TECHNIQUE

5 LOOPS FIT FOR ALL THE FAMILY + GPS ROUTES BOOST YOUR
CLIMBING
with Chris
SEPTEMBER 2021 l mbr.co.uk Akrigg

New kit from Evil, Pivot,

Ibis, Transition & more
4 great bike parks
you’ve never heard of IS MOUNTAIN
How to fight fatigue BIKING A PANDEMIC
Tested: Brilliant complete WINNEE R OR L O S ER R?
drivetrain for just £135! Investigating the
BIK E T E S T
state of our trails

SPEED GROUP TEST

COOLEST
MACHINES!
Fast and furious race bikes from
SHORTS
0 of th
latest pair
Scott and Santa Cruz on test on tes
FIRST RIDES FOCUS, FORBIDDEN AND MONDRAKER
Contents
SEPTEMBER 2021
FEATURES
ON THE COVER
46 STATE OF OUR TRAILS 2021
The past 18 months have seen mountain biking booming, with more
riders taking up the sport and more old hands returning. That’s great
news, but how are our trails coping, are they cracking up under the
pressure or are riders putting back more than they take away? Keen to
find out, we got in touch with riders and trail groups around the country
to try and get a snapshot of the state of the trails here, now, in 2021
ON THE COVER
30 FIRST RIDES
Forbidden’s new bike is the
Dreadnought, named after a
brutalist battleship it’s designed
to blow the competition out of
the water, using a high-pivot
idler to reduce pedal kickback,
a rearward axle path to take big
hits and 154mm travel. Is it any
good? It’s First Ride time to try
and find out, alongside Focus’s
Thron, a bikepacking-come-trail-
bike, and the Mondraker Crafty
with real-world riding data
ON THE COVER
57 HOTTEST BIKES
FOR 2022
We’ve put together a list of the
12 best up-and-coming bikes for
2022, from XC and down-country
whippets to full on enduro bikes,
and everything in-between. With
the Raaw Jibb, Pivot 429 and
Guerilla Gravity Trail Pistol, to
name just three, there’s definitely
no shortage of scintillating new
hardware coming onto the market
next year. And with a bit of luck,
they might actually be available
to buy!
76 LONGTERMERS
PB has the new ‘Shigura’ brake
mod up and running on his Haibike
Allmtn 6 e-bike this month, splicing
an SLX lever onto a Magura
caliper. Now the wheels are
falling off though, almost literally.
Meanwhile, Ben Day switches
to flat pedals to try and stop his
BIKES & GEAR
lower limbs getting tangled up in
the Vitus Escarpe, Ben Smith gets
beaten up at BikePark Wales on his
Kona Process, and Sean discovers
that the Nukeproof Scout’s one-
stop-shop SLX drivetrain beats
a more eclectic approach to
speccing a bike
ON THE COVER
80 PRODUCT
For less than £135 you can get
a fully functioning drivetrain,
with wide-range cassette, clutch
mech and silicone-coated shifter
paddles from Taiwanese brand
Microshift. Called Advent X it
could be the answer to the great
ON THE COVER
Danny Milner carves
through Surrey’s
tropical rainforests.
Photo by
Roo Fowler
BIKES IN
THIS ISSUE
BMC Fourstroke 01 18
Focus Thron 6.9 38
Forbidden Dreadnought
XT 30
Haibike Allmtn 6 76
Kona Process 134
Supreme 79
Mondraker Crafty Carbon
XR Mind 34
Nukeproof Scout 290 Pro 78
Santa Cruz Blur XC CC XO1
AXS RSV 100
Scott Spark RC WC AXS 104
Data logging comes
Trek Supercaliber 19
to mountain biking,
find out more on p34 Vitus Escarpe 29 CRS 77
component drought of 2021. Plus likes of Rapha, Endura, Fox, Troy
we review the Dainese Trail Skins Lee and Sweet Protection
kneepads, ION K-Sleeve Amp
ON THE COVER
pads, Scott Stego Plus helmet,
Five Ten Freerider Pro Primeblue 96 BIKE TEST:
shoe, Stan’s NoTubes sealant XC RACE BIKES
injector, the Park Tool Bleed Kit, You could win Olympic gold on
and loads more the Blur or the Spark, because
they really are built for it. We’ve
ON THE COVER
picked two of the newest
86 TESTED: BAGGY SHORTS thoroughbred XC race bikes and
The baggy short should sit in the put them head to head. On test
top drawer of any mountain biker. is the Santa Cruz Blur XC CC
It’s also the first line of defence if XO1 AXS RSV and Scott Spark
you take a tumble, and the latest RC WC AXS – both have full
most modern shorts come with carbon, super-lightweight frames,
a host of performance benefits. electronic shifting, and 100mm
Check out 10 of the best from the travel. Let the Games begin!
SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 7
CONTENTS
Chris Akrigg’s
tutorial on
e-bike skills, p70
HOW TO
ON THE COVER
26 BUZZ: FIT AND FAST –
UNDERSTANDING FATIGUE
Fatigue is usually the limiting factor
on a ride. It makes sense to try and
understand what brings it on, argues
physiology expert Dr Shaun Phillips
from Edinburgh University. He breaks
down the causes of fatigue, from the
climbs to the descents, the terrain, the
temperature, what you eat and even
how well you’ve slept the night before.
ON THE COVER
70 CHRIS AKRIGG’S E-BIKE
SKILLS PART 2
Stop spinning those wheels on tough
climbs and listen up! Trials wizard and
mbr coach for the month Chris Akrigg
talks us through his e-bike climbing
techniques – how to moderate power,
alter body position, and get maximum
grip and fun out of your ride.
Figure out how
to reduce fatigue
with our guide, p26
Now available on the iPad,
Kindle & all Android devices
mbr.co.uk facebook.com/MBRmagazine
8 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021
Canine capers
at Dare Valley
Bike Park, p14
REGULARS
10 BIG PICTURES
ON THE COVER
14 BUZZ – DARE FAMILY
BIKE PARK
Dare Valley Gravity Family Bike Park
has a clunky name, but this smooth
new family bike park is a must-see for
new riders and those with kids. Nature
reclaimed the hills above Aberdare for
its own and among the bucolic beauty is
a new blue trail and stonking trail centre,
all accessed via Land Rover uplift.
44 MAILBOX
Your letters, from sublime to hilarious.
110 MY BEST TRAIL
Bernard Kerr – famous for his stoppies,
his manuals, his LSD vlog and his
sublime talent on a downhill bike – chats
about his favourite trail, Rude Rock in
New Zealand.
SUBSCRIBE TO
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FOR 6 MONTHS!
Turn to page 42 for details
twitter.com/mbrmagazine
EDITOR’S LETTER
Tom Tom club
We’ve all had a heart-stopping
moment like Tom Pidcock
here was a moment in the Olympic XCO
T mountain bike race when Tom Pidcock
was faced with something we can all
relate to – the rider in front makes a
mistake and only the sharpness of your
instinct and reflexes allow you to avoid a massive
accident. The incident involved Pidcock’s rival,
Mathieu van der Poel, trying to roll a ramp that
wasn’t there, on the Izu mountain biking course’s
Sakura rock drop, and going over the bars.
Pidcock was
right behind Van der Poel tries an
him, but sensed impossible save while
the impending Pidcock reacts behind
crash and
backed-off on
the approach to
give more room,
which meant he
could avoid the
tumbling van
der Poel and
his bouncing
Canyon. Women’s winner Jolanda Neff faced
a similar situation in her race when Pauline
Ferrand-Prevot rolled the ramp (now reinstated)
and baulked Neff at the last moment. In this case
the Swiss racer managed to huck off the side of
the ramp and hold on to the landing – testament
to her DH skills. I can’t imagine training for
four (or, in this case five) years only for a freak
moment to potentially ruin your race. In both
scenarios the champions showed their class, by
staying cool and improvising a solution. That’s
good practice for all of us as mountain bikers
– being prepared for the unexpected. It also
showed the importance of something g
fundamental to all the skillss advice
we’ve ever printed – looking g
ahead and staying loose.
Editor,
tor br
FROM
youtube.com/user/MBRmagazine instagram.com/mbrmagazine
BIG PICTURE

10 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021

Big picture
Stones tingle the thin walls of
the Ti down tube as he thunders
down the trail. Unfiltered light
penetrates the landscape from
an empty sky. Tyres race looming
shadows slung from nearby peaks.
Ambient temperature falls as the
blue hour sets in. Body temperate
is at an all time high. Cool air wicks
sweat-soaked skin. Heart pounds
and calves swell as he digs deeper,
attacking punchy inclines in the
trail. The end is near but the buzz
will linger for hours.
Tristan Tinn

SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 11

BIG PICTURE

12 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021

Big picture
There’s a fine line between confidence and cockiness, but
by winning his self-predicted gold medal at the Tokyo
Olympics, Tom Pidcock has made mountain bike history
and catapulted the sport into the mainstream spotlight.
Coming back from a broken collarbone just eight weeks
before the event, and battling a poor grid position, the
22-year-old Yorkshireman dominated the race, winning
by a massive 20 seconds. In the women’s race, Malverns-
local Evie Richards rode brilliantly, holding second place
for a while, before taking a superb seventh in seriously
slippery and strength-sapping conditions.
Getty Images
 S TA RT YO U R R I D E H E R E

Edited by Jamie Darlow

GEAR RIDES FA S T & F I T I N S P I R AT I O N G E T S TA RT E D

14 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021

 DA R E
T O F L OW
The UK’s first family bike park boasts an uplift
and a flowy blue trail to inspire and instruct

W
ales is a land rich in bike
parks. From Revolution
and Dyfi in the north to
BikePark Wales and Black
Mountains in the south, the combination
of great terrain, government grants and
a strong riding culture has conspired to
grow bike parks like bracken.
Now there’s one more to add to
Three young schralpers are
the list: Dare Valley Gravity Family
getting ready to rip
Bike Park. It’s a clunky name, but the
park is smooth and flowy, designed
with mellow, swooping berms and
comfortable gradients, it hopes to
T H E PA R K I S
carve out a niche for itself as the family
friendly bike park – the sort of place you
SMOOTH AND
could bring your kids and reasonably
expect to drive away from without
F L O W Y, W I T H
tears... or stitches.
“There was nothing in this area for
M E L L OW B E R M S
families to ride when we started building
the trail,” says Mathew Moses from Dare
Bike Park. “You’ve got BikePark Wales custom people trailer for £20, or £12 for
just over the way, but at the time we under-16s. That’s for a morning session,
were building the park, they didn’t have during which you’ll get four runs in. Or
a family track.” push and ride up and you can ride the
Built by Trailcraft – the vision behind trail for free. The opening weekend is 7
Black Mountains Cycle Centre amongst August.
others – the new track is owned by the A kids’ uplift service? Surely the lazy
local council. Pedalabikeaway – which little tikes can ride up by themselves
also runs the the cycle centre at Cannop like we used to in our day? To be fair,
There’s fun on tap in the Forest of Dean, and Wye Valley kids need uplift services more than
at Gravity Valley MTB guided tours – will run you up to adults thanks to their smaller legs and
the top of the hill in its Land Rover and relatively heavy bikes. There’s little more

SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 15

 I N T RODUC T ION
Aberdare’s new
amenity is an asset
FROM TOP
to the community
TO BOTTOM,
I T SWO OP S
AND TURNS
than one descent that’s doable if you’re
pedalling up, is the counter argument.
Dare hopes to make a family uplift a
more affordable option and in a less
intimidating environment too.
Why Aberdare? The town is one of
the most deprived in Wales, and the
logic of locating here is to draw visitors
to the area as well as provide the locals
with an opportunity for exercise and
to reconnect with nature. Its proximity
16 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021
to BikePark Wales – one valley over –
can’t have hurt the town’s cause either.
It’s a well thought out plan, the
visitor’s centre is new and welcoming,
there’s a cafe that actually serves good
food, and a pumptrack and ice cream
for after the ride. On top of that there’s
a new adventure playground for kids
who don’t want to ride, and bike hire for
those that do.
THE TRAIL
There’s just one trail, it’s graded blue,
and this is a family-friendly venue
with grassroots funding. Boring then?
Not a chance. The best blue trails are
fun and safe enough for new riders to
flow down, while still allowing more
experienced riders to let off the brakes
and ride to their limits. This is just such
a trail. From top to bottom this trail
 T H R E E G R E AT B I K E PA R K S
YO U ’ V E P R O B A B LY N E V E R
HEARD OF
B I K E PA R K K E R N O W
Bike Park Kernow is smack in the middle of Cornwall. There are six trails to
ride, two blue trails, two reds and one black, and while the longest is only
600m, they’re beautifully built and sit in stunning woodlands. The uplift is
quirky, an old Unimog will tow you and the bikes up in a collection of farm
trailers. The only trouble is, it’s booked up solid at the moment. Perhaps not
so undiscovered then!
£30 adults, £17.50 kids, open Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

T H E B U L L T R AC K
The Bull Track in East Sussex has jumps, berms, and more jumps – start off on
small tabletops and you can progress up to big drops and step downs, road
gaps and wooden kickers. There’s no uplift, but the climb back up is pretty
mellow. You can now book using the Podium.zone app too.
£7.50, open Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday.

M O U N TA I N V I E W B I K E PA R K
Another South Wales bike park that’s great for new or young riders. Start off
on the 1km-long Tiger Trail with its berms, rollers and switchbacks. There are
even North Shore options. Then there are the jump lines for more experienced
riders, pump tracks, and a new visitor’s centre with cafe.
£10 adults, £7 kids, £30 family of five, all for a three-hour session.

An uplift service is a must for

a family-friendly bike park

Skills areas are sure to get

the kids pumped

swoops and turns, is always fun but Twisting trails deliver

never unpredictable or likely to land helter-skelter thrills
you in too much hot water, despite the
fact we topped out at over 45kph on
the fastest section. It’s five minutes
of some of the best blue riding we’ve
tried. Twice on the way down, the trail
splits into two, breaking off into a little “I’ll sample them
pump-track-come-skills-area packed all if that’s OK”
with tables and step-ups. Circle that a
few times like you’re stuck in a Cardiff
contraflow, break free and head on “How can we not when
down the trail again. the trail’s this good?”
Does one trail make a bike park? Yes,
we think it does – there’s an uplift, the
trail is actually really long and it’s ideal
for families. Of course it would benefit
from more trails of varying difficulties
for riders to switch things up and try
something different, but we’re sure
that’ll come.

SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 17

 GEAR

The bikes that won the Olympics

Tom Pidcock raced on a de-badged BMC

Fourstroke 01 with 100mm travel through an
SR Suntour Edge shock with lockout, and a full
carbon frame dropping the weight to 10.3kg.
The bike also features BMC’s integrated Race
Application Dropper post with 90mm travel,
one possible explanation for Pidcock’s choice of
bike, given just how technical the descents were.

There’s no visible lockout cable coming from

the 100mm SR Suntour Axon-Werx34 Boost EQ
fork, however Suntour has confirmed to mbr
that this is a new electric system, presumably
with a wireless connection. Could it be a rival
to Fox’s Live Valve where the fork’s compression
damping automatically adjusts in real time?
Perhaps, but the more likely option is an
electronic compression platform as the
suspension was still active on the climbs.

TOM PIDCOCK’S BMC FOURSTROKE

Last month Tom Pidcock told us
he was going to win the Olympics.
He was confident in his form and
ability, and undeterred by the
collarbone break he sustained
just eight weeks before the race in
Tokyo. You probably already know
the rest – Pidcock took control
of the race halfway through and
smashed the field apart, winning
by 20 seconds. It would be Great
Britain’s first Olympic medal in
mountain biking.
Less certain though, was
Pidock’s choice of bike. Team GB
doesn’t have a mountain bike
supplier, instead riders typically
choose something from their
own team or sponsor’s stable. All
very well if you ride for someone
like Trek Factory Racing, as Evie
Richards does on its own XC bike.
Not so helpful if you race for
road team Ineos Grenadiers,
like Pidcock. Ineos emerged
from Team Sky, the squad that
propelled Chris Froome, Geraint
Thomas, and Sir Bradley Wiggins
to Tour de France victories,
it’s sponsored by Pinarello, and
that very much makes it a road-
riding outfit without an XC bike
in its quiver.
Credit to Ineos then, that it
let its young prodigy race the
Olympics on someone else’s bike,
a brand he had no sponsorship
relationship with… but who’s?
Step forward Specialized.
And Scott. And BMC. The
Yorkshireman could have raced
on bikes from any of those brands,
he certainly has experience racing
on the Specialized Epic with his
erstwhile Trinity Racing team.
We’ve no idea though if he tested
out the Epic for the Olympics,
but what we do know is that
Scott sent Pidcock a new Spark
in preparation for Tokyo, which
makes it very interesting indeed
that the 21-year-old eventually
opted for the BMC.
Pidcock is serious about
set-up. Just watch his YouTube
video detailing the team’s week

18 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021


TREK SUPERCALIBER
Jolanda Neff was imperious in
Tokyo, beating the favourite
Loana Lecomte and leading
home a clean sweep for the
Pidcock opted for Scott’s
component brand Syncros
for its Silverton SL carbon
wheels with co-moulded
carbon spokes, and one-
piece Integrated Cockpit
bar and stem ensemble,
the Syncros Fraser IC SL
SE, finished off with ESI
silicone grips.
A closer look at the
wheelset shows Pidcock
was running prototype
tyres from Continental. The
tread pattern reveals it to
be a version of the Race
King tyre, and given just
how hard he landed on the
big drop where Mathieu
van der Poel crashed, there
must be some sidewall
protection or tyre insert
in the mix.
in Banyoles earlier this year,
experimenting with multiple
set-ups for the bike, dialling in
the right bar height, suspension
set-up and choice of wheels.
Given that attention to detail
then it’s not a stretch to suggest
he picked the BMC Fourstroke
because it’s the better bike
for him. Perhaps he figured it
would work best for him on the
technical Olympic course. This
is what makes the choice so
fascinating… and so unique.
JOL A N DA N E F F ’ S
Swiss riders, as Sina Frei took team’s Supercaliber, decked out
silver, and Linda Indergand in the stunning Project One First
securing bronze. Naturally, she Light paintjob that Evie Richards
raced on her Trek Factory Racing also showcased.
Neff went for Bontrager
Kovee XXX wheels and
Interestingly, Jolanda Neff revealed Bontrager XR2 2.2in tyres
to Pinkbike that she raced without any front and rear for the race,
kind of data – no power meter, no heart running an incredibly low
rate monitor, no computer – to help 16/18psi front/rear. How did
pace her efforts, and did it on “legs she get away with it, and not
and...heart”. Standard stuff for the smash those rims to pieces
Swiss, who likes to ride on feel rather of the van der Poel drop?
than instruments, we understand. With Turbolight Evo inserts
inside the tyres to defend
the sidewalls and rims.
The Supercaliber has a
unique design, whereby
the shock is actually
incorporated into the
frame design to provide
structural support. Called
IsoStrut, it delivers
60mm travel, while the
full carbon frame uses
pivotless flex stays to
minimise weight. Up front
is a 100mm RockShox SID
Ultimate SL fork.
Jolanda Neff raced a size 17.5in bike, with 79psi in
the fork, one volume reducing token installed, and
10 clicks of rebound, giving a sag of 18mm. That’s
Complete SRAM AXS drivetrain: harder than usual, explains Jolanda’s mechanic
Images: Getty Images
XX1 175mm cranks, 32t chainring, Alvaro Domínguez, due to the hardness of the
rainwood colour throughout, and a rock garden and the drops. The shock had 112psi,
100mm AXS dropper post. The only the large purple shock token in place, 9 clicks of
exception is an MRP chain guide for rebound, and 8mm of sag on the shock’s stroke.
the unusually rough course.
SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 19
 GEAR
HOT STUFF
WHAT WE’RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS MONTH
MOST
WA N T E D
H AY E S D O M I N I O N A 2
£ 1 7 9. 9 9 ( P E R B R A K E )
Want to ride faster? Then you’re
going to need better brakes.
But better doesn’t simply mean
more powerful – you also need
enhanced control. And because
braking starts at your fingertips,
Hayes designed the Dominion
lever to have the shortest
possible bite-point, which in turn
reduces the time it takes to apply
the brakes.
The Dominion lever also has
a low actuation pressure and
reduced lever friction, making
the lever effortless to pull, further
enhancing brake modulation and
reducing arm pump. Hayes calls
this LoFi – low input, high
fidelity. Not convinced? Try pull-
ing your current brake levers 200
times in a row and you’ll feel your
forearms light up – most of which
is due to resistance in the lever or
an overly strong return spring.
With the reduction in dead
lever travel you can also run
your brake levers closer to the
handlebar, safe in the knowledge
that they won’t bottom out on the
grips, or worse, your knuckles.
There’s also an SFL (small finger
Dominion levers
engineered for
shortest bite point
20 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021
lever) option that’s designed for
riders with smaller hands.
Hayes pairs the same Dominion
lever with a twin (A2) or four
piston (A4) caliper, so you can
tailor the power to your riding
style or weight – or even mix and
match calipers.
All Dominion calipers feature
the Crosshair Alignment System
where small grub screws next to
the mounting bolts make it easier
to line-up the caliper with the
rotor and eliminate pad rub. The
calipers also have rotating banjos
for better alignment of the brake
hose, regardless of the frame’s
cable routing.
Rotors come in standard sizes,
where the D-series design is
purported to reduce noise and
vibration, something that any
wet weather rider will no doubt
appreciate. Rotors are sold sepa-
rately though, so if you’re keen
to make the switch to the Hayes
Dominion you’re going to need
to factor in another £38.69 for
a 180mm rotor or £42.99 for
a 203mm option.
hayesbicycle.com
G O L D S TA N DA R D
The famous Dorado Pro upside-down fork from Manitou has been
relaunched, with 37mm stanchions, greater stiffness, reworked damping
and travel ranging from 180-203mm. Air or coil spring version, 110x20mm
thru-axle, Pro, Expert and Comp versions. £1,699, hotlines-uk.com

CANNON FODDER
From an old railway station to a global brand, this stunning book
navigates a rollercoaster passage through the Cannondale archives –
covering 50 years of success and failure curated into a fascinating
historical document. cannondale.com

G O G G L E B OX
New huge-coverage sunglasses from Sungod. Called Airas, they’re
cycling specific, come in both frameless and half-frame options and can
be customised with a choice of lenses and frame colours. Lenses feature
anti-fog coatings and hydrophobic treatment. £155, sungod.co

SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 21

 GEAR
S I L E N T RU N N I NG
VHS Slapper Tape is a chunky, stick-on chainstay protector, version 2.0
here comes with a wider 70mm base for better coverage, malleable
silicone rubber, and softer air bubbles to absorb clatter. UV resistant,
350mm long, 10mm high, fits all chainstays. £24.99, cyclorise.com
L O U R I L OA D
The Huck-E Strap from Louri is super long, letting you wrap it around
your e-bike’s oversized tubes and still have enough length to stow a spare
tube and other tools too. Comes in three colours, 85cm long, machine
washable. £22.99, louribike.com
S HOW E R S E E N
Based in Portland, Oregon, Showers Pass makes kit for riders, walkers
and runners. Its orange Cloudburst jacket has great waterproofing and
breathability figures, is made from a three-layer, four-way stretch fabric
and uses fully taped seams. £175, showerspass.co.uk
22 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021
P E AT P E R F O R M A N C E
New from Peaty’s: Bicycle Assembly Grease, Speed Grease for
bearings and bushings and Max Grip Carbon Assembly Paste. All are
biodegradable and recycleable. Both greases use ester oil, which is
electrochemically charged to stick to metal. £9.99 each, peatys.co.uk
F L AT S B AT T E RY
Bosch has a new power mode called Tour+ to manage your e-bike’s
battery power and deliver more range to your rides. It does this by
automatically backing off its power on the flats where you need it less,
and piling it back on for the climbs when you do. £free, bosch-ebike.com
SKIN DEEP
One pack of Frame Skinz from Mucky Nutz contains 17 clear, adhesive
patches to wrap your bike and protect your paintwork. The idea is you
pick and choose the sheets you want and tailor it to your bike. Comes in
clear gloss, matt, or print options. £25, muckynutz.com
M AV I C C R O S S M A X X L S 2 9 £ 6 9 0
Mavic released its first mtb wheelset back
in 1996. Called Crossmax it was super light,
used a square rim profile, thin ceramic braking
surfaces and cool chrome-coloured stickers. In
1999 it added the first ever tubeless system to
the design, UST, making it arguably the world’s
most desirable wheel brand. Twenty five years
later, Mavic hopes to return to the top, with
this new lightweight alloy build.
The new XL S here has been designed not
for the big hits that come with enduro racing,
or the weight saving design required by XC,
but something in the middle. Trail riding. To
do this Mavic has made the rim width 30mm –
pretty much the standard now for trail wheels,
as a compromise between strength and
Dual ratchet
freewheel designed
weight. Claimed weight is 1,790g, with the rim for easy servicing
made from S6000 aluminium and the spokes
steel. The Crossmax rim bridge is sealed,
without spoke holes, meaning there’s no need
for rim tape, and it also means you can replace
those spokes without removing the tyre or
disc. There’s even a couple of spares in the
box, and they’re all the same length.
On the other side of that rim Mavic has
machined the space between the spokes to
reduce rotating weight, and to provide more
responsiveness, it says. Tying it all together
is Mavic’s own hub with ID360 dual ratchet
freewheel, designed for reliability and to let
you work on it all without specialist tools.
mavic.com
SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 23
 RIDES
KILLER LOOPS
The perfect place to start for new riders and young ‘uns – all killer, no filler mileage
DUNSOP BRIDGE,
LANCASHIRE
1 9. 3 k m ( 1 2 .0 m i l e s )
Fancy getting that out-there feeling without
getting too far from civilisation? This is
the route for you. The empty, grassy fells
of the Forest of Bowland provide a gentle
introduction to some of the North’s wilder
scenery. Starting on farm tracks you’ll
wind your way up onto Dunsop Fell before
dropping off the front of it on fast, fun, flowing
singletrack. If you want to keep the ride going
turn into Grizedale forest for a trail centre fix.
GPS download bit.ly/Dunsop
The West Yorkshire
moors: blooming
good mountain biking
24 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021
WAT L I N G T O N ,
OX F O R D S H I R E
2 0.0 k m ( 1 2 . 4 m i l e s )
The Chiltern Hills have long been a refuge for
riders in the South-East and their generally
unintimidating nature makes them the perfect
place to get your off-road fix. Most of the ride
is on easy-going hedge-lined bridleway and
farm track but there’s some tight and twisty
singletrack tucked away in the trees to keep
you on your toes. As the Chiltern Hills are made
of chalk, exercise a bit of caution in the wet –
things can get a little slippy.
GPS download bit.ly/Wattlington
L O U G H R I G G T E R R AC E ,
CUMBRIA
1 4 . 6 k m ( 9. 1 m i l e s )
There are few finer feelings than riding your
mountain bike amongst mountains. You
don’t even have to go up one to appreciate
them either. Keeping to some of the lower
fells this ride acts as a Lakes taster, hopefully
whetting your appetite for bigger – and higher
– days out. Being The Lake District there’s no
avoiding some tough climbs, but there’s also
plenty of rewarding descents. And views. And
pubs. And cafes.
GPS download bit.ly/LoughriggTerrace
FOR NEWBIES
CRANBORNE CHASE,
DORSET
14 . 3km (8.9 miles)
Mountain biking in Dorset? We would.
Rubbish joke, but it’s true. Sure you’re not
going to get mountains, long descents or
wilderness but in between the well-tended
fields and manicured estates are some
superb singletrack sections and the rolling
hills provide enough elevation to give your
legs and gears a workout.
GPS download bit.ly/CranborneChase

OX E N H O P E , W E ST
YO R K S H I R E
11.2km (6.9 miles)
The hills and dales of West Yorkshire mix
sharp climbs and descents with flowing
moorland singletrack. All of these
elements feature on this ride. The climbs
are generally pretty smooth, so while
they have a bit of a bite to them they
are manageable. Whizzing through the
heather when it’s in full bloom is always a
buzz and the descents pay back previous
efforts with some real speed and chunky
rock sections to test your skills.
GPS download bit.ly/Oxenhope

SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 25

 FA S T & F I T
H OW T O
FEND OFF
FAT I G U E
What makes us tired when we ride?
Pretty much everything, it seems,
from the climbs to the descents, the
terrain, the temperature and even
how well we slept last night
N
o matter the trail, weather,
your skill level or fitness, there
is one thing all mountain bikers
have in common; at some
point, we will reach the limit of what our
body is capable of. The tell-tale signs
may be different; from bursting lungs to
burning muscles to our mind begging
us to ease back; but the outcome is the
same – we are going to have to drop
the intensity of our ride if we want to
continue. We are experiencing fatigue.
The good news is we can normally
keep riding if we ease back a little (as
opposed to exhaustion, where we simply
cannot keep riding at all). However,
fatigue will still limit our performance, so
it’s useful to try to understand it a little
more in order to minimise its impact.
W H AT I S FAT I G U E ?
This may seem incredible, but
researchers have not agreed on a
universal definition of fatigue in sport
26 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021
PA RT 1
and exercise. The lack of a universal
definition is important for one good
reason: how can you fully understand
something if you can’t even define it?
The scientific literature is filled with
dozens of definitions of fatigue, which
are likely driven in part by the expertise
of the scientists doing the research
(e.g. a muscle physiologist will likely
define fatigue with the muscle as
the focus, whereas a cardiovascular
researcher may focus on that system
as the source of fatigue).
W H AT C AU S E S I T ?
There are a multitude of influencing
factors. In fact, the range of factors
that can influence how an individual
experiences fatigue during training
or competition is almost unlimited.
Broadly speaking, though, they can
be broken down by the individual,
the environment and the activity –
see table.
 THE INDIVIDUAL THE ENVIRONMENT THE ACTIVITY
Age Temperature Exercise intensity
Gender Humidity Session duration
Training status Altitude Type of muscle contraction
(static, dynamic, concentric,
eccentric, etc)
Training history Wind/rain Speed of muscle contraction
Health status Terrain (dirt vs. gravel vs. rocky Metabolic demand
vs. muddy, etc) (e.g. calorie use, carbs vs. fats)
Injury history Topography (short, steep vs. Work-to-rest ratios
long, gradual climbs; nature of
descents, etc)
Diet Presence/absence of spectators Competitor-driven demands
(race tactics)
Sleep pattern Presence/absence of Importance of the event
competitors
Use of medications Presence/absence of co-riders

To further complicate matters,

any and all of the factors in the table
above can influence one another,
meaning that you must look at the
overall picture in order to understand
fatigue in any given context. Mountain
biking is a prime example of this, as
there is one person on the bike (so all of
the INDIVIDUAL factors are relevant),
it is a sport hugely affected by the
ENVIRONMENT, and it is a physically
demanding activity requiring a host of
different physical attributes from the
whole body (ACTIVITY). We could even
add a fourth category of EQUIPMENT
to cover all of the influencing factors
associated with the bike and rider gear,
but we won’t go there!
HEADS, SHOULDERS,
KNEES, TOES (AND
E V E RY W H E R E E L S E . . . )
Fatigue is multi-factorial The third challenge is that fatigue can
and a headache to define occur in pretty much any body system,
organ or process, and the fatigue
you experience will almost always be
Tiredness can rapidly
affecting more than one system/organ/
ramp up in hilly terrain process. Of course, riding a mountain
bike relies on appropriate contractions
of the leg muscles. For those contractions
to occur, electrical signals must originate
in your brain, travel down your spinal
cord, through peripheral nerves in
your lower limbs, and into your leg
muscles. This stimulates complex
chemical processes within your muscles
that enable them to contract. So, any
disruption in any of these processes can
cause fatigue.
But it’s more than just that. What if
it’s a hot, humid day, and you are losing
a lot of fluid trying to regulate your
body temperature? Or how about a
strong, persistent headwind, causing
you to expend more energy than you
anticipated? Perhaps your riding partner
switched the route on you at the last
minute, so you’re now doing much more
aggressive climbing and descending
than you’d anticipated. Now, as well as
FAT I G U E C A N O C C U R
I N A N Y B ODY SYST E M ,
ORGAN OR PROCE SS
those electrical signals, you’ve got your
cardiovascular system (temperature
regulation), energy availability
(headwind), and anaerobic/aerobic
systems (climbing/descending) involved
too. Hopefully you can see how easily
the number of body systems, organs
and processes potentially involved in
fatigue, can exponentially increase.
TA K E - H O M E M E S S AG E S
Learning a little about fatigue in
sport and exercise can give us a real
appreciation for and celebration of
the amazing machines that are our
bodies, and the truly whole-body
demands and benefits that mountain
biking can afford us. In the next issue
we’ll look at what we can do to adapt
our riding to stave off fatigue, but in
the meantime remember:
FAT I G U E I S A
C O M P L I C AT E D T H I N G
It’s complicated in part because we can’t
fully define it, there are many factors that
influence how it manifests, and it can
affect almost any region of the body.
To home in on how fatigue may
be affecting you, think INDIVIDUAL,
ENVIRONMENT, and ACTIVITY (and
EQUIPMENT, if you’re feeling brave!).
YO U R E X P E R T
DR SHAUN PHILLIPS
Shaun is an old hand at understanding fatigue
– a senior lecturer in Sport and Exercise
Physiology at The University of Edinburgh,
with over 12 years of experience teaching and
researching. He’s new to mountain biking
though, and thoroughly smitten.

SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 27

 I N S P I R AT I O N
“ W E W E R E L AU G H E D AT A S
W O M E N , C O N S TA N T LY. B U T N O W
I T ’ S U N D E N I A B L E : I F YO U ’ R E
G O I N G T O S AY W O M E N ’ S R I D I N G
I S N ’ T I M P R E S S I V E T H E N YO U ’ R E
LIVING UNDER A ROCK”
Canadian DH racer turned freeride star Micayla Gatto tells
us about the mixed-media edit that made her famous, riding
at Red Bull formation, and her Type Z personality
You started out as a World Cup racer,
and a really successful one. Why did
you leave that life?
My last World Cup season was in 2014
and I crashed really hard at Wyndham.
I destroyed my hip, got a separation in
my shoulder, but the bad thing was I got
a really severe concussion. I suffered
from post-concussion and I took a
full year off. I lost my mountain bike
sponsors and kind of went to ground
zero. I couldn’t get on a mountain bike
team that winter. And it gave me time to
really reflect on what I’d accomplished
and where I was at in my career and
where I wanted to go with it. I’d been to
all these places, travelled the world since
I was 16, never making a dime, working
three jobs to maintain my top 10 ranking.
I’d accomplished everything I wanted
to without taking it to that next level of
training and sacrifice.
Did that crash end up being a good
thing then, in a perverse way?
The injury, as horrific as it was, was an
amazing thing that forced me to take
a step back and look at what I was
doing. There was a moment of identity
crisis. You don’t realise how much you
were forcing something until you’re
out of it. You ignore the signs and put
up with the struggle. Forced change is
uncomfortable but it’s what you need
to gain perspective. A lot of people
have decided to change their lives after
Covid, prioritise their own happiness
and self care over making money.
I wanted to dive more into the culture
and people and experience of these
places rather than just showing up and
racing and going home. I felt like it was
time to incorporate more of my creative
side and my art, as I’m an artist too, and
I felt my life was really imbalanced.
28 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021
Is that where the idea for Intersection
began, the video edit where you ride
through your artwork?
Yeah, getting into the media side
of things was actually harder than I
thought though. I had all these ideas for
edits but didn’t know how to approach
anyone. I just had this idea and waited
for something to happen – looking back
I’m like, no, nothing comes to you for
free, you have to go out and get it.
So 2016 was a fail. Then I got onto
Diamondback, Lacy Kemp was my
manager, and Red Bull said they wanted
to do a project and we came up with the
idea of Intersection.
And the Ferda Girls edit?
Summer 2017 is when it all came to
fruition. I solely give credit to those two
edits, after that people were coming
Gatto has turned
to freeride after her
accident in 2014
Women’s freeriding
is growing rapidly
thanks in part to Gatto
up to me asking for advice on women’s
riding. Ferda Girls created an entire
movement, it was right place, right time,
during the #MeToo movement.
It catapulted me, Micayla’s back. And it’s
just snowballed from there. Intersection
won Banff Mountain Film Festival’s Best
Mountain Sports Film Award, and Ferda
Girls won Crankworx Dirt Diaries award,
and then I did another India edit – and
I’d found my calling.
After that, I was like ‘What the hell
was I doing?!’ No disrespect to racers,
but I’m so much more of a creative now.
Looking back on the racing, it was not
playing to my strengths at all. You have
to be Type A, and I’m not, I don’t even
know what I am, type Z maybe. Haha.
We didn’t see you at Red Bull
Formation freeride event this year
I was the only girl from the original
Formation not to get invited back, which
I found very confusing. Especially as the
girls voted I had the gnarliest line. And
as it’s a progression session – I didn’t
ride one of the drops I’d built, but in my
eyes there was no requirement to do
a top to bottom run. I pushed myself
as hard as I could, if you’re not failing
you’re not pushing, so the fact I got
scared and couldn’t overcome one of my
features showed I was out of my comfort
zone. I was super gutted though, I spent
time being sad about it. It sucks, but
that’s the game, that’s just the way it is.
I don’t want to take any shine off this
year’s event though, everyone invited
deserved to be. And I want to be invited
back! The competition is stiff, there are a
lot of amazing girls and I guess they saw
potential in others. They 100 per cent
should have been there, so all you can
do is work harder.
Tell us about the Dark Horse
Invitational, later in August
I’m just stoked to be there, I don’t want
to think of it as a competition as I don’t
want to put expectation and pressure
on myself. But when I’m there, I’ll love
the dynamic of ‘she can do it, I can do
it’ and your progression just skyrockets
when you get a bunch of girls and guys
together. It raises the bar so much faster
than going to a bike park by yourself.
The Dark Horse is based off the
Fest series, so it’s rider judged. In
the past, there hasn’t been a lot of
encouragement and recognition of rider
talent, lifting each other up. Now that’s
all changing, it’s really important to
NOW T H E R E ’ S A LOT OF
AT T E N T I O N B E I N G P U T
ON WOM E N ’ S F R E E R I DE
have women recognising other women’s
abilities and successes.
How big is women’s freeride now?
The progression in the last two years
has been insane, giving women the
spotlight, then other girls see it and go
try it. It’s grown exponentially.
The mtb industry hops on trends,
a few years ago it was all about enduro,
now there’s a lot of attention being put on
women’s freeride. It’s more than it ever
has been, and you have all these events
starting to crop up, like Mons Royale’s
Progression Session in New Zealand,
Dark Horse, Formation, and Big White
Slopestyle has a women’s category now,
and Nine Knights has that, and Proving
Grounds has a women’s section.
Is women’s freeride downplayed?
A few years ago it was like, ‘well the
women aren’t doing as big a stuff as the
men,’ and ‘that’s embarrassing because
Paris Gore / Red Bull Content Pool
you’re not doing backflip tail whips’ –
that’s garbage.
People were very unresponsive and
unencouraging. We were laughed at.
Yes we were behind the men, but being
laughed at and discouraged is no way to
grow a sport.
Now it’s undeniable, if you’re going
to say women’s riding isn’t impressive
then you’re living under a rock. Vinny
Armstrong’s whips are in that top 10
percentile of riders, men and women.
So no, you don’t even have any legs to
stand on anymore. Sit down, bro.
Do you still have something to prove
in mountain biking?
A big part of what motivates me is
normalising things that would generally
be stereotyped as more male-centric.
Since the beginning of time women
have been told they can’t do things,
they’re not strong enough or smart
enough or it’s not safe if they go out by
themselves. It’s a mindset to feel like we
need a male presence.
I want to smash that down a bit – you
have the resources to go out and do
these things safely without having to
rely on anyone but yourself.
SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 29
NEW BIKES

30 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021

 SWINGING A LEG OVER WHAT’S HOT THIS MONTH

FORBIDDEN
DREADNOUGHT XT
£6,399 / 2 9in / forbiddenbike.com

NEED TO Forbidden’s launched a new enduro machine;

KNOW will the Dreadnought rule the trails?
orbidden now has a big gun what path the rear axle follows, you
ONamed after
a destroyer, the
Dreadnought is
the big gun in the
Forbidden range
OA 100 per cent
rearward axle
path delivers
F in its fleet. But who needs the
Dreadnought when the Druid
is already billed as being so
capable? In short... everyone.
Let me explain.
In many ways Forbidden painted
itself into a corner with the Druid,
only have the travel you’ve got. And
given that Forbidden measures travel
along the arc of the axle path, not
vertically, you’ve actually got less than
you think. Also, it’s telling that almost
everyone that rides the Druid hard
switches to a coil shock to make the
154mm of travel
OHigh-pivot idler
kinda like when your only tool is a suspension work better.
design dramatically hammer, everything starts to look Then there’s the weight. The size
reduces pedal like a nail. That’s not to imply that large Dreadnought XT tips the scales
kickback the 130mm-travel Druid is a blunt at 15.68kg, which is ballpark for a
OFull carbon frame instrument, far from it. It’s just that big-hitting enduro bike at £6k. Yes,
construction gives a
the Dreadnought is more refined. it’s 800g heavier than the Druid, but
3.32kg frame weight
OUpdated sizing When Forbidden only had a one- the Dreadnought frame is longer, the
makes a medium model range, the Druid had to cover bike comes with heavier-casing Maxxis
Dreadnought everything from trail to downhill. tyres, a beefier Fox 38 fork, more
equivalent to a And even if you believe in high-pivot substantial Float X2 shock and bigger
size-large Druid
witchcraft, that’s clearly a stretch of Shimano XT rotors for extra stopping
OCurrently
available in two the imagination by anyone’s standards. power, so the Dreadnought is always
builds, XT or SLX, In fact, Forbidden did a good job of going to weigh more than the Druid.
with a frame-only convincing riders and journalists that The actual difference in frame weight?
option for £3,399 the rearward axle path is so efficient It’s only 260g. So in short, the Druid is
at gobbling up the chunder, you really portly for a trail bike, the Dreadnought
don’t need anything more than the competitive for an enduro race rig.
Druid. The truth is, it doesn’t matter When I tested the Druid last month,
the size large felt a little small and
even though I’m only 5ft 11in tall I could
High-pivot idler design allows
for rearward axle path while have easily ridden the XL, which is the
reducing pedal kickback biggest size Forbidden offers. Size-
for-size the reach measurements on
the Dreadnought are 20mm longer,
so there’s no need to upsize. The rear
centre measurements are still size
specific and have also increased in
length to help maintain the desired
balance with associated increase in
front ends.
And while both bikes share a
similar silhouette, the suspension
on the Dreadnought isn’t simply a
longer-travel version of the Druid.
Yes, it still has a 100 per cent rearward
axle path, but it also has less initial
progression and more end-stroke
progression. Anti-squat is similar to
the Druid at sag but then it falls away
more sharply deeper in the travel.

SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 31

NEW BIKES

The design of the Float X2

also makes it easier to
The Dreadnought
see the O-ring
felt more agile
than the Druid
Both bikes also run different-stroke
shocks: the Dreadnought gets a
205x65mm Fox X2 while the Druid
runs a 210x55mm Fox DPX2. Due to
the difference in travel, though, 130mm
versus 154mm, both result in the same
leverage ratio. Critically, the Dreadnought
gets a metric trunnion-mounted shock,
so it’s rotating on bearings rather than
bushings, which makes the suspension
much more sensitive off the top. Also,
because the Fox X2 has the piggyback on
the body end of the shock, not the air-can
end, like on the DPX2, the O-ring on the
shock body isn’t obscured by the frame,
which makes suspension set-up and
travel-usage assessment easier.

32 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021

 The Dreadnought holds its
course equally well on calm
or choppy trails

SPECIFICATION
Frame full carbon,
154mm travel
Shock Fox Float X2
Performance Elite,
205x65mm
Fork Fox Float 38
Performance Elite
Grip 2 (44 offset),
170mm travel
Wheels DT Swiss 350
110/148mm hubs,
e*thirteen LG1 EN Plus
e*thirteen LG1 chain XT four-piston brakes
30mm rims, Maxxis
guide increases chain/ offer an abundance of
Assegai 3C EXO+/
chainring overlap stopping power
Minion DHR II 3C DD
29x2.5/2.4in tyres
Drivetrain Shimano
on your preferred riding style safe regard, and that’s purely down to the XT, 32t, 170mm
in the knowledge that you are not suspension being easier to preload and chainset, Shimano XT
r-mech and shifter,
compromising on the overall balance of pop the bike off the ground. So given Shimano XT
the bike. In fact, I had the opportunity that the sizing on the Dreadnought is 10-51t cassette
to ride the size large Dreadnought back also better, and the suspension more Brakes Shimano
to back with a size medium, and felt effective at ironing out bumps, both big XT four-piston
203/180mm
The final nail in the coffin for the equally comfortable swapping between and small, I can’t think of a single reason
Components
Druid is that Forbidden has killed it with both sizes. Yes, the smaller size was to get the Druid over the Dreadnought. e*thirteen Plus
the shock tune on the Dreadnought. So more agile and easier to flick around Alan Muldoon 800mm (35mm) bar,
rather than running all of the dials wide tight turns, the large noticeably more e*thirteen Plus 40mm
open, as with the DPX2 on the Druid, you stable and better suited to faster, more stem, BikeYoke Revive
1ST IMPRESSION 185mm post, SDG
can actually use the four-way adjustable open trails. Also, the Dreadnought Radar cro-mo saddle
X2 shock on the Dreadnought to fine- is compatible with the Ziggy Link, Sizes S, M, L, XL
tune the ride characteristics of the bike. so if you want a more agile ride, or
struggle with with clearance using a
✓ HIGHS
Great sizing with balanced
Weight 15.68kg
(34.57lb)
HOW IT RIDES 29in wheel, downsizing to a 27.5in MX weight distribution across all sizes.
The Dreadnought is a big bike, no set-up couldn’t be easier. Buttery-smooth suspension with good GEOMETRY
two ways about it. And because the I also played around a lot with the range of adjustment and plenty of Size tested L
chainstay length grows by 15mm at amount of sag I was running, starting support for smashing bigger hits. Steep Rider height 5ft 11in
sag, the static 1,283mm wheelbase on with Forbidden’s recommended shock seat angle means you simply sit down Head angle 63.2°
the size large doesn’t tell the whole pressures before settling on more sag. and spin and the Dreadnought climbs Seat angle 75.9°
story. The bike feels very well balanced Running the shock deeper in the stroke with the best of them. It’s better than Effective SA 76.3°
though, and that’s because Forbidden didn’t negatively impact pedalling the Druid. BB height 343mm
Chainstay 448mm
isn’t simply growing the front end as efficiency, but it made it much easier
✗ LOWS
Front centre 835mm
you go up through the size range; its to get my weight more rearward,
Wheelbase 1,283mm
proportional sizing also increases the which is somewhat counterintuitive End-stroke progression makes
Down tube 755mm
rear-centre measurement, guaranteeing given that it also further extends the it harder to get full travel, so maybe a
Top tube 635mm
that weight distribution is matched chainstay length. coil shock would make this bike better Reach 479mm
across all four frame sizes. So not What surprised me most, though, still. Idler is noisy when it’s muddy.
only does every rider get the same was that the Dreadnought felt more Longer chainstay and rearward axle
experience regardless of height, you agile and dynamic than the Druid even path means you have to put more effort
can choose your frame size based though it is a much bigger bike in every into lifting the front end.

SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 33

NEW BIKES

MONDRAKER CRAFTY
CARBON XR MIND
£ 8 ,9 9 9 + £ 2 9 9 f o r M I N D / 2 9 i n / m o n d r a k e r. c o m

NEED TO Integrated data-logging comes to mountain

KNOW biking courtesy of Mondraker’s MIND system

W
e live in a world of big
● Mondraker
Crafty Carbon XR
data. We willingly give
with built-in MIND it away and it’s mostly
suspension data collected for the benefit
acquisition of third parties – whether
● The Öhlins TTX that’s serving up your favourite products
Air shock delivers
when shopping online or predicting
150mm of rear
travel and is paired which trimester you’re in. It’s scary, but
with a 170mm Öhlins US retailer Target is likely to know if your
RXF38 M.1 fork daughter is pregnant before you do.
● myMondraker app That’s how sophisticated data collection,
walks you through
analysis and prediction has become.
suspension set-up
● Metrics like travel, Now, you’re probably thinking,
number of bottom “what’s this got to do with mountain
outs and jumps are biking?” Well, have you ever wondered
displayed in the what’s going on with your suspension?
app, along with We set the sag with O-rings on our
GPS routes
● MIND technology
shock and fork, but we really have no
is calibrated to each idea how much travel we’re using as we
specific model and rip down the trail, the two basic data
as such it cannot be points being static sag and maximum
swapped from one travel. What happens in-between is
bike to another
anyone’s guess, unless of course, we use
a suspension data logger.
And while the days of bulky black
boxes bolted to the down tube are long
gone, even state-of-the-art units like
Motion Instruments require a certain
amount of home engineering to get
them mounted to the shock. And the
reason is simple – a universal system
needs adapting to each specific frame
design so some degree of ingenuity is
required to get it to fit.
But what if your bike came with a
discrete data logger pre-installed?
Well, that’s exactly what Mondraker is
offering with its MIND system, available
as an upgrade for £299 on selected
models. And by discrete, it’s barely even
noticeable. The only giveaways are a
small magnet mounted to the back of
the fork lowers, and what looks like
an ultra short mudguard protruding
from the fork crown. On the MIND rear
suspension it’s even more subtle with a
rotational magnet mounted to the main
pivot of the rocker link calculating and
recording shock movement.
No wires or linear potentiometers,
MIND is as unobtrusive as it gets.
Both sensors have rechargeable
batteries and are charged using the
USB 3.0 cables supplied with the bike.
Tucked up inside the head tube, the
fork sensor has a much bigger battery
capacity than the one on the shock link.
Being small rechargeable units however,
both batteries drain quite quickly, even
And by discrete,
It’s barely even
noticeable

Battery cover on
rocker link
is easy to miss

34 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021

SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 35
NEW BIKES

The app walks

you through a
traditional set-up
when not in use. In fact, when the Crafty
XR MIND first turned up, I couldn’t get
the MIND system to sync because the
batteries had gone flat during shipping.
And while I think non-rechargeable
batteries wouldn’t have that issue, I can
only assume they weren’t an option as
you’d have to remove the MIND system
to replace them and then the system
would need recalibrating.
Everything you do with MIND is
controlled through the myMondraker
app. You register your bike using the
QR code on the fork sensor, fill in some
details about yourself, then sync the
MIND system and you’re good to go.
Providing of course the batteries have
charge. Thankfully you can see the
power status of both sensors in the app.
First, the app walks you through
a traditional suspension set-up with
suggested pressures and damping
settings based on your weight and
riding style. And even for someone
like me, who is constantly setting up
different suspension components, I can’t
overstate how useful this is.
Once you’ve completed the baseline

36 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021

 QR code on fork
sensor is used to
register bike to app
set-up, the app instructs you
to get on the bike and assume
the attack position. This is
when you first get some useful
data, as the fork and shock
sensors calculate if your static
sag is correct. My initial set-up
based on the recommended
pressures for my weight was
too soft, so the app instructed
me to add pressure and then
repeat the process. I did this
twice before getting the green
light. The app doesn’t tell you
how much pressure to add, so
it’s a trial and error process.
Also you have no idea how big
the window of correct sag is,
as there’s no live reading of
your static sag, which would be a useful
addition to the app.
Hit the play button, wait for the GPS
connection, then MIND starts recording
data from your ride. You can leave it
running and record your entire ride, but
if you’re looking for specific set-up info,
say for optimum downhill performance,
it’s best just to record individual
descents or make adjustments then
repeat the same section of trail. That
way you can easily compare the
specific suspension traces for each run.
Unfortunately, it also means getting
your phone out and stopping and
starting the recording at the top and
bottom of each section.
TURN ON
After one ride I increased the pressure
in the fork, as I wanted it to sit higher
in its travel. You can see on the screen
grab that my dynamic shock sag – which
is the average travel (blue trace) – is
roughly 60mm or approximately 40 per
cent of the 150mm available. That’s a
soft shock set-up by anyone’s standard.
This was no doubt impacted by
me running the fork firmer than
recommended to get the front end to sit
higher, which in turn shifted more of my
weight to the rear end of the bike.
You can also see that I wasn’t using
full travel on the rear. Without the MIND
system, one big drop could have pushed
the O-ring to bottom out and I’d have
been none the wiser. In fact, it’s why I
Stubby fork sensor
monitors front
wheel travel
and shock are compressing SPECIFICATION
and rebounding – you can’t Frame Crafty Stealth
really use MIND to adjust Air full carbon,
your damping setting. I’m 150mm travel
sure the magnet sensors can Shock Öhlins TTX Air,
205x65mm
record shaft speeds, so maybe
Fork Öhlins RXF 38
Mondraker just didn’t want M.1, 170mm travel,
to overwhelm riders with too 44mm offset
much data from the outset. Motor Bosch
So while the data that MIND Performance Line
CX, 85Nm
provides is limited compared
Battery Bosch
to a full-blown data logger, the PowerTube 625Wh
beauty of this system is that it’s Display Bosch Kiox
super easy to use. And as with Wheels DT Swiss
Graph shows top-outs, App walks any new technology it remains HX1501 SPLINE 30,
bottom-outs and you through Maxxis Minion DHF/
to be seen how it will be
dynamic sag trend set-up process DHR II 29x2.6in tyres
employed, but I suspect that
Drivetrain e*thirteen
unless you’re racing or riding e*spec 34t, 155mm
on a wide variety of terrain, chainset, SRAM X01
often stop after a drop and reset the once you have your bike set up, there’s Eagle r-mech and GX
O-ring when I’m testing bikes. every chance that you will no longer 12-speed shifter
Brakes SRAM Code
With MIND, all I had to do was upload need the data MIND provides.
RSC, 200/200mm
the data to my phone and I could see So by serving its purpose well, MIND Components Onoff
that I needed to remove some volume could have inherent obsolescence. Krypton 780mm bar,
spacers from the Öhlins TTX rear shock. Unless, of course, Mondraker keeps Onoff Krypton FG
Once I’d done that I repeated the set-up adding features. Still, for a £299 30mm stem, Onoff
Pija 150mm post, Fizik
process and could instantly see from the upcharge, MIND is well worth it. And Antares R7 saddle
trace that I was using more travel with if Mondraker having access to my Sizes S, M, L, XL
the same dynamic sag. Bonus! suspension data, how and where I ride, Weight 22.78kg
Now, if you’re not interested in helps it improve the performance of its (50.22lb)
geeking out on the specific suspension bikes, then this is one invasion of privacy
graphs, Mondraker provides simple that I’m more than happy to sign up to. GEOMETRY
metrics like maximum travel, number Alan Muldoon Size ridden M
of bottom-outs and amount of air time. Rider height 5ft 11in
The latter is calculated every time the Head angle 64.1°
fork and shock simultaneously reach 1ST IMPRESSION Seat angle 72.3°
full extension. What’s missing though, is Effective SA 74.3°
dynamic sag, so you’ll need to interpret
✓ HIGHS
BB height 352mm
Chainstay 455mm
the graphs yourself to figure that out. The myMondraker app provides
Front centre 803mm
And while having data at your a user friendly step-by-step guide to
Wheelbase 1,258mm
fingertips is incredibly useful, there are suspension set-up on your phone. MIND
Down tube 741mm
a few things that I found frustrating with provides real world data on how you’re Top tube 620mm
the MIND system. The first was having using the travel, which makes fine Reach 450mm
to wait for a GPS connection before I tuning your ride a breeze. Pins on the
could start to record a run. If you know GPS trace indicate air time and you can
a trail well, sometimes you just want instantly see how often you bottom-out
the raw suspension data. Also you need the suspension. And while it doesn’t
a 4G signal to transfer data from the offer comprehensive data, it’s an
MIND system to your phone so you can affordable and easy-to-use system.
actually see the graphs. Not something
that’s available at all riding spots.
And for real suspension geeks out
✗ LOWS
Currently MIND offers no data on
there, MIND currently only provides shaft speed, which means you have no
traces for the amount of travel used, also info to adjust damping. Rechargeable
referred to as displacement. With no batteries drain quickly. Waiting for a
data on shaft speed – how fast the fork GPS signal gets frustrating.
SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 37
NEW BIKES

38 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021

 FOCUS THRON 6.9
£ 3 ,0 9 9 / 2 9 i n / f o c u s - b i ke s .c o m
NEED TO Focus’s all-rounder appeals, but getting the
KNOW recipe right is not nearly as easy as it looks
T
● Short travel trail here’s a moment in every
bike with the ability reality cooking show where
to double as a bike- the contestant boldly explains
packing mule to the judges that they have a
● Alloy frame, 29in unique take on food that blends
wheels and 130mm
travel shared across
two completely different cuisines. Such
three-bike range as Thai haggis, moules korma or some
starting at £2,199 other twisted invention. And it’s at this
● Includes mounts point that the judge puts on a shocked
for rack, mudguards face and explains that there’s a fine line
and kickstand as
between fusion and confusion before
well as a small frame
bag inside the front said contestant is booted off at the next
triangle elimination ceremony.
● Cockpit So to the Focus Thron 6.9; a trail bike
Integration System that thinks it’s an adventure bike, or an
feeds the cables and
adventure bike masquerading as a trail
hoses through the
stem faceplate and bike? I’m not quite sure which it is since
into the head tube the three-model range includes one
fully equipped load lugger complete
with rack, mudguards, kickstand and
lights, alongside two more conventional
options that promise to release your
‘inner child’ and allow you to ‘surf the
trails’ at will. Certainly, judging by the
photos and video of Olly Wilkins and Ben
Deakin out shredding several familiar
local spots, it appears to be the latter.
Focus itself says that the Thron was
designed first and foremost as a trail
bike, and that its ability to shoulder
a load was only included if it didn’t
compromise its primary role. Certainly,
the designers have done a pretty good
job disguising its utilitarian side – the
rack and mudguard mounts are on
Certainly the designers have
done a pretty good job of
disguising its utilitarian side
Single-pivot linkage
driven FOLD system
with Fox shock
the inside of the frame tubes, hidden
from sight, while the kickstand mount
is inconspicuously integrated into the
replaceable dropout. And while I’m
totally cool with that, as giving riders
options is to be applauded, sadly not
every aspect of the Thron is in line with
this philosophy.
At the head tube, Focus has fitted its
new Cockpit Integration System (CIS).
Here, the cables and hose route through
the faceplate of the stem, up and over
the bar, and then down through the split
headset spacers and into the sumo-
size head tube. Eventually the gear
and brake housings emerge from the
chainstays at the other end. It’s inspired
by the sleek, cable-free frames popular
on road bikes to help reduce drag and
improve aerodynamics. But seeing as
pedalling resistance off-road mostly
comes from the ground, rather than the
air, the advantages are slightly more
tenuous. Focus cites reduced cable rub
and less cable rattle as benefits, but the
real reason is aesthetics – it makes for a
remarkably clutter-free frame.
CABLE STOP
What’s less appealing about the system
is that, if you ever want to change the
length of your stem you’re going to
have to remove the gear cable and the
dropper cable, and detach the brake
hose from the brake lever. Then you’re
going to have to reattach everything
– assuming the cables haven’t frayed
– readjust the gears and re-bleed the
brake. So a simple stem swap, that might
take a couple of minutes on a regular
bike, now takes, well, ages. And if you
want to swap the stem for a different
brand, you’re going to have to buy a new
Acros headset top cap and some round
spacers too. In fact, even if you just want
to lower the stem, you’re going to have
to source at least one round headset
spacer as the ones that come on the bike
won’t fit above it.
That’s not the only issue with the
cockpit. There’s a narrow 760mm bar
(I’d prefer a 780mm model as you can
always trim a bar, but you can’t extend
it) and a dropper post remote that’s
virtually impossible to operate without
dislocating your wrist. Focus says that
was only a problem on the earliest
production bikes, and that it has since
been solved with a new mount, but I’d
recommend checking that is actually the
case if you’re considering buying one.
Ultimately none of this may matter to
you, in which case happy days, but in my
view the disadvantages of this design
outweigh the advantages, particularly
SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 39
NEW BIKES
Internal cabling
as many brands (Pon Holdings’s sister
looks trick but makes brand, Santa Cruz, being one) manage
stem change a headache to design internal cable routing that
doesn’t rub or rattle and still lets you
play around with your cockpit position
with minimal faff.
Focus is asking £3,099 for the Thron
6.9, which – considering it’s sold through
a dealer network – is pretty decent
value. There are a couple of minor cost-
cutting choices, including a cheaper,
and heavier, Shimano Deore chain
and cassette, but seeing as these are
consumable items, I don’t consider that
a big issue. Everything else, including
the excellent Hollowtech 2 crank, is from
the highly-regarded XT stable.
There’s no upper chain guide fitted,
and the only frame protection is
mounted to the chainstay. This wasn’t
enough to stop the chain clattering
against the frame at the seatstays –
likely against the rack eyelet bolt – so
to reduce the volume on rough trails, I’d
advise adding some rubber protection
of your own. I also clipped my heels
multiple times on the broad seatstays,
which was annoying considering I only
have size 43 feet.
With a four-piston XT caliper
clamping a 203mm rotor up front there’s
40 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021
plenty of stopping power, but the
two-piston caliper and 180mm rotor at
the back can become overwhelmed on
longer, steeper tracks. If you’re looking
to load this bike up with luggage, it
would probably be wise to upgrade to
a larger rear rotor.
Shod with dual-compound Maxxis
Dissector/Rekon tyres, the emphasis
here is very much on low rolling
resistance and high-speed efficiency.
It certainly helps offset some of the
Thron’s weight when accelerating, but
neither tyre really cuts into soft dirt or
sticks to hardpack on fast corners.
HOW IT RIDES
While Focus’s marketing talks about
finding your inner child, riding the Thron
reminded me of being dragged to the
dentist. Harsh? Maybe, but at nearly
16kg it’s overweight for a 130mm trail
bike. We’ve had 170mm travel enduro
bikes with alloy frames and alloy wheels
on test that have weighed less than the
Thron, and yet pedalled equally well.
All that bulk dulls the bike’s response
and quickly drains both energy and
enthusiasm. Short travel trail bikes
should make you want to sprint out of
every corner, flick through every turn,
 Rack mount weighs
SPECIFICATION
nothing and is out of Frame 7005 alloy,
sight on inside of stay 130mm travel (121mm
measured)
Shock Fox Float DPS
Performance (45mm
stroke)
Fork Fox 34 Float
Rhythm, 130mm travel
(44mm offset)
Wheels Novatec hubs,
Rodi TRYP25 rims,
Maxxis Dissector/
Kickstand mount is
Rekon 29x2.4in tyres
neatly integrated into
Drivetrain Shimano XT
replaceable dropout
FC-M8100 crank, 32t,
170mm, Shimano XT
12-speed shifter and
make shapes on every jump and get with a metallic ping on bigger drops. tyres, lack of support from the fork, and r-mech
out of shape on every descent. But the I’d definitely recommend fitting an excess weight meant the Thron left me Brakes Shimano XT,
Thron just made me feel out of shape in extra volume spacer and adding a feeling disappointingly underwhelmed four-piston front,
203/180mm
the fitness sense, rather than wired from little compression damping if you’re most of the time.
Components Focus
flirting with the edge of control. experiencing similar issues. The Thron is designed as a short CIS stem 50mm, Alloy
It doesn’t help that the Thron bobs a Focus’s FOLD suspension system travel trail bike that promises to blend 35mm bar, 760mm,
bit when you get out of the saddle, also is a single-pivot design with a linkage fun and frivolity with utilitarian function. Post Moderne dropper
post 170mm, Focus
absorbing some of that precious energy. driven shock. Tweaked on the new Thron But in doing so, Focus has missed the Trail saddle
Fortunately the compression lever and Jam, it gets increased progression, mark, both in execution and message. Weight 15.88kg
on the Fox DPS Performance shock is which should make the handling more Everything about the Thron points to it (35.01lb)
within easy reach under the top tube as dynamic, and better suited to aggressive being most suitable for new riders and Sizes S, M, L, XL
you’ll be needing it. riding. Our test shock came up a bit short mellow tracks, but the marketing gives
There’s also a relatively compact, on stroke (43mm actual versus 45mm the impression that it will make every GEOMETRY
upright riding position that is at odds claimed) which impacted the total trail come alive. So while it’s good value Size ridden L
with the reasonably generous on-paper- travel – I only measured 121mm against with additional versatility, thrills and Rider height 5ft 10in
reach of 471mm. I put that down to the 130mm claimed. Being progressive, spills are not really its bread and butter. Head angle 66.9°
the tall head tube and stack of spacers I set it up with 25 per cent sag (12mm Danny Milner Seat angle 69.9°
under the CIS stem. Dropping it down shock stroke) which equated to 240psi Effective SA 75.9°
10mm helped lengthen the effective for my 75kg. Quite high, but the DPS BB height 331mm
reach and allowed me to put more Performance shock is rated to 350psi, so 1ST IMPRESSION Chainstay 434mm
Front centre 777mm
weight over the front wheel for better should cope with the Thron’s 110kg max
✓ HIGHS
Wheelbase 1,211mm
cornering grip. But to do that you’ll need system weight (rider plus bike).
Down tube 738mm
to source your own circular spacer. With 25 per cent sag there was good Good value with a solid spec.
Top tube 625mm
With more weight over the front grip and sensitivity, with the suspension Mounting points for luggage and more Reach 471mm
contact patch, the Fox 34 Rhythm fork feeling quite active around the sag add to the versatility.
began to reveal its limitations. I ended position, but I didn’t get anywhere near
up running nearly 30 per cent more
air pressure than recommended to
full travel. The most I saw was 34mm
stroke, which equates to around 100mm
✗ LOWS
Overweight for the intended
prevent the fork from diving through its of travel, and this meant the Thron felt use. Neat cable routing is far from user-
travel, and maintain a better dynamic a little wild on rougher tracks. Taken in friendly. Feels out of its depth for more
geometry, yet it would still bottom out combination with the hard, low-profile aggressive riding.

SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 41


Future PLC, 161 Marsh Wall,
London E14 9AP
mbr@futurenet.com
mbr.co.uk
EDITORIAL
Editor Danny Milner
Bike test editor Alan Muldoon
Front section editor Jamie Darlow
Deputy digital editor Benji Haworth
Contributors Paul Burwell, Sim Mainey, Roo
Fowler, Dan Gould, Tristan Tinn, Mick Kirkman,
Chris Akrigg, Bernard Kerr, Ben Day, Ben
Smith, Sean White, Shaun Phillips
PAGE FACTORY
Group chief sub editor Dan Thomas
Chief sub editor Jonathan Emery
Sub editor Steve Shrubsall
Group art editor Kevin Eason
mbr art editor Ben Smith
ADVERTISING
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07583 011551, Jess.holmes@futurenet.com
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PUBLISHING
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Distribution 020 3148 3333
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or, in any unauthorised cover by way of trade, or annexed to
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matter whatsoever.
© Future PLC 2020 ISSN 1367 0824.
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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.
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Magazine, Performance Cyclist and The Bike Mag, a part
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Wednesday of each month by Future PLC, 161 Marsh Wall,
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YOU R L E T T E R S
Mailbox
+ S TA R L E T T E R +
AND OUR SURVEY SAYS...
I am a 14-year-old mountain biker from North
Yorkshire and for my school Higher Project
Qualification I decided to research the health
effects of mountain biking. I distributed a survey,
which received almost 650 replies from mountain
bikers of all ages. It asked the participants
questions about how often and which chronic
and acute injuries they sustained, as well as the
benefits they received from mountain biking.
The survey found that, although mountain
biking injuries were relatively common, they were
mostly mild, with only 11 per cent resulting in
hospital admission. The most frequently injured
riders were those that had been mountain biking
for up to two years and were less than 19 years old.
The survey found that chronic injuries – those
that last a long time – were infrequent, occurring
in under 40 per cent of respondents.
There could be mileage in
a high-pivot versus standard
suspension bike test
TAKING THE HIGH ROAD
I was very eager to read the August
issue review of the Deviate and
Forbidden bikes. Two weeks earlier
I placed an order with Deviate for a
Highlander 150. However, contrary
to the article, I spoke with Deviate
several weeks earlier and they are able
to provide the frameset with a Fox 36
160mm-travel fork and a Fox X2 rear
shock at my request. It is only on their
website they are not offering these
options as standard, I didn’t ask why. So
it was interesting to read the comments
on the review and how the rear shock
seemed to be the biggest issue.
However, I would really have liked
more information on how it gripped on
climbs and technical sections and how it
CONTACT US
mbr magazine,
161 Marsh Wall,
London
E14 9AP
mbr@futurenet.com
WINS
a Madison Zenith
waterproof
jacket
Perhaps the most WORTH
£119.99
positive results of the
survey were the benefits
received by participants.
Only one participant
recorded zero benefits, and 98 per cent recorded
increased fitness through mountain biking.
So the message to all mbr readers is to keep
doing what you love; it’s a great sport and good
for you!
Luke Lovell
Ed – impressive work Luke, and interesting data
from your survey. It’s encouraging to hear that
injuries are relatively uncommon, but I’m a bit
more concerned about nearly half of respondents
claiming they have chronic injuries! Maybe worth a
follow-up survey on that one.
behaved on the trails it was intended for.
To conclude, that more travel means you
can go faster on rough trails is a given,
but how would these bikes compare to
130/140mm-travel bikes of standard
suspension design? Are the benefits of
the high pivot limited to enduro/downhill
bikes, or can they offer a competitive
advantage on small-travel bikes?
I’ll be moving from a 2015 Specialized
Enduro to the Highlander 150 and worry
it just will not climb or corner as well,
or be as planted. I’m assuming it would
not be possible, but a timed head-to-
head of the Deviate (with Fox) against
something like a Stumpjumper, with
similar build specs, would be interesting.
Classic, tried, tested and evolved
suspension against the new generation
with very few miles under its belt.
Leuan Rees
Ed – Glad you enjoyed the review Leuan,
and hope you enjoy the Deviate. Sadly
both bikes have been returned to the
brands now, so we can’t follow up with
any timed runs or further comparisons.
Perhaps that’s something we can look
at further down the line though.
STICKING POINT
Hi guys, firstly I would like to say
thanks for all your hard work during
the pandemic as I know it’s been tough
with the high demands of your amazing
products. Secondly, I’ll just be honest,
me and my riding group are doing a
challenge where we each email 10 mtb-
related companies to ask for free stickers
or samples. We have a score system
where its five points for stickers, 10
points for other products such as pens,
badges, lanyards and 20 points for a
sample of one of your fine products. The
person with the least points has to buy
lunch for all four of the other competitors
on our trip out to BikePark Wales later
this month. As I said before, we each
chose 10 companies and I decided to
choose ones I’ve previously bought
products from or love their messages
that are being spread to the mountain
bike community. I hope this weird and
wacky request cheered you up a little
and I appreciate the time you took out of
your day to acknowledge this. Dinosaurs beware: these
Tyy Kellard, 13 women will eat you alive

Ed – it’s your lucky day Tyy. We’re in the

process of moving office and having a
huge clear-out, so we’ll pop a couple of
promotional items in the post to you.
WRONG TURN
I have recently read your article about
joining the Ramblers’ Association to
preserve the rights of way in the UK. I
have been trail riding motorcycles for
over 20 years and have fought many
legal battles with the Ramblers. In their
view the countryside belongs only to
them, they are against anything with
engines or wheels and will strongly
fight anyone or anything that has any
connection with these.
I have only been riding e-bikes for
two years and we already have them
trying to stop us using some of the paths
and lanes in South Wales. The reason I
ride an e-bike is due to age, fitness and
an old injury. It enables me to get to
places I cannot walk and still enjoy my
local countryside.
I would strongly suggest you point
your readers to join the local Trail Riders
Fellowship (TRF) who are putting up a
very strong fight to keep the lanes and
rights of ways open to everyone, not
just ramblers.
Jason Lewis
I have ridden in small groups of mixed
abilities and sexes. Most of the ladies
are a lot better than me. I like to follow
them and watch how they do trails so I
can learn, but keeping up with them can
sometimes be a problem.
My point is this sport is not just
a men’s thing, it’s for everyone and
those sexist pigs should go ride on the
road and leave this side of the sport to
decent riders. We can do without them
muddying the waters. I hope that people
don’t think all us men are like that
because we are not.
Adrian Toms
BRING BACK THE MAPS
Congratulations on the Summer edition
– it’s a triumph!
It’s so good to see well thought-out
OCTOBER ISSUE ON SALE
WEDS 15 SEPTEMBER
NEXT MONTH
and well-written investigative articles
alongside solid mtb information, in
a magazine which is determined to
expand diversity and address some big
issues in our sport.
I’d also just like to say that I too miss
the printed maps which accompanied
the ride descriptions.
When planning a route, a map shows
the character of the ride (contours,
woodland, rivers, etc.) at a glance.
When riding, I find that Garmin
mapping/guiding works well, but there
are times when one really needs more
detail, or a look at the bigger picture.
Disclaimer: I’m 63 and have used
maps and compass for trekking over
the hills and mountains since my youth...
a little biased perhaps?
Tony Day

SUMMER SURPRISE
As I’m based in Spain, I don’t often get
to see the print edition of mbr. Last
week I was returning from a much-
postponed trip to the UK and picked
up the Summer edition in Heathrow
airport. It was lovely to actually handle
the magazine and I was thrilled to see a
female-oriented issue. It’s such a breath
of fresh air to see women in the features,
reviews and adverts. I hope we’ll see
more of this in the ‘standard’ issues.
Keep up the good work!
Jenny Mayhew, Pure Mountains

WINNING WOMEN’S ISSUE

Wow what a shock to read in the August
mag three men who objected to the
July issue with those articles for ladies.
I normally ride on my own but this year

SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 45

F E AT U R E

46 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021

 STATE
OF
OUR
Over the past 18 months, riding has been a lifeline for many but a mixed
blessing for the state of our trails; we sound out some of the biggest
stakeholders to find out what lessons have been learned
Words & photos: Sim Mainey

SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 47

F E AT U R E

48 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021

 ide a trail enough times and it becomes a part
of you, imprinted on your memory alongside
all the important information and trivial junk
that takes up space in your brain. These trails
are so familiar, their detail so baked into us,
they’re ridden on muscle memory as much as
by sight. But sometimes memory and reality
don’t quite tally.
Trails are constantly changing. Sometimes
this is seasonal; autumn throwing leaves on
the lines, winter’s endless rain filling ruts and
holes with water, or summer’s dust making
it harder to scrub speed. These changes
require a slight recalibration, but are generally
factored into the mental map we have of a
trail. It’s when larger changes happen that
the map, rather than being a guide, becomes
a liability. Relying on the lines in your head
rather than those in front of you usually leads
to unexpectedly cartwheeling down the hill
wondering what just happened – just ask
Mathieu van der Poel about his line off the
rock drop at the Olympics.

