Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 201 i Australian Mountain Bike

RIDER DOM GEOGHEGAN PHOTOGRAPHER MATT ROUSU Mount Buller has had a huge trail revamp over the past 12 months, and one of the most iconic trails in Victoria’s high country is back to its best. The Australian Alpine Epic Trail is on a privileged list of global IMBA Epic Trails, and it takes you on a true adventure from the village way down into the valley and the Mirimbah Store. You’ll climb, you’ll schralp, you’ll descend. Get the DL in our Places that Rock feature. RIDERS DOM GEOGHEGAN, SHANNON RADEMAKER PHOTOGRAPHER MATT ROUSU The Delatite River Trail is a high country classic, and it’s had a bit of a facelift of late. But you can still expect a 1300m descent, with some rollable jumps, big turns and a flowing trail…

The Quad Crown event series offers some of the newest mountain bike riding and racing in Australia, with four all-new events taking place in Tasmania, Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. With the fun kicking off with an optional Friday prelude, the action heats up on Saturday with Stage one, before plenty of time to kick back and relive the fun from the trails. Sunday brings the second stage on a different course, but close to the location for Saturday’s course. These event weekends should be a blast for the weekend warrior, to the event-curious, through to Australia’s elite racers. We just reckon they’ll all be cracking weekends away on the trails. 2023 QUAD CROWN EVENTS The Wild Penguin – Tasmania April 28 – 30 The Sunny 80 – Queensland…

Let’s tackle a topic that often stirs up a bunch of emotion and opinions, the Trail Difficulty Rating System (TDRS). At its essence the TDRS is a great framework to provide guidance to riders about what they are getting themselves into on a trail while also providing land managers with a framework to manage their risk exposure. The original TDRS was developed by the International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) in the early 2000s and was adapted from the International Trail Marking System used at ski areas across the world. A TDRS is first and foremost a rating of the technical difficulty of a trail and not the physical difficulty. The IMBA TDRS uses a framework of criteria to guide how the technical difficulty of a trail is evaluated, including trail…

The rise and rise of e-bikes for commuting, fitness, recreational cycling and mountain biking has been pretty monumental. The cycling industry has had a huge boom, with people appreciating the pedal assistance provided by all sorts of e-bikes. This reduces the fitness barrier for many aspects of cycling, and is a key part of making a bike a more viable transport option for others. In an eMTB sense, they’re a tonne of fun, making the decision for one more run (and pedal up) a lot simpler for many. Some riders find an eMTB really helps them get a great ride in before or after work through the week, jamming out a few trails in a short amount of time thanks to the pedal assist. And others say the benefits are…

As the Crankworx Cairns venue shifts into high gear, the natural amphitheatre of Smithfield MTB Park is throbbing with the unmistakable pulse of a mountain bike event. With the hum of generators as a subtle background noise, MCs voices boom over the speakers, and the crowds roar whenever an event is in progress. The expo is a flood of people moving between the pump track, food trucks and main arena. I’ve got a meeting with The Sherrif, and I need to escape the tide that is flowing back towards the arena (and beer tent) so I’m not late. I withdraw from the mass of mountain bike fans and duck into the side of the Trek tent, sort of like moving into a green room. Trek’s all star riders and photographers…

Trek is a brand that’s synonymous with performance, a heavyweight in the cycling industry. Trek promises performance that is accessible to the everyday rider, and the Rail is no exception. The top spec Rail 9.9 XTR hits shop floors at $15,999, it may be a little less accessible than others in the range, but the 9.9 is the Big Kahuna of the Trek Rail range which was initially released in 2020. The Trek Rail 5 hits shop floors at $7499. Trek have a bit of history in the eMTB game with their early offering the Powerfly series, a hardtail eMTB, followed by the Powerfly FS bringing a full suspension model to the game, and now the Trek Rail and new Fuel EXe offer a full noise gravity eMTB, and lightweight…

tasted + Incredibly breathable + Excellent fit for gravity racing + Vintage White is the new white - Not as durable as a heavier weight jersey RRP: $149.99 foxracing.com.au Fox have been producing some highly technical women’s (and men’s) apparel over over the past seasons and we’ve had the pleasure of testing several of them. Next up is the women’s Flexair Pro Long Sleeve jersey (also available in a men’s cut), the most premium offering in the jersey department of this well-established brand. I was very apprehensive about being sent a white jersey, as we all know what happens to white garments – they don’t stay white. Fortunately, it’s actually an off-white, or “Vintage White” as they call it; this meant cosmetic wear and tear wasn’t as visible as the…

