Your letters and photos, including how mountain biking (and MBUK) is a lifelong passion, That’s Gotta Hurt, Insta-bangers and more of your best riding snaps

mBUK is for life, not just for christmas

I was sitting on the bog reviewing my life the other day, having turned 40 this year, and came to the realisation that I started buying MBUK 24 years ago! Don’t get me wrong, I haven’t bought every issue, and in that time my passion for mountain biking has flitted in and out, but it’s been a journey. From rushing to the newsagent and buying it on the day of its release as a teenager, to having a quick flick through it on the magazine stands when life was too busy, and then getting a copy in my stocking last Christmas.

One child, two marriages and 20 years on, I’m on the sofa flicking through the pages of the latest edition. So much has changed and yet it’s all still familiar. As a teenager I was racing on a GT Zaskar LE with a RockShox Mag 10 fork and USE suspension post. My idol at 17 years old was Jason McRoy – I even have the same tattoo on my arm! I was devastated when he passed. And, over 20 years later, when Stevie Smith, another legend and inspiration, was lost.

I’ve gone through many bikes since my teenage days, but after another break from the sport, my latest ride – a Sonder Transmitter – has truly reignited my passion. Now I’m an actual adult I can buy all those Gucci components I used to only dream of, but I still appreciate the six months it took me to save up for that spectacular hand-built GT frame when I was a kid. Thanks MBUK for being there through most of my life, and keep inspiring.

Robin Palmer, Dorset

Mountain biking’s got that magnetic draw, hasn’t it? Even if life does have a habit of getting in the way, that faint memory of how fun it is will always be there, luring you back into the woods! We were unsure whether to award you the Star Letter prize this month, Robin – after all, you did say you had all the money you needed for buying posh bike parts. But then you mentioned how inspirational you find us and that won us round. We’re suckers for a compliment!

1 Shot of the month Night riding pics don’t come much more epic than this clear, starry night in North Wales, taken by Aaron Crowe 2 Robin Woodburn giving his new Canyon Strive a hammering down Nan Bield Pass in the Lake District

3 As a relief from correcting our spelling mistakes, regular MBUK freelancer Siobhan Kelly gets away on loads of bike trips, including this one to the Peaks – where her friend Derek Redding caught her in action

4 Justin Mahoney captured in mid-air at Revolution Bike Park by Marc Dixon 5 Jake Berry rips through a set of jumps in Shropshire, almost too fast for Joe Moran’s camera to capture! 6 Colin Hislop and the boys from the Clydesdale Colts Cycling Club were stoked to meet up and ride with our features editor, Ed. It takes more than terrible weather to stop them going out