Australian Mountain Bike Edition 208

EXCLUSIVE!

CLASSIFIED POWERSHIFT MTB RIDDEN AND RATED

WE RIDE THE 2024 NORCO OP TIC AND SIGH T

TRAIL & ENDURO TYRES! RIDE MOUNT BEAUTY LIKE A LOCAL ACROSS THE APENNINES IN ITALY

#208

. AU $13.95 . NZ $13.95 08

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Our confidence inspiring wheels feature a new rim profile, enabling them to be lighter while improving their resistance to impacts and pinch flats.

To further reduce weight, the front wheel spoke count has been reduced from 32 to 28, thus increasing their responsiveness to direction changes.

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RIDER: ELLIE SMITH PHOTOGRAPHER: KARL SHEPHARD (MAIN), NICK WAYGOOD ( INSE T ) The Cannonball MTB Festival celebrated its 10th year at Thredbo in February. With 5 days of events, it was Ellie Smith who won the crown for the Queen of Cannonball, with the highest overall points across all events.

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RIDER: LUKE MEIER-SMITH PHOTOGRAPHER: KARL SHEPHARD ( MAIN ) , NICK WAYGOOD ( INSE T )

To come away with the Queen or King of Cannonball title is no mean feat, especially in a year like 2024 where the start list for many events was absolutely stacked with global talent.

But as one of the world’s best, that didn’t slow Luke Meier-Smith down, who took the honour thanks to his fast racing all week.

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Contents ISSUE #208

FAST TRACK 19 20 33 34 36 39 40 43 44

Editorial News New Products Subscriptions Calendar X-Factor Trail Talk Gravity Check Mind Body Bike

FEATURES 46 HELIBIKING ON TASSIE’S WEST COAST We take a peek at how Into The Wild are helping intrepid mountain bikers get the most out of their time on the wild west coast of Tasmania.

48 TIPS FOR TRAVELLING WITH YOUR EBIKE Travelling to ride is one of the best parts of having a bike, and some annual leave! Here are our tips to make travelling with your e-bike a little bit easier, via road or air.

50 WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE A MOUNTAIN BIKER? What defines mountain biking? Is it the type of trails you ride? What you wear? How often you get out? Or is it none of these things?

54 ALL ABOUT THE FLOW STATE No, it’s not an actual state of Australia, but Dr Richard Buning digs into what elements need to line up to find a state of flow on the trails.

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58 ACROSS THE APENNINES Mike takes you on a journey through the Apennine mountains in Italy, as he tackles the 6-day Appenninica MTB Stage Race, riding trails that have matured over centuries.

66 WEEKEND AT BERNIES Mount Beauty sits apart from a lot of current mountain bike hot spots. But the history this high country town has with Australian mountain biking makes it a place every rider must visit, as Adam Macbeth found out.

TESTED 76 Cube Stereo ONE:44 C62 Race 80 Polygon Siskiu T9 85 Polygon Siskiu T6 88 Cervelo ZFS-5 120 XO 93 AMB’s Trail and Enduro tyre test 110 Product reviews 122 Skills 124 Nutrition 126 Fitness 128 Workshop

COVER: Rider: Ash Stokes Photographer: Nick Waygood THIS PAGE Rider: Myriam Nicole Photographer: Nick Waygood

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NATURAL SELECTION

PURSUE, PLAY & PEDAL THE VIRTUOUS PATH AND EMBRACE THE EVOLUTION OF E-MTB SPEED AND POWER. NORCO.COM

PREORDER NOW AT YOUR LOCAL NORCO DEALER COMING AUTUMN 2024

DISTRIBUTED BY ADVANCE TRADERS AUSTRALIA | @norcobicycles.au

Editorial enquiries mike@adventureentertainment.com Editor Mike Blewitt Art Director Allan Bender WORDSMITHS Anna Beck, Kath Bicknell, Mike Blewitt, Ella Bloor, Richard Buning, Adam Macbeth, Craig Meinicke, Ben Morrison, Chris Panozzo, Jared Rando, Bam da Silva, Ryan Walsch,, Zoe Wilson, Hayden Wright PHOTO GURUS Tim Bardsley-Smith, Mike Blewitt, Stu Gibson, Clancy Kelly, Gerard Lagana, Jean McAllister, Jordan Riddle, Matt Rousu, Jasper da Seymour, Karl Shephard, Nick Waygood, ADVERTISING National Advertising Manager Damian Martin damian@adventureentertainment.com +61 417 168 663 Publisher Toby-Ryston Pratt Founder & CEO Adventure Entertainment.

ABN: 79 612 294 569 Subscriptions E: magazines@adventureentertainment.com P: +61 2 8227 6486 PO Box 161, Hornsby, NSW, 1630

AMB (AUSTRALIAN MOUNTAIN BIKE) is published by Adventure Entertainment Pty Ltd ABN: 79 612 294 © 2024. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, in whole or in part, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Printed by IVE Group, Sydney, distributed in Australia and New Zealand by Are Direct.

ISSN 1328-6854. The publisher will not accept responsibility or any liability for the correctness of information or opinions expressed in the publication. All material submitted is at the owner’s risk and, while every care will be taken Adventure Entertainment does not accept liability for loss or damage.

PRIVACY POLICY

We value the integrity of your personal information. If you provide personal information through your participation in any competitions, surveys or offers featured in this issue of AMB, this will be used to provide the products or services that you have requested and to improve the content of our magazines. Your details may be provided to third parties who assist us in this purpose. In the event of organisations providing prizes or offers to our readers, we may pass your details on to them. From time to time, we may use the information you provide us to inform you of other products, services and events our company has to offer. We may also give your information to other organisations which may use it to inform you about their products, services and events, unless you tell us not to do so. You are welcome to access the information that we hold about you by getting in touch with our privacy officer, who can be contacted at Adventure Entertainment.

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DETAILS COUNT W O R D S M I K E B L E W I T T P H O T O C L A N C Y K E L LY

Welcome to issue #208 of Australian Mountain Bike. This is our first issue that sits within our new quarterly timing.

Hopefully you haven’t been left waiting too long for a new issue, but do remember we publish extensively on AMBmag.com.au so you can maintain your fix.

This new issue celebrates a little part of what a change to four issues per year allows us to do. You’ll notice there are more stories and reviews than previous issues thanks to the thicker magazine. And while we have a tonne of reviews in this issue, by moving quarterly we have a bit more room to write about some other ideas. Like – what does it mean to be a mountain biker? Is there a tick list? Or is each person’s path to being a mountain biker unique? And what about getting that feeling of flow – can that be curated, and

sold? Dr Richard Buning dug into that.

Adam Macbeth spent the time getting under the skin of his new home town of Mount Beauty, which has slowly revealed the deep and rich mountain biking history written in its trails.

Of course, sometimes it is all about the gear, and we went really deep into the tech for our Trail and Enduro Group Test. A huge crew put 24 popular trail and enduro tyres head to head over summer. They crashed, they railed corners, dented a few rims and got a few stitches. But fair from testing on vibe, our dedicated crew really put the differences under the microscope to help you make the best purchase when it is time to get a fresh set of tyres.

That’s just a sample of what our new issue holds – I really hope you enjoy it.

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CANNONBALL EXPLODES! The 2024 Cannonball MTB Festival was the 10th anniversary event, and the 5-day gravity festival absolutely went off at Thredbo in the New South Wales Snowy Mountains region. Over 800 competitors and thousands of spectators visited the alpine village for a diverse line-up of events. While Australia’s homegrown mountain bike talent is incredible, plenty of internationals made the trip to Australia to join in the fun. Tim Winshuttle was stoked to see just how much the event has grown while he has worked at Thredbo.

“Seeing this incredible event grow into what it is has been a huge highlight of my career. Thredbo’s downhill field now looks like a World Cup start line, right here in the Snowy Mountains of Australia. It’s awesome to watch our local riders and ambassadors put up such a strong fight on home turf against the internationals.”

“Bringing back the iconic 90s style Dual Slalom event this year was such a nostalgic experience for me and the wider mountain bike community. The crowds were huge and the park conditions were as good as they get this week. It’s been one of our biggest and best Cannonballs 20

so far,” said Windshuttle.

Year on year the Cannonball MTB Festival has attracted more elite riders to Australia, with international talent competing alongside home grown world beaters. Although there are 5 days of events with plenty of racing, the Cannonball DH on Saturday really counts for bragging rights. It was Jackson Frew who won the men’s event from a star-studded line up, with Nina Hoffman from the Santa Cruz Syndicate winning the women’s with local Sian A’Hern just 0.7 of a second behind!

After the downhill finals, the crowds shift to the Whip Wars. Huge crowds arrived to watch the pro riders send it into the stratosphere. After a huge show of whips and tricks, it was young riders 14-year-old Archie Young and 13-year-old Indi Lambert who impressed the judges the most and took out the wins.

On the final night, Luke Meier-Smith and Ellie Smith were crowned the King and Queen of Cannonball, having tallied up the most points at each event throughout the week. Happy 10th Birthday Cannonball, that was an epic party. See you in 2025.

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GO TROPPO AT CRANKWORX CAIRNS Cairns, a city renowned for its lush landscapes and adventurous spirit, is gearing up to host the exhilarating Crankworx bike event for the third year. Known as the ultimate celebration of mountain biking culture, Crankworx is set to bring a burst of adrenaline to Cairns this May, attracting both seasoned riders and avid spectators from near and far.

Crankworx, the world’s premier mountain biking festival, has found a comfortable home in Cairns, highlighting the city’s growing reputation as an epicentre for extreme sports.

From May 22nd to 26th, 2024, Cairns will transform into a haven for mountain biking enthusiasts, offering a week-long extravaganza of competitions, showcases, and community events. There’s a massive expo to check out new gear, and plenty of opportunities to test ride some bikes and get out on the iconic trails at Smithfield MTB Park.

The heart-pounding action is set to unfold across multiple mountain biking disciplines, ranging from the daredevil downhill races to gravity-defying slopestyle competitions and of course pump track, where fans can get the closest to the action. There are few other opportunities in Australia to see such a range

of world-class mountain bike talent – so don’t miss out. Crankworx isn’t just about the competitions; it’s a celebration that extends to the entire community. Cairns residents and visitors alike can look forward to a series of engaging events, including bike expos, interactive workshops, and opportunities to meet and greet their favorite riders. The event aims to foster a sense of unity among biking enthusiasts while introducing newcomers to the exciting world of mountain biking.

AusCycling has recently announced that the Downhill race at Crankworx will also be the Oceania Downhill Championships, so expect some pretty hot competition from Australian riders and those across the ditch as the Oceania title is on the line!

MAKE IT A HOLIDAY Cairns is known for its stunning natural beauty and will provide a breathtaking backdrop for the Crankworx events. While attending riders will navigate sections of the Cairns Downhill like Alien Tree and the infamous rock garden, there are opportunities tog et out and ride for yourself. Why not ride

the Kuranda DH? Or book in for a guided ride with some of the tour companies in Cairns, to get a local’s look at the best trails in Smithfield. Of course, you can take a trip to the Great Barrier Reef, get a birds-eye view of the rainforest via the SkyRail, head out jetboating and of course visit the Cairns Night Markets.

We visited in previous years and can attest to the mixed bag of fun that Crankworx is. If you just want big action, you’ll love the whip offs, slope style and of course speed and style. If you’re all about speed, clamber onto the sidelines of the downhill course and cheer your favourites on – then get track side for the dual slalom as well, as riders go head to head down the tight and demanding course. Of course, pump track is a favourite, as you can see how riders work their magic to eek every bit of speed out of the red dirt – right up close. And you might even snag an autograph while you’re trackside.

Tickets are on sale now, so fire up the group chat, book some accommodation and get set for your trip to Crankworx Cairns! crankworx.com/cairns/

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THE ALL-NEW 2024 NORCO OPTIC AND SIGHT In late February Norco released the latest iterations of the popular Optic and Sight. At first glance it may look like they have just brought the high pivots across from the Aurum, Shore and Range, but there are far more changes going on. Norco engineers went deep, with testing mules to dial in the right kinematics for each model, updating axle paths, progression, versatility and overall construction quality of the new platforms. Norco also added an extra size to their range, adopting reach based sizing for 5 sizes from 1-5. This has added more overlap between sizes, but also caters better for taller riders as well.

The high pivot designs haven’t been added due to fashion. Norco’s engineers stated they have learnt something from every design so far, with the idler location chosen specifically to suit the design of either the Optic or Sight. The idler is all-new with 18t and a design tested every which way for quiet operation and chain security.

Some classic Norco traits remain, like size-specific geometry.

Norco have also overhaulled their RideAligned software to help you get everything out of your new bike. You can adjust your weight balance, the terrain you are riding and even the conditions to get a better tyre and suspension setup – you can even save your different bikes and different setups in a virtual garage on the app!

Both the Optic and Sight will be sold in Australian in mixed (MX, mullet) wheel size options, not the 29” sample configurations shown here. However, Norco Australia will stock the link and lower shock mount so you can swap to a 29er build if you like. Norco designed the bikes around a change in hardware, to ensure the geometry and kinematics remain completely unchanged from how they designed them. So – how did they ride?

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RIDING THE 2024 NORCO OPTIC WORDS MIKE BLEWITT

PHOTOS GERARD LAGANA

Having spent quite a lot of time on the last two iterations of the Optic, I was interested to see where the 2024 model landed. The Optic released in 2016 had a huge overhaul for 2019, and that Optic has won praise throughout the mountain bike world. I had an Optic C3 for most of 2020 as a long-term trail bike, and it truly rewarded a rider that pushed to find the limits.

While the geometry and handling was leading the way for much of the bike industry for this type of short travel trail bike, some riders still had a few complaints with the 140/125mm 29er. Personally, I still found it a bit too active when working the bike on undulating trails, although this was remedied in a way by different shock options in later model years.

The complaint from those wanting to really push the bike was the issues around leverage rate, and the air volume issues. Riders were hitting the maximum shock pressure trying to

get the support they wanted.

The 2024 Optic has had a total suspension redesign, including adding a high pivot setup designed to give 7mm of axle growth about two thirds of the way into the travel, while still giving an excellent pedalling platform and more confidence to really let the bike go. The design has opened up the air volume restrictions and the Optic is also compatible with a coil shock. Overall, the Optic is just an evolution of its former self; it is still designed to be a capable and aggressive short travel trail bike - it just does it better.

ON THE TRAIL WITH THE 2024 NORCO OPTIC Make no mistake, I’m not the kind of rider to get on an Optic and find its absolute limit. That said, I prefer a shorter travel trail bike to a

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longer one, and I’d rather ride a short travel trail bike near the limit for me and it, rather than wallow around on a long travel bike.

While there are only subtle changes in geometry for the new Optic, they are enough to land me onto a size 3, whereas I opted for a large on the C3 I had in 2020. With a low standover height and short seat tube for long dropper posts, it looked like a slopestyle bike, but the fit was spot on for my 178cm. I do think the 5 sizes will see more riders on their best fit size.

Hayden and I tested the Sight and Optic respectively before the new Ride Aligned software was available, which I think really makes a difference for fine-tuning setup. We are both adept at setup to get the bikes riding how we want them to, but I do think the precise setup available to every rider with this tool is a real stand out for Norco.

Just make sure you get a digital shock pump and tyre pressure gauge to make the best use out of it!

The central position when seated and climbing up to the trail head was instantly

noticeable. It has been a few years since I was on an Optic, and while they climbed ok I just don’t think they really climbed as well as a short travel bike should. I expected it to be worse with an idler and high pivot, but it was very good, with plenty of snap for a burst out of the saddle. According to Norco’s engineers, this is by design. They didn’t want any of the elements of the Optic to be lost by moving to the new suspension design – they just wanted to enhance and improve it.

On the first rough descent I use as a speed check, the Optic was fast. It remained planted when it needed to be, without pinging off the freshly revealed rocks and roots after the rain events we have had in February. With a fast succession of corners, the agility of the previous models remains, with the Optic deftly changing direction with subtle input.

While I only got a few rides on the Optic, this was my first time on a high pivot bike and I’d expected a far more muted ride – more plow than wow. But what I experienced instead was a bike that kept the pop of the previous Optic, with an overall better climbing manner, and a

more capacity to soak up bigger, successive hits without pinging the back end around.

While the suspension design shows the benefits of extensive real world testing with a wide variety of riders, I think a lot of the handling really comes down to subtle updates to the geometry as well. The 472.5mm reach and 77 degree head angle meant I was really balanced, and that counts on a bike like the Optic. You need to be able to lead with the front and use the fork – if the bike is too long or slack you can’t do that, and go from being a rider to a passenger.

There will only be one Optic carbon model in Australia, with the C2 ($9999) that uses a Lyrik, SRAM GX Eagle T-type and a Vivid rear shock. Norco Australia are still holding the previous generation Optics in stock as well.

I was very impressed with the latest generation Optic. I think it could be an exceptional trail bike for those who want a bike that doesn’t turn the sound down on the trails you are riding, but it still begs you to give it some more input to let it go for both line creativity and reckless abandon.

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NORCO SIGHT 2024 MODELS IN AUSTRALIA

RIDING THE 2024 NORCO SIGHT WORDS HAYDEN WRIGHT

PHOTOS GERARD LAGANA

It takes a mere glance to recognise that the new generation of Sight casts quite a different silhouette to its predecessor that was launched in mid 2019. The previous generation Sight was popular thanks to its utilitarian construction, capable chassis and considered specification. At the time of release, it was right at the forefront of geometry design which has since become the norm in the trail bike realm; steep seat tubes, long front ends and relaxed head angles. That geometry remains on the new iteration, with only minor variances to the dimensions and angles which make up these Canadian all mountain machines. While a move to a 5 size specification does increase choice and overlap for riders to pick the bike that best suits them, the numbers within those sizes are fairly run of the mill.

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Sight C1 - $10499 Sight C2 - $8999 Sight A2 - $6999 norco.com

What is different is the suspension layout and wheel size options. While this bike is still running the Horst-link Norco are well-known for, it now has an ace up its sleeve. As with the new Optic the 2024 Sight has a raised main pivot and concentric idler pulley which is attached to the chain stay - what Norco are calling VHS HP. The specific idler location was acutely tuned through the use of aluminium test mules during development. The axle path is rearward through the first 30% of the stroke, and then tails off to being more vertical through to bottom out. This provides the bump-eating character of a high pivot bike, without the drawbacks of decreased agility and manoeuvrability which can be seen with aggressively rearward axle paths deep in the travel.

The final change to the layout and kinemat-

ics of this bike is a move to a more progressive suspension curve. In Norco’s own words, the previous generation Sight was too linear.

Riders who prefer a coil shock could too easily reach bottom out. As such, they have moved to a 28% rate of progression through the travel, up from 18% on the previous model.

This will increase support through the end of the shock’s stroke, decreasing the likelihood of bottom out and increasing the acceptable window of tuning for each rider. Accompanying this change is a move from a 185x52.5mm shock up to a more common 205x60.

Fit and finish on the new Sight is more revolution rather than evolution over the previous model. Fully ported cable routing, capped bearings, extensive frame protection and quality hardware adorn this new frame giving it a look much similar to that of a Yeti

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or Santa Cruz. While we feel Norco does have a tough road ahead if they want to battle against those top-tier brands on the showroom floor, all of their recent moves tell us they’re ready for the war. Increased frame quality, product support (like, a lifetime frame warranty!), marketing spend and ride quality are all steps towards riders choosing a Sight as their next bike over a SB-150 or Hightower.

ON THE TRAIL I had a Sight C1 with 160/150mm of travel parked up in my garage around a month ago, and was able to get out on a few rides on it. I am very familiar with high pivot bikes, so my mind was fairly made up on how this bike would behave out on the trail before I even swung a leg over it. I was very wrong.

The unique combination of a very short rear-centre and a rearward axle path led to a truly unique trail experience. I was able to do all my favourite car park jibs, much to my surprise. Long forgotten due to my inability to

manual the Forbidden Dreadnought I typically call home, the Sight was happy to pop up the front wheel and dart around gutters and kerbs. Similarly, the mellow trails that start out my typical test loop were much more fun than I had anticipated. Typically used just to check that body and brain are in gear before heading off to some chunder, I found myself popping and shooting off every little feature - another surprise! This is not to say that the rear end couldn’t soak up square edge hits.

The Sight C1 behaved very well through rock gardens, with the rear wheel getting out of the way of bumps and chatter as expected.

Similarly, I enjoyed the sensation of the growing rear centre length through long bermed turns. While it takes some getting used to, having a bike that increases in stability as you push through a compression is nothing but a good thing in my mind. While not as stable or forgiving as the Dreadnought in the most dire of situations, the Sight was a much more mild mannered beast on all other styles of trail. Another key point of interest

was how quiet this bike is. New drivetrain aside, the extensive chain stay protection and fully ported cables made for a deathly quiet ride. And what about that idler I hear you say? I honestly did not notice it.

WHO SHOULD CONSIDER A 2024 NORCO SIGHT? Riders who are looking to invest in a capable all-mountain bike for all day epics and enduro racing would be happy on one of these new Sights. While the idler pulley may scare off some, the proof really is in the pudding when it comes to the ride character on these new bikes. Through the implementation of a unique suspension curve which Norco have spent years working towards, they have delivered a bike that manages to be stable, yet playful. Their new 5 size system and mixed wheel configuration means that most if not all riders from short right through to tall should be able to find a Sight to fit their needs.

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PIVOT’S NEW SWITCHBLADE Pivot Cycles have launched a revamped Switchblade, ready for riders who are looking to switch it up with a new bike. At a glance, the Switchblade looks a lot like the outgoing model that was released in early 2020. A lot of features remain the same, with a few updated features trickling in from other recent releases. The overall design aim is the same: the Switchblade is designed to be for riders who want a bike to charge in bike parks, load up for all day pedals, and to tackle some wild trails. The latest release is just an evolution and refinement.

FACTS AND FIGURES FOR THE PIVOT SWITCHBLADE All 5 frames (XS-XL) have more insertion depth for longer dropper posts – although pivot have stuck with 31.6mm and not bumped up to 34.9mm. Given they use a lot of Fox Transfer posts in their builds – chances are a bigger diameter for reliability wasn’t an issue. The new frames also have longer reach, slacker head angles and steeper seat angles. The frame is built for 180mm rotors, and has ISCG05 mounts for a chain guide. The bottom bracket is PF92, erring away from the move bacl to threaded bottom brackets.

Each size can take a full size water bottle, and there is an accessory mount for Pivot’s nifty Tool Dock system. You can even use the extra mount below the down tube for a second bottle if you’re on an all-day mission.

In terms of travel, the Switchblade sticks to a tried and true 160mm travel fork and 142mm of DW-Link travel in the back. Pivot have noted that 160mm is the maximum travel for the fork. Want more? Get the

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Firebird. The Super Boost frame can take a MX setup with a 27.5” rear wheel, and Pivot have a built in flip chip in the linkage for a high and low position. The high position is required for a MX build to maintain the bottom bracket height. Regardless, the high position steepens the bike by about 0.5 degree, if you kept it as a 29er. Given the bolts for the flip chip need to be 35Nm, this isn’t really a trail side change, more of something you do to get your bike setup to suit the ride you want.

For 29er Switchblades you can run upto 29x2.5” tyres, but on 27.5” wheels you can use upto 2.8” tyres. Pivot measured these with Maxxis tyres, so double check real world widths on your own tyres, as some are chonkier than others.

The kinematics have had a tune up to maintain pedalling response and big hit capability alike, with new linkages as well. Given the frame has a rising rate design, it does work with a coil. The frame uses a Trunnion mount 185x55mm shock and Pivot recommend a Fox DHX2 if you live the coil life.

It is great to see size specific chain stays on the Pivot Switchblade, this goes hand in hand with Pivot’s tuned ride for each frame layup.

This means each frame size has its own carbon layup, so an XS doesn’t ride like a piece of 2x4 with the XL being a bit soft. Instead, a custom layup means regardless of rider size, you get the same frame feel. And while of course geometry changes between sizes, the size-specific chain stays mean the balance between both wheels is much better matched across the size range.

What may seem like small details all add up to create an impressively updated trail bike. Contact your local Pivot Cycles Australia dealer for pricing and availability.

Featuring: Kayleigh Brown, Philly Shubert & James Gibson Photo Credit: @_kayleighbrown

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COME RIDE IN THE SUNSHINE STATE! After a booming 2023, the Quad Crown event crew are back on the ground with another 4 long weekend events for 2024. The fun has already started in Tasmania, with riders tackling tantalising trails around the Wild Mersey and Penguin mountain bike networks at the Wild Penguin in early March. But the Quad Crown don’t want Tasmanians to have all the fun, with three more events this year all on the mainland.

Next up is the Sunny 80 on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland this June. Running from 7-9 June, the Sunny 80 is a ready-made winter escape for those who want a break from the chilly air down south. The comfort of the Queensland winter sun and warmth of Queensland hospitality are ready and waiting on the Sunshine Coast. So do as the whales and migratory birds do and go north for winter to the Sunny 80. Our tip? Plan to stay a few days longer, to take in the beaches, a visit to the hinterland villages, or even to head back out and ride some more trails.

The 2024 edition of the Sunny 80 will start at the popular Sugarbag Road Trails. This is the mini mountain bike park everyone wishes they had near home, with a tight network of trails, an asphalt pump track, built features, picnic areas, toilets, a cafe and ocean views. We can’t think of a better place to start on Friday afternoon for the 8km Prelude. Expect lots of flowing singletrack and plenty of corners.

Stage 1 on Saturday starts at Hidden Valley, diving into the Parklands trails where the Cross-Country Olympic venue will land for the Brisbane Olympics. There’s no big grand stand or overly built features at this stage – just lots of trails squirelled away in the forest. From old-school bench cut singletrack in the rainforest, to swooping trails below the eucalypts and built up flow – this stage will have it all.

On Sunday, Stage 2 visits Ewen Maddock Dam and has a split stage with another element at the nearby Country Club and Dularcha National Park. Don’t fret, it all makes sense on the day and adds a whole lot of trail variety – from Return of the Jedi style forest singletrack drag races, through to old rail tunnels, loose and wild descents and everything in-between.

Each day will wrap up without turning into a death march on the trails, so make a plan for an afternoon on the beach, doing a scenic drive, or maybe taking a hike in the Glass House Mountains – there’s plenty to do on the Sunshine Coast, so make a plan around the Sunny 80 and kick start your winter in Queensland this June.

The event runs from 7-9 June, and you can race all 3-days or just pick one weekend day if you prefer. Get all the details on the Quad Crown website. quadcrownmtb.com.au

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SH A C 0 0 $50 LUS P N I W TO IZES! R P F O LOTS IES OPEN ENTR H 26, MARC 4 202

2 0 2 4 The AMB Photo Awards presented by Shimano are back again, after a huge year in 2023! Last year we had an immense volume of entries and voting, with a big influx of entries from young photographers. In 2024 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 for the most complete portfolio, selected by a judging panel including pro photographer Tim Bardsley-Smith, 2023 AMB Photographer of the Year Kristina Vackova and our editor Mike Blewitt. The youth category

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remains and is determined by being under 20 during the competition period. This will be a one off image submitted in any of the categories. This winner will also be chosen by public voting from a short list selected by our judges.

The social media video will need to be a raw upload without music, under 60 seconds and optimised for social media. We want you to capture being out riding and having fun. Let’s hear the trail, the stoke and the natural environment we get to play in. All videos will be uploaded to our social media accounts to be shared, but the winner will be decided by our voting panel.

Our judging panel will pick the overall AMB Photographer of the Year. The photography categories will have a winner, plus second and third place, as voted by readers from a short list.

The Raw Reels winner will be selected by our voting panel.

GRAVITY

XC WHOA!

WOMEN WHO RIDE

This category is about celebrating everything that is good in downhill, dual slalom, enduro, freeride, dirtjumping, high speed trail rides and push runs. We want to see the action, dedication and scenery that comes from riding with gravity. This could be a photo from your local enduro event, something from the Downhill World Cup, an image from your local trails where your buddy hits the fall line chute... we want to see high impact photos that showcase gravity riding and racing, with exceptional framing and composition.

Cross-country riding and racing has evolved, and this category celebrates that. Photos entered in this category may come from your club XC race, a big all-day pedal into the backcountry, action from the XCO World Cup, a marathon race, a stage race, or training for any of these events. What does XC mean to you? We want to see the grit and determination, the bar-to-bar action and the features and settings that really make XC come alive. Our judges will look for unique images that tell a story and capture the sole of XC, with top level composition and framing.

In 2021 we brought a category to showcase women in sport back to the competition.

Mountain biking is diverse and we want to ensure that it continues to be so and grows from here. Women have been underrepresented in the photography of the AMB Photography Awards, and that doesn’t match who we see riding and ripping the trails. This category is designed to encourage a broader representation of who makes up our sport. Make it fun, make it inspiring, and make it inclusive. A winning photograph in this category will be all about excellent composition, so make sure it’s unique to stand out from the crowd.

RAW REELS In this social media video category we want you to show us what mountain biking is for you via a social media video. Keep it fun, keep it raw and deliver some stoke! We want to see the trails where you get to ride and why it’s so good. Submit your sub 90 second video via the instructions on our competition page. We want the raw sounds, no soundtrack. This category will be judged on video editing proficiency and how engaging the video is.

AMB PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR OUTBACK AND BEYOND Away from the stacked loops, our playground is immense. A bike is one of the best tools for adventure out there, and it is only limited by your imagination. In this category we want to see the places your bike can take you. Show us the wild environments. Show as the vertiginous places, the serpentine trails along never ending ridgleines and capture the vast nothing in the centre of Australia. A winning photo in this category is going to give the judges a sense of being in the environment, and the dedication required to be there. We’ll still be looking for amazing composition and framing – but most of all we want to be inspired. We want your photo to capture our imagination to spur us on to get out and ride!

To win the overall title you need to enter a photo in each of the photography categories. You need to blow our judges away as the level to win the overall title has been set really high. Study the categories and shoot to suit. The winner will collect $3000 and a Shimano Deore XT M8100 12-speed group set, plus have a full feature in Issue #210 of AMB.

YOUNG PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR In this category, our judges select a short list from all the images submitted by photographers under 20. So the entries can come from any of the four photography categories. We’ll be looking for proficient composition and editing, capturing the moment and really nailing the category. The winner will receive a Shimano SLX M7100 12-speed group set. There will also be an interview in Issue #210 of AMB.

HOW TO ENTER Head to photoawards.ambmag.com.au to enter.

Full terms and conditions along with all category details are online.

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fast track

You know what they say, new gear, new you. Here's a look at some fresh bits landing in Australia.

LAZER LUPO AND FINCH

GME XRS 660

Lazer have been overhauling their helmet line up, adding their KinetiCore rotational impact protection to the range. The KinetiCore structure increases safety and ventilation, without adding cost. The Lupo is an adult’s helmet with a fixed visor and adjustable retention system for a secure fit.

At a hair under $100 this helmet carries a 5 star Virginia Tech safety rating, with excellent coverage for the price. The Finch is a scaled down version, essentially designed as a youth helmet, but to fit 50-56cm head circumferences, without looking too bulky like Toad in Mariokart. Drop in to your local Lazer helmet dealer to try one on for size.

Whether you’re leading a group ride, marshalling a mountain bike event, running a trail care day or just keeping track of your buds on an adventure, there are a few reasons why a CB radio system will be very useful to have on hand. The Australian made units carry an IP67 water ingress rating for all conditions use, and they have a raft of safety features. GME have a built in GPS location awareness system, so you don’t need to rely on an additional device for precise locations. They have power saving modes, a 2-Watt speaker, Bluetooth connectivity and a colour LCD display to make it easier to use in full sun. Catch a review in a coming issue.

$99.95 lazersport.com

$549 gme.net.au

ROAM NUTRITION We are spoilt for choice with nutrition options for mountain biking. But for something tasty and based on real food, there are less options. Roam was born from athletes who were tired of using gels, chews and various kinds of sugar to fuel their time outdoors. Being big fans of nut butters – they made their own. With a mix of almonds and cashews, their nut butter sachets are chock full of protein, good fats and sodium. There are three flavours in the handy 27g sachets. Roam also produce pea protein powders – ideal for vegans and vegetarians. It is nut, gluten and preservative free, and like the nut butters, the protein powders only use natural ingredients and are made in New Zealand. Catch our full reviews in our next issue.

From $4.50 roamenergy.com.au

BIVO BOTTLES The plastic water bottle is eponymous with cycling. Handed to fans at races, turfed by pro teams, collected by some, lost by many. Bivo turn the consumable nature of a water bottle on its head, with stainless steel insulated and non-insulated bottles available. They have silicone fittings for comfortable use, and an ingenious straw on the inside to facilitate air-free slurping – as you’re not about to squeeze a stainless steel bottle! A non-insulated Bivo that can carry 621ml weights 168g, while a 710ml Camelbak Podium weighs 88g.

They will weigh a little more and carry a little less – but they will do that for a very long time. We have an insulated model and non-insulated sent for review.

