Innholdsfortegnelse for Nov-Dec-Jan 2020 i Mountain Biking Australia

The mountain biking world is truly remarkable! In the space of 24 hours I had articles and news bits fly across my desk that took me all over the world. There was a trip to the Red Centre, an adventure race in British Columbia and a ride in Israel of all places. It just goes to show no matter where you go there will probably be a local MTB scene to welcome you. Adding to the excitement beyond our shores was the recent Eurobike show in Germany. One item that did stand out was the new Bianchi e-MTB which resembled a spaceship more than a bike. It was really an all-terrain vehicle, complete with headlights, but it’s unlikely it will make these shores due to power restrictions. The point in…

Super B have a Premium range of tools aimed at pro mechanics in shops and servicing pro cycling teams. Tools in the Premium range are manufactured for both durability of the tool and the comfort and safety of the user. The Classic range of tools by Super B are aimed at the home mechanic who requires the right tool for the job but doesn’t need to set up a full pro workshop at home. Tools in both ranges are available individually or as part of tool sets. The TB-98550 35-piece tool set comes in a sturdy tool box and is perfect for a wide range of repairs done at home but is also a convenient kit to take to ride and race days. The tool kit covers basic servicing, repairs…

The Michelin AM (All Mountain) tyre range was developed by Michelin engineers in conjunction with pro riders Nicolas Vouilloz, Karim Amour and Remy Absalon. The range is available in a Performance Line and a Competition Line, and with two tread patterns on offer, the Wild and the Force. The Performance Line casing features bead to bead protection with a 4 x 60 TPI casing to reduce punctures. This tough casing delivers reliability over many miles and the tread patterns and rubber compounds provide excellent grip and reduced rolling resistance. The Competition Line casing has a new generation 3 x 60 TPI casing with built-in Trail Shield technology, a high-density reinforcement ply, delivering exceptional strength whilst keeping the tyre weight down. Michelin pair this high tech casing up with their triple…

The Gibb Challenge is an annual, socially competitive, team relay mountain bike event raising community awareness and funds for charity. With thirteen campaigns done and dusted, ‘The Gibb’ is almost as iconic as the dusty, corrugated road that lends its name, inspiring hundreds of participants from every state and territory in Australia to join in a life-defining adventure. An exciting prologue stage now welcomes arriving teams with the Cable Beach Sundowner in Broome; a relaxed afternoon and evening of live music, a licensed area, event merchandise, local food and drink vendors and the MTBA Fat Bike National Championships – a unique beach race event sanctioned by Mountain Bike Australia to award National Championship points, medals and the coveted green and gold jersey. ‘Gibbsters’ experience a fully immersive outback adventure that…

RATINGS IN THE STAND 8/10 ON THE TRAIL 8/10 OVERALL 8/10 Merida has been the ‘quiet achiever’ in the MTB world; with its success in road cycling the brand’s MTB stable is sometimes unintentionally overshadowed, but the last few years have seen its knobby-tyred models hog some of the limelight. And it’s not hard to see why; the perfect example is seen here with the Merida One-Twenty 9.700, part of the brand’s large One-Twenty stable, that includes alloy and carbon frames in both 27.5 and 29-inch sizes. The 9.700 is the top-spec alloy model. The One-Twenty range is aimed squarely at the burgeoning short-travel (100-130mm) trail bike segment. It’s an increasingly crowded market, but Merida has plenty of confidence in this new alloy-frame rig with the 9.700’s very impressive spec…

There must be something in the water, as they say, in Canberra. A young Kye A’Hern has just earnt the rainbow stripes by winning the Junior Downhill World Championships while his sister Sian A’Hern has had a solid set of Downhill World Cup results this year just to add to many other Canberra natives who’ve had success on the world and local stage. What is it about the place that develops talent like this? Many people find it easy to write off Canberra as ‘boring’. Canberra bashing is almost a national pastime for no real good reason, other than maybe being seen as the city of politicians and public servants. But in reality, the city is vibrant and full of activities and its world-class MTB facilities make it a destination…

