This month, catch a glimpse of next year’s hottest products with our round-up from Eurobike and beyond, read about Ben Cathro and his change from racer to YouTube favourite, and see how a rugby star fares in the world of XC stage racing.
Four downhill bikes that tear up the trails but won’t burn a hole in your pocket feature in our biketest, and there’s advice on how to give DH racing a go too. We’ve got first rides of a Ragley hardtail, Intense trail bike and Evil park bike, plus we review 14 sets of enduro wheels in this month’s grouptest.
On top of all that, we tackle a wild ride in the Scottish Highlands and some perfectly-sculpted berms in Hampshire. Plus, there are loads more product reviews, how-to guides and inspiring stories.
2020 Vision
From the vast halls of the Eurobike trade show and this summer’s press launches, we bring you 20 of the hottest products to look forward to in 2020. From bikes with mixed wheel sizes to a revolutionary new way to change gear, there’s kit, tech and bikes galore.
Game Changer
Ex-England rugby star Sophie Halhead has swapped to cleats of a different nature. Follow her story as she tackles Italy’s epic stage race, the Appenninica.
We follow Sophie Halhead’s conversion from pro rugby player to XC racer, against the backdrop of the Italian mountains. Photo: Alberto Martinelli
Laggan ‘wild wolf’
This month’s Big Ride takes in the wilds of the Scottish Highlands on the western edge of the Cairngorms National Park. Mixing the Laggan Wolftrax trail centre with some remote and natural paths, it gives a real sense of adventure not far from the trodden path.
There’s not only beautiful scenery in the Cairngorms but even better riding to be found. Photo: Russell Burton
Sending it on a shoestring
This month’s biketest is of four downhill bikes with podium potential that won’t break the bank. Will it be Canyon, Nukeproof, Saracen or Vitus that takes top honours?
The bikes on test from Canyon, Vitus, Saracen and Nukeproof are all capable DH machines, but which is our top pick? Photo: Steve Behr
Enduro wheels
This month we test the myth that more expensive hoops will transform your bike by putting 14 sets of enduro wheels through their paces. We’ve got alloy and carbon options, ranging in price from £345 to £2,150, so grab a copy to see how well budget offerings stack up against their more expensive counterparts.
We put 14 enduro wheels to the test, from lower-priced aluminium models to top-spec carbon options, to see whether you do get what you pay for. Photo: Georgina Hinton
Cathro’s Vision
Get an insight into the man who brings you some of the best insights from the Downhill World Cup. Ben Cathro, the former downhill racer, speaks to us about how he started making videos, his coaching company and how he still has an itch to race.
Ben Cathro is the man behind CathroVision, the YouTube channel that gives you the lowdown on the pros’ line choices and more. Photo: Sven Martin
Free gift
This month you’ll find our comprehensive 2019 E-bike Guide, providing you with all the essentials on how to give your riding a boost. Find advice on which e-bike to buy and how to get the most from them, and learn about the latest tech.
Get all the latest information on e-bikes, plus how-tos and reviews – it may be the advice you need to give your riding a little boost
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Authors
Luke Marshall is a technical writer for BikeRadar and MBUK magazine. He's been working for both titles since 2018 and has over 20 years of mountain biking experience. Luke is a gravity-focused rider with a history of racing downhill, previously competing in the UCI Downhill World Cup. Educated to a degree level in engineering and with a penchant for full-throttle speed, Luke is more than qualified to put every bike and product through its paces to bring you informative and independent reviews. You'll most likely find him on a trail, enduro or downhill bike riding the off-piste tracks around south Wales and the south west of England. He often makes an appearance on BikeRadar's podcast and YouTube channel.
