Innholdsfortegnelse for 148 i Australian Mountain Bike

Crankworx Rotorua is the new kid on the block, and is possibly the biggest event in the southern hemisphere, bar a World Cup, in recent history. As an Aussie it is a 50/50 draw of events you understand and others you only have a very rough idea of the concept of. Speed and Style, I think I saw that on the internet once. The week long event took place at the iconic site of the 2006 World Champs (the one where Sam Hill took home rainbow stripes) now the home of Rotorua’s Skyline, sister of the Queenstown Skyline park. The event used none of the MTB park trails available though, instead creating all new ones especially for Crankworx. Some of the bigger features like the Slopestyle course were clearly visible…

Last time Scot Nicol was in Australia, he was a twenty-something-year old backpacker who was touring around on a Motobecane road bike. A year after his visit Down Under, Scot founded Ibis Cycles in 1981. For those who don’t know, Scot was one of the early pioneers of mountain biking back in the ‘Klunker’ days. With a wiry beard, a pair of Levi’s and his signature lace-free Chuck Taylors, Scot rode alongside the likes of Charlie Kelly and Gary Fisher at the Repack races in Northern California. Here he spent most of his time drifting sideways at full tilt down Mount Tam on handmade steel and titanium Ibis frames. Fast-forward to 2015, and a lot has changed for Ibis. After a brief change of ownership in the early noughties, Scot…

Adventures are exciting or unusual experiences, bold activities that involve the exploration of rugged terrain, wild landscapes and exciting unknowns – they makes us feel alive, and it is awesome. This October the ultimate adventure festival is coming to East Gippsland, Victoria. The Australian Adventure Festival 2015 has a 100km and 50km mountain bike event on offer. Both events take in a mix of flowing singletrack, climbs and quick downhill runs through the Colquhoun State Forest. Starting and finishing at the event hub in Lakes Entrance, the route is a mix of farmlands and private property before entering the forest. From here you can expect local treasures, descending roller coaster dips and rises, log jumps, natural stump holes, A and B line jumps, bermed corners, and timber bridges. Whatever you…

Need to get something off your chest? Got a riding issue that you just can’t get your head around? Go on, send us a cool letter and we’ll do our best to answer it. WRITE TO: amb@nextmedia.com.au or message us via facebook.com/AMBmag Dear AMB, While most of your readers like to hear about up and coming racers, can we please not hear about what they think of their bikes. Most of us have been riding bikes longer than these kids have been alive. Asking a rider aged 19 to review his new race bike is pointless as he or she has no point of comparison. He or she thinks that their new carbon uber sponsored hardtail is light and stiff and free. They do not remember 26 inch wheels, V-brakes,…

AMB : Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you got into mountain biking, eventually turning pro and ending up on the Santa Cruz Juliana team racing Enduro? AM: I got into mountain biking when we moved over to California from South Africa, as I got sick of waiting and watching Sven (my partner) skateboarding, he was a pro skater at the time, so I got myself a hardtail bike to cruise the Huntington Beach boardwalks. It wasn’t long before I spotted some little dirt trails veering off into the bushes, and I just had to go and explore them to see where they went. That’s how I got hooked, I just had to keep going further on these little tracks to see what was around…

Over the last 15 years, mountain bike suspension systems have become incredibly sophisticated with more adjustability than one could ever hope for. They’ve become lighter, smarter, easier to adjust, and more effective. A lot of this technology has trickled down from the motorcycle world carrying with it the added challenge of fitting it within a much smaller and lighter fork or shock package to suit the changing demands of mountain biking. Suspension, like any high end machine, requires some specific setup and maintenance to work optimally, especially with many of the industry’s leading suspension frame designs that can rely heavily on the correct setup of suspension systems to reach their full potential. Are you comfortable with the performance of your fork or shock? Have you ever found difficulty in finding…

WIL BARRETT RIDER BIO Riding Experience: With 15 years of riding experience, Wil has spent the majority of his life on two wheels. He’s been testing and reviewing bikes for the past 3 years, and is obsessed with the technical details that go into producing a bikes geometry, handling and suspension characteristics. Wil occasionally puts on a number plate for the odd XC and marathon race, but he loves nothing more than technical trail riding and exploring backcountry singletrack. Generally Rides: Trek Superfly FS 9, Cotic Solaris, Pivot LES 27.5, Santa Cruz Tallboy Height: 175cm Weight: 65kg Bike Test Tracks: Mt Buller, Woodend, Bendigo, Castlemaine THREE THINGS YOU LIKED ABOUT THE BIKE - Modern cockpit setup - Low centre of gravity - Ability to gobble up square-edge hits THREE THINGS…

