Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 191 i Australian Mountain Bike

RIDERS: THOMAS PIDCOCK, MATHIEU VAN DER POEL, DAN MCCONNELL The Olympic mountain bike race in Izu, Japan was a demanding course. 38 men took to the course on July 26, in dusty conditions on a hot and humid afternoon. Speculation abounded about who was the favourite, and whether Nino Schurter would be able to defend his Gold from Rio. When Thomas Pidcock moved up the start grid into the leading group, and van der Poel misunderstood that the ramp from practice would be removed on race day, the race looked unlike what many expected. Pidcock from Great Britain built a narrow margin and extended it, showcasing his world class talent as he rode to a Gold medal. Swiss Mathias Flueckiger earned Silver while David Valero Serrano from Spain timed a…

In early August Giant unveiled their new Reign E+ range, which features a smaller and more powerful motor, a bigger battery, and updated geometry with input from Australian pro rider Josh Carlson. Giant’s old SyncDrive Pro Motor›featured 80Nm of torque, which at the time was very impressive. All that torque came at a cost though, which was ground clearance. One of Josh Carlson’s requests for the new motor was to increase ground clearance. The new SyncDrive Pro Motor developed with Yamaha features 85Nm of torque (which is the same as›Bosch’s Performance Line CX Motor›and›Shimano’s EP8 Motor), and weighs in at a claimed 2.7kg (compared to an EP8 Motor at around 2.6kg and a Bosch Performance Line CX Motor at 2.79kg). It also features a whopping 37mm of increased ground clearance,…

What sets mountain biking apart in the world of cycling? I’ve come back to the fun side of riding bikes after many years of professional road racing, and it feels good to be part of a colourful and welcoming community again. It was recently Pride Month and I realised one of the many things I love about mountain biking is all the colours of the rainbow that make it so welcoming, so exciting, and so unique to its counterparts. I’m living full time again back in Canberra, the city where I grew up, and a mecca for dirt lovers. I’m spending much more time on my XC bike than my road bike nowadays, and while the mountain bike scene has changed a lot since I raced World Cups more than…

If you’re reading this magazine, you probably think mountain biking is fantastic. Perhaps you’ve encouraged friends and family to give riding a go, and some of them have probably stuck at it. There’s no doubt mountain biking is absolutely booming right now with plenty of new faces from all backgrounds on the trails, which is great to see. One user group that’s growing rapidly are adaptive mountain bikers. If you don’t know what adaptive mountain biking is, it allows people who aren’t able to ride a regular bike for a range of reasons to enjoy the thrill of mountain biking. There’s a range of adaptive bikes that suit people with differing levels of need. In this article I talked with three organisations who’re working hard to increase participation in adaptive…

Somewhere in the bushland that skirted his Newcastle family property, a skinny 12-year-old surveyed a rickety, home-made jump. This was the latest creation that he and his mates had devised, and it was his turn to be the test pilot. Committing 110% to the jump, the confessed “full BMX bandit” overshot the landing and his bike slammed into the flat earth. Arms buckling with the force of impact, his chin collapsed onto the handlebars, smashing his top teeth as they went through the bottom lip. Meet Cam Ivory. Saying he’s no stranger to adversity is a slight understatement. Cam is one of the hardest working and quietly relentless athletes on the mountain bike circuit, and his pure love for racing has belittled the otherwise significant setbacks in his career. From…

Janine Jungfels is one of Australia’s most successful cyclists. An Observed Trials World Champion, three-time world championship medal winner, and the winner of 6 Trials World Cup events, Janine has made the most of limited resources in her cycling career. A few years ago, Janine moved to Ipswich, buying a property with a bit of space to setup her own trials course (you can witness her skills over at @janinejungfels on Instagram). Janine says she enjoys the relaxed country atmosphere Ipswich provides. ‘I do really like living in Ipswich. I’m definitely not a city slicker, so it’s nice to be out here but still have the city and everything else close by.’ With Trials being such a niche sport in Australia, Janine has always had a proactive attitude to getting…

In July, Norco released a whopping 10 new eMTBs into Australia across the Range, Sight and Fluid FS dual-suspension platforms. These were the first bikes from Norco to be using the new Shimano EP8 motor, and Norco used the smaller, lighter, more powerful and more efficient motor to optimise the design on all the models, and they share design features. Instead of bolting the EP8 into the existing eMTB models, Norco engineers chose to rotate the motor counter-clockwise, shifting the unit backwards and upwards, but letting the battery sit low in the frame. This also meant it can be fitted and removed from the base of the down tube while keeping the down tube complete for nearly the entire length, aiding strength, stiffness and the overall handling of the bikes.…

