Tabla de contenidos para May 2026 en Mountain Biking UK

I had the pleasure of attending the COREbike trade show last month, and was pleased to find the UK cycling industry in good spirits, after some tough years of trading. Even better, there was no mention of yet more new mountain bike ‘standards’ being launched! Hope had a lovely-looking new trail bike on display (turn to p21 for that, and p48 for more on the company’s carbon-fibre tech), and it was good to see Rocky Mountain Bicycles back on our shores, along with new arrivals such as Switzerland’s Cilo E-Bikes (p8) and BC-based Coast Optics. I also bumped into mountain biking legend, and friend of MBUK, Martyn Ashton, who was spreading the word about his RideableNow initiative – check it out on social media if you haven’t already. Our YouTube…

CILO TANAY HC1 £8,499 As accurate as a Swiss watch? E-bikes from Switzerland’s Cilo are now available in the UK for the first time. Interestingly, they all use Shimano’s EP8(01) motor, offering 85Nm of torque and 600W of peak power. The brand say they’ve opted for this over the more powerful DJI Avinox M1 or Bosch Performance Line CX because it has the least drag and most natural feel. Plus, by pairing it with Shimano’s latest drivetrains, they can offer riders Auto Shift and Free Shift (gear changes while coasting) capability. This is their ‘all-mountain’ model, available in carbon fibre (Tanay HC) or alloy (Tanay H). It rolls on 29in wheels, has 135mm of four-bar linkage rear-wheel travel and offers tons of standover room, thanks to the way the shock…

With no taping required, solid-bed rims are simple to set up tubeless, easy to clean and create a super-reliable seal with the tyre. The concept was introduced to mountain biking by Mavic, with their Fore technology. This was launched in 1999, alongside the pioneering Universal System Tubeless (UST) system (which featured a specific profile for the tyre and rim so they’d ‘lock’ together, developed jointly with Michelin and Hutchinson). Fore rims were guaranteed not to leak air through the spoke holes in the rim bed – because there weren’t any. Instead, the spokes screwed into a threaded ‘pocket’ built into one rim wall. This, in turn, meant no tubeless tape was needed to seal up the holes, saving a metre of non-reusable plastic per wheel, along with time and money.…

The Carve 1.0 is iXS’s new trail and all-mountain helmet, featuring the Swiss brand’s latest ‘Head-Guard’ technology, which is designed to better dissipate impact forces, while also strengthening the lid. This is paired with a Mips’ Air Node liner, intended to lessen rotational forces. With high levels of head coverage, the Carve 1.0 is built for rugged rides, and comes with a large, adjustable peak. Safety first A honeycomb cover extends across each of the two large top vents and prevents sticks from skewering your head. These exterior panels are part of the patent-pending Head-Guard system, and are joined to an internal skeleton that floats within the EPS (expanded polystyrene) foam liner, adding structure and strength, and helping to spread impact forces. Of course, the most important thing with any…

LOSING PRESSURE How often should I check the air pressure in my fork – every ride, week or at longer intervals? I know it’ll lose air over time, but how long should I wait between checks, and what’s a normal drop in pressure between rides? Sam Richards Your fork shouldn’t lose air at all. Unlike tyres, which naturally seep small amounts of air through their casings and valves, the air spring inside a suspension fork is designed to be a sealed system. Assuming everything is in good condition, the pressure should stay stable. Neil Cousins – media and sponsorship manager for Silverfish (UK distributors for Fox suspension), and a former TF Tuned suspension mechanic – says frequent checks aren’t necessary for most riders. “Every couple of months is plenty if…

REVAMPS FROM ROCKSHOX US brand update their enduro and trail suspension line-up 1 ROCKSHOX ZEB FORK Like the BoXXer downhill fork (covered last issue), the single-crown ZEB moves to RockShox’s new Linear XL Air spring, complete with the AirAnnex (a sticky-out bit on the lower legs, in front of the brake calliper) to smooth out its final ramp-up. It also gets the same breather holes in the stanchions, allowing lower-leg volume to increase as the fork compresses, as well as the ButterWagonTech divots below the wiper seal, which help to transport oil from the lowers up and over the bushings to keep things running smoothly. While volume spacers can still be used to tune the air spring, RockShox have also added Adjustable Bottom Out, which affects the last 7mm to…

