Enduro Magazine Issue #10 by FreeWheel Media

.#.*

As used by the Kona Mt Buller Factory Team Groupe Sportif Pty. Ltd ph: (03) 8878 1000 fax: (03) 8878 1001 email: help@groupesportif.com

www.mavic.com

ÂŠ 2008 Cannondale Bicycle Corporation.

Based on 130mm of user-tunable travel, the Virtue combines the agility and performance of a full-suspension cross country bike with the bump-eating travel of a trail bike. From our blend of cutting-edge frame materials to the ultra-efficient Equilink suspension, the Virtue is one of the most versatile bikes on the market.

VIRTUE ONE

VIRTUE TWO

VIRTUE THREE

for more information go to www.southcottcycles.com.au Distributed in Australia by Southcott Pty. Ltd. Tel (03) 9580 7388 Toll Free 1800 805 024

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Cover photo: Night time at the Scott 24hr | Rider: Cameron Wells | Photo: Sportograf

A clear Canberra sunrise greets a sleepy rider at the Scott 24hr. Photo: Sportograf

publisher Freewheel Media Adam Macleod adam@freewheel.com.au editor james williamson james@freewheel.com.au SUB Editor mikkeli godfree mikk@freewheel.com.au art director | designer Niki fisher Niki@nikifisher.com www.nikifisher.com

Midnight proofing crew Mikkeli Godfree, Joel Mcfarlane-Roberts, Peter Knight, James Williamson editorial contributors James Williamson, Joel McfarlaneRoberts, Hamish Armstrong, Nic Eccles, Peter Hatton, Jeremy Ross, Liam Delany, Hamish Elliot, Kath Bicknell, Travis Deane, Nick Both, Sam Maffett, John Lascelles, Paul Traynor, Jo Bennett, Kim Whitehouse, Mark Fenner, Anthony Zahra snaparazzi Sportograf, Damian Breach, Travis Deane, John Fraser, Steve Ardern, Adam Macleod, Kath Bicknell, Russ Baker, Trek Bicycle Corporation, Bohdan Warchomij, Cape to Cape MTB, Koala Productions, Sam Maffett, John Flynn, Dave Silver, Dave Bateman, Krystle Wright

advertising editorial ph: +613 9853 0841 mob: 0438 292 006 email: Adam@freewheel.com.au post correspondence to 29 loch st, kew, vic 3101 Articles printed in this publication are the opinion of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editors or publishers of enduro. www.freewheel.com.au

REGULARS ed note news/events upcoming events new gear GET FAST track talk subscriptions

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features scott 24hr gary fisher cape to cape flight centre epic riding the euro alps audax highland fling southbound disco girls croc trophy bc bike race 09 bikes

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review giant cypher pivot mach 5 commencal super 4.2 Deuter/mavic hikenbiker oval concepts/fox fulcrum verofit

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It’s all black and white to me | Sketch: Niki Fisher

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Issue 10

It’s been a hectic few months, flicking through the issue gives you a bit of an idea – from chatting to a mountain bike legend in Sydney, pushing through another Canberra 24hr, to checking out the Margaret River region in WA. It’s been awesome, tiring and enlightening. First you have an old bloke in a crazy suit who was born into a world with no singletrack and no knobblies. He, and a bunch of mates, created mountain biking. On the one hand it’s a simple fact. On the other hand it’s incredible feat and an even more amazing story. Mountain biking is such a huge industry and yet, 40 years ago it barely existed. Yep, chatting to Gary Fisher isn’t something I’m going to forget anytime soon. A month or two later we were on the start line of a first-time WA multi-day mountain bike

event. It was supposed to be a ride through the Margaret River region, checking out the scenery and sipping on the odd fine wine. However, if you have a start and finish banner someone’s going to want to get there first – within 100 metres of the start line on stage one it was already a race. It turned out to be an awesome few days – far more fulfilling for most than if it had just been a ride. You see, as mountain bikers we love pushing ourselves. You might have goose-bumps before a race and feel so nervous you want to throw up. You might tell yourself entering the race was the stupidest thing you could have done. You might even think you hate racing. But the fact is there’s something in all of us that loves it. That became obvious to me – and the organisers – over the four days at WA’s Cape to Cape.

Everyone had the choice to cruise but no one wanted to. There were a few times that Gary Fisher flashed through the back of my mind over that week (and it wasn’t because of his sexy suit). We were racing a new event and, as mountain bikers, shaping the event along the way. Mountain biking started because it’s fun and the Cape to Cape turned into a race because it’s fun. So next time you’re feeling like racing is too serious or too competitive, think back to the day you rode your fastest, smoothest or most effortlessly and remember how much it made you smile. I hope you enjoy Enduro 10. James

SORE NECK OR SHOULDERS FROM RIDING? RELIEVE THE PAIN FAST! Guarantee Your Absolute Iron Clad

You’ve probably never thought about what you’re doing to your body every time you go out for a ride “hunched up” over the handlebars for hours on end. No matter how well adjusted your bike, the problem is that in the head forward cycling position the load on your neck and shoulders doubles for every 2-3cm your head moves forward! The result is that you may feel pain in the neck (which may radiate into the arm and hand), in the shoulders or in the upper back and may include symptoms

other than pain, such as weakness, numbness or tingling. Now a safe and simple remedy, the Posturepole, is available from health professionals or through the web. It helps relieve tension, re-align your spine and gives quick relief in just 5-10 minutes! Ideal for cyclists, it’s terrific for after-ride relaxation and upper body stretch and at just $69.95 it’s great value. You’ll have happy memories of your ride rather than sore neck, shoulders and arms!

Purchase a Posturepole and try it for 90 days. If, within that time, you don’t get relief from back pain quickly and effectively after bike riding…you be the sole judge… we will instantly refund every cent you paid. No questions asked!

To find your nearest Posturepole stockist or order from the web visit...

www.posturepole.info or phone 1800

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5 days of mountain bike stage racing from the roof of Australia to the surf Thredbo Perisher Top Station Blue

Sunday 1st March to Friday 6th March 2009

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Gary Fisher unveils Roscoe

The new Trek Top Fuel – the weapon of choice for six time 24hr World Champ Chris Eatough – has had some major revisions for ’09. The bike features an integrated seat tube and a crazy, curved section from the seat down to the bottom bracket. This is called the ‘Crossbow Frame’ offering increased compliance and stiffness. Regardless of performance benefits, it’s guaranteed to make an impact at the local enduro race. The new Top Fuel borrows extensively from the ’08 Fuel EX , with Active Brake Pivot, Full Floater and EVO Link. This new go-fast dually also comes with the broader BB90 which moulds the cups directly into the frame. This, combined with the option of a 2X9 front chain ring set-up, allows for a super- smooth chain-line. The model line-up will also feature an aluminium Top Fuel 8 to accompany its more expensive carbon brothers.

The Roscoe is new from Gary Fisher for ’09. It’s a 140mm long-travel trail bike packed with some pretty cool technology. The bike comes with Gary Fisher’s trademark G2 Geometry. This offers increased fork offset for shorter cockpit length but stable long-wheelbase handling characteristics. The trend these days is to go fatter and stiffer and the Roscoe delivers with a tapered head-tube, called the E2 Steerer. The steerer goes from 1-1/8 at the top, to 1-1/2 at the base where it meets the fork – which is also tapered – offering lightweight stiffness. Gary Fisher has worked with Fox to engineer the all-new DRCV rear shock. The long shock has two reservoirs; the second is activated as the shock moves into the latter part of its travel. It’s designed to have the smooth long travel performance of a coil shock, at air shock weight. Finally, the Roscoe borrows from Trek development with the Active Braking Pivot at the rear. This pivot, located at the meeting point of the chain-stays and seat-stays, separates braking from drivetrain forces, supplying active suspension during braking and a more constant and stable contact with the ground. The Roscoe looks like an exciting ride and we look forward to some first-hand experience. Also of interest from Gary Fisher is the new-look HiFi. It’s a lightweight 120mm endurance racing weapon available in a high-end sexy carbon version and – for those of us in the real world – a cheaper curved down-tube aluminium version.

Trek re-Fuels

BMC re-invents Trailfox Previously there weren’t many visual cues to separate the BMC Fourstroke and Trailfox. That’s no longer the case as BMC has given its Trailfox a complete overhaul for ’09 with a new frame design and longer travel. The new Trail Fox 01 frame offers 140mm of travel (up from 120mm in ’08) through its Advanced Pivot System (APS). APS is designed to offer minimal suspension influence when pedalling and a fully active system under braking. The model also comes with another handy acronym – the Initial Load Indicator (ILI) allowing you to alter the negative spring adjustment for optimum trail performance and helped by markings on the seat tube and rocker arm to measure sag. The bikes also features a new, one piece CNC machined integrated brake post mount – the dropout and brake mount are all made from a single block – offering flex-free, responsive braking.