Designed and made in Australia, the EP Global solar charger is designed to either meet the needs of those camping with their eMTB, or for riders who want a clean and green charging solution at home – or anywhere! The foldable design measures 45x35x5cm and weighs under 3kg. The charger will take 36V batteries to 100% and 48V to 80% in a time frame around 20% longer than your stock charger with good sun exposure. It is designed to not spike the charging, and will not go above 2.9A at 52V in accordance with charging parameters. The unit has a weatherproof rating IP68 and is said to avoid temperature increases in the charging process as well. These are landing in select retailers, or can be ordered directly.

From $59.95 drinkbivo.com

$495 posted epglobal.com.au

EP GLOBAL SOLAR E-BIKE CHARGER

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WIN 1 OF 11 GME PERSONAL LOCATOR BEACONS WHEN YOU SUBSCRIBE OR RENEW TO AMB

Want to add a new level of safety to your adventures? Subscribe or renew your subscription to AMB now and get a chance to WIN 1 of 11 GME Personal Locator Beacons! Introducing the all-new Australian Made 406MHz GPS Personal Locator Beacon from GME, the MT610G. This compact, easy-to-use, and affordable solution offers enhanced peace of mind for bushwalkers, 4WDers, remote workers, and aviators alike. Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity to improve your safety and win a PLB worth $399.

Subscribe today!

Answer in 25 words or less: What exciting adventure do you need to take the GME Personal Locator Beacon on, and why?

SUBSCRIBE.AMBMAG.COM.AU • NEVER MISS AN ISSUE. • GREAT GIFT IDEA. • FREE DELIVERY TO YOUR DOOR. • CHEAPER THAN BUYING AT RETAIL OUTLETS SAVE UP TO $42 OFF THE COVER PRICE OVER 3 YEARS.

Offer is available for Australia and New Zealand residents only.

For full Terms & Conditions, head to SUBSCRIBE.AMBMAG.COM.AU

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Introducing the all-new Australian Made 406MHz GPS Personal Locator Beacon from GME, the MT610G. MT610G has been designed, engineered, and manufactured in Australia, to provide the outdoor adventurer with a GPS PLB solution that is compact, easy-to-use, and affordable.

The MT610G offers enhanced peace of mind for mountain bikers and outdoor adventurers alike.

KEY FEATURES • Compact, Lightweight Design • IP68 Ingress Protection • Integrated 72Ch GPS Receiver • 7 Year Battery Life • 121.5MHz Homing Transmitter • Cospas-Sarsat Certified (Class 2) • Easily Deployed in an Emergency • Inherently Buoyant PROMOTER

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CALENDAR

Want to race? Don’t know what, don’t know where? Well we’ve got all the details for you right here. Got an event coming up that’s not listed here?

Send it to amb@nextmedia.com.au.

XC/XCM AND THE REST

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12-17 March

National MTB Championships

Awaba, NSW

auscycling.org.au

23 March

Oceania XCO Championships

Karingal, QLD

auscycling.org.au

24 March

National XCO

Mount Cotton, QLD

auscycling.org.au

3-7 April

Volcanic Epic

Rotorua, NZ

volcanicepic.co.nz

4 May

Convict 100

St Albans, NSW

convict100.com.au

4-5 May

XCM National Championships

Wagga Wagga, NSW

auscycling.org.au

11 May

Seven Gravel

Nannup, WA

sevengravelrace.com

16-19 May

Masters MTB World Champs

Smithfield, QLD

uci.org

25 May

Sunday Creek Classic

Kenilworth, QLD

sundaycreekclassic.cc

7-9 June

The Sunny 80

Sunshine Coast, QLD

quadcrownmtb.com.au

16 June

Kalamunda 50

Kalamunda, WA

singletrackminds.com.au

22 June

Devil’s Cardigan

Derby, TAS

devilscardigan.com.au

13 July

Paluma Push

Paluma, QLD

palumapush.com.au

13 July

Collie River MTB Marathon

Collie, WA

ridecollie.com.au

25-28 July

Reef to Reef

Cairns, QLD

reeftoreefmtb.com

22-25 August

Shimano Gravel Muster

Alice Springs, NT

rapidascent.com.au

6-8 September

The Orca

Eden, NSW

quadcrownmtb.com.au

14-15 September

99 Bikes Epic

Grandchester, QLD

hiddenvaleadventurepark.com.au

17-20 October

Cape to Cape

Margaret River, WA

capetocapemtb.com

25-27 October

Whaka 100

Rotorua, NZ

whaka100.co.nz

8-10 November

The Big O

Omeo, VIC

quadcrownmtb.com.au

GRAVITY 12-17 March

National MTB Championships

Awaba, NSW

auscycling.org.au

16-24 March

Crankworx Rotorua

Rotorua, NZ

crankworx.com

23 March

Thredbo Gravity Series #4

Thredbo, NSW

thredbo.com.au

23-25 March

VIC Gravity Enduro Champs

Bright, VIC

auscycling.org.au

6-7 April

Fox Superflow

Jolly Nose, NSW

rockytrailentertainment.com

20-21 April

National Slopestyle Champs

Green Valleys, NSW

auscycling.org.au

4-5 May

Fox Superflow

Stromlo, ACT

rockytrailentertainment.com

16-19 May

Masters MTB World Champs

Smithfield, QLD

uci.org

24 May

Oceania DH Championships

Smithfield, QLD

auscycling.org.au

22-26 May

Crankworx Cairns

Smithfield, QLD

crankworx.com

12-16 June

Crankworx Innsbruck

Innsbruck, AUT

crankworx.com

29-30 June

QLD Downhill State Champs

Townsville, QLD

auscycling.org.au

19-28 July

Crankworx Whistler

Whistler, CAN

crankworx.com

www.ambmag.com.au

PREPARE FOR

TAKEOFF

Sculpted red dirt, wild rainforest tracks, insane racing, screaming crowds and shoeys in paradise! Bring your own bike or hire one up there and get your fix of MTB heaven!

T IC KE TS AT CRANKWORX.COM/CAIRNS/PASSES S LO P E STYLE · DOWN HILL · DUA L SLA LO M · SPEED & STYLE · PUMPTRA CK

P MARTIN JACOBSEN

www.evocsports.com

BIKE PACKING HANDLEBAR PACK BOA® WP 5 A versatile MTB backpack for everything needed on demanding tours.

• Quick access to gear on both sides • Adaptable volume by means of roll-in ends • Ventilation orifices allow for easy compression of contents

HOW TO NURTURE GOOD MTB CULTURE

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WORDS ELLA BLOOR

PHOTO JODY WILSON

ountain biking offers so much more than a sport to develop unique skills to tackle rough terrain on two wheels. For most people in this sport, it provides a platform for community and a sense of belonging. It’s important to remember that everyone’s journey that has led them into the world of bikes is different. We are a community of varying ages, abilities, genders, and ethnicities united by this collective interest in riding bikes.

So, how is good MTB culture nurtured? Good trail etiquette is the absolute minimum starting point for good MTB culture. We’ve all hopefully felt that sense of mutuality as we’ve crossed paths with a fellow trail user and received or shared a simple acknowledgment. A nod, wave, hello or even an appropriate ‘yiewww’ is a recognised gesture for this shared passion of being on two wheels. If we encompass this mutuality, camaraderie and respect for other riders, we are contributing to the good culture.

That respect for others extends to passing a slower rider or letting a faster rider pass by. If we adopt the mindset that it’s not just about you, it’s about everyone, we contribute to good culture. Your afternoon shred on trails, race, or morning cruise is no more important than someone else’s. Be kind, say hello, say thank you.

It’s not about you; it’s about everyone.

A lot of this good trail etiquette is largely unspoken, particularly if you’re new to the sport, and we old-timers often take for granted knowing the unwritten rules of riding trails. If someone isn’t doing the right thing, let them know, kindly. After all, this could be one of their first few rides, and we want to encourage everyone to feel like they belong. Aside from being a decent human being, being kind, and respecting other trail users, it’s essential to respect your surroundings. Always leave no trace, and take out what you take in. Respect the signage of the trails, and know the rules of two-way trails. The rider slogging it uphill always has the right of way

www.ambmag.com.au

(which, admittedly, took me years of riding trails to know!). Be considerate, and don’t block the trail if you’re stopped, particularly if you’re not visible around a corner or off a jump.

Another key aspect is getting involved in your local MTB community.

Engage with local MTB clubs, organizations, or advocacy groups. If there isn’t one, start one. Never underestimate the power you have in nurturing your local MTB community by simply showing up. If you’ve ever been to a local club race, ride, or event, you’ll know that volunteers are the foundation of these communities. I’m surprised there isn’t a support group for burnt-out volunteers, as a breakdown in local groups often comes from the lack of awareness that these events or rides are usually propelled by incredible volunteers who are simply doing their best with whatever time they have to spare. One of the best things you can do is contribute. The next best thing is to thank those who have contributed. Show up to local trail maintenance days and attend committee meetings to help improve things or learn about the barriers. Positive reinforcement and appreciation for each other drive these communities forward and encourage others to follow suit.

Lastly, never assume anything. The phrase’ assumption is a killer’ exists for a reason, and it’s important to never underestimate someone based on what they’re wearing, what bike they’re riding, their gender, or their race. We need to ditch phrases like ‘that’s not mountain biking’ or ‘you’re fast for a girl/man/52-year-old dad with a beer belly’ and learn to respect the diversity and foster the inclusivity this incredible sport enables. Mountain biking is still primarily dominated by male participants, but it doesn’t need to be. We are all responsible for making the trails a place for everyone, and we want to encourage people from the minority groups that do show up despite their underrepresentation.

We are all lucky to have found a sport that enables adults to play like kids, and a sport that gives kids the freedom to grow and learn. So remember, nurturing a good mountain biking culture starts with you.

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THE AUSSIE ROAD TRIP WORDS CRAIG MEINICKE

T

P H OTO N I C K WAY G O O D

he Aussie road trip has its rightful place entrenched in Australian culture. Hours on the road with the driver counting down the miles to the destination and the passenger making sure the music is cranking, snacks are plentiful and the navigation dialed. A road trip’s mix of bad servo food, car games and general discomfort is typically off set by getting to some great trails.

But for mountain bikers this hasn’t always been the case. Only 10-15 years ago it seemed like we had to find world class trails by packing our bikes up and flying overseas. Whistler and Moab were rites of passage and the magazines re-enforced this with aspirational images of loam and daring-doo.

Around 5-10 years ago things came a little closer, a trip to New Zealand or Tasmania provided incredible riding experiences, places like Rotorua or Derby figured out you did not need bears or deserts to create great riding experiences, and these new destinations were only a short flight away.

But this year the Aussie road-trip is back!

Disasters, epidemics, cost of living, a shift in how Australians now enjoy their holidays all combined to change the way our regions view themselves and the way their visitor economies operate. It is as if the Australian mountain bike industry has started to take itself seriously and the upshot of this is new trail destinations and trail upgrades that have emerged on the mainland, challenging the traditional view that you need to get on a plane to get your riding fix.

A mountain biking road trip is now a serious proposition. Just imagine linking Beechworth, Mt Beauty, Falls Creek, Bright, Mt Buller, and Lake Mountain….or…Stromlo, Mogo, Narooma, Tarthra, Eden, Cooma, Jindabyne, Thredbo. I’m practically drooling on my keyboard, each destination providing world class riding experiences. And it is not hard to create similar road trips in your own home state.

So, here is the kicker. The regional destinations that are winning are the ones creating riding experiences that cater for an inclusive audience. As an example, one of our team this summer took their daughter riding in St Helens. Green loops to start, then blue to build the challenge, and as a treat some shuttles to really get the fun happening. While on the shuttle his daughter met and got talking to an

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awesome lady road-tripping through Tasmania shredding trails! As a result of this trip, he now has a 10yr old who has been inspired by the experience and now wants a full-face helmet and is mad-keen to go rip in Maydena (she has also been inspired to get a tattoo, but that is a different conversation!)

Destinations like St Helens provide progression for riders to develop skills, develop experience and aspire to do more. They cater to the needs of a broader riding community, young, old, male, female, skilled or beginner, and importantly are providing the infrastructure to meet their needs. Stan Soroka the President of Eden MTB Club says that “Trails are bringing families together”. These destinations really do have something for everyone and as a result are reaping the rewards.

The question now becomes: How do regions make themselves attractive to riders and their families, how do they ensure their trails are sustainable, and how do they maximise their return on investment?

The obvious part is the trails, they need to be good and remain good to drive visitation. The sometimes overlooked areas are the supporting infrastructure, carparks, toilets, signs, bike washes, shelters, secure bike racks at cafes, things to do other than riding.

What we are seeing now is more regions getting the recipe right to attract and keep riders and their families at a destination. This ultimately requires different ingredients depending on the location however proximity to the beach, wineries, galleries, etc. provides a broader range of experiences to attract people to a region, keep them there longer, and importantly, to make sure everyone is happy and occupied.

No longer do we need to get on a plane to experience world class riding, the destinations we now have in Australia are world class.

Thanks to some foresight from our regions, clubs and some amazing trails champions, the Aussie mountain bike industry is coming of age.

And it doesn’t matter what level of rider you are everyone can have Craig Meinicke works for an awesome time. Check it out for Blue Sky Trails, managing yourself, load up the car and hit trail development, funding the road! and governance.

Happy trails. www.ambmag.com.au

Go far.

Stay close.

Speak with your friends while you ride, surf or ski Milo lets you and your friends enjoy hands-free group voice chat while on the move. No phones or Wi-Fi needed. Milo creates its own secure mesh network so that everybody in the group can share the moment, in the moment.

Walkie-talkie reimagined

The Action CommunicatorTM

www.okmilo.com

RIP EDR – LONG LIVE EDR-E? WORDS CHRIS PANOZZO

C

P H OTO N I C K WAY G O O D

omedian David Mitchel once said on a British game show, “one of the codes I live my life by is that my appearance should be in no way noteworthy. But then again, not so unnoteworthy as to be in itself, noteworthy”. No finer truth has been said from a middle-aged Englishman appearing in a brown sports jacket on a TV gameshow.

The broadcast seems to have resonated not with the British public, but all the design by committee bike brands intent on producing an oversupply of e-bikes that neither inspire or alarm a potential customer from deciding to make a purchase. So bland have some of the options become, you would start to wonder if buying a bike with a penny farthing sized front wheel would be a good idea just to introduce a little spice back into your life.

The majority of sheds across the world now would most likely see an e-bike leaning up against the bench, the trend of only having time and money for one bike is fast becoming the norm. The same applies to wearing a full face, glasses and riding full gas up behind regular bikes on a climb only to shout “thanks mate” over and over again before getting annoyed that there are other people in the world who don’t own an e-bike. Now that little chapter has been covered off, we can settle down and look into the future and make a couple of bold predictions on what this year will bring.

Is this the last Enduro World Cup season? Is the series about to fold into a European E-Bike series in the near future? And if so, does the earth really revolve around the sun? Not unlike Galileo making a bold prediction that in fact the earth wasn’t the centre of the universe back in the 17th century, Enduro appears to be heading down the same path www.ambmag.com.au

of realisation that in fact, there are other forces at play and no longer does the sport enjoy priority funding where companies can market the freedoms which come from a bike that can climb and descend well.

Remember those days when bikes could only do one of those two things properly? It seems like a distant memory, which will soon include a series based around a non-motorised form of mountain biking. This might seem like a big call, but sales figures don’t lie and with Downhill being the primary way to create brand recognition in the industry, albeit on shaky ground itself, E-Bike Enduro will exist as a proving ground to help develop the bikes for the next decade, just like the analogue enduro bikes have done in the previous decade.

Now if you’re still reading in the hope that I might in fact touch on something gravity related, good news! Aussies are being represented just as well as any other nation in World Cup Downhill heading into a very uncertain DH season. Holding onto a factory seat has become so difficult that even previous World Champions are struggling to find a ride. To have so many full-time riders from Australia is a great reflection of the culture at home, and that of the riders at the top helping inspire the future riders coming through. A rider to watch for the last prediction of 2024? Oliver Davis. A mega season in 2023 reflected the character of a young guy stepping out in the spotlight after a tough couple of years marked by injury. A new team for 2024 will help provide that step towards a potential podium having already finished inside the top 10 last season. Once you land on the podium though, it’s only a short step to the top from there, right? Vive la France Oli. 43

WHY DO RIDERS VISUALISE THEIR RACE RUN? WO R D S D R K AT H B I C K N E L L

V

PHOTO PHIL GALE

isualisation is a powerful technique from sports psychology for improving your performance capabilities and mindset outside of intense physical training sessions. But did you know that keeping a physical element in the mental rehearsal process can improve those gains even further?

Visualising, or mentally rehearsing, a race run or section of trail can have multiple benefits. It can help with reducing anxiety, refining or firming up a particular strategy, setting and managing expectations, maintaining motivation, increasing confidence, building skills for staying relaxed and focused in challenging situations, and preparing for different scenarios that might happen so you’re less surprised if they do.

It’s well known that visualisation works best when it’s used to reinforce positive outcomes, when the process is super detailed, and when all the senses are involved. What can you hear? See? Smell?

Taste? How does it feel?

What’s surprisingly less well known is the research on how adding small physical movements – like hand gestures for specific sections of trail – takes the benefits of mental rehearsal even further.

In a study on dancers, cognitive scientist David Kirsh became curious about the use of hand gestures to aid recall, save energy, for communication and private practice. This is something you’ll see in rock climbers, mountain bikers and other movement-loving folk.

Called ‘marking’, it’s effectively using simplified hand motions to rehearse or describe sections of choreography (or a route, or a trail), rather than using the whole body for a full effort rehearsal.

You’ll likely find marking is something you do already – like moving your hands to describe the feel of a series of jumps – without having thought too hard about how and why it’s so effective. And you’ve more than certainly seen other riders do it when trying to describe a trail to someone or to go over it for themselves.

Marking, in combination with visualisation, allows riders to practice a trail while saving precious physical energy. It can help cement the order, rhythm and strategy for certain parts of a trail. And it can help us describe elements of riding that we don’t always have words for. Like 44

the bit where the trail goes (insert hand gesture and sound effect here).

The kicker, for Kirsh, is thinking with our hands allows us to extend our mental resources beyond imagining every detail of the movement. This is why marking is more effective than mental simulation alone. The visual anchor helps us with problem-solving and strategy, for instance, and feeling the movement helps with cementing the rhythm and planning what to do at certain points on the trail.

If mentally rehearsing a trail is something you do, or have been thinking of trying, see what happens if you bring your body into the process more deliberately: run through a trail in your mind and pair small motions with your hands or arms to augment details from the trail. A sweeping motion for a corner perhaps, a shaky movement for a bumpy straight, a small push forward as though you’re pushing the bars as you go over a drop.

Try to imagine riding the trail in real-time and explore how the process best helps you. Does it help with recall, with knowing what’s coming next, with building in a bodily sense of when to rest, breathe more deeply or blink?

If you’re feeling anxious about the trail, marking can help you build in a sense of control. If outright speed is your goal, this augmented rehearsal process can help with planning and refining your approach to different sections of the track.

From sharpening your mental approach to the trails, to reducing physical fatigue, to adding efficiency to your movement processes, marking, paired with visualisation, is a nifty way to improve your mind and body experience on the trails.

Learn more about using What’s more, unlike that new your mind to get more out piece of gear, all it costs you is time. of your time on the bike Kirsh, D. (2011). How Marking in Dance Constitutes Thinking with the Body. Versus: Quaderni Di Studi Semiotici 113-115, pp. 179-210.

from Kath Bicknell at: intelligentaction.cc @Intelligent_Action FB: Intelligent Action

Raptor | Raven The Raptor/Raven Series is so comfortable and stable that you’ll forget it’s there, making it easier to focus on your line. So get off the couch, pack your gear and hit the trail — that’s how the good days are made.

H E LI BIK ING O N TA S M A N I A’S W EST COAST WORDS MIKE BLEWITT

T

he call of Tasmania’s West Coast is inescapable for some. Through Australia’s colonial history the area acted as a penal colony for a penal colony – it was harsh, isolated and brutal. The terrain was so rugged that it created the barrier that prevented escape, for all but a few. The rugged nature of the West Coast is not just part of the beauty of the area, but also the broader appeal. Mining and forestry have left permanent scars, acting as a reminder to some about the long term impact of the drive for resources.

All of that is juxtaposed by the fact that Tasmania’s West Coast is also home to huge swathes of conservation and wilderness areas. There are vast tracts of land in impenetrable forests, and near limitless adventures for keen outdoors people. More recently, mountain biking has moved to the West Coast with more prominence than before, and in early 2024 Into The Wild started running helibike trips to help mountain bikers achieve rapid access to the West Coast wilderness and the unique mountain biking experiences on offer.

T H E N E W W I LD WES T

There are few people who know more about the mountain biking around Tasmania’s West Coast than Rob Potter. If you have ridden in Tasmania, you have probably ridden trails built by Rob. He’s visited the area for nearly two decades, having first seen the scope for riding when working as a mechanic on the Wildside mountain bike event.

‘Wildside gave me a taste for the area.

The legacy of the mining roads and trails 46

PHOTOS JASPER DA SEYMOUR

gave me hope that there would be more trails that would suit mountain bikes.’

Potter did more exploration and pored over aerial imagery, even running tours with Vertigo MTB in the region.

‘I developed a real appreciation of the landscape, but mountain biking was changing, and it was clear we really needed mountain bike specific trails.’ Potter was certain that the West Coast could host mountain bike trails that would be relevant on both a national and international scale.

‘The West Coast presented an opportunity to develop trails in stunning areas with very low natural values. Mountain biking at Mt Owen would be the lowest impact activity there in over a century.’

Over the past few years we have seen the result of people like Rob Potter and many others working to bring purpose-built trails to the West Coast region. With the trails at Oonah Hill, Mt Owen and Silver City just the first of many trail opportunities from Potter’s point of view.

Potter is adamant that more trails in the region must suit their environment, ‘trails in the mountains need to showcase the iconic mountain environments. They need to be sympathetic to the environment, but they will also be dictated by what is possible working with a machine – the terrain and geology determine that.’ The mountains of the West Coast are steep, and the areas in which its feasible to build trail can be very, very limited. That’s why the trails there have their own nature. ‘There is a desire to have trails built to suit everyone, but that’s not always possible on the West Coast due to the

geology and topography,’ Potter explains.

‘The mountain sometimes dictates the grade and where the trail can be built.’

HE LIBIKIN G IN TASMA N I A

Mountain biking on the West Coast is often all about exposure, big descents, big climbs, and wild ridge line trails. It’s a wild backcountry experience and one that is unlike riding just about anywhere else in Australia. With the rough, raw terrain of the West Coast being apparent in any imagery of the area, there is immediate evidence to support Potter’s comments about the environment and the challenges it creates compared to some other trail areas. Access can be slow, hampered by reduced weather windows and some trails involve amazing, but long pedal ups for ingress. Given the wild weather the West Coast is known for, getting the best weather window for a big day out on the bike requires patience and flexibility.

Into the Wild are a tour operator with extensive experience on the West Coast and all around Tasmania. They have worked to get access to select drop points around the West Coast for a totally unique mountain bike experience, taking out the time of the pedal in, but none of the challenge of riding the trails of Tasmania’s West Coast.

‘The only other way to get to these drops is pedalling,’ Rohan Sheehan from Into the Wild has said. While places like Mt Owen has a shuttle some of the way up, you’re still left with a long traverse climb, compared to a drop right at the top which is on offer with the helicopter. ‘Both Silver City and Mt Owen

will leave most riders with a bit of fatigue once you get to the descents,’ These are demanding loops and experienced riders may be able to get a couple in in a day. But with a helidrop, you get to ride the demanding backcountry trails with less fatigue for more fun. With options for up to 3 drops a day, riders on a helibike trip will maximise their time on the trails, with immediate access to the long, exposed descents from peak to valley.

‘The descents are amazing, and you can sample it on fresh legs with multiple drops in a day. There’s also the bonus of seeing the trail on the way up – it really adds to the experience seeing it all laid out beneath you as you come up to the drop site.’

There are a few options so far, the first being a weekend visit that should suit anyone in the area already. Into the Wild will provide single, double or triple lift options, but it all depends on the location that you opt to ride. As an example, if you’re riding Silver City, some may to use a third drop as a pick up to exit the trail network, to save the pedal out.

The premium offering will suit those visiting Tasmania for a high impact weekend of mountain biking. The helicopter takes a small group of up to 4 from Hobart airport, while your luggage and bikes will be transported to the West Coast by van. You will embark on a scenic flight of about one hour to the West Coast, an experience in itself as you pass by Hobart and across the wilderness, flying right by Frenchman’s Cap and towards Queenstown.

Once your bikes are built you’ll do 3 drops that day from North Owen Peak, before staying in Queenstown for the night. The next day you’ll head to Silver City, with up to 3 drops there as well, or use one to save the

pedal out – that is up to you. After another night in Queenstown, you then take the helicopter back to Hobart to meet your luggage for your flight home.

If you have an extra day available you could book to get taken to Macquarie Heads, then jump on a fast cat to Stormbreaker, a yacht to sail up the Franklin River. You’ll overnight in the Tasmanian wilderness and dine on Tasmanian food and beverages, before getting back to Hobart the following day. The West Coast is a stunningly varied environment, and this extra day will provide a completely different experience to the riding you’ve done – it’s just fast tracked with ingress and egress by using a helicopter.

Into the Wild flew in late summer and there are more dates in the works – head to their website for updates. The West Coast is wild, the trails are in real mountains and because of this the window for operation isn’t as extensive as some places in Australia. What

is on offer is a truly unique mountain bike experience in Australia, with heli-drops to places you can only reach otherwise under pedal power. Unlike some other helidrops in New Zealand, you’re not dropped onto a sheep station for farm road descent, you’re riding purpose-built mountain bike trails in one of the most rugged environments in Australia.

If you want to see what custom options the Into the Wild team can put together for you, make sure you get in touch. Much of the west is a blank canvas for adventure, and there’s no doubt they can find just the experience you are looking for. Multi-day trips with take offs from Hobart start at $4995. Single day uplifts are also available so make sure you get in touch with Into the Wild about what you would love to do on a helibiking adventure on Tasmania’s West Coast. gointothewild.com.au

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T I PS F O R TR AV EL L ING WI T H Y OU R E- BIK E WORDS MIKE BLEWITT

L

ots of mountain bikers have discovered how an eMTB can make their riding a lot more enjoyable. What’s not to like about fitting more trails into a limited window of time? The variety of eMTBs has really expanded in the past four years, with a broad mix of travel types, system outputs and bike weights. There would be no argument that Europe is the heartland of e-bikes, from town bikes through to big E-Enduro bikes. And travelling through Europe for bike holidays with your e-bike is likely as simple as booking your train ticket and parking your bike in the bike carriage – with its bike reservation of

PHOTOS GERARD LAGANA, NICK WAYGOOD, MARCUS ENNO

course. Here in Australia we have longer distances, more archaic long-distance train options, and a reliance on air travel. You cannot take full size e-bike batteries on planes – however that doesn’t mean you cannot travel with your eMTB. Here are a few tips if you’re planning a visit to one of Australia’s many epic mountain bike destinations with your eMTB.

FL Y AWAY TO THE TRAILS

If you need to fly to get to your mountain bike trail trip, you have two key considerations.

First, your battery. Second – weight.

Send your battery to you While you can’t fly with your battery, if you have a removable battery you can opt to send it ahead. This will need to be done via a courier service for road freight. Check in with what is required for safe transport – and make sure you have somewhere to send it to. This will likely need to be a commercial address, with someone to sign for it. A local bike shop or accommodation provider is a good fit.

Anecdotally, some people have had luck posting their eMTB batteries with AusPost.

However AusPost do list a 100Wh limit for Lithium Ion batteries on their website.

Hire a battery Another option is booking a battery on location. There are a few things to consider though, like the brand of system you have, and the specific model battery that your bike uses. Look up the battery model by searching for your bike brand, model and year online.

Better yet – whip your battery out to read it off the unit.

Hire batteries are a growing service, but

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somewhere popular like Derby, Tasmania, will have a lot of riders covered. Evolution Bikes has Bosch 625Wh and 700Wh batteries for hire from $59 per day, and also have three different sizes of Shimano batteries for hire as well for the same price. They’re hoping to have TQ batteries available in the near future as well. Just up the road, Vertigo have batteries for the Specialized Levo Gen 2 and 3, from $95 per day, with bundle pricing for longer hires.

It would pay to call ahead to a destination you would like to visit – after contacting a few stores that do bike hire in other locations, I was assured it was something they would happily look into.

Take a Range Extender as carry on You will need to fall under the Lithium Ion battery restrictions, so that means a maximum of 160Wh. Trek’s TQ range extender for their Fuel EXe is an option, as is the SL range extender from Specialized for their SL model bikes. Obviously you will have a reduced range, but you will have something.

Pack smart You do still need to consider the total luggage weight for your bike. Despite taking the battery out, most eMTBs are heavier.

Batteries tend to weight between 2-4kg depending on your eMTB system and battery size. So if you take a 4kg battery out of a 25kg eMTB you still have a heavy bike to transport. A sturdy cardboard box may be your lightest option for packing, and you can keep the rear wheel on your bike. But you may need a van, SUV or station wagon to get to and from the airport.

Alternatively, use a proper bike bag and just book accordingly for your travel. Virgin do have 23kg luggage limits, but for Jetstar you just pay for your weight plus the bike surcharge. Qantas Silver Frequent Flyers and above have a 32kg per item luggage limit, which may really help.

DR I V I N G TO T HE T RA I L S

Easy, right? Load up the car and go. Whether this is a trip that takes half a day, or a couple of days and a ferry trip, you’d be smart to think about the total weight on your vehicle and the battery health when on the road.

If you’re yet to buy a bike rack, double check what weight bikes it is rated for. You’ll want to check both the per bike weight and total. A number of roof rack systems won’t support the weight of an eMTB, or for multiple eMTBs. Robust tray style racks will cover the weight, but some we have tested have a 16kg capacity per bike. For many, a vertical bike rack is the answer. When we tested nine vertical bike racks we found the per bike weights ranged from 16-35kg. That is a big difference.

If you’re travelling with a few fellow eMTBers don’t neglect to check the total download limit on your vehicle as well.

Typically it is 10% of the towing capacity, but check your manual or online. A number of 5 or 6 bike racks will be overweight if every bike is a 25kg eMTB. There is an easy solution here that makes sense for longer trips.

If your bike allows it, remove your battery from your bike. Not only will this reduce the weight of your bike by 2-4kg per bike, you have the opportunity to look after it better in a potentially more stable environment inside your car – as long as you’re in it. Otherwise, your battery is a bit like a pet left inside a hot parked car. It will die – not right away, but prolonged exposure to high temperatures is not good for your eMTB battery. By thinking about how you transport and store your battery, you’ll prolong its life to make sure it serves you well into the future.

So double check the limits of your bike rack and tow bar – and think ahead about the health of your battery, so you have it for the long haul.

E-BI K ES ON AN E V

We love how sustainable using a two-wheel EV with a four-wheel EV is – especially if you’re using solar power and an inverter at home! With some great new EV models coming out, and some generous rebates from state governments, it is a great time to be part of the change. However many of the current electric vehicles do have some limits around either fitting a rack, or the capacity.

For example, a small SUV EV may have a download a towing limit of 750kg, which may give a download limit of 75kg. This will be dependant on the tow bar fitted, so it pays to check the details if you’re looking at an EV. On many of the newer models coming out, they will be able to take a tray type rack that is strong enough to carry two

eMTBs. But until larger capacity electric vehicles arrive in Australia, it won’t be possible to load up a vertical bike rack with eMTBs to head to the trails.

DON ’T F ORG E T THE E SSE N TIALS

This one might seem obvious – but don’t forget to pack your charger. While a phone charger is easy to pick up just about anywhere, that is not the same for an e-bike charger. Keep it on hand when packing, otherwise your riding may be cut a bit short!

HIRE A BIKE

It might seem like a simple solution – and it is. Ten years ago getting a good quality hire bike was difficult. With the boom in mountain bike trail builds around the country, the visitation to trail destinations has supported full-time bike shops with large hire fleets. We have often said that the hardest thing about travelling with a bike, is travelling with a bike. So you could drop in to Evolution Bikes at Blue Derby to hire a Trek Rail, hire a Mondraker Crafty at Hidden Vale Adventure Park, or hire a Focus eMTB from Bright Electric Bikes, or a Trek from Cyclepath Bright for your visit to Mystic Bike Park.

There are lots of options around travelling with your eMTB – with a little bit of planning you can take your new ride on your mountain bike trip. But with how eMTBs are being adopted by bike shops around the country, it may just be easier to grab one when you get there.

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ARE YOU A MOUNTAIN BIKER? WORDS MIKE BLEWITT

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ountain biking is something different to every person, and the experience of being a mountain biker is not the same for any one of us. Some riders like raw trails, others love flow. Some are born to climb, others don’t even have a drivetrain. Using an e-bike has finally made mountain biking fun for some riders, while it goes against everything mountain biking means to others.