It’s been over a decade since Rocky Trail Entertainment first set up shop and it’s safe to say they’ve become a familiar part of the mountain biking calendar. With the flagship Fox Superflow and Shimano MTB GP series leading the way, Rocky Trail have created a plethora of events throughout NSW and the ACT from Thredbo to Taree. News in recent weeks has revealed they will also be expanding into Queensland with a range of events set to be announced for 2020. What has become increasingly clear however is that it is no longer good enough simply to host an event. The lure of a race isn’t always strong enough, especially as the company continues to expand across the country. What may have been a handful of day trips now…

Nothing stays the same in mountain biking. While personal preferences may remain steadfast there are always new options being developed and presented to riders. Shoes are no different and what seems a basic piece of equipment has actually changed a lot down the years, most noticeably with the introduction of clip-ins. So what are we talking about? Now, clip-ins tend to be less popular in MTB circles than the road community due to the fact that the more ‘wild’ the ride the greater the chance of unceremoniously parting ways with the bike. That’s not to say they’re unpopular however. Obviously it’s not just shoes we’re talking about here, the pedal defines what footwear you’ll choose. The majority of readers will know exactly what we’re talking about but for anyone who…

Roof racks are a vital piece of gear for any intrepid mountain biker so it’s important you’re buying from experts. Unfortunately it’s not a case of ‘one size fits all’ but with the Roof Rack Store you can feel at ease. Located in Matraville, Sydney, the Roof Rack Store is a local business with international knowledge from brands such as Whispbar and Yakima. Here are seven reasons why the Roof Rack Store is the way to go: 1. Experienced staff2. Stock on hand3. Free shipping4. Huge showroom open to the public5. Free keying alike service6. Best brands7. Expert fitting service They even have a handy online Roof Rack Guide so you can get the right rack for your vehicle. The team at the Roof Rack Store have extensive knowledge about…

The public mountain biking trails of Tasmania are a bit like a new nightclub or bar, riders are flocking from near and far to ride what is on offer and offer they do. The trails are living up to expectations with a party-like atmosphere each weekend on courses and their accompanying campgrounds. The establishment of Derby and Maydena, the opening of Wild Mersey and the soon to be opening of St Helens Mountain has bikers flocking to Tassie to ride. With more projects planned, the choice of publicly accessible trails is impressive and expanding, providing an excuse for many to visit our island. As locals we are happy to have access and share these trails with all visitors to our island but there are still a few little secrets we…

RATINGS PERFORMANCE 8/10 VALUE 7/10 OVERALL 7.5/10 Often overlooked, the humble saddle is an important part of your bike’s comfort and control. Too often I think that the wrong saddle is under many riders, who are unaware about how a good saddle should feel. German brand Ergon is heavily focused on providing ergonomically designed products, probably most famous for their shaped grips but also offering gloves, seat posts and saddles. It’s an example of the latter that I’ve been reviewing for a while now. Weighing in at around 270g in the 'Comp' spec here, offered in two widths and three different specification levels the SM Saddle is towards the lighter end of MTB saddles. I’ve been on lightweight saddles before and often found they were either too thin or just…

I love Australian folklore. From bush poets like Banjo and Lawson to the Shakespearean tragedy that is the Kelly Gang, we do alright when it comes to epic tales. So when an event called the Snowies Mountain Bike Festival crossed my desk my ears certainly pricked up. My first question was: will there be an actual stockman and brumby? Upon hearing yes I only had one other enquiry: when and where? In a pretty competitive market it’s important that event organisers try and make their set-up unique and memorable. Kicking off a race chasing down a stockman, complete with Drizabone and whip, on a mountain-bred beast is something you’ll have to search for pretty far and wide before seeing again. So what’s the Snowies MTB Festival all about? Put…

There's certainly no shortage of chain cleaning devices on the market. Some permit a complete drivetrain degrease with the chain still in situ, but that's not what we're chasing here. You only need a few simple supplies for this post-ride touch-up: • Chain lube of your choosing (something that suits your trail conditions and maintenance regime).• Flat blade screwdriver or something similar to dislodge dried build-up. Purpose built tools are available for this but we're keeping it simple here. In fact you can use just about any pointed implement you want, although it helps to have a flatish face that you can place against the cog or chainring.• A clean cotton rag – go for a light colour if you can as it'll make it easier to gauge when your…

