Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 155 i Australian Mountain Bike

The FEST Series, the cross between a big mountain expression session and a party headed to Kamloops, Canada for Aggys Reunion. Big tricks and maximum risk spread over two days, the FEST series is putting big mountain riding on the map. In June, the National Gravity Enduro series went west – way west all the way to Chittering outside of Perth. The Three Chillies Farm hosted the weekend of racing, and it was closely fought. While Luke Ball was an early favourite, it was Ben Cory who took the overall win, even without winning a stage.…

As the biggest mountain bike stage race in Australia, and one of the biggest in the world, the Cape to Cape has a lot to be proud of. The race has grown from small beginnings to attract mountain bikers from around the globe to the beautiful Margaret River region. From Olympians to riders off the couch, Cape to Cape offers everything from a full-on race experience to a mountain bike tour along the South-West coast of Western Australia. Linking vineyards and breweries, there’s plenty to do off the bike, and the stages will no doubt keep you busy on it. The race runs from 20-23 October this year. Capetocapemtb.com…

Your suspension fork and shock might well be the hardest working and most neglected parts of your bike. Servicing suspension doesn’t need to be a scary task – especially when Cyclinic offer such an easy online booking system. You just book, pay and print a postage label. Drop your packed fork or shock at the Post Office and they do the rest! Cyclinic want to make sure your rear shock is working as it should, so we have one full shock overhaul to giveaway. Just head to AMBmag.com.au to enter the competition, and your shock could be getting a post-winter overhaul.cyclinic.com.au…

DHaRCO GRAVITY SHORTS Sydney brand DHaRCO have gained a lot of popularity since launching in 2014, and quickly gained appeal with our testers, friends and an international audience. The surf-inspired brand has just released a new range, including an update to the popular Gravity Shorts. The 4-way stretch, hard-wearing material remains - but sizing has shifted. Men’s fits are a little slimmer cut, with a 2XL added, and the women’s range has made the small an XS and moved other sizes accordingly. The new shorts are a perfect match to the new jerseys. Head to ambmag.com.au for full details on the new range. From: dharco.com RRP: From $119.95 FOX FLOAT X2 Fox have increased the potential of their enduro shock by adding a new lever for switching between settings. The…

When Wanaka Bike Tours’ John Wilson told us to set an early alarm clock so we’d reach the top of Mt Pisa for sunrise, we didn’t hesitate for a second. Next thing we knew; we were standing on the moon. Or, at least, that’s how I felt as I stood there gaping at this foreign alpine landscape. I watched our helicopter pilot fly off into the crisp dawn sky and was struck by a sudden stillness. In the horizontal, morning light, the lumpy dirt and short grass of this fragile eco-system looked like the dusty, rocky surface of the moon. It was cold up there but pleasantly so. I looked out toward the horizon and watched the clouds floating below. Our riding crew of three – John, our guide, Gaye…

Focus has been a brand that I have followed since it was first imported into Australia circa 2012. When the store I was working in at the time became an early adopter, the German brand caught my attention. The brand offered an amazing spec, cutting edge designs all at a great price. At the time it was obvious they were a real contender, 4 years later and it’s safe to say that this German brand is here to stay in a big way. When 2014 rolled around, Focus launched their enduro platform dubbed the SAM. As a younger rider who had just sold his downhill bike due to injury this bike really caught my eye. I had the opportunity to test the bike at the time, the original Sam was…

Since Canyon’s introduction into the Australian market last year, there has been a whole lot of buzz surrounding the exotic German brand. Canyon is one of the first big bike companies to offer a consumer-direct approach to us Aussies, and it’s getting a lot of people excited. Rather than the traditional method of buying a bike through a local shop, Canyon offers customers the ability to buy their bike online, and have it shipped straight to their front door. All of Canyon’s complete bikes are assembled and prepped for shipping in their new factory in Koblenz, and it was built in order to manage rising world-wide demand. That demand is set to increase significantly in 2017, when the company opens up direct shipping to the lucrative US market. You may…