Mountain biking is not an old sport but it has evolved.

From a fringe sport that found purpose in competition,

e lf . ss ty re s yo u rs Se t u p tu b e le e a nl in e an d shar P la n a ro ute o M sfully. Earn a KO .gpx file – succes tyre. Stop to help or QOM. Fix a flat ild a mechanical. Bu another rider with ok M or QOM, and be a trail. Lose a KO ls ai d that illegal tr with it. Understan ke Join a mountain bi have a finite life. rt pa club race. Take club. Help run a d y. Sell a bike, an in a trail work da u yo ay equipment regret it. Give aw . meone who does don’t need, to so e th with none of Go bikepacking, ght t but all of the ri right equipmen 24 a o night riding. D experiences. Go on mething so hard hour race. Do so e av H you to tears. the bike, it brings ng. when night ridi your lights fail new people you Make friends with de Avoid a group ri meet when riding. e tim l ai solace in tr so you can find e. course to improv alone. Take a skills st. g e t f i t , g e t fa Get a coach,

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mountain biking edges closer to being a lifestyle sport. So what does it mean to be a mountain biker then? Here is a list of things that you may or may not experience on your path to being a mountain biker. It is not a tick list to achieve, but you may tick a lot of these off once mountain biking has consumed your life. But as diverse as this list is, it’s barely touching the surface on how broad the definition of mountain biking is, and what makes people a mountain biker.

Call in sick to work so you can go and st ride your bike. Learn how to do mo t pec Res ng. of your own bike servici and value the bike mechanics who k have mastery over all the wor r you cannot do yourself. Find you t. per fect mountain biking playlis Go gravel riding. Do a ride in spring m that leaves you refreshed fro ch the changing of seasons as mu as the trail stoke. Go skinny dipping a on a ride. Pack out rubbish on . ride that has been left by others t righ Make a repair with none of the equipment or tools. Hunger flat so hard you question mountain biking a and your life choices so far. Own s Mis . car wor th less than your bike e a major commitment becaus e. bik r you would rather ride you t Break a bone. Do a gravel ride tha ing bik ain reminds you that mount is the best form of off-road riding.

Do a cross-coun tr y race. Help a friend or family member get into mountain biking . Take your chai n off and do chainl ess push runs with friends. Close off cheat lines on a trail. Ride a lin e that scares yo u.

Climb something you can’t descen d.

Descend somethi ng you can’t clim b.

Get caught in a st orm. Ride across a mountain range.

Ride in all weath er conditions. Smile or wave at ever y trail user. Yield, ev en when you have right of way. Do a gravity race. Ride a singlespeed. U nderstand and be able to explain the difference betwee n high and low sp eed compression damping. Go for a ride in lycra. Ri de with the slowest rider on your grou p ride. Stop at a pu b in the middle of a ride. Ride the C annonball DH. Ride your bike in anot her countr y. Lear n how to wheelie.

Commit to riding clipless pedals. Kn ow how to set toe in properly. Learn how to ride flats .

Confidently expl ain the differenc e between Shiman o Hyperglide an d H yp er gl id e Pl us . R id e an e- bi ke .

Break a chain on a ride. Set off on a ride so challe nging you can’ t imagine that you will succeed. Win a bike race. Lose a bike race but genuinely feel better for havi ng taken part. Plan a ride specifically to see the sun ris e. Learn how to true a wheel. Ri de technical trai ls without a droppe r post. Ride a rigi d bike – fast. Have a zen moment wh en underbiking. Rid e in jeans and a t-shir t. Go and w atch a World Cup mountain bike ra ce. Tell one of yo ur mountain bike he roes how much yo u

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tl y a c t . C o n s is te n m e th t c e resp become a t yo u may in a w a y th b ike m o u n ta in ’s e n o e our so m recycling y to it m m o h e ro . C r ts and rivetrain pa d rn o w s, tyre gs. Return have your le batteries. S ause you o soon, bec to ry ju in m for fro ike. Sign up b a ff o y a can’t st rs by the ught to tea ro b e B t. if and Zw tain biking n u o m f o beauty es you to. ments it tak n o ir v n e e th ildlife where the w re e h w e m so Ride ing. Ride . Go helibik u yo ill k n a c hikewnhill. Do a o d a d n ra u the K descent ng that the a-bike so lo e ride it – but th th r o w ’t wasn mountain od. Ride in a was still go ed Butte, Moab, Crest : a c c e m e ver’s bik e or Vancou in rz o M , ty u Mt Bea ows on atch Mud C W . re o h S h rt less No ur own tube yo t c o c n o VHS. C have no a ride you o D t. n la a se ortant use it is imp a c e b , in st intere ited you. on who inv rs e p e th to ri d e . ly los t o n a te le p m o c Get

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Understand that while you have the perfect mountain bike playlist, the sound of dirt unde r your tyres is better. Explain and understand the pros and cons of bo th Garmin and Wahoo. Lend some one a spare tube, although you kn ow it leaves you without one a lon g way from home. Plan and ride a route only with a topographic map.

Learn that quick links are single us e. Do $200 worth of damage trying to service or repair something worth half of that.

Buy your local bikesho p staff some coffees or beers next tim e they get you out of a bind – or bake them a cake. Join a cycling advocacy group. Go hiking on a multi-use trail to understand wh at getting buzzed by mountain bikers feels like. Buy a workstand.

Build a bike up from a frame. Learn how to wax a chain. Go riding with one of your mountain bike heroes . Break a bike frame. Successfully fit and remove tyre inserts. Share your trail snacks.

Ride the party train.

Learn how to bunny hop properly.

Subscribe to a cycling media’s ma gazine or paid digital content be cause you value their independe nt content.

Have a bike stolen and experience the deep sense of loss.

Ride, don’t drive, to the trail head for a month.

Realise that some of th e best days of your life have occu rred thanks to mountain bikes. Co mment that you liked how mount ain biking used to be simpler, an d mean it.

w frame with Successfully setup a ne silent. Take internal routing that is o emotions your SRAM vs Shiman level. Ride to a Ford vs Holden a day of drop bars off drops. Do Bike Park. shuttling at Maydena track. Ride Spend time at a pump e Victorian the Fainters trail in th and that 2psi High Country. Underst nce. Learn really does make a differe akes. Lose how to bleed your br for riding, all fitness and motivation untain biking then fall in love with mo gletrack so all over again. Ride sin Stop when fast your eyes water. trail work you see someone doing at they do. to thank them for wh ition. Join Watch a trials compet trail. Ride AusCycling. Ride a rail Learn how ever y day for a month. ccessfully to jump, and land. Su arings. Plan service cup and cone be stop. Trade a ride around a picnic rt a riding your CO2 for a pump. Sta ing much group that ends up be group. Ride more than just a riding that it’s not enough to understand w you ride or about what you ride, ho you do ride. why you ride – but that dirt jumps.

Spend time digging alise that Build a set of wheels. Re e your legs. you don’t need to shav

Mountain biking is many things to many people. Use this list not as a check list, but as a reminder to how extensive the mountain bike experience can be.

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FLOW S TAT E CHASING

MOUNTAIN

BIKING

BLISS

WORDS RICHARD J. BUNING, THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND PHOTOS ADAM GIBSON, STU GIBSON

HOW TO ESCAPE REALITY AND ACHIEVE THE PERFECT RIDE

I

magine the perfect ride. That feeling when everything aligns, everything is working, time disappears, and you become totally lost in riding. Nothing else is on your mind, purely being one with the bike, the trail and nature. Your work or school deadlines or family stressors are gone. Your bike is moving and performing effortlessly soaking up the trail. You are confident in your ability, and you know what to expect on the trail. You are in complete control not stressed about crashing or worried about performing over a risky obstacle.

Everything is happening automatically, and you are fully focussed on riding. You have transcended your own perception of self and time, entirely lost in the ride. This feeling is known as “flow”, an optimal state that is 54

effortless enjoyable bliss being fully absorbed in the ride. We crave this state and often it’s what keeps us coming back. It’s a reward for prior effort, training, and preparation.

Flow is all about finding the sweet spot between worrying about crashing, your bike breaking, or not being good enough to conquer a trail or obstacle and doing something so mundane and ordinary you feel bored. Matching presence, ability and confidence with a trail is how flow is achieved. Together with a team of scholars from the University of Queensland, University of Tasmania, and University of Otago, we found out exactly what enables flow, what are flow killers, and how local businesses can help.

So, what can we do to experience flow and

what kills flow?

Before and during a ride there is a lot to consider in creating the ideal setting to reach a flow state and staving off “flow killers”, the things that suck us out of the moment and back into reality.

BE FREE OF DISTRACTIONS. When we get an email from an annoying co-worker, an angry text from a scorned lover, or a notice we missed paying a bill it takes us out of the moment and kills flow. These moments suck us out of flow and back into the world of worrying and stress. So, consider keeping your phone on silent and your worries at the trail head and your focus on the trail ahead.

BEING PREPARED. Have you ever been railing your favourite trail feeling the flow to then be derailled by a broken chain? Or absolutely crushing a trail segment to then be dumped into a confusing trail intersection unsure where to go next?

Well, these moments kill flow. Mechanical issues, squeaky suspension, a skipping derailleur are all flow killers. So, keep your bike in top shape and be prepared for the inevitable with all the necessary repair bits.

And know where you are going and what trails you’re going to hit in advance.

RIDE WITH LIKE-MINDED PARTNERS. Having a trusted and supportive riding partner of similar or a slightly more advanced skill level than ourselves provides us with not

only a social vibe, but also confidence in ourselves. Following the line of a riding partner and chatting about a trail before and after creates confidence we can tackle the trail and an atmosphere full of stoke and flow. Less self-doubt and more confidence create a setting ripe for flow and partners can help.

when we are flawlessly and automatically executing the ride, not when we are having to figure out where to go or what line to take, or worried about a potential upcoming obstacle above our skill level. So, after you hit a trail, comeback again for seconds.

RIDE THE SAME TRAIL MORE THAN ONCE.

A healthy dose of fear on the bike can be good to bring us to be present in the moment, but when it’s overwhelming it kills flow. So, be mindful on what you have the skills to conquer and wear safety gear to remove the worry. Coaches help too.

Commonly we are on the look out for the hottest new trails and when at a new trail system, we seek to ride as much variety covering as much new ground as possible.

But the more we know the features of a trail and know what is coming around each corner or after a drop, the more likely we are to achieve flow. We reach a flow state when

MANAGE FEAR.

EMBRACE ZEN RIDING. Although performance tools like Strava can be a great training aid for getting fitter and 55

faster, focusing on pure athletic performance and competition can be a flow killer. Maybe don’t worry about capturing segments and more about enjoying the presence and leave the GPS at home.

TRAVEL. One of the best things we can do individually to reach flow is to travel. Getting out of your own usual environment leaves the stressors and worries at home. And the further we go to a different environment, the further we become separated from our worries. When we travel to riding destinations, we mentally take a break from the usual daily worries that plague our minds. Even more so when we ride in new places that are far different to what we are used to at home. So, load up the car or on get on a plane and travel!

HOW CAN MOUNTAIN BIKE BUSINESSES HELP IN CREATING FLOW? A vital facilitator of flow experiences are local mountain bike businesses ranging from 56

shops, rental agencies, trail builders, accommodation providers, and guides. Wrap it all into one provider and you can spend less time thinking, and more time riding. The team at the Blue Derby Pods Ride in Derby, Tasmania have perfected this trade in considering every element from travel, bike hire, trail selection, accommodation, and food and drink.

TRAIL DESIGN. Creating trails that provide seamless experiences, are easy to navigate, have longer sections, are easy to gauge difficulty, and have smooth flowy sections are key to providing flow experiences to riders. In trail design, we often think creating long flowy pump track type trails are the key to achieving flow, but it’s more than that. Riders need to be able to easily wayfind, asses their ability and the difficulty of the trail and experience longer uninterrupted sections of trail, and link together trail sections to experience flow.

TOURS AND GUIDED EXPERIENCES. Typically, guided tours provide one size fits all experiences with a set schedule and route.

But, to achieve flow, tours need to be flexible idealised experiences, not bounded by strict schedules or routes. The tour needs to change with the evolving needs of riders on the day.

Splitting up groups and offering intuitive experiences based on the riders’ skill levels, confidence, and fitness throughout the experience are conducive to creating flow. Get away from the A to B mindset and get into adaptive, intuitive flow experiences.

PROFESSIONAL GUIDING. From our research, professional, friendly, emotionally intuitive and trustworthy trained guides were the greatest facilitator to flow experiences. This all starts before the riding begins, by the guides listening to and assessing the guests’ skills and expectations for the experience. Breaking through the awkwardness and building a friendly connection before the ride begins goes a

long way. Great guides can sense what a guest is looking for and how they are feeling prior to and during the experience and troubleshooting and tweaking the ride along the way to suit each guest.

Intuitive guiding senses when a guest has experienced flow or is still craving more by observing non-verbal cues such as smiles, high fives, fist bumps, sounds of joy or frustration, and blissing out at the end of a trail. Guides can will help by instilling confidence through gentle encouragement, verbally describing trails before riding them, and alerting you to potential dangers/trail features and conditions. Front end and rear end guiding create an ideal flow setting. And, generally by monitoring morale and keeping the group positive the conditions to experience flow are better.

STRESS FREE ACCOMMODATION. Where we are staying, and the stress associated is important to consider. If you

are staying in a place that is difficult to get to or settle into, this could be a flow killer. Ideally, our accommodation is immersed in nature, easy to get to, stress free and is bike friendly.

Accommodation that allows for ride in and ride out trail access without having to navigate loading up the car and finding parking is ideal.

FOOD AND DRINK. At the end of the day, we are looking for a good feed, most likely a beer and burger to be specific3. It needs to be easy, accessible, nutritional, and satisfying. Planning removes the worry.

EVENTS. Great planned events with a variety of thoughtfully marked courses simplify the entire riding experience and create less to worry about (e.g., getting lost, selecting trails, preparing food).

Alright, flow seekers, let’s get out there!

The article is based on research conducted

by The University of Queensland, The University of Tasmania, and University of Otago in partnership with the Blue Derby Pods Ride on flow experiences published in the Annals of Tourism Research Empirical Insights.

References 1 Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1975). Beyond boredom and anxiety. San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass.

2 Hardy, A., Buning, R. J., Boudreau, P., & Thomas, J. (2023). When flow meets business: A study of mountain biking.

Annals of Tourism Research Empirical Insights, 4(3),100102.

3 Buning, R. J., Cole, Z., & Lamont, M. (2019).

A case study of the US mountain bike tourism market. Journal of Vacation Marketing, 25(4), 515–527.

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APEN FINDING FLOW IN THE

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ith my dropper slammed, I’m pushing through my hands and feet, hoping beyond hope that my half-worn semi-slick tyres find a few more edges than I can see in the shadowy dust as I’m skipping down a fall line chute. We’re plunging into a valley from the town of Castelnovo ne’ Monti, jumping between trails hidden in hedgerows and beside steep creek lines, swapping in and out of the early spring sunshine in the Apennine mountains of Italy. On the first stage of six, it is clear that everyone is looking to make their mark and find some clear air. It’s not working for everyone, as I weave around a rider who has come unstuck, and try to gas across the small gap that created as we pop out onto a farm trail. The line of riders is snaking upwards into the forest and I can see the leaders out of the saddle and attacking each other. I may have misjudged this race.

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NINES 59

A R RI VI N G IN ITA L Y FOR T HE A PP E N N I N IC A MT B S TA GE RA CE Mountain bike stage races are my jam. I’ve done a lot of them over the past two decades, but certainly do far less now. In 2011 I think I even spent more than 10% of the year in a stage race. I’ve always found that a mountain bike stage race is an excellent way to get a lot of time on your bike, see a lot of places, ride lots of new trails and meet some new people as well. I have met many of my close friends through stage races, and that network joins a few corners of the globe. Because of all this, when I first heard of the Appenninica MTB a little over five years ago, I was intrigued.

The event crew are a wide ranging team who work in tourism and hospitality. That might sound like a small detail, but it is anything but. This shapes what they want from the event. They want riders to experience the hidden areas of the Emilia Romagna region, riding trails from valley floor, to peak and back again. They connect a range of villages who welcome riders with incredible hospitality and food, with hotels or the camp providing accommodation for weary riders.

The Appenninica MTB is a full-service mountain bike event, with optional transfers to and from the start from the closest airport, hotel options, massage services, meals, in-race nutrition, incredible mechanics and much more. That’s a lot of work, and so the event is capped at 150 riders. This is a good fit for the towns the event visits, the trails the race uses, and how riders interact with the event.

Friends of mine from the world of stage racing took part in previous editions of the Appenninica MTB, and they all spoke very highly of the 60

event, especially about the rider care and community feel that the organisers created. With some work travel in August 2023, I made plans to get to Italy for a week in September.

Arriving in Bologna after bikepacking across part of the Swiss Alps, I was ready to enjoy myself at this six day stage race, eating good food, meeting friends old and new, and riding some ancient Euro trails. I flicked through the digital race book, and reaslied that I may have forgotten that this is a marathon stage race. With about 14000m of climbing across the next 6 days – this wasn’t going to be a walk in the park! I caught the tram to the airport to catch the shuttle to the event – and jump into the stage race world for a week.

MOUN TAIN BIKIN G AMON G ST F RIE N D S As a mountain biker, you’re probably aware of how easy it is to get along with other mountain bikers. With a lot of the event participants converging on Bologna airport for the transfer, the small airport was awash with high fives and handshakes. While I knew a few people already, by the time we boarded coaches to drive to Castelnovo ne’ Monti I knew many more – there were also familiar faces from other events I’ve been to, but it was just a very friendly crowd.

Once at the event we had our race armbands fitted, a true sign that you now enter the stage race world. We received our bags to squeeze our gear into, packed up what we wouldn’t need for a week, and found our lodgings, before sitting down for dinner in the quaint Italian town of Castel ne’ Monti. Tomorrow – we would start racing.

S O W H AT A R E T H E T R A I L S L I K E ?

The route follows the Apennine range, along trails that have been trodden for centuries, and never built with a mountain bike in mind. But it turns out that paths built by the passage of pilgrims to walk up a mountain pass, or used by farmer's mules to carry a load of chestnuts work just as well for mountain biking, delivering trails at sustained gradients that are carved into foothills and mountains alike.

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EN G AG E IN THE MOMENT Back to being behind bars – the first stage was intense. After getting past a couple of fallen riders, I caught sight of friend and competitor Gordon Wadsworth, and we tackled a lot of the rest of the stage together.

Bike races in Europe are unlike any bike race you can do in Australia.

From the terrain, to the racing, the support (official or otherwise) and how the event engages with the people and surroundings. And it is the latter point that brings a lot of appeal to me. Each day the route started in the very centre of a village. 150 of us would be milling around, checking tyre pressures, filling bottles and generally fussing about some detail with our equipment.

Locals would look on from the windows above us, or as they walked by on their daily stroll through their village. Riders would get a coffee at the local bar, soak in some sunshine to fight the last of the cool overnight air. Radio Bruno kept the mood high no matter how tired

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people were, with the kind of dance classics that are oh so kitsch, but perfect for the current setting. As with any big race, when the lead out motorbikes fire up and rev their engines it brings you back to the here and now. This point sees me find focus for the coming hours.

Each day we would wind out of the villages, and like any race it is time to find where your limit is, and dial it back a tiny fraction from there. We would ascend steep single-laned roads, onto farm tracks, paths through fields and into the forest. Riders would disappear in front, and appear from behind, with any local property owners looking on and cheering. Whether that was from their front door, a seat of a tractor or from the driver’s seat of their car as they hurriedly pull over.

The routes provide full access to the amazing terrain of the Apennine mountains, and on any given day we would be ascending rough, rocky forest roads before diving into narrow singletrack on a fast descent. We would descend through ancient groves of chestnuts, and past derelict stone buildings where the land had rejected the dominance of man. The

trails we rode had not been dug for mountain bikers, they were not a labyrinth through a contained mountain bike park, but instead the passage of people, cultures and progress over centuries. Riding from villages, to farmland, then forests and alpine terrain is a completely different experience to racing on a maze of purpose made trails.

FIN D IN G F L OW Dr Richard Buning speaks about achieving a state of flow in this issue, and the elements that need to be present to achieve a flow state. This requires finding the meeting point of challenge and skill, and the need for external forces to remain at bay so you avoid any disruptions. It may seem contrary to what you would think, but I often find that marathon stage races in mountain ranges offer the ideal scenarios.

While Buning explains that an element of familiarity helps to achieve a flow state, I find that in a marathon stage race (where stages are well over 3 hours each day) good course marking and accurate stage profiles are a stop gap. It is always useful to study a profile so you can plan your stage, and some will show the trail type you are on. Once you’re accustomed to how the course team are marking trails, you can ride fast and confidently – despite riding blind. Throw in the fact you will be racing around the same riders for many days in a row and you have excellent markers around you for how far open you can ride. These events frequently lead to predominantly singletrack descents of 10-30 minutes long – and I think this is the perfect scenario for finding flow.

And the trails at in the Apennines require you to bring flow – the trails themselves are the antithesis of flow. Not one metre of what we rode had been carved by a machine as part of a regional trail project. I saw no sign of anything that resembled a berm. There was no reverse grade climbs, no table tops or builder lines. But what we rode was glorious.

Some days we pinged over hidden rocks that had sunk into the trail from a collapsed stone wall, slippery with moss from the deep forest cover. We raced bar-to-bar through stone villages, up pathways built for nobility to ride their horses up to safety, or down shallow steps that locals had walked for centuries to get water from the streams.

In the alpine areas we rode trails that were etched into the ridgeliune, or singletrack cut into steep slopes, with the whole of the Emilia Romagna region on one side, with logs and rocks holding the trail to the side of the mountain with the assistance of steel rods. Little focuses your gaze more than a huge abyss to the side of your bars.

Best of all were the descents on some of the southern facing slopes – these were masterpieces of course planning using trails that connect pastures of arable land, forests where deep early autumnal leaf fall covered the trail, with sniper rocks and ruts ready to catch you out, and steep trails with rocky chutes between old stone walls asking you to rethink what you thought you and your bike was capable of. Even now I look back and smile about the riding, although it is hard to remember the specifics – just the joy of ripping trails blind.

FROM THE RIDER’S POINT OF VIEW Imogen Smith is an accomplished marathon and stage racer, and a three-time Australian representative at the Elite Marathon MTB World Championships. The Appenninica MTB was the third 6-day mountain bike stage race in a row through the northern summer for the seasoned racer – and it had a positive impact. Imogen finished 4th overall in elite women.

‘The level of this race really impressed me, and left a lasting impression. In terms of the terrain, the difficulty of the stages, the quality of the logistics and the complete rider experience; this event really gave me the sense of being part of a big celebration of mountain biking. It compares favourably with some of the most famous mountain bike events in the world. It has all the best bits of the biggest races in one of the most intimate and friendly environments I have ever raced in. The camaraderie and friendliness among riders from dozens of countries from the moment we met in the airport carpark was very special and a reflection on the hard work and vision that the organisers have. It’s also a great example that bigger is rarely better when it comes to stage racing. If you want to experience the wonderful and tough things of a stage race, the full breadth of the experience with the least stress possible – then taking on the Appenninica MTB is the way to do it.’

W H AT B I K E F O R A P P E N N I N I C A MT B ?

I took my cross-country full-suspension bike, a Factor Lando XC built around a 120mm fork and 115mm of rear suspension. Using a 34t chain ring across a Shimano XTR 10-51t cassette I had just enough gear range – I could have easily put a 32t chain ring on and been happy. I think a full-suspension bike is a must. While some of the trails may look smooth and there are road sections, at times you are on unrelenting rough trail, and most days are between 3-6 hours long. Comfort and traction from an efficient fullsuspension bike are a must.

I used a 80mm drop dropper post and would have gladly had more. Some of the top professionals rode without a dropper – but their job is to ride fast. I used wide-rimmed carbon wheels with a Maxxis Rekon Race 2.4” on the front and an Aspen 2.4” on the rear. I had a Tubolight SL in the back wheel which no doubt saved me a few times on the dark and rocky trails which had a deep coating of early autumn leaflitter on them. Neither tyre was new, and they had just enough traction, although I lacked some braking traction on the really steep terrain. I did use most of a new set of metal pads in the week – your brakes will get a workout.

If you really want to rip the descents, err towards a capable 120mm bike. You could even take something like a very light trail bike. A Trek Top Fuel, Transition Spur, Revel Ranger – all these bikes were in the race and the riders were having a great time ripping on the forest trails and steep descents.

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RIDER SERVICES AT APPENNINICA MTB Any mountain bike stage race is a bit like a package holiday – you can add a few extras that suit your needs. The most useful for logistics are the transfers – and you can book them when entering. These make sure you’re at the right place for the start of the event, and at the right place to travel home. With the race start in Bologna in 2024, logistics are already simplified.

You can opt for a hotel package, where you stay and eat breakfast in a hotel in or close to the host town. There are shuttles to take you and your luggage to and from the hotel and back again as needed – although often you may be walking distance to the race venue and meals. There is also the dorm option where you camp in sports buildings, with showers and toilets onsite. There is also campervan parking, which is a very popular option for those who drive to the event from mainland Europe.

Meals are provided at your accommodation or by the host town at the event centre. Expect good quality Italian food in plentiful supply. Dinner precedes the presentations for the day and briefing for the following day. It is important to attend, but the briefing also gets shared to all riders if you choose to have a meal at your hotel – which we did a few times as well. I can recommend not consuming most of a bottle of Lambrusco yourself in the middle of the week, despite it being a regional speciality.

There is plentiful in-race nutrition at the feed zones, with sports food and drink, along with favourites like coke, juice, fruit and nuts. And water, of course. You can also elect to have two water bottles dropped at select feed zones.

As you cross the line each day, you’ll be handed some mineral water (gas or no gas, that is up to you) and there is catering and a place to sit, recover and chat with your competitors. There will be pasta, or risotto, cured ham, cheese, bread, fruit, pastries, juice, water... a lot of food. As you can leave a day bag at the start, it is easy to collect it at the finish and dig out your own post-race nutrition if you prefer that.

There are also massage services that you can book, and mechanics that are on hand before the race and after the race each day to make sure your bike is running well. A bike wash area is setup each day with power washers, soap and brushes to keep your bike clean. All in all, there is just about everything you need. Just turn up ready to pedal and have a great time.

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ALL F OR THE RIDE R I’m lucky enough to have ridden in a lot of bike events around the world.

Each is unique. But none more so than the Appenninica MTB stage race. 20 years ago I recall approaching Stu Plant at an event to check on the time – before being told over the mic that it was ‘time to get a watch’. A good Dad Joke, sure – but not a way to leave a good impression on someone who has paid to do your event. The event crew at Appenninica were the complete opposite. Staff listened. The event directors Milena Bettocchi and Beppe Salerno were on hand every day, deeply involved in making sure the event ran to their high expectations.

I’ve often been at other events and realised there was a missing link – that moment where you realise there is a hole in the logistics, but you need to fill it. It may be riding to the start of an event with your gear bag (20kg+) slung over your shoulders for the first stage. Or an event that visits places with no useful accommodation in the region – or maybe the portaloo count was just too low, the soap ran out or worse – the toilet paper.

The Appenninica MTB ran like clockwork, with seamless race starts, fantastic course marking, excellent feed zones and a brilliant rider community that developed. By the end of the week, I recognised every rider, knew many by name and had shared a drink with plenty of them – and likely all of them by the time the final banquet was finished. Not to leave anything half done, the final banquet saw all riders dine together, celebrate the winners, and share an amazing meal and wines.

A P P E N N I N I C A MT B I N 2024 In 2024 the race will run from September 2-7, starting in Bologna. Expect to cover 400km with about 13000m of climbing. The courses are revealed closer to the dates of the event, but all details are on the event website. appenninica-mtb.com

MY TAKE ON THE AP P E N N IN I CA MTB STAGE RACE Don’t be fooled by this talk of rider care and unique trails.

This is a very challenging event. We tackled steep climbs every day, with descents and trails that demanded your attention. I barely rode for weeks once getting home after the event, partly due to fatigue but also due to the banality of returning to my home trails and the reality of work. I firmly believe that challenge is nothing without reward, and the Appenninica MTB stage race delivers plenty of challenges. They may be your own personal challenges, or those delivered by racing the riders in your category. If you want to race some of the best – you can do that here.

Thankfully the rewards in the Apennines are immense.

Anyone who finishes this race should be proud – it is no walk in the park. For me, it is a cherished experience. With a rider cap at 150 each year and a calendar full of mountain bike events, it speaks volumes that many riders I met were racing their second, third, fourth and even fifth edition. Milena and Beppe have created something truly unique, and I feel privileged to have been a part of the Appenninica family in 2023. I hope to go back soon.

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WEEKEND KICKING BACK IN MOUNT BEAUTY WORDS ADAM MACBETH

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PHOTOS MATT ROUSU, SAM PURDIE

f you have only been riding mountain bikes for a handful of years, the cosy Victorian town of Mount Beauty may not be on your radar. A nice day’s pedalling or shuttling on a longer trip to the more established trail towns of Bright and Falls Creek, maybe. An increasing number of Victorian junior downhill racers definitely know it as the most unforgiving race on the state’s calendar. The truth is that mountain biking in Mount Beauty has a rich and interesting history and played a big part in the formative years of our sport in Australia.

After spending the months following Melbourne’s lockdowns going back and forth, I relocated to Mount Beauty in late spring of 2022. The access to remote, backcountry riding really sealed my desire to live in this cute little town and it’s that same sense of exploration and adventure in the mountains that led the original pioneers of Australian mountain biking to firstly seek out, and then start building new places to ride in the early 90s. Pioneers like Bernie McArdle.

‘The whole area, where the trailhead carpark and barbeque area is now, that all used to just be big horse paddocks. We had a little fenced

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off path we could use to get through onto Pole Track and we just started exploring from there,’ Bernie says of the origins of riding on Big Hill.

Big Hill is an understatement really, as far as names for a hill go.

When you’re at the trailhead or even in the town of Mount Beauty itself, you’d be forgiven for asking ‘what hill?’ But head a little further away, to the other side of the pondage in the middle of town, and you can see the top. At 1385m, Big Hill sits a little over a thousand metres above town, still 600m shy of Mount Bogong, also visible from town. A long history of hydroelectric infrastructure and cattle grazing on the even higher alpine plains facilitated a network of access roads, logging trails and bridleways that criss-crossed Big Hill and these allowed early mountain bikers to find their way higher and higher.

Many of these early tracks are still used by riders today.

‘We used to pedal and push up Big Hill Firetrail or the road (Big Hill road, still used for shuttle access today) until we got up to the logging road at about a thousand metres. From there we’d bomb down the firetrail and onto cattle track at the bottom.’

AT B E R N I E S This is a ride I do regularly from my house. On a comfy titanium hardtail with a 130mm Pike and 2.5” rubber, it’s still super rough and loose. I replaced a set of older two piston XT brakes recently as they just weren’t cutting it on these kind of regular descents.

‘We used to kill some bikes down there that’s for sure. You’d be pulling the brakes as hard as you could and not a whole lot would be happening! Once we started getting bikes with suspension it got a bit easier but those old forks only really took the edge off the big hits.’

‘That was actually one of the good things about starting to build singletrack. It was more fun but you’d also be going a bit slower and cooking a few less rims.’

That original singletrack for the most part remains rideable today.

If you jump on Trailforks you can clearly see Big Hill Downhill marked in red amongst the wider Big Hill network. At nearly five and a half kilometres long and dropping six hundred and fifty metres, Big Hill DH is still one of the longest accessible mountain bike specific descents in Australia. It’s certainly not a highly engineered machine built trail like you’ll find in neighbouring destinations in Victoria’s High Country. But if you want to re-live, or discover for the first time, what early mountain biking was all about then Big Hill DH and it’s mix of wide open doubletrack and rugged, raw singletrack will certainly make for an amazing morning out.

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THE GROWTH OF AUSTRALIAN MOUNTAIN BIKING With the distance and elevation stats I just listed it’s no wonder that Big Hill DH held some of Australia’s first, and most famous downhill races. It’s been a great pleasure to see South Australia’s Volatile Visions recently start adding some of their old footage to social media, but I think my first ever experience of Mount Beauty was probably from a Volatile VHS tape in the late nineties.

‘I dunno if you can write about that stuff,’ Bernie says with a laugh when I ask about the notorious post-race party scene no doubt instigated by hall of fame level legends of Australian downhilling.

Riders like Chris Kovarik, Scott Sharples and Michael Ronning honed skills on Big Hill that would take them to factory team rides, World Cup podiums and install them as role models for future generations of Australian mountain bikers. I’m told they were also VERY well behaved at the former West Peak Hotel, now Mountain Monk Brewery.

Turns out those future generations of Mount Beauty riders weren’t far behind, and they were real fast.