WEAR AND TEAR

This last year and a half, over the course of
the pandemic, my local trails have been going
through changes, with every ride requiring
amendments to my mental mapping. Part of
it is the seasonal year-in, year-out stuff, but
there have been some bigger, unexpected,
changes, too.
Well-known trails have seen more traffic
than usual, growing deeper and wider.
Riders with time on their hands, thanks to
furlough or working from home, have taken
the opportunity to get out more, but with
travel restrictions in place, their riding has
been limited to, and concentrated on, a much
smaller area. At the same time, we’ve had
an influx of new riders on the trails, eagerly
discovering what’s on their doorstep and keen
to get out and explore. The trails are busy,
and in parts they are showing a lot of wear
and tear.
In some cases though, trails have actually
improved. Those same riders with time on
A lockdown-related
surge of riders has put our
their hands have got stuck into fixing some of
our trails under pressure the blown-out sections, so they now ride better
than they did pre-pandemic. New trails, for

SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 49

F E AT U R E
A groundswell of interest
in local trails could become
a new grassroots movement...
better or worse, have also started to appear,
while other trails are fading out of existence.
The trail network is seeing some of the biggest
changes in recent memory.
Keen to find out how other areas have
fared over the last 18 months or so, we got in
touch with riders and trail groups around the
country to try and create a snapshot of the
state of the trails here, now, in 2021.
TRAIL EXPLOSION
The Forest Of Dean is one of the South West’s
most popular riding destinations, with a
mix of official and wild trails. Dan Weston
works for Forestry England as a cycle ranger
in the forest.
“We’ve had off-piste trails here for over
30 years, and a lot of the authorised trails
at the Pedalabikeaway centre started off as
wild trails, but the growth over the last 18
months has been huge. We’ve seen areas
that have always been popular just explode,
with longstanding trails being altered and
new lines being cut in – generally, to a very
poor standard. The number of built wooden
features and shonky dirt jumps we’ve found
has gone up, as have the complaints and
awareness by the wider public.”
Ride Sheffield is one of the most well-
established trail groups in the land, and its
work has been instrumental in helping keep
Sheffield worthy of its ‘Outdoor City’ moniker.
Henry Norman is its chairman.
“Over the past 18 months, Sheffield’s
trails have never been busier, not just from
mountain bikers, but from all users. More
people connecting with nature is great, but it’s
also had an impact on the trails. Like a worn-
out drivetrain, or a pair of grips showing
patches of plastic, worn trails are certainly a
50 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021
sign of lots of people having a good time. On
our built trails, like Lady Cannings and Greno,
there was an explosion of new users. It’s been
amazing to see so many new people out there
(particularly from a broader demographic
too). But more users have definitely taken their
toll.”
The quality and quantity of the riding
in the Scottish Borders is no accident. The
Tweed Valley Trails Association (TVTA) has
been responsible for building, maintaining
and safeguarding trails that have achieved
international renown. Gordon Smith, a
...of volunteers ready
to get their hands dirty
and build the future of mtb
member of the TVTA’s board, is for the most
part positive about the effects of the pandemic
on the trails in the area.
“My own personal take on things is that
most trails have improved. With them being
inaccessible to the main population centres
for the majority of the winter, it was only the
riders from the Borders who were on them.
With the higher trails buried under snow
for almost a month, then the ongoing good
and dry weather we are having, the trails are
probably running better than they ever have
round here.”
TWEED LOVE
It’s not just been the weather and lack of traffic
that has helped matters in the Tweed. With
a strong culture of digging and proactive
maintenance in the valley, existing trails have
been given the love and attention they require
and new trails have started to appear.
“There’s definitely been a lot of unofficial
‘furlough furtling’ going on over the
lockdowns, improving and renovating old
trails, but there’s also been at least five new
trails built at Caberston/Golfie (a hotspot just
outside Innerleithen) alone over the last 18
months. Over on the Traquair/Elibank side
(home to the Innerleithen DH tracks) the
limited numbers on the uplift due to social
distancing, and the fact that it wasn’t running
for the majority of the winter, have definitely
slowed down the degradation of those trails.”
Unofficial furlough furtling might have
been going on in Scotland, but official trail
fettling has been off the cards for Ride
Sheffield, who normally run regular trail
maintenance days. Henry Norman again:
“Compounding issues for us was the fact
we were not allowed to go out and maintain
 MORE PEOPLE
CONNECTING WITH
NATURE IS GREAT
BUT IT’S ALSO
HAD AN IMPACT
SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 51
F E AT U R E

Riding during the pandemic

often blurred the line between
therapy and thrill-seeking

the trails during this period of peak usage.

This meant that small issues out on the trails
rapidly turned into bigger problems. It’s only
been in the last month that we have been able
to open up trail-repair sessions to the public, so
trail crews have been very small. Thankfully,
with support from Santa Cruz’s Pay Dirt
program, we are currently in the process of
setting up a number of trail crews who will be
able to keep our trails sweet all year round.”
With official trail building on hold, the trail
building that has gone on in Sheffield over
the pandemic has not always been done with
the landowner’s permission, or to any kind of
passable standard.
“We live in a city blessed with lots of
By fostering awareness we can
green spaces and woodland close to where teach a new generation of trail
we live. During periods of lockdown, these riders to leave a good impression
woodlands have seen a proliferation of new
trails appearing. Sometimes, the quality
(pits behind jumps, etc.) and the location (on addressed through social media requests last 12 months to try and address the impact
popular desire lines, close to houses, etc.) have to them/their parents to ease up and think it’s having. Our approach is really to try and
left a little to be desired and have put pressure about what/where they are building. On engage and educate riders – there are so
on those promoting mountain biking to the the whole this seemed to be taken on board. many aspects of trail management we have to
local authorities, as well as desire line trails We’re aiming to run specific under-18’s digs consider, which makes it a very complicated
that had been tolerated until this point.” this year to help educate kids about what thing to communicate about. There are
In the TVTA’s case, it’s taken a proactive is good practice and might be tolerated by ecological, heritage and public safety things
approach to managing the proliferation of trail landowners, versus what they seemed to be we have to consider, as well as the fact that it
building by trying to channel this enthusiasm doing during lockdown.” is a working forest, and that, sooner or later,
more productively: nearly every block is going to have some sort
“There was a bit of an issue over the EDUCATION AND OUTREACH of forestry operations taking place.”
first two lockdowns with (mainly) school Like the TVTA, Dan and the team at the Forest With a real mix of users using the same
kids building sketchy little lines in popular Of Dean have been working on engaging with area there’s always going to be friction, but
walking forests, and gap jumps over walking riders to try and manage things. there have been issues within the riding
trails, but the winter lockdown seemed to “While this [unsanctioned trail building] community too, as Dan explains.
keep them at home! The issues with shonky has been a problem for years, we have “Local riders have been noticing it [illicit
trails and kids building ghetto jumps, we definitely had to step up our efforts in the trail digging], too. We’ve had conversations

52 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021

F E AT U R E

Armoured sections are

the perfect way to reduce
trail maintenance

with a number of them after they have started

to see increasing numbers of riders from
outside of the area coming into the local spots
and drawing attention to what was previously
a low-key trail that flew under the radar.
We’ve also seen an increasing number of trails
being built in amongst the authorised trail
network. This obviously poses a huge safety
concern for us, especially where they interfere
directly with a formal trail.”
There are clearly some issues that have been
caused, or amplified, by the pandemic, but
there are also some real positive outcomes, too.
So how does the next 18 months look? Henry
Norman is for the most part optimistic.
“More people riding and more people
wanting to create new trails, is an amazing
thing to come out of the pandemic. But the
challenge we have now is to educate those
new (and old) riders and diggers on how they
can be a force for good in the sport and the
outdoors community. This is something that
needs support from the industry and media
as well as grassroots groups and riders. It is a
work in progress, so watch this space!”

MEETING OF MINDS
The trails in the Tweed have had things good
so far, thanks to weather and a low volume
THE CHALLENGE IS TO
of riders. But with riders now returning in
force, it could be that they’ve just delayed the
inevitable, as Gordon explains.
EDUCATE RIDERS HOW
“When inter-region travel restrictions
were lifted in Scotland, there was a huge
influx in activity from the Central Belt area,
TO BE A FORCE FOR GOOD
but it came at a time when the trails were
already in good condition, and at the start of
a prolonged spell of good/dry weather. The
additional load that inter-country travel is choice but to intervene in a trail or area,
placing on them is definitely starting to take
its toll though, as more riders look within
but we have to be better at explaining that.
If riders and trail builders understand the STATE OF
the UK for their mtb fix, given that most
people won’t be hitting the Alps this year. I
responsibilities we have as land managers,
hopefully they’ll be more likely to consider THE TRAILS 2021
don’t think the amazing conditions we have those points when they are out and about. In the feature we’ve touched on just a
enjoyed since April will continue.” We are really lucky here in the FoD to have few examples of what’s happening out
The relationship between Forestry England staff involved in mountain biking right the on the trails in the UK. To build a bigger
and riders in the Forest of Dean hasn’t always way up the ladder who ride themselves, and picture of the state of the trails in 2021
been an easy one. But the current situation we are really keen that people understand we need your help. Tweet us or tag us
has provided the opportunity to improve that, because hopefully that will help with on Instagram, @mbrmagazine, using
that situation, potentially leading to a much that relationship.” the hashtag #mbrsott21, with photos of
more solid and productive partnership from Mountain biking is unarguably on the up your trails and let us know how the last
now on, something that Dan Weston is happy and while the pandemic has impacted all of us 18 months has affected where you ride.
to acknowledge. it’s also had an impact on our trails. Stopping Have your trails seen more traffic? Have
“What hasn’t taken place in the past is to take stock of where we’re at is an important you been out making sure great trails stay
a dialogue between Forestry England and step in working out what the future of our that way? What do you think the next 18
riders, which is what we are trying to get trails, and our relationship with them, should months has in store for your trails?
off the ground now. Sometimes we have no look like.

54 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021

There’s no shortage of scintillating
new hardware coming onto the
market next year. And with a
bit of luck, some of it might
actually be available to buy!
Words: Danny Milner
Photos: Various

SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 57

NEW FOR 2022

As trail bikes pile on the pounds and start to give full-blown enduro
bikes a run for their money on the scales, so people are turning to
skinnier alternatives in order to reinject some frenetic pace back
into their rides. Where reduced mass meets progressive, modern
geometry, new life is being breathed into traditional XC bikes. It’s
even spawned a whole new category: down-country. Hey, you know
how much the bike industry loves a new buzzword.
This year’s two big releases on the XC front are the Santa Cruz
Blur (also known as the Juliana Wilder) and the Scott Spark.
Both are covered at length in this month’s bike test on p96,
so instead we’ll look at a few lesser-known alternatives here.

58 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021

PIVOT 429
With progressive geometry and 120mm of
travel via a DW-Link suspension design, the
Pivot 429 claims to offer a category-defying
ride. Yes, while Transition was first to the
down-country party with its razor-sharp Spur,
other north American boutique rivals are
rapidly filing in behind.
In terms of reach, the carbon-framed Pivot
runs very similar sizing to the Ibis Ripley AF
(next page), although there are five options
instead of four – but the head angle is 1°
steeper at 66°, the chainstays are a hair
shorter at 430mm and the BB is a fair bit
taller at a claimed 340mm. If that still sounds
too progressive for you, a flip-chip lets you
jack up the BB by 7mm and steepen the head
angle by half a degree.
According to Pivot, the 429 uses its new
ultralight Hollow Core carbon tech that
loses 300g from the previous frame weight,
while it also boasts a custom-tuned ride feel
depending on the size. There’s also a more
progressive linkage to help generate extra
support and pop while charging hard.
Price? Well you’re looking at £7,249 for the
entry-level Pro XT/XTR model. Bikes should
be in stock in certain dealers right now,
with a further shipment due in the UK
early September.
upgradebikes.co.uk

SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 59

NEW FOR 2022

GUERILLA GRAVITY
TRAIL PISTOL
Based in Denver, Colorado, Guerilla
Gravity takes a unique approach
to design and manufacturing.
In contrast to most brands, GG
actually makes its own carbon
frames in Colorado, but manages to
stay competitive by using a modular
design and a sales-direct strategy.
Details of its aerospace-derived
Revved production process are
closely-guarded, but the general
gist is that the carbon lay-up is
automated, rather than applied by
hand, there are time-savings during
the curing process, and once out
of the oven, the frames require less
sanding and finishing.
Another radical ingredient in the
GG USP is the modular element. By
purchasing a new seatstay kit (yes, to tune the bike’s handling. The it’s worth, the three sizes on room inside the front triangle for
you’ll also need a fork and shock), included Geo Adjust Headset also offer come with a reach range a bottle and a gear strap, and
you can convert your 120mm Trail lets you tinker with the reach. from 458mm to 523mm, 430mm the 120mm of rear-wheel travel
Pistol into a Gnarvana enduro bike. With that many options, it’s chainstays, a 65.4° head angle, is designed to be matched with
Alternatively you can play with almost not worth talking about 333mm BB height and 78° a 140mm-travel fork. Complete
chainstay length and wheel size specific numbers, but for what effective seat angle. There’s builds start at £4,300, which

IBIS RIPLEY AF
Sizzle and pop might be something you expect from your breakfast,
rather than your mountain bike, but according to Ibis, that’s exactly
what you’ll get with the new Ripley AF. Packing a thrifty 120mm travel
paired with a competitively-priced alloy frame and modern geometry,
dull moments should be few and far between.
Like every bike in the Ibis range, the Ripley AF uses Dave Weagle’s
DW-Link suspension layout, with the shock driven off the swingarm by
a yoke that splits around the steep seat tube. To make room for a water
bottle within the front triangle, there’s an S-bend down tube, while the
low standover heights and generous insertion depths mean you can
run long dropper posts and choose a frame size based on reach rather
than saddle height.
Talking of sizing, the Ripley AF comes in four options, with a reach
that extends from 425mm up to 500mm on the XL. Low stack heights
make for a racier position than, say, the Raaw Jibb, but the 65.5° head
angle is anything but XC. Skimpy 432mm chainstays across the board
should make for a flickable machine, but Ibis still claims clearance for
2.6in tyres out back.
Complete bikes cost from £3,599 and Ibis UK distributor 2Pure says
your best bet to secure a model is to put in an order at your local Ibis
dealer. Incoming bikes are always prioritised to orders with customer
name’s attached, although 2Pure only gets around a week’s notice on
new shipments, so can’t predict future stock levels.
ibiscycles.co.uk

60 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021

 RAAW JIBB
With a CV that includes stints at both Scott
and Ghost, Ruben Torenbeek had no shortage
of experience before he set up his own brand
– Raaw Bikes – back in 2016. Since then Raaw
has built up an enviable reputation almost
exclusively through positive reviews and
word of mouth. Its first model was the
160mm-travel Madonna, and this has now
been joined by the 135mm-travel Jibb. Yes,
that’s a bit more than the 120mm stipulated
by the down-country judiciary, but as it’s a
bike that, in Ruben’s own words, “lets you
get away with murder”, the Jibb certainly
encapsulates the right spirit.
Constructed using 6066 T6 alloy, the Jibb
runs 29in wheels, comes in four frame sizes
and is available with either a signature raw or
matt black finish. It uses a very conventional
four-bar linkage layout, with a rocker link
driving a shock mounted in line with the seat
seems like pretty good value for
something as radical as the GG
Trail Pistol, and because each bike
is built to order, you’re looking at a
lead time of seven to nine weeks.
ridegg.com
tube, but it’s the details that set it apart from
big-name rivals. Large-diameter pivots are
all secured with 5mm Allen bolts, fully sealed
bearings abound, and there is a gear strap
mount, water bottle provision and integrated
frame protection to ensure the frame is as
user-friendly as possible.
While Raaw is no longer at the bleeding
edge of geometry, the Jibb is still a
progressive bike, with a reasonably slack
65.5° head angle, healthy 470mm reach for
the size large, steep actual seat angle and
proportional chainstays to help maintain a
good weight balance across the size range.
Frame kits cost from £1,651.45 and Raaw
says that it should have stock of all sizes
and colours with various shock options into
late August, with a further shipment due in
the winter.
raawmtb.com
SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 61
NEW FOR 2022

DIET E-BIKES
Lightweight, low-power e-bikes might not have the car
park wow factor of their full-fat cousins, but for certain
riders, the analogue-like dynamics combined with the
opportunity to double your power, represents a dream
come true. While Lapierre was one of the earliest adopters
with its eZesty model, the category got a major credibility
boost when Specialized brought out the Turbo Levo SL
last year followed by the burly Kenevo SL back in spring.
Orbea has also pitched in with the sleek-looking Rise,
but we have a feeling this is just the tip of the iceberg,
as other brands adopt Shimano’s EP8 motor wired
to custom, lightweight 300Wh batteries.

ROTWILD R.E375
German brand Rotwild has been around a
long time now and back in the 90s it used
to sponsor Nukeproof team manager Nigel
Page here in the UK. More recently has it
really begun to specialise in e-bikes. For a
time it boasted one of the biggest batteries
on the market with a 750Wh unit plugged
into its R.X750 and R.E750 models, but now
the pendulum has swung in the opposite
direction. The R.E375 (and shorter-travel
R.X375) marry a Shimano EP8 motor with a
lightweight 375Wh carbon-sheathed battery.
And unlike most of its competitors, the
battery is quickly removable, so you can swap
in a freshie or easily charge it indoors.
The full carbon frame runs 29in wheels, a
four-bar linkage suspension design pumping
out 170mm of travel, and uses the clever
integrated Eightpins dropper seatpost.
Rotwild hasn’t held back with the geometry
either. A 63.5° head angle is mated to a
77° seat angle, 445mm chainstays and a
350mm BB height. There are three sizes,
with 460mm, 485mm and 510mm reach
measurements. You may recognise those
numbers from the Specialized Kenevo SL –
they’re virtually identical. On paper,
the Rotwild also boasts a bigger battery
and, with 85Nm of torque, a much more
powerful motor.
Price for the Pro spec with Fox Factory
suspension and Shimano XT drivetrain is
€8,999 but there’s also a Core model that
retails for €7,499 with Fox Performance
series suspension.
rotwild.com

62 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021

FORESTAL CYON
The electric revolution has sparked several
completely new entrants to the mountain
bike market: Haibike, GreyP and Moustache,
to name but a few. One you may not have
heard of is Forestal, an Andorran-based
brand with an impressively sleek and
innovative range of lightweight e-bikes.
Its line-up includes an enduro bike (the
Siryon), a downhill bike (the Hydra) and
a trail offering – the Cyon. At the heart
of every Forestal is the carbon frame,
EonDrive motor and single-pivot suspension
layout. Starting with the frame, the claimed
weight is 2.2kg (without motor) and it uses
high-modulus T1000 fibres blended with
lower-modulus T800 and T700 to tune the
stiffness and compliance. Reinforcing the
shock area is an asymmetric bridge between
the seat tube and top tube similar to those
used by Specialized and Orbea.
A chunky swingarm connects to
Forestal’s Twin Levity linkage system
to provide 150mm of travel, while the
EonDrive motor boasts a minimal weight
of 1.95kg yet still packs a claimed 60Nm
of torque – that’s almost double the grunt
of the similar-weight Specialized SL 1.1
motor. According to Forestal there’s no
additional friction through the drivetrain
when disengaged, and the motor is
hooked up to a 360Wh Aurora battery that
can be expanded by a further 250Wh with a
range extender.
What really sets Forestal apart from
the rest, even Goliaths such as Specialized,
are details like the touchscreen dashboard
integrated into the top tube, the vast array
of data and integration this can feed you
and the bonkers chemical paint finishes
that promise to light up as you ride.
Prices for this enthralling piece of design
start at €8,299 and Forestal is aiming for
new Cyon orders to be delivered between
late September and mid-October.
forestal.com
SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 63
NEW FOR 2022

MULLET BIKES
Ignoring the somewhat puerile penny-farthing comparisons, the roots
of the modern mullet mountain bike can be traced right back to the
80s. That’s right, at the same time that pop stars and footballers were
flaunting the classic business-at-the-front, party-at-the-back haircut,
so Cannondale was offering versions of its alloy mountain bike with a
26in wheel up front and a 24in wheel out back. Over 30 years later, the
mullet bike is back with a vengeance. Why? Well, two reasons really.
One, because they give shorter riders the chance to enjoy the improved
rollover and stability of 29in wheels up front, while reducing the chance
of buzzing their butts on the rear tyre. And secondly, because they can
crank up the fun factor by adding agility in turns while also building
into a (theoretically) stiffer and stronger wheel.
Already this year we’ve had big guns like Santa Cruz embrace
the mullet with the new Bronson, while Specialized has resurrected
memories of the classic Big Hit with last summer’s Status and newly
released Turbo Levo. But plenty of other brands are getting in on
the act, with the likes of Transition, Saracen, Propain and
Orange also offering mullet models.

64 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021

SANTA CRUZ
BRONSON
Last year Santa Cruz took its first tentative steps into the mullet –
or MX in the brand’s own parlance – market with the Bullit. Now the
Bronson becomes the first naturally-aspirated model with mixed
wheels. Equipped with the latest lower-link driven VPP configuration
delivering 150mm of travel, this is a trail bike with the emphasis
on fun. Aside from slick detailing and rider-friendly features such
as easily serviceable bearings, comprehensive frame protection
and threaded bottom brackets, Santa Cruz brings its generous
sizing range to the table. Five frame sizes are on offer, all with low
standover heights and short seat tubes, while the proportional
chainstay lengths introduced on the 5010 mean no one should be
left hanging off the back of the bike – unwillingly, anyway.
Prices start at £4,999 for the R spec with the cheaper (heavier)
carbon C frame and stock is actually looking good, with bikes in
most dealers across the country and regular resupply drops.
santacruzbicycles.com

TRANSITION
PATROL
With 160mm of travel front and rear, and mixed wheel sizes, the alloy-
framed Patrol is what Transition describes as a ‘pure bred party animal’.
It uses the brand’s familiar four-bar layout with Horst pivot and rocker
link, but the shock now anchors to a pair of ribs that bridge the base of
the seat tube and the down tube. Held within said bridge is a geometry-
adjust chip offering 0.5° head and seat angle variation and 7mm of BB
height change. Stout pivots and muscular forgings abound, and the
overall effect is of a seriously hench chassis.
And take one look at the geometry and you’ll be in no doubt about
the intended use of the Patrol: a 63° head angle (slackest position),
333mm bottom bracket and size-specific chainstays indicate how hard
it is straining at the reins. Throw in the option to run angle or reach-
adjust headsets, as well as dual-crown forks, and you’ve got a
party that’s guaranteed to get wild.
Prices start at £3,699 for the Deore and NX builds and
there’s a container-load of bikes due in the UK at the end
of August. With strong pre-orders though, it’s still worth
checking with your local dealer before setting your
heart on one.
transitionbikes.com/windwave.co.uk

SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 65

NEW FOR 2022

The venerable hardtail remains just ass

relevant heading into 2022 as it did 40
0
years ago, and while development has
slowed in terms of materials and geom metry,
this has allowed brands to focus on
fine-tuning the details and maintainin ng
value-for-money as a priority.