Pivot are a leading boutique mountain bike brand, and not one that rests on their laurels. With a passionate following around the globe thanks to the ride characteristics offered by their DW-Link suspension, Pivot are always looking to update and refine their bikes, even if it means ruffling a few feathers in the process. To this end, Pivot are one of a few companies that use the Super Boost rear spacing, as it allows them to deliver the handling characteristics they want riders to have, without compromise. Recently, they have been doing thorough updates throughout the whole range. From the racey Mach 4 SL, to the Trail 429, Mach 6, Switchblade and most recently the Firebird, also tested in this issue. The versatile Pivot Shuttle eMTB was updated last year,…

In April Roval released an updated Roval Control Carbon wheel set. With an all-new rim, the Roval Control Carbon 6B XD wheels offer lower weight, greater strength and an improved ride compared to the previous model. The›Control Carbon wheels use the same Roval Control SL rim from the top spec 1240g Control SL wheels, however the Control Carbon wheels eschew the DT Swiss 180 hubs and Aerolite spokes, instead using DT Swiss 350 straight pull hubs and Competition Race spokes with Prolock nipples. The Roval Control SL rim has a claimed weight of 358g, which is super light. The rim is asymmetric, to help with even spoke tension, and it is also slightly lower profile than the previous Carbon Control rim. The rims have a 29mm internal width to provide…

Pedro’s are a brand with a storied history in cycling. Founded way back in 1989, Pedro’s first product was their ‘Syn Lube’ chain lube, before they expanded into tools made from recycled plastic in the 1990s. Head into plenty of bike shops around Australia and you’ll find mechanics who are rusted on supporters of Pedro’s range, especially their tyre levers. After a brief hiatus in the Australian market, Pedro’s are back, and are being distributed nationally by Lead Out Sports. In issue #190 I wrote a feature about kitting out a home workshop, and I discussed options from Pedro’s throughout. I’ve had a bit more time with their latest tools in hand now, and today I’m going to be focussing on their Burrito Tool Roll. If you missed my rather…

A few issues ago I asked Colin Levitch to write a feature and take a punt on what the future of mountain biking might look like. He spoke to trail builders, engineers and those who have worked in the bike industry for decades. It was an interesting read, while also reflecting on what has changed in even 10 years. The recent Olympic Games in Tokyo had two mountain bike races that had anyone watching either on the edge of their seat or on their feet, with a truly dynamic battle being fought in both the men’s and women’s races. I spoke to Evan James from AusCycling about how mountain biking might look in the future, but specifically at the Olympics in Brisbane in 2032. Of course there is also another…

Like me, I’m sure you watched as much Olympics as you could, even battling through those infomercial style sports updates on the rules of 3 on 3 basketball. Ummm, come again? Yes believe it or not a game you might play at recess when you were 12 is somehow now an Olympic sport. It’s an event where not even the U.S has entered a Men’s team, a nation that surely boasts the most pickup games on offer each day anywhere in the world. Strange enough as it is, basketball has a lot in common with mountain biking at the moment, and at the same time, it doesn’t. For the major players in the NBA, the Olympics barely make it onto their radar of important things to consider, a choice they…

I recently moved to Margaret River and, being new to town, joined the local mountain bike club to make some friends. At the first club meeting I put my hand up to join the committee and became the de-facto organiser for the upcoming club race which was part of Western Australia’s XCO State Series run in conjunction with Perth MTB Club. I’d been to plenty of big marathon (XCM) events when I lived on the east coast but had only been to smaller club races a handful of times. Whether they were run by for-profit companies or volunteer-led clubs, I just paid my entry fee, turned up, raced, went home, checked the results, and; signed up for the next one. Sure, some events were better than others, but I had…

As the fourth biggest and most populated country in the world, China loves the superlatives. This place as almost as big as the whole of Europe. China isn´t only an economic and technological super power, it also seeks influence in the world´s politics and even space. Not much information gets revealed out of this communist, one-party authoritarian state and vice-versa not that much comes in from the western world. Human rights is one issue but today we want to have a look into the beauty of this country´s landscape, people and culture. Wit h the absolutely amazing Himalaya mountains in sight, also topographically China has it all. I’m a winter refugee and I like to be comfortably warm all year round. As soon as the first snowflakes fall here, I…