Entry-level MTBs are often conservative in design, with long-in-the-tooth geometry and tyres that roll fast on tarmac but offer little in the way of off-road grip. But there are bikes that buck this trend, and the VooDoo Loco is one such example. Its frame shape wouldn’t be out of place in the hardtail category at an enduro race, while the brand’s product managers have clearly put trail performance front and centre, while sticking to a relatively affordable price point. The Loco follows the classic UK ‘hardcore hardtail’ playbook, with a mid-travel fork, chunky tyres and svelte steel tubes, while its ‘mullet’ (mixed size) wheel setup gives a nod to where the mountain bike scene is in 2026. All this results in a bike that’s almost as fast down a track…

When it comes to pedals, most mountain bikers fall into one of two camps – flats or clipless. While many love the freedom that flat pedals give, the rest of us like to feel locked and loaded, with our shoes firmly attached via a cleat. Within the clipless-pedal space, Shimano’s SPD system is the OG. It’s been around for decades now, with only minimal changes to the cleat and mechanism. Other systems exist, from the likes of Crankbrothers and Time, but many brands use SPD-compatible cleats with their own pedal systems, and it’s these that we’re testing here. With the exception of dirt jumpers, slopestyle riders and freeriders, clipless pedals are used by folk across the riding spectrum, and as such, there’s a wide range of styles on offer. Cross-country…

For many of us, cycling to and from work is the best opportunity to get a ride in during the week. With this in mind, many mountain bikers use this time to top up their fitness, so that they’re in top form when they hit the trails at the weekend. By mixing up the pace, effort and intensity, you can turn the ride to work into a great training session. We’re not suggesting you take risks on the road. But there are ways to use the stop-start nature of cycle commuting to your advantage. Here are some workouts you can try… 1 SPRINTS All-out sprint repetitions will help to increase your flat-out speed and muscular power. The difference between sprints and intervals (see overleaf) is in the length of recovery…

There are many developmental bikes on the World Cup circuit, but none stands out quite as much as Reece Wilson’s Gamux Sego. With its Pinion gearbox, Gates Carbon Drive belt and backwards stem, there’s little the Scottish rider isn’t willing to consider in the quest for speed. We caught up with him at home to learn more about this intriguing setup and to try to understand some of the logic behind it. BACKWARDS STEM Glancing over the frame, the first thing that stands out is Wilson’s unusual cockpit setup. His handlebar is clamped into a 25mm direct-mount stem that’s been flipped around and placed on spacer plates (4). Wilson says this gives -15º of reach, and is something his motocross background convinced him to try. The idea came to him…

French rider Cédric Gracia was one of the biggest characters in mountain biking in the 1990s and 2000s. The polar opposite of his seriously focused and calculated – and race-dominating – countryman Nicolas Vouilloz, CG was known for his flamboyant style on the track and his mischievous antics off it. We caught up with him for the MBUK Podcast to get the full lowdown on his action-packed career – and hear an entertaining anecdote or two! Born to ride Raised in Pau, on the northern edge of the Pyrenees, Cédric was soon racing BMX. “I did it because my parents said, ‘That kid needs to do something!’ I couldn’t stay still, I was really turbulent at home and I needed to exercise,” he explains. By the time he was 11…

Microshift’s Advent range has built a strong reputation around simplicity and durability. The original nine-(Advent) and 10-speed (Advent X) transmissions were aimed at everyday riders who prioritised reliable function over low weight or race-focused refinement. With 11-speed Advent MX, they’re extending their philosophy into aggressive trail and enduro riding, where people are pushing themselves in harder terrain. The brand describe Advent MX as a complete redesign of their MTB drivetrain architecture, in pursuit of a clear goal – to retain the strength and tolerance advantages of wider chain spacing while improving shift speed and engagement under load. They’re targeting riders who demand impressive shifting performance and reliability, rather than accepting a compromise between the two. Advent MX will compete with 1x12 mechanical drivetrains such as Shimano Deore/SLX, SRAM NX Eagle…

You may have been warned to “never jetwash your bike”, but at every race, you’ll see mechanics frantically spraying the bikes of pro riders. They wouldn’t be doing this if they thought it would damage expensive components, jeopardising their team’s chances. Simply put, it is safe to pressure-wash your bike, but like pro mechanics, you should follow some basic guidelines so as not to do any damage. 1 Before you turn the pressure washer on, remove anything you consider to be vulnerable from your bike. This might include a GPS unit, lights or frame-mounted tools or accessories – basically, anything you don’t want getting wet. If you have an e-bike and/or an electronic seatpost, gears or suspension, switch the power off and seal the charging port(s). Also, avoid washing the…