In this month's MBUK we learn how World Champ Reece Wilson's mastery of Scottish mud pushed him to the podium, follow Scotty Laughland on his quests for Cairngorms gold and share top tips from Joe Barnes for making the most of a wet winter.
We also bring you the lowdown on three of Britain's blingest boutique bikes in Biketest, review the best baselayers and goggles, and all the latest gear in Wrecked and Rated.
Roots to success
In just three short years, Scottish welder Reece Wilson rose through the ranks to grab the gold at the Downhill World Champs. Reece tells Ed Thomsett the whole story – and how familiarity with British slop helped him get there.
Cairngorms gold
Scotty Laughland takes us along for a truly epic ride – an overnight adventure through the Scottish Cairngorms, on the hunt for some of the greatest singletrack trails in the British Isles. Even the weather was alright!
How to love riding in the wet
We've all looked out of the window, seen the weather outside and thought, "not today." But EWS racer and Fort William local Joe Barnes disagrees. He says that some of the best times he's ever had on a bike have been in soaking slop, and he takes us through the essential tips on bike set-up and riding technique to make a wintry mission one to embrace.
Boutique trail bikes
Boutique bike brands can often develop machines that are ahead of the curve. With smaller production runs and a more experimental approach to design, if you look to the little guy you can sometimes find a truly special steed. We take three such independent trail bikes for a head-to-head spin to see whether they can stand up to their big brothers.
The best tech trails
For a very special Trail Crew this issue, we take you to not one, but five venues. In this whistle-stop tour, we share some of the UK's best manmade (and legal) trails that are purpose-built to put you and your bike through their paces.
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. There are brand new bikes from Canyon, Nukeproof, Marin and Pivot, along with pages of product reviews that include our baselayers grouptest.
Free gift – Mint Sauce neck tube
Show your appreciation for the legendary mountain biking sheep with this official Mint Sauce neck tube! It's a tube of many uses: face mask, skull cap, neck scarf, headband – you name it – and it's free this issue!
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