs

Like them or loathe them, steps are a big part of natural riding the Lake

Districts passes wouldnt be the same without them. And avoiding those classic

routes because they feature a few minutes of step riding would be cutting your

nose off to spite your face. So lets take a look at how to deal with them.

L O V E T H E MTheyre an unusual test of bike

handling skills. Appreciated by

those sorts of riders who thrive purely

on technical challenge and bottle.

They are a unique part of our

landscape. From the left-to-

ruin higgledy-piggledy steps of old

industry, to the constantly updated

and maintained staircases of famous

Lakeland passes.

For the non-climbers out there

it always comes as a relief to be

presented with a stepped ascent up a

steep bit of hillside. Finally, theres no

shame in getting off.

L O A T H E T H E MTheres no ow or style to be

had when brutally pummelling

your way down a set of tiresome

steps. For riders more in tune with

carving delicious dirt turns theres

precious little reward.

Steps are eyesores. Seeing a

pile of man-made stone ways

amid otherwise untouched natural

scenery is jarring.

You cant climb up steps. Well,

not when theres more than a

handful. The appearance of a long

face of steps ahead really messes up

your chances of cleaning a climb.

S N O W D O N , N O R T H WA L E S20.3km (12.6 miles)

A big mountain with some big steps on it. The

metal plank faced steps down from the summit

are notoriously tricksy affairs. Their awkwardness

is not helped by the vulture-like gawpings of the

attendant gatherings of other riders and walkers.

The Ranger Path is mostly step-free, apart from a

brief but super-techno section. If heading down via

the Llanberis Path route, resurfacing work has seen

an extended stony staircase running down from

Clogwyn Station point.

GPS download: bit.ly/O4Ftqh

D O L LY WA G O N P I K E , L A K E D I S T R I C T19.9km (12.4 miles)

Dollywagon Pike is part of the classic Helvellyn

route. Coming down from the summit of Helvellyn

you rst have to deal with the pile of rocks that is

Nethermost Pike, and then its time for the arm-

punishing steps-fest of Dollywagon Pike. Truth

be told its actually the subsequent nal descent

along the amazing Grisedale Valley thats the real

highlight of the route. Its ow country interspersed

with rocky tech moments.

GPS download: bit.ly/1bluB2Z

D A L B E A T T I E , S C O T T I S H B O R D E R S25km (15.5 miles)

An undervalued gem of the 7Stanes trail centre

collective, its coastal setting gives the place a

unique and really rather lovely vibe. It may not have

the greatest number of trail miles, but its well worth

a visit. Although the daunting but straightforward

Slab section gets all the headlines, its the quali er

immediately before thats the real tricksy catcher-

out. There are a few other sections of steps-esque

obstacles scattered throughout the Red route too,

so take spare tubes for the inevitable pinch at.

T H R E E O F T H E B E S T : R I D E S W I T H S T E P S ( A G A I N , N O T T H E B A N D )

5? 4;)

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G E T S T A R T E D

Have your say on...

facebook.com/MBRmagazine

@mbrmagazine

I S Y O U R B I K E A W E L L - L O V E D O B J E C T O F O B S E S S I O N O R J U S T A T O O L

T O G E T Y O U R I D I N G ? T W E E T U S Y O U R # B I K E L O V E O R # R I D E L O V E

My bike is loved like

one of my children

Scott Wood

#bikelove Cant beat the

freedom of jumping on &

hitting the dirt tracks :-))

Gav Tyrrell

It was #bikelove

now its just

#ridelove

Mike Smith

Bikes have let

me down in

the past but

the feel of the ride

never has #ridelove

Sport Social Ltd

W E

A S K E D

Can it be #bikelove & #ridelove?

Cant face parting with my late 90s

Stumpy!! #IfBikesCouldTalk

Andy Stevens

36 mbr MAY 2014

E V E R Y R I D E R S H O U L D K N O W . . .

H O W T O S O R T A H E A D S E T

Dont forget about your headset follow these steps to give it a quick once over

Headsets lead a charmed life, rotating just a few lazy degrees

off centre at any one time, rarely going through its full range of

motion. Its easy to get complacent and overlook maintenance,

but dont do it! Riding with an upset headset will ruin your ride

and knock your con dence, and keeping it in good nick is a

quick and easy job thats worth doing three or four times a year.

T O O L S F O R

T H E J O B

QMulti-tool

QGrease

QClean rags

QDegreaser/cleaner

1 Remove the stem top cap, undo the stem bolts and remove the bar and stem from the steerer tube.

4 You can extend the life of most sealed cartridge bearings by removing the seals and packing them with fresh grease. Go for the best grease you

can nd that will repel water and last a long time.

Make sure that the seals are put back securely.

2 Having removed any spacers (its wise to make a note of what went where) hold the fork crown and the top tube, and pull the two apart. This will

make it easy to remove the top cap of the headset

and expose the bearing race.