WHYTE 629 V4
Whyte hasn’t put a foot wrong in the hardtail
market for many years now, with the award-
winning 901 and 905 setting the benchmark
for hardcore hardtail performance. For 2022
both these models get a fresh lick of paint,
but if you want a faster-rolling alternative
with equally sorted trail geometry, the 629
V4 looks like a smart choice. Costing £1,750,
it gets a 6061 alloy frame, RockShox 35 Gold
RL fork with 120mm travel, a SRAM NX Eagle
drivetrain and grippy Maxxis tyres. There’s
also a KS dropper post so that you can make
full use of the low standover height and
generous reach to really slash some turns.
Whyte says its new hardtail range is in
shops now, but to check with your local
dealer for specifics.
whyte.bike

66 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021


HIGH-PIVOT IDLER BIKES
Aside from Brexit and Covid, 2020/21 will
be remembered for the high-pivot idler
bike. Last month we tested both the Deviate
Highlander and the Forbidden Druid, and
this month we swing a leg over the Druid’s
bigger sibling, the Dreadnought. Then
there’s the Cannondale Jekyll (pictured) and
Norco Range that we covered in Buzz Gear
last month, and the immaculate UK-made
ARBR Saker. But we don’t expect the trickle
RIBBLE HT
TRAIL AL 29
Shaking free from the shackles of its roadie
roots, Ribble Cycles’s first stab at a mountain
bike in many years was bold – progressive
angles and a purist-approved choice of either
titanium or steel frame tubing gave the brand
credibility from the get-go. To bolster the line-
up there’s now also an alloy hardtail model that
shares the same hardcore attitude and wallet-
friendly price. It’s built from 6061 aluminium,
runs 29in wheels, and is designed to work with
a 130mm-travel fork up front. The three frame
sizes are all furnished with modern geometry,
including a 64° head angle, while the reach
goes from 445mm on the medium to 483mm
on the large. Complete builds – running a SRAM
SX drivetrain/RockShox Recon fork – start
at £1,399 while the top-end Pro model gets
GX Eagle and a RockShox Revelation fork for
£1,999. Currently there’s availability in all sizes,
and the brand’s website displays accurate
stock levels.
ribblecycles.com
of new idler bikes to end there – a new
Devinci and a new GT are both being tested
at the Enduro World Series currently, and
will probably see a public release before the
year is out.
SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 67
NEW FOR 2022

SUPER ENDURO BIKES

Just when you thought the bike industry had
run out of potential bike niches, along came
Nukeproof with ‘Super Enduro’ to categorise
its new 180mm-travel Giga. Never one to
take itself too seriously, Nukeproof did this
knowing it would ruffle a few feathers, but
since the Giga arrived, both Transition and
Evil have brought out bikes that also fit
the Super Enduro mould.

EVIL
INSURGENT
While it’s just 2mm shy of 170mm travel,
there’s nothing else that could be described
as reserved about the new Evil Insurgent.
Available in two versions – a freeride/park
machine with 27.5in wheels, and an enduro/
DH sled with a mullet set-up – Evil’s most
capable model pulls no punches. The new
sculpted frame design incorporates a much
steeper seat angle than previously – 76.9°
effective in the steeper position – along with
a 64° head angle and 500mm reach on the
largest of the four frame sizes. Evil has also
adopted Super-Boost (157mm) rear dropout
spacing, which has allowed it to increase the
width of the main pivot for greater stiffness
and bearing durability.
Prices start at €7,549 and frames and
complete 27.5in bikes are in stock now. All
the parts to build the MX model should be
available by September.
eu.evil-bikes.com

TRANSITION SPIRE
If you love riding a downhill bike, but hate
pushing it back up the hill, the Spire could be
the bike for you. With 170mm of travel front
and rear and 740mm wheels (that’s 29in in
old money) the Spire is not lacking in mills.
A sub-63° head angle (with the flip-chip in the
slack position) will give rock-solid stability at
World Cup pace, but the 79.6° (size small)
effective seat angle points to an efficient
twiddling position to get back up for
another run. Depending on the depth of
your wallet, there are alloy and carbon
frame options and both materials are
dual-crown compatible. Prices for the
carbon models start at £5,799, while
the alloy version kicks off at £3,699. As
with the Patrol, a shipment is due at the
end of August, but check with your dealer
as some of that may be pre-sold.
transitionbikes.com/windwave.co.uk

68 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021

TECHNIQUE
AR
E-BIKE
S K I L L S 10 1
Power on tap and extra weight demand a
different approach to get the best out of your
e-bike, especially on steep climbs and steps
Words: Chris Akrigg Photos: Mick Kirkman
hris Akrigg is known for
C
hunting out crazy technical
lines on all kinds of two-
wheeled machines, including
more recently electric
mountain bikes. Type his
name into Google and it will throw up a
whole host of videos documenting the
Yorkshireman’s superhuman skills, riding
stuff most of us wouldn’t even dream of.
It’ll also reveal a treasure trove of Chris’s
techniques and moves that we can all
learn, whatever our skill level.
This month we’re delving deeper into
70 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021
a couple of climbing techniques Chris
regularly uses out and about on the
e-bike. Extra power plus the weight of a
motor and battery changes the way an
e-bike handles, so you’ll need to adapt
the methods you’ve picked up on a
regular bike to squeeze the maximum
potential and fun out of your e-bike.
The two specific skills here will
potentially unlock sections of trail that
were un-climbable without an e-bike:
first, learning to get up the steepest of
pitches, and second, tackling sharper
obstacles or steps in the trail.
THE COACH
CHRIS AKRIGG
Chris is a multiple UK trials champion and GT rider
who’s been bossing it on all kinds of bikes since the
early days of British mountain biking. Best known for
concocting a continuous stream of internet videos
packed with insanely technical lin nes that
h
showcase his skills, Chris has beeen
part of the growth in popularity
of e-bikes. He’s now putting
them front and centre in his editss,
whether it’s riding up near-verticcal
banks, trees and streams, Chris
has set a new benchmark for wha at’s
possible with a motor. A unique,
powerful and controlled rider, he e’s one
of the best bike handlers out therre.
TECHNIQUE

SKILL 1:
Keep your head as far forward as possible
to weight the front tyre sufficiently.
This leaning forward position has to be
exaggerated compared to a normal bike

CROUCHING TIGER
since you’ll likely be riding up steeper
inclines than ever, plus the extra power
and drive at the rear tyre makes it easier
to wheelie, loop out and fall off the back.

E-bikes might be way heavier than regular bikes, but rider

weight is still by far the largest chunk of overall mass being
pulled uphill on a climb. Adding assistance obviously makes
it easier to climb up much steeper and more sustained pitches
than with leg power alone, but the motor also necessitates
a different approach to maintaining traction and balance.
With this crouching tiger position you can harness more of
the assist without wasting power, overcooking it or unsettling
rider balance. Basically, if the incline gets too steep or ground
conditions are lacking sufficient traction, this is a technique to
get you way higher than a more upright riding stance ever will.
Crucial to this is compressing your body weight downwards
to get your centre of gravity as close to the middle of the
bike as possible. That way, weight is more evenly distributed
between tyre contact patches to get power and bite down
on the ground. That is the best way to utilise the extra drive,
without the front wheel rising into a wheelie and looping the
bike out or forcing you off the back.
On an e-bike, weight has to be slightly more rearward than
a regular bike to prevent the rear tyre from spinning out. This
is because there’s extra drive where the rubber connects to
uneven trail surfaces and means it’s way easier to fire out loose
stones or spin-up on greasier surfaces than when cranking
uphill with your legs alone. If your rear tyre does break traction
you’ll probably ground to a halt as your cranks will surge
forwards violently with no ground connection.
Maximum traction on an e-bike comes from the rear tyre
having sufficient weight loaded into it to allow the knobs to
bite. It’s also vital to try and maintain a smooth power transfer
to keep that grip continuous.
By almost exaggerating how low you get and having a
flatter back and more rearward hips, it’s easier to load both
tyres simultaneously and ensure power delivery is syncing with
the ground, driving you and the bike forward.

COMMON MIS TA K E S
Putting too much power into the ground leads to
wheelspin. Controlling this is a combination of choosing
the right power mode and also learning to be very
delicate and smooth when you’re cranking. Putting
the bike into Turbo or Boost mode is an easy pitfall to
make as it’s tempting to think you want all the power
you can muster to surge up a tricky section. In reality,
deliberately staying slightly on the underside of the Set motor to Trail or equivalent as less
power is a better option – use your legs more and you’ll torque allows a smoother power delivery
better sense what’s going on with your traction and can and reduces the chance of a violent
therefore fine control the power more accurately. wheelspin. Lower tyre pressures also
Too much kick from the motor can put excess torque amplify grip if you fancy tackling the
steeper climbs for a special skills session.
through the cranks and any slip at the rear tyre will blast
you forwards with the motor, effectively stopping your
heavy bike dead. An e-bike spinning out at high revs
effectively cuts the power completely, as the torque
sensor reacts, so you’re stuck on a machine that weighs
double that of a normal bike. Worse, it’s impossible to
get going again without dabbing and physically moving
the rear tyre to a place with more traction, which might
not be an option in tricky terrain.

72 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021

 Subtle shifts in your hips
and torso height are all it
takes to allow weight to
move between wheels.

Try to get even lower with hips and

bum further over the back tyre if you
need to lighten the front tyre to step
up a root or bump, rather than letting
your head come further back. Having
the saddle slammed enables this.

Approach with saddle low to enable

waist and chest to be really low down
in a crouch. Your approach angle,
line choice, gearing and power mode
settings all come into play. Especially if
it’s super steep, wet or loose, it needs a
lot of finesse and adaptability on-the-
fly to get up the most technical sections.

Anticipate potential wheelspin spots and

work carefully with the overdrive –
if you stop driving the cranks on top of
a slippery or loose surface it may be too
late, as the motor will continue giving
assistance for the second or so that might
cause traction to fail. Try to work out
through trial and error where the edge of
the power is, which gears work best and
how to manage the assistance smoothly.

Smooth and consistent power delivery

is crucial to winch up the steepest
gradients – make sure you’re conscious
of not stomping on the pedals at points
where traction will be compromised like
a greasy patch of earth or a slimy root.

SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 73


TECHNIQUE
SKILL 2:
THE POWER WHEELIE
Approach with the exact line choice
you’re going to take. Sometimes
it’s not possible to have a balanced
position in the run-up to an
obstacle, so you need to be ready
to react close to any obstacle.
If you’re seated climbing
beforehand, make sure the saddle is
low, so there’s enough room to hover
the groin and torso above the seat
and keep pedaling – the continuous
cranking will ensure consistent
power delivery and traction.
Power through any small bumps or
irregularities in the ground.
74 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021
TOP TIP
Keep the back brake
covered at all times and
be ready to pull the lever the
instant the bike feels like it might
loop out – this will bring the front
tyre back down immediately.
If the back brake is mis-timed or
you simply end up unbalanced,
having the seat low also
enables a jump or step
off the back.
Shoulders need to be relaxed and
arms allowed some room to adjust.
But using a pushing motion through
the motor’s power in the legs will
always be more effective and safer
than pulling at the bars with hands to
control the tipping point.
Start with your body weight low
and chest tight to the bars and top
tube and time the acceleration
to match extending your arms
further – your legs and the motor
achieve the lift, not your arms.
As a minimum, make sure feet are in a good
position if you’re on flat pedals, and nothing
on the bike (like a raised saddle) is going to
hamper you changing position rapidly. Select
an appropriate gear – usually near the top of the
cassette for steeper steps. Choose a drive mode
that allows some extra input from your own power.
 2 One area where it’s possible to approach
Your hips will be behind the
saddle and the main key to
balance when stood up is
maintaining good flexibility
in your legs to shift body
weight up and down.
Once the front wheel is lifted,
forcefully accelerate into the
obstacle and ‘slap’ the tyre,
always maintaining drive in order
to lift the rear tyre up the bump
face. Having the front wheel
lifted affords valuable clearance
room for the bottom bracket and
cranks to keep spinning.
3 step and then pedalling through it to
Maintain power delivery right through
the obstacle until the back tyre is fully
up to the next level. At this point, easing
off on the power will allow the front tyre
to come back down and you can prepare
to anticipate the next trail feature.
obstacles differently with an e-bike is
climbing up big steps or ledges. This is
a more advanced move and you need to
be pretty confident in your wheelies to
start with. This technique is brutal, but
effective – to power straight up steps or
vertical rock and roots continuously on
the back wheel.
On a normal bike you don’t have
enough pure horsepower for this move.
It’s always more of a rocking-horse
weight shift effort to get your front
wheel up, followed by a forward motion
and a sudden weight shift. It’s similar to
a bunnyhop to kick the back end up to
meet it.
With a motor it’s easier to drive
straight up things on the back wheel.
There are some great advantages here
– greater crank clearance, less chance of
a loss in traction and fewer surges at the
motor to affect balance. It doesn’t work
for everything if it’s undercut or totally
square, but a lot of times you can get
away with it.
As soon as you stop pedalling,
you lose assist. Learning to keep the
motor working to your advantage is
an extension of what you’ve already
trained yourself over years on a normal
bike – essentially, ease off the power
on slippery roots and loose surfaces to
increase traction and keep that power
consistent rather than spinning out.
On the e-bike, steps can be more
like one continuous fluid motion. It’s a
case of slapping into the bottom of a
maintain momentum. So long as the
front tyre clears the obstacle, there’s
enough power to drag you up quite
big faces or edges. Once you get used
to your weight balance and more
comfortable on the back wheel, it’s
really effective.
COMMON
MIS TA K E S
Lacking commitment – it’s easier
to commit if you have the basics
sorted. Make sure to anticipate
your weight shift back and be
ready adapt on the fly. Your
approach angle, spotting the
smoothest line, gearing and
power mode settings all come into
play. It needs a lot of finesse to get
up the most technical sections,
especially if it’s super steep, wet
or loose.
Make sure you’re ready with
your pedals in an appropriate
position, and once you start to
slap into the step or face keep the
power delivery going through the
move – any let-up in the pedal
revolution and you’ll lose drive.
Get comfortable with jumping
right off the back of the bike if
your balance tips too far back.
SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 75
LONG
TERMERS
Countless hours on
the trails make this
the ultimate test
of performance
as well as
reliability

PB’S HAIBIKE ALLMTN 6

£ 5 , 3 9 9 / 2 9 / 2 7. 5 i n / h a i b i k e . c o m

MONTH 8: PB’s ‘new’ brake mod turns out to be an old-school pairing,

but it still works a treat... unlike Haibike’s in-house hoops

I
made a mistake last month. I said good to go. I’m late to the party with the
Haibike’s wheelbuild
the ‘Shigura’ modification I watched Shigura concept, and initially had the
is unravelling
online combined a Magura brake wrong address, but the brake feels just
THE RIDER lever with a Shimano caliper, but it’s as powerful as the full Magura. It’s also
PAUL BURWELL actually the other way round, so I more positive because the SLX lever
Position Freelance wasn’t actually breaking new ground. doesn’t flex as much as the composite
writer/tester
Still, I wanted to do this mash-up body on the MT5 assembly. It’s also
Mostly rides
Surrey and Sussex brake combination to the AllMtn 6 cheaper to fit an SLX lever (£41.99)
Height 5ft 10in because I broke the carbon Magura MT5 than replace the MT5 (£60). And if you
Weight 79kg lever and happened to have a Shimano want to save even more money, you
SLX unit sitting around which would could easily splice in a budget Shimano
THE BIKE allow me to get the bike back on the BL-M4100 brake lever, which is £19.99
n All-mountain road pretty quickly. I also wanted to an end. So, did Shigura eliminate the
e-bike with a 160mm- see if this mod would suggest a fix for inconsistent feeling? Too right it did
travel Fox 38 fork and
150mm of rear travel
the inconsistency you can experience – the lever now pulls to the same bite
n Carbon frame with with Shimano brakes – where the bite- point every single time.
air intake ports on the point has a tendency to change. My The other issue I’ve had this month is
head tube for cooling thought was, if the SLX lever doesn’t do with the wheels on the AllMtn 6. Sadly and are going to last, but they’re more
n Powered by it with the Magura caliper, then the lever they are starting to fall apart, especially expensive. I suspect the stock wheels
the latest 80Nm
Yamaha PW-X2
ain’t the problem. the rear. The thing about wheels is you on the AllMtn 6 were machine-built with
motor and 600Wh The reason you can combine can see all of the component maybe a bit of hand-finishing, but the
InTube battery the two brake systems is parts and assess them rear has taken a beating and lost a ton of
n Mullet design because both brands use WHY IT’S HERE individually, but the build tension and I’ve had it in the truing stand
with 29x2.5in mineral oil and similar- quality is a total unknown. three or four times already. The problem
tyre up front and One of the few
27.5x2.8in out back size fittings, so all I had e-bike brands Obviously when I test a is, you can’t foresee this when you get
n Acros BlockLock to do was amputate the DT Swiss wheelset, for a new bike – the wheels should be true,
running Yamaha’s
anti-rotation headset damaged Magura part, example, I know from but if the spoke tension is slightly uneven
with custom stem fit a new olive and barb,
PW-X2 motor with experience they are or the build was rushed, they won’t last,
do a quick bleed and I was InTube 600Wh built to a high standard which is the case here.
battery

76 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021

SPECIFICATION
Frame XDURO
AllMtn i600 carbon,
150mm travel
BEN’S VITUS IN THE
SHED
Shock Fox Float DPS
Performance EVOL
Fork Fox 38
Performance,
ESCARPE 29 CRS
160mm travel £ 2 ,6 9 9.9 9 / 2 9 i n / v i t u s b i k e s . c o m
Motor Yamaha PW-X2
Battery Yamaha
600Wh InTube MONTH 9: Foot out, flat out? Not
Display Yamaha, Side
Switch, 1.7in LCD quite! Ben makes the switch to flat 2 9/27.5in
Wheels Haibike
110/148mm hubs, pedals in pursuit of clearance Haibike AllMtn 6 £5,399
Mavic E-XM 430 rims,
Maxxis Minion DHF/
ast month’s cliffhanger was

L
DHR II 29x2.5in/
27.5x2.8in tyres THE RIDER that I was going to switch WHY IT’S HERE
Drivetrain Haibike to flat pedals for the rest
TheCrank chainset 38t,
BEN DAY
of this longterm test.
Ben tried going
SRAM GX Eagle r-mech Position big, then going
Account director Basically, I wanted to
and 12-speed shifter
Brakes Magura MT5, Mostly rides Trails see if it made any difference to fast, now he
203/203mm around Dorset the clearance issues I’ve been just wants a 2 9in
Components Haibike Height 6ft having: calves hitting on the shock trail bike Kona Process 134 Supreme £9,999
TheBar +++ Gravity Weight 80kg linkage, heels rubbing on the stays.
780mm, Haibike
TheStem 2 stem
Well it seems that the wider stance
50mm, Haibike
THE BIKE that flat pedals typically offer has made all the difference as
dropper post 150mm, QBrand-new I haven’t noticed any more strange knocks or rubbing. It’s
Selle Royal Vivo saddle carbon-framed
140mm-travel trail
also been great to be on flat pedals again and I wonder why I
Sizes S, M, L, XL
bike available in bothered with clips in the first place. The annoyance of trying
Weight 24.5kg (54lb)
both 27.5in and to get clipped in before dropping in has gone and the freedom
GEOMETRY 29in wheel sizes to move my feet around on the pedals really makes sense to 2 9in
Size tested L QRevised suspension
me. Yes, my roadie tendencies still suggest that I’m better off
Head angle 64.3° layout with increased Nukeproof Scout 290 Pro £2,449.99
progression clipped in on the climbs but I’m not racing anyone off-road so
Seat angle 74.5°
QRejigged geometry who cares? Also, I’m sure clipping in makes me ride stiffer, too.
Effective SA 75.1°
and a new XL It’s not all plain sailing, though. Blasting into bumpy corners
BB height 340mm frame size that’s
Chainstay 460mm genuinely large
or braking hard into braking bumps, I need to remind myself
Front centre 810mm QThe Escarpe to really drop my heels and pivot at the hips and let the
Wheelbase 1,270mm 29 CRS is the mid- suspension in my ankles, as well as the bike, do the work. I’ve
Down tube 750mm priced bike in a also noticed that the suspension felt a bit firm. It’s nothing
Top tube 620mm three-strong range to do with having switched pedals, I’ve just lost a little bit of
Reach 455mm 2 9in
lockdown weight, so 10 minutes with the shock pump was time
well spent. Vitus Escarpe 29 CRS £2,699.99

SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 77

LONGTERMERS

SEAN’S NUKEPROOF SCOUT 290 PRO

£ 2 ,4 4 9.9 9 / 2 9 i n / n u k e p r o o f . c o m

MONTH 5: Sean revels in the smooth-shifting

joys of a complete SLX drivetrain

O
ver the past five months the Pro model and it’s the attention to
Scout has presented a faultless detail that I feel contributes to this
scorecard when it comes to unshakeable reliability. Nukeproof’s
THE RIDER reliability. OK, the test started cable routing is clean and direct, with
SEAN WHITE in early spring, so it’s not been full-length outer casing from the shifter
Position Freelance SLX rear mech
subjected to the worst that a British to the rear mech. No fiddly internally worked faultlessly
writer/tester
winter can throw at a bike. Still, it got me routed piping here. Slick shifting is come rain or shine
Mostly Rides Forest
of Dean, Mid Wales thinking… does the high-end kit on this further aided by the genuine Shimano
Height 6ft 2in top-of-the-range Pro model contribute inner cable and outer casing, a rare but
Weight 87kg to its dependability? welcome sight, and without doubt a real
Wind the clock back 10 years or plus point.
THE BIKE more, and riders often judged a bike But what about its performance in
n Flagship version by its groupset alone. Over time, the mud? Well, I’ve certainly read other
of Nukeproof’s 29er we’ve learned that geometry, sizing, mbr longtermer reports flagging up
aluminium hardcore suspension performance and tyre choice problems with Shimano’s 12-speed
hardtail that promises
verstility as well as
are ultimately better ways of improving gearing when the weather turns foul.
gravity-fuelled fun performance than the bragging rights of The Scout has a Shimano chain fitted
30t SLX chainset
n Pro model gets high-end XT, XTR or X0 drivetrains. as standard and with a complete SLX handles drivetrain
‘overforked’ with That said, the spec highlight for me is transmission (including chainring duties up front
a 140mm-travel
the Scout’s SLX 12-speed transmission, and cassette) it works as one, and as
RockShox Lyrik;
the Comp and which sits above the newly overhauled intended. As such, I’ve yet to experience
Race spec bikes get Deore and in the shadows of Shimano’s any noise, miss-shifts or swearing. The brakes?
130mm-travel forks benchmark XT hardware. It’s a groupset So the one thing that product You guessed
n Complete Shimano that often gets overlooked but it managers often got right in the past it... SLX
SLX groupset
hasn’t missed a beat from the was that they had the good
n Maxxis 3C rubber
with reinforced first ride – unnoticed in this sense to spec a full groupset
casings adorn case being a plus point, as WHY IT’S HERE rather than the mixing
DT Swiss’s M1900 it is so quiet and efficient of brands that we often
Spline wheelset Sean addresses
I’ve never given it a see today. A sound but
second thought. the hardtail stealthy move from
Dig a little deeper imbalance in our Nukeproof, even if it
into the build kit on the longtermer bumps up the price.
fleet
78 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021
 BEN’S KONA
PROCESS 134 SUPREME
£ 9,9 9 9 / 2 9 i n / k o n a w o r l d . c o m

MONTH 4: Ben instantly finds the limits of the SPECIFICATION

Frame Kona Carbon,
Kona’s 134mm travel at BikePark Wales 134mm travel
Shock RockShox

L
Super Deluxe
SPECIFICATION ast month I waxed As I charged through Ultimate Trunnion
Frame Triple-butted lyrical about how WHY IT’S HERE the rocky horrors of Fork RockShox
aluminium Pike Ultimate RC2
the Process’s It’s Kona’s black-grade trails like
Fork RockShox Lyrik THE RIDER 134mm of rear Supreme build, Deep Navigation, all I
Charger 2 DebonAir,
Select Charger RC, 140mm travel
BEN SMITH suspension is just could think about was
140mm travel but will it turn Wheels Zipp 3Zero
Wheels DT Swiss Position Art editor right for about 90 per the abuse that those Moto, Maxxis Minion
M1900 Spline Mostly Rides out to be Ben’s DHF 3C/ Dissector
cent of the riding that I do. expensive Zipp wheels
wheelset, Maxxis Forest of Dean
Well, four short weeks later
dream build? were taking. I needn’t have 3C 29x2.5/2.4in
Assegai/Dissector Height 5ft 9in WT tyres
29x2.5/2.4in tyres Weight 76kg
and a trip to a baking hot worried though, the bike Drivetrain SRAM X01
Drivetrain Shimano BikePark Wales had me dipping came through it all (relatively) Eagle DUB chainset,
M7100 SLX 30t THE BIKE into that other 10 per cent. unscathed - a few light scuffs here and XX1 AXS r-mech and
chainset, SLX The fast, rocky and rooty nature of the there being the only permanent signs AXS Eagle shifter
r-mech and shifter n Limited-edition Brakes SRAM
‘dream-build’ full- trails at BPW instantly made me wish I of damage. By the end of the day we
Brakes Shimano SLX G2 Ultimate,
M7120, 203/180mm carbon trail bike with was on a longer-travel bike, a first since were both moaning, though – the Kona 200/180mm
134mm rear travel taking custody of the Kona. Trails like developed a horrible creak from the
Components Components Truvativ
and 29in wheels
Nukeproof Horizon Root Manoeuvres seemed relentlessly bar/stem area, which I put down to the Descendant DH
V2 800mm bar, n 140mm-travel Carbon 800x35mm
RockShox Pike tough, the agility of the Kona and its ingress of fine dust from spending so
Horizon 50mm bar, Truvativ
stem, Brand X Ultimate fork paired ability to skip over short, rough sections much time hanging in the plumes of Descendant 35mm
Ascend 170mm post, with Super Deluxe negated by the constant onslaught and it from the uplift. That has since been stem, RockShox
Ultimate shock Reverb AXS 170mm
Nukeproof Horizon relentless pounding that no amount of sorted by taking it apart and cleaning it
SL saddle n SRAM XX1 AXS post, WTB Volt
electronic shifting
manoeuvring could, er, outmanoeuvre. all thoroughly.
Sizes M, L XL titanium saddle
and Reverb AXS The SRAM G2 brakes also had a bit of Sizes S, M, L, XL
Weight 13.5kg electronic dropper a hissy-fit from being hung on the trailer. Weight 13.37kg
(29.72lb) post eliminate cables
SRAM G2 brakes need
bleeding after taking At first the rear brake lever pulled back (29.47lb)
for clean looks
GEOMETRY a beating to the bar when the bike was removed
n Zipp 3Moto carbon
at the top of the hill, but went back to
GEOMETRY
Size tested XL wheels boost traction
Size tested L
Head angle 64.6° and comfort, and normal with a bit of lever-pumping. Then
come with wireless Head angle 65.8°
Seat angle 71.2° the front brake followed suit a few runs
pressure sensors Seat angle 66.9°
Effective SA 74.2° later. This didn’t quite go back to feeling
Effective SA 74.9°
BB height 307mm normal, so frustratingly, I’ll have to get BB height 336mm
Chainstay 440mm the bleed kit out before I can get back Chainstay 427mm
Front centre 798mm out on it again. Front centre 791mm
Wheelbase 1,238mm The takeaway from my trip to BikePark Wheelbase 1,218mm
Down tube 757mm Wales? I took a beating, but I’d still rather Down tube 735mm
Top tube 675mm have a bike that’s suitable for 90 per cent Top tube 624mm
Reach 465mm of riding, not the other way round. Reach 470mm

SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 79

NEW PRODUCTS

Tested
MICROSHIFT ADVENT X
DRIVETRAIN
£ 1 3 4 .9 7
SPECIFICATION Cassette range: 11-48t (spread: 11-13-15-18-21-24-28-34-40-48t) • Weight: 869g (cassette: 427g, shifter: 132g,
derailleur: 310g) • Freehub body: HG-splined only • Contact: hotlines-uk.com

himano and SRAM do for drivetrains

S what Apple and Samsung do for

smartphones – namely deliver the most
innovative and reliable products out
there for consumers. In fact you need
a good reason to step away from this duopoly
given just how dominant the two brands have
become, and how good their products are. Now
though, Microshift has a compelling alternative
in its Advent X drivetrain. It’s the brand’s
premium off-road groupset, boasting plenty of
mod cons – clutch mech, single-ring setup, wide
range cassette – but a tiny price tag.