ESSENTIALS HITS - Comfortable fit - Aggressive styling and reinforced toe to save your piglets - Vibram sole provides superior grip MISSES - Can clog up around the cleat in muddy weather - Breathability a little down on lighter weight models (but they’re nice and warm in winter) RRP: $249.99 From: www.sheppardcycles.com Giro sounds like a European company that might have started out making wool jerseys for early road cyclists – it’s an Italian word, after all. But no. Giro was established in 1985 in the USA’s west coast surf and MTB haven Santa Cruz, California, where the head offices are still located today. While they have a good sized snow business, Giro’s bread and butter is cycling accessories: helmets, clothing, and shoes. The Giro Terradura (which translates from Italian…

ESSENTIALS HITS - Added convenience - Well designed and made MISSES - Doesn’t look as neat RRP: $119.00 From: www.emr.bike Have you been considering updating your current ride (or purchasing a new one) with the new Fox 36 but a little put off by the need for tools every time you need to remove the front wheel? Maybe you got a little ham fisted one time and stripped some bolts, maybe you own a really nice dropout mounted fork rack and the whole disassemble-reassemble thing isn’t washing with you? Maverick Suspension’s new Q36R adapter kit allows you to take the existing axle of the new Fox 36 and turn it into a simple and effective quick release system. Basically, the pinch bolts on the front of the dropout are completely…

TOOL LIST You will need a few specialty wheel building tools: - A spoke key to fit the nipples you are using. - A truing stand. - Wheel dishing tool - Nipple guide (see photo for home made tool) - Screwdriver or nipple driver - A 30cm ruler. - Spoke tension metre. STEP ONE First and foremost I would highly recommend you practice this on a cheap/old wheel, not your new set of carbon race wheels! Make sure you have a few hours to spare, and a peaceful spot where you won’t get interrupted. I would also say you need a good set of hands on mechanical skill and patience. Your first few builds will be slow and at times frustrating whist you get the hang of it. This how-to…

NEXT ISSUE In Issue 149, we get up to speed with new products and bikes for 2016 from Press Camp in the US and Eurobike in Austria. We visit the Rocky Mountain factory and hear from Aussie shredder Garry Millburn about his BC Bike Race experience. While at the Lappiere launch, Matt Page guides us through the Passportes du Soleil in Morzine Mandy Lamont takes us on the finest trails of Tasmania, and we ride the latest trails to be added to the Telegraph Station network in Alice Springs. Best of all, we test four bikes that we’d love to have in our sheds… if only we could have just one more. “Taking in the view at Faulconbridge Point after my first ride on my new 2015 Specialized Camber.”…

I love a sunburnt country… I love riding in the heat of an Australian summer, planning rides that won’t be interrupted by rain, and almost never needing to pack a jacket. But change is good, and while I often yearn to visit new trails in foreign lands, it’s easy to forget that we actually don’t have to travel very far. New Zealand is just a short flight away, and has some vastly different terrain and riding experiences ready and waiting. Through the start of the year, my Facebook feed was flooded with friends who were on holiday, riding their bikes, and just having a ball enjoying themselves. From Rotorua, to Wellington, to Queenstown, Wanaka and Nelson, photos, videos and stories rushed at me in bite sized pieces. Alpine environments, lush…

The first 2Oceans MTB Race in south-west Westeran Australia ran from 8-10 May, and attracted local and interstate riders to the gorgeous Southern Forests for three days of riding the trails and tasting the fine fare in the nation’s west. Each day had about 45km of racing, with the event centre based at Fonty’s Pool outside Manjimup. Day one took riders to Quinninup, and Daniel Helm and Sarah McLachlan took line honours for the men’s and women’s racing. Day two had riders exploring the singletrack of nearby Bridgetown, with Matt Dec sneaking ahead of Peter Butt for the men’s win, and McLachlan snaring the women’s stage win again. Day three visited the brilliant Pemberton MTB Park, and the men’s race was still very close – but it was Peter Butt…

Riding from Kalgoorlie to Perth the Pipeline Challenge is an epic 600 kilometre mountain bike adventure. Teams will spend five days enjoying the sun, fresh air and great company. The trail has been designed so it is suitable for serious mountain bikers, recreational mountain bikers, novices and even families. “The Pipeline Challenge is a unique way test your limits and enjoy the great Aussie outdoors, all while helping to raise funds for Youth Futures, one of the oldest youth charities in the state” said Mark Waite, CEO. Each rider will have a minimum fundraising target of $1,000 and all money raised will go towards accommodation, education and support services for young people who are dealing with issues such as mental health, homelessness and abuse. For more information or to get…

