Hello
It’s finally starting to feel like summer is on its way. As I type this, the bluebells and wild garlic are all but gone, the sun is shining and the great outdoors is an altogether nicer place to be, no longer requiring swathes of clothing and a huge post-ride clean-up operation. It’s hard to beat the UK at this time of year, when the weather is (sometimes) balmy and the scenery beautiful.
There are still hazards lurking for unsuspecting MTBers, though – and I’m not talking sniper roots or blind drops. This issue, we take a look at the ways in which nature can bite back, from sunburn and hay fever to biting insects and even wild beast encounters! Follow our expert tips to avoid any issues and maximise your fun on the trails this summer.
Elsewhere, we’ve got a little bit of everything this month. We head down to Cornwall to catch up with backflip world record holder Tom Isted and find out more about his rise to the top. Plus, we bring you our annual Trail Directory, packed with every official riding spot this nation has to offer. All this, plus tests of cross-country bikes, knee pads and sports drinks, and much more besides. See you on the trails!
JAMES COSTLEY-WHITE, EDITOR
MOUNTAIN BIKING IS FOR EVERYONE
All of us who bring MBUK to life are committed to creating content that reflects and celebrates the diverse backgrounds and interests of our readers, and the MTB community as a whole. While we always strive to be inclusive, we need to do better and have begun work on a plan to drive meaningful change, but we know it’s a work in progress. We’d love to hear from you and are open to suggestions on how we can create positive change together. If you’ve got a story to share or would like to get involved, email us at mbuk@ourmedia.co.uk.
IN THE MAG THIS MONTH
VALENTINA HOLL
ALL-CONQUERING AUSTRIAN
We catch up with the 2023 downhill world champion and World Cup series winner to find out about her new team and bike, and what we can expect next
NICK CLARK
BIKERADAR DIGITAL WRITER
A new face on the MBUK test team, young Nick has a propensity for in-your-face riding pants and trail building.
This issue he tries out Mondraker’s new Dune
TOM ISTED
BADASS BACKFLIPPER
‘Ice-T’ shows us around his compound and favourite trails, and gives us the lowdown on 120ft backflips, £300 frames and sending huge jumps
SIOBHAN SLADE
MTB-LOVING SUB-EDITOR
It’s about time we gave a shout-out to Shim, who’s helped us out for years, including working on special projects such as this issue’s Trail Directory