Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 189 i Australian Mountain Bike

RIDERS: TROY BROSNAN AND SIAN A’HERN It was a new stage but the same result as 2020. The National Championships flew south to Maydena Bike Park in Maydena, Tasmania, a change up from Mystic Bike Park in Bright, Victoria. A fresh course for the Downhill National Championships was welcomed with open arms, and it delivered exactly what riders wanted, with a diverse and challenging course on steep terrain. When it came down to the final race runs, the 2020 National Champions Sian A’Hern and Troy Brosnan laid down the fastest times, earning the honour to wear the stripes for another year in 2021. RIDERS: DAN MCCONNELL AND BEC MCCONNELL Australia’s cross-country race scene has plenty of great riders, but Dan McConnell and Bec McConnell are the two biggest stars. Year…

DT SWISS 350 HUBS GET UPDATED The DT Swiss 350 is a classic in the DT Swiss range. It offers the performance and reliability of the Star Ratchet, along with having models available in just about any hub standard you could want. This classic hub has had an update, and the Star Ratchet now comes with a 36t as stock, not the 18t as previously supplied. You can still upgrade to the 54t ratchet for faster engagement. DT Swiss have also upgraded the tool free end caps, making maintenance on the hubs even easier – or swapping out to the three main freehub standards even easier. DT Swiss have the new hubs available in options for J-bend spokes or straight pull, and with centrelock or 6 bolt disc fitments, along…

There are plenty of riders out there happily spinning the cranks that came on their bike. These people might not even know the length of their cranks. On the other end of the spectrum are people like me, who line up a set of cranks in their preferred length prior to any new bike purchase. Like all things in mountain biking, crank lengths were originally copied from the road, as road cranksets were used on early mountain bikes. Unlike other components copied from the road however, mountain bike crank lengths still fall into the same parameters that many road cranks do. In both road and mountain across most disciplines and sizes cranks come in 165mm, 170mm, 172.5mm (less common in MTB), and 175mm lengths. Sometimes a brand will spec the…

When it comes to Tasmanian trail destinations, the list is not only long, but evolving. Wild Mersey is a trail network that will feature over 100km of trails when it’s finished at the end of this year. On top of the huge variety of trails, the whole network is within riding distance of the Devonport Spirit of Tasmania Terminal! For this trip, myself and Dominic Hook took our bikes on Spirit of Tasmania for three action packed days riding Wild Mersey. Whilst we had some help with the White Knuckle MTB Camper taking our camera equipment to the trails, a great way to experience Wild Mersey is by riding on and off Sprit of Tasmania. The Wild Mersey network is only a 30-minute ride from the Devonport Terminal via a…

Polygon have continued to grow in the Australian mountain bike market, thanks to their ability to build bikes that suit Australian riders, with parts selections for a price that leave many scratching their heads. Last year I tested the updated Polygon Siskiu D7, and this year Bicycles Online have sent a 2021 Siskiu D6 for review. It has exactly the same frame as the Siskiu D7 I tested last year, just with a slightly simpler parts package, bringing the price to $1999 – the D7 is currently $2399. There is also a D5 for $1299, although it has a 2x9 group set and much more basic suspension. All the Siskius have size specific wheel sizing, which means small and medium have 27.5” wheels, although you can also get the medium…

I reviewed a number of TAG Metals’ cockpit components in issue #188, and I was impressed by their performance. For those that haven’t heard of TAG, they’re a big player in the dirt bike world entering the mountain biking arena with a selection of high-end components. This is a move that’s been successful in the past, most notably with Renthal and their premium cockpit offerings. In this issue I’ve got TAG’s T3 platform pedals, which are a set of nylon flat pedals that retail for $82.95. The pedals spin on a fairly standard DU bushings and sealed bearing combo, which are easily accessed for servicing. Over the course of two months of testing the pedals are still running smoothly and play free. This is to be expected, but good to…