5 Rub a thin coat of grease around the permanent races and pop the bearing races back in. Its now just a case of slotting

everything back together.

3 Remove the bearing race (should be easy to do with your ngers), give the top and bottom headset cups a blast with spray and

clean them up with a rag or kitchen towel.

6 Tighten the headset top cap before you tighten the stem bolts you want to tighten it so there is no longer any play, but the headset spins freely.

Now get your stem perfectly aligned with your front

wheel, tighten up the stem bolts and go ride.

Engineering brilliance,

a piece of art and a

dream realiser!

Matt Clover

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1 , 6 4 9. 9 9 / 6 5 0 b / h o t l i n e s - u k . c o m

For 2014, Ghosts 120mm-travel

ASX trail bike line-up has

been completely overhauled.

Unsurprisingly, its a case of out with

the old-fangled 26in wheels and in

with the slightly bigger 650b hoops, but this

is just one of many signi cant changes.

More sculpted and sleek than the

model it replaces, the re ned hydroformed

aluminium frame is not only cleaner,

especially around the seat tower area, but

the rear shock now runs parallel to the

seat tube rather than the top tube, giving a

lower centre of gravity. This new ASX layout

brings the bikes silhouette in line with

Ghosts other mountain bikes, including the

popular AMR series and the 155mm Cagua

enduro machine.

Equipment on the ASX 5500 includes

a quality Shimano XT rear mech, effective

Shimano brakes and Deore cranks which,

although not hollow-forged like the more

expensive versions, still offer a stiff and

solid ride.

The drivetrain can get noisy, though,

and is signi cantly hampered by the lack of

a clutch rear mech to help stop chain-slap

over rough ground. Since this technology

has proved such a revelation, its omission

is a bit of a drawback and strange too,

considering that Shadow Plus clutch

technology is now available down to Deore

level. The 3x10 gearing range does offer

a broad spread for covering any type of

incline, however, and together with the

excellent rear suspension, the ASX had us

attempting tricky, steep climbs where wed

normally get off and push.

Ghosts tried and tested four-bar

suspension con guration allows the frame

designer plenty of freedom to tune the

system to behave well, whether pedalling,

eating up bumps or braking, and in this

instance it delivers 120mm of travel. The

X-Fusion shock has plenty of adjustment

but the lock-out lever wouldnt stay put,

constantly ipping back to the open

position over the course of a ride.

NIMBLEOn the move, the ASX 5500 feels nimble,

and the bigger wheels help gobble up the

trail more effectively than the older ASX.

Ghosts suspension is typically smooth,

with good isolation from vibrations from

the X-Fusion shock, even considering the

minimal cushioning from the fast-rolling

Schwalbe tyres.

The 130mm Fox Evolution series

fork is one of the rst weve tried in the

middle wheel size with a standard QR

axle, and theres noticeable ex when

cornering hard, but the slippy Rocket Ron

tyres give way long before you can exert

NEED TO KNOWODo-it-all 650b

trail bike at a

competitive price

O130mm front

travel with

120mm rear

OGreat standover

clearance thanks to

low-slung top tube

GHOST ASX 5500An overhaul of Ghosts trail bike range brings in 650b

wheels, a lightweight build and smooth suspension

N E W B I K E S

40 mbr MAY 2014

S P O T L I G H T O N . . .

Ghost Smooth Ratio SuspensionGhost calls its low-leverage suspension linkage Smooth Ratio

Suspension, or SRS for short. The crux of the design is a longer

stroke shock that gives a lower leverage ratio, which results in

lower air pressures required to support the riders weight. Because

the larger damper doesnt have to work as hard, it heats up less

and offers more consistent damping, so in theory your rear

suspension will

feel exactly the

same at the

bottom of a trail

as it did when

you dropped

in. To reduce

the breakaway

force and offer

a pitter-patter

suspension

response, the

ASX also gets

needle bearings

on the upper

shock eyelet.

WE LOVECompetitive pricing and relatively

lightweight build-kit, backed up with

well-mannered suspension.

WE HATEThe 3x10-speed drivetrain it

lacks a clutch derailleur and frequently

loses the chain.

1 S T I M P R E S S I O N

SPECIFICATIONFrame Double-

butted aluminium,

120mm travel

Shock X-Fusion E1

RL Air

Fork Fox 32 Float CTD

Evolution, 130mm travel

Wheels Shimano

Deore hubs, Ryde

Taurus 21 rims,

Schwalbe Rocket Ron

650b x 2.25in tyres

Brakes Shimano Deore

180mm rotors

Drivetrain Shimano

Deore chainset, shifters

and front mech,

Shimano XT rear mech

Components Ghost

Low Rizer bar 700mm,

70mm stem Ghost

saddle and seatpost

Weight 13.78kg

(30.3lbs)

Sizes 40, 44, 48,

52, 56cm

GEOMETRYSize ridden 48cm

Head angle 68.2

Seat angle 71.3

BB height 340mm

Chainstay 435mm

Front centre 700mm

Wheelbase 1,135mm

Down tube 678mm

New layout

mirrors existing

AMR series

too much torsional load through the spindly

32mm stanchions. Pedalling, accelerating

and maintaining speed over very rough

ground is handled well by the ASX rear

suspension, which leads us to believe

that the frame quality and layout is well

executed, but the chain-dropping drivetrain,

skinny tyres and 700mm handlebar prevent

you from really getting a grin on when

riding more aggro trails.