The past eight months with my Avanti Torrent CS test bike has absolutely flown past, but sadly, it’s time for us to part ways. As you can imagine, the Torrent has seen a huge variety of trails and riding conditions. It’s joined me almost every week on my local trails in Bendigo, which are regarded as the only place on earth where the rocks actually grow other rocks. I’ve also put the Torrent through its paces on modern smoothed-out flow trails in Buxton, along lush singletrack in Forrest and Woodend, and up into chunky alpine territory at Lake Mountain. During that time, I’ve roped in the assistance of other testers to offer additional ride feedback, and I even subjected the Torrent to a weekend of racing at the Bike Buller…

Cycling computers have come a long way in the past 10 years with the inclusion of GPS and power functionality in addition to heart rate. The Bryton Rider 100, however, is one of the first computers offering a GPS capable cycling specific computer with ANT+ functionality at a sub-$100 price point. Upon opening the packaging, the first thing I noticed was how basic the unit looked. The unit came with one mount (Bryton propriety fitment: no piggybacking off your existing Garmin unit here), with a range of O-rings to allow fitting to different sized bars and stems. Aethestically, the three-button unit screams function over fashion in a departure from sleek touch screens. Fitting the unit to the bike was a simple task of selecting the right size O-ring and attaching…

The easier it is to pick lines on the trails, the faster you’ll ride and the more confident you’ll feel. For this reason, the best sunglasses don’t just provide protection to your eyes from sun, wind and debris, they are designed around increasingly sophisticated lenses. The Adidas Evil Eye Evo has recently been released with Vario, or transition, lenses. The frame is a popular one with cross-country and enduro riders, providing uninterrupted vision and the closest protection you’ll get to goggles without all the hassles that come with them for the uphills. (Not to mention the fact that goggles look a little weird with a regular helmet.) Glow in the dark neon yellow highlights on the frame is a humorous addition. The glow factor is so powerful you can see…

Over time most of the trail has been assimilated into the modern road network but one section still remains, to be enjoyed in its natural state. Too steep for a modern road, perfect for riding. Heading into the Mowbray National Park, we dive in from the Bump Track trail sign. The leaf littered fireroad, waxes and wanes and decays to singletrack engulfed by rainforest on all sides. About two kilometres in, runs Spring Creek. A steep chute on either side will have you on your toes and the deepness of the creek equally so. It’s well worth the time to check out the gently flowing falls and look for signs of the bridge that once stood there. Keep an eye out for Wait-a while as you get going, the thorny…

As I sit and write this, I’m looking across a table to a pretty massive rocky mountain still shouldering a volume of snow. Yesterday, I drove across three mountain ranges from the Midi-Pyrenees to the Swiss Alps. I have trail maps laid out ahead of me, a few sets of clean mountain biking kit - and blue skies. I don’t know whether I’ll ride some easy trails around the Lake in St Moritz today, or whether I’ll go get a lift pass for the Corviglia Flow Trails. Because it doesn’t matter. I’m going to be out riding my bike on dirt, and enjoying where it takes me. The past two weeks I’ve been to four different areas of Europe to cover some events or see bike launches. I’ve been riding…

In late May, Merida gathered the world’s mountain bike press to launch a new frame for their Big.Nine and Big.Seven hardtails, but also released the Big.Trail – their venture into the Plus sized genre. And although they launched the Ninety-Six full-suspension bike in 2015, the 2017 model has an update, with an asymmetrical swing arm and Boost (148x12mm) spacing in the rear. RACING TO THE OLYMPICS Lots of companies are updating their race hardtails, partly to bring them in line to the requirements of World Cup XCO racing, and also because 2016 is an Olympic year! The Big.Nine and Big.Seven have moved to Boost spacing, with slacker head angle, longer top tubes, and the ability to run a dropper seat post. The top CF5 frames are 1x specific and use…