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Updated BMC Fourstroke The Fourstroke 01 features a full carbon frame weighing in below 1900g for the frame excluding the shock – seriously light. The BMC trademark Integrated Skeleton Concept sets the bike apart from others and allows for good force distribution. The chain-stays have been shortened for the ’09 model offering a more agile rear-end. The bike also features a longer top-tube for a stable, predictable ride. The Fourstoke also gets the BMC Advanced Pivot System (APS) treatment which allows for a stiff, responsive system thanks to the compact pivot arms and four closely-spaced pivot points.

SRAM to launch XX

Not content to rest on its X.0 laurels, SRAM is set to unleash an all new mountain bike groupset dubbed XX. There isn’t a whole lot of info floating around about the new grouppo – blame a competitive rivalry with Shimano – but expect it to be light and trick. Rumours suggest that it will be 10 speed and will run a double front ring 2X10 setup – with the road-going versions of both SRAM and Shimano offering 10 cogs at the back, it’s a safe assumption to make. SRAM will also likely involve the recently-acquired wheel manufacturer Zipp to develop the groupset. While details are sketchy, you can be sure to see plenty of carbon for the new grouppo coming to a store near you sometime in mid ’09.

Torq MTB Team The Torq Team recently unveiled its mountain bike squad for the upcoming season. With a strong cross country race focus, the team is set to take on the national and international scene with 2008 Australian Olympian Dan McConnell and previous Australian 24hr, Marathon and XC Champion Tory Thomas. The Torq team is supported by the Victorian Institute of Sport. Most riders in the team will travel overseas next year in the hope of securing a place at the 2009 World Mountain Bike Championships to be held at Australia’s Mount Stromlo in September. collect your modelling contracts at the door | Photo: Adam Macleod

QLD 8hr Enduro Over 400 riders, including 75 kids, had a blast at the first 8hr Enduro Mountain Bike Race in Brisbane on the 5th of October 2008. Redback Cycles took an impressive overall win with 18 laps. Rachel Edwards was the women’s solo winner and Rolf Collett took out the solo male division. The race saw over 40 first-time riders racing in all categories and over 75 kids mounted their cycles and gave the kids courses a go. Bikes ranged from plastic trikes through to the impressive “they’ll grow into it” steeds. Plans for an even better course are already in pace for next year – the 8hr Enduro looks to become a feature on the QLD mountain bike calendar. The next event on the course will be the annual Insomnia 24hr Mountain Bike Race in June next year. Start planning now, grab some team mates and get training for a great festival weekend. After the success of the kid’s races on the weekend, the Insomnia Festival looks to carry on the tradition. Organisers would like to thank the great support they received from the event sponsors For the Riders, AY UP and Endura.

Photo: Steve Ardern

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The Sydney Spring Fat Tyre Festival presented by JP Morgan and Kona Bikes Photo: Krystle Wright

This 8hr race was held on Sunday, November 23, 2008 at Ourimbah State Forest, north of Sydney in NSW and was hosted by Wannaride Events. An intermittent parting of the clouds and an easing of the blustery winds over Ourimbah State Forest allowed for the perfect beginning to the annual Sydney Spring Fat Tyre Festival. The mass start saw a solid field of 496 riders tussling for position and sprinting up the steep hill to be thrust into the glorious 11km of single trail that lay ahead. This race oozes character and possesses a somewhat independent/underground charisma. It attracts riders of all abilities and backgrounds so you never really knew who or what you’ll come across out on course – all of which made for a really great day. Like ripping trails with your mates after work, there is no pretentious attitude, just old fashion fun on splendid trails. The groomed berms of the Roller Coaster and the beauty of the otherworldly aura of the Jurassic Park section had everyone grinning from ear to ear and, despite tired legs, racers were amped to get out for another lap. It was a bloody nice change to have an event at a course that isn’t raced on every weekend, and having 600+ people in the vicinity only reinforced the old saying ‘the more the merrier’. This is an event that is well organised and rewards riders for their efforts. From bike giveaways to trophies and ‘cash money’ (as 50 cent would say), these incentives put a cherry on top of the Sundae. The day finished up with Jason English, Hamish Elliot, and Hugh Stodart taking out the podium spots in the solo male category and Katrin Van Der Speigel, newcomer Vanina Vergoz, and Justine Leahy taking respective podium spots for the solo female category – Words: Hamish Elliot

ROTOR Q RINGS

Alpe d’ Huez

1st Tour de France

OVAL IS THE NEW YELLOW

Ridden by – Carlos Sastre 1st TDF, 3rd Vuelta – Marianne Vos world championships in road, track and cyclocross – Patrick Vernay winner Port Macquarie and Busselton Ironman See why worldchampions in road, track, MTB and triathlon have gone elliptical. “Any doubts in the professional ranks about Rotor’s elliptical Q-Rings seem to be quickly fading thanks to a string of top-level victories” Bike radar

Go faster, hurt less

For your nearest see stockist www.rotorbike.com.au

Distributed in Australia by Unlimited Bicycles Pty Ltd

Phone: 02 9521 1725

Fax: 02 9521 1876

Email: sales@unlimitedbicycles.com.au

Enduro turns ten this issue, no more single digits, and to celebrate we are offering the first 50 subscribers a copy of the DVD 24 Solo. It’s a well filmed, big budget flick that documents the epic battle between 6-time World Solo Champ Chris Eatough and Aussie Craig Gordon at the ’06 Solo World 24hr Champ’s. It’s remembered as the day that a little-known Aussie came to spoil the yankee party and makes for insightful, captivating viewing. Watching it is more exciting than this drivel though: subscribe to Enduro ASAP and you’re likely to get a shiny copy in the mail. see page 107 for details

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Token 12hr Challenge – 10th January 2009

If you like the enduro thing and want to know how it’d translate to the smooth roads check out next year’s 12 hour road race. The race will be on the 10th January ’09 over a distance of approx 5.5km per lap. The race is open to solos and teams and will be held at The International Regatta Centre in Penrith, Western Sydney. More info: www.southernhighlandscc.com.au

Otway Odyssey – 21st February 2009

The Otway Odyssey is one of the toughest 100k races out there starting at the oceans of Apollo Bay and taking riders up into the ranges, finishing in the small town of Forrest. Entries are already filling fast. If you want to be part of one of the biggest 100k races in Australia. More info: www.rapidascent.com.au

BMC Mountains to Beach – 1 -6 March 2009 Imagine a week of mountain biking through alpine ranges, descending through rainforest trails, and finishing in the sand and surf. The BMC Mountains to Beach will take place from the 1-7th of March 2008. This week-long event will be open to solo and pairs and will feature race and cruise stages covering 350km from the Thredbo Ski Resort to the beaches of Narooma on the South Coast of NSW. Promising amazing scenery, wicked trails and plenty of time to suck up the fresh mountain air, the BMC Mountains to Beach is guaranteed to sell out quick. More info: www.wildhorizons.com.au Photo: Wild Horizons

Alps Epic – 15-19th March 2009

The Alps Epic promises 6 stages over 5 days racing in varied stages between Tumut and Thredbo in the NSW Snowy Mountains. Stages range from 7 to 55km and take in the dramatic scenery of the region. Competitors can chose to take the supported option or organise their own support crew. The race is limited to 200 riders so if you’re interested get in quick! More info: www.alpsepic.com.au

Australian Marathon Champ’s – 29th March 2009

The 2009 Felt MTBA Australian Marathon Championships will be run on Sunday 29 March in Wandong and the Mt Disappointment State Forest, Victoria. The race will offer 100km, 69km and 38km distance options. Enter the 100km course and you’ll be riding amongst Australia’s top mountain bikers as they contest the 2009 Felt MTBA Australian Marathon Championships. Big Hill Events’ Wandong race is in its third year and in 2009 the longer distance course will be extended from 90km to 100kms. Offering some great new descents and a little more climbing, the course has 2500 vertical meters in altitude gain over the length of the 100km course. Riders will face undulating narrow 4WD tracks through dense forest sections and exhilarating descents down 4WD double tracks. Great single track sections through secret trails, a mix of short steep climbs and some long gradual climbs, as well as fast descending will ensure that it’s a tough but rewarding day out. This course has been modelled on some of Europe’s best races and will feature a number of fully catered Feed Zones where they will have an opportunity to re-hydrate and refuel. Big Hill Event’s friendly event staff will be on hand to provide riders with water, Endura Re-hydration, Energy Bars and Gels, Degani bakery food, fruit, lollies and more. Also on offer again in 2009 will be mechanical support provided by Croydon Cycle Works. There will be fantastic prizes on offer, with $1000 for the premier 100k category winners and plenty of other category cash prizes including a brand new Felt bike. Riders are encouraged to enter early – the event will be limited to a field of 750 riders. More info: www.bighillevents.com.au