Mick Kirkman

Ghost missed a

trick not specing

a clutch rear mech

Effective Shimano

brakes and drivetrain

Quick-release

Fox fork

Our 2014 Hardtail of the Year test

is the main event in next months

mbr and, with the reigning

two-time champion, Scotts Scale,

going up against fresh blood like

the Vitus Sentier 275VR, its sure to be the

closest battle yet.

For a debut model, the Sentier 275VR

has a really polished build. Beginning

with the frame, you get quality triple-

butted aluminium tubing, which boasts

varying wall thicknesses to save weight

and boost comfort, without compromising

stiffness. The tubes are welded together

with promising geometry which, save

for a steeper head angle, shares many

similarities with the exceptional Whyte 905

we tested in the January issue.

One thing that does worry us, however,

is that there are only three frame sizes on

offer, and despite the fact that Im only of

average height (5ft 10in), the largest size

tted me well. Consequently the Sentier

wont really cater for anyone much over

six foot.

The suspension fork is a Suntour Raidon

similar to the one tted to the VooDoo

Bizango (our 2013 Bike of the Year). Its

air-sprung, making it easy to set up for a

wide range of rider weights, and better

still, theres even adjustable rebound and

compression damping (with lockout).

Unfortunately it doesnt get the stiffer

through-axle tted to the 600 VooDoo.

Theres a decent spread of gears thanks

to the 2x10 drivetrain, and with Shimanos

Deore and XT components, you also

get class-leading shifting along with the

security of a clutch rear derailleur. And if

youre still worried about your chain falling

off, Vitus has also added ISCG tabs to

the BB shell so you can t a chain device.

Shimano also supplies the brakes: superb

SLX discs with ample 180mm rotors. In

fact, with a 60mm stem and 740mm bar

for precise, responsive steering, the only

thing missing from the spec is a decent

set of tyres. Yes, Im afraid that for the

second month in a row, the performance

of a Vitus has been let down by a lack of

cornering grip, and once again its the hard

compound Continental X-King tyres that

are to blame.

Chain Reactions in-house brand steps up to the 650b hardtail plate

Just how much this rubber choice

handicaps the Sentier will be revealed next

month when it goes up against seven other

1,000 models in our 2014 Hardtail of the

Year test. Stand by for a erce battle.

Danny Milner

NEED TO KNOWONew 650b

hardtail for 2014

OAggressive

geometry matched

to 120mm-travel fork

OClass-leading

Shimano SLX brakes

and slick-shifting

XT/Deore drivetrain

SPECIFICATIONFrame Triple-butted

6061 T6 aluminium

Fork Suntour Raidon

XC LO-R Air fork,

120mm travel

Wheels Shimano

MT35, Continental

X-King 2.4in

front/2.2in rear

Drivetrain FSA

Comet MegaExo

chainset, Shimano

XT Shadow Plus rear

mech and shifter,

Deore front mech

Brakes Shimano SLX

Components Vitus

60mm stem, Vitus

740mm riser bar,

Vitus 31.6mm

seatpost

Weight 12.7kg (28lb)

Sizes S, M, L

GEOMETRYSize ridden L

Head angle 68.2

Seat angle 74

BB height 308mm

Chainstay 425mm

Front centre 720mm

Wheelbase 1,145mm

Down tube 705mm

Top tube 620mm

Reach 445mm

WE LOVEThe way it stops and shifts. Short

stem and wide bar as standard are a

massive bonus

WE HATERock-hard rubber. Only available in

three frame sizes, and theyre all a bit on

the small side

1 S T I M P R E S S I O N

VITUS SENTIER 275VR 9 9 9. 9 9 / 6 5 0 b / v i t u s b i k e s . c o m

740mm bar and 60mm

stem provide precise,

responsive steering

Suntour fork is fully

adjustable and easy to set up

for different rider weights

N E W B I K E S

42 mbr MAY 2014

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,)ENTS JERSEY .ADIES JERSEY

.ADIES TIGHT

$

Specializeds agship Camber EVO

is a dif cult bike to pigeonhole. Its

120mm of travel and weight-saving

carbon front-end hint that its

intended for more traditional XC

and marathon riders, where getting from A

to B with minimum effort is the priority.

