Tess Agnew

High winds forced the cancellation of Red Bull Hardline 2023. But though the winners’ podium stood empty, there were plenty of personal triumphs for women riders sessioning the course at the Hardline Progression Camp.

ADVERTORIAL The Strive:ON is the eMTB version of Canyon’s race-winning Strive enduro bike. E-Enduro burst onto the world stage in 2020 with a thrilling new format specifically designed for e-bikes. In the electrified version, Liaison Stages play a pivotal role with tighter than ever timings and a ton more singletrack.
If you’re venturing into this exciting new world, you’ll want a bomb-proof bike with race-proven handling; a bike with updated geometry that can munch up the monster eMTB climbs and go all-out on the descents.

ADVERTORIAL Troy Lee Designs launches its first e-bike certified helmet with the Flowline and Flowline SE. It’s eight years since Troy Lee Designs’ game-changing A1 half shell trail helmet took the market by storm, and in true TLD style, the Flowline is set to be the best e-bike helmet available. It’s certainly the safest and most stylish e-bike helmet you can buy at this price point right now.

Working with Sustrans and the Bikeability Trust to lead girls' bike club sessions and support delivery of Bikeability training at a secondary school in Sussex. Teenage girls are less likely to participate in Bikeability training or cycling than boys. This pilot project tested a model to deliver training and increasing participation.

If smashing the most demanding technical descents and sending it down bike park jump lines is your kind of riding, you’re probably wondering which downhill bike to buy.
In this guide we go over the need-to-knows for buying your first downhill mountain bike, answering what a downhill bike actually is, how much they cost, are they worth it, what size downhill bike you need and all the gear to go with it.

Singletrack flow, XC adventure, rocky bike park trails – if a bit of everything is your type of mtb, let’s talk about the trail mountain bike. A jack of all trades and master of many, the trail bike is the ultimate do-it-all machine, with enough travel to tackle technical trails and geometry built for comfort and confidence. But straddling so many different types of riding style is bound to bring up questions when deciding which trail bike to buy. Can a trail bike do XC? Is 100mm travel enough for trail riding? How much does a trail bike cost? All of this and more is answered in our guide.

Want a bike that can handle full gravity downhill but still power up the climbs? You probably want an enduro mountain bike. Whether you’re getting into mtb enduro racing, or just want to be sufficiently biked for the big stuff with enough pedal power to get you to the top so you can throw yourself down again, our Enduro Mountain Bike Buyer’s Guide explains all so you can pick the right bike for your budget.

Strength training is one of the most important things to incorporate into your weekly routine. Traditionally the weights areas in gyms have been very male-dominated, which can be intimidating for women to get started with strength training, especially if you’re not sure what you should be doing and don’t have a plan to follow.

The first line of defence against the nightmare of bike theft is a solid and dependable D lock for your bike. The second line of defence is knowing how to lock your bike (properly), so thieves can’t make away with your frame and leave you with a sorry-looking wheel.
D locks (also known as U locks), come in many different sizes, materials, Sold Secure ratings, and price ranges. So, choosing the best D lock for your bike can be confusing if you don’t know what you’re looking for.

The hype for electric cargo bikes is growing, both for business and family use. This surge is set to continue as governments invest billions in active travel and cycling infrastructure to tackle the climate crisis. In Europe, the e-cargo bike market is booming, with upto 100,000 sold in France and Germany each year. UK cargo bike sales are a little behind our European neighbours, with just 2,000 sold in 2021, but industry experts forecast a rise by 60% this year.

I worked with Sustrans to set up Varndean Girls’ Bike Club in April 2021, creating a supportive and fun environment for girls to ride bikes. A judgement-free space for them to build confidence on the bike, learn new skills, meet new friends and explore new places by bike.

A quick search for the best Amazon bike lock will bring up a ton of options, but it’s not always clear which one is the best, as the Sold Secure rating isn’t always listed.
We looked at bike locks on Amazon for our guides on the best bike D locks and chain locks, and managed to dig out a few bargains, but not all of the best bike locks were available on Amazon...

If you’re thinking about getting an e-bike, you’ll need to understand the UK law for electric bikes. It’s legal to ride an e-bike in the UK without a licence, but only if it meets certain requirements: it must be pedal assist instead of ‘twist and go throttle’; and have a maximum power output of 250 watts, with a speed restriction of 15.5mph.
In this guide we share everything you need to know about the UK law for electric bicycles, including getting yours insured.

No trip to Australia is complete without a visit to Melbourne, the country’s sporting capital. Cycling in Melbourne has become very popular and a solid cycling scene has built up over the years. There are plenty of bike shops and miles of improved infrastructure, bike trails and paths, making Melbourne an increasingly cycling-friendly city.

If you’re planning a cycling holiday abroad and taking your own bike, you’ll need to know how to pack a bike box for flying. The pre-holiday packing faff and experience of flying can be stressful enough, without the added worry of your beloved bike being damaged in transit. It’s worth getting clued up on the different types of bicycle box and the best way to pack your bike in each of them.