LETTER EDITOR’S

Exciting new experiences a wait, from your local woods to the UK’ s highest peaks–or even in the middle of town, if you’ re lucky enough to live in Leeds( now that’ s a phrase I never thought I’ d write !)

The bicycle is a wonderful thing. Even if you can’t throw yours into the same kind of shapes as our cover star Leo Sandler and some of the other young up-and-comers in our Fresh Blood feature (page 50) – and let’s face it, not many of us can – it’s a tool for fun, fitness and exploration. And exploration’s something we’ve been doing a lot of this issue, with ride reports from all over the globe, from bike-rafting in Greenland and ‘geo-nerding’ in Iceland to freeriding in Kazakhstan and traversing ancient mountain trails in Morocco. Of course, not everyone can afford expensive foreign trips, but you don’t have to head overseas to have an adventure. With a mountain bike between your legs, exciting new experiences await you around every corner, from your local woods to the UK’s highest peaks – or even in the middle of town, if you’re lucky enough to live in Leeds (now that’s a phrase I never thought I’d write! See page 128 to find out why...). This time of year, when the trails are emptier than usual, is a great time to head out and explore. Sure, you may have to ride out the odd unintended drift and you’re unlikely to bag any Strava KOMs, but winter’s a time to go a bit slower, savour the views and watch out for wildlife. Keep your eyes on those tyre tracks in the mud and you may even find some great little trails you never knew existed. Just try to remember all that while you’re spending hours hosing down your bike and scrubbing your kit afterwards!