The EVO build-kit suggests that this

bike has a much wider remit. Fat tyres, a

dropper post and a burly RockShox Pike

fork chopped down to 120mm travel mean

that you no longer need to compromise on

handling to have a fast, light, ef cient bike.

Descents can be attacked with the same

vigour as the climbs, and thanks to the stout

front-end, the Camber is never going to feel

like a imsy, short-travel 29er.

So what better place for the Cambers

rst ride than this months Britains Best

Singletrack in the Quantocks (page 68),

a physically challenging loop followed by

some fun downhill runs at Triscombe?

Before I dish the dirt, however, I have

an admission to make this isnt actually

my rst ride on a carbon Camber EVO.

I spent two glorious days riding one in

Santa Cruz, California a little less than a

year ago. The bike in question belonged

to Joe Buckley, the guy responsible for

developing the Camber range, who was

using the carbon Camber EVO frame to test

an array of custom parts in development

for the new Epic XC race bike. As such, his

Camber weighed under 10kg and it still

felt reassuringly solid. So, I was slightly

disappointment when I unboxed the

production version and it weighed 12.24kg!

What went wrong? Nothing thats

simply what happens when you put

together a 4,500 bike instead of a custom

S-Works build that would be in the region of

8,000. Still, it highlights the potential build

weight of the Camber if money is no object.

Grinding up the muddy climbs on our

NEED TO KNOWOWelterweight

29er with a

heavyweight punch

OSuper-stiff FACT

9m carbon

front triangle

O120mm FSR rear

suspension

OCustom RockShox

Pike fork with

120mm travel

OSpecial built-in

multi-tool storage

with SWAT kit

SPECIALIZED CAMBER EXPERT CARBON EVO

Setting the fun to maximum, Speshs spicy new

Camber EVO 29er gets Muldoons pulse racing

Camber Expert Evo:

120mm 29ers just

stepped up a level

4 , 5 0 0 / 2 9 i n / s p e c i a l i z e d . c o m

N E W B I K E S

44 mbr MAY 2014

S P O T L I G H T O N . . .

SWAT kitIf you hate riding with a pack, but

dont like the idea of getting caught

short in the wilds without the

necessary tools for minor repairs, the

new SWAT kit that comes as standard

on the Camber is just the ticket. Short

for storage, water, air and tools, the

SWAT kit includes a special bottle

cage with an integrated multi-tool

and a chain-breaker stowed under

the headset top-cap. Combined with

SWAT bibshorts or any XC jersey with

integrated pockets, you should nd

youre equipped with everything you

need for shorter rides.

WE LOVEThe con dence the Pike fork

instills on the descents is incredible, and

combined with great geometry and a killer

build-kit, the Camber EVO rede nes

whats possible on a 120mm bike.

WE HATENot being t enough to push the

32T chainring on the longest climbs sucks,

and Id like the full 125mm-drop Command

post, not the shorter 100mm option.

1 S T I M P R E S S I O N

Quantocks loop I found myself frequently

pressing on the SRAM X01 shifter in search

of an easier gear. Maybe my tness isnt

what it should be, but the 32T chainring

simply didnt offer me a low enough gear

for the long, damp, grassy climbs, even with

the massive 10-42T range of the cassette.

Point the nose of the Camber down,

however, and you quickly forget the pain

of climbs as you shred every turn and

pump the terrain for speed. Everything

about this bike feels solid and purposeful;

even the Fox CTD rear shock is tuned on

the rmer side for fast, aggressive riding.

Its easily one of the most inspiring 29ers

Ive ever ridden, and along with the Kona

Process 111, its changing the perceived

wisdom that 29ers arent as much fun to

ride as little-wheelers.

While not as good an all-rounder as a

Stumpy EVO, the Camber lets you focus on

long-distance rides without losing out on

fun descents.

Alan Muldoon

SPECIFICATIONFrame FACT 9m carbon

front triangle, M5 alloy

rear 120mm travel

Shock Fox Float CTD

Factory with Autosag

Fork RockShox Pike 29, Solo Air, 120mm travel

Wheels Roval Traverse

29, Specialized Butcher/

Purgatory 2.3in tyres

Brakes Formula T1 S,

200/180mm

Drivetrain SRAM carbon S-2200 32T chainset,

X01 11-speed rear

mech and shifter

Components XC 750mm

bar and stem, Specialized

Command Post IR

three-position dropper,

Body Geometry

Henge Comp saddle

Sizes S, M, L, XL

Weight 12.38kg (27.3lbs)

GEOMETRYSize ridden L

Head angle 68.5

Seat angle 68.3

BB drop 332mm

Chainstay 453mm

Front centre 715mm

Wheelbase 1,167mm

Down tube 706mm

Top tube 629mm

Reach 443mmIntegrated bike tools

are SWAT its all about

Iwas always mysti ed by my

brothers love for water sports.