Tathra is a town located on the South Coast of NSW. Like many seaside settlements it’s a popular place for tourists in the summertime with many flocking from the Nation’s Capital to the cooler climes on the wonderfully-named Sapphire Coast. But Tathra is more than just beaches and fish and chips. In fact, the town has a thriving mountain biking scene and the Tathra MTB club is the focal point for all things on two wheels. We sat down with club president and chief trail builder Andrew Johnson to find out how it all began and what the future holds for this determined group of riders. MBA: Mountain Biking Australia AJ: Andrew Johnson MBA: How long has the club been running? AJ: The tracks started to be built in 2001.…

Your Golden Ticket to Mountain Bike glory in 2020! That’s free entry* to Rapid Ascent’s three mountain bike events in 2020: • Otway Odyssey MTB Marathon – Forrest, VIC (100km or 50km): Saturday 22 February• Bike Buller MTB Festival – 2 day event at Mt Buller, VIC (Downhill or XC races): 7-8 March• The Redback – 4 days, 6 stage MTB event in Alice Springs, NT: 20-23 August Come and race Rapid Ascent’s most respected mountain bike events in 2020, from sweet single-track marathon courses, to super-fast downhills at Mt Buller; and experiencing the ultimate MTB holiday in Australia’s red center. The Otway Odyssey lets riders explore some of Victoria’s great bushland. Held near the appropriately-named township of Forrest in the Otway Ranges, the Odyssey showcases kilometre after kilometre of…

Back in 2004, during my 25,000km Great Australian Cycle Expedition (GRACE), cycling companion Greg Yeoman and I camped beside the Finke River near to where it intersects with the Stuart Highway. We were on our way to Uluru and beyond and the Finke River crossing was at the end of our first day’s ride south of Alice Springs. I’d aimed to reach this point because I wanted to experience camping beside what is commonly referred to as the world’s oldest river. Even though we were only a few hundred metres from the main highway, I felt this was a special place. Peaceful, spiritual, timeless; it had an aura of its own. The Finke is a 700km ribbon of semi-permanent waterholes that meanders through the desert, an oasis that has been…

Pedalling my hi-tech fatbike over the pure sands of the Glen of Palms in Finke Gorge (Day 3), I was struck by the contrast between the present and the prehistoric. I was dwarfed by the scale of my surroundings. Ancient rust-red sandstone cliffs adorned by spindly ghost gums whose roots clung tenuously to fractured rocky ledges, majestic river gums and tall grasses bordered the waterholes - the whole lot destined to be washed down the Finke at some point in the not-too-distant geological future. According to the Dreamtime, Larapinta was formed when the Rainbow Serpent thrust north from Lake Eyre. Geological science has a rather different take on its creation. Here in Finke Gorge, the river incises a convoluted path through the James Range that, together with the West MacDonnell…

There's no denying that a clean drivetrain is more efficient and longer lasting than a dirty one. Grit and grime can mix with lubricant to form a grinding paste that not only wears the links and rollers, but also eats away at your cassette and chainring - look at the cost of a new wide-range 1X cassette and you'll see why this can be a pretty expensive recipe. From this it'd be easy to conclude that a fastidious regime using every cleaning implement at your disposal would be a wise approach, however too much cleaning can be equally hazardous for your drivechain. Strong degreasers and scrubbing tools will do a great job of flushing the dirt from your chain but they'll also remove any lubricating film. Unless you're extremely fastidious…

RATINGS PERFORMANCE 9/10 VALUE 7/10 OVERALL 8/10 With so many options in mounting our bikes to cars, some could accuse us mountain bikers of laziness. Well, while most of us probably enjoy a beer and a good sit down at a pub with some mates after a ride, there’s nothing to be ashamed of in having a well-sorted bike transport option for your car. Shingleback Off-Road is an Aussie brand, designing and building their products here in Australia, including the Vertical bike rack on test here. Ranging from three to six bikes (with many optional extras), like its name implies it’s intended to hold bikes vertically upright at the rear of your car, van or ute. This review will look at the five-bike version along with the optional swingarm. The…