Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 207 i Australian Mountain Bike

Green season is open. Falls Creek have doubled-down on their mountain bike trail builds, and with their latest trails having settled nicely over winter, you can be sure they will be worth the trip to the roof of Victoria’s High Country Berms, roost and flow. That is just part of what’s on the menu at Falls Creek this season – get all the details in our main feature from High Country local Chris Panozzo. New Zealand’s South Island really turns it on in summer, and the riding at Coronet Peak is some of the most incredible, with jaw-dropping views to The Remarkables, and some raw alpine riding to keep almost any mountain biker entertained. Land of the long white cloud. And big scree slopes. And a blank canvas for huge…

Mountain bike movies have always had a special place in my heart, so I was very curious to see what Nothing’s For Free had to offer when I heard it was released. This is a documentary movie about the pioneers of freeride mountain biking but also the story tellers; the film makers who both focussed on and drove the progression of the sport. They really helped dictate the direction of freeride as we know it today, and this is their story. The first mountain bike movie I watched was New World Disorder 3. I remember my family friends who introduced me to mountain bikes putting on the DVD one day and we were mesmerised by what we were watching. I had no idea that at that point, my life was…

Australia’s alpine mountain biketrail networks have grown over the past 25 years to now provide phenomenal riding experiences. The trail networks are cherished for their breathtaking vistas, exhilarating descents, and the call of adventure. The weather systems in our alpine environment are typically varied, changing, and unpredictable. Our national downhill race in Thredbo got shortened to stop riders being blown off course this year. There’s a wonderful photo at Mt Buller of a fire truck and someone has used their finger to scrawl “Merry X-mas! in the snow covering the front window. In 2006 snow put out the terrible bush fires engulfing the mountain on Christmas day. At this year’s NSW Outdoor Industry Summit, we were briefed by a senior scientist from the Bureau of Meteorology who made a convincing…

Summer is here and it is time to ride! The past decade has seen an explosion of mountain bike trails around the country, and the past 5 years has seen more bike parks built to create a one stop shop for a fun day on the trails. Here’s our pick of some of the best bike parts to visit this summer, with shuttles or lift access, bike hire, toilets and more on offer. THREDBO, NSW Season dates: November 18 – April 28 Shuttles: One day lift pass from $89 Bike Hire: Downhill $179, Enduro $169, XC $79 Trails: 40km of lifted gravity trails Who does it suit? Gravity fans! What else should I do? Ride the Thredbo Valley Trail thredbo.com.au Thredbo is an iconic destination for mountain biking in Australia.…

For a long time Falls Creek has come to represent what summer alpine riding is in Australia. The Alpine Village sits high in the Victorian High Country, offering 50km of purpose-built singletrack, along with near endless backcountry rides including the iconic Fainters Track, a demanding ride that runs off Mount Fainter and right into the back of Big Hill MTB Park in Mt Beauty. While Falls Creek boasts ski-in, ski-out accommodation in winter, summer guests get the same proximity to trails as winter guests do to the ski slopes, but with more daylight and less crowds you could argue that visits in the green season offer a better experience for those looking for a mountain escape. Growing up in Mt Beauty, Falls Creek has always felt like a part of…

Husqvarna have burst onto the Australian mountain bike scenewith a range of three eMTB models to suit our trails and riders. Husqvarna likely needs no introduction as a brand, but their move to e-bikes might not be something you are as aware of. I’ve had the Husqvarna Mountain Cross 6 (MC6) on test, a 150mm travel, full power all-mountain e-bike. The MC6 was designed to be a bike on which much of the Husqvarna range will evolve, using design ideas and attributes put on display here. Australia has received the latest MC6, and our test bike has their updated geometry and features. Husqvarna also has a longer travel alloy-framed Hard Cross (HC5) with 180/170mm travel, and a shorter travel Light Cross (LC6) with 130/120mm of travel. There’s a range of…