Turning the faff factor up to

10 with a combination of long

drives, enormous amounts

of gear and rare moments of

climactic good fortune doesnt

seem like a recipe for success to me.

If the waters too low for canoeing,

the wind isnt adequate for sailing and

the waves are too small to surf. How

smug I feel when I grab the bike from

the shed and go out for a pedal on

local singletrack.

Recently, of course, he could kite-

surf to work, and the sailing boat he

had to moor up at a yacht club a few

miles away is now oating outside his

kitchen window. Meanwhile, Im left

to ponder which is the least worse

option: axle-deep mud on the trails or

axle-deep water on the roads.

The obvious response to this is

to let the mind wander and dream

of holidays in the sun and dusty

singletrack in a far- ung country.

But times have changed, and thats a

dream that lasts as long as Junior Ts

sleep patterns.

Previous mentions of the lovely

Mrs T in this column have alluded to

a degree of con ict and competition

between us for time in the saddle. But

its not all bad one of the great joys

of marriage to a sport and to someone

who also enjoys doing it is that we

both want the same thing out of a

holiday. Which is to say, singletrack.

Thats the kind of marital harmony I

can get behind, and its taken us to the

Alps, all around the UK and, just once,

to the hallowed loam of Canada.

Memories of that last trip remain

vivid, and are made more wistful by

reading tales from Squamish on these

pages just recently. Not only that, Ive

been reading of shifting trends towards

proper trail riding in the Alps that

perfectly matches both my own tastes

and that of the Five sat in the shed. But

that trip across the Atlantic seems to

have doubled in distance and ambition

now were a three, and even Morzine

seems a far-off dream.

If we start saving now, then by the

time Junior T is old enough to enjoy

his own pilgrimage to BC or the Alps,

we might be able to afford a new era

of foreign trails enjoyed as a family. Itll

be brill, too, assuming he hasnt been

entirely switched off the whole idea

by increasingly dreamy-eyed parents

reminiscing along the lines of, Do you

remember when we went to Canada?

and ring up the laptop for another

re-run of pics and vids. There are

practicalities to consider, though.

On a previous trip to Canada, I spent

11 hours in an economy seat sandwiched

between I kid you not a Jehovahs

Witness keen to make the most of his

captive audience and a man who spent

the entire ight studying an extremely

specialist porn magazine in forensic

and unabashed detail. Suf ce to say,

it wasnt just the lack of legroom that

made the ight uncomfortable.

I can laugh about the experience

now. But even that seems enjoyable

compared with the idea of ying with a

toddler, unless theres an enlightened

airline that enables you to put them in

with your hold baggage? No? Oh well.

Thus, our holiday plans for this

year are to combine a grind up the A1,

blatant exploitation of grandparents

and revisiting the Yorkshire grit on

which I cut my riding teeth. So itll be

the Wainstones rather than Whistler,

and tmoors instead of Morzine. OK, so

the uplifts are strictly pedal-powered

and height drops are measured

in the hundreds of metres rather

than thousands, but these modest,

homegrown singletrack dreams will

keep me going until such time as family

nances permit more far- ung travel.

And for the time being, Ill be dealing

with the weather by swallowing my pride

to see if my brother can spare something

from his otilla of canoes.

With a nipper in the equation, getting away isnt always so easy

Dan Trent just wants to ride but life keeps getting in the way

Illustration by Chris Watson

Dreaming of a faraway landREAL WORLD RIDING

C O L U M N

46 mbr MAY 2014

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Right, thats it. Ive

had enough of stuff

that doesnt work

properly. Especially

expensive

stuff. Especially

expensive stuff

that Ive been convincing myself

does work, despite repeated

experience telling me otherwise.

As you can probably tell,

Ive just come back from a

particularly disastrous ride.

A whole litany of things went

wrong with my equipment.

Nothing went catastrophically

wrong. Nobody died. Nothing

totally ceased to function.

Its just that a lot of it didnt

measure up in the real world to

my fantasy world expectations.

Maybe its the fact that

so much bike equipment is

so-very-nearly perfect that it

makes tiny imperfections stand

out even more. Back when

mountain bikes were mainly

made up of an ill-functioning,

akey load of toss, I was simply

glad to be able to complete a

ride in one piece (something

that could rarely be said for my

bike, which usually ended up

with something smashed off it

or zip-tied in place).

So what was it that irked

me so on my last ride? Almost

everything, to be honest. I was

in a bad no, doomy mood.

I was probably waiting for

something to go wrong just so I

could spit the dummy.

The rst victim of my

petulance was the drivetrain.

The bike I was on was a single-ring 1x11

set-up. An amazing bit of technology.

Quiet, secure, slick, reliable, cool-looking

and with an impressively wide gearing

range. But my inner weak-legged

brat decided the gearing wasnt quite

enough. Mountain bikes need granny

rings or theyre just so much poseur

crap! I shouted (in my head anyway). I

calmed down a bit and pedalled onwards

and upwards.

