Made in the mountains

Western consumers have grown used to the idea that few of the products we use are manufactured at home. Indeed, ‘we don’t make things anymore’ is a refrain (or a lament) often heard in discussions of

‘A murderous climber, always the same sustained rhythm, a little machine with a lower gear than the rest, turning his legs at a speed that would break your heart, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock.’ So

rgonaut’s RM3 has achieved renown for that most mercurial of characteristics: ride quality. Cyclist’s own James Spender dubbed the bike the best he’d ever ridden back in issue 135 – something he maint

Want to cycle 1,000 miles across rugged Scottish terrain, climbing more than twice the height of Everest? Oh, and it’s totally unsupported. Then try the Trans Alba race: you don’t have to be mad to do it, but it probably helps!

A quietly capable do-it-all bike that glides over rough stuff without roughing you up

Merida’s Big Nine and Big Seven hardtails offer premium tech at an entry-level price KEY STATS Travel: 100mm (Big Seven) or 120mm (Big Nine) fork Wheels: 650b (Big Seven) or 29in (Big Nine) Frame: Alu