My role at MTBA is quite varied and on any given day I can be chatting to Phys. Ed. teachers about delivering mountain bike lessons, then liaising with race organisers in Switzerland, to trying to establish entry procedures for our elite riders. Both situations present challenges in logistics, communication and funding and it’s up to me to find solutions. This all occurs in an environment which is developing and trying to establish best-practice procedures. MTBA has questioned the benefit of sending young riders on lengthy and expensive race tours to places like Europe and North America. Do we have any evidence that it makes riders better? Is it discouraging new athletes from the sport if they are unable to afford to make the journey? Can we achieve better results by…

LACHLAN MCKILLOP RIDER BIO Riding Experience: Raced for a few years nationally and internationally. Worked in bike shops for 7 years and have wrenched on a world level. Generally Rides: A Trek Superfly or Remedy Height: 175cm Weight: 70KG Bike Test Track: Belrose, Bunnings Trail THREE THINGS YOU LIKED ABOUT THE BIKE - The German attention to detail i.e. sag checker, seat post seal. - Formula forks performed very well - Schwalbe tires THREE THINGS YOU WOULD CHANGE ABOUT THE BIKE - Totally internal cables - External rear lock out - Grips ESSENTIALS Brand Liteville Model 301 RRP $8,995.00 (MK12 frame $3250) Weight 12.00kg (Medium as tested) Distributor www.eightyonespices.com.au Available Sizes XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL Frame Material Aluminum Fork Formula 35, 160mm Shock Fox CTD Kashima Shifters SRAM…

THREE THINGS YOU LIKED ABOUT THE BIKE - The fit and geometry - Suspension setup - Frame design and construction THREE THINGS YOU WOULD CHANGE ABOUT THE BIKE - Look at a 1x10 or 1x11 conversion - Consider a wheel upgrade down the track - Make it my own ESSENTIALS Brand Santa Crux Model 5010C RRP $8999 Weight 12.41kg (as tested) Distributor lustyindustries.com Available Sizes S, M, L (tested), XL Frame Material Carbon fibre Fork RockShox Pike RC 130mm Shock Fox Float CTD Kashima, 125 mm Shifters Shimano SLX 2x10 Derailleur Shimano XT Shadow Plus rear, SRAM X0 front Crank SRAM S1400 22/34 Bottom bracket SRAM GXP Chain Shimano HG75 Cassette Shimano SLX 10sp 11-36 Hubs DT 350 Spokes DT Champion Rims WTB STi23 TCS Tyres Maxxis High Roller and…

ESSENTIALS HITS - A strong trail shoe that is well made - Quality sole and upper - Great pedalling performance MISSES - Orange isn’t normally my colour - On the warmer side on a hot day RRP: $249.99 From: www.sheppardcycles.com Giro moved into cycling shoes after really making a name for themselves in helmets. With a line of gloves as well, and clothing as well in other countries, Giro have really branched out from just making market leading helmets. What’s great to see is that versatile models like the Terraduro shoe are also available in a women’s specific model, and not just watered down versions of men’s shoes. Built ground up as an all-mountain shoe, not just a casual looking XC shoe, the Terraduro feels solid. Looking over it, it’s…

ESSENTIALS HITS - Versatile (like the riders who will want to use it) - Good ventilation and protection - Simple to use. MISSES - Better suited to goggles than glasses when used as a full face - On the heavy side without the chin guard. RRP: $299 (or $329 with MIPS) From: Monza Imports Mountain Bike Australia (MTBA) have announced full face helmets as mandatory for MTBA sanctioned enduro events from January 2016. While waiting for technology to catch up, many riders are already pedaling up the hill with 1-1.5kg full face attached to their backpack or bars. The Bell Super 2R offers advanced protection should you take a tumble, without the weight penalty and inconvenience of a more traditional full face helmet over a half to full-day in the…

FACILITIES TOILETS - Pit toilets DRINKING WATER - Yes, but bring your own PARKING - Limited parking at both Kerosene Creek and the highway car park. TRAILS SIGNPOSTED - Yes, although the markers at Kerosene Creek after the initial sign are poor till you reach the Te Tihi O Ruru climb. However if you take the wrong turn, they quickly close into dead ends, so you can’t get lost. MOBILE RECEPTION - weak at the bottom, strong at the top. SHELTER - Yes at the highway car park but it is limited BBQ FACILITIES - No ACCOMMODATION - Freedom and regular camping is prohibited. There is plenty of regular accommodation back in Rotorua as well RATINGS…