Pivot’s position in the world of mountain bikes is at the top of the pyramid. Make no mistake, they are a boutique brand. A number of things go hand in hand with this. Firstly, you tend to get frame construction that’s second to none. You also get suspension technology that carries on through different models and frame iterations. And as such, you won’t often see ground up redesigns. The engineers invest early in their design concepts, and refine them from there. A pessimist might say that boutique brands are too slow to develop and change. But the reality is they have often developed and executed a very good product, and made ongoing refinements to keep it at the top of the tree. Pivot’s DW-Link suspension is an ideal example of…

Pirelli are a global name in the world of tyres. Their motorsport success on and off road is well-known, and the iconic Scorpion name has carried into the world of mountain biking, with Pirelli jumping into the mountain bike tyre game with two feet in early 2019. While the initial launch Scorpion saw 2.2” and 2.4” tyres in conditions specific models (Hard, Soft, Mixed and Rear specific), this range was always going to expand. And that’s exactly what it has done since then, with Pirelli Scorpion Trail 2.4” and Enduro and eMTB 2.6” models. The fast Pirelli Scorpion XC RC 2.2” tyres were developed in conjunction with the Trek-Pirelli mountain bike team and launched last year. And now, Pirelli have released a wider 2.4” version of the Pirelli Scorpion XC…

76 Projects are a small brand out of the UK. The two owners have turned their skills from industrial design to designing and manufacturing high quality problem solving products. They have an extensive list of unique products to solve all kinds of problems, from Garmin or Wahoo mounts for all manner of locations to a variety of on bike storage solutions. 76 PROJECTS PIGGY The Piggy utilises the standard water bottle bosses on your frame to mount both your water bottle cage and your spares, with a strap to hold your multi-tool, tube, tyre lever and CO2 and a dedicated spot for a master link all in the one design. It does this with a long plastic strip with rubber which mounts to your frame. This relocates the bottle cage…

Riding short and steep chutes is a great way to begin to develop your confidence on steep terrain. Riding the longer variety of chutes where speed control is paramount is a different kettle of fish but there is no shortage of trails here in Australia which feature short and sharp steep sections. It’s certainly something which is intimidating for newbies to the sport and for good reason – get it wrong and 9 times out of 10 it will result in a trip over the bars with a long way between you and the ground so it really is important to ease your way into it. Don’t tackle anything off the bat that you feel uncomfortable with and progress your skills on mellow inclines and learn the basics before you…

There are many good things about Shimano brakes. They’re powerful, reliable, and you get bang for your buck with their trickle-down technologies. Bleeding Shimano brakes is also a fairly simple task, and it’s well worth doing If your brakes are feeling spongy, or if it’s time to replace brake pads. Tools Needed Allen key set, Shimano brake bleed kit (consisting of Shimano mineral oil, a Shimano bleed bucket, a bleed block, and syringe with an open hose attachment), needle nose pliers, a clean rag, brake cleaner, brake pad spreader (not pictured), 7mm spanner (not pictured). Remove brake pads from the caliper You’ll need to remove your brake pads from the caliper using the Needle Nose Pliers for the retaining clip, and a 3mm allen key for the bolt itself. Place…

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic mountain bike races delivered high impact action, with drama as race favourites crashed out, and riders fought tooth and nail to win an Olympic medal. Mountain biking has been included in the Olympic Games since Atlanta in 1996, and the sport has evolved a lot since then – with the race being nearly an hour shorter in time. Cross-country mountain bike racing has become a lot more explosive, with highly technical courses delivering lots of short and sharp climbs and massive technical features to be ridden. All while your heart rate is through the roof and someone is buzzing your back tyre or passing through an impossibly small gap. No wonder it’s so good to watch on television and streaming! If you watched the races in…

Derby’s trail network has a vast number of quality trails, ease of access to a variety of trail experiences, and the all-important ‘yiew’ factor that brings smiles to the faces of anyone who rides there. Derby also presents the opportunity to explore some of the most beautiful environments in the country on our own terms. The international status of the Derby network has been cemented by the regular return of the Enduro World Series (EWS), and the awarding of the prestigious EWS Trail of the Year award to Detonate in 2017, followed by the Kumma-Gutza/Air-Ya-Garn trail in 2019. Many of the trail experiences in Derby are now iconic to Australian riders who travel from across the country just to spend a few days in this small part of regional Tasmania.…

Pretty much as soon as a landowner or trail care group post about the improvements they have made to a section of trail, the howls of condemnation flow in. All trails have a lifespan. They get worn out and start to cause environmental impacts, create safety issues, or stop providing the riding experience required from the trail. The type of trail, soil type, amount of rock, climate, rainfall and use all determine when a trail needs a refresh. Every 5-10 years, a trail will require a rebuild and it will alter the trail. Calling that dumbing down is really a matter of perception, as most of the time the real trail is still hiding under the new surface. The evolution of a trail from a manicured flow surface with no…