Bike racks are just part of the equipment needed to ride for many, as we can’t all be lucky enough to live riding distance to trails. While it would be easy to think that bike racks are an industry dominated by vertical bike racks, there are countless different styles of racks out there to transport your bike, or more than one bike, to the trails. New-Zealand brand EziGrip have recently released the Enduro 2 - a lightweight, bang-for-buck offering for the towball-mounted bike rack market. The EziGrip Enduro 2 comes loaded with features and suits a large range of analogue-powered bikes while being affordable, simple to use, and compact to store when not in use. A CLOSER LOOK The EziGrip Enduro 2 is a 2-bike platform-style bike rack designed in…

Mountain biking is an equipment intensive sport, and so tools are a part of it. While many of us have owned a Swiss Army knife at some point, and likely still do, the cross over with our mountain bike needs aren’t massive. I almost always take a small one with me travelling, but what it does is limited. The Victorinox Swiss Tool range brings a lot of practicality, with a trade off in portability and pack size. The model tested here packs in the Swiss Tool and case, and delivers full size pliers with cutters, flat head screwdrivers, size 1 and 2 Phillips head, bottle opener, can opener, file, knife, scissors and saw. All these tools lock into place with the full sized handle – something not always possible with…

Pirelli jumped into the off-road cycling tyre space in early 2019 with their Scorpion range, and they haven’t looked back. I was lucky enough to be invited to Sicily to ride on their first treads, casings and SmartGrip rubber. Pirelli have taken a different approach with their mountain bike tyres, releasing conditions specific tread patterns across their XC, trail, enduro and eMTB tyres and of course their latest Scorpion Race range of Enduro and Downhill rubber. Pirelli’s Cinturato Gravel range began with Hard conditions, Mixed conditions and Soft conditions tread patterns and soon enough the Cinturato RC tread came along – looking very similar to a scaled down version of Pirelli’s truly exceptional Scorpion XC RC tread but aiming to be an all-conditions tyre. The Cinturato RC sports a close…

In early 2021 I was sent a pair of Shokz OpenRun headphones (above left, previously called Aftershokz Aeropex). They’re a one piece set of bluetooth open ear headphones that don’t occlude you ear canals, instead relying on bone conduction so you can hear the music you want to listen to, or podcast or phone call. I really liked them and used them riding, in my shed, gardening, to take calls when driving and for Zoom calls and the like. I’d still be using them except they died in late 2022 – likely from a whole lot of sweaty Queensland use. I ended up buying myself a new pair in August as nothing else I used proved to have the reliable fit while allowing me to be fairly aware of my…

the hubNutrition Most people feel tired at some point during the day. Likely causes include stress, lack of good quality sleep or lifestyle factors like diet or exercise. Fatigue, however, is something a little more serious, particularly for athletes who are training hard and not fuelling well enough. So, if fatigue is negatively impacting training or racing, it’s time to maximise nutrition to boost energy and performance. COMMON CAUSES OF FATIGUE IN ATHLETES There are several reasons why fatigue may set in for athletes. Lack of sleep is an obvious one, but other reasons include over-training without enough recovery time, dietary factors, stress, and medical causes like iron deficiency anaemia or sleep apnoea. First things first, it’s important to rule out any medical causes with a GP, as well as…

editorial Here we are at the start of another iconic Australian summer, with another Alpine Issue of Australian Mountain Bike. This is actually the tenth alpine themed issue we have published. And I don’t think it will be the last. Mountains are a big part of mountain biking, and some of the most dramatic mountains are those in the alpine mountain chains around the world. These vertiginous places can sometimes be off-limits to bikes due to the sheer terrain they hold – but mostly, it’s the perfect place to ride. Mountain ranges around the world are littered with trails that have evolved from the passage of humans and the growth of trade. Their gradients work, their paths go places, they have water on the routes, and sometimes they even shed…

Here we are ready for another Aussie summer. What feels like a two year winter cycle seems to be finally evaporating for those of us down south, and with it the thought of looking for another clean, dry layer of clothing to put on. At the time of writing in Victoria, we are already looking at an oversubscribed DH calendar before an event has even taken place. The Vic DH Series, much like any DH race run by local clubs throughout regional Australia at the moment, has an enthusiastic core group of volunteers often over delivering for an ever-appreciative group of riders willing to send it just that bit faster each year. The mix of riders in the local scene, which is a good snapshot that represents many regional events…

