Mountain Bike Rider Podcast

About Mountain Bike Rider Podcast

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 (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

Publisher

Mountain Bike Rider Podcast

Category

sports

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

21 Jun 2024

Latest episode

10 Feb 2025

Latest episodes

14 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   10 Feb 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 (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

2. 

   3 Feb 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 (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

3. 

   9 Dec 2024

   The 15 hottest Mountain Bikes for 2025!

   Mountain bike industry experts Danny Milner and Alan Muldoon reveal their top picks for the 15 hottest mountain bikes of 2025, featuring top brands like Amflow, Nicolai, and Trek.

4. 

   28 Oct 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 (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 (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 (https://www.mbr.co.uk/news/dji-powered-amflow-bikes-announces-markets-prices-demo-stock-uk-441359) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

5. 

   28 Oct 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-review (https://www.mbr.co.uk/reviews/electric-bikes/santa-cruz-vala-ebike-first-ride-review) https://www.mbr.co.uk/reviews/motor/bosch-performance-cx-gen-5-motor-first-ride-review (https://www.mbr.co.uk/reviews/motor/bosch-performance-cx-gen-5-motor-first-ride-review) https://www.mbr.co.uk/news/pivot-phoenix-downhill-bike-highpivot-idler-mx-carbon-news-2025-441798 (https://www.mbr.co.uk/news/pivot-phoenix-downhill-bike-highpivot-idler-mx-carbon-news-2025-441798) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

6. 

   18 Sept 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-440148 Also 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-440607 Finally 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

7. 

   16 Aug 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.

8. 

   5 Aug 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-439521 ZF 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-439732 We 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-439833 We 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-review Finally, 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-review Time stamps: 0:30 DJI motor/Amflow bike 5:50 ZF motor 9:09 Secret new Bosch motor 12:36 Specialized Stumpjumper 15 17:11 YT Decoy SN

9. 

   21 Jun 2024

   MBR Show - Car Brands Making Bikes; weird and wonderful designs!

   With a crazy looking integrated handlebar display, rhino-neck head tube, and massive power, the new McLaren e-bike is a wild machine! But the British supercar manufacturer and F1 team is not the only car brand to produce a weird and wonderful MTB over the years. We run through some of the most interesting models, from a Lamborghini e-bike with single-sided chainstay, to a carbon Lotus with links to a cold war missile manufacturer, via models from Porsche and Polestar. https://www.mbr.co.uk/news/mclaren-mi... RockShox has just released it's new Charger 3.1 damper for Zeb, Lyrik, and Pike forks, so we take a look under the hood to see what's changed, and how to get your fork up to 2025 spec. We also look at RockShox's new shocks, a clever new air can, and the updated Trailhead suspension tuning app. https://www.mbr.co.uk/news/rockshox-l... Tweakers everywhere will love the new Geometron G1. With a gazillion different geometry, travel, and wheel-size settings to choose from, this radical new enduro bike takes adjustability to the next level. We run through how it lets you achieve all the permutations, and why this keeps the brand firmly at the cutting edge. https://www.mbr.co.uk/news/geometron-... Finally we take a look at the surprising entry of Lidl into the e-bike market. And yes, we completely screwed up by saying it was Aldi all the way through, when it is, in fact Lidl. Anyway, this bargain e-bike costs under £2,500, yet comes with a Brose motor, internal battery, RockShox suspension, and a SRAM drivetrain. Check it out, along with all the other bits, in the latest MBR Show. https://www.mbr.co.uk/news/bread-milk... Time stamps: 0:32 Car brands that have made mountain bikes 7:16 New RockShox suspension 12:08 Geometron G1 17:33 Lidl e-bike

10. 

