Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 163 i Australian Mountain Bike

Riders: Bryn Atkinson Photographer: Margus Riga Bryn Atkinson headed to Bralorne, British Columbia to get these images with photographer Margus Riga. There’s not a whole lot out at Bralorne, and Bryn described it as a ghost town. This wooden jump is coming off one of the original features on the trail – a big surprise when no mountain bikers seem to live in the town any more. Rider: Ted Morton Photographer:Simon McLaine With the scramble of the Trans NZ now in the past, the event organisers invite some weary travellers for some sunset laps upon Coronet peak. Rude Rock, NZ.…

Cycling is something we do because we love it, and it’s a huge plus that there are so many health benefits of regular aerobic exercise. These hidden benefits - reduced incidences of hypertension, heart disease and chronic conditions such as diabetes - are the reason many people begin to ride a bike again in later in life. But did you know that in a percentage of young, healthy individuals, cycling puts them at risk of a vascular disorder that can have devastating consequences? External Iliac Artery Endofibrosis (EIAE) is a rare disease, which is increasingly common in cyclists and endurance athletes, and could be attributed to 10 to 20 per cent of leg symptoms in competitive cyclists. Though the exact pathogenesis is unclear, endofibrosis is essentially the thickening and deposition…

Want to race? Don’t know what, don’t know where? Well we’ve got all the details for you right here. Got an event coming up that’s not listed here? Send it to amb@nextmedia.com.au. XC/XCM/LAP BASED ENDURO GRAVITY 2000 prototypes thrashed. 200 products conceived. 500,000 yards of fabric cut and stitched. FORTY editions of our catalogue produced. 800 races sponsored. $200,000 dispensed from our Slush Fund for local trails. A THOUSAND kilos of coffee beans ground, espressed and imbibed. MILLIONS of miles yet to ride. Pedal on Made by us in New Zealand. Only available directly from groundeffect.co.nz…

I don’t think I really understood how big the Trans BC would actually be! I was originally going to give you a brief overview of what went down during those epic six days, but first I had to get there. Canada and summer was sure to lift my spirits, coming from a very frustrating (and again wet) EWS in France. Not only was the weather playing ball on arrival into Canada, I was picked up from the airport in a 1978 Dodge Campervan that I had once owned, bringing a sly smile to my jetlagged face - having spent the previous 12 hours in a plane most likely made only a few years after the Wright brothers first took flight. A busy week of riding was planned by the human…

In early July I headed with a select group of editors to the launch of the Fox ‘MY18’ on the secluded trails of Northern Sydney. It was a chance to feel like a pro for the day with top mechanics working on our bikes, as we were also introduced to the Fox Factory Tune program. Shortly after we arrived, we had our current compression and rebound settings noted down, our sag measured and were sent out onto the trails with our stock suspension set up. My Whyte T-130 would be the mule for this test, with a 2016-era FOX 34 Factory fork (140mm travel) and a 2016 Fox Factory Float set up in the rear. With a ‘base’ setting established - and a greater understanding of where the trails now…

“I’D PUT IT TO YOU THAT ’CROSS BIKES AREN’T JACK-OF-ALL-TRADES AT ALL, BUT INSTEAD MASTER OF ONE: AND THAT’S CYCLOCROSS RACING.” Founded in Germany, Focus have been around since 1992, at first bringing out a small range of mountain bikes before expanding into cyclocross, road, and the rest of it. Today, the brand makes a wide range of machines from their new road e-bikes to gravity bikes. In Australia, the German brand has a strong presence on the ’cross scene, sponsoring the Focus Attaquer race team and Team Willy Locke, with their bikes under dozens of other competitors as well. This is because Focus has been able to offer a lot of bike for the money. The Mares AL 105 we tested, for example, boasts an up-to-date spec including Shimano…

