I'm not one of those downhill-at-a-45-degree-angle types, but I do have a vintage 1997 GT Aggressor hard-tail mountain bike, bought new back then, and I just can't let go of it. It's light CrMo frame is tough as nails, and the RST front shocks, Shimano Deore V-brakes, Deore rear derailleur, and Deore rapidfire shifters have never been replaced. It's now on its fourth gel seat, third set of pedals and second set of nubby Tioga Psycho tires.
Maybe one of the reasons that this bike has lasted is that it is kept maintained, and one of the sources that I use for tips is Mountain Bike Action, also known as MBA to MTB enthusiasts. For those new to the sport, MTB is an acronym for MounTain Biking, so now you know.
Some of their How-To articles are just common sense reminders, while others give us new food for thought. As an example, there was a 2005 article entitled "10 Ways To Stay Up In Sand" that offered some excellent tips on staying on the top of the granules, floating across the surface, and stay seated unless one hit a section of granular powder at speed.
Another that appeared in the summer of this year was "Top 11 Tire Tips by Kenda," which should be read by all cyclists in its entirety, especially for its common-sense tips on how to avoid tire pinch-flatting. If you don't have the issue, check their site online and see if it's not still there.
Their MTB news is generally interesting, and usually up to date. The bike tests are generally interesting, even if just for the information on how the current gear has improved... or dropped in quality. Of particular interest are their product reviews, which can cover anything from tools to gloves to hydration gear.
This magazine, along with Park Tool The Big Blue Book of Repair - 2nd Edition are all one could ask for in terms of keeping ones MTB in good shape, and my own aging bike is a good example of that. If you need a simpler bike repair reference The Bicycling Guide to Complete Bicycle Maintenance and Repair: For Road and Mountain Bikes is an excellent choice, especially if you're trying to teach kids about bike maintenance, and it's now available in its expanded and revised 5th edition.
The venerable Bicycling magazine from Rodale has been around for many years, but its focus is more towards the road rider as opposed to the mountain biker. Rodale also publishes 'Mountain Bike' (subscription unavailable here as of this writing), but I'll personally give 'Mountain Bike Action' a slight edge for overall content. If you're looking for a publication with more "meaty" content, you may want to consider Dirt Mountain Bike Magazine, a true diehard downhill mountain bike magazine, but be prepared to pay a higher price for this 5-star publications.
Is MBA a perfect MTB enthusiast magazine? No, not by any means, for like most monthly publications these days, there are too many pages filled with advertising, and that's why I've rated it at 4-stars. But from the mountain biking magazines available at a somewhat reasonable price today, it's one of the best.Get more detail about Mountain Bike Action.
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