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HOWDY!
Yep it's time for another MBR to be hitting those newsagents' shelves. And with it now being the middle of summer, we've got a shedload of features that should have you all reaching for the SPDs and heading for the door…
KITCH
(MBR editor)


AUGUST ISSUE:
in the shops on 16th July


BIKE TEST: DREAM MACHINES
These bikes will blow your mind — they're the Ferraris of the mtb world. At nearly four grand a pop we appreciate that only a few can afford them, but that's not the point. These are bikes to aspire to own, to lust over and dream about slinging a leg over. They also incorporate the sort of features that will filter down the ranges into the bikes that most of us actually ride. So we've given them a bit more space, stuck them at the front of the book and tried to make them look all fancy. Mmm…

FIRST RIDES
And if the main bike test hasn't sated your appetite, we've got first rides of two of the hottest bikes for 2009: the new Scott Genius and revised Spesh Epic. The flagship Genius Ltd our man Muldoon rode has a frame weight of just 4.96lb (including shock), which could make it the lightest 150mm on the planet. The Epic's been completely redesigned and sports the latest in-house suspension technology. Mmm...

BEST OF BRITISH KILLERS LOOPS
To make up for his Dartmoor shenanigans, this month we sent Watermelons off to the Howgills. Amazingly he managed to pull off a stunning ride despite the horrendous fog/cloud/mist (delete as appropriate). Often bypassed for the more famous Lakes, the singletrack we revisited is well worth the detour. Especially when there's some treasure to find in them hills…
TREASURE HUNT — throughout 2008 we're running a very special reader competition, with prizes including a lovely Santa Cruz susser and an equally lovely holiday in Sardinia. If you haven't already, join the hunt and you might get lucky — secret co-ordinates to be unveiled on July 26th at www.mbr.co.uk

BIG MOUNTAINS
No it's not the Alps or the Highlands, that snowy peak you'll see Donny and the team clambering up is actually Snowdon, the highest peak in Wales. Very late snow made for a top day out, where they even managed a new descent route. It's that good the boys wanted to keep the details to themselves but we managed to turn them for a gallon of Irn-Bru.

GROUPTESTS
DISC BRAKES — five of the best trail-friendly stoppers ridden and rated
MINIPUMPS — a selection of the finest inflators on the market.

OVERSEAS
We visit a singletrack heaven that's tucked away in the Pyrenees. Great accommodation, great hosts, great trails, no crowds, cheap wine — so what are you waiting for?

PLUS
• FOUR PULL-OUT RIDE GUIDES with Ordnance Survey mapping.
• Pages of advice on maintenance, consumer, route and health issues.
• Step-by-step workshop guide.
• Shedloads of new products ridden and rated.


IMPORTANT NEWS — For 2008 we're publishing 13 issues rather than the usual 12. This means there'll be a new mag every four weeks, rather than one per month. And instead of popping into your local newsagent on the first Wednesday of every month, you'll need to get down there every fourth Wednesday. The August issue's out on 16th July, then every fourth Wednesday following — you get the picture.
To ensure you don't miss out, you can always subscribe to the mag — go to www.mbr.co.uk