Australia has never been short of bike events to take part in, but for 2022 a new series popped up – the Quad Crown MTB Series. The concept was simple enough, four fun events that ran from a Friday arvo through to Sunday lunch time. Friday would see a Prelude of about 10km of singletrack. This would prove to be the perfect leg loosener for the weekend, with a time trial format and then a free beer at a dedicated social venue. Saturday and Sunday would have 30-50km of riding, all with a social function afterwards for presentations. The idea was you would be finished by lunch, so you could hang out with friends or see the sights. Each event would take place in locations with good trails, and good…

Mountains are by no means an essential part of mountain biking, because if they were there are whole parts of the globe where mountain biking shouldn’t be as popular as it is. Regardless of that, I have always been drawn to the mountain ranges of the world, specifically to explore them by bike. Mountain ranges actually have a gravitational pull, and while none of us will notice it, perhaps there is something about it that explains the attraction many of us have to vertiginous places. Over the history of human kind, mountains have acted as natural borders (they still do), a home for sleeping gods, places of sanctuary and even providers. Many parts of Europe still rely on the snow melt from each winter as essential drinking water for huge…

Polygon have long been knownfor delivering high-value bikes in Australia via Bikes Online. The recent updates to many models in their range have been greatly appreciated. We recently tested the Polygon Collosus N8E 160mm travel 29er eMTB, and Ryan praised the balanced ride it had. He’s also since tested the Collosus N7 enduro bike, which delivers incredible performance for just $3299. In spring I was sent the new Polygon Siskiu T6E trail eMTB to review, one of two models in Polygon’s trail eMTB range. As part of the Siskiu T (trail) line up, the T6E is a 29er trail bike, with 150mm fork travel and 140mm of rear wheel travel. Polygon use a Shimano EP600 system for the bike, with a full 85Nm of torque and E-tube customisation options, powered…

The Shimano GE5 acts as the foundation of Shimano’s all new line of Gravity Enduro (GE) shoes. While the GE9 is adorned with BOA dials and the GE7 is constructed with synthetic leather, the GE5 takes a simpler approach to delivering a clipless shoe promising all day comfort both on and off the bike. I have recently put dow trail time in a pair to see how they perform on the trail, how comfortable they are to walk in and if they’re worth your hard earned dollars. OUT OF THE BOX Anyone who knows me will agree with the fact that I adore black bike kit. Shoes, jerseys, helmets - make it black. As such, I was stoked to see that Shimano had shipped me the GE5 in the all…

Gravel is exploding around the world, and if you haven’t really experienced it at all don’t fret – as you probably already have to some extent. The heart of gravel riding is about escapism and being in the outdoors. From riding long adventures, to exploring new places on whatever adventure you can manage. It has often been said that the ideal gravel bike is whatever bike you have right now. For some riders gravel will be a gateway drug to riding trails and getting into mountain biking, for others it will complement the mountain biking they already do. Of course, gravel bikes exist as the varied demands of gravel do dictate that some specific equipment is advantageous. The position, wheelbase, gearing and tyre constraints of a road bike don’t cut…

There is an abundance of shoes to choose from on the shelf these days. From your traditional skate style shoe to lighter and more supportive footwear and of course rugged flat sole shoes for gravity use. There’s a world of choice and that is a good thing, as your feet are one of 5 contact points on your bike, and certainly the place where you can put the most strength through how your bike is going to handle. Dakine have stepped up to the plate to deliver the Dakine Drift Flat pedal shoe. With loads of features and tech in their flat pedal shoe it's definitely a dark horse amongst the array of options. A CLOSER LOOK Dakine is known for a lot of products in the mountain bike scene…

