Innholdsfortegnelse for issue 180 i Australian Mountain Bike

The 2019 Cannonball Mountain Bike Festival was bigger than ever, and there’s nothing like the party atmosphere of a pump track challenge to get things started. The Village Green was heaving as riders flocked to Thredbo, with a DJ ensuring the party went well into the night. The Whip Off competition at the Thredbo Cannonball Mountain Bike Festival is always a crowd pleaser. Riders are cheered on by the crowds and by each other, throwing down one big whip after another. Some feel that the Whip Offs and Pump Track Challenge are showboating, but there is no arguing with the Cannonball Downhill. This year it was Troy Brosnan and Sian A’Hern who took the crowns on the iconic downhill run at Thredbo.…

The Pioneer launches into their 5th year in 2020, after a super-successful 4th edition in December 2019 (read more about that in our next issue). The big news for 2020 is The Pioneer’s move to the North Island of New Zealand. The 6-day mountain bike stage race lands in Rotorua for November 8-13, here’s why we think you need to make sure you’re on the start line. A NEW LOCATION Do you feel like you ticked the box for The Pioneer already? Well it’s all-new in 2020 with a move to the North Island. Being based around Rotorua means that riders will have a mix of riding in the redwoods as well as a greater variety of terrain and flora compared to the Southern Alps. New Zealand hospitality won’t change…

At the end of 2019 Thredbo pulled back the covers on their latest trail on the mountain. Ricochet winds its way through awesome terrain on each side of the High Noon steeps, and mixes flowing berms and cruisy traverses. Ricochet has access from Easy Street via the Gunbarrel Chairlift or the Upper Thredbo All Mountain Trail and, at 3.2km in length, the trail adds a significant amount of terrain to Thredbo’s trail map. “It’s that perfect mix of flow and technical features found on Thredbo’s Flow and All-Mountain trail, but without any pinch climbs and more interesting features thrown in between the tabletops and huge berms,” said Nick Waygood after getting a sneak peek in early December. As you weave through the thick alpine forest below the Gunbarrel chairlift, you…

Mountain biking is a growing sport. Kids today have access to bikes that were beyond my wildest dreams as a child: dual suspension 20” frames made of titanium! WILD! Mountain biking has gone through its awkward adolescence and hit its stride, just as early adopters of the sport have grown and raised children of their own. With the growth of any sport comes conflict. It’s almost impossible to maintain the feel and values of a grassroots sport when it grows to mainstream popularity, and mountain biking is no exception. But there are some ways you can influence mountain biking as it continues to evolve, and I would argue that if you have reaped benefits of the sport throughout the years it should be a non-negotiable development in your life. What…

Electric bicycles are becoming the norm on our streets and trails and eMTBs specifically are one of the largest segments in mountain biking, with growth seen in the segment every year since around 2015. With the European market leading the charge, and German electrics company Bosch are at the forefront of eMTB drive units. As the largest producer of eBike motor systems in the world they know a thing or two about assisting your preferred pedal powered mode of transport or grin inducing fun machine. So for 2020 Bosch have really stepped things up, releasing their latest 4th generation Performance Line CX motor. The have developed a smaller, lighter, more powerful pedal assist system for some of the best bicycle manufacturing brands around. During the end of November AMB was…

Merida have enjoyed a good share of the electric mountain bike (eMTB) market since the category first started, in part due to an ability to offer great bikes at very competitive pricing. The Merida E160 is synonymous with eMTBs around the world, and you’d be hard-pressed to not see one or more at any popular trail head. Merida’s manufacturing is based in Taiwan and the design and R & D is based out of Germany, marrying production efficiency and design prowess. Merida offer 3 styles of performance based eMTBs, the eONE-TWENTY, eONE-FORTY and eONE-SIXTY, boasting 120mm, 133mm and 150mm of travel respectively. This carbon model sits at the top of the eONE-Forty range but there are other models in the line up. This bike uses Shimano’s top end E8000 motor…