Riding larger drops is for the most part the same as riding smaller drops – it’s all about judging your speed and controlling your landing. The key difference when it comes to large drops is the fear factor and quite often it is the fear factor which causes a rider to make mistakes. How do you overcome the fear factor? Well, the simple answer is progression. The key skill you need is how to control your amplitude on the landing and have the ability to land how you choose – be it front wheel first, two wheels together or rear wheel first. Learn to master your amplitude on smaller drops before you progress to larger and larger drops and remember to practice different styles or run-ins; small lips, flat drops…

Most likely, if you’re reading this, you’re one of the majority of mountain bikers that works hard to play hard. Whether it be school or an office job, shift work or study, 99% of us that aren’t the professional 1% (or more likely, much less than 1%!) fit our riding around the rest of our life commitments. Most people have between 4 and 12 hours available to ride per week, and while it’s never going to be as effective as the professional athlete’s 20+ hours of riding, mobility sessions, gym, nutrition, psychology and midday naps, there are a few hacks to enable the time you’re spending on your fitness journey is as effective as it can be for the time available. PUT YOUR BACKPACK ON AND COMMUTE There is evidence…

The journey to creating this issue felt a little more normal than the past twelve months. I’m certain anyone reading this can relate to feeling a little bit isolated at one time or another since late March in 2020. There is no doubt that here in Australia we have had a really different time to any other country over the last year, but that’s not to say it’s been normal. However things have felt a bit like regular programming the past couple of months while compiling this issue. Firstly, there was a trip to Tasmania for coverage of the National Championships at Maydena Bike Park. This was a big trip for anyone who went, and for many people it was the first time catching up for 12 months. What was…

Mountain biking only hits mainstream television for the occasional feat of derring-do on a slow news day. That all changes on Saturday 5th June, when Trail Towns airs on SBS, with the first of 6 episodes of the new travel programme that centres on bikes and travel experiences. One of the hosts is mountain bike personality Paul van der Ploeg, and I asked him what a trail town is anyway. “A trail town could be any town in Australia really, that has trails, whether they be mountain bike, rail trails, road or gravel or all of the above! But I guess more specifically, it’s any town that welcomes families, couples and friends to stay for a holiday, offers great riding, lots of places to stay, pubs, breweries and wineries and…

One of the best things about the Wild Mersey trail network is that you don’t have to wait for the towns to catch up – they’re all full-service townships with all the amenities you need for a mountain bike holiday. Of course, with such a broad range of trails to ride and places to explore, you’ll have to pull yourself away from the cafe to make sure you sample all the trails in this expanding trail network. The whole network connects three towns, with Railton, Latrobe and Sheffield sitting within the diverse trail network. The range of trails suit beginners through to experts, with 70km of trails ready to ride and another 30km finished by this spring – so it’s a perfect time to plan your visit. Don’t forget to…

Whenever you travel afar to sample some iconic trails, returning home can be a bit…meh. The lush ferns of Rotorua, the Epic north shore of Canada, the rock slabs of Derby (lucky if you live there hey?). Coming back to the trails dotted amongst the suburbs can be a little, well, bland. A recent trip to Maydena in Tasmania was no exception. Lush ferns, prehistoric flora, hero dirt, rock slabs. It had it all. It’s a far cry from the home trails of Bunyaville and Gap. Insert mountain bike apathy. You know the feeling? I bet you do. It’s the same as when you come home from a ripping holiday, only to be thrust into the whirlwind of domestic duties and paid employment. Just like a return to the office…

If you’re reading this, there’s a pretty good chance bikes have changed your life, probably in more ways than one. Whilst people reading this are more likely to feel passionate about the many benefits cycling can bring, within wider society the humble bicycle may not be considered as highly as a vehicle for change. Two organisations that are using bicycles to truly change the world are Australian based charity Lighthouse Youth Projects, and global charity World Bicycle Relief. Whilst they’re going about it in different ways, both of these organisations are changing people’s lives through bikes. Lighthouse Youth Projects (LYP) began in 2013. LYP’s founders Jamie Moore and Ryan Lloyd wanted to use their combined cycling and industry experience in a way that benefited others. In the years since, LYP…

