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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This week we are chatting with competitive cyclist Hannah Otto about her film "Kokopelli Strong" documenting her quest to set the FKT on the Kokopelli Trail!!

Hannah has been an elite athlete since she was 9 years old, has competed in major cycling races all over the world, and recently stepped up to the challenge of riding the Kokopelli Trail as fast as possible.

The film is a wonderful story, documenting the ups and downs, successes and failures of a very driven person trying to do something incredibly difficult. It's a beautiful example of failure being the foundation from which you succeed.

The Kokopelli Trail is my favorite place on earth and has changed me at a deeply personal level so I was very excited to geek out about this place with someone who understands the power this place holds!

I truly hope you enjoy the episode and encourage you to check out Hannah's Film "Kokopelli Strong"!!

Photo credit: Marcus Gracia

MORE FROM HANNAH:

"Kokopelli Strong": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sq-kcxMBrVA

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehannahotto/

#390: Hannah Otto -- "Kokopelli Strong", Setting the FKT on the Kokopelli Trail!!

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

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

In this episode, host Zach Urness talks with outdoor intern Emma Logan about the best mountain bike destinations across Oregon. 

The two break down the best spots to ride near Mount Hood, on the Oregon Coast and in central, southwest and eastern Oregon. The destinations range from smaller trail systems new to the scene to internationally recognized trails in Oakridge. 

Urness and Logan discuss their favorite trails, what make those areas unique and how mountain bike trails have changed over the years.

Oregon's 25 best mountain biking trails and trail systems

Join us for night marathon mountain bike racing! We start at 108 degrees and finish 6 hours later near midnight.  A true first time experience.
Shownotes:
00:00 Describing race, leaving the pool, injury pains.
There's videos up on youtube!
5:00 Race results.
Kai hit his head on a tree trunk on the first lap and might have had a concussion.
108 degrees at the start!
Garmin "crash alerts" for the both of us. Twice.
9:00 Why I race MTB with flat pedals... and do great!
12:00 Bike repairs on gravel bike and also on MTB before the race.
17:00 Electronic shifting battery failure right before the race.
Aid station setup and riding through a barn every loop.
21:00 Fueling and hydration strategy.
Why you should support the show at Patreon.com/zentri (it's for the tips!)
Kai won fastest 3rd lap Preem... but didn't due to a technicality.
29:00 The bikes we raced and why.
32:00 Training leading up to the race.
I haven't ridden my mountain bike for 7 months until race day and still got 18th place.
36:00 Getting and testing our lights for riding at night.
40:00 Keeping yourself busy during tapering by working on race details.
42:00 Describing the race lap by lap.
48:00 My big mistake - Not enough water on lap 2.
51:30 Riding at sunset is AMAZING.
55:00 The Big Wreck.
1:05 "Now it's a race."
1:08 Do I do 6 laps or 7?
1:11 Heading out to video the last lap.
1:18 Out for a run with River in the heat.
Injuries update, swimming with separated rib hurts!
1:20:30 Moment of Zen - Nothing is the full story at first.
The Tao de Ching and everything has flow.
What is the purpose of learning Philosophy.
Letting things unfold naturally.  One tree's opinion is not the forest.
1:30:30 Back to the race and results.
Upcoming races and wrap up.

Zen and the Art of Endurance

ZenEndurance 714 - Night Mountain Bike Racing

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

The MBR Show - Are Premium Analogue Bikes Dead?

Mountain Biking from album Beyond Limits. The album contains fiver tracks and this is one of them. 

Beyond Limits

Mountain Biking

mountain biking

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

Interviews with incredible people about Adventure, Motivation, Mindset, Positivity, Endurance, Health, Perseverance, and Possibility

Everything to know about exploring Oregon's best outdoor destinations from the Statesman Journal including where to camp, hike, bike and more.

Author of 96 books 📚 lyricist & music composer 🎶Filmmaker 🎥 at Golden Way Media Films🌐Engineer 🌱Animal Lover🐾Photographer📷Books in the link below ⬇️

New tracks tagged #mountain biking