At a time when mountain bikes get pigeon-holed into genres, the Transition Smuggler has been bucking that trend. Big wheels, a business-like 120mm of travel out the back and 140mm of travel to party out the front, the Transition Smuggler Carbon test bike has shown that you cannot judge a bike’s capabilities only by the numbers. ONE BIKE TO RULE THEM ALL? After 6 months riding (and even racing) the Transition Smuggler Carbon frame set, it is easy to understand why so many riders prize this short travel trail bike. Transition have married a really stiff carbon frame to a progressive 120mm suspension platform and their Speed Balanced Geometry (SBG). In a nutshell that’s a longer reach, steeper seat tube, shorter chain stays, slacker head angle and reduced fork offset.…

DT Swiss is no stranger to quality components, mechanics applaud their simplistic, robust internal workings and serviceability. The ability to still get parts for the older items and the fact that many parts are cross compatible means the brand has etched itself into the cycling book of staples. When DT Swiss announced in 2019 that they were launching the new 180 hubs equipped with Ratchet EXP and equipping them in new wheel sets, we were keen to get our hands on them. We have already tested the light weight XRC wheels in both 25mm an 30mm internal rim widths. So now our interest turned to the XMC 1200, their trail and all-mountain wheels with a 30mm internal rim. There is also the EXC 1200 as an Enduro race wheel set.…

Thule’s range of storage and carrying solutions knows no bounds, and the Thule T2 Pro XT is a perfect example of a company responding to customer’s needs. The stout hitch-mounted rack attaches to a 50mm hitch for a bombproof connection to your car and can carry two mountain bikes of just about any shape or size, including fat bikes with up to 5” tyres. You can even get an add on to take two extra bikes on the rack – perfect for mountain biking families or shuttle runs. Or for mountain bike families who do shuttle runs! One of the best features of the Thule T2 Pro XT is that the rack doesn’t contact your frame to hold your bike securely. Many of Thule’s previous designs for both roof and…

This summer has been one for Australia to remember for all the wrong reasons. Putting this issue together has been full of mixed emotions. Most of our big stories were compiled in the back part of 2019, when it was crazily dry on Australian trails but the bushfire threat was mostly just that - a threat. Of course, as November and then December and January rolled around, a season of severe bushfires grew into a catastrophe. As I am writing this, that has not finished. Most of our alpine regions are just opening again, and many will bear scars for a long time into the future. While it’s uncertain on whether trails have been lost in those areas, we know they will have been destroyed in other communities in other…

The WA Gravity Enduro team have got their 2020 calendar all set, with a whopping 9 race days and a teams event. The mix of events visits The Pines, Dunsborough, Linga Longa Bike Park, Evedon Park, Chittering, the Goat Farm and more. Two of the races will be EWS Qualifiers, and the State Championships will be in Pemberton in September. We’ve always heard that Western Australia lead the way in Gravity Enduro racing, and their 2020 calendar leaves no doubt. Find all the details on their website. wagravityenduro.org…

Thule have jumped deep into the hydration backpack game with their new range, and the Rail Pro offers serious impact protection, on-bike stability and good water capacity. While the bag can carry 2.5L of fluid, there is 12L of storage space alongside a removable CE rated back protector. With a tall hip belt the bag is said to be super stable, and thanks to compressible stash panels, even the biggest loads sit close and don’t get in the way. The good people at Thule Australia have provided one of these $329 bags for us to give away. Just head to AMBmag.com.au/win to enter, you just need to tell us in 25 words or less: “How do Thule stop you getting a wet knee when riding with their backpacks?” Full terms…

2020 is here and now and it’s crazy to think another decade has passed us by. What was cutting edge in 2010 no longer cuts it and the industry’s constant search for new products to market has given us both highs and lows. Will the next decade stay at the same rate of progression or are we starting to see a consolidation of products? Engineering resources are better than ever for the cycling industry, and with our culture now engrained in social media anyone can reach a global audience with a click of a button. Will this environment help push any new ground-breaking technology or will this decade be one of mass production and little in the way of excitement? What does the next decade have in store for us?…

