Issue number: 360
Date: September 2018
Rider: Luke Marshall
Bike: Specialized Turbo Kenevo Expert 6Fattie
Trail/location: Rabbit Run, Black Mountains Cycle Centre
Photographer: Steve Behr
This month marks a new chapter in MBUK's history – it's the first time we've ever run a photo of an electric bike on the cover. Yes, we can almost hear the cries of the e-bike haters from here, but don't worry, we're still very much a mountain bike magazine and won't be shifting our main focus from pedal power any time soon. What this cover does represent, though, is that – like them or not – e-bikes are a large and growing part of our sport now.
We chose to run an e-bike cover this issue because they're the subject of our monthly head-to-head biketest. Inside the mag, you'll find reviews of the Haibike XDURO AllMtn 9.0, Cannondale Moterra LT1, Specialized Turbo Kenevo Expert 6Fattie (as featured on the cover) and Mondraker E-Crafty XR+.
We wanted a photo that was quintessentially e-bike and captured the power of the motor, which is why we chose this shot of our staff writer, Luke, blasting out of a berm at Black Mountains Cycle Centre. Luke hit this corner a good 20 times for the lens of Steve Behr.
What you don't see is that he had to keep pumping up the Specialized's plus-size rear tyre in between each try, because earlier in the day he'd burped it getting the 24kg beast sideways over a tabletop for another cover option that didn't make the cut. Despite the tyre squirming – nearly to the point of rimming out mid turn – and Luke almost getting sent into a tree on the exit a few times, we reckon he and Steve nailed it.
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