Bike Buller Festival – 21-22 March 2009

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Otway Odyssey organisers Rapid Ascent have announced a new two day race to be held at Mt Buller in late March. The race will feature 3 stages held over two days encompassing both cross country and downhill events. Under the supervision of legendary trail designer Glen Jacobs, Mt Buller has established itself as a premier mountain bike destination. With awesome scenery, fun trails and promised post-race festivities, it looks to be a great weekend. More info: www.bikebullermtbfestival.com

Terra Australis – 29 March-4 April 2009

If you like the idea of pedalling your way through Victoria’s premier food and wine region with a detour – or two – to check out some high country Alpine Resorts, the Terra Australis could be just your thing. Described as the ‘Great Southern Mountain Bike Epic’, the Terra Australis is a new stage race for Australia in 2009, traversing the high peaks and exploring historic high country villages. The race promises amazing scenery and some sweet singletrack. It’s a seven day stage race entered in teams of two or three. Riders work together as a team throughout the race, similar to overseas events like the Cape Epic and the TransRockies. Exact stage distances are yet to be announced but the race will take riders from the alpine town of Falls Creek to the inland city of Wangaratta. According to Iain Moore, Director of Finish Line Events and organiser of the race, “This race is in the true spirit of the overseas stage races. The days will be long and we’ll be heading up plenty of mountains.” If you want to put all that summer fitness to good use in a tough but rewarding 7-day stage race, check out the Terra Australis. More info: www.terraaustralismtbepic.com

Mont 24hr – 4th-5th April 2009

Sparrow Hill, half an hour’s drive from Canberra is one of the most popular trail destinations anywhere, with its masses of fast and flowy trails. It’s held a bunch of XC, 3hr and 8hr races but never a 24hr…until now. The Mont 24hr is re-locating from Majura Pines’ ’07 venue, to Sparrow Hill for ’09. Entries are for a team of 4 or 6, it promises a relaxed atmosphere and sensational riding on great trails. More info: www.mont24.com.au

imagine, design, create... www.fictive.com.au

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6. 3.

4. 1.

2. NEW GEAR

1. Crumpler Bumper Issue

$145

This is a brand new hydration pack from Crumpler. It’s water resistant on the outside, comes with a 1.5 litre bladder and side compression straps so you can strap stuff to the outside (like a pump). It’s manufactured to Crumpler’s usual solid standards and comes in four different colours. www.crumpler.com.au 2. Anger Mgmt Loco Helmet

$59.95

This affordable lid will appeal to the younger crowd with the looks of a skate helmet and the ventilation and function of an xc helmet. It comes in two colours, has 19 vents and weighs in at 290grams. Good for enduro events, although I’m not sure you’ll see too many skaters in them. www.pacbrands.com.au

3. Manitou R7 MRD Carbon

$1549

5. Ritchey Biomax saddles

$199

The internals of these forks feature the Manitou Absolute Dampener system, as with previous R7 forks. The lowers are magnesium with carbon reinforcement, adding stiffness. This also reduces weight fractionally but raises the bling factor to another level. As you’d expect when throwing words like ‘magnesium’ and ‘carbon’ around, these forks are light, just over 1260g actually. We should see them in Australia just before Christmas – they’ll be on my list to Santa.

For those who like the centre cut-out saddle, Ritchey now offers a flash version. With a name that might make oil companies jealous, the Biomax has a 35% carbon injection in the shell of the saddle for stiffness and reduced weight. It also has steel rails and comes in at a bit over 200g.

www.dirtworks.com.au

These grips come in lime green which is either pretty cool or pretty lame, depending who you are. We reckon they’re pretty cool. They’re practical too with a lock-on system meaning you can get them on and off easily and they won’t start moving around in the wet. The ‘diamondised’ surface pattern is also suitably tacky and hard-wearing and they come with bonus end caps.

4. Adidas Evil Eye Pro

$379.95

These are a bit of an Adidas classic – timeless, I’d say. They feature the Tri-Fit system meaning you can custom adjust the angle of the arms. This is a limited edition white and black model to celebrate Adidas’ support of Beijing Olympians. www.adidas.com/Eyewear

www.dirtworks.com.au 6. ODI Ruffian grips

www.dirtworks.com.au

$49

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10. 11.

12. 8.

7. Light & Motion Stella 200L

$499

The neat-looking Stella weighs in at a scant 300g, pumps out 200 lumens and can run for up to 50hrs on its most economical setting. It has a mount for both handlebar and helmet and takes 1.75hrs to charge. www.scvimports.com.au

9. Hayes Stroker Gram

$499

This is a pretty tech looking set of discs. All unnecessary bulk has been stripped off the Stroker Gram. The brake body also includes a titanium master cylinder and aluminiumbacked pads. At a claimed 355g with a 160mm rotor, they’re light and sexy. www.dirtworks.com.au

8. Bontrager RXL Mountain

10. Rotor Q Rings

www.tba.com.au

$28-$45

Hikenbiker is set to unleash some supperfine merino underwear in February. Merino is more breathable than cotton and adapts to your body temperature. The fabric is also able to absorb 30% of its weight in sweat without feeling damp on the skin – clever and natural. www.hikenbiker.com

$399

The Bontrager RXL shoes are a pretty flash looking bit of kit, especially in white. They use the Bontrager inForm design to provide a comfortable fit with a large toe box section for increased circulation. The heavily engineered heel cup section is also claimed to reduce slipping. The RXL features two straps with a buckle, breathable mesh and a carbon sole for stiff, lightweight energy transfer. Due in Australia late December, you might just see some under the Christmas tree.

11. Hikenbiker Merino

$349 (set of 3) 12. Smith InterLock Spoiler

The Rotor Q-Rings use an ovalised chain ring system to give you more drive when you need it most and reduce the ‘dead spot’ in the pedal stroke giving you a smoother, more efficient pedal action. Those of you who remember Shimano BioPace of the late 80’s might be sceptical, but the Q-Rings have had big success with the likes of Tour de France rider Bobby Julich swearing by them. Expect an in-depth test next issue. www.unlimitedbicycles.com.au

$269.95

These glasses feature the TR90 Grilamid large frame design frame for a tough and solid structure. The big framed design also means great protection and what’s more, they look cool. If you’re feeling a bit underdone in the fashion stakes at the local enduro, check out the Spoiler. www.smithoptics.com

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16.

18.

19.

14.

13. 17.

NEW GEAR

15.

13. Deuter Bike 1

$118

15. Lupine Tesla 4

$649

This is a 22 litre backpack with Deuter trademark features like a stowaway helmet holder, meshed hip belt and flexible aluminium stays in the backpack foam section that can be moulded to your back. Also available in a women’s version, it’s a good looking, versatile load carrier.

This hi-tech light from Lupine weighs in at 320g and packs some punch with 700 lumens to light up the trail. It has a 3hr burn time on its brightest setting, takes 5 hours to charge and comes with a helmet mount included. Light technology has clearly come a long way!

www.velovita.net.au

www.virtuascape.com.au

14. FSA K ForceLight 2X9

$990

The simpler and lighter double front chain ring has been making a bit of a comeback lately, especially for the XC application. It allows for reduced weight and also allows you to run a straighter chain-line without the extra spacing required for a granny ring. The K ForceLight uses stiff external bearing cups and carbon fibre crank arms for a good looking, feather-weight set of cranks. www.scvimports.com.au

16. Troy Lee Designs XC Jersey

$99.95

$38.95

This is evolution of the popular Troy Lee XC glove. The gloves have a mixture of Spandex and Air-Prene backing and a Clarino leather palm, making them lightweight and breathable. They’re a comfortable, versatile all-purpose glove. 18. Troy Lee Designs XC Lite Shorts

This jersey is designed for comfort with micro-mesh ventilation panels in the shoulder and armpit areas to promote airflow and keep you cool. It has 3 pockets at the back, a zippered front and a zipper pocket for that precious beer money. www.stevecramerproducts.com.au

17. Troy Lee Designs Headline Glove

$195

With a sewn-in chamois, these shorts are designed for relaxed comfort. They have a spandex stretch material at the rear and sides for free-movement and come with some handy cargo side-pockets. www.stevecramerproducts.com.au 19. MRP Bash Guard XCG Single Ring $ 79.95

Triple Ring $ 87.95 This lightweight bash guard is designed to protect your expensive big ring from obstacles like logs and rocks. The guard has a replaceable polycarbonate Skid mounted to an alloy back plate – great for protecting your shiny crankset. www.stevecramerproducts.com.au

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The bald Stromlo Forest Park provides a stunning night spectacle. Photo: Russ Baker

race up

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Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest 24hr, the race that started it all, turned 10 years old in October â&#x20AC;&#x2122;08. To celebrate, over 2200 mountain bikers from all over Australia grabbed their bikes and headed out to Mt Stromlo for another weekend of dusty madness. The race that always seems to be pushing the boundaries continued with GPS tracking on riders to measure their progress, live video coverage of the course played on a big screen in the transition area, radio commentary throughout, and some of the sweetest singletrack out there. Technology is great, singletrack is better, but this race is about the people. Kath Bicknell followed an enthusiastic 3 person team to get an insight into what makes this race keep smashing along year after year.