INGREDIENTS WET INGREDIENTS 2 eggs 3 Tbs coconut oil, melted 1 cup coconut milk 1 Tsp vanilla extract 1-1.5 cups grated raw beetroot DRY INGREDIENTS 3/4 cup cacao 1/4 cup tapioca starch 1/2 cup coconut sugar 1 1/4 cup almond meal 1 1/2 tsp baking powder Pinch salt Optional - 1/4- 1/2 tsp chilli powder Beetroots are a nutritional powerhouse, especially if you’re active. Full of potassium, magnesium and iron, beetroots are good “bang for buck” with the valuable nutrients they provide. Cacao has four times the natural antioxidants of cocoa so make sure you’re buying the right ingredients. Cacao also provides magnesium which helps with energy and replacing electrolytes. Chilli powder is optional but I love that underlying heat and flavour of chilli in my chocolate treats. These are…

RIDER PROFILE NAME: Dean Lucas AGE: 20 years young HOMETOWN: Wooragee, VIC FAVOURITE TRACK: Lourdes World Cup track SPECS FRAME: 2015 Devinci Wilson FORK: RockShox Boxxer World Cup SHOCK: RockShox Vivid SHIFTERS: SRAM X01 DH REAR DERAILLEUR: SRAM X01 DH 7 CRANKS: SRAM XO CHAIN RING: SRAM X-Sync 34tooth Wide narrow CASSETTE: SRAM X01 DH 7 speed WHEELS: Easton Havoc 27.5” TYRES: Schwalbe Magic Mary PEDALS: Crank Bros Mallet BRAKES: SRAM Guide RSC STEM: Truvativ HANDLEBARS: Truvativ Boo Bar - Steve Smith Edition GRIPS: ODI Half Waffle SEATPOST: Truvativ SADDLE: SDG Ti Fly Dean Lucas rose rapidly through the Junior World Cup ranks catching the eye of those in the know at Devinci Global Racing and earning himself a ride. Now in his second year as an Elite he’s on…

In the middle of May, Australia’s latest and greatest World Trail creation provided the template for the 2015 Australian Cross-Country Marathon (XCM) MTB Championships. The trail system in Derby, Tasmania, has received accolades since opening in early February, and there’s plenty more to come. But the 30km of artisan singletrack that is already in place was more than enough for lap based marathon racing on the 16th and 17th of May. Derby is a small town, with a long history of mining and forestry. But with mining having finished long ago, and forestry declining, mountain biking is set to become the next resource boom for this part of north-east Tasmania. The National XCM Championships have been a unique event since 2011. Until that point, the race was attached to a…

Hidden Vale Adventure Park hosted the Kona Hidden Vale 24hr earlier this year, but the park is hosting much more in the coming months. There’s plenty of singletrack on the property about an hour west of Brisbane. The Giant 3Plus3 will run from July 11th-12th. It’s not an overnight adventure, but a fun way to celebrate Christmas in July, with a 3hr race on each day, on different courses. There’s lots of singletrack, plenty of down time, and not too much climbing. With a focus on kids racing it’s a great weekend for the whole family. In September, the Maverick Marathon Series will visit Hidden Vale for the Flight Centre Epic – a testing marathon that has distance options from 4.2km up to 87km, and races for trail runners too.…

We moved house recently. As a rite of passage of house-moving, we ended up upending cupboards and folders full of old stuff we really don’t need: antiquated mountain biking magazines and old pictures of my partner mountain biking in the early nineties. Truly hilarious stuff. Back then mountain biking was all about hardtails, occasionally aided by a flex-stem and some wholly ineffective front suspension (by today’s standards). Gurus of the sport, Rob Eva and Michael Ronning—still household mountain biker names due to their continued involvement in the sport—shredded both downhill and cross country on one bike; it was expected that you rocked up to a race and gave each event a crack. Neon Bell helmet covers were all the rage. This led me to pose a question; were the early…

Specialized aren’t a company to rush, and on the face of it, Specialized may have looked behind on the 650B front, compared to some of the other larger bicycle companies of the world with full ranges devoted to the tweener wheel. We were sure that when the time came for the ‘Stumpy’ to make the transition it would be on point. In development from 2012 till 2015, the 2016 Stumpjumper and sister bike Rhyme were the longest running prototypes in Specialized’s history! So what did all that work yield? We visited Rotorua for the launch to find out first hand. THE STUMPJUMPER The Specialized Stumpjumper is steeped in history, first produced in 1981 it was one of the first three bikes the company ever produced. Recently the Stumpjumper was getting…