    21 Jun 2024

    MBR Show - Scott's complex new Ransom and Pivot's latest Switchblade discussed

    In this episode we take a closer look at the new Scott Ransom and the new Pivot Switchblade. The Pivot is a mild tweak of the old Switchblade trail bike, with a subtly slacker head angle, steeper seat angle, and smidge longer reach. And Pivot has shunned internal storage to keep the weight down and the proportions in tact. So has it done enough or played it too safe? By contrast, Scott has pushed the boat out with the new Ransom enduro bike. There's an internal shock hidden in the frame, internal tool storage, and a six-bar linkage. Concealed cables, geometry adjust headset cups and a remote progression and travel switch makes this one complex enduro bike. Find out if all these features make it a winner on the trails. We also take a quick look at some of the other stories that have got our attention recently, including Focus's lightweight Vam2 e-bike and Formula's 10-year spares pledge on forks, brakes, and shocks. 00:00 - Intro 00:23 - Focus Vam2 01:49 - Trail centre under threat 03:10 - Formula 10-year parts pledge 04:18 - New Pivot Switchblade 10:08 - New Scott Ransom

11. 

    21 Jun 2024

    MBR Show - New Merida e-bike gets massive battery!

    This time on the MBR Show we've been riding the latest new bikes from Merida and Norco, as well as revealing what caught our eyes at the UK's Core Bike Show. 00:00 - Intro 00:18 - Norco Optic and Sight 08:24 - Core Bike Show highlights – Michelin and RRP 11:25 - Merida eOne-Sixty @MERIDABIKES-INT has just launched the new eOne-Sixty e-bike range, with a split down the middle that aims to appeal to two different customers. Somewhere along the line the message has got lost in translation however, with the heavier, long-range platform being given the name 'Lite', and the slimmed-down, agile carbon bike being called the CF. And that's not the only head scratcher. Despite being called eOne-Sixty, the bikes have 174mm of travel. Danny and Alan unravel the confusion and give their early ride impressions, which, once you get passed the muddled names, are really positive. https://www.mbr.co.uk/reviews/electric-bikes/merida-eone-sixty-875-2024-e-bike-review In the other big launch news, @NorcoBicyclesOfficial has released new high-pivot versions of the Sight and Optic trail bikes. With the Optic being the shortest travel high-pivot idler bike so far. Or is it? Jamie has been riding the Optic and trying to work out whether there's sufficient pay-off in suspension performance and ride quality to offset the extra weight, drag, and complication. All big potential drawbacks for a bike in a category that's all about minimalism and efficiency. https://www.mbr.co.uk/reviews/120mm-140mm-full-sus/norcos-new-optic-gets-a-high-pivot-idler-125mm-travel-and-some-of-the-biggest-sizing-weve-seen We've also been to the UK's Core Bike Show, where most of the major brands and distributors show up to talk to media and dealers and display their latest tech kit. Some new bits that stood out to us were the new, reduced-drag @MichelinGlobal tyres, and RRP's new bolt-on mudguard. https://www.mbr.co.uk/news/the-16-most-important-new-products-ive-seen-this-week-from-next-gen-michelin-wild-enduro-tyres-to-mtbs-longest-mudguard-436285

12. 

    21 Jun 2024

    MBR Show - Motorcycle Brands making E-bikes. Good or bad?

    Welcome to the MBR show, where we scrutinise the latest bikes, critique the newest hardware and discuss the hottest topics in mountain biking. This month we’re going to look at the influx of motorcycle brands into the e-bike market. We’ll discuss the news that Orange Bikes has gone into administration. And Jamie is going to give us a run down of the latest Production Privee Shan. We've also got an important update on the SRAM T-Type review video we published a couple of weeks ago. And further news on the cutting out issue we experienced on our Canyon Strive:ON test bike with the Bosch Performance CX motor. SRAM got in touch with us to say that, after watching our video, it is going to make available a T-Type replacement cage assembly, without clutch, to fit XX1, XX, X0, and GX, for just £28 (€31/$29USD), instead of the current cost of over £120 for GX and over £180 for XX. 00:00 - Intro 00:26 - SRAM T-Type cage repair update 03:06 - Motorcycle brands making e-mtbs 11:16 - Production Privee Shan 16:17 - Orange Bikes in administration 18:33 - Bosch battery/Canyon Strive:ON update 21:54 - Outro

13. 