The next candidate was my expensive

waterproof jacket. I was sweating to

death inside it as I winched my way up

the godforsaken climb. Properly boil in

the bag. The rational thing would have

been to pause and undo the zip. I knew

the climb was approaching so I could in

fact have unzipped before it started, as I

also knew about the sweatfest that would

ensue. But I was spoiling for a ght,

wasnt I? I wanted to bitch out. Theres

no such thing as a genuinely breathable

jacket is there? Its all b*ll*cks! I bellowed

(once again, to myself).

Once at the top of the hill I decided

it would be a good idea to (pointlessly)

adjust the angle of my saddle. Two things

went awry. Firstly, I couldnt unfurl the

correct Allen key from my multi-tool

because I had gloves on and the tool is a

bit ddly. Secondly, I couldnt undo the

far-too-tight seatpost clamp bolt with

the multi-tool due because it was too

small to offer suf cient leverage. Argh!

All multi-tools are pants! We should just

carry individual tools around because

they actually work!

I set off down the descent and the

tyres that had felt far too draggy on

the way up suddenly felt dangerously

sketchy on the way down. Why can

nobody design an all-rounder tyre that

works? Rubbish!

My brakes were pretty much brilliant

and several light years ahead of the ones

we had only a few years ago BUT the

levers had a microscopically different

biting point, and as such my whole ride/

day/life was ruined. How am I supposed

to control my bike if the brakes are

so massively different to each other?

Ridiculous for stuff that costs so much!

Ive calmed down. Ive got it out of

my system. Magazine column-writing as

therapy, its the future. Mountain bikes

are 99 per cent perfect now. I must stop

concentrating on the one per cent

thats someone elses job. Bike designers,

its over to you now.

99 problemsLook hard enough and you can find a flaw in anything

TRAIL FINDER GENERALBenji Haworth has a map and a compass, and hes not afraid to use them

Illustration by Chris Watson

48 mbr MAY 2014

C O L U M N

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Mailbox+ S T A R L E T T E R +

MAY 2014 mbr 53

Y O U R L E T T E R S

CONTACT US:mbr magazine,

Leon House,

Croydon, CR9 1HZ

mbr@ipcmedia.com

EVIL EI recently got a subscription to

your magazine and read it with

enthusiasm. But your April

edition has left me feeling like

the pastime I love is about to be

ruined. The reason for this is your

enthusiasm for e-bikes.

Dont get me wrong, I think

as a form of transport they are a

good idea for people who feel they

would bene t from them. My real

problem is using them on trails.

Once theyre accepted, where will

it stop? They will become faster

and will start to do the damage

created by motorcycles to trails.

You said in your report that a

simple upgrade can double the

speed to 30mph.

It reminds me of when I was a

kid we would do trails on our

bikes that were basically 26in

racers with cowhorn handlebars

and would have an absolute

blast until the big kids with

mopeds and trail bikes came

along. Then the council and police

stopped everyone from using the

trails. Eventually someone on a

normal bike or a pedestrian will

be hit and hurt.

And what about the

environment? I read a report

in a road bike magazine that to

offset the impact of manufacture,

delivery etc, a normal bike has to

cover around 1,000 miles. How

much further will they need to

go when every night you have to

charge them up?

I know things move on, but I

think this is a step back. Bikes

should be powered by people only

gears and light weight should

be the only assistance.

Still a good magazine until it

descends into becoming MCN.

Darren Lloyd

Ed I knew when we put together

our rst ever e-bike group test for

our last issue that wed see some

dissent in this months inbox, and

you make some perfectly valid

points here, Darren. Having ridden

an e-bike, I didnt feel like I was

damaging the trails any more than

any other rider going at a decent

speed I certainly wasnt wheel-

spinning excessively or ripping up

the Surrey Hills. But youre right

insofar as the situation could get

out of control if were not vigilant.

Thanks for getting in touch

have some free gear from mbr

and Madison.

IPC Media Ltd, Leon House,

233 High Street, Croydon CR9 1HZ

Tel: 020 8726 8453 / Fax: 020 8726 8499 www.mbr.co.uk

EDITORIALEditor: Simon Collis

Deputy editor: Danny Milner

Technical editor: Paul Burwell

Bike test editor: Alan Muldoon

Front section editor: Jamie Darlow

Contributors: Dave Arthur, Chris Ball,

Janet Coulson, Roo Fowler, Anna Glowinski,

Craig Grant, Benji Haworth, Mick Kirkman, Andy

McCandlish, Sam Needham, Mike Prior, Dan Trent,

Al Vines, Andy Waterman

Routes: Tom Hutton and Steph Duits

PAGE FACTORYProduction chief: Dan Thomas

Chief sub editor: James Shrubsall

Deputy chief sub editor: Jonathan Emery

Sub editors: Rob Hoyles, Sophie Hurcom, Iain White

mbr art editor: Ben Smith

Group art editor: Dan Baines

Deputy group art editor: Sarah Auld

Senior designers: Steph Tebboth, Kevin Sharpe

Designers: Hannah Holden, Callum Tomsett, Matt Levett

Picture desk: Jason Hardy, Simon Scarsbrook,

Chris Catchpole, Daniel Gould

ADVERTISING 020 8726 (then four-digit extension)

