Best trails you need to try The Secrets of
Speed V O L U M E
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W I N T E R
S E A S O N
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Contents
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Contents This issues guide
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Bike Routes Trails you need to try
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Season Conditions What to expect
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Trail Maps Treat Yourself
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MBM News GOAT’s still got it
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MBM News Ridgeline Riders
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The Goods Latest Products
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Bike Routes Trails you need to try
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Wet Conditions Muddy rides are something you have to get used to in the winter. Wet feet, muddy bikes, cold fingers, that’s all to come. Make sure to take care of your bike.
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Winter Season Riding Make the Adjustments Your bike reacts completely different to wet ground. Make sure to adjust your set-up for these conditions.
In summer, going riding is easy. You grab your bike, throw on your helmet and gloves, and off you go. When you get home, it’s just a case of putting your sweaty clothes in the washing machine and stashing your bike in the shed. But what about when it’s 3°C outside and the trails are axle deep in mud? You’ve got to have preparation skills to stay warm, dry and stoked. But it’s worth it! The first thing to get right is your underwear. A decent base-layer will remain comfy even if you get sweaty or soggy, 3/4-length bib tights under your baggies will keep your muscles warm and waterproof socks will stop you getting trench foot when your shoes are waterlogged. If you run hot, go for knee warmers or knee pads rather than bibs. If you feel the cold, grab some full-length tights and layer up your torso. Next is your mid-layer. Unless it’s really cold, a standard riding jersey will do the job, ideally with long sleeves, so that your skin’s not in contact with your outer layer. Go for synthetic fabric or merino wool – cotton will just get wet and cold. Your outer shell needs to keep the elements from getting in and warmth from getting out. On cold but dry or drizzly days a lightweight wind-proof jacket will work well, but for really grim weather, go for a breathable waterproof jacket. Waterproof shorts are also a must when it’s soggy and cold, they’ll protect your backside from water and dirt flicked up by the rear tyre, keeping it warm and dry.
Be a kid again, Play in the Mud.
Your hands are one of the most exposed parts of your body. A good set of winter gloves will keep your fingers toasty when it’s cold. Just make sure you can still feel feedback from the bar. A neck tube is a good idea too when it’s really cold, to stop vital body heat escaping. Things like this make bigger differences than you would think.
A front mudguard is a must, even if you wear riding glasses or goggles. It’ll stop the spray and grime covering your bike, torso and face, looks cool too. The Fender offers the most protection, but the simple plastic cut-outs do a good job too. If it’s wet and sloppy, you’ll be riding slower and will need more grip on the wet ground. Letting some air out of your tyres and softening your suspension is an easy win. Mud and slop can form a grinding paste. Lubricate your bike’s chain and other moving parts to keep things running smoothly. During the winter rides you should make every effort to drink in small sips and at regular intervals. Dehydration can cause loss of focus, cramps and decreased performance. With respect to nutrition, the same rules apply as per usual, but you should consider an increase in calorie burn due to cold conditions, at breakfast you could prioritize foods high in fats and protein and, instead of bars, start carrying with you nuts, chocolate, etc. Winter rides offer a great chance to discover new places, spots that during the summer are too busy or we have ignored because bike parks were open. Regardless, even a ride in the local woods can offer a very different experience if it is done in muddy conditions or there is snow around. It is useful to consider the possibility of shortening the ride, make detours, or having to make some hike-a-bike. Pre-planning your ride is useful at all times; in winter, it is also important to have a plan B and perhaps a plan C. Getting changed immediately after the ride, possibly in a warm place or at least not outside, is also very important. This could mean the difference between getting sick or not, after your winter ride. 5
The GOAT’s Still Got It South Africa’s Greg Minnaar won the third round of the 2020 ICI Mountain Bike World Cup in Lousa, Portugal for his 22nd downhill World Cup victory. With the victory, the Santa Cruz Syndicate rider, who will turn 39 in November, became the oldest rider to win a World Cup race in the history of the sport. Minnaar was the fourth last rider to leave the start ramp and enjoyed a clean run to set the benchmark time of 3:55:239. Britain’s Matt Walker finished second, 1.833 seconds down, after losing time in the final two sectors. France’s Loic Bruni completed the podium, 1.960 seconds off the pace.
