Mountain Bike Rider Podcast – Between the Ferns

Mountain Bike Rider Podcast
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News and opinion from the world of mountain biking. A monthly show hosted by Danny Milner, Alan Muldoon, and Jamie Darlow from Mountain Bike Rider – the UK's original trail riding magazine established in 1997. #mtb #mtbtech #emtb #mountainbike Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 02/10/2025

    E-bike motor madness? Are we too obsessed by the motor?

    Everyone seems to be obsessed with motors at the moment. Power and torque numbers have become the new head angle and BB height, with everyone (us included) fixated on the headline stats. Yes, this has always been an important aspect of e-bikes, but since the introduction of the Amflow PL Carbon and the DJi Avinox motor, the arms race really seems to have ramped up, and we are all lapping it up.  But are we missing something? What about the rest of the bike? The geometry, the sizing, the frame design and material, and most importantly, the suspension – all of these aspects feed into the blender that gives the bike its handling qualities and ride performance. A poor bike design is not magically fixed by a class-leading motor.  So we discuss this topic, drawing on experiences with standout e-bikes we’ve tested in the past that didn’t have the hottest motor, as well as speculating about the remaining brands that have partnered with DJI to power their next gen e-bikes.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  2. 02/03/2025

    Is this the smartest marketing move in downhill racing?

    Gates has clicked its marketing into overdrive for 2025 with the rollover of the Belted Purse competition. This contest offers €100,000 to the first man or woman to win an Elite UDI World Cup Downhill race. Last year, a few riders tried their hand, but for 2025 the list of competitors making a play for the ultimate payday in mountain biking includes two former World Champions and a host of other talented riders. In the mix is Continental Atherton's Charlie Hatton, and fellow former World Champ Reece Wilson, on his newly-formed AON Racing team. But could we see Rachel Atherton lured out of retirement (again)? She's done it once, and that was without a big, fat, juicy carrot being dangled at the start line. Not forgetting Intense Factory Racing, with Joe Breedon and Mille Johnset on board, and MS Racing with Elenora Farina amongst the roster. And as an interesting aside, while MS Racing is on Zerode bikes this season, last year it was on Intense, and the US brand showed a Pinion/Gates prototype M1 downhill bike at Eurobike, at the exact same time Elenora made sense of the wild conditions in Les Gets to win her first World Cup. That win could have been all the sweeter if she'd been riding the Gates-equipped Intense. We also run through the pros and cons of this alternative drivetrain, and the reasons why a belt drive and gearbox might suit downhill racing even more than some other MTB disciplines. And we comb through the small print, to find a couple of interesting points about what happens if the men's and women's are won on Gates belts at the same round of the World Cup. This video was recorded before the official Gates press release came out, and some team announcements were made, so you'll have to forgive a few speculative inaccuracies, like Matt Walker joining AON Racing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  3. 12/09/2024

    The 15 hottest Mountain Bikes for 2025!

    2025 is fast approaching, and there's a deluge of bikes we're hyped to ride here at MBR. Actually, some of them we've already ridden, and some of them we're frothing to swing a leg over. So for this latest episode of the MBR Show, Danny Milner and Alan Muldoon run through their picks for 2025's hottest mountain bikes. And there's everything from bargain full-bouncers to lottery-win e-bikes, with the likes of Amflow, Nicolai, Calibre, Trek, Canyon, and Santa Cruz all featured. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  4. 10/28/2024

    Is technology making mountain biking too easy?

    On this episode of the MBR Show Alan and Jamie are debating the rise of electronics in mountain biking. Are they dumbing down the sport we love? Do we really need automatic shifting, electronic suspension, and ABS braking? Or are they adding unnecessary cost, complication, and a layer of interference that's undermining hard-won skills? This debate has been prompted in part by Danny riding the latest Bosch EASI shift system developed in partnership with TRP. As well as the latest ABS braking system. We're also seeing more of RockShox's Flight Attendant reactive suspension system, particularly in racing situations, where they have won World Cup and World Championship races. It's clear we'll be seeing more of these systems appear on the market. But as riders, do we really need them, or want them? Jamie has also been out riding the new Santa Cruz Hightower. Given the launch was in the high alpine, on the acclaimed trails of the Stone King Rally, he was glad of all the bike he could get. So the changes to shift the Hightower closer to the burly Megatower in terms of travel and attitude, were greatly appreciated. https://www.mbr.co.uk/reviews/full-suspension-bikes/santa-cruz-hightower-cc-xo-axs-rsv-enduro-bike-review Canyon has launched its second lightweight e-bike recently, and we've ridden it. Called the Spectral:ONFly, this is effectively Canyon's Spectral trail bike with the compact and lightweight TQ motor system. As our contributor Paul Burwell found out on the launch, this stealthy motor was a great choice for keeping the weight down and the noise low, and the bike handled like a dream, but the range from the small 360Wh battery was the big limiting factor. https://www.mbr.co.uk/reviews/mullet-mx/canyon-spectralonfly-ltd-e-bike-first-ride-review Finally we run through the pricing for the hotly anticipated Amflow PL Carbon e-bike with DJI Avinox motor. And while not cheap, this potentially game changing new bike is very competitively priced. We hope you enjoy the show, let us know in the comments what you think about electronic assistance in mountain biking, and check back soon for a first ride review of the Amflow PL Carbon Pro with DJI motor. https://www.mbr.co.uk/news/dji-powered-amflow-bikes-announces-markets-prices-demo-stock-uk-441359 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Is technology making mountain biking too easy?