When I first met Liam Panozzo I recognised that surname, and immediately assumed he was going to be riding at speeds, and often at distances from the ground, that I was not going to be comfortable trying to match. I feel for the visitor to Mount Beauty that meets Liam

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out on the trails, gets chatting and accepts the personable and instantly likeable Liam’s friendly offer to show them around. ‘What a fortuitous meeting,’ I imagine them voicing to themselves as they roll onto the violence that is double black diamond Honeysuckle for the first time behind their new friend. Hold on tourist, you’re about to either get dropped in five seconds, take an early exit, if you’re lucky and can hold your own, see something amazing!

Liam’s parents Peter and Bonnie were part of the originally Mount Beauty fraternity and, along with Bernie and others, were the founders of the Team Mount Beauty club we know today. With a growing and challenging trail network on their doorstep and some obvious genetic advantages, the Panozzo children became a force to be reckoned with in the Australian downhill scene and on the world stage. A quick internet browse easily lets you know that older brother Joel rode to 4th at the UCI Downhill World Championships in Les Gets in 2004 after grabbing 6th the year previous in Lugano. It’s also easy to find that Liam got 3rd in the 2005 Junior World Champs in Livigno.

What the internet isn’t going to tell you though, is the best stories from this era.

Funnily enough neither is Liam! Similar to Bernie, it took a little prying to get to the good stuff and it was honestly really nice to talk to riders that, despite their incredible achievements (and they are incredible) they’re still doing it for the reasons that got them started.

They’re not chasing Instagram likes, product hookups or even

community recognition. They’re riding their bikes and working on the Mount Beauty trails because they love it.

‘I went to this NORBA event (USA National series) in Durango when I was fifteen years old,’ Liam recounts. ‘Just for the experience I thought, get in the mix with the internationals a bit.’

I can’t recall an instance in modern mountain biking that is on par with that race in 2003. Fifteen year old Liam qualified for the elite final that day. And qualified well – between Steve Peat and Sam Hill! Peat would go on to win that event with Hill in 19th. Liam Panozzo took 8th that day in a field of legends old and new. A huge achievement for a high school kid from a small town in the mountains.

‘I also got second in the unofficial quallies jump comp that day with a suicide no hander,’ explains Liam in a manner that leaves no uncertainty that the achievement was just as important as the race result. Moral of the story – if you’re in Mount Beauty and you get passed by a Dad with a leopard print shirt on Big Hill trails there’s a real good chance that’s Liam. And while he’s certainly not that guy that demands our respect, he’s definitely earned it and I encourage you to say g’day. He also knows the location of every disused old booter and road gap in the entire place. If there was a paid tour you could take of these forgotten lines with their accompanying anecdotes, I’d certainly go on it.

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MOUNT BEAUTY TODAY From Bernie’s and Liam’s stories alone we could easily do an entire issue of AMB around trails, events and the associated bikes and gear of the early days of mountain biking in Mount Beauty, and it’d be a great issue. Maybe I’ll pitch it. The short story though is that from those early beginnings the sport and the trail network evolved. A passion for riding built a passion for trail building, as it tends to do in the mountain biker with access to land, tools and some free time. You can still often see Bernie’s car parked in the upper reaches of the network on a weekday afternoon, no doubt tending some small feature or another. Work that benefits all who ride Big Hill, locals and visitors alike.

I have the good fortune of living less than a hundred metres from the trail head in Mount Beauty. Weekends are busy with people self-shuttling, especially in the lead up to events, and there’s a steady stream of riders along the bike path from town in the early morning heading to the trails for their pre-work fix. You know who I see out riding the most though? Bernie.

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‘I just got this for my 70th birthday actually,’ Bernie explains of his super sharp new Trek Fuel EXe. ‘It’s been great, and it’s really opened the park up again and let me ride stuff I usually don’t have time for.’ And this stuck with me as a real positive of e-bikes for the health of the trail network.

I’m not an e-bike hater, but I am pretty happy to do a 120km off road day ride from Mount Beauty up onto the high plains, and I guess there’s never really been too many positives that I could personally place on e-bike ownership for myself.

‘The overall condition of the park is substantially better since e-bikes started becoming more popular,’ says Team Mount Beauty club president Carly Emond.

‘The trail network is huge, and it’s not the kind of trails that were dug with an excavator. People dug them by hand, with a shovel and a rake, and without lots of traffic over them, the bush is generally pretty quick to take them back.

‘The uptake of e-mountain bikes has meant that a lot of trails that people would only ride once in a blue moon are now getting ridden much more regularly and staying run in. We’re a small club, and all

BERNIE MCARDLE

LIAM PANNOZZO

CARLY EMOND

The Elder Statesman

Actual Legend

Madame President

our trails are built and maintained by volunteers. It’s been kind of interesting to see how much less we’re having to do to some of the less popular trails these days.’

And are there any plans to initiate some of the kinds of machine built and manicured trails that have become the norm at bike parks nationwide?

‘Never say never, right? But it’s unlikely we’ll be moving in that direction any time soon.’

It’s been an interesting experience for me riding in Big Hill. Almost like re-learning to ride in many ways. When I started mountain biking in the mid nineties, all the trails were like this. Narrow, technical, off camber and loose with rocks wherever rocks happened to be rather than strategically placed. I’m often surprised that as bikes have become more and more capable (and as such much more suited to tackling rugged trails like those in Mount Beauty) trails seem to have generally become much smoother. Does the growing prevalence of exquisitely curated flow trail make us all lazy and worse at mountain biking? Unfortunately, it certainly had done that to me without my noticing it.

‘Yes I agree, it makes it a little trickier for the beginners here in

Mount Beauty,’ says Carly of the club’s policy of building trails in the same manner they always have. ‘But the rewards for effort here are so much greater. The sense of achievement when you’re finally able to clean a section on Big Hill is incredible. Plus you can easily head to Bright or up to Falls (Creek) if you’d like to ride some serious, low consequence flow.’ The president has a point and I’m inclined to agree. Mount Beauty is a challenging place to ride your bike. It’s going to take you a little while to find grip, to find your line. To get used to the steepness. But once your brain starts to untangle the mess, to really start to read the camber and the chonk, it truly is an incredible trail riding experience, sadly one that is less and less accessible to the average mountain biker around the country.

‘We’ve definitely taken some steps to make the park a lot more accessible,’ says Carly of the evolution of the trails in recent years.

‘We now have Big Easy Up that provides some beginner friendly access to the higher sections of the park. And we’ve really worked hard on making it a lot easier to navigate the park on your own.’

There are now five fully signposted loops accessible from the Big Hill carpark allowing even new riders to just follow their nose and have a good time. It’s well worth checking out.

LEIGHANN GNYLA

MATT ROUSU

BRAD EDWARDS

ADAM MACBETH

Downhill Boss

No.1 Export

The Convert

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THE MOUNT BEAUTY DH – A RITE OF PASSAGE ‘Oh some of those parents weren’t happy with me when I told their kids to just watch instead of race.’

Leighann Gnyla tells it how it is. If you’ve been to a Team Mount Beauty run downhill event in the last couple of years, one thing is for sure. Things went smooth. The course was great, shuttles ran on time, and there were more than enough marshals and medics on course. There’d be loads of good vibes in the pits and there’s definitely a good food truck. The tradition of fantastic events on Big Hill continues. That’s basically all thanks to Matt Rousu, who we all know and love for his skills behind the camera, including the images you see here. And also his better half, Leighann. Leighann and Matt met on a Mount Beauty group ride – the now defunct Team Night Wolf (which I hear may be making a resurgence in 2024) of the late 2000s and have been mainstays of the Big Hill scene ever since.

There’s a huge amount of work that goes into running these events, especially for volunteers. But Leighann and Matt turn it up to fifteen every year to make sure everyone has the best possible day out. But sometimes, the best possible day out means sitting it out.

‘We do get a lot of the younger riders that maybe just race downhill on their local trails, that come here for the first time and are freaking out,’ says Leighann. ‘Lots of these kids think ‘downhill’ and are expecting big smooth jumps and ten foot high berms and then they get here and see Matt’s course, especially the chute and well, it ain’t that!

‘The safest thing for sure is for the ones that are really not feeling it to sit it out, watch the racing this year and work towards coming back next year. There’s always next year. It sounds rough, right? But sometimes that’s what progression looks like.’ It’s the voice of experience and it’s been proven right again and again. I’ve helped out 72

in one way or another at the last couple of Victorian Downhill Series events at Big Hill. In just a year, I saw kids that Leighann encouraged not to race (or outright forbid from racing) take that advice as an opportunity to work harder, and return the next year able to compete.

For weeks in the lead up to this year’s race the park was full of groms shuttling and practising and crashing and pushing back up and coming back for more. While Big Hill has a huge range of trails, the DH race track is a brute and demands respect, which these kids honoured. And the proof is in attendance, this year’s race sold out in minutes, had huge numbers of younger entrants, and substantially less injuries than the year previous. Mount Beauty is still playing a huge part in the development of mountain biking in Australia at the top end, but a lot of this simply just wouldn’t be possible today without the passion and dedication of Leighann and Matt.

MAKING THE MOUNTAIN CHANGE ‘I didn’t mountain bike at all when we moved here, we were all about the snow,’ says Brad Edwards of his family’s move to Mount Beauty from Corryong further in the state’s north east. ‘It wasn’t until the kids started getting interested in it a few years ago that I thought I should give it a go, and now it’s kinda my main thing.’

Brad’s is a common story throughout Mount Beauty and the rest of the upper Kiewa Valley. On a list of places to live for access to varied outdoor experiences, Mount Beauty would rank extremely high. Trail runners, skiers and snowboarders, paragliders and people that love fly fishing abound. But given the ease of access to all of these endeavours, it’s rare that people just stay in their lane.

‘You obviously need to get a bike, but once you’re set up it’s a fair bit easier to get out than it is on the snow. No mucking around with

HUNGRY!?

Check out Rocky Valley Bikes café for lunch and a milkshake in their beautiful courtyard, or swing in to Grass Valley for a fantastic pizza and maybe a cocktail for dinner.

There’s also a little bakery in town and often a food truck at one of the breweries.

THIRSTY!?

Crank Handle brewery serves great beers and some incredible curly fries in their great courtyard with Mount Bogong Views.

Mountain Monk Brewers in the former West Peak hotel has a fantastic, sprawling beer garden.

BIKE BROKE!?

Rocky Valley bikes have a small workshop to take care of small repairs, but for major surgery you’ll need to head to one of the more MTB oriented stores in Bright. Alpine Outfitters attached to the Mount Beauty post office have a surprisingly great range of Maxxis tyres, tubeless tape and sealant as well as gloves, helmets and ride wear and are worth a look.

waiting for the lift or paying to park your car. Just head out and ride.’

Brad epitomises the inclusive vibes of the Mount Beauty mountain bike community. His car is a permanent fixture at the trailhead and I’ve seen him out riding the park with his daughter, with the young fast guys, with Carly and the rest of the club. With pretty much anyone that’s down for a ride it seems.

It was a pleasure to share an afternoon on the Big Hill trails with this crew, and I’m very much looking forward to hearing more stories, riding more trails, maybe having a couple of beers and hopefully

playing my own small part in the unfolding history of this iconic yet underrated destination for Australian mountain biking. If you’re headed to Victoria’s north east, you should definitely ride Bright and Falls Creek. But rather than making Mount Beauty a quick stop off on the way, I highly recommend taking a couple of days to really experience the Big Hill network, meet some of the locals riders and really drink in the views. Crank Handle brewery also do a ten out of ten traditional style beer, I suggest you start with the Kolsch.

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Heli Bike Tasmania WEST COAST, TAS  BOOK FOR 2024–25

gointothewild.com.au/heli-biking

TESTED There’s a world of choice in bikes and bike parts out there. Our test team put bikes and products through the works.

76 Cube Stero ONE:44 80 Polygon Siskiu T9 85 Polygon Siskiu T6 88 Cervelo ZFS-5 120 93 Trail and Enduro Tyre Test

110 112 115 116 118 120

Classified Powershift Abbey T-Way tool Fizik Ergolace GTX Milo Communicator Maxxis MaxxSpeed Pure Race Fuel

THE HUB

The where, what, how and when of mountain biking, from industry professionals.

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Skills Nutrition Fitness Workshop 75

CUBE

STEREO ONE44 C:62 RACE

PHOTOGRAPHER NICK WAYGOOD

H

TESTER RYAN WALSCH

ere at AMB we have ridden and tested a number of Cube mountain bikes over the past five or six years – specifically in their eMTB category. As a European bike brand, Cube have a very large range of eMTBs using reliable systems from Bosch and with smart integrated design. Of course, their trail and enduro bikes are also well-accomplished, and we even had a super-fun alloy hardtail in our Budget Hardtail Test in 2023. The Cube Stereo line up has had a range of bikes at different lengths of travel and different budgets, across 27.5” and 29” wheel options, and you would have seen them alongside their pedal assist siblings at 99 Bikes store near you. 99 Bikes are the exclusive importer of Cube Bikes in Australia, but that means you can find them in just about every corner of Australia – and get some very good pricing if you sign up for Club 99.

While the Stereo has been a popular model, after about 5 years in the market it would be easy to see some elements of the current frame design looking a little dated. So in 2023 Cube released new designs.

Globally, Cube also released the One22 through to the One77 withshorter and longer travel models 76

respectively. While the One44 we have on test sports 140mm front and rear, the burlier One55 has a 160/155mm travel mix. Both bikes run 29” wheels for fast rolling speed, and they have included updates to the geometry, frame features and more.

The One44 C:62 on test sells for $6999, but Club 99 members will be able to get it much cheaper – making the $5 sign up cost pay for itself well over 200 times over. As a full-carbon 140mm travel 29er with Fox Factory suspension, SRAM GX Eagle and a nice pair of Newman wheels, the Cube sits at a very competitive price point. The Trek Fuel EX 8 that our Editor Mike had for long-term test last year sells for $6499 but doesn’t have Factory suspension, and has an alloy frame. Giant’s Trance Advanced Pro 2 is $6999 with Fox Performance and Rhythm suspension and a Deore 12-speed group set on a carbon mainframe. So the Cube may well be the best value – if it can back up the parts spec with ride quality. On their website Cube state that ‘a great all-round full suspension bike must be several things. It needs to be quick-handling. It should be light. And, above all, it must be capable of dealing with rowdy, rock and root-filled trails.’ So how did it stack up?

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS Cube’s completely redesigned Stereo One44 Race boasts some very clever design features and a far more elegant and less angular frame than we have seen from the German powerhouse in the recent past. Equipped with all the modern frame requirements such as a ISCG05 chain guide mount, frame storage, a UDH (universal derailleur hanger) and adjustable headset cups to increase or decrease the head angle by just over half a degree; there is no skimping on details.

The One44 frame as its name suggests has 140mm rear wheel travel and is paired with a 140mm Fox 34 fork providing balanced and trail devouring capabilities. The Stereo One44 C:62 Race we have on review is specced with some choice parts and is the top model for the C:62 Carbon frame series with a lighter C:68 frame set sitting above that. The C:62 Race is fitted with Fox Factory Suspension, SRAM GX Eagle with a carbon GX Eagle crank and Guide RS brakes and includes some neat Newman alloy wheels and bar/stem combo. The new One44 frame is a pretty versatile package, it has been dressed as a lighter weight trail bike in its stock spec at a very respectable 12.7kgs. Cube have been selective with the components chosen such as the Newman Evolution SL wheel set which is light and responsive when paired with the Maxxis Forecaster Exo tyres. Suspension is handled by a Fox Factory 34 with a FIT4 cartridge up front and the Fox Factory DPS Trunnion mounted rear shock out back. For 77

those wishing to push the One44’s limits, meatier tyres with heavier casings and a chain guide can easily be fitted just as easily as a pair of marathon XC tyres or even race wheels for a forgiving yet capable all day machine.

Our Size Large Stereo One44 C:62 Race was all setup and mostly ready to ride from the team at 99 Bikes here in Canberra. I setup the wheels tubeless with the provided valves and opted for about 30% sag on the rear and matched the fork pressure accordingly. The Forekaster tyres mounted up without fuss on the pre taped Newman Evolution SL Tubeless wheels and setting up the ergonomics of the levers and shifters is always super simple with SRAM’s matchmaker lever and shifter mounting system. The 475mm reach is a familiar feel for my 178cm tall frame, the One44 is on the conservative side for a size large being in the middle of the spectrum of large sized bikes I have tested over the last 12 months. I actually like that the German brand are not trying to push the longer, lower and slacker trend rather building a familiar and fun bike with revised and more efficient kinematics.

Future proofed and ready for years of riding and potential upgrades, the frame is equipped with a Universal Derailleur Hanger (UDH) which I personally believe all new bikes for road, gravel and mountain biking should be sporting now. While the end game for the introduction is compatibility SRAM’s direct mount group sets, it also means riders can go into any bike store and pick up an easy to install replacement hanger for $22. The frame neatly hides down tube frame storage which is

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located underneath the bidon cage mount and opened via a button on the underside of the down tube. I was interested to see how this works on the trail long term as the button itself is subject to roost and trail debris from the front wheel being aimed straight at it, in addition the cover was pretty sloppy from new, it did however have adjustable keyways which we “snugged up” which reduced the slop of the bidon when full significantly but it was not entirely eliminated.

With our test bike ready to roll, I hit my locals on what would be the biggest mixed bag of conditions possible with the BOM failing us most days with continual severe storm and hail warnings, lightning storms and extreme heat.

ON THE TRAIL Climbing to the trailhead is pretty comfortable on the Stereo One44, the size large has a wheelbase of 1230mm in the slacker 65.4 degree head tube position but I did notice while the seat tube angle was virtually 75.9 degrees on paper, the ST angle was actually 70.5 degrees pushing my seating position back over the rear wheel slightly with my “Average Joe” saddle height of 910mm from top of pedal to top of saddle. To get the suspension balance right, I increased the rear shock pressure slightly to 27% sag to even out the position. This small change made a noticeable difference.

While I have no firm figures on suspension kinematics, pedalling feels efficient and most likely completely neutral, neither squatting or

rising under seated efforts, this highly desirable sweet spot offers the rider the perfect balance between pedalling efficiency and traction on rougher climbs and despite the supple 140mm of travel, the Cube Stereo One44 climbs well. Thanks to the respectable 66/65.4 degree head angle the steering remains composed on tight switchbacks too, neither flopping from side to side like many trail and enduro bikes of late. Unfortunately Cube have opted to route the cables through the headset via an Acros headset with rubberised top assembly.

This does cause some additional friction and the odd squeak in dusty conditions. The effects on the steering precision is minimal however noticeable at low speed and very noticeable when riding no hands, I was interested to see how the reliability goes throughout the test.

On the rough, the bike is manoeuvrable, flickable and responsive without being twitchy. I was happy pushing it hard into high speed flow trails, just as much as I was happy taking it across the air lines on other trails. It’s a really versatile trail bike. Given I had the bike over summer, through testing I rode it in lots of different locations, from sandy XC trails, alpine adventures, bike park, a little bit of rocks and it help up well on all accounts. If I owned this bike myself, I would potentially look to be changing a couple of things if I were hoping to get the most out of it, depending on the trail types I was riding. That could be burlier or faster tyres depending on the surface being ridden, and possibly the addition of volume spacers which I would have liked to have added for the more park style trails I rode. Both changes would move the bike more towards light trail or aggressive use and are inexpensive. These changes really come down to rider preference and what sort of riding you’ll be doing – and where.

OUR TAKE What I like most about the One44 on the trail is it’s a great mountain bike, it's not really bound by any genre as such it’s a trail bike without any indication that it prefers either up nor down. Yes Cube has situated models with travel options either side of the One44 and if that’s what you’re chasing then great. If you want a mountain bike to do a bit of everything then the One44 is a really well mannered all rounder – and for the money this model is astounding value. I didn’t like the headset cable routing but this is pretty standard on new carbon frames now. The rubber section did squeak with summer dust in it, and I feel like the bike industry’s move to doing this has just created more maintenance for riders to do, or for riders to pay their mechanics to do. Of course, this isn’t a downside to the Cube One44, it’s a downside to just about any new mountain bike with headset routed cable outer or hoses.

Where the One44 not surprisingly excels is the big all-day rides, its pedals along with ease, climbs very well on a variety of terrain and bombs unknown trails with confidence making it a joy for exploring new trail networks or epic trails you may be visiting. Cube did state that a good full-suspension bike needs to be capable of many things – and I truly believe that is true of the One44. While a lot of riders may err to a burlier bike or something with longer travel, a good 130-150mm trail bike will always be more versatile, and I think Cube have set a great benchmark for 140mm trail bikes with the One44.

RRP $6999 WEIGHT 12.7kg (as tested) AVAILABLE SIZES S, M, L (tested), XL FRAME MATERIAL C:62 Monocoque carbon FORK Fox 34 Float Factory FIT4 140mm SHOCK Fox Float DPS Factory 140mm SHIFTER SRAM GX Eagle 12sp DERAILLEUR SRAM GX Eagle 12sp CRANK SRAM GX Eagle 12sp Carbon 170mm BOTTOM BRACKET SRAM DUB BSA CHAIN SRAM NX Eagle 12sp CASSETTE SRAM GX Eagle 12sp 10-52t WHEEL SET Newman Evolution SL Alloy 29er TYERES Maxxis Forekaster EXO 29 x 2.35” BRAKES SRAM G2 RS 200/180mm STEM Newman 31.8mm x 50mm Alloy HANDLEBARS Newman Alloy 31.8 x 760mm SEATPOST Cube 150mm x 30.9 SADDLE Natural Fit Nuance SLT Carbon 99bikes.com.au

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Anna Beck RIDING EXPERIENCE: Little bit of this and that, XCO, XCM, Gravity and DH that one time…

GENERALLY RIDES: Santa Cruz Blur, Yeti SB140, Cervelo Aspero HEIGHT: 168cm WEIGHT: 64kg BIKE TEST TRACK: Brisbane trails

POLYGON

SISKIU T9

PHOTOGRAPHER GERARD LAGANA

B

TESTER ANNA BECK

ikesOnline have continued to deliver mountain bikes to riders around Australia who are looking for a great value way to get onto the dirt. The Polygon Siskiu range has always been popular, and the more recent updates to the frame designs and models available have only served to increase their popularity – there are even two e-bike models now, with the T6E and T7E, the former of which we have tested in late 2023. While Mike has also tested the $2299 Siskiu T6 in this issue, BikesOnline also released the new $4299 Polygon Siskiu T9 in early 2024.

The Siskiu T9 shares the same frame as the rest of the range, including the size specifc wheel sizing. This trail bike is available with 27.5” wheels in small and medium frame sizes, with 150/140mm of travel front and rear respectively. For sizes from medium to extra large, the bikes are built with 29” wheels and the travel is a 140/135mm setup. So if you’re medium-ish size, you can choose what wheel size you’re after. I’m testing a medium 29er from BikesOnline.

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INITIAL IMPRESSIONS The Polygon Siskiu T9 was delivered to my house via the editor who was kind enough to build it and drop it off, but as a direct to consumer business, you can head to the BikesOnline website and your bike will be shipped to your door: no editor required. You need to choose your size (recommended size charts are available online), any accessories, pay your money and your bike will be delivered. As mentioned in the T6 review, BikesOnline have a 30 day free returns policy if you unbox the bike and realise it’s not for you. More details on that are on their website.

Having ridden a range of bikes from Polygon, it’s easy to see that they have evolved from the Polygon of bygone eras. The T6 was a bargain, but the Siskiu T9 on test here can be bought for a song: for $4299 you get a 140mm Fox 36 Performance Elite fork with Grip 2 damper, a 135mm Fox Float X rear shock, XT drivetrain, TransX seat post and TRP EVO DH 4-piston brakes. If you priced this all out

individually, you can see the value there: you can piece out the components and pretty much reach the RRP, that’s not even including the frame and wheels. Wheels on this bike, while not lightweight or high end by any means, feature Shimano MT400 hubs and 35mm Entity rims, they are solidly built and I found them to be reliable and hassle free.

The frame itself features internal cable routing and room for a bottle cage, while the finish of the tubing isn’t anything out of this world, the forest green and sandstone colour way look understated and smart. Their suspension design is linkage-driven single pivot, a simple design that ‘reduces the weight of the frame and increases stiffness’ with a claimed 10% reduction in anti-squat.

The Siskiu also promises modern geometry that can rival many more upmarket brands.

Polygon cite ‘high-speed control’ and ‘responsive handling’ as key features of the Siskiu due to its short 425mm chain stays and a 65-degree head tube angle. The mixture of flickability and stability isn’t all: the steeper 77

degree seat tube angle should iron out potential any pedalling concerns, especially important for taller riders on larger frames.

While the medium sports a 460mm reach, the short stem and forward position feels very centred. It’s evident that the alchemy between the numbers allows the Siskiu T9 to avoid the old slack like a sled feel of many trail bikes, instead placing you right in the middle of the frame. But for the million dollar (actually only $4299) question: how does it ride?

ON THE TRAIL Initial impressions were drawn from the first ride at my local trail network, featuring a few runs of the black/dark blue trail in order to dial in a few things like tyre pressure, position and suspension settings. Each run requires a 10+min fire road climb with or without some singletrack climbing, so it’s a great loop to understand how the bike performs climbing on fire road and singletrack; and how it descends on rocky technical trails and fast flow.

Firstly, the climb up highlighted the T9’s centred geometry; you’re really in the centre of the bike, unlike some other trail bikes that position you to feel like you’re pushing from

behind the bottom bracket. This is likely due to steeper seat tube angle (77deg) combined with a shorter stem complimenting the longer reach. At 168cm, I am at the lower end of the recommended size chart for the medium T9, however the fit felt just right and I would struggle on a smaller frame. For those who are on the upper end of the size chart, I would compare your existing bike’s geometry and rider style before pulling the trigger on size.

This centred climbing position together with the ample rubber and traction of the Assegai means the T9 tractors up tech climbs, if without eagerness due to the overall heft. The two-position climb switch on the Fox Float X Performance shock featured a pedalling platform allowing for efficient power transfer and snappier climbing to the top of the run making a noticeable difference from climbing in the open setting. With the XT 12 speed drivetrain featuring a 32T chainring and 10-51T cassette range, I didn’t yearn for extra gears on all but the steepest of climbs.

The wheel and tyre combination adds lots of traction, but in tech sections with a slow entry that require momentum to clear, and entering into jump or speed sections of trail with short entries you do feel the heft. However, the

Assegai excelled in delivering a predictable and stable ride in loose over hard conditions, and on more mild gradient climbs I found that once up to speed I was able to tick along pretty well.

But talking about how well the T9 climbs misses out on the important spice; how does it descend? Pointing downhill, the bike really delivered. For my current rider weight of 64kg I set up the Float X at 25% sag, with 134psi and rebound at four clicks. The fork sat at 79.5psi with quite light rebound and compression settings.

The Polygon Siskiu T9 comes alive the more input you put into it while avoiding feeling sketchy or unstable; it has successfully married the maneuverability of a short travel trail bike with the capability of something more reminiscent of an enduro bike. This ability is bolstered by the the Fox 36 up front, it’s stiffness was noticeable compared with a Fox 34. Due to being a bigger fork than could have been specced on the bike, the 36 rewards a centred and front-heavy rider position, especially for a smaller rider, which was supported with the cockpit spec of short stem, wide bars and slack 65 degree head tube angle. It also meant that the ride itself felt

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stable and supported with exceptional small bump sensitivity (thanks to the Grip 2 damper), but smaller riders may find the weight of the 36 a lot to handle; it’s a lot of fork! The low rise Entity bar was good, but I’d prefer to swap to something with more sweep if this was my own bike.

The front end of the T9 was planted and stable, and thanks to the Fox Float X the rear of the bike remained steady and capable, at least 95% of the time. For fast, rocky, technical trails hit at speed I did hit the limit of the rear end’s 135mm travel as I toed the line of keeping the rear planted vs out of control a few times. That is one drawback of the short 425mm chain stays that conversely facilitate the bike’s playful, responsive feel on less hectic trails. I still had room to move with the Float X’s rebound settings, but that’s likely to temper the problem rather than resolve it completely. In a way it’s complimentary of the T9: it’s a mediumtravel trail bike that’s begging you to ride it like a much bigger bike…but on occasion has to remind you it’s only 135mm travel.

The thorn in the side of the T9 is the TRP DH EVO brakes, they lacked both the sharpness of Shimano and modulation of SRAM’s brake offerings, and came out of the box feeling quite underwhelming and mushy. While they bedded in well, they were definitely the one component that underperformed on the T9. That being said, the whole package is still a bargain and while they weren’t fantastic, they did the job, and if you found yourself underbraked it would be easy to justify an upgrade given the price point of the bike.

OUR TAKE The Polygon Siskiu has always represented value in all its iterations and the T9 is no exception. At the low-end of the price range for a trail bike in 2024 money, you’re getting the drivetrain and suspension that wouldn’t be out of place on a 82

carbon boutique trail bike worth well into five figures. While the frame and wheels definitely result in some extra beef that can be felt when the trail points up and during accelerations, it’s a small penalty for the price point: especially considering the frame exceeded my expectations on rides quality .

For the emerging trail rider after a robust build for weekend shreds, those looking to upgrade their Covid hardtail purchase or your teenager that’s riding more and needs a reliable drivetrain and suspension, you can’t go past the T9. If you’re after a pure enduro sled, thats there in the Polygon Collosus. For the average rider this bike is more than capable enough to take you between the bunting for the occasional race run, weekend shuttles with mates or longer endurance trail rides.

The editor once said I had a long list of dislikes, to which I respond that I mainly like stuff that works, feels good and is reliable (bonus points if it’s light). While the Siskiu T9 isn’t getting any bonus points, I would put it pretty strongly in the ‘like’ list. It’s a trail bike with a solid build that rewards rider input: if you enjoy an active ride and popping off roots, rocks and jumps and working the trail, this could be the bike for you.

RRP $4299 WEIGHT 15.64kg (as tested) AVAILABLE SIZES S, M (tested), L, XL FRAME MATERIAL Aluminium FORK Fox Float 36 Performance Elite, GRIP2, 140mm SHOCK Fox Float X Performance, 135mm SHIFTER Shimano Deore XT 12sp DERAILLEUR Shimano Deore XT 12sp CRANK Shimano Deore XT 12sp, 32t, 170mm CHAIN KMC X-12 CASSETTE Shimano Deore 10-51t, 12sp HUBS Shimano MT400, Boost SPOKES Black, stainless RIMS Entity, 35mm inner TYRES Maxxis Assegai TR EXO, 29 x 2.6” BRAKES TRP EVO DH 4-piston 180/180mm STEM Entity Expert 35mm HANDLEBARS Entity Expert, 780mm SEATPOST TranzX, 150mm SADDLE WTB Volt bikesonline.com.au

POLYGON

SISKIU T6

PHOTOGRAPHER GERARD LAGANA

T

TESTER MIKE BLEWITT

he Polygon Siskiu range must be one of the most popular series of bikes in Australia, and likely a key bike to get people out on the trails along with the the Giant Trance and Trek Fuel EX model line ups.

Sold exclusively via BikesOnline, the Siskiu range has always been split into the D, or downcountry range, and T – the trail range.

This year we have also seen two e-bikes added to the trail range, and I recently reviewed the very impressive Siskiu T6E. The D series have 120mm of travel front and rear, whereas the 29er T series as tested here have 140/135mm of travel front and rear. This also plays an impact on the geometry, and Polygon spec parts appropriate for the use of each range of bikes. The Siskiu T6 is a new lower priced model in the Siskiu trail bike range, selling for $2299 however it is built on the same frame as the higher end models. The idea is to get riders on the trails for less, without impacting the handling or quality of the bike. At this price the Siskiu T6 is $700 less than a Giant Stance 29, but with a similar parts kit and more travel. It really does play in its own patch of the dirt.

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS The Polygon Siskiu T6 was delivered to my front gate, which is what you can expect for any Polygon from BikesOnline. This is a direct to consumer business, so you buy your bike via the BikesOnline website. You need to choose your size, any accessories, pay your money and your bike will be delivered. You’ll need to sort out sizing yourself, but BikesOnline have plenty of guidance on their website and via their customer service line.

Bear in mind that BikesOnline have a 30 day free returns policy if you unbox the bike and realise it’s not for you. More details on that are on their website.

The Polygon Siskiu range is one of a few on the market that has stuck with size specific wheel sizes. So while small and medium Siskiu T6 models come with 27.5” wheels and 150/140mm travel, the 29ers are available in medium, large and extra large with 140/135mm travel. So if you’re a medium-ish size, you’ll need to decide if you want the agility and touch more travel of the 27.5” wheeled bike, or the big-wheeled approach of

the 29er. I had a large on test which I find suits my 178cm height and lanky arms.

We have tested a number of Polygon bikes recently, and while their value has always been a stand out, what has really impressed us has been how balanced the ride is. The geometry is a key component for this, along with suspension. The large Siskiu has a reach of 480mm with a head angle of 65.5 degrees.