LIFE IS A RACE BICYCLES D’OPINION /

/ PRINCIPAT D’ANDORRA / WWW.COMMENCAL.COM

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The colourful gathering for race start. Photo: Sportograf

than Two” was made up of Meaghan and Ben Binder and Nicholas Smee. Five minutes at the team tent revealed that Megs, Ben and Nick were only a small part of the full team, which was also included Megs’ mum and dad, Rosemary and Peter Stanton, the Binder kids, Zoe, Jamie and Sascha and Nick’s son, Jordan. If three is better than two, nine is clearly better than three. Especially if nine means fantastic food, great company, and a campsite setup to rival any other. Looking around their digs it was pretty obvious that this team was clued in to what makes a good 24hr. Tents for sleeping and changing were set up around a very neatly organised area for eating, chilling and preparing food. There was a bike repair stand out the back, a radio to tune in to the race commentary, a lap time schedule next to a watch on one wall and a tall green flag Zoe had made for her school sporting house that would wave high above the chaos of the Le Mans style run-to-the-bike start. This campsite typified the experienced and organised 24hr experience. I first caught up with the team at about 11 o’clock, an hour before the race start. Meaghan was infectiously excited. Last year’s 24hr was not only her first race but also her first time on single track. “I was so bad, I was just falling over all the time. I was technically hopeless. I’m only realising now how much I’ve improved. Every time I went through one of those rocky turns last year I was unclipping

both of my feet just in case!” What she failed to mention was that she also won the competition for the worst looking bike last year. It actually broke half way through a night lap. This saw her win a new Scott Scale and get so seriously hooked on the sport that

Ben Smee grabs his bike for the start of the race. Photo: Kath Bicknell

24 hour race is about so much more than racing. It’s full of teams and campsites and stories, a whole lot of socialising and all your favourite foods all at once. While I tell myself leading up to “the Scott” that it’s just another race, the truth is that every time I roll into the event centre, my body just knows it’s different. It’s big, it’s spread out and it fills a huge space in so many people’s most vivid riding memories. It’s bursting with stories, most of which I’ll never hear, and equally bursting with people, most of whom I’ll never meet. Each year it takes me longer to walk from my campsite to the toilet block as there are more familiar faces along the way. Every rider has a tale or ten to tell and this is usually interspersed between opinions of the track, updates on time spent between races and cheers for friends and team-mates passing by. We thought we’d find a team to follow through the event to hear their story and what this 24hr meant to them. We were hoping for a journey of emotional highs and lows, elation and despair, going hard and getting over it (only to go out hard again). It is not nice to wish that on anyone though and fate would ensure that this type of journey would better describe my own team’s day out at the track rather than that of the team whose day and night we were to follow. We decided on the team of three represented by the Smee and Binder Families. The Binder-Smee team “Three is Better

the whole family have been regular faces at local events in the twelve months since. The Binders also credit the South Coast United Mountainbikers club for their improvements in riding over the last year. Zoe (11)

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26 Meghan punches through the night. Photo: Sportograf

race up

and Jamie (9) even took out the under 15 category in the NSW State XC series over winter. As Ben puts it, “The whole family got into it basically because of what happened to us here last year. So it’s now something we can all do together.” I love this about endurance racing. The casual atmosphere and supportive environment has seen a huge number of people take up the sport. It’s nice to think that some of my favourite things about mountain biking are as much because of the sport as the type of people it attracts. Meaghan, Ben and another friend, Gareth Williams, rode together to fifth place in the mixed threes category last year – the same category the team are in this year. Gareth was off riding solo through the Indian Himalayas for six months, so the team called on Nick, a seasoned 24 hour competitor, to join their team instead. “This year we know we can make it,” Meaghan says, “so we’ll try and go a bit faster this time.” While riding fast, consistency is still the aim. No point riding hard on Saturday if it takes two hours to get through a lap on Sunday. Soon enough, this year’s race began. I followed Zoe’s green flag down to the crit track in time to see Ben have a great run and get the team off to a solid start. By four in the afternoon team “Nine Surely Strengthens Three” were looking good in the

their act and they came back to campsite results. Megs’ new bike and healthy addicwith some cool looking bells to ring. The tion to it had seen her knock ten minutes off campsite was next to a part of the race last year’s lap time and she was listed with course where the track passed by in two difthe third fastest female race time so far. ferent directions. It was a prime position for She hadn’t expected this and had revealed keeping an eye on the racing - Jordan and her surprise to the team by announcing she the girls did a great job of cheering on other overtook twenty-six people and was only riders with their new toys. passed by one! They found it hilarious that she had kept counting past nineteen or so. I found it The Setup. Photo Kath Bicknell interesting that she had no idea how quick she really is. Ben was out riding again and Nick was hanging at the campsite cleaning his Giant rig ready for another hot lap. By nightfall, the team were eight minutes down on second. Fuelled by the atmosphere and a healthy dose of energy drink, the younger generation of the Binder-Smee camp were still on planet excitement A few minutes later, Peter (Meg’s dad) and had just come back from transition came back from the transition area with a where they had hassled mike-man, Stu Plant, plate full of Dutch pancakes. He was quickly for some merch: “We’re poor lonely abansurrounded by hungry girls with excited doned children. We need some prizes,” they mouths. Next time I looked the only evidence said. I don’t think Stu believed them, but with of pancakes was a dribble of syrup and an such smiling, innocent looking faces staring empty plate. I commented that Peter didn’t up at him, it’s not surprising that he fell for

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Inland Australia is great for silhouettes. Photo: Sportograf

solo male

Jason English

28 laps

Andrew Bell

27 laps

Zdenek Kriz

26 laps

Solo female

Jessica Douglas

21 laps

Philippa Rostan

19 laps

Penny Dustow

18 laps

race up

get many in the end. He smiled and revealed that eating them all himself was never the plan… Spurred on by the thought of pancakes, I headed back to my own team for a while. I would check back in again at three in the morning, and wondered what I would find would there be some drama or would they still look unflappable, holding it all together? When I returned I found the guys still as calm and relaxed as ever despite there being only three minutes separating second and third place. The kids were in bed. It was quiet and calm. The crew were looking tired but happy, sitting in front of the tent with little plastic cups of tea, resting without actually closing their eyes, there were no plans for double laps…or sleep. There had been lots of crashes and punctures out on the course but our team was holding it together better than most. Rosemary, in her role as mum and grandmum, brought with her years of experience in food and nutrition. She explained to me how everyone uses gels to get the last 10% out of their bodies but that they forget to eat smart at other times to maximise the other ninety. She explained the importance of eating within twenty minutes of exercise, because it’s at this time that your body is primed to reload depleted glycogen. Later than this and your body decides that rest will help it instead. She also explains the way gels draw water from your body if you don’t drink enough when you squeeze them down. This is what can cause cramps and a feeling of nausea. Her personality reminded me a lot of my mum – she doesn’t hammer her point, but says it in such a way that you don’t doubt her knowledge for an instant and want to put it into practice straight away in the hope of being a better person. With Rosemary on board it’s no doubt the team still looked fresh as the race pushed on toward sunrise. Dawn came and went and – typical of

said referring to Tinker Juarez’s injury at the a 24hr race – the team gained inspiration recent 24 Hour World Champs) and from the light, the birds and the approaching last year’s winners, Canberra’s Onya Bike finish line. The racing was still keeping them Belconnen. honest; only minutes separated the top four Meaghan and Ben finished six laps down teams in the category with only a handful of on the talented Onya Belco crew last year. hours to race. It was not until I swung past This year with Nick on board, and twelve the tent half an hour before the race finish months extra riding, they had whittled that that I saw stress for the first time in the down to two laps. Impressive considering camp. Megs was supposed to be back half an the journey they’ve taken since Megs first hour ago but no one had seen her. saw single track only twelve months earlier. Meaghan walked back to the tent not It shows how far enthusiasm can take you long after midday. She had a bandage half in this sport, and what an important role way up her arm, a tube with no valve slung good food, unassuming attitudes, a support over her shoulder, and an attentive daughnetwork and a little bit of organisation play ter, Jamie, by her side. The bandage was old in making the most out of an event like news; it was from a 4 am crash. It was the this one. puncture that slowed her down. I left the event in a familiar, tired, “I’m just so upset because we’d been in second or third the entire race and then in one lap my lousy mechanical skills put us in fourth.” She’s shown throughout the race that she is such a capable, intelligent person, but focussing on anything but pedalling gets a lot harder as the race progresses. “I was basically just so wrecked I couldn’t actually fix it. You know, I’d fixed it once and it happened Climbing aboard the podium after a tough 24hrs. Photo: Kath Bicknell again and I thought I can’t do this…So I got post 24hr hour haze. I was feeling inspired back to transition, almost in tears, and Ben though – looking forward to the next year of said, ‘give me the thing!’ [the team baton] races, and the conversations, laughter, new and he took off!” Megs made it into transimemories and green flags that go with it. I tion at 11:57am with enough time for Ben to also couldn’t help but wonder how many adsneak out on one final lap. ditional stories are out there that I’m yet to “Three is Better than Two” finished up hear, and how many being laughed over right third behind the Kiwi/Sydneysider team “The now, that I’ll never hear. Imports” who nearly pulled out with dust damaged eyes (“He nearly did a Tinker!” Megs