Greg Minnaar Lousa, Portugal 30/10/2020
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The
GOODS Fox Enduro D3O Knee Guards
POC Kortal Helmet
Price: £75 Rating:
Price: £180 Rating:
When you’re a mountain biker and you enjoy riding hard, falling off is just a part of life. However, with the Enduro D30 Knee Guards, you won’t end a ride with bloodied and bruised knees. The removable D30 polymer padding is soft and flexible in normal use and yet offers instantaneous absorption and dissipation of crash forces, far beyond that of ordinary foams. Not only that, a reinforced skid plate reduces friction in sliding crashes and durable Cordura fabric is used to ensure abrasion resistance. These MTB knee pads are built as tough as you are.
Complete protection for trail and enduro, the Kortal helmet provides lightweight, extended protection and a seamless fit with goggles. With extended protection zones and uninterrupted ventilation, you’ll find safety and comfort wherever you choose to ride, and however hard you push.
The D3O protection sits in a flexible, pre-curved sleeve, featuring a stretch mesh back to make them comfortable for a day of trail riding from sun-up to sundown. With their easy to slip on ergonomic fit, you can pedal at full speed on your bike without ever feeling restricted. Having comfort like this makes wearing knee pads a lot more appealing, helping you get into the habit of wearing them all the time. For what you get the £75 price tag seems reasonable as these will offer protection time and time again.
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Certified for use with e-bikes, the helmet passes the Dutch standard which tests helmets at higher impact speeds than for standard bicycle use. Currently, this is the only standard for e-bike helmets. In a crash, the patented breakaway peak will snap away from the helmet, helping to protect against neck injury. Ideal to pair with the Devour Sunglasses for trail riding or the Ora goggles for enduro so you can extend your protection and heighten your senses. The helmet peak raises high enough on the helmet for goggles to fit underneath while not in use, and no helmet vents are covered by the goggle strap. The price tag seems a lot at first, but you cant put a price on your safety and this is well worth the money.
CUBE Stereo 140 Price: £4,099 Rating: When you’re pushing your own limits, you need a bike that won’t let you down. The Stereo 140 HPC uncompromising build starts with cutting-edge Fox suspension technology. A Fox 36 Float Factory FIT GRIP2 fork and Float DPX2 Factory EVOL shock for unparalleled comfort and grip. Sram’s GX Eagle transmission and Carbon Eagle crank transfers your power to the trail, while powerful Magura hydraulic disc brakes and Schwalbe tyres ensure you’re always in
full control. And a Race Face Next handlebar, CUBE dropper post and Newmen Evolution wheelset are the finishing touches. The Stereo 140 HPC doesn’t just ride better than many bikes in its class, it’s also one of the most elegant frames ever made. Hidden pivots, a short rocker and internally routed cables all contribute to clean looks and great handling.
Muc-Off Jet Wash
Crankbrothers Multi-Tool
Price: £170 Rating:
Price: £40 Rating:
Introducing the World’s first pressure washer designed and built purely for cleaning both bicycles and motorcycles. The Muc-Off Pressure Washer includes all you need to get your bike back to that factory fresh look while also looking out for those delicate bearings, surfaces and suspension parts. A waterproof Dry Bag is also included, as well as a 1L bottle of Nano Tech Concentrate, Bike Protect and Microfibre Cloth.
The F15 multi-tool is a minimalist yet fully capable device ready for a variety of riding disciplines. It’s sleek magnetic case not only stores its contents compactly, but also serves as a handle for its 15 tools, including a chain breaker.
The one major turn off is the price, not only the initial price but what you have to continue to buy after each wash with there overpriced spesific foams.
It’s very hard to find something bad to find about this product. It’s compact, light weight, super helpful and well priced. Everyone needs this on there rides.
The tool case also comes equipped with a built in bottle opener for those post ride refreshments.
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Links Website: trailmaps.co.uk Instagram: @trailmaps.co.uk
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Artwork Mountain Bike Map of Britain (Top) Price: £34.95 The Build (Bottom) Price: £14.95
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Artwork For Riders, By Riders
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Mountain Biking in the Alps Price: £14.95
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Mountain Bike Magazine™
Designed By: Bill Smith Email: hollyhillbill@gmail.com
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