Mountain Biking UK November 2021

Our last issue was all about celebrating heroes of the sport, many of them top racers or freeriders, who – after years of hard graft – are now lucky enough to get free bikes and kit, mechanics to look after their gear and professional coaches to get them riding at their best. Sadly, the rest of us aren’t so lucky! So, this month, we’re looking at ways you can get better on a bike, fitter and faster without spending a single penny. We’re also keeping limited budgets in mind with our £1,800 biketest – yes, it’s still a lot of money, but you’re not going to get a decent full-suspension trail bike for much less, unless you buy second-hand. For me, one of the key points in our ‘Get faster for…

BRETT TIPPIE FREERIDE PIONEER Malcolm Mclaws sits down with The Tip for the full tale of his rise to fame, descent into addiction and how MTBing helped put him back on the straight and narrow (p59) RYAN CREARY PHOTOGRAPHER Lured to Iceland by the images on his Instagram feed, Ryan discovers a riding destination that’s even more incredible than it looks in the photos (p67) SARAH GAMSJAEGER MBUK TESTER Ski racer turned enduro ace Sarah is an integral part of our test team – head to p82 for the latest on her Vitus Sommet long-term bike ALEX EVANS BIKERADAR TECH EDITOR Sharing tests with our sister title, we’ve been able to call upon the services of notorious kit-wrecker Alex to put lights and sub-£2k bikes through the wringer…

JAMES COSTLEY-WHITE EDITOR Suppress those memories of steep-angled ’90s bikes trying to kill you and weight the front wheel more! JAMES BLACKWELL ART EDITOR Look ahead. Always look way down the trail, and before you know it you’ve cleared that section. CHRIS BARNARD PRODUCTION EDITOR Loosen up your body and let the bike do the work – that’s how man and machine become one! JULIA BROUSSIER DESIGNER Confidence comes with experience. Session key sections to overcome whatever holds you back. WILL SOFFE STAFF WRITER Slow in, fast out – be patient, set up, brake before the turn and roll through the corner.…

RED BULL RAMPAGE TWENTY YEARS OF SENDING IT! As we went to press, things were just starting to heat up on the fearsome slopes of the Utah desert as competitors prepared their lines, bodies and minds for the biggest big-mountain freeride comp of the year – Red Bull Rampage! Since the event debuted in 2001, it’s become infamous for its massive drops, crazy tricks and death-defying lines. Last year’s event was cancelled, so there was double the hype and excitement this time round. By the time you read this, the dust will (hopefully) have settled on another epic event. We’re gutted that top British hope Brendan Fairclough had to pull out, still recovering from his crash at the Lenzerheide Downhill World Cup, especially as ‘Brendog’ had his best ever finish in 2019, with fourth…

Swiss adventure rider Alban Aubert had a simple aim – to summit the highest mountain possible on his e-bike. However, things didn’t quite go to plan. This is his story… BEST-LAID PLANS “After detailed research into suitable peaks, I decided on the 6,012m Laguna Blanca in Argentina – a little-known volcano that was only climbed on foot for the first time in 2000. A long flight later, I reached Buenos Aires raring to go – only to find that the battery I’d arranged for my e-bike (you’re not allowed to fly with them) hadn’t been delivered, despite weeks of preparation. What a disappointment! This meant I’d have no chance of riding all the way to the top. But there was no turning back now, and at least my Merida wouldn’t be so…

I never thought I’d end up battling it out against nine-time world champ Nino Schurter! But after my first ride on Specialized’s Turbo Kenevo e-bike, I was hooked. Soon, I created my own challenge – ‘Keneveresting’, doing as many laps of Switzerland’s longest DH track as possible – and raised €5,000 for Pump for Peace, which facilitates the construction of Velosolutions pump tracks in developing countries. But I couldn’t leave it like that! Once a racer, always a racer, so I needed someone to compete against. Why not the most successful XC racer ever, who also happens to be a fast downhiller! From the moment Nino agreed, my life changed back to that of a pro athlete. Facing 25 laps of the Lenzerheide World Cup track, with a climb of 10,000m…