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We were in the middle of Sydney, in a flash hotel with shiny new bikes everywhere. Having been fed all the news on the latest Trek and Gary Fisher bikes all day I was getting tired, it was getting late in the arvo and I was hoping to miss peak-hour. But we still had to meet Gary. So, with Chris and Mick from Australian Mountain Bike, we stepped into the cushy lounges of the foyer and started our chat. Words by James Williamson | Photos: Trek Bicycle Corporation

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ithin a few minutes I’d forgotten about peak-hour and I’d almost forgotten about bikes – things were getting interesting. “We know this gnarly chick who only has one arm - she lost the other arm in a motorcycle accident. She’s crazy; she does this poetry where all words are misspelt. She’s, like, way out there and wacky. Anyway, we were asking around about bike names and we were out there at her house – she lives in a trailer park – looking out the window she sees her next door neighbour – she’s called Betty – and she is carrying these groceries and she says “Hey! Keep it level there Betty!” and then she’s like, “Oh, Level Betty – that could be a good name.” Most of the names for our bikes have got a good story behind them.” It’s not only the bike names that have a good story behind them. Like many people who become legends in their field, Gary started racing bikes in high school when there was nothing cool about riding bikes. “No one was riding, kids weren’t into it. The 60’s in the US was when the bicycle nearly disappeared.” In the post-war US boom everyone wanted to prove their success by buying bigger and better things like cars and houses. According to Gary, bikes just didn’t fit into this big-is-better landscape. “I remember I used to wear my crazy socks and woolly shorts riding and this girl saw me one day as I rocked up to school with my bike. She looked at me and said, “You farmer!” I had to cop plenty of flak back then because I rode a bike.” Over the next few decades riding went from archaic and laughable to cutting edge and cool – the world was changing. The underground mountain bike world was pushing the boundaries of what we all expected from bicycles. Gary and a bunch of mates were enjoying smashing down local fire road descents but Gary wanted more. He wanted be able to ride up hills as well as go faster down them – not too much to ask really, but there wasn’t a bike back then that could do it. If necessity is the mother of invention then Gary is her son, he went about building a machine that would let him ride where and how he wanted to ride. Gary introduced drum brakes, thumb shifters, motorcycle brake levers and cables and triple chain rings with longer crank arms to his old Schwinn. He soon found that not only could he go downhill faster, but that these cool, new rigs presented a serious business prospect. Sales took off and in 1979, in association with Charlie Kelly, he named their new company MountainBikes, with Tom Ritchey (whose story is a book in itself) as frame builder. They unsuccessfully tried to trade-mark the term ‘Mountain Bike’ in 1979 and the company dissolved in 1983 due to disagreement amongst the group. Gary decided to start from a clean slate and Fisher Mountain Bikes were born in the same year.

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Gary Fisher is a flamboyant character. He’s renowned for his crazy costumes and today, talking to us in Sydney, he hasn’t let us down. In a loud striped suit, diamond shaped glasses and a smart little peaked cap, he looks like a cruiser who never left the 70’s. He obviously prides himself on his costumes; in fact he seems almost happier talking about his kit than his bikes. “I found this suit at a place called Dashing Tweeds…it’s actually Teflon coated and fantastic in wet weather.” The suit comes complete with long, bright pull-up socks to protect the lower suit legs from the chain. “It’s the first cycling suit I’ve had that I can wear cycling and still walk into a room and feel respected.” In his 70’s Yankee drawl, Gary Fisher is an entertaining bloke – you quickly get the sense that he’s more used to being ‘the talker’ while others listen attentively. Given his formidable history, this can be easily forgiven. Besides, he knows a lot about wheel sizes. “You know, 28 and 32 inch wheel sizes were very popular back in the late 1800’s, the 26 inch wheel was actually brought over from Germany in the mid 1920’s and that’s the size we all later adopted” Which leads

us to the 29er. According to Gary, he always wanted to build a 29er since riding in the Colorado Rockies back in the late 70’s. “Riding over there I was like, wow, I wish I had a bigger wheel.” The 29er came under serious consideration in the mid-90’s but it wasn’t until the late 90’s that the 29er was developed in conjunction with the Gary Fisher race team. “I got together with Mark Slate from WTB – they were the race team tyre sponsor at the time. Mark developed a tyre and I built a bike that matched my 26inch bike specification as close as possible.” Gary did months of testing the 29er alongside the 26er and over a set course with a heart rate monitor, established that the 29er was 3-4% faster. “The first bike used a steel frame with a Manitou Fork that you could unbolt and adjust the fork length, it was a one-off fork.” The testing advantages obviously differ according to the specific course but this was enough for the trend to gather some serious momentum, enough for Gary to develop a production 29er. “We used like a 700c wheel and then we put the tyre on and

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it measured something like 28 and 7/8ths in wheel size, so I said, ‘To hell with it, let’s call it a 29er!’” “The bikes have their downfalls though, people want compact bikes and the 29er is a big bike you know – it’s not for everyone.” Gary’s raw character is a refreshing contrast to the glossy marketing buzzspeak we are used to from bike companies and product brochures. His straight-talking manner suggests he’s happier out the back playing with an angle-grinder and tape measure than talking people through company philosophy in the board-room. With his name all over the Trek-owned Gary Fisher bikes though – he has his own ‘Gary’ link on the website – he can’t shy away from company speak, which leads us to the latest Genesis 2 (G2) geometry. Broadly speaking, the technology was introduced to make the bikes more responsive to steering input in tight trails. Gary was a little shaky during the earlier dealer presentation on the specifics of suspension leverage ratios, talking geometry reveals no such haziness. “Geometry is what I love, it’s fundamental to how a bike handles. I

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Sketch: Niki Fisher

“I remember I used to wear my crazy socks and woolly shorts riding and this girl saw me one day as I rocked up to school with my bike. She looked at me and said, “You farmer!”

don’t necessarily know what works but I just keep experimenting, it’s not just my input too, I get feedback from riders to understand where we can improve, G2 stems from this.” As a young downhill pinner who loved welding whatever he could to an old Schwinn, Gary basically had free reign to do as he pleased. However, with increased production come inevitable constraints. “Whenever you start making bikes for a good number of people you become a bit of a slave to the market. It’s easier to give people what they think they want rather than what you think they want.” Despite this, Gary maintains that he still has a good level of input into the company he started and that, since Lance started tearing it up the French mountains, the company has put a lot more money into development and research. “I’m more like the eyes and ears now, someone comes up with an idea and I have a look and let them know if it’ll work.” It’s obvious that Gary has had to make a few adjustments over the last few decades as his company has grown to be an international player. If he’s struggling in his role as talker rather than welder, you wouldn’t know it though. He continues in his light-hearted mellow drawl, “Some of these engineers we have on board, they come up with the most out-there designs, really wacky ideas, and I’m the guy who tells them whether we can turn it into a bike. You have to know the rules in order to break them.” More info on Gary Fisher, the man and the bikes, can be found at www.fisherbikes.com

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Climbing away from the beach on stage 1

Enduro made the trip to the Margaret River region of Western Australia in late October to check out the inaugural Cape to Cape MTB â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 4 days, 4 stages and over 170km of mountain biking over sealed roads, through wineries and across beaches. Read on for our week of racing on the west-side. CAPE TO CAPE

Words by James Williamson Photos: Bohdan Warchomij and Cape to Cape

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race up

e turned left off a fast section of sealed road and hit the sandy fire roads. After riding in some big hills and through thick bushland we were now into undulating scrubby coastline, heading for the beach. It was like steering a boat through the twisty sandy descents but I wasn’t too worried about crashing - the landing was soft and the excitement of the stage was overpowering any sense of caution. More descending and we hit the beach. It was supposed to be hard-pack but the tide was in and the only way to keep pedalling was to ride at the water’s edge. The wind-blown waves smashed at my tyres as I tried to maintain some sort of traction and momentum. It was tough going but I managed a sweaty, sandy smile. I was in a new part of Australia, riding through some awesome scenery with similarly enthused mountain bikers from all over the world – this was mountain biking at its best! Compared to the east side of Aus-

tralia, Western Australia doesn’t get much publicity when it comes to mountain biking. The state has held a national series race or two, and our magazine often covers the Great Karri Ride, a one day mountain bike festival, but apart from that WA is pretty quiet. Enter the Cape to Cape. Jason Dover and Chris Heverin came up with the idea of a mountain bike tour through the Margaret River region over three years ago but it wasn’t until Eventscorp – a division of WA Tourism – got on board that things really started to heat up. Countless meetings with landowners, environmental groups and local communities later, the Cape to Cape was ready to roll. The event is so named

because it travels from the southerly point of Cape Leeuwin, north through Margaret River, to Cape Naturaliste.