The cycling world has moved on from lycra being the norm, but a good pair of bike shorts is still the bottom line in comfort, if you can excuse the pun. The general thinking is that by removing the cotton underwear, you add a padded section that is formed to the approximate shape of a bike saddle, stitch it to a stretchy, form fitting material so it stays in place and doesn’t chafe, and that same materials deals with sweat better as well. Hey presto, greater comfort and hygiene. A pair of bibshorts, where the padded bike pants are held up by a bib and brace arrangement over your shoulders, look ridiculous when worn on their own. Clearly they are designed to be worn with a jersey. Bibshorts have been…

the hub Places that rock Melrose sits about 2.5 hours north Adelaide, in South Australia. It is on the door step of the Flinders Ranges and the oldest town in the area. About 20 years ago, Melrose had around 20km of trails cut in lovingly by hand. This has grown over time, and the trails and town have gathered quite a popular following. It’s an easy place to drive into, park and ride. You won’t get in your car again until it is time to go home. The Melrose Fat Tyre Festival (held in June) still floods the town with mountain bikers and their families who book the place out year-on-year. In recent years, Melrose has needed a bump up in trail distance to really attract more riders…

the hub Whether you are an XC goat or a gravity gremlin, it’s undeniable that mountain biking in it’s current form is as technical as it has ever been. While we understand the need to prepare our body for the task of undertaking these races, figuring out how and when to fit in skill and trail based technical sessions can be difficult. This probably doesn’t need to be said for all riders; gravity groms and downhillers in particular are great at playing on their bikes. For riders that are time-crunched, however, their main riding could be commuting and doing a social trail ride with their mates on the weekend, and dedicated skills practice can fall by the wayside. Sometimes cross-country or gravity athletes that enjoy the suffering of watt watching…

The 2023 Enduro National Championships at Red Hill, Victoria ran on the weekend of October 14-15. The weekend of racing started with juniors, e-bikers and adaptive riders on Saturday on a cool, blustery, damp and typical Mornington Peninsula day - but thanks to the hard work of the Red Hill Riders crew the trails were running pretty mint. As is typical of high-end Enduro events the riders all left the pits in waves so the day was spread out massively, this worked really well this year with next to no log-jams of riders waiting out in the cold before each stage. The conditions out on the trails were super varied, from windblown almost dusty corners out in the open to axle deep ruts of icky mud in the dark forests.…

I’m not one to rant a lot, but I want to let off some steam about the coverage of women’s cycling, and to be more specific the lack of coverage at the 2023 Gravel World Championships elite women’s race, and what we can all still learn from these moments. What I love about the gravel scene, which is very similar to mountain biking, is the way that the women race on the same courses, often the same distance, and get the same prize money (and usually the same coverage if this is offered for the event). From pretty much the beginning, gender equality has been a feature at most gravel events. The rise of this sport has seen the UCI start to take it seriously, having a World Gravel Series…

Are you struggling with a particular obstacle? Putting pressure on yourself to ‘just do it’ but something doesn’t feel right? Try this check list of mental cues and see if they help you to feel more confident on challenging terrain. 1. Acknowledge the risk Before trying anything on the trail, instead of trying to ignore the risks so you don’t feel anxious, acknowledge that riding comes with an element of risk but that there are steps you can take to mitigate those risks. Sure it’s exciting to hit that tricky line or bigger jump, but remember that it’s up to you to decide when you feel ready to accept that risk and give something a go, and that you can always try something else for now instead. This is partly…

Bears, bears, bears.It’s hard to concentrate on the trail when all you can think about is grizzlies. Will I see it coming? What’s it feel like to have your face bitten off? Probably should have bought that bear spray. It’s the day before Singletrack 6 kicks off in the Canadian Rockies, and I’m in Fernie. The town isn’t a whole lot more than a strip of traffic lights, restaurants and gas stations on a highway through a narrow valley. Venture a little way either side, though, and you’ll find a paradise of singletrack woven through the pine forested mountains. If you can face the bears, that is. I end up in a dark tunnel of trees heading up and up. I’m going slow. All I can hear is the wind…

