Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 204 i Australian Mountain Bike

The opening round of the UCI Downhill World Cup went off with a bang in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. The new format sees qualifying followed by a semi-final, before the finals race run. It may involve a rethink for some, but seemingly not for Troy Brosnan, who stormed into the finish bowl off the RedBull drop to land in 7th on the day. Crankworx returned to Cairns in May, and the action in the rainforest didn’t disappoint. Our AMB Bosch Reels winner Aaron Purdie was trackside for most events, and caught the action from the Dual Slalom finals, where Ryan Gilchrist and Haz Burbidge-Smith kept the wins on home soil. Coming from back-to-back Enduro World Cup wins in Tasmania in the U21 category, Sascha Kim would face fresh challenges with more Euros…

A visit to Canberra is pretty good as a mountain biker. Not only is the nation’s capital easy to get to and get around, it’s also got mountain bike trails that just about surround the compact city and suburbs. There are plenty of nice places to stay, and it is easy enough to get around by bike as well. Thanks to Mercure Canberra in Braddon and Dynamic Motivation, we have an awesome prize package for a weekend away for two. You’ll get to ride the trails and then relax at the heritage Mercure Canberra hotel with breakfast, secure parking and bike storage included. Better yet, you’ll also take part in the Dynamic Motivation Air 101 3 hour private skills clinic! After the class you’ll be able to ride laps with…

One of the many great things about sport is the lessons it teaches you that you can carry into other parts of your life. Adaptability is one such lesson that assists in our ability to be flexible to change and pivot our mindsets when things don’t go our way. A barrier to gaining this skill is when we get stuck in our own heads, trying to follow rules that we have made for ourselves that are not serving us in the ways that we had hoped. Setting rules for ourselves is a way of being in control with the aim of attaining a specific outcome. Sometimes these rules are helpful, such as following your training program and not missing many sessions unless it is necessary. Less helpful rules we set…

Just a decade ago I questioned whether the eMTBs that were available should have a place in Australian Mountain Bike magazine. And a few years later I was at a launch for a new Bosch-equipped Lapierre eMTB that was one of many bikes that wrenched eMTBs from awkward designs and geometry into being fun mountain bikes to ride, that also were a bit of a leveller on the uphills. The biggest revelation I had at that launch was how having everyone on an eMTB on a ride meant all riders just about stayed together on the climbs, chatting, laughing and having fun. This made sense. This was mountain biking, and fun is at the heart of it. Since then the range of e-bikes has expanded more than many would have…

Masterfit are a custom footbed company, distributed by Vertigo Sports in Australia. As a long-time sceptic of custom innersoles for riding, I was invited to the “Masterfit University” seminars with the promise of creating my own custom inner soles (also commonly known as orthotics); I expected dry powerpoint presentations, but was delivered something entirely different. WHO IS MASTERFIT? Masterfit sell custom and ‘drop-in’ (i.e. non-custom) footbeds and the moulding tools to go along with it. You will have seen them via the likes of Specialized’s Body Geometry footbeds. I attended a seminar led by their senior bootfitter, Charlie Bradley, to teach retailers how to use the tools and provide the right fit. The more clinical side of the seminar was led by Dr. Ned Buckley, a renowned podiatric surgeon from…

Enduro riding and racing has come to engulf mountain biking in terms of bikes, riding style, trail builds and what gets our pulses racing. With the World Series starting 10 years ago, 2023 saw enduro lifted into the World Cup, which could be seen as a final step of success or a backwards step, depending on who you ask. Regardless, it has lifted the presence of enduro racing and is delivering more coverage than in years passed, and we can expect that to only increase. At its heart, enduro and enduro racing has been called the soul of mountain biking. You go flat out on the descents, often with just one chance to ride or sight the trail beforehand, before climbing to the next stage, with a time limit to…

Cube are a German cycling powerhouse with an incredibly deep range of e-bikes. Germans were one of the early adopters of e-bikes along with many other European countries, so it makes sense that most European manufacturers have seemingly limitless options of e-bikes when you peruse their websites. Cube are only sold at 99 Bikes here in Australia, and their product team pick and choose the models that suit our riders and our trails the best. Last year I tested the Cube Stereo Hybrid 140 HPC Pro. It was incredible value at $7499, but did leave me wanting a little in a few areas, specifically the fork, tyres and frame geometry. The model on test has a near identical product name, but the Cube Stereo Hybrid 140 HPC SLX 750 has…

