JULIA’S JULIANA JOPLIN C S £6,399
It’s been another jam-packed month of riding for deputy art editor Julia and her Juliana
Squeezing all my latest adventures into this space is a challenge! First things first, I fitted a new rear tyre – in a car park, just before a ride, obviously – replacing the original Maxxis Rekon 3C MaxxTerra with a Bontrager SE5 Team Issue. The more enduro-focused Bonty has brought some welcome grip as the roots get slicker, and the Joplin feels a lot more pinned to the ground, which makes me feel at ease with the prospect of winter. That said, the combination of the new rubber and the wet trails has made climbing a bit of a buzz-killer. The rolling resistance makes it feel like I’m towing someone!
One exciting experience was my first ever night ride. On a randomly selected weeknight, I made my way to the Forest of Dean’s familiar trails with a couple of friends. ‘Sceptical’ would be hugely understating how I felt on the way there! Mountain biking seems demanding enough in the bright sunlight, and it doesn’t take much for me to get spooked, especially at this time of year. So, why the hell would I throw myself into a forest full of creepy-crawlies and who-knows-what in complete darkness? Well, it turns out that I absolutely loved it!
I had the expectation of an extremely slow ride, but, thanks to the right equipment, was impressed with the pace I was able to keep on the Juliana. We chose flowy and familiar trails, which is where the Joplin inspires most confidence. I have been frustrated with the short-travel rear end lately, as I have a tendency to forget the bike’s downcountry-style DNA and drag it over unwelcome gnar. But through the darkness of that evening, the bike was glowing!
I also joined one of MBUK’s Ride Together social rides with Nukeproof and mental health charity CALM (see p58). Mountain biking has helped me overcome some difficult events over the past few years so the initiative struck a chord with me. The day was really well-organised, and it was lovely to meet some of our readers!
The month finished off with a great women’s weekend over at Cannock Chase and Stile Cop in Staffordshire. Some mellower rides gave me a chance to focus on my technique and appreciate the Juliana for what it is; a trail bike.