If you’re an eBike owner, chances are you’ve been riding more trails than ever before. Whilst it’s amazing covering double, if not triple the distance in the same ride, your component choices become far more important due to this additional wear and tear. There are some upgrades for your eBike that’ll make a big difference both on the trail and to your wallet. While I can certainly relate to the average Joes out there, I reached out to Josh Carlson for an insight into how a professional eMTB athlete goes about extracting maximum eBike performance. BIG BRAKES AND ROTORS Most eBikes are a fair bit heavier than a standard trail bike. As a basic guide, for a similarly specced enduro eBike versus a regular enduro bike, you’re probably looking…

First settled in 1827, Ipswich is the one of the oldest towns in Queensland. At one stage it was a prime candidate to become the capital of Queensland due to its easy access to the wool suppliers of the Darling Downs and proximity to the coast. Nowadays, Ipswich is a real taste of the country on Brisbane’s doorstep, but also a rapidly growing city in its own right with one of the fastest growing populations in Australia. The Greater Ipswich area was a bit of a grey area for me before visiting. I knew Hidden Vale Adventure Park (HVAP) is the biggest privately owned trail network in Queensland with 117km of singletrack there currently and plans for more in the future, but I didn’t know that Ipswich has the most…

The mountain bike world might be mostly about tubeless tyre systems, but the humble tube still plays a role. And now, many tubes aren’t even that humble. Butyl rubber tubes can run from about 120g up to 250g for a typical mid-sizer 29er tube, and most people will ride with at least one as a spare. And you have probably experienced that moment when you reach for the trusty spare tube – and it has degraded and split. Pirelli have joined the likes of TuboLito, RevoLoop and others in creating light weight thermoplastic innertubes. They are said to be stronger, but they are lighter and also smaller when packed down. The Smartube is yellow, but don’t worry, the valve stem is black. The valve core is also replaceable. Pirelli’s new…

Mountain bikes have continued to evolve, and the bikes available now are far more capable than even five years ago. While there is still progress to be made in some parts of bicycles, in many areas improvements are made via integration, to improve stiffness, strength and weight. One piece handlebars and stems are not a new concept, but they are growing in popularity. In the road bike market they are common place, and we may see a shift in mountain bike use on the coming years, Bontrager released their RSL one-piece handlebars and stems in early July. There are 5 models available, two with a 27.5mm rise and 820mm wide bars and short ‘stems’, and three with 750mm wide flat bars, with 70/80/90mm ‘stems’ at an aggressive -13 degree angle.…

Glenrock is one of the oldest examples of purpose-built mountain biking trails within a NSW National Park. Located about ten minutes ride or drive from Newcastle’s CBD, Glenrock is an expansive National Park with trails for mountain bikers, walkers, horse riders, and access to beautiful beaches. Glenrock’s mountain bike trails were formalised in late 2009. Their formalisation was a result of National Parks noticing a significant increase in illegal mountain biking trails. National Parks then worked with the Glenrock Trail Alliance to create a plan of management for the trails. The plan’s aim was to ensure the trails were environmentally sustainable for the long term. From there, professional trail builders worked with the trails that already existed to bring them to a professional standard, and then national parks formalised over…

Training hard burns a lot of energy. Long days in the saddle can leave you feeling empty and exhausted and needing a big meal to replenish the calories burnt on the trails. But what if you don’t eat enough? Long term, there can be serious consequences to health and performance due to a syndrome called Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport. Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) is poorly recognised by athletes, coaches and health professionals alike despite it being quite common. A survey of almost 900 cyclists (yes, they were roadies, but there isn’t similar research in mountain bike riders) found one in five amateur riders were under fuelling. What’s scarier is that 15% of male and 30% of female respondents reported some of the symptoms of RED-S. Higher numbers…

If you’ve watched World Cup XCO, you know just how fast the elite field starts. The gun goes and it’s hell for leather jostling for position into the first singletrack. But how often does that starting position stay the same for the entire race? Many times riders that have a fast start can fade into obscurity mid-race, having burnt too many matches to be at the front of the group for the remainder of the race. So what makes an athlete successful at this level? Aside from fanging genetics, a fabulous VO2, great power to weight and exceptional technical skills; the thing that separates those finishing strong from those just finishing can be often attributed to fatigue resistance. WHAT IS FATIGUE RESISTANCE? Fatigue resistance is the ability to express near-maximal…