In this month's action-packed MBUK we see how many jumps we can send in one day, packraft through France's Grand Canyon in search of singletrack, hit Gloucestershire's 417 Bike Park and ride a lesser-known part of the Lakes.
We've got tests of UK hardtails, men's and women's saddles, and mini pumps. Plus we explain how to avoid injury, and heal quicker if it does happen.
All this, and we find out what life's like for a female XC racer in Iran, ride new bikes from Santa Cruz, Nukeproof and Bombtrack, and show you how to service pedals. Plus, don't miss your free MBUK mudguard – free with every print copy of the mag. Grab yours now!
Air miles
Armed with a selection of bikes, a camper van, a GPS and an insatiable appetite for airtime, our staff writer Will Soffe and freerider Joel Anderson set out on a mission through South Wales to find out how many jumps it’s possible to hit in a single day.
Flow trail
MTB adventurer and photographer Dan Milner heads out on a packrafting mission deep into Les Gorges du Tarn, France’s own Grand Canyon, to discover a hair-raising mix of white-knuckle singletrack and whitewater rapids.
Lifting the veil
The secretive country of Iran isn't the first place you'd think of as a mountain bike destination, but that's exactly where we meet Faranak Partoazar, the country's first female XC racer to emerge onto the global scene. Faranak reveals her podium dreams and tells us about the struggles she’s faced to get this far.
Hard-hitting hardtails
Full-suspension bikes may rule the roost when it comes to comfort and control, but for the sheer grin factor you can't beat a hardtail. For this issue's biketest we've selected four hardtail frames in the £500-600 range and built them into complete machines for a total cost of around two grand per bike. Which of these rigid beasts are modern classics, and which are has-beens?
Saddles on test
A good perch is an absolute essential. We put a selection of the best men's, women's and unisex saddles through the wringer to see which will leave you sitting comfortably. Check it out – your bum will thank you!
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 new bikes from Norco, Orange and Pivot, along with pages of product reviews that include Hope's XCR Pro X2 brakes.
Free gift
Every copy of the print mag comes with a free MBUK mudguard. With summer sadly drawing to a close, the trails will start getting sloppier and you can mitigate the worst of the splashback with this handy gift!
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