Fi’zi:k are growing their range, and while their footwear isn’t entirely new, the Italian company are branching out to just about every contact point. From saddles and shoes, to bibshorts, bars, bartape and grips. Last year, I tested the previous version of the fi’zi:k M3B Uomo mountain bike shoe, and was impressed with the fit and comfort, but let down by the cleat location and outer sole material. The Italians have now reworked the M3B, their top cross-country focused shoe, and the latest version is nothing short of fantastic. Much remains from the older model, with a single BOA dial cinching your foot into the grippy heel cup, with no extra velcro strap at the toes. The upper feels a little thinner, and while it doesn’t boast a huge amount…

M2O, or Mountains to Ocean, are a new Aussie company with a mission to end chafing for good. With this in mind they’ve released two new products: M2O skin-protection anti-chafe cream and M2O skin-protection anti-chafe cream for women. The cream is designed to hit chafing on three fronts; preventing the friction that causes it, relieving it when it occurs, and helping the skin to recover afterwards. AMB tested both the unisex and women’s versions of the creams. Both creams are pretty solid, thick, white creams that take some effort to squeeze out of the tube (especially in cooler weather). That’s because the cream is endothermic, which means it reacts to heat - if you warm it up, it softens. In practice, this property is designed to help the cream form…

We had some great submissions for this issue, but this shot of Olly Hawkins sending it off the ramp in the afternoon sunlight does it for us. Olly has won a set of recently released Aaron Gwin Signature Series Onza Aquila Tyres from our friends at Link Sports. For our next issue, we’re switching to a brand new caption contest, so you don’t even need a camera to enter and have a chance of winning a great prize. Keep an eye on the AMB Facebook page for full competition details coming soon.facebook.com/AMBmag…

Bikes have come a long way in the past few decades. From downtube shifters and fully rigid mountain bikes, we now have electronic wireless shifting (ok, on the road) and more suspension than you can poke a stick at. Yes a lot has changed, and with this change there has been a notable increase in participation in the sport, especially female riders. While female race numbers may still be lean when compared to male entries (generally it’s around 15 per cent in Australia, but there has been a meteoric rise in participation of women’s only events), there has been a real boom in terms of women riding socially and for fitness. We are in the age where there are whole companies dedicated to women’s cycling kits, saddles and bikes. Despite…

The summer fun of XCO racing in Australia can come and go in a flash. One second you’re on the first start line of the season with a nervous stomach and a hunger to go full gas! Then in a blink, you’re crossing the line at the National Championships, which usually means it’s season over. Then you’re left with feelings of either euphoria from your triumphs or regret over your losses, which, unlike earlier in the season, now don’t come with a ‘better luck next week’ tag line. In previous columns, I spoke about overseas adventures and following the World Cup circuit around Europe and the rest of the globe. This is the yearly reality for only a few Aussie riders who can manage to fund such an expensive trip…

BIKES REVIEWED We’ve tested a range of bikes this issue, including a blinging 29er enduro, an aggressive trail frameset and a great-value N+1 cyclocross bike. We have you covered. TESTED There’s a world of choice in bikes and bike parts out there. Our test team put products through the works. All-mountain wheels, cross country shoes, dropper posts, trail helmets are all featured in this edition... and more. THE HUB The where, what, how and when of mountain biking, from industry professionals.…

I know some AMB readers will be studying this review to check out how the new Devinci trail bike fared during its test – although many others may well be asking: “What the hell is a Devinci?” That’s not such a stupid question as Devinci Cycles are a relatively unknown brand Down Under. For a company that started back in 1987 in eastern Canada, it’s taken the best part of 25 years to reach our shores. Devinci has offerings from sleek road disc bikes to gravel hungry cyclocross bikes, but it’s the vast range of mountain bikes that we are interested in. On test is Devinci’s light and fast Django 27.5 trail bike which sits pretty much smack bang in the middle of the line-up, ranging from fat bikes and…

Not all dropper posts are created equal. While dropper posts started as a unique item some people chose to put on their all-mountain bikes, now you’ll see them on pretty much everything from intermediate trail bikes, Olympic and World Cup XC podiums, and on just about any performance trail or all-mountain machine. But popularity doesn’t mean they are hassle free. Dropper posts hold some serious internal pressure, and then can have your weight slammed on them too. The seals have to cope with all the grime, grit and crud from your rear wheel that gets sprayed up and the pressure from use. So many bikes have droppers, and so many shops and service centres have them lined up for service too. WELCOME TO THE BIKEYOKE REVIVE The BikeYoke Revive looks…