Group advertising manager: Kevin Attridge (x8409)

Deputy ad manager: Paula Trainor (x8407)

Classified sales manager: Cheryl Townsend (x8415)

Senior sales executive display: Kelly Daunt (x8427)

Advertising fax: (020) 8726 8294

Advertising email: mbrads@ipcmedia.com

Ad production: Bob Budd, Andy Perry

PUBLISHINGPublishing director: Keith Foster (020 8726 8402)

PA to publishing director:

Martine Derwish (020 8726 8405)

Senior marketing executive: Natalie Hicks

(020 8726 8406)

MD (Inspire): Paul Williams

Group magazine editor: Garry Coward-Williams

Production: Chris Couchman

Distribution: 020 3148 3333

IPC Media Ltd 2014. This periodical must not, without written consent of the

publishers first being given, be lent, sold, hired out or otherwise disposed of in

mutilated condition or, in any unauthorised cover by way of trade, or annexed to

as part of any publication or advertising literary or pictorial matter whatsoever.

ipcmedia 2014 ISSN 1367 0824.

Printed by Polestar. Covers printed by CSM Impact Ltd. Registered at the Post

Office as a newspaper.

mbr is published 13 times a year on every fourth Wednesday. If you have trouble

finding an issue at your newsagents, please call Distribution on 020 3148 3333.

mbr , incorporating Mountain Biker International, Bicycle Magazine, Performance

Cyclist and The Bike Mag, a part of IPC Media Ltd, is published 13 times a year on

every fourth Wednesday of each month by IPC Media Ltd, Blue Fin Building, 110

Southwark Street, London SE1 0SU.

Subscribe toOne year subscription rates (13 issues,

priority mail) UK 62.80; Europe 137.95;

North America $178.80; rest of world 117.50

PHONE ENQUIRIES: +44 (0) 845 123 1231

Subscriptions ONLINE: www.mbr.co.uk

E-mail enquiries: ipcsubs@quadrantsubs.com.

Postal enquiries & orders to: mbr Subscriptions,

FREEPOST CY1061, Haywards Heath, West Sussex

RH16 3BR (cheques payable to IPC Media Ltd)

mbr

Back issues Hotline: 01733 370800 Fax: 01733 239356Web: www.mags-uk.com/ipc

24,495AUDITED CIRCULATION FIGURE FROM JAN-DEC 2013 (PRINT & DIGITAL)

ITS NOT WHAT YOU RIDEWhile on holiday in Oz over Crimbo I began

to get withdrawal symptoms from my lack of

riding. Even worse, it was glorious weather.

Then, while on a camping trip, I got the

chance of the loan of a bike. I was dubious,

thinking I was going to kill it or myself as it

was a $90 piece of cack but didnt want to

seem ungrateful, so I took the offer.

To my surprise, I was soon blasting

around the local paths, though with a bit

less control than Id have liked. But whoa,

did I have some fun! I was reminded that its

not the bike that counts, and your banner

head came to mind: just get out and ride.

Peter McDonald

THERES THE RUBAs a family of newbie mountain bikers, after

a year of riding some of us are eager to

upgrade to something more substantial.

We bought four bikes last year, kind of on

a whim. Without knowing much, we opted

for two Cubes, a Felt and a Scott. All entry

level, about 500 to 700ish.

Now as we look to upgrade, its the small

things that will help us choose new bikes.

For instance, after a few rides we noticed

rubbing marks on the frame. Its a common

problem that Im now aware of, but as a

newbie it was nothing I had considered.

The only manufacturer to tackle this was

Felt, who put cable protectors on

Are e-bikes going to

ruin our environment

and damage trails?

WINS a Madison Flux

shorts and jersey

WORTH 94.98

54 mbr MAY 2014

Y O U R L E T T E R S

the outer cables. At a very small cost to the

manufacturer, it saved the bike from the

ugly rubbing marks which now let down

three almost new bikes.

Theres a lesson there for other brands:

attention to detail means return custom.

Chris Doyle

ITS NOT ALL ABOUT STRAVAI enjoyed Marchs mbr, and particularly

Benjis column, Its not all about speed.

Great to read some truths about

mountain biking, and to shun the evil Strava

and the even worse plague of broadcasting

an individuals athletic achievements to a

world that has more on its mind.