I’d seen ‘Margaret River’ printed on wine bottles at the local bottle shop but that was the extent of my knowledge of the area. After arriving, going for a walk and checking out some maps, I soon learned that it’s a pretty amazing

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Clockwise from opposite page: Cape Leeuwin lighthouse…a stunning backdrop for the start of stage one | Rohin Adams and Enduro’s Willo on the beach section. They chased each other around all week and ended up with two stage wins each | Santa Cruz’s Johnny Waddell putting his power-packed thighs to good use during the beach section | Riders relax before stage one

part of the world with a handful of national parks and a rugged coastline, unspoilt by the development that we’re so used to on the eastern side of Australia. After a bit more time there, having gone for a ride and chatted to some locals, I learned that here are two things the region is renowned for - wine and surfing. The place is saturated with wineries. Some are elegantly subtle, others…aren’t. The area is also host to the Margaret River Pro, a massive yearly surfing contest. The locals are proud of their surfing. Their claim to fame is that world renowned surfer Taj Burrow lives in Yallingup – 50 km from Margaret river and a stop-over town in the Cape to Cape. When I was first told about this local legend I asked “Who’s that?” That was a mistake - being ignorant is one thing, lacking the tact to conceal it is another. It didn’t earn me too many friends. Even mountain bikers learn from their mistakes though and I acted suitably awe-struck the other 50-odd times I was told. So that’s the region at its simplistic

touristy best. Dig a little deeper and you’ll find an area with some of the best outdoor adventures in Australia. With an impressive network of caves to be explored, rocks to be climbed and trails to be walked or ridden, all in the surrounds of atmospheric little towns guaranteed to be only a couple of minutes from great surf and limitless wine tasting – it was shaping up to be an exciting week. Chris Letts – or Lettsy - Ride Director and one of the many characters of the week, presented the stage 1 course to us from the Augusta Hotel on the opening night

with a map of the first day’s race lighting up the wall. He talked us through the stage, explained how he’d ridden it a few months earlier and described in broad terms what to expect. This was a man sharing his long-

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Clockwise from top: Local cows were oblivious to the bunch of idiots in Lycra the creek sections on stage 2 provided some entertainment | the free bike wash being put to good use | the start of stage 2

...the scenery continued to amaze, even if it’s sometimes tough to take in through sweat-fogged glasses... it’s Aussie coastline as it should be. held dream to a bunch of non-locals and we couldn’t help but be captivated. I had only been there long enough to have a few sips of my local beer and even I was getting excited, it was infectious “Now remember it’s not about it being a race. I want you to enjoy it out there, there’s some pretty amazing scenery and trails to take in.” So we returned to our accommodation at Caves House, Yallingup, that night itching to get out there and experience some of Lettsy’s excitement for ourselves. A gourmet breakfast with every possible combination of everything on offer and a car trip to Cape Leeuwin later, we were on the start line framed by one of the most amazing backdrops to a stage start that I’ve seen. The seven storey Cape Leeuwin light

house was built in 1896: It’s an impressive piece of brickwork. The lighthouse sits at the most South Westerly point of Australia where the Indian and Southern Oceans meet. Historic monuments are great, so is geography, but as I’ve learnt countless times in the past, a stage start waits for no one so we grabbed our bikes and lined up for stage 1 not really knowing what to expect. The stage had it all. After some tough climbs we were ripping down sandy descents, not knowing what was around each corner but knowing that if you didn’t quite make it, it was at least a soft landing. After descending for a good while we hit the beach – these races are about adventure and the beach section was a massive adventure. For one section I was riding on the fine and mas-

sively variable ‘point’ where the water meets the sand, searching for hard-pack, when my wheel suddenly dropped about a half a metre into a sand hole. I managed to hold the bike upright, but it was just another reminder of the just how much of an adventure the Cape to Cape was proving to be. Following the beach section we hit some undulating sandy climbs. Super-fast descents were met by soft sand transitions, slowing you to a snail’s-pace before hitting another steep, sandy climb. With tired legs from trying to maintain momentum on the beach, this next section was the toughest of the day. From there it was blissful hard-pack dirt road and a final section of sealed road to the stop-over at Hamelin Bay. So that was that, it had been a stage with plenty of variety and a stage for mountain bikers – I couldn’t have asked for more. On top of this, from the perspective of an east-side Aussie, the scenery continued to amaze, even if it’s sometimes tough to take in through sweat-fogged glasses. The coast-

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Clockwise from right: The riders from Squirt Lube had a great week Enduro’s Niki descends on stage 4 | there were plenty of smiles out there

line is wild and open – it’s Aussie coastline as it should be. Having chatted about the stage until it could be talked about no more, we peeled of our sweaty cycling kit, gave our bikes a tub courtesy of the free bike wash, and headed to the beach for a swim. I can’t remember the last time I sat on a school bus, something about them makes me feel like an excited little kid. The bus, organised by the race management, rumbled along on its way to Karridale Tavern for the first night’s dinner and presentation. Riders chatted about the day and what to expect from tomorrow, there was a general mood of tired contentment. As the bus continued its cruisy pace and I reflected on the day I couldn’t help but feel that youthful excitement coming back to me. Dinner was great, so was the beer. The night gathering offered the chance for people to swap stories. Lettsy offered his comic interpretation of the day from an organisational perspective, Jason and Chris talked us through their impressions of stage 1, the day ahead and rider stories from the first day of racing. That infectious excitement was still there. In fact, it was growing. All three guys – Jason, Chris and Lettsy – were very good public speakers. These little things make a big difference. Having got a taste of the surf on stage 1, stage 2 saw us deviate through the local Leeuwin Estate Winery. Appropriately too, where the surf section was rugged and tough, the winery experience saw us glide over pristine lawn while wine-lovers watched on from a nearby balcony. It was an interesting addition to a stage that left sealed road after 9km and hit a lactic inducing dirt climb followed by a fast

...this race was about variety. In a few descent over some massive water bars. hours we went from pushing tired legs After that bit of excitement it was an aweup tough climbs and walking through water crossings to sipping on local some section of double-track through the beers at the Colonial Brewery ancient Boranup Forest. The trails were a mixture of fast, sandy and rocky. Next we were in the open, close to the coastline and hitting a white limestone rock climb. There the week. We descended an exhilaratingly were patches of dirt but we were mainly fast, twisty descent through sand and climbing on the rock - this limestone section hard-pack with the beach below us – was spectacular. Winery deviation aside, the second half of the stage offered less stimulation Photo: Travis Deane with predominantly flat, fast fire road. The day finished on some rail trails, complete with gates we had to open and close, to take us into the slightly inland town of Margaret River. I was quickly learning that, with its interesting little stop-over towns, this race was about variety. In a few hours we went from pushing tired legs up tough climbs and walking through water crossings to sipping on local beers at the Colonial Brewery. With the stage done in 2-3 hrs for most, it left an entire afternoon to check out other attractions of the area. Lettsy was struggling with his projector at the Margaret River Hotel that night, so there was no map lighting up the wall to explain stage 3. He left us with the ominous words that stage 3 was undoubtedly the toughest, with some fast flat sections early, but tough sandy climbs later. As I sipped on some local region wine, mountain bike racing seemed about a million miles away. But less than 24hrs later I was slogging my way up a long, sandy climb – “the toughest climb of the day”, I vaguely recalled Lettsy saying. It wasn’t. Although it did reveal what, for me, was the most amazing backdrop of

awesome stuff and motivation in itself to keep applying pressure on the pedals. From there the real mountain biking of the day continued with undulating sections through the coastal shrubbery. It wasn’t over though. We hit the sealed

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Caves Road after about 40km before ducking back up into the hills for the final few km into Caves House. This is where I started dreaming – or hallucinating – about a happier place with plenty of those local beers. The trails were constantly undulating with descents over in seconds followed by long, slow climbs. They wouldn’t have been so bad but for the soft sand with its invisible yet strong hands grabbing your wheels. I was

