In MBUK issue 414, learn how to ride on the limit… and when to back off – top tips for progressing your riding.
Plus, our testers pit a beefed-up XC racer and short-travel trail bike head to head in the ultimate downcountry duel, and reveal the best waterproof jackets and helmet lights.
It’s old-skool vs nu-school over the massive Dirt Wars jumps, and time to pack your Speedos, for our top rides with a wild swim!
We meet the nutter who BASE jumped off Snowden with his bike, catch up with the GT Viris team, hit Friston Forest with the Deakinator, Tom Cardy and more, and explore a wilder side to Torridon.
All this, plus a double-sided poster featuring an exclusive Jo Burt bike festival design – spot Mint Sauce – and some steezy action from Brandon Semenuk and Kade Edwards. Grab your copy now!
How to ride on the limit
Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone is the key to progressing your skills on the bike, but what's the best way to get yourself there, and how far should you go? MBUK and Bike Radar technical writer Luke Marshall takes you through some key practices and considerations for setting yourself up at your own limits – and pushing them.
Downcountry duel
In this head-to-head biketest, we've taken two contemporary short-travel machines that fall squarely into the 'downcountry' category – attempting to combine the strengths of downhill and XC bikes – and pitted them against each other to see which is the fastest and most fun.
Waterproof jackets on test
The long nights are closing in, the chilly winds are picking up and those classic autumn showers could hit at any time. A breathable yet protective waterproof is your best friend at this time of year, and we've taken a dirty dozen of this year's newest styles out on the trails to find which is most deserving of your hard-earned.
Because it's there
Join James Vincent and his crew on a ridgetop mission at Torridon in Scotland. With gruelling climbs, battering winds and knife-edge drops, this adventure pushes the limits of what can be done on a mountain bike in this country.
Let battle commence!
Old school versus new school – who is best? We checked out the serious competition on display at this summer's Malverns Classic MTB festival. Don't miss our report on the past and future of dirt jumping!
Team idols
We go behind the scenes to learn the latest reports of the year from the MBUK-backed GT Viris Youth team. The riders themselves and the team's owner give us individual accounts of the thrills and spills of their progress in 2022.
And that's not all…
This issue of MBUK is jam-packed with all the latest and greatest bikes, product reviews and news stories from the mountain biking world. We've got new bikes and kit from Whyte, Bosch, Cannondale and Ibis, along with pages of product reviews that include DT Swiss's HX 1700 Spline 30 wheels. Plus, check out our Trail Crew report from Friston Forest in East Sussex, and a wild swim mission in the Lakes in Big Ride.
Free gift
Every print copy of MBUK 414 comes with a free double-sided wall poster. One side features an exclusive festival scene illustrated by Mint Sauce creator Jo Burt, and the other has some some steezy action from Brandon Semenuk and Kade Edwards. Perfect for improving your home decor as you wait out the autumn downpours!
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