CASSETTE
What’s the catch then? The backbone of
Microshift’s Advent X drivetrain is the cassette.
It’s called Advent X because it has 10 gears, the
smallest is 11t and the largest 48t. This means
it’s out-gunned compared with SRAM, with
the NX Eagle cassette sporting 12 gears and a
bigger 50t bail-out sprocket to Advent X’s 48t.
There’s really not much in it though, both NX
and Advent X start with an 11t sprocket, so really
it’s only that big crawler gear you’re missing out
on in terms of range (you can offset this with a
smaller chainring).
The Advent X sprockets are mounted on
an alloy spider to reduce wear on aluminium
cassette bodies, although you can get £15 off
the price going for a spiderless cassette. Eight
of those sprockets are made from steel, while
the two largest ones are aluminium – NX uses
steel throughout.
Microshift also argues that its 11-48t range is
actually better for performance, because there’s
a tighter spread between the gears with fewer
Details impress like
the silicone grip pad
on the thumb lever
big jumps, resulting in a smoother ride and
improved reliability too.
DERAILLEUR
The Advent X mech costs £59.99 and weighs
310g, it uses an aluminium cage and big
jockey wheels with tall teeth just as SRAM and
Shimano do. Naturally, you get high and low
limit adjustment – they’re helpfully marked H
and L to avoid confusion, and accessed with an
Allen key, as is the B-tension.
Microshift had the good sense to design
its own ratchet and pawl clutch to stop the
chain jumping around in motion too. You can
turn it on or off – as you can on a Shimano
derailleur – and adjust it via a little dial
underneath a cover plate.
SHIFTER
The Trail Trigger Pro shifter uses a silicone
traction pad on both paddles to improve grip
and comfort – it’s the same kind of design as
Shimano uses for XT. This one will cost you just
£24.99, although you can drop that to £19.99
if you’re prepared to forego the pad. Weight is
132g. Inside there are sealed-cartridge bearings
to keep it smooth, and you can shift up to four
easier gears at a time (NX will do five). Drop
down the block and it’s just one, unlike XT and
XTR where you can ditch two at once.
SET-UP
Microshift doesn’t make a crankset, so you’ll
have to look elsewhere. I used a Shimano Deore

YOUR
TESTERS
DANNY MILNER
Back in shorts like a real man
this month, riding XC bikes
and putting the big baggies
grouptest together. Those knees
hadn’t seen the sun in years.
PAUL BURWELL
Loves inventing things, like
the bath laptop float, or crash
detection wing mirrors. This
month its the Shigura – not a
dog, but a bastard brake.
MICK KIRKMAN
Rejoicing in the news that
‘Ard Rock really is on this year,
heading there now with a tent
and a slab of Carlsberg, and his
Covid passport.
JAMIE DARLOW
Found his level, riding children’s
trails at Dare bike park this
month but also enjoyed
sprocket swapping on the new
Microshift mech tested here.

80 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021


32t chainring and chain without any problems,
and Microshift says every chain it’s tried works
just fine as long as it’s a 10-speed model. That
said, Ace Bicycles in Guildford and Monmouth
has been using 11-speed chains without issue.
Just for the record, you can’t run a Microshift
mech and cassette with a shifter from any other
brand, and your SRAM or Shimano set-up won’t
work with an Advent X shifter either.
Setting up the Microshift drivetrain was
uneventfully easy, the shifter comes with a gear
cable pre-installed and you thread it through
a port in the side and clamp it to the mech.
The cassette mounts to a standard HG splined
freehub body, and the mech screws into a
hanger just like any other derailleur does. There
are a bunch of set-up videos on the Microshift
mbr
ratings
explained 1-4 Something’s wrong. It’s rare, but sometimes
a product will have a design flaw or some
other weakness that means we can’t
The scores recommend it. Steer clear.
on the doors
Derailleur has
aluminium cage and
oversize jockey wheels
site too, if you need help.
The only slight niggles are that the shifter
clamp doesn’t open fully, so you have to take
your grip off to fit it, and the cable obstructs the
high adjustment screw on the mech just when
you want to use it.
PERFORMANCE
Advent X doesn’t look like a budget drivetrain –
it’s more akin to a high-end groupset like XT or
GX. This isn’t strictly performance related, but I
still want everything in my life to look great, and
that includes the view from behind bars.
Looks are subjective, you probably want to
hear about the shifting, which is very reliable.
Once I’d sorted out a bent mech hanger, the
chain danced up and down the cassette without
5-6 OK — one or two
faults but it has
potential.
7 Good —
worth
considering. — for the
interference. It also proved very resilient to
mud and just kept shifting without the delay
or forced double shift some drivetrains can fall
foul of. My guess is that, with just 10 sprockets
to cover, there’s less lateral movement for the
chain and mech to accommodate, and precise
cable tension is probably less important too.
Either way, it never missed a gear.
Shifting on Advent X does take more finesse
than you’ll employ using SRAM Eagle though.
Changing down to an easier gear is a slower
process, it requires you to wait a fraction longer
with your thumb on the paddle for the chain
to derail. I took a closer look at the shifting
ramps on both cassettes and Advent X is less
sophisticated and could explain the delay.
I like the feel of the shifter with its excellent
silicone pad. The action is solid and crisp, but
could never be called light – you certainly
have to apply more force than on a SRAM NX
or GX drivetrain, and you have to move the
levers further to perform a shift. It’s still a very
functional action though, and if you have strong
digits (thumbs-up to the gamers out there)
you’ll never even notice. The paddles are made
from plastic rather than aluminium, meaning
there’s bound to be some inherent flex and
vagueness there, but it wasn't noticeable.
The clutch mech worked perfectly, although
SRAM’s locking feature really helps when
removing wheels and I missed not having it on
the Advent X. I also added a smidge of extra
resistance to the clutch to provide just a bit
more chain control.
My set-up weighed a meagre 869g. That’s
around 200g lighter than NX and is partly due
to the smattering of aluminium on the cassette,
and partly because there are fewer and smaller
sprockets. Did I miss the extra range? Not
really, but then it depends where you ride. My
local trails have short but occasionally punchy
climbs, meaning higher gearing isn’t really a
problem – just get out of the saddle for a few
seconds and power up. That might not be the
case in, say, the Lakes, where you have an
hour’s steep ascending to do, cursing your lack
of a 52t all the way. Certainly it would be best to
experiment by dropping down a chainring size
to make up for it, boosting your low gear power
by sacrificing some high gear speed.
Microshift Advent X is remarkably good for
the price. It’s reliable, shifts well enough and
doesn’t weigh a ton. It would make a great
expendable set-up for e-bike use, where chains
and cassettes have a hard
life, or simply as a trail bike
drivetrain for high mileage
riders. Sort out the firm
lever action and I could see
it getting full marks.
Jamie Darlow
8 Very
good
9 Excellent
— a slight
mod or two
10 Simply
the best
— we couldn’t
money, and it might fault it.
we’d buy it. be perfect.
SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 81
NEW PRODUCTS

FIVE TEN FREERIDER PRO PRIMEBLUE SHOES

£120
SPECIFICATION Weight: 849g (pair) • Sizes: 6-13.5 (39-49EU) • Contact: adidas.co.uk

A few years ago, Adidas, the parent company locked-in when descending and there was also not as cushioned and that’s partially due
of Five Ten, started a partnership with a definitely more movement in the wet. There’s to wafer-thin footbeds.
company called Parley and developed a more flex too, which isn’t a bad thing because The upper has the same triple-layered toe
running shoe using Ocean Plastic or upcycled I could curl my feet easier on the pedal for and heel bumpers, but with reinforced eyelets
marine waste, which is literally stuff that’s more grip but the Freerider Pro Primeblue is and better laces. It’s padded around the heel
found on the beach. The range of Adidas shoes for comfort, but I find this area is a bit sensitive
using this technology is expanding, and this to nicks from the chainring and it can start to
year the company launched a new Freerider pull apart eventually.
Pro using a high-performance recycled The price for both Freerider Pros is the
material called Primeblue, hence the name. same, so the obvious question is, do you want
What the company does is transform the to do your bit for the environment, but take a
plastic waste into a yarn and then it weaves hit on performance? That is your choice, but if
this, and some regular polyester, into a textile, Five Ten had used the softer S1 rubber on this
which forms the upper of the shoe you see shoe then you wouldn’t have to make that
here. It’s more breathable and flexible than call – you could help the planet and
the synthetic leather used on the regular enjoy maximum performance.
Freerider Pro and, so far, is showing none of Down the line we’re going
the wear I’ve seen in the base shoe. It’s not to see more shoes and
as water resistant, but it dries quickly products like this (like
and there’s also some extra flex, Patagonia’s Dirt Roamer
so the shoe is easier to get short, tested on p90),
on. I’ve found the fit to be made using upcycled
identical across both models, materials. And Adidas
but some mbr testers with is already working on
bigger feet said the Freerider footwear that can be
Pro Primeblue can come up repaired. If you think about
slightly narrower. it, surely the ultimate flat pedal
The big difference between mountain bike shoe has to be
the shoes is the rubber used to one you can re-sole
form the Dotty sole. The Freerider Pro and hopefully
Primeblue uses Stealth rubber, whereas the that’ll be the
base shoe gets softer Stealth S1 – the former is next step in the
around 15-20 per cent harder, and when evolution of the
I rode these shoes back-to-back I could feel Freerider Pro.
that difference on the pedal. It just wasn’t as Paul Burwell

STAN’S NOTUBES THE INJECTOR

£13
SPECIFICATION Weight: 110g • Presta and Schrader compatible • Contact: paligap.cc

Mountain bikes have been running tubeless will seal a puncture. It’s pretty easy to do, just litre as printer ink, but it’s not cheap, so I’d
tyres for the best part of 20 years, and for some remove the core (I use NoTubes Core Remover, always recommend reusing it if you can.
reason it’s still not easy getting the bead to seat £10), and give it a clean while you’re at it. The Injector isn’t a new tool – I’ve had it for
on certain wheels, even using a fancy pump or NoTubes recommends removing the handle to nearly four years – but it’s definitely a must-
compressor. Since this is a pain, removing the pour in the sealant, but I just poke the nozzle have part of my tubeless gear
tyre to top-up the sealant is never a good idea into the bottle, suck a load up then inject it into when testing tyres for mbr.
and it’s much easier to just unscrew the valve the tyre – job done. I could use a basic syringe,
core and inject some fresh sealant through the If I do have to swap tyres, this feature also but this is the right tool
valve stem. allows me to suck up any excess sealant in the for the job and it's paid for
The best tool I’ve found for this job is bottom of the used tyre and transfer it to the itself many times over.
NoTubes’s The Injector. Obviously, a lot of those new one. Sealant is not quite as expensive per Paul Burwell
little sealant sachets do fit directly onto a valve
stem, but if you buy tubeless sealant
in bulk – which is more economical
and environmentally-friendly – The
Injector is one of the only ways to
get it in there without making a mess or
wasting valuable sealant.
Topping-up the sealant is something I do
every few months, because most sealants
break down, leaving either a congealed mass or
just water inside the tyre, and neither of those

82 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021

NEW PRODUCTS

ION K-SLEEVE AMP DAINESE TRAIL SKINS PRO

£ 7 9.9 9 £ 8 4 .9 5
SPECIFICATION Weight: 318g pair (L) • Sizes: S, M, L, XL • Contact: ion-products.com SPECIFICATION Weight: 364g pair (L) • Sizes: S, M, L, XL • Contact: windwave.co.uk

ION’s new-for-2021 K-Sleeve ups protection levels over its predecessor Dainese has been making mountain bike protection longer than almost
and is now a slip-on Lycra-style tube with a removable, pre-shaped, any other brand, to the point I’ve spent multiple trips to the Alps clad
kneepad. The new design, therefore, does more than just resist scuffs head-to-toe in a Dainese Shuttle suit over 20 years ago. This latest Trail
and abrasions, but still retains a very pedal-friendly design with good Skins Pro is the culmination of all that knowledge and packs a lot
freedom of movement. of features in a mid-protection level kneepad with excellent
The outer front portion uses a tougher damage-resistant ventilation and an impact-hardening breathable polymer cap.
material to allow it to slide a bit, rather than grip the ground The Italian brand has used body mapping to shape the Trail
and either pull down or get damaged in an impact. HEAD Skins sock to match cyclists’ legs and, on top of that, both
The removable, dense and rubberised, kneepad is shaped upper and lower elastic retention bands are width adjustable
into a knee-hugging shape with two cutouts either side of the TO HEAD using a wrap-over Velcro tab. Inside these cuffs, silicone
knee at the top and bottom. gripper strips – to prevent pads shuffling about and provide
This shaping allows it to flex while pedalling and ensures friction against skin – are laid out in a vertical pattern, rather
ION’s pad is one of the most invisible and comfortable I’ve used than a continuous circular band like ION’s pads.
with thicker kneecap coverage. Compared to other tube-style trail pads, Dianese’s upper thigh cuff
ION’s stretchy compression tube reaches far enough up the thigh to doesn’t extend as high up the leg, and I also found the upper opening
stay put (and even stash under the grippers on the bottom of liner shorts) looser than other brands’ large pads. This is even with the tabs cinched
and uses an effective triple row of silicone ribbing that’s as good as any tight, and the overall fit elsewhere is nice and tight around the kneecap
rivals I’ve used. Basically, so long as you take care to pull the K-Sleeve up and calf. This meant that, combined with the perforated knee guard
really high and ensure all the elasticated parts are well positioned and not portion being less flexible than it looks, I struggled to keep the Trail Skins
twisted, the pads stay put for hours with minimal wriggling. I reckon this in one place.
is also aided by how well the kneepad portion fits, and twists and distorts This was especially true when pedalling seated, where it seems like the
easily to keep the compression tube stable. continual bending of the protective webbing section continually wriggles
The K-Sleeves are also very well ventilated due to a mesh insert around the pads lower and lower while riding. I’m not alone in thinking this, as
the back of the kneecap. However, having the abrasion-resistant kneecap other testers here have had the same issue.
area and coarser materials targeted purely at the front leaves significant To improve this, I believe the retention cuff at the top needs to sit much
sections of the sleeve construction using thinner materials which can higher up and use a tighter fabric with greater tension and compression
potentially get damaged. on the thigh to prevent unwanted movement. Obviously, stopping the
Seeing as crashes are rarely that Trail Skins wriggling down will ensure all the protective features like
selective, and often damage the well-placed pads on the side and upper shins do their job. Furthermore,
sides too (judging by every set of while I didn’t crash, it also looks like the perforated kneepad will dig in
kneepads I’ve ripped over the the dirt rather than slide if you did, and
years), this is a concern, and I potentially pull the kneepad
wasn’t that surprised to put down the leg.
a small hole in the thin mesh Dianese’s protection
behind the kneecap after a feels reassuring when
couple of rides. in the correct position,
The K-Sleeve is a great and the Trail Skins Pro
fitting pad that’s perfect is really well made
to pedal all day in with a from quality materials,
nice balance of comfort/ but for my legs, it simply
freedom of movement doesn’t stay in place
and minimal protection for enough to rate that
most trail and lighter UK highly.
enduro riding.
The exposed mesh
fabric which rips too easily
and the higher cost for a
lower protection
level kneepad
means it isn’t
absolutely
perfect
though.

TEST
WINNER!

VERDICT
It’s crucial that kneepads don’t shuffle about or
slip down legs while riding. Not only because
this is extremely annoying, but it also means
protection can be seriously compromised if a
kneepad isn’t actually covering your kneecap
by the end of a run.
Dainese’s pads don’t cut it for me in this
regard, whereas ION’s K-Sleeve stays put all
day whether pedalling or pulling shapes.
It would score higher if the build quality
was a bit tougher and a couple of details
were changed, like a bigger ‘slide’ zone on
the front of the kneecap. In this lightweight
kneepad category, I still prefer the latest Sweet
Protection Knee Pads, but in warmer weather
they do run a fair bit hotter and sweatier than
both products tested here.
Mick Kirkman

84 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021

SCOTT STEGO PLUS HELMET
£ 14 9.9 9
SPECIFICATION Weight: 420g • Sizes: S, M, L • Colours: Orange, purple, white, black, grey, green • Contact: scott-sports.com

The Stego Plus is the latest top-end trail/enduro

helmet from Scott and comes complete with all
the usual features that you would expect on a
model costing £150 – extended head coverage,
MIPS liner, GoPro mount, adjustable peak, dial-
adjustable Halo fit system and a full-wrap shell
to protect from knocks.
The Stego is constructed using EPS foam
to absorb high speed impacts along with
polyurethane pads to deal with lower speed
impacts. Combined with the MIPS liner it
certainly ticks all the safety boxes.
Cooling is provided by an array of 17 vents
and they prove pretty effective – this is one
of the better ventilated helmets that I’ve
used recently. The three small brow vents in
particular are great at directing air over the
forehead, which helps keep my riding glasses
noticeably more fog-free than with most of my
other helmets.
The Halo system has a knurled rubber
dial to make adjustments on the go super
straightforward and the rear cradle is easily
height adjustable, so a good comfortable fit
is simple to achieve. The padding is slightly lines and I particularly like the way the peak is feels like it cradles slightly more of my head,
thicker at the front as well which also increases seamlessly incorporated into the design. Talking and as such feels a touch more
comfort. It works too, the Stego really is a of the peak, it sits neatly out of your vision, protective. Then again it also
comfortable helmet and seems to fit a variety of moves up to make space for goggles and can feels heavier and warmer,
different head shapes. be switched with a separate peak that has an and on hot summer days
As much as fit is a personal thing, so are integrated GoPro mount. the airy Scott is always the
aesthetics. Personally I think this is a good I currently have two helmets on rotation – first one I reach for.
looking helmet, not too bulky, with sleek this and a Troy Lee A3. Of the two the Troy Lee Ben Smith

PARK TOOL BKM-1 BLEED KIT

£ 1 14 .9 9
SPECIFICATION Compatibility: Magura, Clarks, Promax, Shimano Tektro, TRP • Contact: freewheel.co.uk

If you’ve read my longtermer test this month
you’ll know I did a Shigura modification on
the Haibike, replacing the broken Magura
brake lever with a Shimano SLX assembly.
I did a quick bleed afterwards using this
Park Tool BKM-1 Bleed Kit, which is designed
specifically for disc brakes that run mineral
oil. What made this process super easy is the
fact that, included with the BKM-1, are a load
of adapters for different brakes and they’re
all colour coded, so you know instantly which
one you need.
Also included in the sturdy box are two
syringes complete with extra-long hoses,
shut-off clips and ergonomically-shaped
push-pull handles.
There’s also a holder that you can lash to
a fork leg or frame tube to keep the syringe
vertical, which means it doesn’t flop around
when you’re trying to push fluid through
the system. You also get a set of multi-size
bleed blocks and one of those odd-shaped
bleed funnels for Shimano brakes.
I test disc brakes for a living, so I have all
of the different bleed kits on the market.
But since getting the BKM-1 Bleed Kit I’ve
been able to clear out half of them from my
workshop – and the other half I’ll ditch when
I get the Park Tool BKD-1, which is designed
for disc brakes that run DOT fluid.
Obviously, if you only have one bike with
one set of brakes then a multi-brake bleed
kit like this is unnecessary, especially at this
astronomical price. But, if
you have more than one
bike, the BKM-1 Bleed
Kit is excellent quality
and a joy to use.