The wire got caught around my back wheel by the time I realised it was electric. Every time I touched my bike it would zap me willing myself up every little climb, telling myself it had to be the last, only to see another similarly formidable climb in the distance. It was tough. But as we’ve all learnt – you can pull yourself inside out if it means a descent to the finish. The descent wasn’t particularly steep, or particularly fast, but the feeling of having the wheels turn without too much pedal input was beautiful. From there it was a quick dash through the Yallingup Caravan Park and through to Caves House for the stage finish. As the event was developing so were the stories. It was great to see people relax into the week. “I was riding along in the wind and I got caught up in a section of wire on the course. The wire got caught around my back

wheel by the time I realised it was electric. Every time I touched my bike it would zap me. I finally managed to get the bike out by touching the only rubber sections of the bike – the hand grips and the tyres!” This story was met by roaring laughter in the packed dining room at Caves House the night of stage 3. This, along with a memorable speech from stage 2 winner Rohin Adams, made this night the most enjoyable yet. The rosy evening was also helped by an afternoon of tasting the region’s wines. The sand had been a challenge all week but it never got to the point of being too much until stage 4. This was a loop from the nearby Ngligi Cave up to Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse and back to a final stage finish at the gardens of Caves House. The last few km of descending was great fun, the rest was tough. It started with a climb and never really got any easier with heavy sand patches making it feel like a constant climb into a headwind – not too much fun. Still, the loop on sealed road around the Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse was great with spectators lining the upper section. The toughness of the stage meant it was certainly a rewarding feeling crossing the finish line for the last time to lie down, only just alive, in the lush gardens of Caves House, a perfect environment to trade war stories. These post-race social sessions became an integral part

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of the week and something to really look forward to. After a quick shower the wine and beer flowed and the presentation did a great job of wrapping up an unforgettable week. Even the sun was shining. The Cape to Cape was a memorable four days. The organisation of the event was impressive; there are plenty of events out there that could learn from these guys. It’s the little things that make a big difference: things like offering a free 10 minute massage post-stage, setting up a free bike wash and going to the trouble of getting everyone together for the nightly dinners. On top of this, the region is an absolute winner. The professionalism laid a great framework but it was the people that really made the week. That excited, enthusiastic vibe of the management team quickly saturated the event. The nightly dinners got more relaxed and fun until on the last night people were singing and dancing on the tables and shouting at each other like old friends. Pushing yourself and digging deep alongside a bunch of others is great for quickly getting to the core of one’s character, and quickly making great friends – this was obvious at the Cape to Cape. An event’s success is so often measured by competitor numbers but after my week in WA, I can safely say it’s about much more than that. More info: www.capetocapemtb.com

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An Epic Weekend! The 2008 Flight Centre Epic and Mega Epic Weekend Words by Nick Both | Photos: Koala Productions

ountain bike races come and mountain bike races go. The reasons for these comings and goings are often curious. I’ve known some great events that have been laid to rest over the years only because the timing was wrong or the numbers were low due to bad weather. But one event, a mainstay in the Australian mountain biking marathon calendar, has continued to grow and prosper over these lean times – the 100km Flight Centre Epic and the 200km Mega Epic in Queensland. One of the main reasons for this continued upturn in growth could well be the amount of choice available to everybody at this event; rangrace up ing from the fastest of the whippets right down to kids as young as five. This really is the people’s race, Chairman Mao would be proud. If the 200km “Mega” option over the two days seems a little out of reach for most, there are plenty of other options with the traditional 100km being held on the Sunday in conjunction with 50km, 20km and 12km and 5km kids’ rides. The traditional 100km option starting at Preston Peak Winery, just outside of Toowoomba, is a must do. This takes in some of the best trails the region has to offer. Starting with plenty of altitude to lose over

the first 30km makes this section of the Bicentennial trail, some 3000km long in total, a real favorite and keeps people such as myself coming back year after year just to ride it again. What follows is an account of what you’ll encounter if you have the good sense to race this jewel in the crown of the Australian enduro racing calendar. The early kilometres of the day feature flowing, fast single-track punctuated with farm gates and creek crossings; there is quite often more than one route through sections, some faster than others. Keep your wits about you and find the best lines for maximum fun or outright speed. Beware of the rain though, in previous years this trail following Ma Ma creek has been known to take legs and bikes prisoner with its unique blend of black mud that gets everywhere and sticks to everything. This is probably one of the few times you will hear people say thanks for the dust. Major lung buster number one comes in the form of the Razorback. There is a feed station at the bottom, so stock up. The Razorback is a steep fire road ascent that sees you flirting with some of the smaller gears you never (admit to) riding. Of course, what goes up must come down and the down here comes in the form of the “Devil’s tail”. Here’s where anyone with a need for speed will be

choice [is] available to everybody ...ranging from the fastest of the whippets right down to kids as young as five. This really is the people’s race, Chairman Mao would be proud

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Opposite page clockwise from left: winner Chris Jongewaard | racing hard | crashing hard | motivation to keep pedalling. This page: Crisp air and sunshine… mountain biking at its best

happiest, with tarmac so steep it’s repaved weekly because it continually slips off the hill. With the right wind, speeds of 100+kph can be, and are, achieved. Fair caution though, the wind can also play havoc, especially when the tarmac turns to gravel toward the bottom. People on uni-cycles have ridden down this successfully, but if you’re the cautious type you know where the brakes are and how to use them. To get the inside story on how steep the “Devils tail” really is, talk to one of the Mega Epic riders, as they ride the majority of the course in reverse on the Saturday. You’ll get the idea if you imagine riding against a moving airport walkway on 45 degree angle. And no, you can’t use the handrails. Another well equipped feed zone is the reward for your hard work, keeping energy levels high for the fun to come. Laidly Gap may not fulfill the exact criteria of “fun”, unless you are someone who thinks it is appropriate that undersized Mars bars are called “fun”. But it’s here that no one is alone. I haven’t seen the sort of camaraderie I saw this day, on this hill, during a mountain bike event before or since this day. Laidly Gap has a fierce sting in the tail and anybody game enough to tackle it head on and give it everything is considered a hero. It is always crawling with competitors, literally, and the cheers and atmosphere here will inspire you. I give particular thanks to the genius who packed his iPod and speakers into

a Camelback, pumping Pearl Jam out loud and clear to the masses. I dare say the group he was with was reluctant to leave him at any point during the event for fear of losing the hard-pumping aural inspiration. Fun is now on your doorstep. Make it to the Peppers Hidden Vale property and it’s nothing but sweet, winding single-track all the way to the finish where you will be greeted by family, friends, smiling volunteers and beer. Focus on the job at hand first, you don’t yet have beer and there’s still 10km left to ride. If you’ve left something in the tank this section of single-track will thrill you, if not, kill you. It’s always hard to be motivated this far into a long event, but the lure of the finish line ensures the legs keep turning. Finishing means a job well done, a shady patch on the lush resort grass, kicking back with your mates and enjoying a cold beverage. Maybe you’ll be back sooner than you think. Peppers Hidden Vale is unique in that it’s one of the few luxury resorts where you can take a mountain bike to play. They are constantly building new trails with the current singletrack tally at around the 50km mark and this is set to double in the coming years. More importantly the builders are riders, like you and me, and have the experience to know what we want in a trail, making this a perfect weekend retreat for those who also enjoy the finer things in life. Who said mountain biking had to be hard?

Fun is now on your doorstep. Make it to the Peppers Hidden Vale property and it’s nothing but sweet, winding single-track all the way to the finish where you will be greeted by family, friends, smiling volunteers and beer

Five days of incredible mountain bike racing along the sweet single track and dusty trails of the majestic MacDonnell Ranges in the Red Centre.

CH 2009 21-22 MAR ictorian Mt Buller, V lia Alps, Austra t about All that is grea g in one mountain bikin cation. spectacular lo incredible Two days of ong ike racing al mountain b and lar trails in the spectacu e th d uller an around Mt B sâ&#x20AC;Ś Victorian Alp g n ki breathta 9: March, 200 Saturday 21 around 25km XC race AM: A thrilling track. le ng si new their cranking ountry per-D (cross-c PM: A 7km Su ster oa rc lle n a ro downhill) dow t. en sc de 600m-vertical erâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ill-you-drop rid PM: A party-t celebration. 09: ch 22nd, 20 Sunday Mar wing flo g race alon AM: 55km XC ical ag m a in ils wilderness tra . alpine setting

25-29 May, 2009 This truly was one of the best events I've ever been part of.