Earlier this year I welcomed a Trek Fuel EX8 into the shed as a long term test bike. Having thoroughly enjoyed my time aboard the 9.9 AXS model last year, I knew it was a platform that deserved a lot more trail time. Part of the fun of that has been playing wioth a few choice upgrades or parts changes – and one I felt that could use some minor work was the brakes. While Shimano SLX 4-piston brakes are fantastic, I thought I could eek a little more feel and performance out of them with a couple of upgrades. Brake pads and rotors are a wear item, so matching them to your needs when you need to replace them is a good idea. While the stock units were not…

Pure Sports Nutrition hail from New Zealand, where the company was set up in 2012 when the owners struggled to find sports nutrition that had what they were after in terms of quality of ingredients, taste and performance. I’m sure anyone who has spent a lot of time training knows how important it is to find sports nutrition palatable, and also knowing the quality of what you will be consuming. As athletes themselves, the founders Simon Kraak and Marewa Sutherland went to work. They focussed on the sports science for the nutritional needs, sourcing and using the best quality ingredients they could find. Their range has grown and includes hydration mixes, energy gels, recovery drink mix and energy chews. In April I was sent a range of their products to…

Kenny Racing has recently been imported by local distributor KWT Imports. They’re French by origin and design, and like many big apparel brands, specialised in moto gear before branching into mountain biking. The Proflex knee guards are one of their burlier models, offering a huge range of protection around the kneecap, hence the chunky appearance. These guards feature a super sticky silicon gripper around the upper thigh, and two Velcro straps that wrap around the thigh and calf. Aside from the main knee piece, the Proflex has further padding which wraps around the sides of the knee. Kenny use their own impact absorbing insert - i.e. not D30 - and the insert is not removable. While some prefer to remove their knee insert for easy washing, the fact that this…

We do tend to talk a lot of training ‘shop’ here in the fitness section of AMB. I won’t deny I love the way that technology has altered training science in the past 15 years, and how that has trickled from the lab to the dirt. For many of us though, riding our bike is a way to be healthier and fitter, and ensure maximum fun on weekend shreds with our mates. But how can we still progress and push ourselves without expensive power meters, fancy cycling computers, and training management software? In this article we will discuss the value and application of ‘lo-fi’ training and fitness measurements that don’t require online subscriptions or cost-prohibitive technology. While having the latest and greatest tools can be fun, you can still improve…

editorial Why do you ride? Sometimes this thought goes through my head when my alarm goes off, to get up for a ride with friends. Or when I get stuck out in bad weather, or feel rubbish during a bike race I wanted to do well at. And even, when I get annoyed at my own failings on the trail. What do I do this for? Why can’t I do something easier? Thankfully, I only question why I ride occasionally. Most of the time I revel in the joy of what mountain biking is and what mountain biking, and riding in general, provides. I enjoy the challenges and rewards, the places it takes me and the people mountain biking lets me meet. The past couple of months I have jumped…

The 2023 AMB Photo Awards presented by Shimano are back again, after a huge year in 2022! Last year we had a record level of entries and voting, with a huge influx of entries from young photographers. In 2023 were are following on from last year, so the AMB Photo Awards presented by Shimano will not only have a stand alone social media video category, but it will only be open to entrants from Australia and New Zealand. The subject matter can be from anywhere in the world. As in previous years there will be four main categories. Each will have a winner, second and third place as voted by readers on a microsite from a short list put together by a judging panel. There will be an overall winner…

When I saw a mountain bike article pop up on my phone, I knew it had to be of significance to make the ABC news feed. The story was about a rider on the Sunshine Coast who was injured after a collision with an electric trail bike (motorcycle). The incident occurred on a one-way descending trail where the mountain biker was descending at speed and the trail bike rider was quietly climbing the trail. In this scenario it was only a matter of time before the collision occurred. As mountain bikers, we generally are exposed to conflict between riders and walkers, dogs off leash, trail runners, or horse riders. The invention of electric trail bikes has introduced another type of user to our trails that is unlike anything we have…

Specialising in custom bicycle frame bags, Bike Bag Dude is a Newcastle-based brand that make all their products to order. Kedan Griffin is the sole craftsman at Bike Bag Dude, and he likes to run his business a little differently to most. We caught up with the man behind these bombproof bags to find out what makes his products so unique. Georgina: You have quite a specific business, and it’s pretty interesting. I don’t really see many others doing this in Australia. So how did you get the idea to make custom frame bags? Kedan: I got into it when the fat bike phase started in the world. A lot of it is just timing. I got some and I was in Facebook group posts and things like that. And…

