Your mail, photos, ideas and rants
Write to: MBUK Send it! Eagle House, Bristol, BS1 4ST
Email: mbuk@ourmedia.co.uk Visit: www.mbuk.com
STAR LETTER
Life is mint
I’ve been addicted to mountain biking since the ’90s. Like many kids of the time, I counted down the days until the next issue of MBUK dropped at my local newsagent, then relished seeing what new bikes were coming out and what crazy things my hero Martyn Ashton had been throwing himself off. I was inspired more and more to get out and try new things, but, perhaps more importantly, to perfectly replicate the latest Mint Sauce comic strip on every available surface – much to the dismay of my parents and teachers!
As I became an adult and unknowingly moved away from biking and Mint, I forgot what fun like that even felt like. Then, I found myself getting back into MTBing and seeing my beloved sheep waiting there in the mag. Like summer, I knew he’d come back! Who’d have guessed that a cartoon sheep could bring back so many awesome and inspiring memories? There’s no better way to remind myself to stay young and keep in touch with fun than a Mint tribute tattoo. I hope you like it and that it gets [Mint Sauce creator] Jo Burt’s approval!
That’s one amazing tattoo, Gary!
We absolutely love it, and have passed your photos on to Jo, too. Of course, as our longest-serving team member, Mint has been entertaining our readers for decades, but it’s a delight to see just how much he means to you. This neat selection of Lezyne kit should help you – and your woolly companion! – on your MTB adventures this summer.
SHOT OF THE MONTH
WINNER!
1. Shot of the Month Alfie Mitchell sent this cracker of him pulling a sweet whip on his e-bike
2. Luc Jarzynski bagged this stylish snap of his dad climbing by the Claerwen Dam in Mid Wales
3. Iain Goldie’s mate David McKinnon launches into the unknown in Scotland’s Kilpatrick Hills
4. Fourteen-year-old Tom Bennett’s dad Adey captured this amazing shot of Tom slaying his first descent of the Snowdon Ranger Path
INSTA-BANGERS
Tag your Instagram pics with #mbukletters. We’ll pick four each issue and our favourite will win a Lezyne Torque Drive, Lezyne Grip Drive HV & Lezyne Micro Floor Pump courtesy of www.upgradebikes.co.uk. Usual T&Cs apply.
WINNER!
@mrbridg81 caught this stunning light in the Peak District
@meandthebike exploring the Scottish Highlands
Smiles for miles with @bex_c_mtb at Cannock Chase, Staffordshire
@rockstarpaul striking a metal-as-hell victory pose in the Lake District
WINNER!
THAT’S GOTTA HURT
Scott Wells managed to open his elbow on a recent trip to Calpe, Spain. He tells us:
“I took my brand new Specialized S-Works Epic EVO with me to do some longdistance trail riding. On a steep, rocky descent in the hills behind Altea, I got shot over the bars by a rut. The front wheel went in one direction, me the other. I’d spotted the rut, but made the decision not to worry about it or try and hop it, thinking my new RockShox SID Ultimate fork would take care of it. How wrong I was!
“I landed on my left side, with my forearm taking a direct hit. Sliding on the rocky terrain, I ended up with a hole in my arm, exposing the bone, and a snapped-off brake lever. I’d broken all the rules and was out there on my own with no armour and no first aid. So, I wrapped my shirt around the wound and rode the remaining two hours back to our villa, with just the stub of the front brake getting me safely down 700m of descent!
“A trip to A&E ensued, where they cut out the ‘mutilated’ skin that couldn’t be stitched and pulled together the surrounding skin to cover the hole. The result was a kind of gruesome elbow tuck.”
