Orbea recognises hardtails aren't the weapon of choice for modern XC courses but believes they still have a place. Owing to this, the new Orbea Alma has had a serious revamp focusing on reducing fatigue at the pointy end of cross-country competition.

Pivot is always updating its mountain bikes, and with the Switchblade taking on a more enduro flavour, the brand noticed a gap forming in its range. Today, Pivot aims to fill that gap with not one, but technically, two new mountain bikes. Meet the Pivot Trailcat SL and LT.

Trickstuff needs no introduction. Better known for the highest of high-end brake brands, Trickstuff delivers serious build quality and performance. To celebrate winter, the brand has brought a limited-edition colourway to its Direttissima brake.

The brainchild of Brendan Fairclough and Olly Wilkins has been refreshed after a lengthy tenure as one of the best MTB grips. Now, the DMR Deathgrip2 grips get a boost in general durability as well as a sleeker and more refined aesthetic. The result is a grip that’s mega secure and repairs flaws found in its previous generation. If you are a fan of the first grip, DMR has only made it better.

With news of Privateer bringing huge savings on its nearly-new E161 e-mountain bikes, the brand has applied discounts to the whole range. Brand-new 161 enduro bikes and 141 trail mountain bikes can be bought for £800 off the original asking price. And there's more...

Making a return for the second year running, Red Bull Hardline Tasmania has cemented itself as one of the premier downhill events of the season. And 2025's show didn't hold back with the Canadians taking home wins while other hopefuls crashed out in the practice sessions prior.

Although the brand has been pushing out e-MTB and gravel technologies over the past couple of years, Shimano has been super quiet on the mountain bike front with competitor SRAM stealing the show with its T-Type AXS drivetrains. However, that's set to change as Shimano has filed a fresh patent for what looks like its next generation of wireless mountain bike drivetrains. 

Although Carbon Wasp is far from the biggest name in mountain biking, the brand is bringing something rather fresh to the table thanks to its ability to make its carbon frames by hand – a level of customisation. Despite being a little rough around the edges, the Truffle-120 delivers a thrilling, hair-raising ride that’s set to please those who like to push lightweight trail bikes or even attempt the odd cross-country event, but it takes a bit of tinkering to get it there.

News of Chain Reaction Cycles closing shook the whole bike industry. Brands and distributors lost a seriously lucrative customer, Weekend Warriors lost the best place for a great deal and we all lost two bike brands, Nukeproof and Vitus, among many others. However, in a breath of fresh air, Nukeproof, the brand best known for the Mega, Giga, and Scout has been bought by Belgian Cycling Factory.

With success on the downhill circuit, slowing the likes of Aaron Gwin, TRP is a brand that needs no introduction. Today, Tektro's performance-focussed off-shoot has brought two new brake sets to the market, donning a raft of adjustments to appeal to a greater range of riders. Here's everything you need to know.