  5. 10/28/2024

    The biggest U-turn in mountain biking, new Bosch CX motor, and Pivot's multi-chain downhill bike reduces friction

    In this episode of the MBR Show we reveal the biggest U-turn in mountain biking. Danny has been out to Bosch HQ to ride the latest Performance CX motor, and Pivot's new Phoenix downhill bike is discussed. Santa Cruz is no stranger to making huge U-turns. It said it would never make an e-bike, then it came out with the Heckler. And now, after nailing its colours to the VPP suspension mast, it has launched a bike with an FSR-style four-bar linkage. But this should come as no surprise. Earlier this year we made a video predicting that all e-bikes would end up looking the same. And in that video we specifically singled out the way Santa Cruz's VPP design restricted its ability to package the motor and optimise the weight distribution. And while Santa Cruz hasn't gone full Specialized with the new Vala (it's more Trek Rail than Turbo Levo) it's still a massive departure for the Californian brand. And ultimately we think it's a really good move. Not only because it means the bikes can be better, but because it shows Santa Cruz is not tied to a design just because of its history. In fact we think more brands should have the courage to stray our of their lanes and try new designs that work better for today's technology. The Vala itself is a cool looking bike, with a 160mm fork, 150mm rear travel, MX wheels and five frame sizes. It comes with the latest Bosch Performance CX motor with 85Nm of torque and 600W peak power, mated to the new, lightweight 600Wh battery. This is enclosed in the down tube and non-removable, but compatible with the PowerMore 250Wh range extender for longer rides. Which should mean you get the most agile bike possible for short laps, and only lug the extra weight around when you really need it. Further reading: https://www.mbr.co.uk/reviews/electric-bikes/santa-cruz-vala-ebike-first-ride-reviewhttps://www.mbr.co.uk/reviews/motor/bosch-performance-cx-gen-5-motor-first-ride-reviewhttps://www.mbr.co.uk/news/pivot-phoenix-downhill-bike-highpivot-idler-mx-carbon-news-2025-441798 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  6. 09/18/2024

    The MBR Show - Are Premium Analogue Bikes Dead?

    The question we’re posing on this month’s MBR Show is whether expensive analogue bikes are dead? This comes in the wake, if you’ll excuse the pun, of the Trek Slash+ launch. Effectively a Slash high-pivot enduro bike with a TQ motor and upgraded 580Wh battery, this new e-bike actually undercuts its analogue stablemate by a massive £750. So who on earth is going to buy the version without the motor and battery? While the Slash situation may be caused by over-optimistic pricing at its launch, and reflect the state of the market currently, other brands have been pondering this question for some years. When we attended the launch of the new Enduro in 2019, Specialized was wondering who would be buying these premium unassisted bikes in five years time. Fast forward to the present day and the Enduro is conspicuous by its absence on the Specialized UK website, with only a couple of old and discounted models listed in the US. As much as the big mainstream brands may be considering streamlining their analogue offerings, there will always be companies stepping into the breach. Brands like Arc8, Acto5, and Raaw to name but a few. Specialist models designed for racing will always have a place too, whether XC, DH, or Enduro, where chasing marginal gains means placing budgetary constraints to one side. So maybe the expensive analogue bike is not dead, but we’ll see the range of options shrink over the next few years. https://www.mbr.co.uk/news/trek-launches-new-electric-slash-enduro-bike-440148Also on the show we have a look at Schwalbe’s new radial tyre technology. Or is it? Maybe not as radial as the marketing headlines make out, nevertheless, the claims surrounding this new construction are impressive. And the fact that Amaury Pierron has ridden the tyres to a couple of dominant wins has helped build the hype. https://www.mbr.co.uk/news/why-schwalbes-new-albert-and-shredda-radial-tyres-could-change-everything-440607Finally we discuss the new Santa Cruz Bronson. A tweak here, a nip and tuck there, the new bike slides closer to the Nomad in character, while sacrificing some of its peppy, responsive nature. Guy Kesteven has been riding it for us, and we run through some of his feedback on the bike. But the real story here perhaps underlines our original argument – that high-end analogue bikes are on borrowed time, with innovation stalling and brands finding it harder and harder to persuade riders to upgrade to the latest model. https://www.mbr.co.uk/reviews/mullet-mx/santa-cruz-bronson-gen-5-xo-axs-rsv-first-ride-review Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    The MBR Show - Are Premium Analogue Bikes Dead?