tasted + Rim or wheels, in different widths and sizes + Increased impact strength + Lifetime rim warranty from riding breakages + Look awesome + Comfortable without being too soft - Minimal branding or color matched stickers - Rims require tubeless tape RRP: RIM ONLY $1080, WHEEL SET AS TESTED $3250 danjasimports.com All new from We Are One is the Convergence rim and wheel sets. This is a premium carbon rim that has a unique shape. The appearance looks twisted, but it’s not about aesthetics. The inner profile is canted towards the hub flanges, so the nipple can sit flush with nearly no angling in the spoke hole. This reduces the stress on the nipple, rim and spoke, and should make for a stronger and overall more durable wheel. The…

tasted + Lightweight and comfortable + Microfibre cleaning patch + Perfect for summer - Not for winter RRP: $99.99 FEsports.com.au 100% are well known across the mountain bike world with many teams and riders wearing their kit on the Downhill World Cup and Enduro World Series scenes. The Celium jersey comes from their premium trail/all mountain line that it’s designed for the pros to wear whilst out shredding away from the race track. So you can expect a performance fit and top notch materials and features. FEATURES AND FIT The first thing you notice picking up the Celium jersey is how light it is. The material used is extremely thin and full of perforations which means this jersey is firmly in the summer category. One nice feature that is that…

tasted + Better gear range and ergonomics than most kid’s bikes have + Clutch mechanism + Light action - Nothing major RRP: $269.95 KWTimports.com.au Taiwanese drivetrain manufacturer MicroSHIFT have been producing durable, quality options for mountain bikers and road riders alike. More recent years have seen 1 x specific group sets, the Acolyte, Advent and Advent X and now the Advent Super Short for wheels down to 20inches. With many brands offering quality kids bikes with lower weights, suspension, disc brakes and big tyres, MicroSHIFT have designed a new 9 speed group set (cassette, derailleur and shifter) with increased ground clearance, bigger cassette range, increased durability and performance and better ergonomics than other group sets typically found on these bikes. MicroSHIFT say Advent is “Designed to Survive” and it certainly…

WHAT IS SODIUM AND WHY DO WE NEED IT? Chemically, salt is a mix of two minerals: sodium and chloride, which is why the terms salt and sodium are often used interchangeably. Minerals like sodium have an important job - to maintain fluid balance in the body. Too much sodium (hypernatremia) can lead to too much fluid in the body and high blood pressure, and too little sodium (hyponatremia) can lead to symptoms like muscle cramps, nausea, vomiting, and dizziness and negatively impact sports performance. In severe cases, a lack of sodium can lead to shock, coma, and death. Sodium is therefore a critical nutrient in the maintenance of normal bodily function and optimal performance on the bike. And, because the body can’t produce or store sodium beyond a certain…

editorial The new year is here, and we’ve had our first summer for a while with easy access to just about any trail around the country. Trail centres and bike parks have been humming with knobby tyres as riders get on the trails en masse, sharing singletrack stoke and the joy that being on two wheels (or one!) can bring. The bikes and equipment that all these riders will be using will vary greatly, but I can be pretty certain that the fun factor will be just about the same for everyone of them. In this issue, Daisy Day brought up the fact that a bike is about fun, and that can be from a $1500 rig just as easily as one that is worth $15000. She also made a…

At the time of writing, we are still 6 months out from the First DH World Cup and nearly 4 months since the final of 2022. That is unbelievable, and yet given it’s the combo of Downhill + UCI it kind of isn’t. I’ve spoken before about the recklessness of how the calendar plays out, but this really makes you wonder whether there is such thing as a season. Athletes the world over spend their time honing each necessary skill and piece of equipment so that when the time comes, they can put on a show that captures everyone’s hearts and minds, and further shift the line of what we thought was possible that little further beyond our imagination. But, and without completely making a train wreck of that old…