We had been in Derby for days, but all anyone was talking about was the Bay of Fires Trail, a new point-to-point wilderness trail from the top of Blue Tier that deposits you on the squeaky white sand and lichen-covered granite of Swimcart Beach. “The Bay of Fires Trail is something Australia, and the world, has never seen,” said Glen Jacobs, the Founder of World Trail, as we chatted outside the Derby General Store one afternoon. World Trail had just completed this major build and the official opening of the Bay of Fires Trail was in a few days. Hearing all the hype, Nick Waygood and I snagged the last couple of spots on shuttles heading up the mountain to be among the first to ride the trail to find…

The Kenevo Expert is Specialized’s top of two alloy eMTB models packing more travel and more battery than just about anything else available. Boasting 40% more battery capacity than its predecessor, Specialized is correct in stating chairlifts and shuttles are no longer a necessity on a downhill bike. Currently the Turbo Kenevo is pushing into uncharted territory and what I suspect will become far more common than we think. With a motor, I genuinely ask the question why would you want less than 160mm of travel, why not make it 180mm. What is the difference when you have a motor? Last time I bought a motorbike, I didn’t have a short and long travel option. INITIAL IMPRESSIONS Well look at it, it’s impossible to miss the dual crown RockShox Boxxer…

It would be way too easy to dedicate each and every page of this magazine to tyres, setups and pressures. There is a huge amount of information which needs to be considered when it comes to getting it right and the truth is the sweet spot on any given setup can vary so much based on the conditions, type of trail, suspension setup and almost every element of what you are doing on the bike. That said, getting it close to right is often simple enough with some good advice from others but that said, once you get rolling, there are a few key things I reckon you need to look out for to get it dialled, and also keep you safe. 1 THE GOLDEN RULES Run your rear tyre…

All my favourite flavours mixed together to fuel my favourite past time; riding bikes! Banana bread of any variety is always a winner and never goes out fashion. WHAT’S GREAT ABOUT THEM? A delicious and nutritious energy source that will fuel your day. Your taste buds will be pretty happy eating with you too. Bananas are often referred to as the perfect food for athletes largely due to their mineral content and easily digested carbs. Mixed with buckwheat flour, there is a great combination of sweetness from the bananas and nutty taste from the buckwheat. Chocolate and peanut butter go with everything. I decided to pump up the protein by adding the yoghurt and milk. The peanut butter adds to the fat content and deliciousness. The bonus of that energy…

The huge Cannonball MTB Festival returned once again in December, with Thredbo MTB playing host to the 8th iteration of the event. A huge 5-day festival made up of 5 events brought the best in the country including the likes of Connor Fearon, Sian A’Hern and Troy Brosnan. By now, most would know of the party that takes place in Thredbo over the first weekend of December, and with a little over 1000 competitors hitting the alpine trails with their mountain bikes, Thredbo Resort proved that it’s the must-do mountain biking event to attend, closing out the year in spectacular style. With racing kicking off on the Thursday with the Osprey All-Mountain Assault, everyone kicked into the weekend with the Maxxis Flow-Motion Cup, spread over the Friday and Saturday to…

My last piece looked at the boom of two-person events like the Epic Series. Races like The Pioneer and Triple Crown events (Cape to Cape, Reef to Reef and Port to Port) are major events in the Oceania region. South Africa also has an abundance of short, multi-day stage races and the largest of them all, the Cape Epic. Both of the region’s events have similarities. Most races have some sort of TV package, they’re achievable for the general public but still challenging for top riders, and all riders get to spend a few days riding around a new location in a timed and guided fashion. One of the biggest differences is the South African races, like the Tankwa Trek held in the lead up to the Cape Epic, are…