Polygon are quickly becoming world leaders for offering high value mountain bikes in just about every market segment. While Bikes Online have been selling Polygon bikes in Australia for over a decade, a lot has changed in that time. Over the last few years the range has had some very thorough updates, bringing many of their bikes to the fore on design, suspension dynamics and trail handling. The quality of the finished bikes and the ride they deliver for the prices the bikes sell for is incredible. Having just tested the Collosus N8E 160mm travel eMTB I was blown away by the balanced handling of the bike, and the value it represented in a market where bikes are typically at the very expensive end of the price scale. The Collosus…

Here at AMB we are very familiar with the range of DT Swiss products. From the all-mountain ready EX1700 right through to the featherlight XRC 1200, we’ve reviewed just about every aftermarket wheel set they have to offer. Following Max’s review of the new downhill and enduro specific FR541 rim back in issue 201, I was excited to hear that it had been combined with a 240EXP hub to form the new FR1500 Classic wheel set. I have been putting a test wheel set through the ringer on the rowdiest terrain I can find. Read on to see how they took it. THE HUB DT Swiss’ class-leading 240 EXP hub lies at the heart of the wheels. It’s not often you find a hub winning XC world cups, and flying…

Shimano are relentless in their development of cycling footwear. While their Saint downhill group set hasn’t been updated in over a decade, the Japanese cycling giants are on what must be at least their 5th revision of their gravity shoe line since 2013. The GE7 I have had on test for the past few months is the mid range offering within the GE range of clipless shoes, and on paper offers everything I look for in this kind of product. Some of the other Shimano shoes I have used in recent years lacked that special something when compared to the venerable AM45 from yesteryear, so I was keen to slip my feet into these and see if that elusive magic has been recaptured. OUT OF THE BOX Earthy tones seem…

The Fox Proframe AS was an original trailblazer in the full-face helmet game, and it has just been updated during spring. A new look to the Proframe AS and overall functional updates give this already successful helmet a fresh start. New this season is a 3-position adjustable visor, new MIPS Evolve Core, a change in ventilation configuration and a new padding liner. Fox have also expanded sizing into Youth sizes for the growing rate of young riders. I had a size small model sent in for testing, it clocks 709g on the scales which is truly light for a full-face helmet. With a youth size and medium and large, The Proframe AS should fit a wide variety of head sizes. The Proframe AS comes with a soft bag for light…

Running tyre liners or inserts is almost standard practice for mountain biking. But when I first tested a pair of inserts for a gravel bike, I was ready to laugh at myself. That is until I rode on them and realised I could now use functional tyre pressures off-road in 40mm tyres. Since then I have continued to use tyre liners on my gravel bike, as it truly improves the ride. Having used the Tubolight EVO SL liners for over a year in my XC bike, I was keen to use their gravel model on the Factor LS long-term gravel test bike I built. The EVO Gravel models sell for $119.99 as a pair, not including valves. You don’t need special valves, but ones with a few air outlets do…

The folks at Skratch, led by Dr Allen Lim, are known for having turned cycling nutrition on its head a decade or so ago when they introduced real food alternatives and – wait for it – rice (!) to the deeply traditional road racing scene. Over the years, the business has proved it has incredible staying power in the fickle and flooded sports nutrition market, with appeal across all kinds of endurance activities – and that of course includes mountain biking. Skratch Labs have remained true to their gut-friendly, top-quality values and create products that are gluten and dairy free, as well as free from nasties like artificial flavourings, weird numbers and letters, and ‘foods’ that flat-out shouldn’t exist (I’m looking at you, high-fructose corn syrup). SKRATCH LABS CRISPY RICE…

Jumping can be a challenge in itself for novice riders but once you have the basics mastered and have overcome the initial fear, a really common follow on question is; “how can I get some extra height?” Learning how to gain extra height is a great next step for your jumping technique, as it’s a stepping stone towards being able to get extra distance and being able to jump larger jumps safely and with less speed as well as progressing to taller and steeper dirt jumps. The majority of jumps we come across on mountain bike trails these days are generally quite rollable, meaning they won’t have much in the way of a lip or kicker to help boost you up in the air and a whole bunch of rider…