While it seems quite long, Polygon do use a short 35mm stem and a steep 76.5 degree effective seat angle. This means you’re nicely centered between the wheels, which aids in weight balance climbing, descending and working the bike in turns.

The aluminium frame has internal routing through the main frame, and room for a bottle cage. There’s clearance for 2.6” tyres, plus there are ISCG mounts on the threaded bottom bracket shell if you’d like to run a chain guide.

The swing arm isn’t UDH to be compatible with SRAM Transmission group sets, but that is unlikely to be a worry for those looking at a $2299 trail bike.

The build kit is pretty solid for the price, with parts similar to the hardtails around $160085

2000 we tested in early 2023, but on a full-suspension bike. Shimano take care of the drivetrain and brakes with 10-speed Deore and MT200 2-piston brakes with 180mm rotors. A 140mm RockShox Recon does fork duties while an X-Fusion O2 Pro R sorts out the back.

There’s a smooth TransX dropper, and wide Entity rims supporting Vee rubber – although you’ll need tubeless tape, valves and sealant to get setup tubeless. Entity provide the bars, stem and grips – and they’re all great although a bit more sweep would be nice.

Once built, my test bike clocked 17.43kg before I fitted pedals and a cage. It’s no fly weight and a lot of this weight is in the wheels, but that’s fine. Polygon have specced wheels with reliable hubs, 35mm internal widths and high volume tyres. These all add up to great capability for trail riding, along with strength – the trade off is weight. But you can’t have everything for $2299 – although with the Siskiu T6 you sure do get a lot.

ON THE TRAIL The last two Siskius I tested, besides the T6E e-bike, were the 120mm models. I really liked both of them for what they offered at just over

Mike Blewitt RIDING EXPERIENCE: Lots of travel to ride, race and explore places by bike GENERALLY RIDES: Factor Lando XC HEIGHT: 178cm WEIGHT: 72kg BIKE TEST TRACK: Brisbane trails

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the $2000 price point. I did find a couple of things held them back, primarily in suspension and crank length. The former was a complaint about a basic fork that wasn’t supple enough and was overdamped, and the latter impacted pedal clearance even on fairly non-technical climbs. With the longer travel but similar budget T6 on test, I was curious to see how the bike would ride given that it was such a great entry-level price for a trail bike.

Climbing away from the trail head I was rewarded by a stable pedalling bike, which is good as there is no external compression damping – just air pressure and rebound.

You’d be wise to invest in a shock pump when purchasing a T6 as you’ll need it to get the most out of the bike. But that goes for any bike with air springs. Sitting and spinning away the rear shock was stable enough, finding traction on fire trails and singletrack alike. I set the bike at 25% sag as I know I prefer a slightly higher position on the trail.

The fit was really good, with the 480mm reach and reasonably low cockpit height being exactly how I like a trail bike to fit. Those who prefer a more upright fit may like to fit a higher rise bar, which would provide a good opportunity to fit something with a little more

sweep as well. As is, I found the fit was great at keeping the front wheel tracking on the climbs and through corners, although a bit of a weight shift was needed on steep pinches to stop the front from wandering.

With a 10-speed 11-42 cassette and 32t chain ring – the T6 gets up hills but it sure doesn’t come alive when climbing. There is no way around the fact that 17.5kg of bike isn’t a tonne of fun to fight gravity with. It does the job and rewards sitting and pedalling, with the suspension being a bit too active to really get out of the saddle and jam on the pedals. All this blurs into the background when you crest a climb.

The geometry and fairly stout frame of the T6 work hand in hand to be a very balanced ride on even the most shallow of descents. With a 430mm chain stay length on the large 29er the Siskiu T6 remains quite agile, especially with the rapid steering response with a short stem.

Throw in burly wheels and tyres and a big foot print, and you have a bike that is plenty of fun to descend on. The Siskiu pops over features with more confidence than you may expect for a bike that only costs a little more than $2000, and it rewards sighting launches and landings on the trail.

With a slack 65.5 degree head angle and 480mm reach the Siskiu is stable at speed, but not as stable as it could be thanks to the shorter back end. But as a 140/135mm travel trail bike I think the balance between the two is just right. If you want a big hit bike for hitting top speed in chutes, get something like the Polygon Collosus.

The Siskiu is a trail bike and I think it walks the line between stability and agility really well.

The RcokShox Recon fork is simple but adequate. It ran stiction free and the damping works. I did have to run far beyond recommended pressure to have it support the riding I was doing – and I’m not an aggressive rider. But given it is an air spring, this is an easy adjustment to make. Given the T6 frame is the same as the rest of the range, the bike could support a suspension upgrade for the shock and fork if you wanted to. It is built well and has the handling for it. But as is, I had fun with the stock parts.

On steeper trails out with some of the test crew I did find my own limits and that of the bike more often. On steep, loose trails where you need a rapid brake response and precise suspension to find traction and composure, The Siskiu and I were out of our depth. The basic 180mm rotors and two piston brakes meant I couldn’t let the bike run as much as I may like on steep terrain, as I knew I wouldn’t be able to pull it back in.

And on longer rockier sections the linkage driven single pivot design wasn’t really working as well as it did from single big hits. This should be no surprise, as the trails were steep, rough, tight and off books – not really the remit for an entry level trail bike.

While the Siskiu frame design offers lots of standover height, on these very steep trails I did wish for a longer dropper post, but I think this is

still pushing to the extreme for the intended use of the Siskiu T6.

OUR TAKE The Siskiu range has always been popular and the new T6 means it will suit more people than before. The $2299 trail bike brings trail capable builds in the Siskiu range to a lower price point, reflecting just what many people want in their new bikes. Like so many of the Polygon bikes we have reviewed recently, the ride quality and handling is far beyond what you may expect for the price point – you’d easily think you were riding a bike worth a lot more. This is a huge bonus for riders looking for a trail bike at around $2000 as you get a truly functional bike with room to make some improvements.

On most of my local trails I found the Siskiu T6 fantastic fun for the money. Sure, it’s heavy but that comes with the territory. On steeper trails the brakes were a bit light on, and on repeated, heavy hits the suspension can get a little overwhelmed. But this isn’t an enduro bike – it’s an entry level trail bike that really punches above its weight. If you want some better braking, shifting or suspension performance check out a higher end model in the range. Or make some specific upgrades over time, and go get on the trails right now.

If this were my bike I’d make sure I had an accurate shock pump to get the suspension dialled in, I’d fit a tubeless kit to increase traction and handling, and I’d consider a new handlebar with more sweep, and perhaps a pad and rotor upgrade to bump up the braking power. As it is though, the Siskiu T6 is going to make a lot of people happy on the trails.

RRP $2299 WEIGHT 17.34kg (as tested) AVAILABLE SIZES M, L (tested), XL FRAME MATERIAL Aluminium FORK RockShox Recon, 140mm SHOCK X-Fusion O2 Pro R, 135mm SHIFTER Shimano Deore 10sp DERAILLEUR Shimano Deore 10sp CRANK Shimano, 32t, 170mm CHAIN KMC X-10 CASSETTE Shimano Deore 11-42t, 10sp HUBS Shimano MT400, Boost SPOKES Black, stainless RIMS Entity, 35mm inner TYRES Vee Snap WCE Mk2, 29 x 2.5” BRAKES Shimano MT200 2-piston 180/180mm STEM Alloy 35mm HANDLEBARS Alloy 25mm rise, 780mm SEATPOST TranzX, 170mm SADDLE WTB Volt bikesonline.com.au

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CERVELO

ZFS-5 120 XO

PHOTOGRAPHER GERARD LAGANA

C

TESTER MIKE BLEWITT

ervelo are known in the bike world as a no-compromise road, triathlon, cyclocross and gravel brand. As a premium bike manufacturer Cervelo don’t do entry level bikes, they excel at high performance bikes driven by refined design. If they came out with a slogan that ‘Life is a race’ it wouldn’t be a huge surprise – they chase outright performance with their designs, and they deliver. In the World Tour, they won all three grand tours in 2023 – which is pretty impressive. But as far as we are concerned, 2023 was exciting as they released their first full-suspension mountain bike the ZHS-5. The full-carbon, cross-country mountain bike arrived in the wake of the release of their hardtail mountain bike, the ZHT-5.

There have been examples of road-biased brands venturing off road in the past. But more recently we have seen deep levels of 88

investment in these dirty forays. Wilier have a World Cup XCO team that has racked up a number of victories, and the new Pinarello Dogma XC hardtails and full-suspension bikes are doing quite well indeed under the likes of Pauline Ferrand-Prevot and Tom Pidcock.

Their designs are far better than seen from Pinarello in previous attempts. Ridley have another iteration of their XC bike out now, and Factor also have their Lando XC and FS, both of which I tested in 2022. I now call a Factor Lando XC my own, with a bit of a custom build.

Making a full-suspension cross-country bike is a logical step for entrenched road brands.

It’s a bike for their existing drop bar market, who may choose to venture off-road to tackle the Cape Epic, Swiss Epic, or even BC Bike Race, or something more adventurous. The recent crop of bikes from the aforementioned brands are not messing around, with truly

capable and highly refined designs landing on the dirt and atop podiums.

Cervelo have a range of six bikes in the ZFS-5 line up, in both 100/100mm builds, and 120/115mm builds. The frame on each build is the same, but the parts spec are different, with the suspension changes impacting the geometry and handling. Pricing hits $17000 for the top spec 100mm build with SRAM’s XX SL, dropping all the way to $7800 for the GX Eagle equipped 100mm version. The 120 XO AXS model I have on test sells for $12000, with XO Transmission, Fox Performance Elite suspension, an AXS Reverb dropper and lovely Reserve carbon wheels.

Cervelo state that the ZFS-5 is ‘progressive but racy’ being aimed at tackling hard XCO courses. I think the 120mm models like I have on test could be a perfect match for tackling some of Australia’s XC events and global stage races. But the proof is in the ride.

Mike Blewitt RIDING EXPERIENCE: Many years staunchly grounded on XC bikes GENERALLY RIDES: Factor Lando XC, Norco Revolver 120 HT HEIGHT: 178cm WEIGHT: 72kg BIKE TEST TRACK: Greater Brisbane

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS Resplendent in black, the Cervelo ZFS-5 120 XO AXS is one stealthy bike. The frame has slender tubes with neat internal routing, and a svelte alloy swing link for the shock. The matte black finish means you look past a lot of the detail, but the frame quality and build is impressive. Yes, it looks a lot like a Santa Cruz Blur, and they have the same parent company. The Blur TR as comparison is a little steeper with less bottom bracket drop and a lower head tube, along with an overall shorter wheelbase. It also has internal routing via ports behind the head tube and two carbon variants. Similar, yes – but different handling and options.

The frame itself uses a flexstay, with the

post mount rear brake being a separate mount to allow the flex point to work, while also allowing the use of a 4-piston brake and potentially a 180mm rotor. XC riders deserve to stop, too! The chain stay has plenty of chain slap protection that didn’t budge all test and there is clearance for the stock 2.4” tyres, and the bike can take upto a 38t chain ring, which is important for a bike designed for World Cup performance. There is a OneUp chain guide, a nice touch as dropped chains do not mix well with racing. Cervelo use a Universal Derailleur Hanger as you would expect, and of course there is no hanger with the stock XO Transmission group set. The frame uses a threaded bottom bracket, and there are mounts on the down tube and seat tube for water bottle cages – a perfect match

for anyone tackling stage races and marathons, or getting the training hours in for XCO. I’m not a huge fan of cables or hoses going through the headset. It is very neat, and while it is just one hose thanks to the AXS drivetrain and dropper, that brake hose still goes through the headset bearing. With the SRAM Level Silver Stealth levers there’s not much extra hose – but you’ll need some when it comes time for a new headset bearing and the hose must be cut and then reconnected with fresh hardwear – expect to lose 10-15mm each time you do this. It may not happen a lot in our dry(ish) environment, but this move by the bike industry puts increased service costs on the end user.

While $12000 is no small amount of money,

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you don’t always get the exact spec you want with race level bikes unless you get the top dog. And wheels are an area that often gets something ‘pretty good’. Not so on the Cervelo, with Reserve Carbon 28|XC wheels. They’re light at around 1450g, with a 28mm internal width rim laced to DT Swiss 350 hubs with 24 spokes each end. Wrapped in 60tpi Maxxis Rekon 2.4 3C tyres, it’s a wheel system that is ready to rock.

The Float DPS is the higher volume model, with a two position switch to firm it up, plus another option to tweak compression damping to three levels. There’s routing for a remote lock out shock, but only the 100mm builds have those. The fork is a Fox 34 SC in 120mm with a 44mm offset to match the 66.6 degree head angle.

With the clean AXS setup, the Race Face cockpit with low-rise 780mm carbon bar and short 60mm stem all falls into place well. The 780mm bar is a very comfortable width, but those going bar-to-bar may wish to trim it a little to suit. The Prologo saddle, svelte grips and long-ish 125mm AXS dropper are all brilliant finishing parts to a thoroughly specced bike.

At 11.41kg our large test bike is pretty light, considering the AXS dropper isn’t a fly weight and the Maxxis Rekon tyres are pretty chonky.

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But it is a very capable build. With suspension set at 145psi in the rear and 78psi in the fork, I fitted my pedals and a couple of cages and hit the trails.

ON THE TRAIL The Cervelo is hands down one of the quietest bikes I have ridden. While this was evident by the end of the test after many hours aboard the ZFS-5, even my first ride was impressive. Sure, an AXS drivetrain and dropper means there’s not many cable outers or hoses to rattle, but with such slick shifting from the Transmission group set, zero chain slap and just very neat finishing on the bike, it all adds up.

My first impressions on the bike were that it felt tall – I had dropped the stem below a spacer, but the riser bar still gives a higher position to my normal setup. More telling is the bottom bracket drop and head tube height, which are both more than my regular ride.

Throw in a slightly shorter reach at 457mm on large and a 66.6 degree head angle on the 120mm models and your position on the ZFS-5 is very centered and planted. Many might expect an XC bike from a brand known for road bikes to be skittish and nervous – but initial handling had no signs of that. With a 75 degree seat tube angle it is easy to stay centered, and

it is pleasing to see Cervelo implementing size specific chain stays to maintain balance across the four sizes. The large has 437mm stays, which are pretty middle-of-the-road in this class of bike.

I have ridden on 2.4” Maxxis tyres, wide carbon wheels and with a Fox 34 SC and DPS shock for much of the past few years, so these items are very familiar. However, the newest Fox Float shock has a bigger aircan which can allow lower pressure. With about 20% less than in my own DPS shock, the ride dynamic is noticeably plusher than on my Factor Lando XC – by all accounts a comparable bike being a 120/115mm travel bike from a road brand. The ride is so supple on trail chatter and small bumps that I stopped more than once to check whether I had too much sag, or a slow leak in the back tyre. While the shock tune may differ on the 100mm builds, on this model you end up with a bike that takes out so many small bumps that comfort is incredible, and so is traction.

While I haven’t been riding my best in a horribly humid and sticky Queensland summer, I still gave a few PRs a nudge on the Cervelo ZFS-5, and I think that is due to how well it feels planted to the ground for traction.

However the Cervelo is anything but a barge.

Use the leverage of the wider bars, and the agility that the moderate reach provides and

you have an agile bike that has plenty of pop when you load up the suspension. This bike comes alive when you switch out of passenger mode and opt to work the trail. While that is the remit of many short travel, aggressive trail bikes, it is not normally matched with the ability to ride efficiently and comfortably as well – which is a trait that any endurance athlete will find attractive for a bike that may be used for events with 4-6 hours in the saddle.

On the climbs, the centered position and 32t chain ring meant I felt like I could climb anything, being forward enough with ample gears thanks to the 10-52 Transmission cassette. I’d likely prefer a 34 or 36t chain ring, but that is a personal choice depending on terrain, fitness and event focus. The suspension does pedal very well, but I preferred to reach for the lock out when riding to the trail or on long, smoother climbs. On anything with some bumps, the suspension stayed open, with the opportunity for gobs more traction being far more appealling to getting rid of any movement. While I can see that the 100mm models have remote lock out, no dropper and therefore more of a race focus – I cannot ever see the 120/115mm being a trail bike. Instead, I see them as the modern choice for many endurance mountain bikers, with more travel at little weight penalty. So it is a shame that the 120 models don’t have remote lock out.

Similarly, it is surprising to see the 100mm models without a dropper. Cervelo are backing a number of top Australian mountain bikers, and while most are on 100mm variants, some have 110mm forks, most have dropper posts and all use remote lock outs across their custom builds.

When descending, the Cervelo is highly impressive. The Float DPS really excels here, and so does that extra bit of bottom bracket drop, keeping the bike planted into corners when the pedals are weighted. Being so light it responds well to input, but at times I did find the front end started to feel vague – specifically in rockier corners or at higher speeds trying to chase friends

with more talent. Being familiar with the bars, tyres and fork, I looked to the 24 spoke wheels and slender frame. Neither ever felt flexy, but at the points when chasing friends on downcountry bikes, something in the front end wasn’t feeling as stiff as it could be.

And that’s ok – this isn’t a trail bike, nor a downcountry bike. The Cervelo ZFS-5 120 XO is a cross-country super bike with a bit more travel and a very plush trail feel.

OUR TAKE It should be no surprise that the Cervelo ZFS-5 is a high performance cross-country platform. While some may expect a mountain bike from a drop bar specialist to be twitchy and underdone, nothing could be further from the truth. If you are looking for a bike to take to Reef to Reef, or across to the Volcanic Epic, Cape Epic, Breck Epic – or anything epic – the Cervelo ZFS-5 can be that bike. The ZFS-5 120 XO AXS is a premium 120/115mm travel bike that brings high level design and production into one of the most exquisitely finished bikes I have ridden here at AMB. While my personal preferences may see a few subtle changes to the cockpit, tyres and gearing, the reality is this bike is ready to go from stock.

Much like other bikes such as the Orbea Oiz, Norco Revolver, Factor Lando XC and Pivot Mach 4 SL, the two travel variants are based on the one frame design with a different rear shock stroke and fork. So an investment in a ZFS-5 isn’t a restriction to one variant or another. That said, I think the 120 models would be a popular choice for many riders looking at a new top-spec cross-country bike. While this model is far from cheap at $12000, it does represent great value when compared with similarly specced bikes.

Cervelo state that they wanted it to be racy and progressive, and ready for modern XCO courses. I think it caters for XCO racers at the World Cup – but more importantly, the Cervelo ZFS-5 is a stand out choice for those doing battle from club races through to global marathon and stage race events. The ZFS-5 would be a standout choice if a capable crosscountry bike is in your sights.

RRP $12000 WEIGHT 11.41kg (as tested) AVAILABLE SIZES S, M, L (tested), XL FRAME MATERIAL Carbon fiber FORK Fox Float 34 SC Performance Elite, 120mm SHOCK Fox Float Performance Elite, 190x45 (115mm) SHIFTER SRAM AXS Rocker DERAILLEUR SRAM AXS XO T-type CRANK SRAM XO T-type, 175mm, 32t BOTTOM BRACKET SRAM DUB BSA threaded CHAIN SRAM XO 12sp CASSETTE SRAM XO T-type 10-52 12sp WHEEL SET Reserve 28|XC on DT Swiss 350 TYRES Maxxis Rekon 29 x 2.4” EXO, 60tpi BRAKES SRAM Level Silver Stealth, 4 piston, 180/160mm STEM Race Face Aeffect 60mm, 35mm clamp HANDLEBARS Race Face Next R Carbon, 780mm, 20mm rise SEATPOST RockShox Reverb AXS 125mm drop, 30.9mm SADDLE Prologo Dimension NDR T4.0 cervelo.com/en-AU

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STOP WONDERING HOW IT WOULD BE.

GET THAT WORLD CUP FEELING. CHOOSE THE NEW PIRELLI SCORPION™ RACE DH/EN Scorpion™ RACE is a complete collection of high-performing and uncompromising products, born with competition in mind, from Downhill to Enduro. It takes advantage of totally new and uncompromising carcass, compound and design technologies of Pirelli. All born on race courses, tested and developed with the help of our factory athletes and raced against the fastest riders in the world.

DISCOVER MORE AT FESPORTS.COM.AU

GET A GRIP! AMB’S TRAIL AND ENDURO TYRE GROUP TEST WORDS BAM DA SILVA, BEN MORRISON, RYAN WALSCH, HAYDEN WRIGHT PHO T OS MIKE BLEWI T T, CL ANCY KELLY, JORDAN RIDDLE

You only have two contact patches with the dirt, so it pays to choose ones that suit you the best. Your tyres and wheel system setup can not only dramatically change how your bike handles, but changes to your tyre and wheel system will also impact the traction you have for braking, accelerating and cornering. Matching the right tyres and tyre pressure is one of the best things you can do to get more out of your bike, but it could cost a lot testing a lot of different tyres yourself. So we’ve done a lot of the leg work for you.

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Over the last three months, we have done the heavy lifting and have put 24 different tyres under four highly experienced riders in the pursuit of deciphering where your money is best spent. We are acutely aware that no two riders, or two rides are the same and as such we put the microscope over a wide variety of models, from the well-known through to some brands and models you may not be familiar with. We have no intent in being dogmatic with our appraisal of which tyre or tyres are best – as making such claims ignores the wide variety of riding conditions, financial constraints, handling preferences and durability concerns all riders have. Your decision making will also be aided by understanding who the test riders are, where we ride, and what we typically look for from our tyres.

This is a question of rubber compounds versus tread patterns.

Optimising both will help you achieve the grip, rolling speed and wear rates you want. Softer compounds will grip on hard and wet surfaces better, but wear faster and roll slower. Harder compounds roll fast, have a long life, but don’t find as much grip on hard or wet surfaces. In parts of Australia with deep loam, a deep treaded tyre will find great grip. When you have a lot of loose over hardpack, a softer compound may be needed to find the traction on baked hard terrain. If you ride to and from the trail a lot, you may prefer a harder compound, shallower tread rear tyre for a longer product life and better rolling speed.

TESTING PARAMETERS

SIZE MATTERS

For the sake of consistency, all of our testing has been done using DT Swiss wheel sets, no inserts and Finish Line FiberLink sealant. This allowed us to do back-to-back laps on different tyre combinations, and also ensured our notes would correlate more accurately from one rider to another. We’ve also all used digital gauges to track pressure throughout testing.

Widths between manufacturers vary quite a lot, we measured each tyre when inflated on DT Swiss 30mm rims so you have a point of comparison. A larger tyre will offer a bigger footprint on the ground, but if you are changing volume up or down, be aware that the required tyre pressures will change with larger tyres typically needing less pressure for the same feedback. Be precise on your setup, it really makes a difference!

CASING CHOICES Just about every model tested are available in different casing options. The heavier, burlier casings will offer more support for heavier riders and more aggressive use, while coming with a weight penalty. The lighter and more supple casings suit lighter riders, and those who aren’t trying to qualify for RedBull Hardline. There is no need to run a heavier casing if you don’t need it, and the options around trail and enduro casings from different manufacturers are really impressive. Casings are typically 60tpi (threads per inch) or 120tpi, or layers of those. The higher thread count is usually more supple for better small bump compliance and grip. Some brands add extra protection to the casing for more sidewall support.

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CHEMICAL VS MECHANICAL GRIP

WHICH TYRES SUIT EMTBS? We didn’t test any of the tyres on eMTBs, but depending how you ride and your system weight (rider plus bike) we suggest you look at tyres with an enduro or downhill rated casing. You will wear through rear tyres faster, so it could also be worth looking at rear tyres that don’t have the softest compound, if you want a longer lasting option. There are some eMTB specific models around, these typically have the strongest casing available and a harder wearing rubber. These will be strong and robust – but not necessarily the right fit for every rider on an eMTB. Rider/system weight, trails and riding style should be the leading decision makers.

AMB’S TYRE TEST CREW

Hayden Wright Height: 193cm Weight: 78kg Rides: Forbidden Dreadnought Lives: Brisbane ‘I like enduro style riding and while there is the rare and fleeting opportunity to ride some loam at my local trails, I am usually skidding around on harder packed soil with a smattering of sharp rock. I prefer my tyres to have a consistent ride character over all else, particularly on the front. As such, I enjoy 2-3-2 style tread patterns – if that is combined with a nice tacky rubber compound, even better!’

Ryan Walsch Height: 178cm Weight: 74kg Rides: Forbidden Druid Lives: Canberra ‘I like riding rocky, steep and technical trails. I know exactly the line I want to take, but I’m pretty hard on my equipment as I expect it to handle it. I prefer a more aggressive front tyre with something faster rolling in the back. Typically I run the most supportive casing possible, with soft compounds to find grip on the dirt and rock and secret jank around Canberra.’

Ben Morrison Height: 176cm Weight: 78kg Rides: Pivot Firebird Lives: Canberra ‘I’m not as hard on tyres as some expect, I don’t tend to ride with inserts and run fairly low tyre pressures. I prefer to use a strong casing and soft compound, which works well on the rock and dirt around Canberra.

I’m happy taking on any kind of terrain and enjoy finding the limits of my bike and equipment.

Overall I want to trust my tyres to grip and rip.’

Bam da Silva Height: 174cm Weight: 74kg Rides: Pyga Hyrax Lives: Brisbane ‘I like fast and steep trails, and finding my limits on them. I want tyres that I know will be predictable across a range of trail conditions. I'd rather spend my free time riding, so I don’t want to spend time changing tyres, this means I look for a versatile set of tyres that wears well and has a high level of performance.’

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VITTORIA MAZZA ENDURO RACE Tester: Ryan Walsch Casing: Multi-layered 60TPI Compound: 1C Race tread Weight: 1368g (29 x 2.4)” Size: Available in 27.5 x 2.4/2.6” and 29 x 2.4/2.6” Width on DT Swiss 30mm rim: 60mm PSI for testing: 24/26.5 front/rear RRP: $119 gkasportsstore.com.au

VITTORIA MARTELLO ENDURO RACE Tester: Ryan Walsch Casing: Multi-layered 60TPI Compound: 1C Race tread Weight: 1292g (29 x 2.4”) Size: Available in 27.5 x 2.4/2.6: and 29 x 2.4/2.6” Width on DT Swiss 30mm rim: 60mm PSI for testing: 24/26.5 front/rear RRP: $119 gkasportsstore.com.au The Vittoria Martello Enduro Race is a moto inspired tread design that excels in dry to mixed terrain. It has been designed to meet the demands of the Enduro World Series rider. The round profile is heavily siped giving each knob the ability to hold onto the slipperiest of surfaces including loose over hardpack and rock. The 1C Race compound is soft and tacky, made supple with the addition of Graphene plus the infusion of Silica. It manages to be supple and durable while also reducing trail chatter.

The Martello Enduro Race casings felt very supple before fitting, were tight and secure on the rim during and seated well. I setup the Martello (and the Mazza) with 2-3psi higher than I finished with, as at first I wasn’t sure the casings would provided protection for the rims.

After one ride I dropped lower and had a much better ride, with all the protection and support needed.

While pitched as an allrounder for mixed terrain, the open and aggressive tread on the Martello Enduro Race is brilliant at ripping into softer or loose dirt and debris. It was still surprisingly good on loose over hardpack and rock, but it works best the looser it gets. The tread pattern is similar to some of the industry favourites with Vittoria’s twist on the knob’s siping, a stepped shoulder and a taller shoulder knob which allows riders to hold an edge without the side knob folding over and undercutting the knob itself.

Braking is very good, even when leaning into a turn and transitioning from the centre to side knobs. Acceleration and rolling is good considering the weight and tall aggressive tread layout. The 1C Race Compound is what I’m impressed by most, remaining soft enough to provide chemical grip on challenging surfaces and dampening trail chatter better than many other tyres. Riding the Vittoria tyres left me questioning my current tyre pressures, if inserts are required, and if one compound blend should be able to work on such a variety of trail surfaces.

The Martello has a surprisingly beefy construction with a brilliant do-it-all compound that will hook up on almost anything well and survive to tell the tale. It suits the Enduro racer and the rider who likes the finer things in life like quality construction and a brilliant trail feel. I would suggest the Vittoria Mazza on the front pared with the Martello on the rear for an aggressive combination, this is where I ended up after trying both combinations around Canberra and south coast regions in both very wet and very dry conditions.

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The Vittoria Mazza Enduro Race is an aggressive, purpose-built all-conditions Enduro race tyre. This mixed terrain tyre has tall centre knobs and even taller side knobs than the Martello, with a sturdy shoulder knob giving the tyre a squarer profile that holds an edge when cornering. The 1C Race compound is soft and tacky, made supple with the addition of Graphene plus the infusion of Silica which yields a tyre that reduces trail chatter.

Vittoria’s Enduro Race casings are very supple, but fit snugly and inflated easily to be airtight. I did set these up with more pressure at first as I expected to need that for the support I like. But I dropped a few psi after my first ride.

The Mazza Enduro Race tyre is brilliant at digging into softer or loose dirt and debris thanks to the open and aggressive tread design.

It is chonkier than the Martello and that shows in truly loose terrain.

This is not suggesting that it doesn’t roll well or hook up on loose over hardpack and rock, as it surprised me how it found traction on harder surfaces. But it works best the looser it gets. The tread pattern’s twin block design is similar to other brands in a way, but Vittoria’s stepped siping, stepped tread and very tall edge knobs really translate to a tyre that finds, and holds, traction in a wide variety of terrain.

While at 1350g it is weighty, the acceleration is still very good despite the meaty tread height. Braking is exceptional, even when leaning into turns. The extra tread depth would make it a standout choice on the back on the steepest and loosest terrain for braking traction. The Mazza was a surprisingly capable tyre that offered more support and protection than I expected when fitting it. The aggressive tread works better the harder you push it. I really enjoyed the high quality rubber compound that found grip across a wide range of surfaces, yet didn’t wear fast or roll slowly By the end of the test period I was running the Mazza on the front and the faster rolling Martello on the rear. I found this combination ideal for a lot of Australian conditions, including some very wet and very dry trails.

PIRELLI SCORPION RACE ENDURO T Tester: Hayden Wright Casing: DualWall (2 x 120TPI) Compound: SmartEvo DH Weight: 1195g (27.5”) Size: 27.5 x 2.5” (29” also available) Width on DT Swiss 30mm rim: 60mm PSI for testing: 26 RRP: $135 FESports.com.au

PIRELLI SCORPION RACE ENDURO M Tester: Hayden Wright Casing: DualWall (2 x 120TPI) Compound: SmartEvo DH Weight: 1303g (29”) Size: 29 x 2.5” (27.5” also available) Width on DT Swiss 30mm rim: 60.5mm PSI for testing: 22 RRP: $135 FESports.com.au Pirelli have pulled no punches when marketing their new Race line of Scorpion MTB tyres. World Cup supremacy is their goal, and the M tread pattern is leading the charge on their behalf. Designed with versatility and predictability at the top of their list of priorities, this relatively new tyre from Pirelli features softer compounds and thicker sidewalls than anything we have seen from them previously. The tread follows a staggered 2-2-2 pattern, with tall and deeply siped corner knobs which combine to give a rounded overall profile. The DualWall casing on the EN (Enduro) model consists of 2x120TPI layers, to be as supple as possible to provide a damped ride character, while also being robust and supportive.

A dual compound rubber has also been designed specifically for the Race range of tyres, featuring a noticeably softer feel than what is used on the Scorpion Enduro range of tyres also tested.

Confidence inspiring is the first phrase that comes to mind when I think about what it feels like to ride on the Pirelli Scorpion Race Enduro M. The soft rubber, supple casing, and predictable tread pattern meant I thought about riding, not the tyres. This tread pattern is a blast, and I was hooning down my local trails as fast as possible. I primarily attribute this to the staggered 2-2-2 tread pattern with no dead zones or vague handling traits thanks to the introduction of an intermediate knob. This led to consistent straight line and lean angle traction on everything from hard pack to wet roots. Braking performance was also trouble free, with steady tracking in steep sections where control is paramount. On the steeps I noticed the casing doing a good job of aiding in braking traction, with around 21PSI being supple and supportive with no folding or burping. I did feel the rim strike some rocks on the odd occasion, but this can partially be attributed to how much confidence I had in these tyres, and how hard I was pushing as a result. Riders looking for more support could opt for the DH version, which has a 2x60TPI casing and additional sidewall support.

The soft rubber rolls slower than some of the others in the test and was quite an effort to push around on more undulating trails that lack the gradient needed to really bring it to life. It also showed little wear through the testing period, however this is expected when running a tyre on the front of any bike. You can also run this on the back end.

This tyre is perfect for the budding racer who prioritises consistent traction over all else. While some tyres might provide better braking traction or faster rolling, there are few that can match the surprise-free mixed terrain performance on offer here – perfect for amateur and elite racers alike.

Introduced alongside the Pirelli Race Enduro M was its rear specific counterpart - the ‘T’. Standing for Traction in this case, this tyre has been designed with the primary goal of providing compromise free performance for those who prioritise braking and cornering grip. To achieve this, Pirelli have designed one of the most aggressive mixed terrain tread patterns I have seen. A wide, concave centre knob that features a sharp braking edge sits proudly through the centre of the tyre, with two smaller siped knobs its counterpart in this 1-2 pattern.

