I can’t believe you said that this bike’s kit impressed for the price of £5000! It sounds like a sales person.
I like YT frame design but it seems that they are unable to make a CF light bike.
I was in the market last year and when you compare with others direct sales brands you find out that there are even aluminium enduro bikes lighter than this bike.
Most people who prefer to pay the extra cash for a carbon bike would expect a light bike. So, this carbon trail bike 16kg weight for £5000just seems unsaleable

EDR in Derby? Where exactly?

This type of articles is what makes the difference to the other mtb magazines.
Great writing from Hannah.

There he is

Yes, depending of where they ride and their skills level a FS is well considering.
When your 7 yr old is able to ride what many adults would think it is unrideable you know what he/she is ready for a proper FS bike that can take them to the big adventures.
Then at his 8yr, my son was already riding really fast on serious gnarly stuff in South Spain and racing DH in bike parks.
Now I can’t chase him on the downhills.
We travel 2 times a year to real mountains over 2000m. Thanks to his Vpace bike, it can take him down to 1200 over really steep loose Alpine terrain. To do this you need good suspension (Fox), brakes (Magura), good ratio gears, dropper post and so on…for a 26″ bike which weigh only 11kg.

Sorry to say this but I wouldn’t choose any of these bikes as proper mtb for my kids.
Being father of two I almost look for a new mtb every 2 years and have learned a few things, specially riding with them during the last 5 years.
It’s a good start looking for manufacturers who only make bikes for kids but Frog and Isla Bikes only make good city bikes.
Early Rider make good bikes but I never choose a rigid bike for mountain biking. Have you ever rode a rigid bike down a techy trail?
Also at the price range of Early Rider bikes, you can find better options from their competitors out side the UK

I am traveling this weekend and didn’t want to risk my holidays. So, ended up buying a new wheel set, anyway

I have been registered and didn’t receive any weekly emails only the members newsletter which didn’t have any links for those competitions.

Current barb is silver, I don’t know the internal hose diameter.

We were there last bank holiday. It’s a short loop but worth. The climbing is mostly on a fire road steady/easy and the descent is a good fun flowy, nothing technical.
Half an hour from there you get Brechfa, first car park at the village with the red route and second car park (10 minutes further) with the green and blue. Most of the Black sections are closed but if you do the blue you can ride some of the open black sections.

Thanks to everybody for the massive response.
I’ll definitely try an alternative route (I was thinking about that before).
I have never trusted in car drivers, it’s why I only do mtb but I decided to commute on my hardtail and tried to avoid the road in some areas where the pavement is wider and there are less pedestrians on Mansfield road.
I am coming from Arnold to the city centre and use the bus lane from Sherwood to town.
But this happened on the way back in the busy area of Sherwood where the bus lane ends.
Maybe I should looked at his face when I felt his car too close at the traffic light. Anyway, when he overtook me I could see his gunster look, so probably the eye contact would be irrelevant with those type of people.
I already have a rear light and follow the rules when on the road, just need to plan a new route as most people suggested.
Thanks again!

Congratulations @Hannah that’s awesome!
Those tips from Elliott Heap helped?

It looks like you had good adventures there.
La Costa del Sol is actually my Xmas destination every year.
Amanda, next time take your mtb. No far from Torrox you got Montes de Málaga where there are some enduro trails in Los Almendrales.
I always stay in Benalmadena where you can take your bike in the cable car to the top of Calamoro Mountain, a DH paradise with some descents of about 14/16 Kms.
Just take full body protection 😉

I was about to say that sounds like the start of a romance and your husband should be worried, until I got to the end 😃 which makes me laugh.
I started mountain biking with my son since he was 5, he has been my riding buddy ever.
When he was 6 he was riding red trails, at his 7s he was racing XC and won 4 races. At 8 yrs he was riding the hardest classic Peak District routes without any help on the climbs.
Just before he turned 9 he started to ride so fast that I couldn’t chase him on the downhills anymore. Then last year he raced DH a couple of times in a Bike Park, finishing second in his first race.
He just turned 10 and his interest in MTB has fallen.
We rarely rode this winter, like only once a month during 6 months. We’ve just started to ride Sundays but he is all the time asking when we’re back home? He is still a kid and has other interests. So, I let him decide what he wants but I will take him more to bike parks this year to have some fun together.

I like when an honest review tell us that a 27.5 wheel bike is actually more efficient and fun than what the market want to tell you is “better”.
I don’t have so much fun on my 29er than what I have on my 27.5 bike, and mountain bike is all about fun for me. Perhaps for those who race would prefer a 29er.

£50 for a towrop that looks exactly that those expandable hose pipes for £7 on eBay/Amazon. make me think on another DIY.
I never used a towrop for my son during his 4 years first years of mtb, he is 9 now and strong enough to climb long routes, also thanks to a really light/capable bike. But for my daughter I had tried different hacks to pull her up on all climbs but she is 5 now and still scared for the Downhills.

Good to see a playful 27.5 trail bike with an enduro focus + those geometry settings. Also, Giant usually make the lightest bikes which is very appreciated for many.
Really a good contender for those in the market.