Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 164 i Australian Mountain Bike

RAVEMEN PR1200 FRONT LIGHT With three modes and eight brightness levels for various riding environments, this front light from Ravemen offers a wealth of options. In ‘mountain bike’ mode, the high brightness level pumps out 1200 lumens and will run for around two hours. The mid brightness level is 600 lumens for 3.5 hours, while the low level can last for up to 8.5hrs at 300 lumens brightness. An LED display indicates the remaining time at each brightness level, allowing you to monitor usage. Max beam distance is listed at 142 metres, while the light itself weighs 213g and is compatible with handlebars from 22.2mm to 31.8mm diameter. RRP: $189.95 FROM: ravemen.com BIRZMAN PUMP UP The Pump Up is a high-pressure canister that users can charge with their floor pump…

With the biggest mountain biking event in the world hitting our shores recently it should come as no surprise what I’ll talk about first. The Mountain Bike World Championships is a massive event for Australia to host and for it to be run so well is a massive testament to all involved. And to top off the event for XCO, Cameron Wright won the Junior World’s race! For Australian mountain biking, and obviously for Cam, that is a massive accomplishment - and not only that, but we also had Matt Dinham in seventh! Two riders in the top 10 of a World Championships is incredible and it goes without saying the future of Aussie cross-country racing is extremely bright. As a whole, the World Championships were a massive success, with…

With more and more 2018 bikes featuring the new metric standard shocks from varying brands we sat down with some of the key players in the suspension world and asked them to dull things down a little bit. Many of you will have read up about these new shocks and the advantages, of which there are many. But what is metric and how will it make the lives of mountain bikers better? Jose Gonzalez is Trek’s Director of Suspension Development and spoke to us about Trek and the advantages of metric shocks. As a former manager for the Kawasaki Team, Jose knows an insane amount about suspension and development and has a background that has helped him look at it from many angles and often very much outside the box…

BLOWN AWAY! That’s what we’ve been after viewing all your entries for the ‘AMB Photography Awards – presented by Shimano’. Hundreds and hundreds of amazing images were submitted celebrating life on and off the bike and capturing our sport perfectly in a single frame. Thousands of you then voted online for your favourite photo in each of the four individual categories – Skill, Speed, Adventure and Lifestyle. But it was our three judges - AMB editor Mike Blewitt, in-house designer and photographer Rob Conroy and global MTB snapper Tim Bardlsey-Smith – who had by far the hardest job in choosing the overall winner of the prestigious title of AMB Photographer of the Year. In the end, Tasmania’s Simon McLaine took out the top prize of $3,000 plus a Shimano M…

The fully fledged 29er XC dually has been absent from the Giant range for a couple of seasons and has been sorely missed. 2018 sees the Giant Anthem return to its XC pedigree with big wheels, reduced travel and modern geometry to create the Anthem 29er. This bike will no doubt bring a smile back to the faces of diehard Anthem fans. This latest incarnation is XC to its core and ready to make up for lost time. With totally revamped geometry, the new offering is almost an inch shorter in the rear end than the previous 29er - sporting 90mm rear wheel travel and 100mm up front. Giant has stuck with the technologies that have proved themselves over previous seasons and that match the Anthem 2 I tested last…

In the world of mountain biking, there are some people who work really hard for their love of the sport. They get up early, they go to bed late, spend a lot of time in the mud, dirt and dust, they use gear that is always on the verge of wearing out, and they don’t get to choose the conditions they ride in. All that, and they have to ride with about 25kg of gear on their backs! That’s right, mountain bike photographers are often the hardest working people in the sport, but they are a key part of showing us the sport we love, and helping make us inspired to ride. A good photo can rip us out of a hump day slump, and make us amped to get…

Welcome to Wairoa Gorge, a stunning hour’s drive from sunny Nelson on New Zealand’s South Island. As a writer/rider type, I was given the privilege of a ride at the Gorge to experience all this mountain bike wonderland had to offer. Trundling my brand new test bike out in the darkness of Nelson’s early morning, after two hours sleep due to a missed flight and subsequent midnight arrival, bike build and watching too much Seinfeld, there was still—despite the fatigue—a tingling of excitement. I met our hosts from Nelson cycling adventure company, Trail Journeys, outside the hotel and as a hint of the sun poked through the crisp darkness, boarded the bus to our mountain bike adventure park. “It’s a very special place,” one friend told me. Another said: “Better…

McLaine moved to Canada last year from Hobart and has subsequently been living out of a van in and around the Vancouver region, riding some sick trails and doing freelance photography work. And he admits the stunning trails and top-class local riders are a real boon when it comes to getting award-winning images. “This prize is a milestone in my career and something I’ll hold close to me forever. I can’t believe it’s happened - I feel honoured,” he says. “British Columbia is just an amazing place and the calibre of riders here is also awesome, so with those two things combined the opportunities often come up to get out there for some pretty amazing adventures and to get some pretty spectacular imagery.” McLaine’s background is in trailbuilding, having previously…

I’ve clocked up a lot of bike travel miles, and Scicon’s AeroComfort range offers both of the key things I look for in bike bags: solid protection and effortless transit. They’re a good compromise between strong, easy-rolling hard cases, and lighter reinforced soft cases like the kind Thule and Evoc are known for. But I tested an earlier model in 2015 and after weeks of punishment, found it was not without its faults. By the time I got home from a six-week trip around Europe, a hole had worn through the bottom of the bag where excess material occasionally dragged and scraped whatever surface I was traversing. Usually cobbles. I was pretty excited when the opportunity came up to test the latest generation of AeroComfort MTB 3.0 on trips to…