The corner knobs are just as aggressive, with their tall height and deep external siping further showing the intentions of this tyre. As is with the entire Scorpion Race line, the T is uses the soft SmartEvo DH compound and is available in both downhill and enduro casings (tested here) During testing, I was riding a narrow, loose, off-camber piece of trail at a speed I was very uncomfortable with. With my eyes half shut, I was expecting the rear end of my bike to let go and drift out in the soft soil, following suite of the rider I was chasing down. But it dug in like the teeth of an excavator bucket and allowing me to stay on my line. This immense traction and braking control was a constant when testing this tyre, thanks primarily to the square and tall knob pattern. Not just a performer in loam, the Race T provided fantastic chemical grip on rocks and hard-packed soil thanks to the tacky rubber. When combined with the supple 2 x 120TPI casing the tyre delivers a beautifully damped ride. Testing pressures settled in at around 26psi, which gave a good compromise on support and rim protection. I did venture lower than this, but dented a rim.

All of this traction does come at a cost, with the rolling speed being noticeably slower than some others on test. The use life is also quite short compared to many of the other tyres in this test. At 12 hours of use the Pirelli Race T was heavily worn and not far off needing replacement. This is to be expected for a soft compound rear tyre with pure race intentions.

The Pirelli Scorpion Race Enduro T should be at the top of the list for any enduro racer who is charging steep trails, pushing braking points, and looking for every second on their way to the finish line.

The soft compound and aggressive tread does lead to a short use life and slow rolling speed, but on the right trail and under the right rider this tyre is an absolute stunner.

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SCHWALBE TACKY CHAN Tester: Ben Morrison Casing: Super Trail Compound: Addix Soft Weight: 1140g (29”) Size: 29 x 2.5” (27.5” also available) Width on DT Swiss 30mm rim: 57.5mm PSI for testing: 22/24 front/rear RRP: $124.95 bikebox.com.au

SCHWALBE HANS DAMPF Tester: Ben Morrison Casing: Super Trail Compound: Addix Soft Weight: 1029g (29”) Size: 29 x 2.35” (27.5” also available) Width on DT Swiss 30mm rim: 57mm PSI for testing: 22/24 front/rear RRP: $124.95 bikebox.com.au The Schwalbe Hans Dampf has been around for some time and has been refined over the years to land where we are today. Billed as an all-round tyre for front and rear for use in a wide variety of conditions the Hans Dampf is well suited to mid travel trail bikes as a pair or on the rear for the longer legged bikes out there. The Super Trail casing is more supportive than the name sounds, with 3 layers of material and additional sidewall support. With a lower profile and a width of 2.35” the Hans Dampf is a pretty fast mover on the trails and offers better than expected braking with its lower profile. Despite its narrower width the rounded profile offers a predictable feel both front and rear with plenty of notice if it’s going to break traction.

Using the Hans Dampf front and rear delivered a bike that was fast and wild. Steering was light thanks to the lower tread height, but in very loose and steep terrain the steering and braking wasn’t quite ideal – however for those riding a lot of high-speed flow trails, you could slaughter your Strava times on this pair! Matching the Hans Dampf with a Tacky Chan on the front delivered a really good balance across lots of conditions except mud, thanks to the low profile and large number of knobs. The Addix Soft compound did take a bit of a hit in the wear department after the first three days of use (all shuttled). This wear did not transfer so much to the side knobs and the tyre still offered ample traction in turns while the braking in a straight line started to suffer.

The Super Trail casing offered ample support and a nice amount of trail feedback. Like the Tacky Chain rim impacts were experienced but no damage or pinch flats occurred as a result. I am impressed with the consruction of the Schwalbe tyres. When installed they sat for 2 weeks unused at 55psi and only lost 4psi and 6psi respectively, while under use during the test period no pressure was lost. Despite being on the more expensive end of the tyres on test The Hans Dampf on the rear in a combination with a Tacky Chan on the front would be a pretty good recommendation for someone who is an aggressive rider looking for a light, fast rolling setup which isn’t going to weigh you down.

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Tacky Chan is likely the best tyre name on the market and here is a fun fact: Jackie Chan’s parents own a restaurant in Canberra. Schwalbe say the Tacky Chan can be used both front and rear and like many tyres it does a very good job at both, but sometimes there is a compromise for a tyre like this depending on the intended trails ridden and this is often around braking and as such induces higher wear rates. Like the Hans Dampf, Most of my time on the Tacky Chan was on the steep trails around Hobart and Maydena where I found myself wanting a bit more assistance when it comes to slowing down than on hard pack. However, in deep loam or sand the Tacky Chan was totally up to the task. Despite the open tread in the black mud of Maydena, low speed was a game of chance coming into root sections as I found without the speed and constant braking The Tacky Chan would clog up both front and rear until you had a chance to open things up where they would clear very fast.

The Super Trail casing is spot on for aggressive riding, with a nice supple feel still delivering support. I did feel some rocks make contact with the DT Swiss rims, but I came out without any damage or pinch flats so that a pretty good indicator of what the Super Trail casing can withstand. I’ve even seen out Editor massively dent a rim without even breaking the seal on a Super Trail casing. It’s a very capable casing.

The Addix Soft compound doesn’t feel that soft to the hand, but when riding the Tacky Chan more aggressively grip is your reward for pushing and attacking the corners; the harder you push the better it is. It would be interesting to see if the Super Soft Addix compound was a bit more consistent at more relaxed pace.

While setup both front and rear they are a pretty good all-rounder and fast setup, leaving The Tacky Chan on the front and adding something to the rear like the tried and true Hans Dampf makes for a pretty good combination across almost all trail conditions (other than mud) that you are going to come across. This combination offered great braking and cornering traciton while not compromising on rolling resistance. If you want to ride hard and fast, this is a tyre option that won’t weigh you down like some, but it rewards aggressive riding with grip and support.

MICHELIN WILD ENDURO REAR Tester: Bam da Silva Casing: Gravity Shield Compound: Gum X3D Weight: 1208g (29”) Size: 29 x 2.4” (27.5” also available) Width on DT Swiss 30mm rim: 61mm PSI for testing: 23 RRP: $119.95 bikecorp.com.au

MICHELIN WILD ENDURO FRONT Tester: Bam da Silva Casing: Gravity Shield Compound: Magi-X2 Weight: 1109g (29”) Size: 29 x 2.4” (27.5” also available) Width on DT Swiss 30mm rim: 61mm PSI for testing: 20 RRP: $119.95 bikecorp.com.au The Michelin Wild Enduro Front is not only an accurately named tyre, but an old friend. A staple in my arsenal, I’ve ridden and raced on this tyre extensively over the years. Michelin, the powerhouse that it is, didn’t just release this tyre set with different tread patterns and then label them front and rear.

Everything about this front tyre is different from its counterpart on the back of the bike, down to the casing and rubber. For the front, Michelin developed a casing with three separate layers of 60 TPI to produce a supple but strong sidewall – especially for a tyre with gravity intentions. For this test we have the Magi-X2 which offers the best performance for committed riders wanting more support and grip. The tyre is also available in the Gum-3X option, which we tested in the rear. The most intriguing part about the Magi-X2 is that it’s not just a softer rubber – the construction of the knobs is made up of a harder compound rubber which is then covered by a stickier, higher grip rubber on the outside. This creates a very unique feeling on the trails.

The tread pattern is aggressive, with tall, built-up corner knobs.

This gives the tyre a square-ish profile, which combined with the large 2-2 central knobs create a meaty, ‘ready for anything’ profile.

When out riding, the general expectation from a tyre is that it puts some work into the rider/tyre relationship – the ‘work’ being support, grip and feedback. The Michelin is the opposite. It’s the first tyre I’ve ridden where the tyre itself is the one demanding the commitment and speed from the rider to deliver it’s best performance. That almost caught me out a few times in the beginning, where hitting flatter corners without much care had me tucking the front into a front wheel slide. Luckily the taller profile of the side knobs saved me binning it, however it is something to be wary of.

One area where I couldn’t produce the desired grip was over prolonged sections of roots and grimy rocks, where the spike-like shape of the knobs struggled to maintain consistent grip. I have been fortunate enough to ride this tyre in the kitty litter over compacted earth trails of Queensland as well as Portugal, where the tyre also delivered well in both granite and clay – as long as conditions were suitable and my riding matched their needs.

I’d recommend this tyre to confident riders that ride hard and commit hard in both training and racing. As a high performance tyre, they really come alive at speed. For those with a less committed or aggressive riding style, there are tyres in the market that will deliver a safer and more predictable feel.

The Michelin Wild Enduro Rear is simple and at the same time still unique like it’s front end counterpart. It’s simple as it only comes in one compound, the Gum-X3D, which is actually stickier than the base rubber used on the Magi-X2 equipped front tyre. The complexity comes from the unique casing, with 3 layers of 40 TPI material which creates a tyre with plenty of support on the sidewall and more of a dampened feel while on the trail.

It has a quite unique tread pattern – a reduced version of its front counterpart with a 2-2 configuration. Although not exclusive to the market, it’s rare to see a rear specific tyre that is not all about big rectangular blocks with sharp braking edges. The Michelin seems more focused on forward momentum and performance than slowing you down a hill, however the riding says otherwise. The knobs are not particularly large, the edges quite steep compared to the front so you know it will help where you need it the most. The side knobs are again quite steep and squared off, which is a big factor on how this tyre feels when riding it.

This Michelin combo is not exactly a speedy set of tyres. Although not heavy, when compared to other options, they just don’t roll as fast. Having tested these just after the Bontrager SE6/5, there was a noticeable difference in rolling resistance – amongst other performance considerations. The rear really compliments the front and they work great together, with it also delivering a similar feel to how the front performs once you’re at speed. Great support on the side knobs once again and in many instances where other tyres would have let go, I felt the rear pushing me forward, staying high on the line and delivering excellent grip. Like the front tyre, push it hard, give it what it needs and it will reward you.

The knob configuration, although not as harsh on its response to brake input, felt like it allowed me to harness my speed better, with more control.

Perhaps it did so at the detriment of outright grip, but never felt like it wasn’t enough. As I had been fortunate to ride this tyre for an extended period in the past, I can comment on the long-term longevity of this tyre. Or better yet, the medium-term longevity as I never felt the tyre lasted long enough! The wear on the rear Michelin is substantial and noticeable after only a few solid rides, particularly as the side knobs start to shear and lift.

While the front tyre would still have plenty of life left, the rear looked and felt like a semi-slick. Luckily, the rubber compound extends all the way through the tyre, so the chemical grip was still readily available.

Like the front tyre, there are better options for riding in wet roots and rocks (hero grippy granite being the exception). But for all else these are a performance tyres that really come alive when being ridden with determination and race intent.

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CST BFT Tester: Ryan Walsch Casing: 60TPI Compound: EPS Weight: 1004g Size: 29x2.4” (2.25” also available) Width on DT Swiss 30mm rim: 58mm PSI for testing: 24/26.5 front/rear RRP: $69.95 kwtimports.com.au

MAXXIS ASSEGAI Tester: Ryan Walsch Casing: Double Down Compound: MaxxGrip 3C Weight: 1348g Size: 29x2.5” (27.5” and 2.6” also available) Width on DT Swiss 30mm rim: 59mm PSI for testing: 24/26.5 front/rear RRP: $134.95 kwtimports.com.au The Maxxis Assegai was developed with the GOAT, Greg Minnaar. His signature tyre needs little introduction having been wildly popular for a few seasons. Its aggressive tread pattern finds traction at all lean angles on a broad spectrum of surfaces making it an exceptional choice on both front or rear. All this tractions does come at a cost of rolling resistance and pedalling efficiency.

The Double Down Casing we have on review is obviously a stiffer and more robust casing than the EXO and EXO+ casing we often see installed by manufacturers on complete bikes. The added strength has become more of a requirement for the capable bikes we charge on today. They’re still easy to fit and inflated easily with a track pump.

Thanks to deep tread, the Assegai manages to claw its way into most surfaces, clings to rocks and with its many multidirectional edges and siping even finds purchase on loose over hardpack with predictability. I am always impressed how uneventful rides around Canberra are with the Assegai. However I prefer it as a front tyre as we don’t have the vert or steeps required to need such an aggressive tyre on the rear of a bike – you’ll struggle to get this to slide into corners, it may even stand up under braking as it finds too much traction.

Braking and directions changes are really where the Assegai stands out, the steeper and faster the better, especially in the MaxxGrip 3C compound tested. Regardless of lean angle, there does always feel like there is enough grip on all surfaces I tested it on, wet or dry.

The Double Down casing adds a fair bit of heft over the EXO+ but it really does add security and surefootedness when the going gets rough, fending off sharp rocks and squirm easily without the ride feeling dead and sluggish like a DH tyre can. I find when pairing the Assegai with a Maxxis DHR II or even a Dissector a predictable slide can be encouraged more easily and it made the ride feel more lively than just turning on rails.

The Maxxis Assegai DD 3C MaxxGrip is a tough and predictable allrounder that will hang onto to almost any surface regardless of the conditions. Be mindful that all this grip comes at a cost, and a faster rolling rear may be required to keep your speed up.

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The CST BFT is a familiar looking yet no frills tyre by Maxxis’ parent company CST. While its branding is not as snazzy, its TLAs (three letter acronyms) may differ, it looks and feels like its premium cousin in the hands and on the trail. Pitched as trail tyre for the longer travel crowd, the BFT or Big Fat Tyre isn’t quite as fat as the name suggest, weighing in as one of our lighter and also the cheapest of contenders. It does have slightly lower profile knobs indicating weight saving, less rolling resistance and quicker acceleration on the climbs which will suit riders whom may not look to charge rocks with aggression or disregard. The BFT is a composed trail tyre with a fast rolling tread that benefits from being run at lower pressure spreading its tread over the terrain.

Its thinner sidewalls did make me nervous initially and I ran higher than the final test pressures. It did feel better in the rocks and jank the grip suffered on the loose over hardpack. I dropped it back down slightly and found the grip I was chasing – bear in mind the BFT is a trail tyre and not an enduro race tyre.

My time on the CST BFT had a shaky start with the rear blowing off the rim when installing at 38psi with a compressor, I nervously reinstalled it and despite an ever so very slight wobble it performed faultlessly through the test.

The CST BFT works in a variety of conditions, but works best in dry or damp, firm or loose trail conditions. Wet rock or roots may be a challenge due to its firmer and more durable compound but overall it is a well behaved and predictable tyre that is half the price of some of its competition with no less quality than its premium brands arsenal.

GOODYEAR NEWTON MTR Tester: Hayden Wright Casing: EN (2 x 120TPI) Compound: Dynamic Grip 3 Weight: 1171g (27.5”) Size: 27.5x2.4” (29” also available) Width on DT Swiss 30mm rim: 58.5mm PSI for testing: 25 RRP: $100 goodyearbike.au

GOODYEAR NEWTON MTF Tester: Hayden Wright Casing: EN (2 x 120TPI) Compound: Dynamic Grip 3S Weight: 1286g (29”) Size: 29x2.5” (27.5” also available) Width on DT Swiss 30mm rim: 61mm PSI for testing: 21 RRP: $100 goodyearbike.au Front specific gravity tyres have become quite ubiquitous over the past few years. Most if not all brands offer tyres which look to offer predictable grip right across the spread of the tread in an attempt to help you pilot your bike with as much confidence as possible. The Newton MTF is Goodyear’s front specific offering with a siped 2-2 tread pattern which has every second set of knobs spaced so wide it could be considered an intermediate knob. This gives huge space for mud clearance, but also decreases the potential for mechanical grip the tyre will have on hard or slippery surfaces. The corner knobs are widely spaced and have an intermediate height. Available in three casings and one front specific compound, we have been riding the EN variant which has two layers of 120TPI casing which sandwich a butyl sidewall support. The rubber compound is of triple density and varies across the tread to increase grip at lean angles while maintaining good rolling speed through the middle knobs.

My first few rides on this tyre were in and after some big rain storms, and as such I was treated to some absolutely goldilocks dirt conditions. Initial impressions were very positive, and I quickly took to the rounded profile and consistent feel of the Newton MTF. The laterally staggered tread pattern leaves little grey area as you lean the tyre over, with no nasty surprises or wash outs on steep terrain and through long off-cambers. At 21psi the carcass was noticeably supple and had a slow rebound, which helped calm and trail chatter and increase tracking. Rolling speed was on the faster side for a tyre of this style, which can be attributed to the centre knobs which have a ramped front edge and firmer compound than the edge knobs. Wide spacing did a great job of clearing mud, leaving the tread free to chomp into any soft terrain. Some buff hardpack trails later in my 10 hours of testing did corrode my confidence. In these conditions I felt the tyre had a tendency to be a little vague. Whether this is due to the wide tread spacing or firmer centre knobs is difficult to distinguish but that is where I would anticipate changes being required to increase performance in those conditions.

Hard wearing, consistent and supple are three words that come to mind when I think of this tyre. While not being the best performer on pure hardpack trails, the MTF’s ability to dig into and clear soft soils while maintaining good rolling performance was admirable. In the right conditions I felt right at home with the Newton MTF on the front of my enduro bike, with a flurry or Strava PRs to prove it.

The Newton MTR is Goodyear’s rear specific gravity tyre, and like the Newton MTF follows what is now a tried and true formula for success in this product type. The tread pattern certainly looks familiar, because it is very, very similar to the Maxxis DHR II. This should not be considered a bad thing, as the DHR II is held in high regard here at AMB, and the Australian mountain bike community at large for being a fantastic rear specific gravity tyre. It’s only once you dive into the details that the differences start to emerge between the two, through the casings, compound and tread specifics. Built upon a 2x120tpi casing which includes additional bead protection and support through the addition of a butyl support strip, Goodyear have also devised their own rear specific triple compound rubber which prioritises rolling resistance in a straight line and lean angle traction. In profile this tyre is about as square as they get thanks to the tall side knobs, which are deeply grooved to increase their pliability.

While there are downhill and trail versions of this tyre available, we were provided with the enduro (EN) variant and tested it as such.

Pressures tested varied anywhere from 24 to 28psi, with 25psi being the final resting place. At this pressure the casing provided plenty of support and a surprising amount of rim protection while remaining soft and supple. The rubber compound on these tyres is a little firm, however the duality provided by the casing gave a fantastic ride quality when pushing hard into turns and using high amounts of lean angle.

The malleable casing really brought the tread pattern to life, leading this to be one of my favourite rear tyres in recent memory. Of particular note are the tall side knobs, which deform well under load and really dig into soft and loose soils with a predictable nature. Climbing and rolling performance was good considering the MTR’s weight and knob height, thanks primarily to the firm and durable Dynamic Grip 3 rubber.

The only place where this tyre left some performance to be desired was on wet roots and rock. In these scenarios the chemical grip on offer felt lower than comparable tyres from Pirelli or Maxxis.

Aggressive riders who prioritise lean angle traction, bump absorption and value from their rear tyres would be well placed on the Goodyear MTR. While not quite offering the get out of jail free braking performance of a Pirelli Race T, or the wet weather performance of a Continental Kryptotal R it does come in at nearly 30% cheaper with comparative performance. Keep in mind there are also downhill and trail casing options should you want to get that ever-familiar tread pattern in a configuration that better suits your riding.

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CONTINENTAL KRYPTOTAL RE Tester: Bam da Silva Casing: Enduro Compound: Soft Weight: 1159g (29”) Size: 29 x 2.4” (27.5” also available) Width on DT Swiss 30mm rim: 58mm PSI for testing: 21psi RRP: $144.99 TMOsports.com.au

CONTINENTAL KRYPTOTAL FR Tester: Bam da Silva Casing: Enduro Compound: Soft Weight: 1220g (29”) Size: 29 x 2.4” (27.5” also available) Width on DT Swiss 30mm rim: 58mm PSI for testing: 21 RRP: $144.99 TMOsports.com.au I’ve always heard that, as a parent, you shouldn’t have favourites.

However when it comes to tyres, I will have to admit that the Continental Kryptotal FR (and its respective rear sibling) seems to deliver everything I require in a tyre. Continental hit the market hard with an extensive range of tyres with 40 different variations between wheel sizes, casings, compounds and tread patterns.

The FR and RE versions of the Kryptotal share the same construction, same side knobs but have variations in central tread pattern.

The casing on test here is the Enduro casing, which provides balance between weight, support and puncture resistance. Just like with the casing, we also have a choice on compound. We tested the soft compound, the middle-of-the-road option in the range. The tread pattern on the FR is a typical 2-3-2 with substantial ramping on the front edge of the knobs and deep siping cuts – although I noted these don’t extend to the full length of the knob, which is different from most of the other tyres tested. Another unique feature of both Kryptotals is the slight angled shape of the side knobs, with their internal edge facing inwards towards the centre of the tyre.

The Kryptotals are quite low volume compared to others on test, which is to be expected at 2.4” width, but most of all that low volume is felt in their ability to gain and maintain speed on the trail. I didn’t expect a tyre with such gravity intentions to roll as well as it does, perhaps a byproduct of the reduced siping cuts and slanted centre knobs combined with a rounded profile. What really surprised me was the predictable nature of the tyre. There is no hesitation in pitching the tyre from the centre to the side knobs, with plenty of support and feedback coming up to the grips which gives you the confidence to continue to push into the corner. The side knob orientation seems to play a big part in this, by allowing the tyre to always have a wide area of contact with the ground.

The capacity to roll at speed and confidence inducing nature when cornering is also matched with a great strength under braking, feeling again predicable and easy to read.

This tyre is suitable for a far broader range of abilities, it gives you what you need with less input in comparison to the Michelins, but not at the detriment of rider performance. While it’s great for those who might have a less aggressive riding style, it does not limit those who ride hard out. It does have a hefty price tag, however I would definitely put it up there as one of the most worthy upgrades you can put on your bike.

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The Continental Kryptotal RE is a natural partner to the FR version with similar characteristics that really allow them to work as a unit under you. The Kryptotal Rear shares the same Enduro casing and soft compound. This tyre has felt more than adequate for everything I’ve thrown at it, however more aggressive or heavier riders would potentially want to look at the downhill casing as an alternative.

Having not tested the other compounds, I can’t speak for how well they’d perform, however the soft compound, in my opinion would be suitable for the vast majority of all use cases.

Durability seems to be quite high, which is always a plus when you’re paying premium prices. Looking at the tread, the tyre follows a conventional 2-2 blocky pattern but due to their size and hard edges on the back-side of the knob, there is no doubt this tyre is designed to grab dirt and grip tight. The rear tyre shares the same side knobs as the front, maintaining the angled position and beefy appearance.

Mounting the Continental tyres was the hardest of the three sets I tested – mainly due to the aramid bead that really stiffens the edge of the tyre. I didn’t need any more than a single tyre lever, but this is a consideration if you are using a high-volume tyre insert such as CushCore. Inflation was easy, just as like all the other sets, only needing a floor pump.

I have been very impressed with the Kryptotals combination. The rolling speed is ample. They roll faster and with less effort than you’d expect considering how much raw grip they boast on steep terrain. The rear performs just like the front – predictable, while making it easy to push to and sustain you at your limit. You feel like you know exactly what the tyre is doing and how it will respond to your input and to the trail changes.

Under heavy braking, there is a real on-off feel from the lugs when applying heavy brake forces but under controlled modulation they will respond just as well, which really helps in conditions where control is more important than outright power. That could be loose over hardpacked earth, steep and technical trails, or even just feathering speed on high speed flow trails.

A rider looking for a confidence inspiring rear tyre should really consider the Kryptotal Re as a great option – the price will certainly be an obstacle for some, but the tyre will reward you with some of the best characteristics you could ask for.

CST GRAVATEER Tester: Ben Morrison Casing: DH Compound: EPS 3C Triple Weight: 1520g (29”) Size: 29 x 2.5” (27.5” also available) Width on DT Swiss 30mm rim: 58mm PSI for testing: 20/22 front/rear RRP: $84.95 kwtimports.com.au

MAXXIS MINION DHF Tester: Ben Morrison Casing: Double Down Compound: MaxxGrip 3C Weight: 1286g (29”) Size: 29 x 2.5” (27.5” also available) Width on DT Swiss 30mm rim: 61mm PSI for testing: 20/22 front/rear RRP: $134.95 lustyindustries.com The Maxxis Minion DHF - where do you start without giving a history lesson or rattling off all the races it has won, or the brands that have a tyre that sort of looks like it?

For me The Maxxis Minion DHF is almost the perfect tyre and what I use front and rear 90% of the time. My go to setup on my Pivot Firebird is exactly what we were supplied: 3C MaxxGrip with their Double Down casing. What I love about the Minion DHF is that its never really changed over the 20+ years it has been around, other than sidewall and compound offerings. It is also a tyre that works very well both front and rear but in different ways. As a front tyre it offers exceptional grip in most conditions and rolls really well even with its square knob profile. This profile also means that cornering is very predictable – to a point. The Minion DHF has a pretty obvious point where it starts to lose grip and once you find and get used to it it’s something you can really take advantage of. On the rear this point of grip loss makes the Minion DHF quite easy to control and slide around, especially if you are a foot out rider when it comes to corners. What you do loose in rolling speed you get in the ability to brake and slow down using the square knobs to dig into the trail allowing quite a predictable braking feel.

To speed things up, many riders like a Minion DHF front and Dissector rear. Both tyres have a similar feel on the rear in corners, but the Dissector is a bit quicker on the anti grip of UC Stromlo Forest Park. I know quite a few people like to run DH casing tyres on their Enduro bikes but with Maxxis offering 3C MaxxGrip in a variety of side walls if find that you can really pick and choose based on riding style and terrain. I’ve run an EXO+ Minion DHF on the front without issues.

If you are looking for a solid performing tyre for any wheel size from 20-29” that is offered in every compound and casing combination Maxxis make (19 versions just for 29”) you can’t really look past The Minion DHF as your next front or rear tyre setup. This means you can get a lighter casing Minion DHF for downcountry use, or go all in for the DoubleDown casing like I had on test – with different casing options and compounds in-between. Some may say it is the vanilla choice of tyres, but vanilla is a good flavour, very popular, and you know what you’re going to get.

The CST Gravateer was a total surprise package on this group test!

Based on the 1520g weight alone these are a tyre I would look straight past for a DH bike let alone my Firebird even at $84.95, but let’s put that aside and chat about how you should never judge a book by its cover.

Installation was pretty easy, all done by hand and the Gravateer inflated without issues as you would expect from a tyre with a DH casing. 1520g is a fair bit on each wheel but if I gave you my bike to ride (not pickup) you wouldn’t notice it. I know others have ridden the Gravateer and moaned about the weight, but honestly it was not an issue. This is likely all attributed to the outstanding lack of rolling resistance, which is noticeably faster than the Pirelli Scorpion Enduro M tyres I have come off that are over 500g lighter and more expensive than the Gravateer.

Despite all the weight CST have managed to keep a very supple feel to the Gravateer, thanks to their triple compounds rubber.

During my time on the Gravateer I settled on what some may deem to be rather low pressures of 20psi front and 22psi rear. I found with the supportive DH casing I was able to reduce pressure creating a smooth ride to add a little more grip but not lose too much in rolling resistance.

It should come as no surprise that the EPS 3C Triple compound offers truckloads of grip considering CST and Maxxis have the same parent company. Despite its slightly different siping and ramping you can’t help but feel the Gravateer was inspired by the Minion DHF, in fact to touch both 3C MaxxGrip and EPS 3C feel pretty much the same. The amount grip on Stromlo’s “anti-grip” was perhaps the biggest surprise, it is not unusual to have tyres roll fast there but often that speed is worthless if they don’t grip especially considering how fast you lose any elevation there. By the same token the grip was excellent in the soft dirt of Canberra’s pine forests.

Personally I loved these and while in Maydena I saw many hire bikes sporting them too, this is testament to the value and performance of the Gravateer. With fast rolling speed and outstanding grip at a very competitive price I think the Gravateer is worth a look especially considering they have worn better than some other tyres on test.

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SPECIALIZED BUTCHER Tester: Hayden Wright Casing: Grid Trail (1 x 60TPI) Compound: Gripton T9 Weight: 1023g (29”) Size: 29 x 2.3” (26”, 27.5” also available) Width on DT Swiss 30mm rim: 58mm PSI for testing: 24 RRP: $90 specialized.com/au

SPECIALIZED ELIMINATOR Tester: Hayden Wright Casing: Grid Trail (1 x 60TPI) Compound: Gripton T7 Weight: 960g (27.5”) Size: 27.5 x 2.3” (29” also available) Width on DT Swiss 30mm rim: 59mm PSI for testing: 28psi RRP: $80 specialized.com/au The Specialized Eliminator features a relatively complex tread pattern designed with versatility across a wide variety of terrain in mind. A 2-2-3 tread pattern spreads through its 3 steps to introduce the transition knob. The corner knobs also follow a 3 stage pattern, which introduces internal steps to the knob as they get progressively smaller.

Siping has been placed laterally on the centre knobs to aid in braking performance, with medial siping on the corner knobs to help encourage them to deform when at lean angle. As with most Specialized tyres there is a long list of available compound, casing and size combinations to choose from with the Grid Trail Gripton T7 version here being the lightest and hardest wearing available.

First impressions of the Eliminator were just how fast it rolled relative to the heavy and soft enduro tyres I typically run on the rear of my enduro bike. The low centre profile and fairly firm rubber compound makes it easy to build and maintain speed on flowy, undulating trails where acceleration and rolling performance outweigh the importance of traction under heavy braking. It seems to be feast or famine with this tyre in a straight line, as I was either blasting smooth hardpack trails faster than ever before or blowing turns and going into the bushes on slow, steep trails where I tried to maintain my typical braking points.

That’s not to say the tyre didn’t grip under brakes. I really enjoyed the tall corner knobs on the Eliminator, and found they did an admirable job of providing traction on any soft or loose soil at an aggressive lean angle. The singly ply 60TPI casing gave me no issues during ~10 hours of testing time, however I did need to run fairly high pressures to get both the support and confidence needed when pushing my own limits.

Wear was next to non-existent, proving this tyre is a fantastic budget option given it’s relatively low RRP compared to most tyres on test.

While it is also available in the softer Gripton T9 compound, this would decrease rolling speed and use life for what would be marginal gains of chemical traction on hard pack and some braking performance.

The Eliminator sits in a grey area somewhere between an enduro tyre and a semi-slick. While lacking braking traction for steep and loose terrain, it rolls fast and has very consistent performance across the tread, making it a fantastic option on the rear of any trail or enduro bike with the appropriate casing to suit the end use.

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Specialized’s Butcher was first introduced in 2010, and has been piloted by some of the sport’s best since then. While some of the casing and compound technology used on this tyre has changed in the past decade, it still carries the same 2-2 tread pattern and promises of supreme performance as a mixed terrain gravity tyre. The Butcher has ramped, siped centre knobs and tall corner knobs that alternate in their pattern - combining to make a tyre that is quite square in profile and surprisingly light given the height and size of the knobs. As is with the Eliminator tyre there is a wide variety of casings, compounds and sizes available. I paired the Butcher with the Eliminator rear tyre and as such have focussed primarily on its application as a front tyre, with the trail casing and softest available Gripton T9 compound.

This tyre blurs the lines between trail and enduro suitability thanks to its combination of a soft rubber compound and light, malleable casing.

Chemical grip was impressive, as the tacky Gripton T9 rubber did a good job of grabbing on to any hard terrain in its path. While the transition from center to side knobs was not as smooth as many of the new-school 2-3-2 style tyres on test, the Butcher still performed fairly consistently as long as you were aggressive with your introduction of lean angle to the tyre. Similarly, braking performance was good but not great. The lack of an intermediate knob (the 3 in a 2-3-2 pattern) led to what I felt was a tendency for the Butcher to track in a straight line under heavy braking scenarios at low speed. In these scenarios, I felt a little like a locomotive, steaming along slowly my tracks in a straight line regardless of where my heart wanted to go on the trail.

Conversely, this tyre rolled surprisingly well given the knob size and height, and when combined with the aforementioned T9 rubber made for a fantastic hard-packed tyre. The Butcher would make a fantastic rear option on an Enduro bike in the thicker Gravity casing. The Grid Trail casing gave no issues with burping, folding or pinch flats however I did have to run slightly higher than normal pressures (24psi) to ensure I had the sidewall support and rim protection I wanted. This came at the sacrifice of some small bump absorption and tracking feel.

Riders who frequent hardpack, loose over hard and intermediate terrain should consider the Specialized Butcher. It is a veritable all rounder with a good range of braking and cornering grip for all but the most extreme terrain, with a huge range of size options, excellent availability and impressive value.