With daylight savings being over and memories of long sun-kissed days riding from sun up to sundown firmly in the rear-view mirror, it is apparent to all of us that winter is on the way. For many of us, the yearly tradition of digging out arm warmers, vests and winter riding gloves is one which is dreaded, as are the customary watery eyes and runny noses that are a given when riding your bike in single degree temperatures. But what if there was a place you could escape to where none of this was necessary? Where the trails are still dry, the sun is still warm, and the choice of adventures is nearly endless? Enter the Sunshine Coast, Queensland’s hidden mountain bike gem. Typically thought of to be a place…

Merida are synonymous with making great value mountain bikes, but some people forget that they’re also top performers. While Merida pulled back from their investment in World Cup cross-country racing to focus on eMTB development, their new Ninety-Six shows that they didn’t stop working on their top tier full-suspension cross-country bikes. The Merida Ninety-Six RC 9000 is the top spec cross-country bike from Merida, with Shimano XTR M9100 12-speed, Fox Factory suspension and dropper post, and some lovely DT Swiss XRC 1501 Spline 30mm carbon wheels. It sells for $9999.99, so about $800 less than the similarly specced Orbea Oiz M Team we tested in December, and with a Fox Factory dropper post included. We had the Merida Ninety-Six RC XT on test in our last issue, and for the…

Vee Tire Co is likely a manufacturer that most haven’t heard of, but chances are you have used a tyre produced by the greater Vee Rubber Group in your time. The Vee Rubber Group has been around since 1977 and has been producing car, truck, motorcycle and bicycle tyres in Thailand for the global market for over 40 years so they know a thing or two about tyre manufacturing. Vee Tire Co was established in 2013 to focus more effort on developing high performance cycling products. Using their experience in manufacturing and with help from some of the sport’s top athletes, Vee Tire Co have produced a number of products that have won races and performed at the highest level of many cycling disciplines, including mountain biking. Vee Tire Co…

"THE USE OF SUPPLEMENTS TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE ON THE BIKE COMES WITH POTENTIAL BENEFITS AND RISKS AND BEFORE YOU TAKE ANYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW IF IT’S ACTUALLY WORTH IT." THE sports supplements industry in Australia is worth close to $1.5 billion a year. Protein powders, sports food, pre-workout and more are all available to try in an instant. The use of supplements to improve performance on the bike comes with potential benefits and risks and before you take anything you need to know if it’s actually worth it. Before turning to supplements, it’s important to focus on diet. Think of your everyday diet as a cake that needs to provide all the nutrients needed to support training. Supplements can then be the icing on the cake. If you’re ready…

Whether it’s after fitting a new cable and outer, a new derailleur or straightening a derailleur hanger, adjusting your gears is a lot easier when you get the basics right, by setting your derailleur high and low limits, and B-tension, before tuning the cable tension. Thanks to the demonstration from the Bicycle Mechanic Training Institute, we’ll focus on the rear derailleur, given the popularity of single chain ring group sets. Tools needed: You’ll need an allen key or torx key to suit your derailleur cable clamp, and either a Phillips head screwdriver or small allen key for the limit screws and B-tension. Double check the specific tool required for your derailleur. 1 Shift your bike to the smallest sprocket, then wind in the barrel adjuster clockwise on your shifter -…

Australia’s most popular stage race is back in 2021, and you can be sure that Australia’s top racers will be chomping at the bit to be Cape to Cape champions this October. But let’s not get caught up with line honours here, the big event in the Margaret River region of Western Australia attracts so many riders because it’s a great place to visit, a great time to be in the south-west, and there’s so much to see and do when you’re not on the bike. Throw in 4-days of really varied stages through the forests, singletrack mazes and farmland, and you can see why Cape to Cape draws such a big crowd each year. The event runs from 21-24 October, but our suggestion would be to tag on a…

"JUNIORS ARE THE MAIN DRIVER OF WHICH RACES ARE TO BECOME SUSTAINABLE AND SUCCESSFUL IN THE YEARS AHEAD" “It’s not about how good you are, it’s about how dangerous you want to be” No matter whether this catch phrase is a revision of a marketing guru’s handbook of similar title, these words can be applied to so many aspects of mountain biking it should become every rider’s official bio. Having spent the last 17 months convincing myself of the benefits of experiencing other forms of cycling, it has been great to fall back under this unofficial / official banner and compete in a gravity enduro. The best place in Australia to get dangerous, outside of a few choice places in Tasmania of course, is Mount Beauty, where 300 entries sold…