MADE IN AUSTRALIA Williams Racing Products and Trinity MTB are the epitome of being made in Australia and being a success story. Founder Mic Williams conceives, designs, and produces Williams Racing Products in Geelong, and his products are ridden by riders across the world. Trinity Mountain Bikes are another Australian based company Mic is a co-founder of, and they’re working on a unique bike project. Editor Mike Blewitt caught up with Mic to discuss the growth of WRP and the third prototype Trinity Mic was racing on. AMB: Tell us a bit about Williams Racing Products, how it started and where it’s at now? Mic: I’m an engineer by profession. I earned a Bachelor of Engineering and graduated back in early 2017. At that time, I’d never really done much…

For at least a decade, if an Australian mountain biker wanted to go on an awesome overseas mountain biking holiday, they’d be heading to Rotorua or Whistler. While there are countless epic places to go and ride your bike around the world, both of these locations were well-known to mix trails, accommodation and services all in good proximity. Sure, you could scope out other places, ride park in Morzine, hunt out trails with the good ol’ boys in America’s deep south, or traverse ridgelines and valleys in Switzerland. But both Rotorua and Whistler were easy – rock up, check in and ride. Ride lots. Times change of course, and while both Whistler and Rotorua have world-class riding, we have countless more options as well, including closer to home. Tasmania has…

Fantic are an Italian motorcycle company who have been producing two wheeled machines since the late 1960s, predominantly in the Enduro motorcyle, mini bike and trial motorcycle space. But they also make mopeds, go-karts and choppers, who knew! I do recall some very swanky vintage Fantic trials motorcycles cruising about some local club trials meets but other than that, there are not many early models floating about here in the Australian market. Wind the clock forward to 2015 and Fantic launched a lineup of E-bikes made up of trail, enduro, downhill, commuter and fat bikes; a pretty comprehensive offering. Fantic Australia let me loose on the Fantic XEF 1.9 Race, a 190mm Enduro specific E-Bike sporting the latest iteration Brose motor, yes the same German company whom makes a motor…

Factor Bikes are a premium cycling brand, known to many in the road cycling world for their precision bikes and top shelf builds. While Factor have mastered the Tour de France, with their Israel Cycling Academy riders winning two stages in the 2022 edition, the world of dirt is a newer playing field for the high end manufacturer. In March 2022, Factor Bikes released two mountain bikes into their range, something they had been planning for a number of years. Firstly, the Factor Lando XC, which is a cross-country, marathon and stage race focused dual-suspension 29er. I tested this bike through winter in 2022, and was thoroughly impressed by the suspension platform, handling, weight and overall rigidity of the design. You can find my review at AMBmag.com.au. The Lando HT…

tasted + Great weight, ventilation and safety + 3 sizes available + Easy to use retention system - Visor doesn’t stay in place well enough RRP: $159.95 lazersport.com/au Lazer’s Coyote helmet has played a role in their line up as a well-featured mid-range helmet. While it lacked some of the finishing of lids like the Impala or Jackal, with a MIPS equipped model available, the Coyote still packed a punch on safety ratings and had good coverage for an open-face trail helmet. In early 2022, Lazer released their own Kineticore rotational impact system. Many riders find that the MIPS liner can reduce the ventilation in a helmet, and add some discomfort for those with fine hair that often gets caught in the liner. They add weight and cost to the…

tasted + Smart spares storage + Trail and all-mountain specific design + Strong rail system - Tool may be too short for some jobs RRP: $149.95 saddle only, $169.95 with spares mount and tool Advance Traders If you don’t carry spares with you when you ride, it’s only a matter of time until you’re left having to do a long walk, make the call of shame, or beg, borrow or steal from your mates. There are lots of options from saddle bags, to frame and bar bags, straps, cargo bib shorts, svelte backpacks, internal frame storage, storage bottle cages, inbuilt tools and now – a saddle with built in tools and spares from Fizik. Having spares attached to your bike via incorporated parts or bike design is popular as with…

tasted + Three pockets with zips + Durable & breathable - None! RRP: $129.99 Fesports.com.au The Airmatic range is 100%’s mid-level trail option designed for all riding conditions. At $129.99 they are much more budget friendly option than their Celium siblings however the quality is still high, just made with less lightweight materials. FEATURES AND FIT The Airmatic shorts appear well constructed straight out of the packaging, with zippers and buckles that are beefy enough to withstand hard wear but still slimline enough to not be noticeable. The shorts have three zipped pockets, all big enough to fit my phone, which is impressive and practical. With years of experience making mountain bike shorts, 100% have got the fit bang on, loose enough to be free moving, yet nice and slim…