Paul Burwell

SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 85

GROUP TEST
Summer trail shorts
This wacky summer threw everything at 10 shorts selected for tech, comfort and style
Words: Danny Milner, Jamie Darlow Photos: Roo Fowler, Daniel Gould
s befits mountain biking’s relaxed,
A chilled-out vibe, its clothing has always
favoured a baggier, more casual
disposition compared to the uptight,
performance-driven options worn by
road riders. From the early jeans and work boots
repurposed by the Repack pioneers, through
surf shorts in the 90’s and heavy-duty protective
freeride wear in the early noughties, mountain
bike clothing has evolved dramatically, with
standard issue kit now boasting lightweight,
hi-tech fabrics, built-in stretch, wicking properties
and waterproof coatings. For a relatively simple
garment, mountain bike shorts have been on quite
a journey in the last 40 years.
And the reason shorts have made such great
strides is that, globally, the sportswear market is
worth a staggering 353 billion dollars. Annually.
There is no shortage of cash swilling around to
fund research and development. And that means
that MTB clothing benefits from innovations being
made across the entire sportswear industry.
86 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021
Most MTB shorts are made from a polyester/
elastane mix. Polyester has excellent durability
and is resistant to shrinking and stretching. It’s
also easy to look after and quick-drying. The
elastane element gives the garment a stretchy
property, making it more suitable for high
intensity activities involving lots of movement.
And yes, you probably know it better by one of its
trade names Lycra or Spandex.
Many brands add a Durable Water Repellent
(DWR) coating. And while that might seem like a
waste of time on a pair of shorts, where water can
splash up the leg, it actually makes a lot of sense
to prevent the seat area becoming saturated from
spray. No one likes a soggy bottom, after all.
Mountain bike shorts also need a secure fly
closure, pockets and a cut that allows freedom of
movement without billowing in the wind.
For this test we’ve assembled 10 of the latest
shorts from an assortment of the most popular
brands. Read on to find out which are pants and
which are the bee’s knees.
USED & ABUSED
How we test
All the shorts here were tested
over a variety of summer
conditions, from really hot and
humid, to damp and mild.
We assessed the fit, sizing and
comfort while pedalling, the
position and capacity of pockets
and the effectiveness of waist
adjusters and fly closures. We
looked for any kneepad gap, as
well as measuring all the inseams.
To test the DWR effectiveness, we
also sprayed each pair of shorts
with a set amount of water and
measured how much had soaked
through after a set period of time.
JARGON BUSTER
Know your shorts
FLY
Buttons, buckles and poppers – not
the stomach contents of an 80’s raver,
but different ways of fastening a fly.
Whichever method is used, it needs
to be quick and easy to fasten and
unfasten, as well as secure. The last
thing you want are your shorts falling
down when you have to get off the
back of the bike on a steep chute.
POCKETS
As riding packless has become
increasingly popular, useful
pockets have become more
and more important on trail
shorts. You don’t want huge
cargo pockets that let you
carry around the kitchen sink,
as these will just flap against
your thighs, but you do want
enough space for a phone and
a key at the bare minimum.
Ideally the pockets should
keep the contents secure
against your body so they
don’t rattle around.
WAIST ADJUSTE
To add an elemen of adjustability,
and room for a po
ost-ride slice of
cake, most shorts come with
some form of wai adjuster.
These can be subtle and
hidden or externa and
easy-to-access.
CUT
Fashions come and go, and with
them hem lengths. Most trail shorts
now have a relatively tailored,
slim-line cut with a length at or
around the knee. While length is
really down to personal preference,
it does depend to some extent on
whether or not you wear kneepads.
Too high and the short can ride
up above the pad and expose an
unflattering band of skin – known
as the pad gap.
FABRIC
All the shorts tested here use some
variation of nylon/polyester/elastane
mix. On average there’s around 10-15
per cent elastane to add sufficient
stretch to the fabric. Flatlock seams
are popular to join panels of material
as they are strong and low profile, so
there’s less rubbing on bare skin. Some
shorts are now ultrasonically welded,
or taped, which not only creates a
more waterproof join, but is also
impressively unobtrusive, eliminating
chafing altogether.
VENTILATION
Zipped vents let you tune the amount of cooling
air that can enter your shorts on a hot day, but
these add weight and cost. So the latest trend is
for laser-cut holes around the inside thigh.
DURABLE WATER
REPELLENT
Known as DWR. This is a
treatment, or coating, added
to the fabric to make water
bead on the surface and run
away, rather than pool and be
absorbed. It’s useful on shorts
to prevent an uncomfortable
wet bottom while pedalling.
SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 87
 100% CELIUM 7MESH SLAB
£ 1 1 9.9 9 £100
SPECIFICATION Weight: 184g • Sizes: 28-38in • Inseam: 13in • Colours: Blue, sand, SPECIFICATION Weight: 165g • Sizes: XS-XXL • Inseam: 14.5in • Colours: Black, grey,
grey, black • Contact: silverfish-uk.com red, blue • Contact: 7mesh.com

The new Celium short There are five different

Only one pocket but
from 100% has the feel of a shorts in the 7Mesh range, it does a good job
premium product – the four- with this Slab model being
way stretch material is made aimed at the enduro end
from nylon and elastane, of the spectrum. If that
letting it move easily with conjures up images of
you on the bike, and there Belting-up is done
thick fabric and extra
are taped seams to ensure with a Boa dial reinforcements, think again.
a perfectly flush finish It’s an incredibly light and
inside. It’s an extremely minimal short, with only the
comfortable short, and really breathable especially in warm Patagonia Dirt Roamer making less of an impression on the
conditions. The zippered pockets also hold a phone securely scales. The weight of a phone and car key in the single pocket
and snug against your thigh so it doesn’t bounce around – located behind the right thigh – didn’t tug the fabric or flap
annoyingly on the descents. around excessively on rough terrain, though ideally we would
But the DWR coating didn’t prove very effective in like to see a pocket on each leg to balance the load and keep
our water spray test, with the water pooling quickly and items separate.
ultimately being absorbed by the fabric. 7Mesh uses a four-way stretch fabric with a fairly high
The Celium uses a BOA fit system – there’s no zip and no elastane content, which makes the Slab extra stretchy. It has a
button or popper. Simply engage the BOA dial and twiddle beautifully soft touch against bare skin, and the ultrasonically
it to the appropriate tightness. It does provide a very neat welded seams are so minimal they almost disappear.
and precise way of holding your shorts up, because there’s With a 14.5in inseam, we had no issues with pad gaps
no need for additional Velcro tabs to fine tune the fit, and it either, and the DWR coating worked beautifully when tested
also means there are no pressure points or areas of bunched for water resistance.
material around the waist. It also contributes to the high price. Where the Slab short gets a bit kooky is at the crotch.
However, the Celiums were so snug we could have worn There’s a no fly zone, with a seamless gusset, large elasticated
them with the BOA dial fully open. We’re not convinced waist panels and a front-mounted adjuster. Supposedly this
100% has the sizing and fit right, as the Celium is too short helps prevent chafing, but it also makes going for a comfort
in the leg and leaves an ugly pad gap. We took to wearing it break more difficult. On balance, we would prefer a regular
without kneepads, effectively demoting the fly – fortunately 7Mesh offers the more
whole garment to casual rides or family traditional Farside Long and Glidepath.
bimbles as a result. A premium, luxurious, lightweight
Two inches longer in the leg and a option from 7Mesh then, even if it
wider fit would have the Celium rocket favours those with a strong bladder.
up the rankings. But as it stands it’s With a regular waist and an extra pocket,
expensive and oddly-sized. these could be a perfect 10.

88 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021

DAINESE HGL
AOKIGHARA
£9 4 .9 5
SPECIFICATION Weight: 199g • Sizes: XS-XXL • Inseam: 12.5in •
Colours: Black, sand • Contact: windwave.co.uk
Dainese’s HGL Aokighara
Velcro adjust not
short uses a ripstop nylon ideal on waist
fabric with a small blend of
elastane to give it a subtle
four-way stretch, and there’s
also an effective DWR
coating. While it feels nice
and soft against bare skin,
and the flatlock stitching is
unobtrusive, it’s not as supple and luxurious as some of the
welded polyester/elastane mix fabrics – it reminds us of an
old-school shell in that respect.
At the waist, Dainese has integrated all the adjustment
into the fly closure. First close the pop-stud, then pull the flap
across and attach the hook and loop tab at your preferred
tension. This is reasonably effective, but the Velcro doesn’t
feel especially secure, and any excess material tends to bunch
at the crotch, creating a creepy/embarrassing protrusion.
There are two pockets on the front placed fairly high on the
hips, but they’re not very deep and there is no zip to secure
what’s inside. While nothing bounced out during testing,
frankly we could do without the worry that something vital
might go missing mid-ride.
Fairly short, with a 12.5in inseam, we found the Aokighara
rode up quite a bit while pedalling, although the drop hem
at the front of the knee helped cover the top of our pads
while descending.
The Aokighara could be a decent short
thanks to its unfussy styling, but Dainese
has over-thought the waist closure
and needs to add zips on the pockets.
Bearing in mind this is a £95 short, there
are definitely better options out there.
ENDURA
SINGLETRACK LITE
£ 6 9.9 9
SPECIFICATION Weight: 224g • Sizes: S-XXL • Inseam: 14in • Colours: Blue, black,
green, orange • Contact: endurasport.com
Endura’s SingleTrack Lite
Neat zippered pockets
short has been designed and bright colours
for warm-weather riding.
It’s made from a blend of
nylon and elastane, so feels
lightweight and stretchy,
and just about as thin as you
can decently get away with.
Keeping things summery,
there are 30-or-so laser-cut ventilation holes atop each thigh,
and it’s available in three fun colours. And black.
Hailing from the rainy end of the UK, Endura has also
sensibly added a PFC-free DWR finish to the SingleTrack
Lite to fend off splashes. It works well, although it wasn’t
the best-in-test in this respect. There’s also a crash repair
service available should you rip them – a worthy scheme that
improves sustainability and reduces waste.
The SingleTrack Lite fit is tailored rather than baggy, but
we could have upsized for a more generous fit. Praise also
goes to Endura for making the Lite in both a regular and a
short version. The regular-length size medium was ideal for
our 6ft 1in tester’s gangly lower limbs. There’s a slight flare to
the leg openings, and the seams are neat and flush, which all
helps it sit and slide neatly over your pads without hooking
up. Keeping it snug around the waist are twin Velcro tabs at
the back, and a double popper closure and zip fly at the
front. Then there are some nice details like
three zippered pockets.
The SingleTrack Lite is a great short –
it’s lightweight and cool without being
flimsy or floaty, and Endura has nailed
the details, sizing and style. It also
happens to be the lowest priced on test.
TEST
WINNER!
SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 89
 FOX FLEXAIR PATAGONIA
£80
SPECIFICATION Weight: 211g • Sizes: 28-40in • Inseam: 13in • Colours: Black, grey,
blue, green or red • Contact: uk.foxracing.com
DIRT ROAMER
£90
SPECIFICATION Weight: 141g • Sizes: 30-40in • Inseam: 11in •
The Flexair short is a carbon Colours: Black, grey, blue • Contact: eu.patagonia.com
Laser cut holes
copy of the much-loved ventilate to the max
Flexair Pant, with shorter Patagonia asserts its green
legs. It is made from the credentials on the Dirt
same TruMotion four-way Roamer short by using a
stretch fabric, and that polyester fabric made from
makes it compliant when recycled plastic bottles.
riding, without being so This is blended with 12 per One pocket on
stretchy as to hook up on cent elastane to give a the left-hand thigh
your saddle. It also gets the four-way stretch, while the
same excellent DWR water ultrasonically-welded seams
protective coating. are low-profile and unobtrusive and capped off by a highly
Around the waist is Fox’s brilliant and super-wide effective DWR treatment. The fabric itself is exceptionally
elasticated waistband which means there’s no unsightly light, soft and supple and is arguably the nicest found on any
material to bunch up or chafe. At the front it’s held in place of the shorts tested here. It’s also the lightest short on test,
by a moto-style ratchet buckle. We tested the size 34 and the weighing a svelte 141g in size 32in.
closure is about right, being neatly in the middle of the range But part of the reason for that minimal weight is because
so we could slacken it off or cinch it up depending on the size less material is used – the Dirt Roamer has a brief 11in inseam,
of our lunch. and with a relatively slim fit, this means it rides quite high on
Fox has laser cut around 40 lozenge-shaped holes into the thigh. Fine worn pad-less on an XC or down-country bike
the inside of the short to keep things breezy, and it definitely – but with knee protection there’s a yawning pad gap.
works to keep things cool. We’d rather see a zippered vent Patagonia has kept features to a minimum on the Dirt
though, because then you have the option to close it when it’s Roamer, but there’s a secure zip pocket on the left thigh
not roasting hot. that will hold a phone without tugging the fabric or slapping
The Flexair is also a tad on the short side – it could do with against your leg. Ideally we’d prefer to have this pocket
another inch of material to cover the gap between knee and mirrored on the right leg too. The minimal waist adjuster
pad. We did like the angled zipped pockets on either hip was mostly redundant thanks to the tight fit, but we liked the
though, as they are nice and high and further rearward than simple button/zip fly.
on most shorts, meaning anything put in If you ride XC or gravel and want
there stays firmly in place. a lightweight, minimal short that’s
The Flexair Short is a great choice for exceptionally comfortable and ethically
summer use, it’s comfortable, stylish and produced, the Dirt Roamer fits the bill
cool. If it was a smidge longer and had perfectly, but to make it more versatile,
zip vents instead of laser cut holes we we’d like to see an extra pocket and a
would bump it up a mark. longer inseam.

90 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021

 SCOTT TRAIL TUNED SPECIALIZED
£ 1 3 9.9 9
SPECIFICATION Weight: 234g (liner 117g) • Sizes: XS-XXL • Inseam: 14in • Colours:
Blue • Contact: scott-sports.com
TRAIL CARGO
£75
SPECIFICATION Weight: 263g • Sizes: 30-40in • Inseam: 13.5in • Colours: Black •
Scott’s Trail Tuned short is Contact: specialized.com
Deluxe fabrics and
made from fabric that feels lots of nice details
fantastic; it’s luxuriously Do you enjoy the cool vibes
Straps fine-tune
soft, stretchy and light that come from riding the button closure
without being so flimsy as in skintight, cut-off jean
to flap around in the breeze shorts? Nah, us neither.
or creep up your thigh. And But we do love the tailored
it’s capped with an effective fit of the Specialized Trail
PFC-free DWR coating for Cargo short. The Trail Cargo
splash protection. Scott has a few decent features
has licensed this posh fabric from Cordura, and we found the that bump it up our short
Trail Tuned stood up well to abuse and survived one close pecking order – there are
encounter with a bramble bush without a scratch. two hand pockets for lolling about in, and two zippered
Detailing is excellent – there are two zippered side pockets pockets – one of which is just the right shape and size to snug
for a phone and key, and a run of laser cut holes down the your phone to your upper thigh without it budging. Keeping
inner panel of each leg for cooling. The Trail Tuned also uses these slacks around your waist is a simple button closure,
an aluminium hook closure – you simply slide the hook into with adjustment straps either side of your hips. There’s no zip,
the correct nylon loop to get the fit spot on. It’s an innovative instead you just get a sliver of mesh fabric, perhaps as a bug
solution that should, in theory, outlast a more traditional guard to fend off summer intruders.
button or popper design. There are no fancy zippered vents on the thighs to cool
The Scott Trail Tuned short also comes with an excellent you down, but Specialized has laser cut small holes into the
padded short liner, which together with the Cordura fabric legs. We’re not big fans of this approach – plenty of us still
explains the higher price. Fortunately the Scott liner (£46 like wearing shorts in cooler weather, and there’s no way
separately) is very comfortable and well fitted, so makes a to stop the wind whistling through the gaps. Wet weather
decent investment. performance is also disappointing. Despite supposedly being
Long-legged riders will rejoice at the fit of the Trail Tuned equipped with a VaporRize water-repellent coating, our
shell, as it’s probably the longest short we’ve tried since the sample short soaked up water like a sponge in our DWR test.
heyday of capri pants in the noughties. It’s If the Trail Cargo had an effective DWR
not silly long if you’re 6ft tall, but shorter and was just an inch longer we’d bump
riders might want to try before buying. it up a mark or two, but it disappoints if
Overall we really rate the Trail Tuned you’re over 6ft tall, sometimes revealing
short – it’s comfy and tough, floats over the dreaded gap between pad and short.
kneepads and covers everything, but the It’s nevertheless a decent option for the
price is fabulously steep. less gangly out there.

92 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021

 SWEET PROTECTION TROY LEE DESIGNS
HUNTER SKYLINE AIR
£ 1 1 9.9 9 £110
SPECIFICATION Weight: 281g • Sizes: S-XL • Inseam: 14.5in • Colours: Black or green • SPECIFICATION Weight: 251g (liner 135g) • Sizes: 28-38in
Contact: jungleproducts.co.uk Inseam: 12in • Colours: Black, blue • Contact: saddleback.co.uk

The latest Sweet Protection The Skyline Air short is

Mesh fabric provides
Hunter short gets a Velcro not the lightest in Troy Lee most airflow on test
strap instead of a popper Designs’s comprehensive
fastener, while the Velcro range – that accolade
waist adjusters have been belongs to the Drift – but
replaced by a nylon belt just it is definitely the best
above the zippered fly. Both ventilated. Almost the entire
improvements, as it’s easier Sensible waistband
front panel is constructed
to adjust the fit, and now clip on nylon belt using a mesh fabric, but
there’s no Velcro to hook up surprisingly it doesn’t feel like you’re wearing a giant teabag.
on your jersey. There’s a four-way stretch to the mesh and a smooth backing
The pockets have moved around too, so you get two open that’s neither scratchy nor irritating.
ones for your hands, and two zippered ones down the thigh. More airflow means better ventilation in hot weather, and
There are now zippered thigh vents to let off some steam on having worn these on some truly sweltering days, we can
hot days as well. testify to its effectiveness. The flipside is that the Skyline Air
Longer at the front than the back, the length is spot on. sinks in less clement conditions. There is a solid panel at the
There’s also a band of material that wraps around the knee rear, but with no DWR coating, water is absorbed instantly.
like an oversized cuff. This makes the short hang perfectly Compared to the likes of the 7Mesh and Patagonia shorts,
when you’re riding. The fabric is good too – light, but not too the Skyline Air has quite an old-school construction with
flimsy – and there’s some great detail inside the leg openings, flatlock stitching that doesn’t chafe, but feels bulky next to
where a slippery ribbon keeps it gliding over the knee or modern ultrasonic welding. It also adds to the weight, so
pad. After three months our sample still looks box fresh and despite the minimal mesh panels, the Skyline is relatively
the DWR has lasted fairly well – spin it for 20 minutes in the heavy. At 12in, the inseam is more XC than enduro and you’re
tumble drier to reactivate after washing. likely to experience some pad gap. We really liked the two
Flaws? It comes up slightly big, but you can always buy one zip pockets as they provide ample secure storage, but the
size smaller. We’d also prefer a zippered pocket higher up – popper fly isn’t the most reliable solution and the friction fit
as it stands, the position means the contents does wear over time.
whack into your leg. Finally, £120 is a lot of Included with the Skyline Air is Troy Lee
money for a short without a padded liner. Designs’s excellent padded short liner.
If you can live with the price though, Bought separately this costs £50, but
there are few shorts to match the as a package you get both for only £20
Hunter’s blend of durability more than the shell alone, making it a bit
and style. of a bargain.

94 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021

 Conclusion
f there’s one key point from it’s usefulness is limited in the

TEST
WINNER! I this test, it’s that there’s now
no such thing as a bad pair of
shorts. Sure, some perform
better in hot weather, some
are better at keeping out rain
and spray, some are more
comfortable, or have better
pockets and some are great
value, but all do a decent job.
Our least favourite short was
the Dainese HGL Aokighara.
While the fit was decent and the
durable ripstop fabric boasted a
good DWR treatment, the lack of
zipped pockets makes it a risky
choice for mountain biking if you
ride without a pack.
100% has an aspirational
Californian image and slick
styling, but the Boa dial was a
case of form over function and
the length wasn’t sufficient.
The DWR was also poor.
Patagonia is a welcome new
entrant to the mountain bike
apparel market as it brings
ethical and sustainable practices
that force other brands to
up their games. And the Dirt
Roamer short is a quality item
at a price that undercuts many
more established rivals. But it’s
lacking in length if you ride with
kneepads and the single pocket
limits storage.
There are a cluster of shorts
all rated 8, but each one
has different strengths and
weaknesses. The Troy Lee
Designs Skyline Air is perfect
for a heatwave and good value
when you take into account the
quality padded liner short. But
UK, making its more versatile
Skyline stablemate a better
choice for most riders.
Scott’s Trail Tuned short
is comfortable, stylish,
generously-cut and also comes
with a quality padded liner, but
it’s pricey at £140, and may not
appeal to non-Scott owners.
Specialized’s Trail Cargo short
is significantly more understated
than the Scott Tuned. Unlike the
lanky Tuned short, Specialized’s
offering comes up a bit short,
leaving an unsightly pad gap.
Fox is one of the trendiest
brands on the market, up there
with Troy Lee Designs, and it
boasts more tech in the fabric
and construction of its Flexair
short than TLD’s Skyline. Once
again, it’s just a bit too short for
kneepad wearers, and we felt
that it would be better without
the laser-cut vents.
Finally the 7Mesh Slab with its
weird seamless crotch. While we
weren’t big fans of the unique
looks and no-fly inconvenience,
the material and cut is top notch.
With a 9 rating, Sweet
Protection’s Hunter short
impressed us with its durability
and attention to detail. The
cut was perfect for riding with
kneepads, there’s plenty of
secure storage for keys and a
phone, and zip vents let you play
with the thermostat depending
on the weather.
Which leaves the Endura
SingleTrack Lite to take the top
step once again – it’s already
won our women’s short test
earlier this year. There’s just so
much to like about this classic
garment: the price, the cut, the
styling, the features and the
reduced environmental impact.
It even comes in two lengths
depending on your height and
kneepad proclivity.

Price Weight Sizes Inseam Contact Rating

100% Celium £119.99 184g 28-38in 13in silverfish-uk.com
7Mesh Slab £100 165g XS-XXL 14.5in 7mesh.com
Dainese HGL Aokighara £94.95 199g XS-XXL 12.5in windwave.co.uk
Endura SingleTrack Lite £69.99 224g S-XXL 14in endurasport.com
Fox Flexair £80 211g 28-40in 13in uk.foxracing.com
Patagonia Dirt Roamer £90 141g 30-40in 11in eu.patagonia.com
Scott Trail Tuned £139.99 234g XS-XXL 14in scott-sports.com
Specialized Trail Cargo £75 263g 30-40in 13.5in specialized.com
Sweet Protection Hunter £119.99 281g S-XL 14.5in jungleproducts.co.uk
Troy Lee Designs Skyline Air £110 251g 28-38in 12in saddleback.co.uk

SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 95

 TESTED
THIS
MON

SANTA CRUZ BLUR XC CC

XO1 AXS RSV
£ 8 ,0 9 9

SCOTT SPARK RC WC AXS

£ 7, 2 9 9

GOING FOR GOLD

CUTTING EDGE
Following Tom Pidcock’s gold medal ride at the Tokyo Games we test two XC bikes
which, with a bit of training, are good enough to go wheel-to-wheel with Tom
Words: Alan Muldoon Photos: Roo Fowler