I took my cross-country bike, as the Dragon Trail is a point-to-point cross-country stage race. You could easily do the event on a trail bike, or an enduro bike if you’re happy to work a little harder on the flats and climbs. My Norco Revolver 29 FS can be equipped at 120mm or 100mm, but I ran the 100mm suspension, as looking at the stage plan I could see we wouldn’t be tackling any of the gnarlier trails at Blue Derby. I did choose to run some light and wide wheels, and the 29mm internal width offered good support for a 2.4” WT Maxxis Rekon on the front, and a faster rolling 2.35” Maxxis Rekon Race on the rear. I ran fresh Stan’s sealant and carried a plug kit, along…

The Trek Session is the bike with the most UCI Downhill World Cup wins to its name (38 to be exact). It’s also the downhill bike by which all others are judged. The phrase ‘looks like a Session’ recognises the Session’s distinctive look and consistent performance for the last two decades. In recent years high pivot downhill bikes with idler pulleys (I’ll just say high pivot from now on) have become more and more popular. The Commencal Supreme is not only dominant at the top of the men’s and women’s fields but is also the bike of choice for privateers. Norco’s HSP downhill bike and GT’s current iteration of the Fury are also high pivot designs. If you’re somewhat new to the sport, you’d be forgiven for thinking that this…

Recently I have been testing quite a few quality enduro and downhill tyres with or without inserts, my go to test wheels over the last few months has been We Are One (WAO) Composites Union wheel set. For those who haven’t heard of the small Canadian Composites specialists hailing from Kamloops BC, WAO have gained serious momentum over the last few years with a small and focused offering of high quality components. The Union rim and wheel set is aimed directly at the Enduro racer. It is hard hitting and strong with a lower radial stiffness than any rim We Are One had made before giving it a precise and confidence inspiring feel without the jarring and fatigue that some ultra stiff carbon wheels can often be plagued by. There…

Tyre inserts are not just the domain of those who huck to flat, with cross-country and marathon racers using them for a number of years. There are a few notable riders like Marco Fontana and Tiago Ferreira who were early adopters of tyre inserts, but even Nino Schurter started using them at select races, once he was off his favourite tubular wheels. Now there are countless riders running something a little extra inside their tyres. Victor Koretzky, Ramona Forcini, Laura Stigger, Anne Terpstra... if you’re not glued to Redbull TV for World Cups these might not be names you recognise. But they’re riders atop World Cup podiums and include current and past World Champions. Cross-country racing and riding is often seen as gram obsessed. And as a devout cross-country and…

At the base of the Gold Coast Hinterland in south East Queensland’s rainforest sits a hidden gem to the mountain bike scene. Boomerang Farm Bike Park, (known as Boomers to locals) is located at the rear of Boomerang Farm Golf Course and has been operating and progressing their trails since 2014 with Bike Park Manager and head trail builder Shane Flower. Boomers is primarily a gravity orientated bike park operating on a shuttle service, although you can pay for just park entry and pedal your own way to the top, this is a good eMTB option. But I would highly recommend a shuttle pass, as you will get so much more riding in and there is not yet a designated climbing trail. So the ride up can get a bit…

Getting your five a day doesn’t have to be hard or boring. And, as the days are getting shorter with winter just around the corner, any opportunity to boost your immune system should be grasped wholeheartedly! These golden squash are amazing. A close relative of the zucchini and one of the “yellow veggies”, squash are crammed with vitamins and antioxidants. Special mention goes to Manganese (important for bone strength), Magnesium, folate and Vitamins C, A and Bs. The garlic mushroom stuffing inside the squash adds another great immune boost from the especially from the fresh garlic cloves, mushrooms and tomatoes. Both the tomato and onion are also notably high in vitamin C, a micronutrient vital to the immune system – supporting cellular function including supporting barriers against pathogens and protecting…