The Quad Crown is Australia’s newest mountain bike event series and after years of work and a few setbacks, the four long-weekend event series was finally able to kick off in Tasmania in April. The first event, the Wild Penguin, earned its name bu taking in the Wild Mersey and Penguin networks of trails around Devonport. Since then, we’ve seen the Sunny 80 thrill riders with perfect weather and sweet trails on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. The next round in Eden, New South Wales, is fast approaching, and we caught up with the series and some of its riders to find out what all the buzz is about. In our recent reader survey you told us how much you like to travel with your bike (and travel just to ride your…

As arguably one of the most important contact points on your bike, grips are often overlooked as a crucial touch point that offers comfort and control when riding. An incorrect grip choice can lead to arm pump and hand or forearm fatigue, so this is why it’s important to make sure you have a suitable grip once you level up your skills and start riding more advanced and technical trails. You should choose a grip that has the right diameter and length for your hand size, and enough cushion or vibration damping features for the specific terrain you are riding the most. Lastly, you want to choose a grip that has the right amount of texture, grip, or rubber compound that helps you hold on to them with or without…

Any performance minded mountain biker will analyse ways they can improve. And if this is you, you’ll know this involves optimising your bike, your training, your nutrition, and your general health. In terms of training for the mountain biking you do, there is certainly a lot to be gained by consistent riding, and just like Anna Beck has covered in her Fitness article on low tech performance monitoring, it is easy to get gains through some fairly simple steps. Bet beyond that, you need to start getting a little more specific. From both the effort you put in, the rest you take, and the total work involved. Heart rate monitoring has often been the chosen tool to measure the effort in endurance sports, however it can be impacted by a…

Leatt’s range of products have exploded over the past years. While the South African brand’s name is built on their highly innovative neck braces, they can dress and protect riders from head to toe. Leatt offer a wide spectrum of clothing choices, with their 1.0 - 4.0 lines ascending in quality and technology, and their 5.0 line being dedicated to all weather specific apparel. All Leatt products ship in either recyclable or compostable packaging, a trend we’re happy to see most brands now adopting over single use plastics. LEATT ENDURO 3.0 JERSEY | $99.00 Available in 5 different colours and a whopping 9 different sizes, there is bound to be a variant of the Enduro 3.0 jersey that suits your body type. The polyester/nylon material blend is fairly light weight…

The Henty brand hails from the rugged shores of Tasmania, and has recently been featured in our Made in Australia series. While they’re manufactured overseas, the Henty products are designed, tested, and distributed here in Australia. The founders began with an ingenious travel solution for active corporate workers in the Wingman and CoPilot backpacks; but their love for the outdoors and mountain biking saw them introduce other models such as the unique Enduro Hydration pack, and the versatile 26L Sports backpack here on test. One thing that always frustrates me about racing big events (and travel in general), is the back and forth between the carpark and events centre. It’s not something you immediately think of, but having a means to transport and store your essentials at the race hub…

Pedal and brake at the same time? What! While it does seem like a bit of a strange concept, there really is a time on the trail where pedalling and braking at the same time can help you carry some serious momentum through flatter sections of trail where keeping the power on is critical. This skill is more useful for XC and trail style riding but can also be used on descents where it might be fit for purpose. The pedalling while braking part isn’t about actually pedalling, but turning the cranks over as you brake so you can be in the right gear to accelerate out of the next corner and not lose any momentum with gear changes. Effectively it’s a technique used when setting up for a corner…

In early June, AusCycling announced that the tropical city of Cairns, Queensland was chosen to host the 2024 and 2025 UCI Masters Mountain Bike World Championships. With the 2023 Marathon MTB Masters World Championships taking place at Dwellingup in Western Australia, this is a great run for Australian mountain bikers, and mountain bike visitation to our great country. The 2024 and 2025 Championships will feature Cross-Country Olympic and Downhill. So bring on Jacob’s Ladder, the Croc Slide, the Rock Garden, Alien Tree and Ronning’s Ramp! While we often see Championship events being in between August and October, May has been deemed the ideal month to hold a major event in Tropical North Queensland for 2024. This means that the Masters World Championships will likely run pretty close to Crankworx Cairns,…

BIRZMAN ESSENTIAL TOOLBOX Whether you’re about to dive deep into more of your own bike maintenance, need to find a great gift for someone or want a second set of tools for your car - Birzman may have exactly what you need with the Essential Toolbox. A full complement of Torx and Hex keys are partnered with spoke tools, bottom bracket socket tools, a cassette lockring tool and chain whip, screwdrivers, a chain whip, pedal wrench and more. Throw in your own tyre pressure gauge and digital shock pump and you’re looking pretty good. $299.95birzman.com BIKE RAKZ EZI-HOLD Is your garage a mess? Better bike storage is probably part of the solution. The Bike Rakz Ezi Hold is a wall-mounted storage solution that has plenty fo side movement to make…