    21 Jun 2024

    MBR Show - Gold Fox Forks – is there anything new in mountain biking?

    In the run up to Sea Otter we've seen a glut of new kit hit the market, from Fox's glittering new gold lowers, updated dampers, and reverse arch XC forks, to Rocky Mountain's new Altitude enduro bike and Norco's new high-pivot e-bikes. But lots of these 'new' products take ideas and inspiration from old kit. Yep, gold forks, reverse arches, BB-centric virtual pivot suspension designs and high-pivot e-bikes have all been done before. Many protected by patents that have expired recently. We dig into a few of these retro-tech designs in our latest show, along with first ride impressions on the new Mondraker Dune XR mid-power e-bike and Forbidden Dreadnought V2 enduro bike. For more info on the content covered, check out the following links: Mondraker Dune https://www.mbr.co.uk/reviews/electric-bikes/mondraker-dune-xr-e-bike-first-ride-review Forbidden Druid https://www.mbr.co.uk/reviews/29er-full-sus/first-ride-review-forbidden-dreadnought-v2 Fox forks: https://www.mbr.co.uk/news/special-podium-gold-fork-finish-celebrates-50-years-of-fox-suspension-437280 https://www.mbr.co.uk/news/product_news/rearward-arch-saves-weight-adds-stiffness-and-gives-the-latest-fox-32-step-cast-xc-fork-a-retro-look-437282 https://www.mbr.co.uk/news/fox-launches-new-generation-of-grip-dampers-boasting-more-support-without-the-harshness-437278 Rocky Mountain Altitude: https://www.mbr.co.uk/news/rocky-mountains-latest-altitude-enduro-bike-gets-a-virtual-pivot-makeover-and-ends-up-looking-a-lot-like-an-intense-tracer-437407 Norco Range and Sight VLT: https://www.mbr.co.uk/news/norcos-new-range-vlt-and-sight-vlt-e-bikes-use-a-high-pivot-idler-design-powered-by-the-bosch-cx-motor-437285

14. 

    21 Jun 2024

    MBR Show - Scott's latest Voltage gets a hidden motor and shock!

    In this episode of the MBR Show we cover Canyon’s updated Spectral, SRAM’s latest Maven brakes, and Scott’s resurrected Voltage. Canyon has thrown everything bar the kitchen sink at the new Spectral trail bike. It now comes with internal storage, the controversial KIS steering stabiliser as standard, and comprehensive geometry adjustment similar to what Specialized introduced on the new Turbo Levo SL. There's also some cool tool holders you can 3D print yourself at home. Scott's Voltage used to be a freeride bike, then a dirt jump hardtail, and now it's found its true calling – a mid-power e-bike with a TQ motor and 155mm of travel. Of course it gets Scott's hidden shock frame design, and TracLoc remote travel and geometry adjust. Lots of bells and whistles then, but does it perform on the trails? Best-known for using DOT fluid in its brakes, SRAM's latest Maven follows the entry-level DB8 by making the switch to mineral oil in search of better long-term consistency and longer service intervals. It's also the most powerful brake SRAM has built, with a claimed 50% more power than Code, and 30% less effort needed to access that power. So do those impressive numbers stack up in the real world? Danny and Alan also reveal their thoughts on these new bikes and products, as well looking at the news in brief, including an innovative new hub from KOM Bikes, and a hybrid tubeless valve from E*Thirteen. 00:00 - Intro 00:24 - News in brief 00:30 - KOM hub 02:36 - E*Thirteen tubeless valves 03:44 - New Scott Voltage 14:08 - New Canyon Spectral 22:41 - New SRAM Maven brakes

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