The Australian Alpine Epic Trail is a ride with quite a reputation in the mountain biking community. Whether you’ve ridden it or not you’ll have heard your friends talk about it, some may have complained about the climbs, others raved about the infamous final descent. At the very least you’ll have seen a photo of the iconic “Enjoy :)” log. The Epic trail spans 46km from Mt Buller across to Mt Stirling before traversing along ridges to the final 10km descent back toward Mirimbah. With over 2000m descending it’s a big day out, and don’t be fooled by those who have described the Epic as a descending trail; sorry it’s not. There’s still 1000m of quite challenging climbing out there, but if you’re physically and mentally prepared for this you…

Anyone with a military and perhaps government background has probably heard of the 7 Ps: Proper Planning and Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance. That’s true of many things, including athletic pursuits, but today we are going to talk about a variation of the adage, the 6 Ps of executing a good race: Proper Pacing Prevents Piss Poor Performance. Pacing is both an art and a science. As we increase our knowledge of training and have the ability to use power in executing races, we can default to relying on numbers in our pursuit of performance. This can certainly be the case for more steady-state disciplines (think time-trials on the road, or long climbs in a road race or even sustained efforts during long XCM or stage races). But what about…

After a wild 2022 that saw countless events postponed or cancelled around Australia, one event series really suffered, not being able to run at all. While 2022 was meant to be the inaugural year for the new Quad Crown series, they had to push all four events back to 2023. The event team took that all in their stride, and even went back to redesign many of their event elements, to make sure it really suits how people want to ride and compete. The four weekends up and down the east coast are set to be mini stage races. Whether you’re an experienced racer looking for something without too much time commitment, or if you’re newer to mountain biking and looking for something that isn’t overly daunting – one of…

As we all know, January doesn’t really count when it comes to properly ringing in a new year with better habits. Life has really started again and I know some of you are wondering what you should be carrying out in 2023. “New year, new me” as they say, but the same old you can have a pretty great year if you take the time to reflect on what went well last year, and what you might like to do better this time around. I could go on all day about this stuff, but instead of giving you any woo-woo advice about how to become a better person in 2023, I’ve jumped on the bandwagon of “Ins and Outs” to get you to change a few habits purely because it’s…

The whole point of this column has been to talk about ways we can secure the future of mountain biking. To make sure it’s a part of people’s lives for generations to come. Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about the importance of thoughtful promotion of more affordable mountain bike options for beginner riders - or those that simply cannot budget in that $5000, $3000, or $1500 purchase. The social inclusion element of sustainability empowers those that have less access – it helps build resilient communities, which in turn makes institutions, industries, and companies accessible and accountable to people. It may sound like a stretch to include affordable mountain bikes in this category, but I truly believe that the more people (of any social standing) that can enjoy a sport…

Tasmania has rightfully affirmed its place as one of the best riding destinations in the world. Trail networks such as Blue Derby and Maydena Bike Park have lured world class riders and events to otherwise sleepy towns thanks to their incredible trail networks and exotic landscape. But while the shuttle lines are overflowing at these popular places, a different style of adventure has been brewing over on the west coast of Tasmania. Underdeveloped, less populated, and with mere pockets of phone reception, the West Coast of Tasmania promises an experience far removed from the typical bike park atmosphere. It’s as remote as it is spectacular, and fresh trail networks have made it accessible for riders ready to step outside their comfort zone. With a crew of five friends, I had…