ROBERT CONROY RIDER BIO Riding Experience: Over ten years riding as a weekend warrior and casual racer. Downhiller at heart but with plenty of time on the trails as well. Generally Rides: YT Tues DH and a Giant XTC. Height: 175cm Weight: 79kg Bike Test Track: Rotorua, Taupo, Royal National Park and surrounds. THREE THINGS YOU LIKED ABOUT THE BIKE - RockShox Pike and Fox Float combo - Forward Geometry - Low centre of gravity THREE THINGS YOU WOULD CHANGE ABOUT THE BIKE - A larger front chain ring if that suits your trails. - Trail oriented tyres - I’d try the Mondraker 10mm stem ESSENTIALS Brand Mondraker Model Crafty XR 29er RRP $6346 Weight 13.3kg Distributor flowbikes.com.au Available Sizes S,M,L,XL Frame Material Aluminium Fork RockShox Pike 29 RC 150mm…

We spend a lot of time and effort here at AMB on our test bikes, making sure we’ve ridden them on a variety of terrain and really put them through their paces. We’ll look into the company’s history, the frame geometry, tyre tread, handlebar setup, suspension function – the lot. But, no matter how much detail we uncover, the fact remains that the perfect bike is different for everybody, and how much you love your bike – whether you realise it or not – can actually have very little to do with the bike itself. Hear us out. Here are out tips to loving your bike, no matter which bike you end up buying: 1 - FIND A GOOD SHOP A lot of what’s going to make your bike special…

ESSENTIALS HITS - Sizing options - A very adjustable fit - Lots of venting MISSES - Does sit a little tall on my funny head shape RRP: $159.99 From: www.sheppardcycles.com Giro are synonymous with helmets, and have produced some classic lids over the years, of which I have owned plenty. All in medium, all with the Roc Loc system, and all fit like my hair. The Hex has been designed for trail and all-mountain riding – so sits a little taller than some of their line. Looking at the helmet, you can see that the 21 Wind Tunnel vents are very open, and the idea is that you’re sitting more upright on a trail bike, or just about any mountain bike, so this will optimise the air flow over a…

Spank are a company that over the years have built a reputation on creating some pretty bombproof alloy components that looks bling and won’t wreak havoc on your bank account. Aimed at the ‘aggressive cross country and all mountain’ crowd, their new Oozy range sees that reputation upheld. In our modern era of carbon fibre and CNC machined goodness there’s still something really cool about unwrapping a new set of handlebars and a stem and seeing the high gloss anodised finish shining out at you, and I was excited to get the gear on my Devinci Spartan. All the Oozy stuff is available in regular old black and silver, and also in anodised red, green and the blue you see here. SPANK OOZY 760 TRAIL BAR Constructed from magnesium and…

ESSENTIALS HITS - Great construction and design - Very easy to use and pack into - 29er friendly MISSES - Could still be a lot of your weight limit - Might not fit big wheeled, big travel bikes RRP: $599.00 From: www.thule.com.au Thule have done a great job making sure you can transport your bike on your car to all sorts of places, but their expanding range has moved into backpacks, duffle bags, panniers and racks, and some very interesting bike bags. Last year, the Thule RoundTrip range was launched, with the hard case Transition and the Pro below it. Both bags were unique in that their internal frame converted into a workstand for assembly and maintenance at your destination. The RoundTrip Traveler has just been released, it’s a soft…

It’s a fairly common conundrum for the beginner to intermediate mountain biker - do I (or can I) roll down what’s in front of me, or can I just drop off the edge like it doesn’t even exist? The process of assessing the obstacle and the technique of what to do is second nature to highly experienced riders, but it takes years and years of practice, and quite often painful mistakes to get to the point where it happens without a thought. The rolling aspect over small obstacles is basic enough- get your weight way back, stay off the front brake and don’t hesitate; but it’s the drop where most people can, and will become unstuck. Here are some tips on assessing what lies ahead; and what to do if…

With the Australian winter now on its way there tends to be a lull in the domestic race calendar and for many athletes it is a great time to take a break. The ‘Off Season’ is definitely a necessary phase for athletes to schedule into their Season plan in, order to give both the mind and body a rest and to recharge for the following season. The period of time spent in the Off Season phase will depend on a number of factors. If an athlete has been building fitness for a major goal race over a long period of time and there are no more goal races for quite a while, then the athlete will benefit from an extended time away from the bike. Sometimes up to a month…