Central Otago is renowned for its mountain biking. With oodles of trail, it has built a solid reputation as one of the country’s must-do mountain biking destinations. Tucked away in the foothills of the Mount Ida range, the Naseby Forest trails are a hidden gem in a region of mountain biking jewels. Just a short detour off the highway, add this to the itinerary if passing through the region. It’s a worthwhile inclusion if you’re in the area for the Otago Central rail trail or happen to be kicking about and in need of a singletrack fix. The trails have a very distinct feel thanks to being contained within a forest. This is a pleasant change as most of the other trails in the region are quite exposed to the…

FULL GAS INTO 2018 – MTBA RELEASE XCO AND DHI NATIONAL SERIES AND CHAMPIONSHIP DATES Mountain Bike Australia (MTBA) have released an expanded XCO series and split National Championships for 2018. The split of XCO and DHI Championships allows a venue most-suited for downhill to be used for those races, and a venue most-suited to cross-country to be used for those events. With two XCO rounds heading to Perth, there should also be some sighs of relief for cross-country racers in the west, but the series also visits Nerang as a test event for the Commonwealth Games, plus Canberra (Australia’s cycling capital) and to Orange to start the series in December. National Championships will land at the popular courses at Armidale. For Downhill there are three rounds - at Coffs…

WAHOO ELEMNT MINI The new Elemnt Mini is perfect for anyone that wants basic ride data – without all the complicated extras - for a cheap price. Info such as speed, distance, heart rate, and cadence is available on the 1.8” display, with the whole unit weighing in at just 31.2g. Another major selling point is Wahoo’s claim that battery life is a staggering 300 hours (that’s more than 12 days of solid riding without a charge!) RRP: $149.99 FROM: firstendurance.com.au FOODIE FEE ORBS Foodie Fee produce a range of hand-made, organic snacks packed with superfoods that are great for fuelling up your ride. They come in a range of flavours, including goji berry, inca berry, pistachio cranberry and almond cacao and are gluten free, with no added sugar…

From its birth in 1990 to its present format in 2017, one man has rolled beside it, guiding it, shaping it and (on occasion) rebuilding it. With an extensive background in cycling (including countless UCI appointments around the globe, and a lengthy role as Race Director of the RRR), Peter Blakey is that man. “There was a guy from Mossman, Dave Olsen, who said to Glen (Jacobs) and I that there was a ride the Mossman Crew used to do from up near Mt Molloy, through Wetherby Station Road and down the Bump Track. So we met him up there one day (in 1990) and, during the course of the ride, discussed what it was and how it would make an awesome race. It was rural. There was rainforest. There…

While a professional mechanic can make your bike run like a dream, there is no reason that basic maintenance and adjustments - and a little bit more - can’t be done at home with the right tools, practice and patience. Here’s a look at set ups to get you started, and tips from some of the best mechanics we know. THE BASICS TOOL KEY A) The basics B) Super B 3-way hex key C) Park Tool hex set D) Silca Tool Folio T-Handle pack E) Silca HX-ONE One of the best things you can do to look after your bike is keep it clean and lubricated. So a bucket, degreaser, bike cleaner, brushes, and a chain cleaner are essential. You’ll also need some rags, and chain lubricant. Ask your local…

Intense is a bike company with a lot of history and heritage. They have always led the market in long travel downhill bikes and were the go-to brand of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Legendary multi-sport bad-boy Shaun Palmer was their poster child and that heritage of speed and attitude still sticks today. However, over recent years, Intense has successfully transferred their downhill history and experience into their trail bikes (they were actually one of the first to experiment with a 29er downhill bike) and the all-new and updated Carbine is a testament to that legacy and history. The Carbine has been in the Intense line-up for about five or so years, but this update is significant in the sense that it’s pretty much a relaunch. It has been…