96 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021

SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 97
BIKE TEST
W
ith Tom Pidcock winning
gold for Team GB in Tokyo,
XC racing is centre stage
in the UK right now. But
bike companies don’t wait
for the spotlight of the
Olympics to shine once
every four years to develop new XC race bikes.
Two brands that launched state-of-the-art
XC race machines in the run-up to the Games
were Scott and Santa Cruz. In terms of timing,
the unfortunate delay to the Tokyo Olympics
worked in their favour, even if the race results
did not. Swiss legend Nino Schurter narrowly
missed out on a medal in fourth on the new
Scott Spark RC, while 2020 Italian national
champion Luca Braidot finished back in 25th
spot on the Santa Cruz Blur CC.
So we have two full carbon bikes on test with
very different approaches. The Scott has an
internal shock and one-piece bar/stem combo
for a futuristic look, while the latest Santa Cruz
Blur XC is pure retro chic in its simplicity. Make
no mistake though, both bikes are designed
for one thing, and one thing only. And that’s
winning elite-level XC races.
But that’s not the only thing that the Santa
Cruz and Scott have in common, as both
bikes are also available in more trail friendly
versions. For Scott it drops the RC tag, ups
fork travel from 120 to 130mm and swaps out
select components to further enhance its
trail capability. Santa Cruz takes a different
98 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021
Make no mistake though, both bikes are
designed for one thing and one thing only.
And that’s winning elite-level XC races
approach, increasing the travel from 100mm
front and rear to 120 front and 115mm on the
rear while tweaking the geometry to give more
than a one-degree slacker head angle. It also
gets a full-length dropper and bigger brakes.
But those aren’t the models we’re testing
here – our focus is firmly fixed on XC racing.
So let’s start with the one metric XC racers are
obsessed with – weight. Or more specifically,
the lack of it. At the weigh-in, the size L Santa
Cruz Blur CC was a scant 10.41kg, 710g lighter
than the Scott Spark RC.
Dig a little deeper, however, and the
difference in wheel weight alone accounts for
280g. The Blur also gets the 32mm RockShox
SID SL Ultimate fork which is over 350g lighter
than the 35mm SID Select + fitted to the Scott.
Pedalling efficiency is also key, which is why
it took so long for most XC racers to transition
from hardtails to full-suspension bikes. It’s
also why the Scott and the Santa Cruz both
have handlebar remotes for stiffening up
the front and rear suspension. Scott uses the
latest iteration of its proprietary three-position
TwinLoc remote. Santa Cruz opts for a cleaner,
simpler and more functional SRAM TwistLoc.
There’s a big difference in travel too. The Scott
Spark RC boasts 120mm front and rear while the
Santa Cruz has 20mm less at both ends.
It’s no surprise that both brands employ
flexstay suspension designs to reduce the
number of pivots, weight and complexity. That’s
not to say that hiding the shock inside the seat
tube isn’t complex, but both have given up the
linkage designs favoured on their longer-travel
bikes in pursuit of weight saving.
Both bikes also have SRAM Eagle AXS
wireless shifting, the main advantage being
that there’s one less cable to contend with.
In fact, both bikes would also benefit from
wireless shock remotes, but the technology isn’t
available just yet.
Keeping hydrated is also key for optimum
performance, especially for multi-day stage
races, so both bikes have double bottle cage
mounts. Santa Cruz has also gone with the
SRAM Universal Derailleur Hanger and a
standard threaded BB, so that no matter where
the racing takes you, you’ll alway be able to find
spare parts.
So we have two lightweight high-end modern
XC bikes with very different approaches to
solving the same puzzle – getting to the finish
line first. But which one has put the pieces
together in the best format?
CONTROL TYRES
To make the testing process as fair as possible
we fitted the same Maxxis tyres to both of the
XC race bikes in this test. Choosing a 29x2.4in
Recon Race front, accompanied by a 2.4in
Aspen on the rear, both in the lightweight EXO
casing. Available at
extrauk.co.uk, prices
start at £54.99 per tyre.
BIKE TEST
The more compact
10-50t Eagle cassette
and 34t chainring are
geared for speed
Chain guides aren’t
just for DH and
enduro racing
SANTA CRUZ BLUR XC CC XO1 AXS RSV
N
£ 8 ,0 9 9 o one can accuse Santa Cruz of
jumping on the XC bandwagon.
Along with the V10, the original
Blur helped pioneer its VPP
suspension and even before
VPP, the single-pivot Superlight was a
firm favourite among XC racers and trail
riders alike.
It’s fitting then, that the latest Blur
XC blends aspects of the old and new
world. The Superlight single-pivot
suspension design is back, albeit with
flexstays and a linkage-actuated shock
to deliver 100mm travel. And combined
with Santa Cruz’s modern carbon tech,
it’s the lightest Blur the brand has ever
produced. How light? Well, compared
to the previous Blur, Santa Cruz has
managed to whittle away 289g from the
RockShox SIDLuxe with
100mm of travel and simple
rebound adjustment
100 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021
frame weight alone, which helps explain
why our size large test bike weighed an
impressive 10.41kg (22.95lb).
With 100mm of rear travel in pure
XC guise – there’s also a longer-travel
TR option – it’s no surprise that Santa
Cruz dropped its signature twin-link
suspension for a lighter flexstay design.
It’s pretty much ubiquitous on the XC
circuit, because everyone has worked
out that replacing bearings, links and
pivot hardware with flex in the carbon
stays is a great way to save substantial
amounts of weight.
But that’s not the only change to the
suspension on the Blur XC. Santa Cruz
also adopted a flatter leverage rate so
it could rely less on anti-squat to stop
the suspension bobbing – claiming that
this approach allows the suspension to
have more traction and sensitivity both
climbing and descending. We actually
dropped the shock out of the bike and
it’s interesting that there’s no noticeable
spring force in the flexstays until you
get deeper in the travel, which could
explain why we struggled to use all of
the 100mm available travel.
Geometry-wise, the Blur is modern,
if not quite progressive, with a 68°
head angle and 463mm reach. The fit is
spot on and thanks to the size-specific
geometry that sees the chainstay length
increase by 2.5mm with every jump in
frame size, the Blur feels remarkably well
balanced and that weight distribution
should translate to all four frame sizes.
Santa Cruz Reserve 28
XC carbon rims are light
and ideal for higher-
volume tyres
SRAM Level TLM brakes
have small 160mm
rotors but aren’t shy on
stopping power
SUSPENSION
We’ve already mentioned how the
suspension design on the Blur has
evolved, so let’s take a closer look
at the suspension components. The
100mm-travel SID SL Ultimate fork
has slender 32mm upper tubes, and
everything about it has been optimised
for weight saving – even the rebound
adjuster and valve cap on the air spring
have been stripped to the bare bones.
Santa Cruz adds in some rigidity to the
SID SL by taking full advantage of the
fork’s Torque Cap compatibility. An
added bonus being that oversized hub
end-caps make it much easier to locate
the hub and axle in the dropouts when
fitting the front wheel.
Matching travel on the rear is
provided by a RockShox SIDLuxe
Ultimate shock. Just like the SID
fork, adjustments are limited to air
pressure and rebound, and like the
fork, sag gradients make setting up
the suspension a breeze.
The fork and shock are both
hardwired to the SRAM Twistlock
remote. Ring its neck to choke the
suspension for a firmer pedalling
response, then simply press the
button on the collar of the twist grip to
resuscitate the suspension. It’s fast and
easy to use, and because it leaves plenty
of space for the dropper post remote,
you never get confused as to which
lever to press. It also gives the Blur
two very distinct suspension modes.
 SPECIFICATION
Frame CC carbon,
100mm travel
(99mm measured)
Shock RockShox
SidLuxe Ultimate
with remote
Fork RockShox
Sid SL Ultimate
with remote,
100mm travel
Wheels DT Swiss 350
110/148mm hubs,
Santa Cruz Reserve
28 XC Carbon rims,
Maxxis Aspen 3C
EXO 29x2.4in tyres
Drivetrain SRAM X1
Eagle Carbon 34t,
175mm chainset,
HIGHS SRAM X01 Eagle
AXS r-mech and GX
Punches
AXS shifter, SRAM
well above XG-1295 Eagle,
its weight 10-50t cassette
Brakes SRAM Level
TLM two-piston
160/160mm
Components
Santa Cruz C
31.8mm 760mm bar,
Syntace LiteForce
60mm stem, Fox
Transfer SL Perf Elite
100mm post, WTB
Silverado saddle
Sizes S, M, L, XL
Weight 10.41kg
(22.95lb)
Contact
santacruzbicycles.
com

GEOMETRY
Size tested L
Head angle 68°
Seat angle 71°
Effective SA 75.5°
(740mm)
BB height 327mm
Chainstay 435mm
Front centre 740mm
Wheelbase 1,175mm
Down tube 711mm
Top tube 615mm
Reach 463mm

LOWS
Rear suspension
is too active
when pedalling

SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 101

BIKE TEST
COMPONENTS
In keeping with the lightweight theme,
the Blur XC uses a standard 31.8mm bar
and stem. The Santa Cruz carbon XC
bar has a great profile and at 760mm
it’s wide enough for even the broadest
of XC brawlers. And while the black
alloy stem looks positively dull next to
Scott’s carbon one-piece construction,
the forged Syntace unit is optimised for
stiffness and reduced weight. Santa Cruz
has definitely focused on weight saving
Twistlock toggles suspension on
and off while freeing up bar space
34t SRAM X1 chainset
with chain guide
102 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021
here, but it hasn’t been at the expense
of comfort as the WTB Silverado saddle
and silicone ESI grips both do a great
job at isolating the rider from high-
frequency vibrations, which is somewhat
indicative of the Blur’s overall focus on
longer multi-stage races, rather than
sprint XCO events.
Launched in conjunction with the
new Blur, the Reserve 28 XC carbon rims
have a shallow profile and 28mm internal
width, making them ideal for the higher-
volume 2.4in Maxxis Aspen tyres. And
at 385g per rim they make the Blur XC
effortless to accelerate.
PERFORMANCE
Given its impressive weight, we were
half-expecting the Santa Cruz Blur XC
to ride like a wet noodle. It was anything
but. Proof, if it were needed, that you
don’t have to oversize everything
to achieve a precise, accurate ride.
Granted, the overall package is not as
stiff as the Scott Spark, both in terms
of frame stiffness and suspension
response, but on the descents that
actually played to the Blur’s advantage.
By offering a smoother, more composed
ride with increased traction, it often felt
like we were running the tyres harder on
the Spark, even though the pressures
were identical on both bikes.
The reach numbers on both bikes are
also identical, but the Santa Cruz feels
more open in the cockpit and that’s
because the ultra-short head tube on
the Scott gives it an artificially long
reach measurement. So even though the
Santa Cruz is steeper and has a shorter
wheelbase, it still feels really stable.
In fact, it’s only when you start to
climb that Santa Cruz loses ground.
The more open and active suspension
response, that otherwise makes it a joy
to ride, sinks into its travel with every
turn of the crank. It’s as if the suspension
needs more support at sag, and less
end-stroke progression. You need
to be prepared to constantly switch
between the two suspension settings to
maximize efficiency. The fact that the
rear suspension bobs when just spinning
lightly along the road may be enough
to put some hardcore XC riders off. But
for multi-day or marathon-style racing,
the extra comfort and control that the
Blur offers may well outweigh any loss in
pedalling efficiency.
VERDICT
This is no average XC race bike. Yes, the Blur XC is light,
only has 100mm travel and all of the components have
been selected with durability and compatibility in mind.
Stand up to sprint and it’s tight and reactive. Bomb
down the descents and it’s remarkably composed.
Spin along the flat or grind up a climb, however,
and the rear suspension is, how do we
put this, overly active. So unless you
use the remote lockout, the Blur XC
feels slightly laboured on the climbs.
It’s the bike’s only shortcoming.
But in XC racing, you can’t afford to
show any weakness.
BIKE TEST
The integrated
suspension system
conceals the RockShox
NUDE 5 shock inside
the full carbon frame
35mm upper legs
boost stiffness on
the 120mm-travel
RockShox SID Select+
SCOTT SPARK RC WC AXS
N
£ 7, 2 9 9 ame an XC event, and chances
are that the unstoppable
force that is Nino Schurter has
probably won it on a Spark
RC. Over the years, the bike
has evolved with changing standards
and race formats, before finally settling
exclusively on a 29in format. Through
all of the transitions though, Nino and
the Spark RC have always managed to
remain on top.
But enough of the history lesson,
let’s take a closer look at the latest Spark
RC. As we’ve just mentioned, it’s a 29in-
only format. It has 120mm of rear travel
which is matched on the RC WC AXS
model with a 120mm-travel RockShox
SID fork. There’s also a Spark 900 series
that uses the same frame with a 130mm-
Removable cover reveals
damping adjusters
and shock valve
104 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021
travel fork and different parts to give it a
more trail-friendly flavour.
Regardless of the focus, the key
change on the Spark frame for 2022
is the internal shock format. It’s a bold
move, literally, as Scott acquired a
majority share in Bold Cycles in 2019. The
hidden shock gives the bike a fresh look,
allows for the addition of a second water
bottle on the medium, large and XL sizes,
but fundamentally it’s still a flex-stay
design with a linkage-actuated trunnion-
mounted shock. The integrated shock
is not purely about aesthetics though, it
also offers a lower centre of gravity and
gains in stiffness have been made with
the shorter links and oversized bearings
on the seat-tube pivot.
To gain access to the shock for
adjusting the spring pressure or rebound
damping, there’s a removable cover
under the down tube, just in front of
the BB. There’s also a port (basically a
cut out) on the non-driveside of the
seat tube that gives you access to the
body end of the shock hardware, and
doubles as a window into how much
travel you’re using.
But how do you set the sag when you
can’t see the shock? Simple, there’s a
sag indicator on the rocker-link pivot
that can still be seen when riding, which
makes it much easier to get an accurate
sag setting with the saddle at full height.
When designing the frame around
the new suspension layout, Scott took
the opportunity to update the geometry
TwinLoc 2 remote offers
three suspension modes:
Lockout, Traction Control
80mm, Descend 120mm
An integrated angle
adjust headset offers
+/- 0.6° of adjustment
and sizing. Size for size the new Spark
has a 20mm longer wheelbase where
the reach measurement on the size large
has grown by 15mm. It also features an
angle-adjust headset that offers just
over a degree of adjustment by simply
rotating the headset cups. Not only
does this give the rider a degree of
adjustment, it also allows Scott to match
the seat angle and pedalling positions
on the RC and 900 models. And even
though the cables run internally through
the headset, thanks to the split headset
spacers it’s still possible to slam the
stem without having to remove any
cables. Why run the cables through the
headset instead of the frame? Additional
holes require additional reinforcing,
which in turn adds additional weight.
Another neat feature on the Spark
RC is the rear axle tool which has a T25
for adjusting the stem and seatpost
height, a T30 for the pivot hardware and
a 6mm Allen key to remove the front and
rear axles.
SUSPENSION
It’s not often that an XC bike over-
delivers on suspension, but we
measured vertical rear-wheel travel
on the new Spark with the RockShox
Nude 5 shock at 125mm, 5mm more
than claimed. Scott balances travel front
and rear with the stiffer 35 RockShox
SID and both the shock and fork are
connected to the new Twinloc 2 remote.
The underbar remote has three levers,
 SPECIFICATION
Frame Spark RC
Carbon HMX,
0/80/120mm/
(125mm measured)
Shock RockShox
NUDE 5 RL3
Fork RockShox SID
Select+ RL3,
120mm travel
Wheels DT Swiss 370
110/148mm hubs,
Syncros Silverton
1.0 30 rims, Maxxis
Rekon Race 3C EXO
29x2.4in tyres
Drivetrain SRAM
X01 Eagle Carbon
32t, 175mm chainset,
SRAM X01 Eagle AXS
r-mech and GX AXS
HIGHS shifter, SRAM XG-
Ruthless 1295 10-52t cassette
in its Brakes Shimano XTR
M9100 two-piston,
efficiency 180/160mm
Components
Syncros Fraser iC SL
XC Carbon, 740mm
bar, 70mm stem,
Fox Transfer SL Perf
Elite 100mm post,
Syncros Belcarra R1.5
Ti saddle
Sizes S, M, L, XL
Weight 11.12kg
(24.52lb)
Contact scott-
sports.com

GEOMETRY
Size tested L (steep)
Head angle 67.1°
Seat angle 68.8°
Effective SA 75.7°
(740mm)
BB height 326mm
Chainstay 436mm
Front centre 755mm
Wheelbase 1,191mm
Down tube 730mm
Top tube 610mm
Reach 463mm

LOWS
Suspension
could be more
supple in
Descend mode

SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 105

BIKE TEST
two for the suspension and one for the
dropper post. Toggling between the two
suspension levers gives you Lockout,
Traction Control and Descend modes,
which correspond to 0, 80 or 120mm
travel. The lever pressure is lower than
before, but it’s still easy to get mixed up
and drop your saddle height when trying
to change your suspension setting. And
with what feels like no internal resistance
on the Fox Transfer SL post, you fall
TwinLoc remote uses
two levers for three
suspension settings
Sag is set using
markings on the
rocker-link pivot
106 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021
like a stone, so thankfully it’s only got
100mm of drop. Obviously, with more
time on the Spark RC and only one bike
to ride, toggling between the settings
should become second nature.
COMPONENTS
In keeping with the integrated theme,
the Scott Spark RC comes with a carbon
one-piece bar and stem. The Syncros
Fraser iC SL XC is 740mm wide and is
seamlessly moulded to the 70mm stem.
It looks cool, but if you don’t like the
sweep of the bar, or want to change the
stem length, both will have to go. That
didn’t stop us sliding the lock-on grips
out by 10mm on each side, however,
increasing the bar width to 760mm,
matching the one on the Blur. The
Syncros Belcarra saddle has a firm, flat
profile and offers plenty of support.
It also takes a bolt-on saddle pack to
securely carry an inner tube, tyre levers
and a multi-tool.
The tubeless-ready Syncros carbon
rims have a generous 30mm internal
width so you can run the 2.4in Maxxis
Rekon Race tyres at lower pressures,
with reduced risk of burping. The rims
are also Quarq TyreWiz compatible.
PERFORMANCE
With all of the updates, the Spark RC has
lost none of its urgency. Stomp on the
pedals and it reacts without hesitation.
Even climbing in Descend mode doesn’t
elicit the same degree of suspension
TEST
WINNER!
movement as on the Santa Cruz Blur.
Point it downhill and it’s not as plush
either, even though it easily has 20mm
more travel at its disposal.
It’s noticeably stiffer than the Blur
too, the 35mm SID chassis providing the
confidence to tackle bigger terrain at a
faster pace. The Spark RC even sounds
different – rumbling along with a hollow
hum like a high-end carbon road bike.
For an hour and a half of suffering, we
can’t think of a better torture device.
Scott could have made the Spark even
faster though. As it stands, the 80mm
Traction Control setting just feels like a
short-travel version of Descend mode, so
we’d like a slightly plusher setting when
using the full 120mm travel. That way
you could save energy on the descents
or gap your rivals on the climbs.
VERDICT
Fast, efficient and responsive, the new Scott Spark RC
is an outstanding XC race bike. With 120mm of travel,
it has the suspension to tackle the toughest courses,
but reserves a sharpness to its pedalling response that
won’t leave you languishing in the finish-line sprint. It’s
stiff too, so if you’re not under 65kg dripping wet, you’ll
still have the confidence to charge hard.
Scott has missed a trick with
it’s TwinLoc remote though, as we
think the Spark RC would be even
faster if the suspension was a
touch more active in the 120mm
Descend mode.
BIKE TEST

Conclusion
ot got enough time to read this test

N in its entirety? Well, we can probably

sum it up for you in just one sentence.
The Scott Spark RC is efficient while
the Santa Cruz Blur XC is comfortable.
Obviously that’s a gross oversimplification as
there’s a lot more going on with these two XC
race bikes, but it also captures the essence of
both in a simple heuristic.
For short-track races the Scott Spark RC has
a distinct advantage, most noticeably on the
climbs. There’s a real directness and sense of
purpose to the Scott that the Santa Cruz lacks.
Stretch the event over the course of a week,
however, and the added comfort of the Santa
Cruz Blur XC could pay dividends in terms of
reduced fatigue. And when your reactions are
not razor sharp, the more forgiving ride of the
Blur will smooth out your mistakes more readily.
That constant bobbing of the rear
suspension could mess with your head
though. So even though we’re not 100 per cent
convinced that a firmer suspension response
would be any faster, if you think it’s slower,
chances are you will be slower. Because racing
is just as much about the mental approach as
physical preparation and bike performance.
The quality level of suspension components
on each bike also played a part in this test. So
while the Select + SID on the Scott is only one
If you want to win
tier removed from the flagship SID SL Ultimate XC events, the Scott
on the Santa Cruz, it’s not as plush or as has the racer’s edge
composed, even though the 35mm chassis adds
a lot of stiffness.
Obviously this disparity in damping Santa Cruz would
performance is reflected in the price of both be the better option RANGE FINDER
bikes. So if you want Ultimate performance for speed with comfort
and the ability to fine tune the compression
damping on the rear shock, the Scott Spark WC
AXS Evo at £8,699 is the one to get.
Our test winner’s
We set both of the bikes up with the same
amount of suspension sag: 20 per cent on the
SCOTT SPARK RC SL
fork with the rider in the attack position, 25 EVO AXS
per cent on the shock with the rider seated.
Interestingly we never used full travel on either
£ 1 1 ,9 9 9
bike, even though we rode trails that really Now, I know what you’re thinking!
taxed them. Given that the bikes are so light, £12k for a bike and it doesn’t even
it’s almost as if the suspension components have a motor?! Well, the Spark RC
have safety bumpers built in to them to stop SL Evo AXS doesn’t need one. At a
them bottoming out and transmitting all of that claimed weight of 10.1kg it’s crazy
force into the lightweight frames. light for a 120mm bike, so it will
If you’re considering either of these bikes you almost rocket up climbs under its
need to ask yourself if your primary focus really own steam. And with Fox Factory
is XC racing. If it’s just another string to your level suspension, with Kashima
bow and you want an ultra-light bike to race on coating adding a touch of gold, its
but also like shredding trails with your mates looks match the price.
for fun, then the Santa Cruz Blur XC could be a
better choice as its plusher suspension makes it
a more active and engaging ride. We can’t wait
to try the longer travel TR version.
Both brands bill these bikes as ultimate XC
race weapons and that’s how we judged them.
And in that respect, all other things being equal,
the Scott Spark RC will get you to the finish line
ahead of the Santa Cruz Blur XC every time.

108 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021

 NOTES ON THE NUMBERS J A
B I
TEST Specification
WINNER! H
& geometry C

To say that XC bikes have come a long way E F

in recent years is an understatement. In fact,
D
the numbers of the Santa Cruz and Scott in
the geometry chart opposite wouldn’t look G
out of place in a trail bike test from 10 years
ago. Some of the vital stats are even more
Santa Cruz Scott (steep)
progressive, including reach numbers and
seat tube angles. A Head angle 68° 67.1°
Disappointing though, is that both Scott B Seat angle 71° 68.8°
and Santa Cruz only offer four frame sizes.
C Effective SA 75.5° (740mm) 75.7° (740mm)
That seems odd, given that XC racing is at
the pointy end of performance. And it’s not D BB height 327mm 326mm
like the volume of sales doesn’t warrant it, E Chainstay 435mm 436mm
as XC bike sales dwarf Enduro and Downhill F Front centre 740mm 755mm
bike sales combined. Now that Scott has
made angle-adjust headsets acceptable in G Wheelbase 1,175mm 1,191mm
XC, maybe we’ll see reach-adjust headsets H Down tube 711mm 730mm
in the future for fine tuning the fit. I Top tube 615mm 610mm
J Reach 463mm 463mm

Make/Model Santa Cruz Blur XC CC XO1 AXS RSV Scott Spark RC WC AXS

Price £8,099 £7,299

Weight 10.41kg (22.95lb) 11.12kg (24.52lb)

Contact santacruzbicycles.com scott-sports.com

FRAME

Sizes S, M, L, XL S, M, L, XL

Size tested L L

Frame material CC Carbon Spark RC Carbon HMX

Rear shock RockShox SidLuxe Ultimate w/Remote RockShox NUDE 5 RL3

Rear travel 100mm (99mm measured) 0/80/120mm (125mm measured)

Suspension fork RockShox Sid SL Ultimate, w/Remote RockShox SID Select+ RL3

Front travel 100mm 120mm

WHEELS

Hubs DT Swiss 350 110/148mm DT Swiss 370 110/148mm

Rims Santa Cruz Reserve 28 XC Carbon Syncros Silverton 1.0-30

stablemates Spokes Sapim D-light stainless Stainless

Tyres Maxxis Aspen 3C EXO 29x2.4in Maxxis Rekon Race 3C EXO 29x2.4in
SCOTT SPARK GROUPSET

RC COMP Chainset SRAM X1 Eagle Carbon 34t, 175mm SRAM X01 Eagle Carbon 32t, 175mm

£3,299 Bottom bracket SRAM DUB BSA 68/73mm SRAM DUB PF92

The entry point to the carbon Rear mech SRAM X01 Eagle AXS SRAM X01 Eagle AXS
Scott Spark RC range is the Comp, Shifter SRAM GX AXS 1x12sp SRAM GX AXS 1x12sp
in yellow or blue. It has the same
Cassette SRAM XG1295 Eagle, 10-50t SRAM XG1295 Eagle, 10-52t
geometry, sizing, travel and
integrated shock design as our test Brakes SRAM Level TLM two-piston Shimano XTR M9100 two-piston
winner, but uses HMF carbon instead Rotor sizes 160/160mm 180/160mm
of the lighter HMX to help keep
costs down. Wireless AXS shiting COMPONENTS
is replaced by a standard NX Eagle Handlebar Santa Cruz C Flat Bar 31.8mm, 760mm Syncros Fraser iC SL XC Carbon, 740mm
12-speed drivetrain and the Fox 32
Stem Syntace LiteForce, 60mm Syncros Fraser iC SL 70mm
Rhythm fork leads the charge.
Seatpost FOX Transfer SL Perf Elite 100mm FOX Transfer SL Perf Elite 100mm

Saddle WTB Silverado Syncros Belcarra R1.5 Ti

Rating

SEPTEMBER 2021 mbr 109

 Mtb’s movers and shakers select their favourite places to ride
A S C H O S E N B Y. . .
BERNARD KERR, DOWNHILL RACER
M
y best trail would have to be
Rude rock in Queenstown;
it has some of the nicest
scenery in the world
and, if ridden well, not a
pedal stroke is needed for 3km. It’s on
Bernard Kerr’s Coronet peak just five-10 minutes out
stoppies, manuals of Queenstown, which has trails mostly
and Reliant Robin in the forest. I guess maybe that’s
wheelies are stuff why I like it so much, this one is just so
of legend. The
different. The soil is a weird mix of sand
man’s not bad at
his day job either, and a silver kind of gravel-dirt – if it’s
having just taken just slightly damp there’s not much in
a hat-trick of wins the world that compares.
at the Red Bull It starts off with a massive rock
Hardline, while
shaped like a dick, which is where
vlogging it all for
his YouTube channel it gets its name from. You can see
Queenstown in the distance but with
110 mbr SEPTEMBER 2021
one small kick of the pedals you’re
into a smooth bicycle roller coaster.
I genuinely think that’s the best way
to describe it as it dips down and
almost straight back up and then into
banks – it’s just the natural shape
of the terrain. Like I said, there are
no trees and just mini bushes called
tussocks that surround the track that
meanders its way alongside and down
a ridgeline. It’s not super-steep but has
some awesome fadeaways that you
just float down before another rise and
then slash-style turns into the banks.
Normally I love jumps and this track
literally has maybe three small ones,
but the number of natural pumps and
rollers you can double, combined with
the shape of the ground, make it so you
don’t even need jumps!
It’s a weird track, as most beginners
could ride it – I even took my mum
down the whole thing, which she
loved. Yet fast guys and girls can
absolutely bomb it, making it one of
the most flowy and rewarding trails
there is out there. If you nail your
braking points and pumps and trust
you know which way the rise or blind
corner is going next, it’s a hard feeling
to beat. Sunset or sunrise is golden
hour and although the sun might be
in your eyes, it will make for one of
the nicest-looking tracks you’ve ever
ridden. I would recommend this to
family and friends.
9000 9001