RAAW Mountain Bikes was founded by Ruben Torenbeek in 2017. Ruben saw a gap in the market for durable bikes that are great to ride, hard wearing, and easy to work on. The brand began with a single model on offer (the Madonna V1), but they now offer two bikes, the 160mm Madonna V2.2 I’ve been riding, and the 135mm Jibb. They’re also close to releasing their first downhill bike, which is yet to be named. According to RAAW, the Madonna V2.2 is ‘made for the fastest and roughest tracks, while also being a great climber.’ In a travel category that includes bikes such as the Trek Slash and Canyon Strive, and also competing with Enduro bikes with more travel such as the Specialized Enduro and Santa Cruz Megatower, the…

tasted + Strong, durable, extremely reliable + A solid investment for those who are hard on wheels - Can’t think of anything RRP: $240 PER RIM From: DT Swiss Australia Since their inception in 1994, DT Swiss has built a solid reputation for top-end, quality components. Their aluminium rims have survived a lot of abuse over the years, probably most notably when Aaron Gwin blew his tyre off at the Leogang DH World Cup in 2014 and smashed the rest of his race run on a bare EX 471 rim, which is actually an enduro rim. So when DT Swiss announced they were releasing the FR 541 rim - their strongest rim yet - I was excited to see what kind of battering they could handle. A CLOSER LOOK The…

tasted + Increased storage + Better screen + No touchscreen for all conditions use + Better GPS accuracy - No touchscreen - Many features feel like a catchup RRP: FROM $599.95 FEsports.com.au In the world of bike GPS units, different riders have different needs. From fitness tracking, ride guidance, delivering workouts, monitoring conditions, or even monitoring yourself. For some, it’s just the best way to track performance for third party websites – specifically going for PRs and KOMs/QOMs. Wahoo are one of the biggest players in the bike GPS space, sharing the limelight with Garmin, and to a lesser extent Bryton and Hammerhead. Wahoo released an updated ELEMNT Bolt V2 in 2021 that I tested and was really impressed with. The new ELEMNT Roam V2 came out in spring 2022,…

tasted + Practical + High quality, weather-resistant materials + Lockable zippers + Backpack straps - Can be difficult to carry as backpack if contents are very heavy RRP: $329.95 goactiveoutdoors.com.au Thule are best known for their bike and roof racks, but the Swedish travel giant also produce an extensive selection of luggage. Their range includes the typical carry-on and checked-in roller bags, but it also includes a host of duffel bags from 40L to 120L capacities. I had the 90L Chasm sent to be just before setting off on a 2-week trip around Tasmania, the perfect opportunity to test its features and practicality! While roller bags are ideal for airports, I and five friends were boating/driving to and around Tasmania, making a duffel bag an ideal choice. Duffel bags can…

tasted + Lightweight and comfortable + Silicone grippers on needed fingers - Tech stitching not perfect - Sizing a little off RRP: $45.99 Fesports.com.au Simple and lightweight, that’s the best way to describe the 100% I-track gloves. Constructed from a single layer of Clarino material the palm is super thin, which gives great contact and feel when on the bike. The mesh lycra top layer allows excellent ventilation keeping your hands sweat free. However there’s not much in the way of protection on the topside leaving your hand exposed on overgrown trails. It’s the ongoing trade off with mountain bike clothing, whether you need to prioritise protection or low weight and breathability. Silicone grippers on the braking finger is a nice touch and a reinforced cuff should make these gloves…

Hip jumps are great fun and becoming a more common feature in bike parks and on flow trails. What’s a hip jump? Well, it’s effectively any jump where the landing is at a different angle to the take-off rather than straight on. On the extreme end hip jumps can be at an angle of ninety degrees and even beyond, but most commonly they will be at less of an angle than that. While hip jumps can be intimidating at first, once conquered they are great fun and a great skill which can transition to clearing sections of tricky trail and popping from one trail feature to another. It’s important to remember that you’ll have a preferred or natural way to turn when taking on a hip jump. It’s a great…

To some, it may seem that the inner workings of suspension forks are composed of black magic or extremely complex tiny pieces. While shim stacks and valving the parts are quite complex, the basic servicing of the lower legs and air shaft is easy to perform for any competent home mechanic. 50-hour lower leg services are one of the most neglected services on a bike and with this quick 20-40 minute procedure you can save you hundreds of dollars while keeping your forks super plush. TOOLS NEEDED: • 5mm allen key • 2.5mm allen key • Hammer • Torque wrench • Pick • Suspension oil to suit your fork. • Seal Grease • Isopropyl alcohol or Suspension Cleaner • Lint Free Rag on a dowel. • Lint-free towel. I like…