Here I am, sitting in an Intercity train which departed Milan an hour ago, not blending in, with my shorts and t-shirt look amongst a carriage full of dark blue jeans, sneakers and collared shirts. Wondering, as I do, if everyone else staring into their phones or laptops like me are waiting for the GCN app to load so the first round of the new World Cup era can begin. I hope so. Europeans love their cycling, and the UCI loves Europe. It is easy to see considering the World Cups are basically “European Cups” with the odd race thrown in across the pond to justify the World Cup moniker. But who can blame them, shortly my train ride will stop, and I’ll catch a ferry to a different terminal,…

Have you got the new bike you’ve been dreaming of, but something just doesn’t feel quite right? Maybe you read all the reviews, did your homework and built the best bike, but you just can’t get comfortable or have some pain when riding. Don’t worry, you’re not alone. There’s a reason many top bike shops specialise in bike fitting, and why select physiotherapists can assist with your bike fit and injury management. They’re not here to sell snake oil – it really is important to get it right for your comfort, well-being – and enjoyment of your time off-road. THE BASICS We aren’t here to guide you through your bike fit – you’ll be best to find a local professional for that. But here are some of the basics to…

Slovenia is a small country with an incredible amount of mountain biking diversity: from mountain bike parks in thick forests to high-alpine routes and trails with views of the ocean. It offers everything to make a mountain biker’s heart beat faster. If that’s not enough you can continue beneath the Earth along the “Black Hole Trail“ through an abandoned mine. “The ladder here was the only part of the trail you couldn’t bike. Until Elliot Heap showed up. This crazy guy just rode down it“, Anej laughs at us. He and his headlamp outshine each other. “I’ll give you a rope that you’ll then tie around your seat post. I’ll climb down first, and you can lower the bikes down.” Anej turns around and disappears into the ground. We try…

Merida can be seen as one of the underdogs amongst the big brands, but their bikes have been silent achievers for fifty years now. They were one of the leaders in the eMTB revolution, producing the award winning eOne-Sixty, and their Ninety-Six cross-country range has seen huge success between the tape. They’ve recently turned their efforts to their trail and enduro range, totally revamping the One-Sixty and One-Forty, the latter of which we’ve been excitedly waiting to test. Merida’s products are conveniently self-explanatory, with their names correlating to suspension travel. The One-Forty, sitting just below their enduro specific One-Sixty line, has 143mm travel in the rear and 150mm travel up front. The One-Forty 6000 on test lies in the middle of the range at $6,399 with parts to match. This…

Gripsport are one of the oldest names in bike racks and accessories in Australia, with a reputation of thoroughly designed and tested equipment that is made here in Australia. And in 2023, they have released the Versa 1.4, a 4-bike vertical bike rack. When we did our Vertical Bike Rack Group Test in 2022, I reached out to Gripsport, amongst a few other major rack brands, to check whether anything was in the works. While I got no details, it was a case of ‘check back later’. Fast forward to March 2023 and I spotted a Gripsport vertical bike rack at the Dragon Trail MTB Stage Race in Tasmania. It was big, black and red, and had a unique bike mounting design where the hoops pointed to the outside of…

We’ve had a whole raft of Leatt gear to test on the trails over the past few months, and since late March I have been using the Leatt All Mountain 2.0 Trail Helmet. It’s their mid-range all mountain helmet, offering more coverage than their Trail helmet but without moving into the full-face arena. Selling for $179.95 it hits a great price point for a well-featured helmet. FIT AND FEATURES The Leatt All Mtn 2.0 comes in three shell sizes. I had a medium on test and it fitted like just about every other medium helmet I have used. The shell has 12 generous vents, angled both forwards and pointing upwards, so you’ll have some cooling airflow at low speed as well as higher speeds. Leatt use their own 360 Turbine…

The Charger short is currently the sole women’s offering from Kenny Racing in their shorts collection. Designed as an all-rounder, the Charger is long enough for enduro use, but light enough for everyday trail use. Complete with a separate liner chamois, the Charger short is already good value at $159.95. This was my first experience with the French brand, and they lived up to their cultural reputation with sizing on the small side. But after sizing up from my usual Medium to a Large (34), the fit was excellent. These are a very tapered short, slim around the thighs and open slightly towards the knees to allow for knee guards. To my disappointment, there was only one pocket on the left side, but it was large enough to store a…