One hour in a taxi. An hour and half at the airport. 5 hours on a plane. An hour waiting for luggage and a hire car. Three and a half hours from Perth airport to Margaret River. Racing Cape to Cape with mates? Priceless. There is no denying that heading to Cape to Cape from the east coast is a bit of an undertaking, especially coming from just outside of Brisbane like I did. This was my 6th visit to Western Australia, but as always I was happy to head back for Cape to Cape. The time spent in Margaret River and the south west is always worth the trip. If you have been to Cape to Cape before but not since 2016 then I would highly recommend visiting again.…

Canyon quickly made their presence known via direct to consumer sales, allowing customers to buy a bike across all genres of cycling, including a wide range of mountain bikes. Canyon started delivering to Australia direct from Germany at the start of 2016, and their presence on the trails has continued to grow. You would have read our review of the 130mm-travel Canyon Neuron a couple issues ago, and we’re no stranger to the bikes that Canyon vreate and their precision builds and delivery times. With a reputation for bang-for-buck high end mountain bikes, we ordered in a Canyon Torque to test during our visit to Thredbo’s Cannonball Festival in early December. In the Torque range, the CF 8.0 sits just below the top, with a total of 5 models available,…

Shimano’s Deore XT group set is the original mountain bike group set, and the latest 12-speed iteration reinforces the group’s reputation for hard-wearing, high quality performance. Better yet, it isn’t discipline specific. In May last year Shimano released the much anticipated 12-speed update to their ever-popular Shimano Deore XT group set. The M8100 model gained just about every feature from the 12-speed Shimano XTR M9100 group launched in 2018. And with SLX M7100 launched concurrently, the best news for all of us is the interchangeability between all three of the 12-speed groups from Shimano. While there were a few hiccups getting XTR rolled out, Deore XT hit the dirt right on release, and with a lot of excellent feedback. After over 6 months of use, none of that shine has…

Dakine’s range of bags crosses many sports and many uses, and their Session 8L backpack and Hot Laps 5L waist bag land squarely in the sort of size most of us are after for trail rides and all day epics. DAKINE SESSION 8L This lightweight backpack has basic back padding and a simple but comfortable harness system. The length of the bag isn’t crazy long, and it’s not so skinny that it will roll around when filled up. The 2L Hydrapak bladder opens up completely for fast filling, cleaning and drying. While the internal baffle means less sloshing it does mean you can’t fit cans in there to stay cold. The bag istself has a large pocket with bright blue lining, making spotting a chain link easy. There’s a small,…

Thredbo is the only place in Australia where the lift runs 365-days a year. Whether you are riding two planks or two wheels, you can make your way to the roof of Oz without breaking a sweat. While Thredbo is the home of Australia’s original Cannonball run, it took the alpine resort a little while to catch on to the fact that, to make a mountain biking destination you need more than just a big hill. Once the powers at be cottoned on, trails began to pop up faster than popcorn over a hot stove. The Snowy Mountains are in a unique position with the Thredbo Valley running all the way from the village at the ski resort to Lake Jindabyne, thereby connecting the trail networks at either end with…

For most of us, long gone are the days of carefully planning a weeks’ worth of meals, then shopping, cooking and eating them at the dinner table over a nice long conversation. With less time and more convenient options easily available at the push of a button, it's easy to see why. In fact, 58 per cent of us are ordering in takeaway on weeknights according to the Australian Beef Survey 2018. And we’re not even waiting at the takeaway shop for our food anymore. According to research by Cowan, almost half of people surveyed use a food delivery service like Uber Eats or Deliveroo more than once a month, some almost every day. Whilst eating out or ordering in is great for saving time and relieving the pressure of…

Riding in hot temperatures absolutely dampens performance, that has been proven time and again in a myriad of studies. The good news is that heat adaptation is a real thing that can close the gap between ambient and hot weather performances. In fact, heat training has been likened to altitude training in the physiological adaptations that occur as a result of riding in hot temperatures. Here we will discuss why the heat has such an effect on perceived exertion and power output, how heat adaptation training can assist in performance in both hot and ambient temperatures, and some tips and tricks to assist in performing well in hot conditions. BABY, IT’S HOT OUTSIDE Riding in heat results in an increase in core body temperature, increased rate of perceived exertion, and…