  7. 08/16/2024

    MBR - Are Bike Brands Ripping Us Off? Charting bike prices over the last 30 years

    Bike prices have gone through the roof recently, with the most expensive models blowing a hole in the £10k ceiling, and accelerating towards the £15k mark in some cases. But is that really the case? Or are a few ultra high-end models grabbing the headlines and skewing the market? We trawled through nearly 30 years of archive magazines, fed the numbers through an inflation calculator, with the aim of introducing some objectivity in to what is an emotive subject. We look at a broad range of bikes, from e-bikes to analogue bikes, both high-end and entry-level. Discuss the impact of direct-sales disruptors on the market, and the arrival of the one percenters – a new breed of super consumer that many brands are now chasing.It's also impossible to ignore the development of bike technology, and how the bikes available now are leagues ahead of their predecessors. As well as external factors such as Brexit, and huge fluctuations in currency, raw material prices, and shipping. Even the scale of brands needs to be taken into account, with multiple models covering a wide remit of intended uses, along with parallel ranges of analogue and electric bikes. What do you think? Are bike brands ripping us off? Let us know in the comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  8. 08/05/2024

    Have DJI and ZF killed the mid-power e-bike? Game-changing e-bike tech launched | The MBR Show

    The big news this month is the arrival of drone giant DJI, and automotive behemoth ZF, into the e-bike market. DJI was the biggest surprise for most people, with not only a motor that (on paper) wipes the floor with most of the competition, but a whole new bike to mount it on. Yes, Amflow is effectively a DJI start-up brand solely created to bring this high-end motor to life. We discuss the potential of this system, ponder some of the possible weaknesses, and try to answer whether it's worth all the hype. https://www.mbr.co.uk/news/new-amflow-pl-carbon-electric-mountain-bike-with-dji-motor-439521ZF is a huge automotive brand supplying gearboxes, electronics and even complete electric drivetrains. And it has entered the e-bike market with an impressive looking motor, boasting lightweight, compact dimensions, and plenty of power. Will it be enough to put the frighteners on some more established motor brands? And will we see it appear on e-bikes from mainstream brands soon?https://www.mbr.co.uk/news/zfs-is-bringing-automotive-technology-to-the-e-bike-market-with-an-exciting-new-can-sized-motor-boasting-big-power-with-less-weight-439732We also speculate about what's new with Bosch's unreleased Gen 5 CX motor, spotted on numerous bikes at the recent Eurobike show. https://www.mbr.co.uk/news/spotted-boschs-new-performance-cx-motor-was-hiding-in-plain-sight-at-eurobike-439833We also take a look at the latest Specialized Stumpjumper 15. Alan has been to the launch of this significant new bike and dug deep into the details with the product manager and suspension engineer. We find out about the new Genie shock, and why it's such a clever bit of kit, as well as discover Alan's first ride impressions. For Alan's full first ride review, packed with insight, click the link below.https://www.mbr.co.uk/reviews/29er-full-suspension-bikes/specialized-stumpjumper-15-pro-carbon-trail-bike-reviewFinally, we find out more about YT's latest e-bike, the Decoy SN. Danny went to the launch for this, and goes through all the details, as well as revealing his pick of the new range, and why. To read more about his first ride impressions, click the link below.https://www.mbr.co.uk/reviews/electric-bikes/yt-decoy-sn-mx-core-4-cf-reviewTime stamps:0:30 DJI motor/Amflow bike5:50 ZF motor9:09 Secret new Bosch motor12:36 Specialized Stumpjumper 1517:11 YT Decoy SN Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Have DJI and ZF killed the mid-power e-bike? Game-changing e-bike tech launched | The MBR Show
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News and opinion from the world of mountain biking. A monthly show hosted by Danny Milner, Alan Muldoon, and Jamie Darlow from Mountain Bike Rider – the UK's original trail riding magazine established in 1997. #mtb #mtbtech #emtb #mountainbike Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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