MBUK was launched in 1988 by Pacificon Ltd. Edited by Tym Manley who remained editor at large until 2009. In 2014, former-owner Future plc sold all its sport and craft titles to Immediate Media Company, including the MBUK title.[1] The current editor[year needed] is Danny Walter. There are currently 13 issues a year, and the magazine has a policy of including 'covermount' gifts such as stickers, gloves, socks and DVDs.
MBUK covers all mountain biking disciplines; trials, downhill, cross-country, dirt jumping, free-riding and 4X. Future plc's readership demographics research has indicated the magazine's readership to be 95% male, with an average age of 24.5.
Since 1989 MBUK has carried the ovine-based cartoon strip, Mint Sauce, the tales of a mountain-biking sheep and his friends.
In July 2006 MBUK released its 200th edition. To mark the occasion, Cedric Gracia (leading French downhill and 4X racer) was guest editor.
In May 2008 MBUK released their 20th anniversary issue, issue #225. It came with eight free gifts and a fold-out front cover of Steve Peat.
The magazine along with co-sponsors such as Nike, Santa Cruz and Fox Racing operated a successful professional mountain bike team from the mid-1990s until the mid-2000s, including riders of the calibre of Steve Peat, Scott Beaumont, Rob Warner and Will Longden and competing in the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup.[citation needed]