MAXXIS DHR II Tester: Ryan Walsch Casing: Double Down Compound: MaxxTerra 3C Weight: 1348g Size: 29 x 2.5” (27.5” and other sizes available) Width on DT Swiss 30mm rim: 59mm PSI for testing: 24psi Front or 26.5psi Rear RRP: $134.95 kwtimports.com.au

MAXXIS DISSECTOR Tester: Ben Morrison Casing: Double Down Compound: MaxxGrip 3C Weight: 1156g (29”) Size: 29 x 2.4” (27.5” also available) Width on DT Swiss 30mm rim: 57.5mm PSI for testing: 21/23 front/rear RRP: $134.95 lustyindustries.com Having a collaboration with a brand like Maxxis must mean you know a thing or two about going fast and our very own Troy Brosnan knows a thing or two about that – the Dissector is his tyre, being launched a few years ago. The Dissector is probably the perfect trail bike tyre you can get, it comes in almost every side wall and rubber combo Maxxis offer, rolls fast and brakes well. It’s also designed to be the perfect tyre for loose over hard pack, something that Australia has lots of.

A few things that stand out over other Maxxis tyres and stand true with speed is its width being 2.4” not the more normal 2.5”, it’s faster rolling and lighter weight than the popular Assegai as well. I have a fair bit of experience with the Dissector running it both front and rear, although on a longer travel bike it suits rear use, combined with a Maxxis Minion DHF. I frequently run this combo in Double Down casings for both tyres. Whereas on something like a modern trail bike running 120-140mm of travel they make a great front and rear combo, a little skinnier, faster, predictable and still with plenty of grip. Mix this with an EXO+ casing and that’s an outstanding combo Using a Double Down casing and MaxxGrip rubber I found that on the rear you do play with durability as a trade off with the soft compound.

The Dissector is also available in MaxxTerra for better tread life. But in my mind its worth the grip and shorter life with MaxxGrip especially given the shorter knobs of the Dissector and its tendancy to skip across the terrain under braking, having the softer compound allows the Dissector the opportunity to grab on and slow things down a little.

If you ride trails that are mostly loose over hard pack and not incredibly steep, you can’t go wrong with a Dissector on the rear. If you are looking for a little more speed on the shorter travel bike but don’t want to sacrifice grip give one a go on the front too.

The DHR II or Downhill Rear is an update of one of Maxxis’ longer standing tread patterns and a pattern that is frequented on both the front and rear of many professional’s bikes. The DHR II shares the same side knob as the brand’s iconic DHF (or Downhill Front) tread, with wider ramped centre knobs it is designed to grip harder under brakes yet roll more efficiently as the ramped leading edge contacts the ground.

The Maxxis DHR II in Double Down casing and the 3C MaxxTerra Compound was sent for test. This has an intermediate triple compound with a little more durability over the Maxx Grip we have on our Assegai test tyre. The 3C Maxx Terra still has the same arrangement of compounds, i.e. softer side knobs, slightly firmer centre knobs with a firmer compound underneath providing support and stabilility, these three compounds are just firmer across the board decreasing rolling resistance and increasing overall speed and durability.

Braking on the DHR II is exceptional, especially when in a straight line thanks to its wide centre knobs that push into the dirt. The transition onto the side knob is less predictable than the Assegai or DHF which have a rounder profile and less void between rows. That being said, in loose soil I have had great experiences on them front and rear as they roll well and shed debris easily. These wide ramped knobs however do not wear as well as some other rear tyres and the knobs were showing signs of undercutting on the side and centre knobs, both front and rear (obviously more on the rear).

The Maxxis DHR II is a cult classic, available in so many casings from EXO, EXO+, DD and DH, with numerous single and 3C compound variations and sizes; there really is an option for all rider and bike types. I believe the DHR II is best when run on the rear and paired with an Assegai or DHF 3C MaxxGrip up front. This is a versatile combination for a variety of trail surfaces, in particular when it is loose and the knobs can find purchase into the ground, they spin up well, generate good speed and have excellent braking.

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BONTRAGER SE5 TEAM Tester: Bam da Silva Casing: Inner Strength Compound: TM-Grip compound 50a Weight: 1110g (29”) Size: 29 x 2.5” (27.5” also available) Width on DT Swiss 30mm rim: 59mm PSI for testing: 23 RRP: $119.95 trekbikes.com/au/en_AU/

BONTRAGER SE6 TEAM Tester: Bam da Silva Casing: Core Strength Compound: TM-Grip compound 50a Weight: 1095g (29”) Size: 29 x 2.5” (27.5” also available) Width on DT Swiss 30mm rim: 59mm PSI for testing: 21 RRP: $119.95 trekbikes.com/au/en_AU/ The Bontrager SE6 Team Issue is the newest addition to Bontrager’s range of gravity tyres as well as the most aggressive of the SE tyres – a range designed, according to Bontrager, as the ideal range for aggressive trail and enduro riders looking for durability, traction and pedal-ability. The designers of the SE6 took inspiration from other well-known tyres in the market – very few tread configurations can deliver more rolling speed and confidence than the 2-2-3 pattern when leaning your bike over, particularly on low support corners. The proven central tread pattern carries you into the well-defined side knobs, which combined with a 120TPI casing and a unique compound called TM-Grip had me keen to try these tyres. Mounting the tyre was a breeze and once on the rim the profile of the tyre is very round, rounder than any trail or enduro tyre I have used before. Bontrager states that the SE6 can be used as both a front and rear tyre which I completely agree with.

However I matched it with an SE5 on the rear for this test.

The initial riding impression was great – I felt minimal rolling resistance from this tyre combo, feeling as if I was riding my carbon short travel bike, not my 16kg enduro bike. Unfortunately the lack of rolling resistance also resulted in lack of grip when it really mattered. It only took a few corners on steep and technical terrain to realise this tyre leaves you requiring more when you need to trust your front end.

It’s not that the tyre is not good, it just lacks the bite from the rubber compound to really give you the confidence to ride at your limit on truly steep and loose trails. I believe this tyre would do well in harder packed terrain, where support is paramount, but it made me uneasy on the loose over hard trails here in Brisbane.

In regards to wear, there’s minimal indication that the tyre has seen much use, reminding me that it is a firmer compound that delivers great durability and rolling speed as it’s saving grace. As such it is more at home on hardpacked flow trails and potentially on some deeper loam – if only we had some in Queensland to test on. This tyre would suit a rider wanting to merge their passion for all-day pedaling with the ambition to try harder trails without sacrificing rolling speed.

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The Bontrager SE5 Team is the middle-child of the gravity-oriented range of tyres from Bontrager. It’s the reliable, no-fuss sibling that just gets the job done. The SE5 shares most of the same tech as the SE6, with a proprietary rubber compound, reinforced casing and 120TPI sidewall construction. I wouldn’t rate it as a robust enduro tyre compared to some others on test, however it’s suppleness and weight are very much appreciated.

Just like the SE6, beading up the tyre was as easy as you could hope for, with a round profile showing its strength as a fast-rolling tyre. The double round of central knobs with perpendicular arrangement on the casing act as anchors when on the brakes. They are quite ramped though, so smoothness and low rolling resistance are key features of the SE5. On wet ground, the compound really struggles to find grip, similar to what I experienced with the SE6.

The substantial shoulder knobs with deep sipping grooves take good care of corner grip, although suffer from the same issue as the front – being such a round tyre, you’re just left with a lot of ground to cover before the shoulder of the tyre can sink into the ground.

As riding impressions go, the SE5 proved to be a suitable companion for a rider wanting a consistent, fast and durable tyre. I never found the SE5 to be particularly aggressive in its braking or overly grippy, which allowed me to carry great momentum out of sections where I’d usually be pedaling hard to get back up to speed. So much so that I started finding gaps that didn’t exist and tested the pinch resistance of the sidewall a couple of times – the SE5 passed that particular test with flying colours.

After a few good rides on the tyre there is some wear, however nothing significant. I believe this tyre would outlast most rubber of similar price on the market making it incredible value for money, perfect for those less fussed with outright grip who just want to have a good time with mates. I would love to see Bontrager apply a much lower durometer rubber compound on their SE Team range, as well as increase the height of the side knobs. I believe it would make for an incredible set of tyres. As is, they are a fast rolling, durable and a good match for intermediate and fast trail riding use.

PIRELLI SCORPION ENDURO R Tester: Hayden Wright Casing: Hardwall (1x60TPI) Compound: SmartGrip Weight: 938g (27.5”) Size: 27.5 x 2.4” (29” also available) Width on DT Swiss 30mm rim: 60mm PSI for testing: 28 RRP: $125 FESports.com.au

PIRELLI SCORPION ENDURO M Tester: Hayden Wright Casing: Hardwall (1x60TPI) Compound: SmartGrip Weight: 989g (29”) Size: 29 x 2.4” (27.5” also available) Width on DT Swiss 30mm rim: 58mm PSI for testing: 23 RRP: $125 FESports.com.au The Scorpion Enduro M sets out to be the one tyre to rule them all for your everyday trail rider. With predictability through a variety of terrain being their goal, Pirelli designed the M (Mixed) with a tread pattern that has siping to encourage both cornering and braking deflection in an alternating pattern. Similarly, the cornering knobs follow an alternating pattern of convex and concave shape with siping along their longer axis to help them deform to match the terrain under them while on off-camber sections or at an aggressive lean angle.

Casing options and compounds available are similar to that of the Enduro R, and should offer an appropriate choice for all but the most aggressive enduro riders. The Hardwall version we have here comes in under 1000g which is very impressive for a 29” trail tyre with an aggressive tread pattern such as this, although the weight-conscious could look at the lighter Prowall version which is surprisingly capable.

First rides on this tyre were on horribly baked midsummer trails, which really tested both the mechanical and chemical grip of the Scorpion. The tread pattern has very consistent performance across the rounded cross-section of the tyre, thanks in part to the small intermediate knob which does a great job in providing a consistent feel as you transition over to the side knobs. Rolling speed was impressive, thanks to the hard wearing SmartGrip rubber and ramped contact edges on the centre tread pattern.

The attributes which give it such good hardpack and loose-over-hard performance do leave a little to be desired when things are wet and slippery. The relatively shallow tread height and firm rubber hardness can lead to slipping and sliding around on wet roots and in deep loamy soils. This can be particularly noticed under hard braking, where I felt the front had a tendency to lock up rather than tracking.

Casing support was admirable given the tyre weight, allowing me to confidently run around 23psi without having to worry about rim damage or pinch flats. This is thanks to the unique addition of a rubber bead insert, something seldom seen on tyre outside of downhill racing.

Pirelli’s Scorpion Enduro M is a great companion for typical Australian trail riding, be it on the front or rear of your trail bike. While not having the best grip on wet roots and deep soils, it offers consistent performance on hardpack and loose over hard thanks to the staggered tread pattern. Add to this is the long use life and robust construction, it’s a great option for weekend warriors looking for a set and forget tyre.

It is hard not to jump to conclusions when looking at a tyre which has such a unique tread pattern and profile as Pirelli’s Scorpion Enduro R (Rear). Ramped knobs, shallow tread depth and a rounded cross-section all scream fast rolling and hard-pack performance in my mind.

Pirelli suggests the R is the ‘ideal tyre for balanced and varied riding.’

Maybe I have too quickly judged this book by its cover?

While there are 3 casing options for this tyre, the Hardwall version has a unique single-ply casing that is reinforced at the bead with a silicone insert like what is typically seen on downhill tyres. After a quick and easy mounting process this noticeably wide 2.4” tyre has been put to use on the rear of my enduro bike, in tandem with a Pirelli Scorpion Enduro M on the front as is recommended by Pirelli.

Undoubtedly, this is the fastest rolling tyre in this group test. After spending considerable time on the Goodyear Newton MTR and Pirelli Scorpion Enduro Race T, this tyre felt like a cheat code. My ride to the trail never felt easier, the fast flowy trails never felt more fun, and I was nudging some pedally PRs on Strava without much effort. This can be attributed to the low profile, ramped tread on the tyre. In particular, the R really came into its own on hardpack trails where the dense, firm rubber could really claw into the dirt giving a surprising amount of traction. Consistently spaced centre, intermediate and corner knobs also led to a predictable nature at lean angle. This tyre also takes the crown as the hardest wearing of any rear tyre I have used to date, which can again be attributed to the rubber compound and tread. At 27psi the casing had no fold lines or burps, and felt more supportive than Specialized’s Grid Trail casing, the other singly ply casing I had through the test. On the other side of the coin, I do feel this tyre is not suitable for varied riding as claimed by Pirelli. It lacks the braking and climbing performance of the more aggressive tyres on test, which led to a lack of confidence on the steepest terrain either up or down. On one particularly wet test ride I repeatedly got wheel spin while doing technical climbs.

Marketing claims be damned, the Pirelli Scorpion Enduro R is a fantastic option for those who ride hard-packed trails with moderate gradient. Given much of what we ride here in Australia fits that bill, I would be confident in saying this tyre would make a fantastic rear tyre for the majority of those reading this article. This tyre is almost scarily fast and brought life to trails which are usually muted when ridden with more aggressive, slower tyres. It is also hard wearing and light considering the amount of support given by the casing.

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Across all 24 different tyres that were tested, we rode options that were very capable and suited to trail and/or enduro use in different Australian settings. Of course, some suit different uses, trail surfaces or riders more than others, and different models within the same range with an alternate casing or compound may be more suitable for you.

While we’re confident you would have found the reviews useful for helping you determining what the best fit is, it is worth noting that even a minor change in the spec of a given tyre can really change how applicable it is to you and your specific needs. No two rides, nor two riders are the same – and as such it is key that you define your own hierarchy with regards to tyre performance. Those who prioritise all out traction will prefer a very different tyre to someone who is more focussed on longevity, puncture resistance or efficiency. To help guide you in the right direction, we have listed a few suggestions based on some possible use cases.

What were the tester's favourites?

Each of our testers had a personal pick from the group of tyres they had on hand. As expected, their favourite was also what they considered to be the most comfortable and confidence inspiring – a tyre which allowed them to send it as hard as possible down their favourite local trail.

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For Bam, Continental’s Kryptotal front and rear specific offerings really stood out. While they carry the highest price, the compromise free combination of traction, casing support and fast rolling across a variety of trail conditions was second to none on his steep local trails.

Hayden’s pick was the Pirelli Enduro Race M and T tyres, which had what he felt was the best combination of mechanical and chemical grip on offer for the loose-over-hard conditions he typically rides in. The 2x120tpi DualWall casing was also a standout, providing an ultra-supple ride character that had noticeable small bump absorption against the competition.

The Minion DHF/Dissector combo in from Maxxis was Ben’s standout, specifically in the MaxxGrip compound and with the Double Down casing. Consistent performance over hard-packed soils and rock was the name of the game with this combination, where the chemical grip provided by the MaxxGrip rubber nicely supported the fast-rolling ramped tread patterns on each tyre.

Finally, the tyres provided by Vittoria for test took top honours for Ryan. With the Martello on the rear and Mazza on the front Ryan had what he described as exceptional braking, good acceleration and noticeably impressive chemical grip which led to a brilliant do-it-all combination regardless of the conditions.

What should I choose for Enduro racing?

Ryan specifically quoted the Vittoria Enduro Race combination of Mazza/Martello as his pick for an enduro race setup. Their tight, secure casing and aggressive tread pattern were outshone only by the rubber compound which in Ryan’s own words was ‘…soft enough to provide chemical grip on challenging surfaces and dampening trail chatter better than many other tyres’. Another classic combination that would be well suited to a racers bike is the Maxxis Assegai and Minion DHRII. The Assegai is a near perfect all-rounder, thanks to a tread pattern that is able to claw its way onto, in and through near any surface. That, when combined with the braking performance and surprising efficiency of a DHRII gives you a pair of tyres that is ready for anything your next race can throw at you. The Pirelli Scorpion Race M and T combination in the EN casing is also high on the list of recommended tyres for Enduro racing.

Which ones are best for e-bikes?

E-bike riders are hard on their kit, plain and simple. This is primarily due to the increased mileage they can complete thanks to the motor assistance, and also due to the increased system weight that an eMTB carries over a normal bike. As such, a long lasting and durable tyre should be front of

mind for any e-bike rider. Goodyear’s Newton front and rear specific tyres fit that mould. While their tread may not have the chemical grip of some others on test, they are very hard wearing and still provide plenty of braking performance – a key when trying to stop a big E bike. Furthermore, their dual-ply reinforced casing is beautifully supple while also providing plenty of support and a tight fit to the bead, all things that should be on any e-bike riders shopping list. But any of the brands that have a variety of casings and rubber compounds are also worth looking at.

have using a big, soft gravity tyre on the same trail.

I occasionally commute to the trails on my mountain bike, which ones last the longest and roll the fastest?

Pirelli’s Scorpion Enduro M and R proved to be a fast rolling, hard wearing combination during Hayden’s testing time. While they do not offer the all-out traction of their ‘Race’ counterparts, these tyres offer good traction on hardpack soils while also rolling noticeably faster than any other tyres in his group. A fast rolling tyre can really accentuate the more mellow trails on your local loop, as you end up carrying much more speed through pedally sections and into turns. That leads to later braking points, more exit speed and in general a much more enjoyable experience than what you would

I get a lot of pinch flats on rock – what tyres would help?

This is likely more to do with setup, but if you’ve got your tyre pressure right, look to the casings. The CST Gravateer, Maxxis tyres with the Double Down, Vittoria Enduro Race, Goodyear tyres, Continental, Pirelli and Michelin all have strong casings. Look at what you’re using and see what a step up in strength is.

I always slide out in loose conditions – which tyres should I use?

There’s a lot to look at here, but tyres like the Assegai, Vittoria Mazza, Pirelli Scorpion Race M, Continental Kryptotal and others are worth a look. Overall, look at your position on the bike as well as tyre setup.

Many of the tyres tested work best when pushed hard, suiting pilots and not passengers, this includes the Schwalbe models and Michelin tyres.

If I don’t want to change tyres all the time what are the best all-rounders?

While they are a premium, the Continental Kryptotal EN Soft Compound come highly regarded. The Bontrager XR5 and XR6 are also a hard wearing mixed condition option

for fast and hardpacked trails, as is a Schwalbe Tacky Chan and Hans Dampf. The Specialized models are great all-rounders in the setup tested by Hayden, and great value – as are the Pirelli Scorpion Enduro pairing.

I am on a tight budget, which offer the best value?

CST’s Gravateer completely blew our test riders away. Not only is it one of the cheapest on test, but it offers performance that is very similar to that of those tyres which are nearly double the cost. Ben specifically enjoyed the DH casing on the Gravateer, which offered a supple and supportive ride character. Further to this, the Gravateer’s combination of grip and rolling speed was also a surprise, thanks primarily to a Minion DHF-esq tread pattern.

Given its thick, robust construction this tyre should last long enough to actually wear out the tread, proving this $85 tyre to be a real wolf in sheep’s clothing. If you are looking for something a little lighter and faster rolling, the Butcher or Eliminator from Specialized in the Grid Trail casing are worth your attention. Hayden was impressed with the rolling speed and consistent lean angle traction of this pair, so much so that they’ve become a permanent fixture on his trail hardtail after the group testing was complete.

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Photos: Gerard Lagana

CLASSIFIED

POWERSHIFT MTB

Wider gear range with smaller jumps

Pedal free shifts

Can move the heart of the system between bikes

Can increase ground clearance and shift security

Fairly specific user group for now

Expensive upgrade

Not the slickest shifting cassette

RRP: $4899 AS TESTED WITH CARBON WHEELS

From: FESports.com.au

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Just about every mountain biker uses a drivetrain, save for a few of the elite park riders like Remy Morton. We may not give our drivetrains a lot of consideration when they are working as they should be, and that has changed a lot for anyone who has been riding for more than a decade. Mountain bike drivetrains haven’t had any ground breaking changes, they still rely on a chain running over sprockets, with a derailleur used to change gears. Said derailleur is operated by a shifter – be that mechanically or electronically. There are some changes here with eMTB systems offering automatic shifting with electronic drivetrains – but they’re still moving a chain over a cassette with an external drivetrain. It’s cool, but not a ground up redesign.

Classified Powershift launched a novel concept for road, and then gravel bikes. They use existing derailleurs, chains and shifters, and pair them to their own cassettes and hubs. The neat cassettes may look pretty normal, but it is what’s inside the hub that counts. Classified use a 2-step internal gear that offers a 46% reduction gear with no loss of efficiency, and zero lag. In 2023, they released a mountain bike version. It uses an 11-40 12-speed cassette, a ring shifter that sits next to your grip that uses a Bluetooth connection via a Classified through-axle to shift the internal hub gear. You can shift while freewheeling, while pedalling, or while you aren’t even moving at all. With the 11-40 cassette and 2-step hub gear you get 16 different ratios and a 530% gear range – the largest 1x range on the market.

BUT... WHY? A lot of riders will get along just fine with the 10-51 or 10-52t 12-speed ranges from Shimano and SRAM. More range is just one of the benefits of the Classified Powershift setup. It also decreases the gap between each gear, something that riders who are racing or spending a lot of time climbing will appreciate, where the right cadence and gearing make a big difference. The smaller cassette means Shimano riders could use the XT or XTR short cage derailleur to increase ground clearance. Regardless, the cage will be higher up as it only needs to clear a 40t sprocket.

Less chain for the system cuts some weight and the load on a clutch to reduce chain slap in higher gears, reducing shifting load and potentially increasing shift security and shift speed. At 246g – the cassette is light as well. All the work happens within the hub shell, however this is removable and can be placed in different Classified hub shells if you’re really won over by the system. The shifter, hub internals and through-axle are managed via an app, so you can sync them (and check on charge) as needed from your phone. Both the axle and the shifter have charge ports – you can check the battery level via the app.

SETUP I covered this in my first look on AMBmag.com.au. I had the system on my XC hardtail, using a Shimano XT

12-speed shifter and derailleur. I used a FSA chain as Classified have stated that the Hyperglide Plus chains from Shimano don’t shift as well on their cassettes. I had the Classified wheel set provided, where their hub is built into their own 30mm internal carbon rim. But you can buy just the hub shell for your own builds.

The Classified wheel set with the 35mm wide carbon rim (30mm internal) rear wheel weighs 715g while the front is 684g. Of course the Powershift unit is an additional 499g. The shifter weighs a scant 28g and the axle is 104g. I had the wheels setup with Pirelli Scorpion XC RC 2.4” tyres and Tubolight SL liners.

The through-axle is one size fits all – which means it comes with different thread pitch ends to attach, and spacers to make sure the end is the right distance from the hub shell. These are plastic and I found they compressed more than I would have liked. This had no impact on performance, but I did need to tighten the axle a few times across my first rides. In terms of gearing, it is worth noting that the 11-40 cassette means your high gear is an 11 and not a 10, which most 12-speed systems have. I stuck with my regular 34t chain ring, but during testing I realised I should have changed that.

IN USE AND ON THE TRAIL Overall, the system is subtle in both appearances and use.

Pedalling away from home on my first test ride the only thing I noticed was I was moving towards the lowest gear on the cassette sooner than normal. It did take a couple of rides to get completely used to the system, using the toggle switch to shift into the reduction gear or to keep it normal. Given that reduction gear is actuated by Bluetooth and doesn’t need a chain to wrap around a cassette sprocket through pedalling, it is near instant.

With a 34t chain ring on the front I had a much lower gear available with the reduction gear than the 51t I would normally have. But my top gear was limited with an 11t and not a 10t. I’d suggest looking at bumping up your chain ring size if you’re looking at a Classified upgrade, as I felt like I had 3 or 4 new low gears, but was certainly missing the top end. Classified themselves suggest moving up a ring size – I just didn’t pay attention.

The thing is, all the gears have a smaller jump between them than the the low gears on a 10-51t or 10-52t cassette, which was a huge bonus for climbs, steep or not. The Classified Powershift system means you’re more likely to have just the right gear when you need it. Whether that is clawing your way up a loose climb, or edging away from a competitor depends on

choice of mountain biking.

Currently, this system is designed for the XC and trail crowd and not designed for Enduro use. However, a few riders within the AMB test team are very keen to see if an Enduro setup is released, as they love the idea of more ground clearance and small jumps between gears, but still getting that low range from the reduction gearing in the hub.

One thing I did miss was the smooth and fast shift of a Shimano Hyperglide+ chain and cassette. And riders use SRAM’s new T-type group sets may miss just how well the chain and cassette mesh. The Classified cassette is a lovely machined piece of steel, but it just doesn’t have the machined shift ramps to assist up and down shifts with matched chains like Shimano and SRAM offer. It’s a small thing, but in terms of fine detail it is something I noticed.

But the benefits of the system likely shine above the shift detail. Being able to dump the equivalent of a few gears instantly, or gain them, makes a big difference. Lost speed in a V-ditch? No worries, you can probably get started again. Want to attack over the top of the climb? Go for it, move out of the reduction range and go! Came to a stop in a stupidly high gear? Easy, just drop the reduction gear and take off again.

Throw in the benefits of a shorter chain, and even the shift security if you had a shorter derailleur and didn’t even move the mech for big jumps in gearing and the the benefits are real – specifically for those with a performance intent.

VERDICT Many might wonder what the point of the Classified Powershift system is, as 12-speed group sets from Shimano and SRAM have a very wide gear range, 1x chain ring security and simplicity, with parts that are easy to get hold of. Where the Classified system shines is for those looking for even more range, and more gear options. It really does give you a few extra gears across a slightly wider range, and for those chasing performance gains in marathons and stage races, or range for bikepacking setups, it could be exactly the solution. It is cool tech and FE Sports are backing it really solidly for customer service. I’d like to see a way to integrate the better shifting of say a Shimano HyperGlide+ chain and cassette, especially with their 10-45t model and their short cage derailleurs. The Belgian company has been continually expanding and refining their product, so I suspect we will see more in the off-road space in the future. For now, determined cross-country, marathon and trail riders who want a premium wide range system with more gears and ground clearance have an exciting new option.

111

Photos: Mike Blewitt

ABBEY

BIKE TOOLS T WAY AND BIT HOLDER

Well constructed, quality design

Very secure tool fitments

May not be your main 'go to' tool

An investment that won't be for everyone

RRP: $238 AS TESTED

leadoutsports.com.au

112

Abbey Bike Tools are known around the world for producing thoughtfully designed and made tools in Oregon in the USA. The brand was born from the real world needs of founder and owner Jason Quade and his contemporaries who were wrenching full time in shops and for pro teams. After a few short runs on some iconic tools like the Crombie, Jason took his tools into production and has continued to add tools to the range that are very high quality, and designed to improve the experience and efficiency of working on bikes.

ENTER THE T WAY Fast forward about a decade and the tool requirements for modern bikes continue to change. There are a few tools that have changed little, like the 3-way allen key that you’ll see gracing just about any work bench. Abbey have their own take with a 4-way tool with replaceable tool bits, so you could mix and match the tools you needed; such as a 4/5/6mm and a T25. The leverage on a 3-way or 4-way tool isn’t massive, but in part their ease of use is what makes them so versatile and popular.

However, with through-axles being the norm, and the need for a hefty load on a SRAM T-type group set derailleur, the T-way was developed.

This is one chonky tool being built from stainless steel right in Bend, Oregon. It weighs 202g without any of the tool bits, so you can be sure it will be around for quite some time. And that is the idea. The 3 bit holders are very snug, with a magnet embedded in each end to ensure the bits won’t be flying around when you’re in a mad rush in the workshop.

The T-way works with the same bits as Abbey's 4-way tool – and you can get a 10 bit carrier with the tool if you like, as tested

here. Lead Out Sports also sell the tool alone, or with a 4/5/T25 or 5/6/T25 setup. Note, my selection of bits is slightly different to stock as I purchased the tool on a visit to Abbey in 2023. The bit holder is also magnetised and can stick to the tool or your fridge.

IN USE I mostly leave the T-way set up with a 5mm, 6mm and T25. I don’t have a huge need for a T25 as I use centrelock rotors on almost all my bikes, but there are enough stem bolts that lurk on some bikes that it is handy to have.

The extra leverage for through axles is very much welcomed, and using the 8mm bit for removing pedals is also great. The lightly shaped head, or top of the T, is very comfortable in the hand, along with the textured section for slightly more grip – especially in a hot and humid Queensland summer.

I certainly found that whatever tool I used at the lower bit holder, or the base of the T, was not as great to use and this is just ergonomics. You end up a long way from where the tool contact is to where the handle is, which can feel pretty vague on a T25 or 4mm on something like a rotor bolt or stem face plate. Change things out to a useage case where you are adjusting B-tension on a 2mm allen key bit and it is spot on. And admittedly, I reach for a torque wrench to finish off a lot of jobs, and the lower mount is great for snugging up bolts quickly, and I think most people would equip the tool with the 3 tool bits they use the most, and only change them out occasionally.

VERDICT Some of the quality tools I own, like a Park Tool 3-way allen key, I have owned for nearly 25 years. To me, it is worth investing in good tools. I am more than happy to have bought the Abbey T-way and 10 bit set. This covers off a lot of what I need day to day, but on a fairly complete tool wall it isn’t what I reach for automatically, I still find a 3-way is my go to. But if you want something that will do a lot of jobs in a neat package that will be on hand potentially for decades – this is worth investing in.

Mike Blewitt

ANYTIME. ANYWHERE.

Introducing the next generation in UHF CB Radios, the XRS-660.

Built with a suite of new features including a Colour TFT LCD screen, Bluetooth® audio connectivity and built-in GPS functionality inside a rugged chassis featuring IP67 Ingress Protection and a MIL-STD810G rating, the XRS-660 is our toughest and most advanced Handheld UHF CB Radio yet.

gme.net.au/getxrs

Photos: Gerard Lagana

FIZIK

TERRA ERGOLACE GTX

Lightweight and low bulk

Comfortable and secure on and off the bike

Precise fit with laces

Some protection

Waterproof linings in low cut shoes have limits

Slim fit – size up for wide feet or long days

RRP: $315 fizik.com

Fizik's Terra Ergolace range includes trail shoes that are just as suited to hike-a-bike as technical trails, with clipless and flat pedal models available. They have fairly soft midsole to balance easy walking and on pedal stability, with enough protection to deal with tough trail riding, and a Vibram outersole. The Ergolace name comes from the offset lacing, which provides a completely custom fit, with even the tightest lacing spreading pressure evenly across the top of your foot In late 2023, Fizik released the Terra Ergolace GTX. All the design concepts remain, however the upper is modified with the addition of a Goretex lining, perfect for those who ride in foul conditions, or who live in climates where their riding pushes into the colder and wetter months.

A CLOSER LOOK I’ve used the Ergolace X2 previously, and really enjoyed the low weight and subtle look of the shoe. Aesthetics aside, the shoes don’t have a lot of padding, which I like.

It means they are quite fast drying so they don’t hold a lot of water after creek crossings. The tread on the sole has deep channels for grip going up, or for digging in with the heels of you need to get down something you can’t ride. The cleat channel is nice and long and allows for a wide variety of setups as well.

Fizik included a good toe bumper and a solid rubber toe bumper that wraps towards the arch, with more reinforcing on the outside of the shoe. There is an EVA midsole for all-day comfort, and while the lacing looks simple, it is easy to get the fit just right before tucking the laces away for safe keeping in the elasticated loop. The tongue is stitched to the upper up to the second highest lace loop – so in terms of being submersibly waterproof with the Goretex liner, that will only work for a shallow puddle.

The materials are a mix synthetics, and

all are quite hard wearing. I had an EU44 on test which fit true to size. I have a 4E wide foot and they are pretty snug on width, but I didn’t find them uncomfortable for trail rides up to about 3 hours. My test pair weighed about 420g per shoe before I added cleats.

ON THE TRAIL Out and riding, the Terra Ergolace GTX are a comfortable shoe. The toe box is more snug than say, a Fox Union BOA, and the midsole is softer as well. For sole stiffness the Fizik’s have more in common with a Specialized 2FO Cliplite, although that shoe has a wider toebox and the outersole isn’t nearly as capable when off the bike.

Where the Terra Ergolace GTX really shines is when your rides could well combine both on and off bike use, and in a wide variety of conditions. I didn’t venture out in the rain in these shoes but I had plenty of wet conditions to ride in, and I did appreciate the Goretex lining for that. Summer is summer, and it is worth noting that a shoe with a Goretex lining will be warmer than one without.

The Terra Ergolace paired well with my Shimano XT trail pedals, and were totally acceptable with Shimano XT race pedals as well, which I did not expect given the low stiffness rating of ‘3’. My main concern was width, as they don’t have the same give as some other Fizik shoes with a synthetic leather upper. I stayed comfortable, but I think on all-day rides my wide feet would struggle – and I should look at the 44.5.

VERDICT The Fizik Terra Ergolace is a comfortable shoe, and the new Goretex lined model will suit riders in damper climates, or those looking for a rough and tumble adventure shoe. I’d lean towards the Terra Ergolace model more than the Terra Atlas for trail riding and adventure rides, specifically for the protection and off-bike stability on offer. Currently, the Goretex model isn’t stocked in Australia, but the standard model is. Still, if you need something that can brush off wet weather and help keep you warmer, you can order these direct from Fizik’s website with global shipping.