For a few months now, we’ve been asking you to show us your mountain bike life. We have had some great entries across the three rounds but now the finals are underway! Depending on when you’re reading this, you might still be able have some sway in the competition. Head over to AMBmag.com.au and find the Video Competition Final (it will be right up top) and watch the videos who made it. Got a favourite? Then share it around! The overall winner is set to get a brand new Trek Remedy, built with Shimano XT Di2, Fox Factory Suspension and Bontrager finishing kit. Plus, Shimano Australia will fly this lucky winner to Italy for the final round of the EWS, and to hand out with Chris Panozzo! This has to…

“I HAVE FOUND THAT WOMEN TEND TO THINK “I AM RIDING LIKE SHIT: ERGO, I AM SHIT”, WHILE MEN ARE MORE LIKELY TO THINK “THIS BIKE IS RUBBISH”” “A great little starter bike” would be a line often sprouted about the rather average Mongoose hardtail we used to sell to those beginning their mountain bike journey on a budget. I was lying. There was not a lot of greatness going on with the ‘Goose. People just didn’t want to hear that $500 was not enough for a decent starter bike. It got them away from Kmart though, and that was a good first step. Fast forward a few years and while hosting women’s social rides, I am greeted by the same customers. Eager to ‘come and try’ mountain biking on…

Travelling to a new place harbours so many different kinds of excitement: The unknown, the possibilities, the scenery and in our case, the mountain biking. We knew that by embarking on a trip to Rossland, a town with a history almost as old and rich as Canada itself, that we would be sure to encounter a wild, rugged adventure. Our story begins with the decision to explore. Rossland, British Columbia lies in the Kootenays, a vast amount of land that hugs the south-eastern side of the province and encompasses more than one mountain range. The mountains in this district are known for their enormity in comparison to their coastal counterparts. Settlers in Canada’s youth forged the foundations of the current cities against these rocky giants based on the richness of…

Lapierre’s Overvolt range has been developing as quickly as the E-MTB market has. Lapierre is a French brand based in Dijon, and they’re right at the fore of pedal assisted bike technology. While many AMB readers will reel in disgust at the concept of E-bikes, bikes with pedal assistance are often for a different rider – maybe it’s worth thinking of people you might know who can’t ride as much anymore. Maybe it’s fitness, illness, injury... what if they could ride a high-end mountain bike with you even if they weren’t as fit? That’s just one of the way E-bikes can fit in. At the recent 2017 model launch, I got a chance to ride the new Lapierre Overvolt AM 500+, with a couple of handy riders, including Lapierre’s own…

In 1897 Jerome Murif rode his bicycle from Adelaide to Darwin through the middle of Australia. He was the first of many who would attempt this trip, and was one of the pioneers of long distance bikepacking. 1914 saw Ted Ryko prepare for his record-breaking 3000km, 28-day expedition from Adelaide to Darwin with not a bitumen road in sight. Billie Samuels had to carry her bike through knee-deep mud and face monstrous headwinds when she rode from Melbourne to Sydney in 1934. In 1937, Hubert ‘Oppy’ Opperman rode from Fremantle to Sydney tackling rough dirt tracks, thick mud and long sections of soft sand. Bikepacking is no new feat, but adventure enthusiasts these days are lucky to have innovation and technology to make the perfect tools for the job. Jesse…

In the world of single chain ring drivetrains, range is king. Since SRAM first announced XX1 with a 10-42 cassette, Shimano have followed suit with XTR, XT and now SLX drivetrains that can be setup in a 1x fashion. And while Shimano started with an XTR 11-40 cassette, XT brought 11-42 with it, and now an 11-46t cassette is on the way too. SRAM have let their 1x options trickle down to lower price points, but they have also launched the 1x12 Eagle group set with a huge 10-50 cassette and a 500% gear range. Shimano have offered the benefit of not needing to upgrade your wheels if you don’t have an XD driver which the SRAM 1x11 and 1x12 group sets require for their cassettes. But if you’re on…

Travelling with your bike isn’t quite an artform – but it involves some thought and consideration. Recently, Thule expanded their range of racks and car boxes massively, including everything from backpacks, panniers and luggage racks for bikes – and of course bike bags. We tested the Thule RoundTrip Traveler last year and I’ve since used it on many trips at home and abroad. The RoundTrip Pro is the next model up, gaining a built in workstand and better packability when not in use. SIZING UP THE ROUNDTRIP PRO The Pro uses the same bathtub base with wheels at one end and a handle at the other for wheeling the bag around once packed, and offering an excellent foundation for secure stowage of your steed. But the Pro uses a removable…

