Mountain Biking UK Magazine March 2018 Back Issue

This month we take a bit of a break from the UK and hit some great riding spots off the beaten track in our European Travel Special. There are many well-ridden and written-about trails in the Alps, so we figured we should head beyond the braking bumps of the Portes du Soleil in search of some new, less crowded adventures – and weren’t disappointed with what we found.
We had two very different ride experiences in the Tirol region, where western Austria meets northern Italy. One being all about sculpted berms and big jumps, the other offering a more natural trail experience, but both guaranteeing big grins the whole time in the saddle.
And for the full-on bike park experience we headed to Norway and the resort of Hafjell, host of the 2014 World Champs. After we’d got over the brutality of the World’s course we had a banging time exploring the plentiful trails the park had to offer. It could even be a more reachable alternative to Whistler – yes, it’s that good!
We test four hardtails at around the £750 mark and discover a real gem of an all-rounder that gives plenty of bang for your buck; plus put 10 trail forks through their paces and look at the best bib shorts on the market.
On top of all that we go riding at Innerleithen, Salisbury, the Brecon Beacons, Isle of Arran and Yorkshire and teach you how to flip into a foampit, get your body position right, take your bike abroad, spring clean your bike and reproof a jacket. Phew, we need a sit down after all that!