115

MILO

ACTION COMMUNICATOR

Easy to pair and easy to use

Can be mounted, but does work ok in a pocket

Light and compact

Hands-free communication without phone service

Mount doesn’t suit mountain biking

Multiple users can create communication lag

RRP: $399 PER UNIT

From: aqipa.com/en-au/

116

Staying in touch within a small group of mountain bikers can be pretty straight forward, comical or diabolical. It really depends on the crowd, how you’re riding and the trails and setting you are in. From a work perspective, we often joke about ‘go or no’ when on shoots in the forest, as photographers or videographers get setup and call in riders. But in real world riding scenarios where the tip to tail of a riding group can extend out, keeping tabs on each end or each other can get tricky.

For a lot of Australian trail riding staying in touch is simple. Our purpose-built trails are short, and no one is ever too far away. But move to a bigger environment, or a case where there are ride leaders and things start to change. Communication moves from jokes about each other to essential communication about the group, pacing, mechanicals, potential dangers or even injuries that need attending.

Our phones are mostly ideal tools to stay in touch, especially if you’re paired with a set of Bluetooth headphones and use voice assist to send a text message or similar. I’ve often sent a message while riding, thanks to Siri, knowing it will pop up on a ride companion’s Wahoo computer. This does rely on coverage and it also relies on minimal wind noise and two devices per rider.

The Milo Action Communicator solves a few of those issues, as a 77g device that can be paired in groups. The hands-free device detects your voice, and sends your message to your group. There’s no need for any phone signal, and there’s no interference from radio waves as

when you pair the devices they make their own network.

Each device sells for $399, and comes with a mount, tethers and charging cord.

A CLOSER LOOK The Milo Action Communicator is smaller than it looks, being a bit larger than a generously sized Kingston. It has a button on the back to turn it on and off, a larger button at the 1 o’clock position, and two small ones at the 10 and 11 o’clock positions. The centre is also a big button itself, with lights around the edge of it to act as a visual indicator for volume. There’s a USB-C port for charging, and an app for software updates.

Pairing is quite simple, holding them close to each other and pushing the appropriate button will have them pair, with an audible acknowledgement. They come with an ‘Action Mount’ which is a magnetic mount with 3 rubber O-rings to fit different sized objects. The middle one suits a handlebar, and the larger one could work well on your top tube.

The microphone on the Milo device does use a lot of noice cancelling software, to break through wind noise.

You can adjust the volume for the speaker, and there is a boost mode as well!

Clearly, you need more than one of these to do anything, and you can connect up to 6 for a network. I used two riding with my wife in a few different scenarios to see what the best use case may be for mountain bikers.

Photos: Mike Blewitt

ON THE TRAIL At first, the Milo Communicator felt very gimmicky, and we mostly used them for comic relief. You can press the central button like you’re making calls on a radio, but the devices do work on voice recognition – so you don’t need to do that. On fast descents where you get spread out this actually comes in handy, especially after the Queensland storm season, being able to call fallen trees, with the message coming through to the rider behind. As long as they can hear it. We did find that at speed, unless you had the sound on the boosted setting, it was difficult to hear precisely what was said; 'log, or frog?'

We did also find that a few other noises were picked up and communicated. Sometimes a couple of aggressive gear shifts came across the system, or even trail noise under heavy braking.

It’s not bad, but it does leave you wondering if you missed hearing something important. You can turn the volume up, and I found all buttons were easy to use even with gloves on.

On our first ride out both rubber o-ring mounts broke – although these were easily subbed out with some left over Garmin bands at home. You can get arm bands as well, but I just don’t see them being great for mountain biking, with the chance of them being tugged off by a branch or foliage quite high. This would depend completely on the trails you ride. In the end, the Milo devices worked pretty well in a cargo bib pocket – certainly no worse than on the bars, and with no rattling around in the mounts.

Range is stated to be a bit over 600m. We frequently tested it at about 100m without issue, and even that feels like a long way apart when you’re meant to be riding together.

What is interesting is how the messages are sent. Essentially, what you are saying is recorded, and then sent. If you’re near the person, the other device will likely hear you as well and nothing gets sent. But when you are barely in earshot, you may still hear the person say something – and then it comes through. So there is a tiny bit of a delay. This will prevent people talking over each other (we have all been in that Teams meeting...) but it will add a delay, and I can imagine that could get frustrating if you add a third, fourth, fifth or even sixth device into the mix.

SO WHO IS IT FOR? For my day-to-day riding use, the Milo Action Communicator was a novelty, and one I don’t really need. If I am riding with a friend

or two, we ride close. If I’m riding with my wife, we are mostly wheel to wheel – we are competitive like that.

However, with a background in physical education and being very aware of how mountain biking is growing, I can see just how useful a set of these would be in any guiding or group leading settings. That could be leading a club ride with designated ride leaders, to skills sessions with a coach and assistant coach, or just larger groups of friends with fairly mixed abilities. Anyone leading a group is going to be more spread out, yet needs to stay in touch from tip to tail will find this sort of device very beneficial.

While you can only have upto six devices used at once, I see this is a leader and tail end Charlie sort of setup – maybe with another device depending on group size.

And yes, you could use a phone for this, or even a CB radio. But that relies on phone reception and taking your hands off the bars. The Milo Action Communicator is hands-free, making for more instant communication. I even think parents taking their kids to the trails would benefit, especially if one parent is riding with one junior shredder while the other rides with the junior who is not yet shredding so much – so both little groups can ride at their own paces but stay in touch easily.

In terms of riding buddies staying interconnected and sharing stoke – I think trying to hear each other audibly at speed and with the general trail and wind noise that occurs with mountain biking makes that difficult. While the devices do better at noise cancellation than any other device I have used, at certain speeds on ground that isn’t smooth, it just gets difficult and at worse – distracting.

VERDICT This is some cool tech, and likely a very handy gadget for specific use scenarios. It would be a fun gadget for a group of friends, however at $399 each I think you may struggle to get your friends to see the benefits. Flip that into a situation where you have a duty of care over a group, or you are in a work setting, and the Milo Action Communicator really comes into its own, as it doesn’t need phone reception and offers near instant hands-free communication for those who need to be in contact with each other in a group dynamic.

Mike Blewitt 117

MAXXIS

MAXXSPEED XC TYRES

RRP: $99.95

kwtimports.com.au

118

When choosing tyres for cross-country and marathon mountain biking, speed, efficiency, reliability and predictability are key. Maxxis have a few iconic treads in the XC game, with classics like the Ikon and Aspen, and more recently the Rekon Race. The Severe was seen around a lot before debut in 2023, as a wet conditions tyre to fill whyat was a big gap in the Maxxis line up.

In 2023 Maxxis also revamped one of their compounds. Many of their XC treads had been available in 3C MaxxSpeed (triple compound), like the Ikon. However the 2.4” WT (wide trail) Aspen and Rekon Race only came in dual compounds. Like any manufacturer, Maxxis wanted to improve specific traits of their XC tyres, working with top teams and athletes to get the mix just right. I spoke to Gordon Wadsworth, one of the US athletes behind the scenes trying the different compounds.

‘We came up with some pretty cool compounds that play pretty well on both trail and gravel. But they have to raise all bars in order to make it into production. The devil is always in the details and in this case it was silica ratio and type that gives the new rubber its magic. The outgoing 3C MaxxSpeed

was a great set of compromises with each hard, medium, and soft compound playing a role where its strength suited. But when we started playing around adding silica into the mix we found we could begin removing the various rubber compounds because of the silica additions.’ Maxxis were able to combine some of the best traits of soft and hard compounds in one compound for the new MaxxSpeed rubber.

‘This has been happening in automotive tyres for a while but the advances in bike tyres we are seeing with MaxxSpeed yields some of the best combinations - 25% faster, on par wear characteristics, and even cold and wet weather ride performance improvements. Removing varied compounds has some weight benefits as well as wear but the target was a faster, better tyre, and I think we nailed that!’

Over a summer of riding in a range of conditions, I can attest that the treads do roll faster, and the wear rate seems better as well – which is most noticeable on a tyre like an Aspen, which had a tendency to lose effective grip after a couple of hundred hard kilometres.

Photos: Mike Blewitt

MAXXIS IKON 29 X 2.35” | 853G | 59.5MM

MAXXIS REKON RACE 29 X 2.4” | 828G | 61MM

The Ikon tread pattern has been around for well over a decade. I previously rode and raced extensively on this tyre in 2.2”, and came back to the 2.35” 3C model in recent years for rear use. The tread is taller than many semi slicks but the close centre knobs still roll fast, with good edge knob support for a fast tyre. No questions, this is a fantastic rear tyre when you want more braking and accelerating traction. But compared to the 2.2” size the 2.35” does have slightly larger tread, and the contact patch puts more edges into the ground than you may think. This a really versatile tyre for a lot of conditions, and this has been a go-to pair for training and local racing.

Throw a Rekon 2.4” on the front and it makes for a very capable combination for more aggressive trails. The latest MaxxSpeed has made this classic even better.

I first rode the Rekon Race in 2.25”, and it became a popular semi-slick tyre for many XC mountain bikers. The 2.4” model was my go-to race front tyre for most of 2023 – with enough grip and fast rolling speed. So testing the new MaxxSpeed compound felt very familiar, again with better wear characteristics and rolling speed. The Rekon Race has a lot of small edges thanks to the wide array of low tread, but they are ramped for fast rolling.

However under cornering as the front wheel pushes they are like tiny claws into the ground – or little anchors under brakes.

This edge has worn reasonably quickly in the past, reducing overall traction a fraction – but I’ve found better wear rates with MaxxSpeed. It’s not a crazy light tyre, but it has a big volume and is a great dry conditions tyre for both ends with a large contact patch. I often run it with an Aspen in the back, or paired an Ikon or Rekon in the front for different setups. If you want something a little bit faster than the Ikon, this is a good front and rear combination for dry and lightly mixed conditions.

MAXXIS ASPEN 29 X 2.4” | 762G | 60.5MM

MAXXIS SEVERE 29 X 2.25” | 729G | 58MM

The Aspen is another classic, designed with speed and a favourite with fast kids around the globe. The Aspen has a round profile and minimal centre tread, the shoulder knobs still offer good corner support that pushes towards the transition area as well – but you need to accept that this is a semi-slick XC tyre. It moves and pushes in a controlled manner, but it also rolls so fast! I have spent a lot of time riding the previous 2.25” and 2.4” Aspen in a number of major stage races. It is fast, but can lack proper braking traction on loose terrain, bringing moments where it feels the rear wheel wants to pass the front. That’s not changing with the new compound, but I have found the wear rate is a lot better. The small centre ribs would typically tear up after a few days at a hard stage race, but I’ve found even after a few hundred kilometres of hilly training with plenty of road kilometres, the new MaxxSpeed is rolling fast and wearing better. This is a fast tyre and a great choice for race day on hardpack – or rear only for mixed conditions.

Maxxis have lacked a true wet weather tyre. I have a set of unused Beavers, but have typically relied on the Ardent Race, Rekon or old Forekaster in damper conditions. The Severe laughs at all of these in wet and soft conditions. Thanks to close centre tread it still rolls well – unlike a Forekaster – although the raised ribs do resemble the older model. The narrower 2.25” width cuts weight but also aids in frame and fork clearance. I found the round profile and smaller size very agile, and putting some lean into these tyres even in mixes of wet clay and roots was a blast. I was actually really surprised how effective the tread is. The alternating edge knob and transition knob find plenty of grip in soft terrain – although they do feel quite odd on fast road corners. I didn’t ride in any peanut butter death mud thankfully, but I think in most wet and loamy conditions this will be my go to front and rear. For any rider with wet winter months, or racers who want to have something on hand for any conditions – a set of Severes is a must-have.

Mike Blewitt 119

Photos: Mike Blewitt

PURE NUTRITION

PERFORMANCE RACE FUEL

Easy to drink and digest

Big carbohydrate hit with low sugar

Neutral flavour

Neutral flavour

Still need another drink mix

RRP: FROM $9.95

puresportsnutrition.com

120

There is a world of research out there on sports nutrition, and if you have any passing interest in getting more out of your time on the bike, I’d expect you would have spent some time considering what you drink and eat before, during or after riding. While there is a lot of fine detail to get into to truly maximise performance, the general premise is that we ride and operate at our best when we are adequately hydrated and fuelled. On top of that, we recover best to ride again with proper hydration and fuelling.

Water and regular packable foods work fine for most riding, until things get a little harder, hotter, or longer in duration. At this point it can be hard to replace lost minerals with water alone, and eating a sandwich can prove troublesome when you’re breathing through your eyeballs trying to get through a liaison stage before your start time, or trying to close the gap to the racer in front of you. For racers, or those looking to get more out of their time on the trail, sports nutrition makes sense.

I tested a bunch of products from Pure Nutrition in 2023, and enjoyed the range on offer from their gels to their recovery drinks and electrolyte mixes. In early summer I was sent some samples of their new Performance Race Fuel. It is a non-flavoured electrolyte mix that packs a whopping 90g of carbohydrates per serve. Compared to many market leaders, this is more than double the amount of carbohydrate, and well over what a bottle of Gatorade or similar will deliver. But the thing is, it’s not just sugar.

The Performance Race Fuel comes in single serve packs (97.5g) or larger bags,and each serve packs 90.2g of carbohydrate (9g sugar), 650mg sodium, 150mg potassium, 20mg magnesium and 30mg calcium.

ON THE TRAIL The Performance Race Fuel mixes fairly easily, but not like a straight electrolyte mix. It pays to follow the directions and mix it with less water to dissolve, then fill the bottle. With no flavour, you’re unlikely to get tired of it, but it does have a a slight texture. I expected to notice this more when riding, but I didn’t. What I did notice was it did increase my desire to drink, no doubt from the electrolyte mix as well. And that is no bad thing.

Racing has a very high caloric need, but it turns out I didn’t race in the testing period – I just don’t really bother in the heat and humidity of a Queensland summer. But I do ride, and do some long adventure rides. On those, a bottle of Performance Race Fuel accompanied by a bottle of regular electrolyte went a long way to covering hydration and nutrition needs. I even found I could knock off as 3.5 hour hilly ride with the bottles and one muesli bar. And I normally snack way more than that!

That carbohydrate has to come from somewhere, and Pure Nutrition use Cluster Dextrin, which is said to reduce perceived exhaustion. I can’t comment on that, but I know that I had zero issues with an upset stomach which I can get with mixes that are higher in carbohydrate from mostly sugar.

VERDICT This is a product that has a fairly narrow use case. I think for those doing long days on the bike against the clock or otherwise, it is worth picking up a few single serve packs to try it out. Some prefer to keep hydration and fuel separate, but I find that in longer distance or higher intensity events I can’t afford to do that, as it can be difficult to meet the nutritional demands if the amount you drink doesn’t pack much of a punch. Like the other products from Pure Nutrition I have used, the Performance Race Fuel is well-considered and does what they said. I’ll continue to use this for hard events and training.

Mike Blewitt

© Lance Hammer

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HUBBA HUBBA™ BIKEPACK MADE FOR THE RIDE ®

Designed for adventure, the Hubba Hubba Bikepack 1 and 2 person tents are made for life on two wheels.

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T HOW TO RIDE LOOSE, FLAT CORNERS WORDS JARED RANDO

PHOTOS NICK WAYGOOD

hrough summer the local trails always end up copping a flogging! Getting through the flat turns out there is one thing; but once you throw a loose surface from all the traffic into the mix it makes something that’s hard, even harder.

Personally, I absolutely love riding loose, flat turns. It takes patience and a gentle touch to get it just right and when you do nail it, it feels absolutely amazing. Mastering these types of turns will see your cornering skills ramp up in all aspects of riding as the control and weight balance required is far beyond that of just ripping a berm or hero dirt.

In fact, if there is one aspect of cornering I would recommend to work on to improve your riding, no matter what your skill level, this would be it. So many riders will just shy away from it as it can just be plain hard to get right but it really does take patience, commitment and consistency to master. So next time you find a trail with some flat, loose turns, take the opportunity to improve your skills before you head back to the flow trail around the corner! Here are some tips to get it done.

STEP 1 – BRAKE EARLY Braking early is the golden rule of mastering any cornering technique, but when it comes to loose turns, you really need to pay attention. Any braking in the turn will just see your tyres slip right out from underneath you and remember that exit speed is the true judge of how well you can hit a turn.

Braking a little too much will be a whole lot better than not braking enough so judge your speed carefully as you enter the turn. Look up as you enter towards the exit to get a gauge and brake gently and appropriately.

STEP 2 – GET LOW The key to getting traction on loose turns is to get as much weight through the bike and onto the tyres as you possibly can. It’s also really important to keep your weight centred over the bike so that the weight is being transferred through the cranks. If you have too much weight on the front wheel, your likely to have the front wheel slide out and too much weight on the rear will make it awkward and push the front wheel. Stay centred and look to get as low as possible as you enter the turn.

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STEP 3 – DIG DEEP As you hit the apex of the turn, you really need to dig deep and push as hard as you can through the bike. Your outside foot should drop naturally as you do this and end up close to the 6 o’clock position as you push through longer turns. As you get more confident, at this point you should really start to feel your tyres hooking up as much as they can and even get a bit of a slide going. The really important thing at this point though is to stay smooth, relaxed and solid on the bike as you dig deep and push through the turn.

STEP 4 – SPOT THE EXIT Spotting the exit through the turn is really important as it will give you the ideal point to begin to straighten up and a point to aim for. If you have the space on the trail, don’t be afraid to run a little wider either as you exit as even a few inches can make a big difference with your exit speed. If you do it right, you can also feel a little boost as your suspension unloads from the turn helping you “pop” out of the turn. This is the feeling to look for when you know you have done it right!

STEP 5 – GET THE POWER DOWN As you exit, look to get the power back down as soon as you can. When exiting loose turns, I find a slightly harder gear can be a benefit as it gives you a bit more of a platform to push off, decreases the chance of spinning your tyre on the loose surface and the harder platform can also help regain your balance if it all gets a bit crazy at the end…. Get the power down, look up and get ready for the next one!

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ARE FERMENTED FOODS A PERFORMANCE BOOSTER? WORDS ZOE WILSON APD

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ads come and go, but fermented foods have been around for centuries. And, whilst research has begun into their positive impact on health, the question remains as to whether they can help athletes perform better. Let’s investigate.

WHAT IS FERMENTATION? Fermentation is an ancient technique for preserving food where microorganisms (like yeast or bacteria) convert carbohydrates into alcohol or acids. It is this alcohol or acid that preserve the food and give fermented foods their distinctly tart flavour. The fermentation process also promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria (probiotics), which have been lauded for their health benefits.

Most whole foods can be fermented. Think vegetables, fruits, cereals, dairy, meat, fish, eggs, legumes, nuts and seeds. Some popular fermented foods that are easily found in the local supermarket include: • Yoghurt • Sourdough • Kombucha • Sauerkraut • Miso • Cheese • Kefir • Kimchi • Tempeh • Wine, beer and cider ARE FERMENTED FOODS HEALTHIER? Research into fermented foods and their potential health benefits is relatively new, considering fermented foods have been eaten for generations. Currently there is evidence that regularly eating fermented foods can reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease and improve the digestive and immune systems. These benefits are likely due to their antioxidant, anti-microbial, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties. Interestingly, the fermentation process can also change the availability of nutrients in a food to make it more nutritious. For example, increase the availability of vitamin B12 in vegetables (excellent news for vegetarians and vegans).

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The biggest benefit of fermented foods, however, seems to come from their probiotics. Probiotics are “good” bacteria that help to bolster the gut microbiome, creating a healthier mix of microbes and strengthening the walls of the intestine. Fermented foods with live microbes such as yoghurt, kefir, kimchi and sauerkraut are the most effective when it comes to improving the gut microbiome.

CAN FERMENTED FOODS IMPROVE PERFORMANCE? Athletes often have a lowered immune system due to inflammation and fatigue caused by training. For athletes in this situation, it is likely the probiotics associated with fermented foods can help to support the immune system, leading to less illness, less days off the bike and therefore more consistent training.

However, research in this area is only just emerging. In fact, a systematic review published in 2007 in Current Sports Medicine Reports found no studies looking at the impact of fermented foods or probiotics in the athletic population. A review conducted only 12 years later and published in Nutrition showed things are changing rapidly. This review included 20 original studies that had investigated the use of probiotics in sports. The authors of the review concluded that athletes may benefit from probiotics consumption. The authors found that consuming these via multi-strain sachets or fermented foods show better results in terms of minimising upper respiratory and gastro-intestinal symptoms. They also noted a possible role of specific probiotic

species in recovery but prefaced all these results by commenting on the need for more conclusive research.

The International Society of Sports Nutrition also weighed in on the topic of probiotics in 2019 in a position stand statement. Whilst not specifically related to fermented foods, the position stand stated probiotic supplementation has been shown to promote a healthy immune response. Specifically, in an athletic population, specific probiotic strains can reduce the number of episodes, severity and duration of upper respiratory tract infections.

ARE THERE ANY DOWNSIDES? Fermented foods are considered safe for most people if prepared properly. However, due to the high probiotic content, there may be a temporary increase in gas and bloating, particularly after eating fermented foods also high in fibre, like kimchi or sauerkraut.

Is also important to note that some commercially produced fermented foods may contain high levels of added sugar, salt and fat, so be sure to read the label to make a healthy choice.

Lastly, if fermenting at home, follow the recipe closely.

Incorrect temperatures, fermentation times or unsterile equipment can make it unsafe to eat.

THE BOTTOM LINE? There is much more research to be done in athletes to really figure this topic out, so watch this space for more to come. But for now, if fermented foods are prepared safely, it’s worth eating them regularly. They can support gut health and the immune system, meaning more days on the bike and less in a sick bed. If you want to know more about how to include fermented foods, see an Accredited Sports Dietitian for professional advice.

QUICK TIPS FOR INCLUDING FERMENTED FOODS DAILY • • • • •

Choose natural yoghurt as a snack or added to breakfast cereal.

Swap regular soft drink for a kombucha.

Include kimchi or sauerkraut as a side with your next main meal.

Swap red meat or chicken for tempeh in your next stir fry.

Opt for sourdough rather than regular bread in your daily sandwich.

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RIDING AND TRAINING THROUGH PREGNANCY WORDS ANNA BECK

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razy fact: we have all been born. This article discusses the changing evidence of fitness during the pregnancy and postpartum period. If you’re not a person who plans on becoming pregnant that’s fine, this article is still for you: support your partner, family and friends in their pregnancy journey with a little more knowledge, especially if they enjoy cycling.

Because pregnancy takes 'literally forever' (most of a year), it’s broken down into three ‘trimesters’ with different characteristics of each, so we will discuss the key factors of each and how to best manage activity throughout pregnancy. Please note, while exercise has proven to be safe and effective for athletic individuals who become pregnant, there are a discrete group of pregnant women who will be contraindicated from activity (ie: placental abruption, uncontrolled type 1 diabetes, vasa previa, cardiorespiratory disease). Always discuss training and fitness through pregnancy with your health care provider.

Benefits of keeping active when pregnant include preventing excessive weight gain, reduction in rates of preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and better mental health outcomes, and potentially a better labour experience.

TRIMESTER 1: 0-13 WEEKS Congrats on the two line, what a joyous time!

Except for many people it really kind of sucks.

The first trimester is a time of rapid cellular division, otherworldly fatigue, wild hormonal and mood swings, and commonly the time when ‘morning’ (or all day, let’s be honest) 126

PHOTOS MIKE BLEWITT

sickness will be the most prevalent. It’s also the time when you look the least pregnant and with the highest rates of miscarriage, so often people will withhold public announcements until the second trimester.

While you may not be showing at this time, the foundational parts of the baby are all being built: the lungs, heart, brain are all developing; as well as important bit of infrastructure—the neural tube. The reason this is important is because the neural tube has a finite period of development, which is assisted by the ingestion of folic acid (so get onto a prenatal vitamin asap!) But also because overheating can lead to an increased risk of foetal heart problems and neural tube defects throughout this time.

For those pregnant cyclists who get a break between vomits and can peel themselves off the couch, mountain biking is a safe option as the baby is snug in the pelvis.

The changes in hormones can also mean that our regular feedback mechanisms can be a little out of whack throughout pregnancy and this can start early: for example increased progesterone can augment respiratory rate upwards of 48% higher than your non-pregnant rate! So using ventilatory threshold to measure effort becomes difficult.

In my experience, using respiratory effort and RPE to try and predict intensity was useless in pregnancy, what felt like threshold was actually tempo in terms of wattage and heart rate response.

Instead, look to heart rate to assess your bodies response to exercise. Understanding my own HR zones allowed me to train safely in a zone in which I wouldn’t overheat.

Bike Modification: it’s unlikely you will need bike modifications at this stage, though in subsequent pregnancies you may start to ‘show’ a bit earlier, perhaps even in the first trimester.

Exercise Modification: Stay away from prolonged efforts in the heat, but you don’t have to just train inside: dangerous core body temps are >39.5 degrees, which has been proven to be very difficult to reach if being mindful of effort, keeping intensity to ‘moderate’ and avoiding maximal work. Rely on a range of metrics to assess your bodies response to the workload: if in doubt train inside with a fan or air conditioning.

Key takeaways: X-rays and pregnancy don’t mix, so while it’s a safe time to ride, risk assessment is key. You may feel like garbage, you don’t win medals for being pregnant so take the load off if you need to reduce exercise in this trimester. However, this is probably the safest time to get on trails for the less confident rider (due to baby located in pelvis) you may just feel like lying on the couch.

TRIMESTER 2: 14-27 WEEKS For some people this is the glorious second trimester. Most pregnancy websites advertise that all the morning sickness will go away, you will feel amazing and full of beans as your uterus and baby starts to grow larger and exit the pelvis.

It’s important to know that this isn’t for everyone: some people get the spiky end of

comfortable out on the trails: go you! Most rad riding women I have spoken with were readily able to tone down their riding and ride within their perceived limits and modify their riding based on feel. One key downer is that the recommended weight gain during pregnancy is between 11-16kg (for ‘normal’ BMI), so expect a significant and rapid reduction in W/ kg when climbing.

If you choose to stay active but you aren’t keen on the trails, riding indoors, walking and gym work can be slightly more ‘controlled’ workout modalities. Being kind to yourself and letting go of training volume, TSS, CTL and power numbers is key: if you’re still exercising at this point then you’re super human! If you need to modify things, go for it. The best part?

While it’s the most uncomfortable, hot, hard and sometimes painful part of pregnancy, it also marks the final stages before you get to meet your next generation shredder.

the pineapple and feel sick for ten months, and the onset of pregnancy-related pain or complications can occur at any stage. That being said, a study of pregnant athletes found that of those who continued to train, the second trimester yielded the highest training volumes of the pregnancy.

Staying out of the heat and managing hydration remains important in this trimester, it’s a time of intense physical growth of the foetus and mother. It’s likely you will be looking for alternative clothing options through this trimester as pants begin to feel tight and increased abdominal and breast size can render any race-fit kits parked for the time being. As the uterus expands above the pelvic symphysis, many exercise guidelines warn against any exercise with contact or falls risk. For some, this will mean heading inside on the trainer, but many mountain biking mums-to-be continue to ride trails with additional risk assessments in place.

Many pregnant athletes will notice uterus ‘tightening’ or Braxton-Hicks contractions from the second trimester onwards, and they can be increased with too much activity or dehydration, so keeping intensity in check and hydration levels high is important. The flip side? Your bladder is occupying rapidly decreasing real estate and all this hydration means that if you plan to continue riding outside, you are likely to get well acquainted with bush-wees.

Bike and Kit Modifications: this may be a good time to raise your handlebars with a new stem or more spacers, but many riders can exist on standard cockpits until later in pregnancy. The aggressive position of my road bike meant that in order to reduce Braxton-Hicks and bladder discomfort in the second trimester, I required a more upright pedalling position.

Exercise Modification: Many pregnant women find that they can increase duration and intensity this trimester, however this may be offset by an increasing size. While hitting VO2 efforts and max heart rates is still not recommended by most studies, increased time just under threshold (or up to 80% of max heart rate) has been tolerated well by many pregnant women. As always, keep the RPE in check and reduce intensity or stop if you experience any concerning symptoms.

Key takeaways: Keep reassessing your balance and comfort on trails if still voyaging outdoors, and cultivate a good ear when it comes to listening to your body.

TRIMESTER 3: 28-40 (OR 41…OR 42 WEEKS) This is it, the final countdown. The time when sleep gets scant, ankles get swollen and just getting off then couch elicits groaning. But if you still have the go ahead from your care provider you can continue to exercise, and in the case of many other rad mothers I know, right up to the day you give birth.

As you get larger, the upwards pressure on your ribs means that your breathing rate, already affected by hormones, can be further diminished. As you increase in size your centre of gravity shifts and you may notice pelvic girdle pain or back pain to go along with this. You may have increased Braxton-hicks contractions regardless of exercise: but too much activity can really increase their rate, so resting becomes as important as moving.

For those who continue exercising with supervision of their care provider, there is no increased risk of adverse events during pregnancy, no risk of small for gestational age infants, reduced risk of prematurity, plus less maternal fat mass increase compared to controls (Bentham, KS). If you’re still

Bike and Kit Modifications: All the mods: at this stage a flipped, high stem paired with a more supportive saddle (to account for more upright position), increased spring rate for your suspension, and easier gearing if possible. At this stage, you wear whatever fits, so that meant a lot of my partner's ‘active wear’ t-shirts with my bibshorts (that managed to stretch through the whole 9 months).

Exercise Modification: Getting out is a win, and hills were so difficult and slow that I avoided excessively hilly routes. I cut back on the downhill trails and cruised through our local cross country trails, as well as using commuting and bike path rides.

Key takeaways: Your body is undertaking a marathon, so listen to it. If you need to rest, rest. If you have energy to ride, awesome! You need extra calories to support a pregnancy at this stage, so make sure you fuel well even if your rides are much shorter and less intense than pre pregnancy.

Hegaard HK, Rode L, Katballe MK, Langberg H, Ottesen B, Damm P. Influence of pre-pregnancy leisure time physical activity on gestational and postpartum weight gain and birth weight - a cohort study. J Obstet Gynaecol. 2017 Aug;37(6):736-741. doi: 10.1080/01443615.2017.1292227. Epub 2017 May 3.

PMID: 28467232.

Beetham, K.S., Giles, C., Noetel, M. et al. The effects of vigorous intensity exercise in the third trimester of pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 19, 281 (2019). https://doi. org/10.1186/s12884-019-2441-1 Sport and exercise recommendations for pregnant athletes: a systematic scoping review Nora Wieloch,1,2 Anneke Klostermann,1 Nina Kimmich,3 Jörg Spörri,1,2 and Johannes Scherr1,2

Anna Beck is a Level 2 cycling coach and 2018 XCM National Champion, paramedic and super mum. gritcoaching.com.au

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HOW TO MASTER THE 5 MINUTE BIKE WASH WORDS RYAN WALSCH

PHOTOS JORDAN RIDDLE

RINSE Before getting into the clean give the bike a rinse, ideally as soon as you get home after a dirty ride. The sooner you loosen all the dirt up the easier the debris will come off. I will often give my bike a quick rinse on the lawn or garden before getting into the next steps.

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Treat ‘em mean, keep ‘em clean. This actually rings true, as our bikes are designed to work in a wide range of conditions, but ongoing cleaning and maintenance is a sure-fire way to ensure they’re ready to go for your next ride. While a slow afternoon delicately cleaning and detailing your bike is fine – you don’t need to spend that long for routine effective cleaning. With experience, you should be able to stay on top of bike cleaning in 5 minutes, save for the filthiest of rigs.

DEGREASE With so many degreasers on the market, I try and only use products that wont kill my lawn when washing at home.

Read the directions, do not spray anything on your brakes ever unless it clearly states it is safe to do so. Most degreasers should be used in a well ventilated area and may require eye protection and gloves. When and where possible remove and clean greasy components separately, if you wash your bike frequently and you only need to clean off a few rides' worth of grime, try and keep degreaser away from bearings. I like to spray on the chain mostly and then pedal and shift through the gears as to soak and dislodge grime from all cogs/teeth.

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SOAP Suds that rig up! Give particular focus on the areas that get peppered with the most dirt like the wheels/tyres and down tube.

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SCRUB With a soft bristled brush, I wash the least dirty parts first such as the frame and finish with the dirtiest. Use a separate, coarser bristled brush for the drivetrain.

DRY Either with your bike out in the sun, using a blower, an air nozzle on your compressor or a microfibre cloth; they are all great ways of drying your bike and preventing rust or corrosion on any of the components. Tipping the bike upside down for a few minutes is also a great idea to let water that’s trapped in the frame out, sometimes removing the seatpost to air out is advised, we see lots of heavily corroded dropper posts and rusted bottom bracket bearings that have been full of water.

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7 RINSE If possible rinse with warm or mildly pressurised water keeping the jet away from bearings, a low pressure garden hose also does the trick. Start high, finish low.

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LUBE Re-apply chain lubricant, stanchion or seal lubrication after drying to keep it working its best. If you like, a frame protection spray can be used with a fresh microfiber cloth to give your bike a dazzling shine.

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