Im even thinking about binning my

Garmin. Well done, Benji.

Guy Shayler

Ed Couldnt agree more. I would never

share my Strava ride data its pointless,

obnoxious and misses the point of mtb.

I might feel differently though if I wasnt

really, really slow.

YOUVE BEEN FRAMEDIts good to know that building ones own

bike is still being promoted (Q&A: Should

I build my own bike? April 2014 mbr).

I recently broke my sixth frame in seven

years, but it becomes harder and harder to

buy a new one without buying a full bike.

You also imply that your local bike

shop will be fully behind you. The last two

frames that broke were from the Scott

dealer in Vienna, Austria. For the rst they

simply exchanged the frame. When the

second broke they said because it had not

been built up by their staff the warranty

was invalid.

Looking at their T&Cs, they also state that

the ve-year frame warranty is reduced to

three if you dont book it in for an annual

service. But it is my understanding that

during an annual service they would just

check supercial things such as brakes

and drivetrain. It is unlikely they would

do anything that would extend the life of

a frame, and certainly not a full strip and

rebuild to look for cracks.

They have offered me a discounted

replacement frame BUT with the condition

the shop builds the full bike, meaning I will

have to cart all my components to the shop

and pay them well over 100 euros on top of

the cost of the frame!

Ive asked at other shops like Specialized,

Cannondale and Trek, but no one is able to

sell anything other than custom frames, so I

am a bit stuck!

Blaise Kelly, Vienna, Austria

Ed thanks for sharing your experiences,

Blaise. I think that more and more,

manufacturers of all kinds (cars,

computers, bikes you name it) dont

want us to get our hands dirty, but we

have to then pay for the privilege of

keeping them clean.

Lets hope companies such as Scott

continue to sell frame-only options,

because if you really want a dream bike,

its the only way youre

going to get it.

QUICK LINES

CATS WHISKERS I have been

having a few

problems keeping

my tools clean

and dry in my

seat bag. I tried

sandwich bags

but my tools

keep poking

through them.

While feeding

my cat from a

pouch I suddenly

thought theyd

do the job put

my tools in one,

then put another

one over the

top, before

putting them in

a sandwich bag.

Problem solved.

Double bonus,

you can stuff one

inside a tyre if you

get a rip. So glad I

got the cat.

Lee Pickford

OLD BLOKESWHO SHOULD KNOW BETTER Send your digital injury pictures to

mbroldblokes@ipcmedia.com

Cable protectors help

stop rubbing marks

Get what you want by

building your own

NAME: Rob Hunton WHERE: Brotherton

WHEN: July 2013 HOW: Went down hill,

hit a ramp and went OTB, landed on head,

cracked helmet. Four broken vertebrae and

a broken sternum. Still recovering.

NAME: Mick Crowley WHERE: mbr trail,

Coed-y-Brenin WHEN: Summer 2013 HOW:

Front wheel caught a rock on a at, pedally

section, went down like a sack of spuds.

Five broken teeth, nice new set of dentures.

NAME: Mark Lock WHERE: Llandegla

WHEN: February 2014 HOW: OTB, broke

two bones in cheek and now have metal

plate beneath eye.

NAME: Gareth Gibbs WHERE: Chute dug

by Nick Dora Davies, Hollybush, Wales

WHEN: February 2014 HOW: First ride on

Ragley Marley, went OTB on steep, slippery

chute and popped out right shoulder.

Y O U R P H O T O S

56 mbr MAY 2014

The Esperanza Trail. Tenerife,

around the back of El Teide (an

active volcano). This is the Green

Tunnel of Fun.

Steve_sordy

I live in the Fens, so a trip to

Snowdonia is as good as Ive had

yet on the bike. You just dont get

that buzz looking at a at eld in

East Anglia!

lonner

Its at the top of a horrid climb, but

I do love the view back along the

Hope Valley from the top of the

broken road.

NorthernMatt

I went to Wales in January and did

the Pen y Fan route. The view of The

Gap, where you ride between the

two mountains, kept me going for

the horrible slog up to them, and it

was even better on the other side.

LzyWill

Recently I did a day of uplift in

Chiang Mai, Thailand. Seeing

jungle stretch on for such a massive

distance was pretty amazing.

Fredmundo

Strangely, the one that jumped

straight to mind is the bridleway

round the eastern side of Ullswater.

Pretty much every corner gives

you a different, and beautiful, view

around/across the lake.

Edlong

Tough decision. Toss up between the

top of Alpe dHuez (the real peak,

not the low village all the roadies

stop at) and my local trails the

top of Pitch Hill (Surrey) is incredible

at sunset!

Monte

Wakari Creek, aka Redwoods, on

the South Island of New Zealand.

Ive ridden plenty of places with

wide open views and mountain

panoramas, but sometimes

picturesque or scenic is the 10 feet in

front of your front wheel...

Chewbacca

01

02

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