YOU WILL NEED STEP ONE We will start by removing the caliper from the bike. As with any brake bleed you will need to remove the pads from the caliper. This will prevent you from spilling fluid and contaminating them. Once you have removed the pads, put the pad retaining pins back into the caliper and clip the supplied travel spacers into the caliper as pictured. This will prevent the pistons falling out when you are pushing fluid through the system. Never attempt to bleed brakes without them! STEP TWO At the other end of the bike, level out the brake level so the bleed port is in a horizontal position. STEP THREE Fill up the syringes from your bleed kit with 25-30ml of Magura Royal Blood. Undo the T25…

Summer in Europe is a busy time for mountain biking, and with the Olympic Games coming this August, cross-country racing has had a cramped calendar early this year. So much so, that the Cross-Country Olympic (XCO) World Championships fell just one week after the Cross-Country Marathon (XCM) World Championships. The Downhill titles are yet to be contested this August. FLAT OUT IN LAISSAC The XCM World Championships have been fixed on the last weekend of June, and that means any events that win hosting rights need to change their date. So the Roc Laissagais, in the Aveyron, France, would move its date from a typically cool and muddy April to a probably warmer and drier June date. While Summer was a little late arriving in France, and much of Europe,…

Shifting to the start of summer, the Snowies MTB Festival will run for a second time in 2016! That’s great news for all the riders who attended in February – and even better news for those who missed out. Running from 25-27th November at Lake Crackenback, the event is hosted in conjunction with the ITU World Championships. So book early if you want to stay onsite. The three days of racing cover 5 varied stages, and you can race solo or in a team. If you can’t spare a whole weekend you can just race the marathon on Sunday. With a $10 000 prize purse on the line, you’re likely to see the best of the best duke it out in NSW’s high country this November. Need more details? Head…

The nation’s cross-country marathon (XCM) racers will be working on their form through August, as the National XCM Series fires up after a two month break. The final three rounds sit cheek by jowl, running on concurrent weekends from Saturday 3rd September when the gun fires for the Dwellingup 100 in Western Australia. The series next heads to Hiddenvale Retreat in Grandchester west of Brisbane, for the Flight Centre Epic. Five World Trail teams have been hard at work over winter and it’s likely that a new course will be revealed for Queensland’s test piece marathon. Away from the rock and the heat, the final round flies south to Sparrow Hill and Kowen Forest for the 5th Kowalski Classic. With more singletrack than just about any other marathon on the…

Australian Mountain Bike magazine has been published for well over twenty years, and as the name suggests, the title encompasses everything and anything to do with mountain biking, and mostly in Australia. We’ve seen a lot in that time. We’ve seen a talented Aussie junior become a World and Tour de France champion on the road. We have witnessed a group of riders from Tropical North Queensland dominate racing and trail design around the world, and we have seen countless Australian mountain bikers earn rainbow stripes in various categories and disciplines. Over that time, bikes have come and bikes have gone. Components, too, have evolved such that, watching a video of the 1996 World Champs at Cairns the other day, I realised that the machines we ride now are barely…

EAST COAST GROWTH Port to Port is just three years old, and the last couple of years have been anything but idle for race organisers and trail groups in the Newcastle-Hunter region, prompting huge growth in the event’s popularity (entries were up 40 per cent this year), and resulting in a few smart alterations to the classic route from Port Stephens to Newcastle – bringing in more variety, and more singletrack. Port to Port organisers have shown that they’re ready to partner, adapt, question, and push for better access to exciting trails, better views, better accommodation, and more social events as the race develops, and the results speak for themselves. While course-setters have made every effort to keep riders happily occupied on the bike, the fact that most stages can…