Canberra’s cycling infrastructure has improved tremendously over the past few years, with upgrades taking place at Stromlo Forest Park and Majura Pines. Stromlo sits central in Canberra – a perfect middle ground for travel distance and trail variety. It’s an easy escape from the bustling city into nature. Makin Trax Australia have gone to town in building an extension of the original Vapour Trail that was constructed a few years ago, introducing large tabletops and berms on the mountain from top to bottom. Take a detour off the highway during your travels for a few hours of maximum air time and easy shuttle runs on a truly unique trail. Popular and easy shuttle spots are the bottom of Mount Stromlo Road, which requires a brief fire-trail ride from the end…

This is gnocchi with a slight variation - perfect for f uelling hungry athletes with a good balance of carbohydrates and protein. The addition of pumpkin increases the vitamins, while ricotta gives an extra boost of protein. The recipe is actually a lot easier than the long method suggests and not too time METHOD 1. Prepare the pumpkin by removing the skin and roasting in the oven (180° C) for 20 minutes or until very soft. Let it cool slightly and mash it. 2. Make the pumpkin ricotta gnocchi dough: Mix the pumpkin mash, ricotta, parmesan, eggs and salt together in a large bowl. Add 2 cups of the flour and mix well with your hands. The dough should be very sticky, impossible to work. 3. Add another half cup…

Below is an example of a typical base-phase week of training. I have structured in two sub-threshold/‘sweet spot’ sessions, an unstructured bunch ride and a longer endurance ride. In between these specific training sessions I would recommend one or two cross training sessions (core/functional strength, swim, jog etc.) and at least one day totally off training. ‘SWEET-SPOT’ HILL INTERVALS SESSION Here is an example of a great quality hills session that targets your ‘sweet-spot’: WARM UP 10min Low Intensity 1 x 5min @ 100% FTP or THR 5min Low Intensity MAIN 4 x 10min hill climbs @ 88-94% FTP or 95% THR * Ride easy for 5-7min in b/w these intervals (roll down the hill) WARM DOWN 10min Low Intensity *Alternatively, 2 x 20min hill climbs works well if you…

It has been an exciting year for Australia on the international stage. The resurgence in the DH scene has been great to see, not forgetting the exploits of Troy and Connor the last couple of years, while the competition at World Cups is back to the pinnacle it once was. And to see so many Aussie faces on the full-time circuit will no doubt only fuel the next generation coming through. Downhill is one of those rare sports where 99 per cent of the time a winner-takes-all approach is required to be successful. But you also have to remember that seven weekends a year (eight if you include World Champs) we only see one winner and also 200 odd losers. The build up from the last qualifier to the first…

Cairns is no stranger to being on the mountain biking world stage. The town in Tropical North Queensland was thrust into the MTB consciousness about 20 years ago, as local mountain bikers took to seeing what their bikes could do. Without Instagram feeds, mountain biking developed up north thanks to what riders could do, and what the equipment could stand. But with the likes of the Mud Cows in Tropical North Queensland, the world soon took notice. After the World Cup and World Championships in the mid 1990s, mountain biking dropped off. Glen Jacobs said that mountain biking even became banned in areas where the 1996 World Champs were held. But that was then. With news in 2013 that the World Cup was coming to Smithfield in 2014 and 2016,…

Shimano are known for making long-lasting and reliable mountain bike footwear, and their recent rejig of their whole range of cycling shoes has brought updated technology from the top of the range down to the bottom - from all-mountain shoes through to trail shoes and XC slippers like the S-Phyre XC9. More than just a basic upgrade, Shimano have changed the whole shoe, on the upper they moved from two velcro straps and a buckle to two BOA dials instead. The full-carbon midsole is thinner, which means you’re closer to the pedal axle, and the outer sole is Michelin rubber, complemented by ports for two toe studs on each shoe. The tread is all pretty low-profile, and the toes have a small bumper for extra protection. The upper is two…

Australian riding conditions are quite different compared to where much of the bike industry is based in both Europe and North America. But thankfully, due west of us, South Africa is mountain bike mad and they churn out some products perfect for our conditions. Smoove Lube might just be the next one. Finding the right chain lube involves understanding the demands of your riding, the trail conditions, and how committed you are to drivetrain maintenance. Smoove claims to be long-lasting in wet or dry conditions, improving shifting performance and increasing drivetrain life – all things most riders would jump at. We chose to test Smoove at the recent Crocodile Trophy mountain bike race, putting it through eight days and over 30 hours of dry, wet, dusty, sandy and gritty riding.…

Rock gardens come in all shapes and sizes, but the big ones can be seriously daunting. Smaller rock gardens can be a bit of a point and shoot affair – pick the exit, aim for it and hold on! However, the bigger versions require a much more calculated approach. Quite often you’ll have multiple lines, trees on the side and a whole lot of stuff you don’t want to hit between you and the exit. The key to getting through safely and quickly is to scan ahead, pick your line, scan ahead some more and don’t look at anything you don’t want to hit. Here’s how to get it done. STEP 1 Scan ahead and pick your line Always take the opportunity to jump off your bike and have a…

Rim tape is one of the most important parts of your tubeless setup. Always make sure that the rim tape is stretched tightly across the rim and stuck down. If you’re having trouble sticking the tape down, clean the rim with some cleaning alcohol. It is also important to have the correct width. You don’t want it too narrow, so it doesn’t cover the spoke holes, or too wide so it overhangs the side of the rim where the bead should fit once it is taped. If you have a tubeless setup on a non-tubeless rim, you may need to use thicker tape to build up the rim bed in order to get the tyre to bead easily. Next step is the valves. Some have round ends, some are square…