Held amongst the beautiful backdrop of Deer Valley Resort in Park City Utah, PressCamp is a small, week-long cycling expo that is notching up its 7th year in 2016. Designed to bring together twenty exhibiting bike companies and nearly thirty media representatives, PressCamp sets the scene for a much more intimate experience when compared to the typical big-ticket tradeshows such as Interbike, Eurobike and Taipei. The real strength of PressCamp is that it ditches the typical “Sham-Wow” approach of the big tradeshows, and instead allows journalists like myself to meet and greet the real people behind the brands, and get into the nitty gritty details behind the new products hitting the market. For bike companies with shiny new gear that’s yet to be released to the public, it’s a terrific…

While Lapierre were launching a host of new Overvolt pedal-assisted bikes at their 2017 launch, they were also very proud of their new XR – the French companies cross-country full-suspension platform. The XR was originally developed in 2012, and Lapierre’s E:i electronic shock management was designed for the 100mm travel bike. While E:i has developed into E:i Auto with faster actuation and a smaller head unit – it also moved onto the Zesty lines of bikes. It turns out a shock system that adjusts 60 times a minute to suit the terrain has use outside of just cross-country riding. With many changes coming to how cross-country bikes are being ridden, raced and designed, Lapierre have overhaulled the 29” specific XR for 2017. The shock has moved away from the middle…

“THE BRONSON ENCOURAGES SLIDING OUT, HOOLIGAN BEHAVIOUR AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY AS THE THRASHED OUT SIDE KNOBS ON YOUR TYRES WILL SOON TELL YOU.” Time is constant, it’s then, it’s now, it’s the future. It doesn’t seem long ago that Santa Cruz launched the Bronson, their first 27.5” wheeled frame, with a progressive geometry design which stepped away from their past models. The Bronson was a big bold step for Santa Cruz into the then newly coined world of enduro riding. It was the future, now. It’s no secret I had a first edition Bronson and loved it, granted, I jigged around with it to make it a bit ‘more’ of what I wanted with offset bushings and an angled headset but I had it dialled to how I liked it…

Northwave are an Italian company, and actually do more than just shoes, with a range of clothing, and a separate branch of the company who do snowboard boots. Their MTB shoes arrived in 1993, and have been on the feet of champions ever since. Pezzo, Cippolini, Dahle-Fleesja, Evans, Boonen, Hermida... you know, handy riders. At home, you’re likely to spy Northwave shoes on much of the Torq-Merida squad. However, just because a brand chooses to sponsor a lot of riders, it doesn’t mean they make a great product. Except in this case, Northwave do – they really do. While Northwave produce a range of road, touring and trail shoes, what we were sent to test was the latest XC race shoe - the Extreme XC. Following in footsteps of the…

Belgian helmet brand Lazer have been hard at work developing some fantastic helmets in recent years. We have tested the lightweight Genesis before, and I own a fantastic Z1 for cross-country riding and racing. But at the other end of the spectrum sits the Revolution. Coming in both a standard and a MIPS version, the Revolution offers the extra protection you would expect from an all-mountain lid, with extended coverage at the back, but also removable ear protectors and an optional chin guard. SIZING UP THE REVOLUTION Grabbing the Revolution, you notice it’s not a flyweight helmet. The medium non-MIPS helmet I tested weighed 430g on my Park scales. That’s about twice the weight of my ZI XC lid. But the Revolution has other tasks in mind, and isn’t missing…

GO FOR CARBS Sounds counter intuitive, but it’s true. The colder it is the hungrier you feel and the more likely you are to go for higher-carbohydrate and higher-fat meals. The theory goes that we crave carbs because they contain tryptophan which triggers the release of serotonin, a ‘happy hormone’, which is also triggered by sunlight. When the days get shorter and there is less sunlight, our bodies start to look for other ways to raise serotonin levels, hence the carb-cravings that hit during the winter months. Instead of denying yourself carbs altogether or giving into enormous bowls of cheesy pasta, try to keep the balance. Fill a quarter of your plate with a filling carbohydrate like sweet potato, rice, beans, grainy bread or pasta. STACK YOUR PLATE Try to…