James Williamson, 2008 World 24hr MTB Champion and Enduro magazine editor

One hell of a good race.

ullerm www.bikeb

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Huw Kingston, Highland Fling Race Director and outdoor legend

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Where’s the studded tyres when you need ‘em…an isolated snow drift high up on the epic ride

riding the euro alps Photos: sam maffett

Sam Maffett exchanged Melbourne winter for Euro summer which gave him 7 days of mountain biking through some of the most dramatic French peaks. Below he offers his version of holiday bliss.

t was going to be flaming great. In fact I can’t remember being this excited before a holiday for a long time. French Alps, guided XC and DH riding, car and ski-lift rides up and flowing singletrack descents down, our own fully-catered mountain chalet, meeting up with a group of old mates from the UK, no e-mails, no mobiles and no stress, just plenty of riding in the European summer – does it get any better? Yep, it was with smug smiles on our faces and bike boxes loaded with toys that my wife and I jet-set out of a rainy Melbourne in late June on our way to the ultimate mountain bike holiday. An old mate of ours called Ali from the UK had set up a mountain bike tour company called Trail Addiction and we were booked in for a ‘back country special’ with 7 days of awesome mountain biking in and around Val d’Isere, Les Arcs and Bourg St Maurice in the magnificent French Alps. Topping it off was the fact that a few other mountain biking buddies from the UK were joining us for the week, making a crew of 4 plus Ali the guide – here we had the makings of a dream holiday. Flights to Europe are long in anyone’s book. But when you pick your bike up from oversize luggage and see that it is still in one piece, you’re met at the airport by a bunch of mates with a 10 seater minivan and trailer and you can smell the first of many French baker-

ies just around the corner, the flight was forgotten within a second. Mmmm, French pains au chocolat and croissants are so good! After a couple of hours driving we’d not only stopped at a couple of those bakeries but we’d been delivered to our home for the next 10 days – a magnificent alpine chalet in a tiny little village on the side of some very big mountains. After a long sleep we were primed and ready for action. It was ‘action stations’ the following morning as we set off to explore the first of a multitude of local trails, following Ali down a swooping, twisting and rolling double-track through the forest to the river valley below. Woohoo! I can still remember the strain on my cheeks from smiling so much as I pulled into the car park at the bottom. From here on we yo-yoed our way up and down the valley, being picked up in the van at the valley bottom and deposited at a trail head 1000m vertical metres higher up to ride another flowing descent. We were based in the little village of Peisey-Nancroix in the mountains near Bourg St. Maurice but it might as well have been nirvana as there were trails just about everywhere. The riding was super fun and varied; some trails were steep and descended the mountain via a technical route of rocky switchbacks, others were

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The local village mid-summer bonfire - surrounded by Mountains

Refilling at one of the many village water fountains

Checking out the view near Val d’Isere

faster and more open, allowing you to ease up on the brakes and let the bike go – my personal favourites. It really is an exhilarating feeling when you feel the bike accelerate under you, becoming weightless as the pull of gravity propels you down the mountain – yeah baby let me at it! Our week of riding was one of Trail Addiction’s ‘Back Country’ specials, meaning that we weren’t just riding downhill in ski resorts or next to major roads all day, oh no, we were putting in the hard yards, pedalling up some of these behemoths as well. This allowed us to get away from the roads and the shop-lined alpine villages and into the mountain wilderness above the tree-line. After a major up-lift in the car we’d be dropped off well above the forest amidst beautiful alpine lakes, rocky cliff faces and rolling grassy fields. Then we’d follow winding singletracks that weaved their way around the landmarks back down to the valley floor. Often we’d climb back up over another pass or cross another mountain range mid-way through the descent, giving us a good opportunity to burn off all the French bakery products we’d been consuming. After all this riding there was one day that really stood out as the ‘piece de resistance’ – our day over Mont Jovet. As usual, the day started with a couple of croissants over breakfast and then a quick burn down the local trails to the minivan pickup at the bottom for the ever-satisfying drive up yet another mountain. This time it was up through the La Plagne ski resort (the finish to a few epic Tour de France stages I’m told) to a remote alpine col on the other side. The ride starting point was among a few snow drifts and a spectacular array of mountain peaks around 2500m high, with the

valley out of view about 2000m vertical metres below us! The trail started from the minivan’s back door with a flowing line of hard packed singletrack carving a fine line through the alpine meadows. The trail was flanked by wildflowers and daisies, and straight ahead was a jaw dropping view of Mont Blanc and the extensive European Alps stretching in all directions. The scenery was magnificent but so was the riding – I remember this trail like a surfer remembers their ultimate wave. The trail seemed to play with you as much as you played with it – slaloming around isolated alpine conifers where you’d sink into your suspension and crank out before dropping you off small rocky rollers allowing you to catch some speedy air with the confidence of Nathan Rennie. I felt like I was working the small gullies like a snowboarder works a half pipe: speeding through the bottom and then weightlessly and breathlessly turning at the top to do it all again. The trail led us through a complete range of landscapes and down into the dense forests below only to pop out at a historic summer-only village made of ancient stone. Most of the buildings would have been old shepherds’ huts used for tending their flocks, and provided us with the perfect spot to catch a mid morning snack before the climb ahead. Stretching out above us was a zig-zagging dirt road that looked like Jacob’s ladder climbing up to the gods. This was where the trail exacted its revenge with a gruelling 1200m climb back over another pass. With our minivan miles away it was pedal power, apricot pastries and the ever increasing view that gave us muscle to conquer this one. After many more kilometres of descending through gorgeous forests beside raging mountain streams, riding past cows with bells around their necks grazing in fields of flowers, and railing it down roller coaster trails that gave you plenty of joy, we finally arrived at the township in the valley floor. As 5 riders filled with the smiles only a good day’s riding can deliver we rolled into the city square, parked our bikes and pulled up a chair at the nearest café and ordered a round of beers. Ha, the French really do know how to live... Here we were drinking beers surrounded by historic buildings in this picturesque mountain town, having ridden from the tops of the peaks along amazing trails. It was full of sweetness in the company (and competition) of a bunch of mates who’d just shared a super fun day. All we had to do now was watch the scenery and down a beer or two as we waited for the minivan to take us back up to our alpine chalet for some more French cuisine.

Uou can almost smell the fresh alpine air

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The toughest decisions of the holiday – whether to ride or look at the view

Jimbo grinding uphill through the forest

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52 Yet more high altitude single track

AD Over the 7 days we had on our bikes we rode just on 350km and by my altimeter descended over 24,000 vertical metres never riding the same trail twice (the only dampener being that I broke my wrist on the last day – bugger). We were on our 120 – 140mm travel bikes with my Trek EX8 lapping it up and Kate’s Scott MC20 begging for more. So if you want an epic mountain biking holiday overseas, want to live the good life and ride some wicked trails in the middle of the Aussie winter, then look no further than the French Alps. You only live once. More info on Ali’s trail packages at www.trailaddiction.com

Troy Bailey Team BMC World 24 hour solo champion (35 to 39yo) Photo: Adam McLeod

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Dirt Works is a proud member of the Cycling Promotion Fund

Team BMC Australia is proudly supported by:

BMC road and mountain bikes are distributed exclusively by Dirt Works Australia 02 9679 8400 | bmc@dirtworks.com.au | www.bmc-racing.com

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90 hours and 1200km? Audax: a different style of endurance cycling. There are no podiums, no prizes, no winners or rankings, so what’s the point? Joel Mcfarlane-Roberts made the trip to the Victorian Riviera for the 2008 Great Southern Randoneé to find out more.

udax is an endurance road cycling discipline with a long history. In 1897, a group of Italian cyclists set out with the goal of riding 200km between sunrise and sunset. This first group became known as “Les Audacieux” meaning the brave, bold, or foolish. Today, Audax events can be anywhere between 50km and 2000km, with most lying in the 200-600km range. The goal is to finish the ride, via the prescribed route, within a certain time limit. Interim time limits also apply for the required checkpoints; therefore it’s important to carefully manage riding speed, energy and sleep in order to reach the checkpoints in time. Audax is most well-known in Europe, with the Audax club of Paris being the de-facto international authority on the sport. In Australia, however, it gets very little press. This may have something to do with its small membership in Australia – only a relatively small bunch of registered, regular participants even live here. I was interested enough to find out more. Monday October 27th is an overcast, windy day. By 4pm a small crowd has gathered in the conference room of a motel in Airey’s Inlet, about one hour south-west of Geelong in Victoria. They leave their varied (that is, racing to touring and everything in between) bikes leaning against the hedges outside. Those who have registered to enter the event collect their documents, a sheaf of maps and route instructions with the valuable ‘brevet card’ included. On this card they will collect stamps and signatures to testify that they have passed through the checkpoints listed within certain time restraints. These riders have opted to attempt the 1,200km/90 hour event within the broader event of the 2008 Great Southern Randoneé (GSR) – an event held every three years with Victoria’s Great Ocean Road as its stage. The GSR is one of Australia’s most well-known Audax events and has, this year, attracted a few riders from the UK, America and Europe.

At 5pm the ride begins. Heading east toward the first checkpoint, Queenscliff, at around the 85km mark, the riders have a pleasant tailwind through open agricultural areas and along sandy peninsulas. As they reach the first checkpoint, darkness sets in. Lights are switched on, and the ride continues throughout the night. Checkpoint 2 is in Geelong, across the road from Kardinia Park. From here it’s back to the start/finish to complete the 209km loop which is the first 1/6th of the ride. The riders all reach this point well before the 7am cut-off. Keeping within the time limits is not a great challenge, at least not in this early stage… As the riders went off at their own varied paces I lost track of most of the participants. Audax is a battle against the clock, against the road, and often against one’s own body and mind. It can also be a profoundly solitary activity. Seeing other riders at the checkpoints every few hours gives a welcome opportunity for conversation, if one can spare the energy. The checkpoints are ticked off – Queenscliff 84km, Geelong 149km, Airey’s Inlet at 209km, Apollo Bay 273km, then through the gruelling Otway ranges to Port Campbell 371km, Cobden 411km, Port Fairy 498km (at which point I was forced to retire due to injury), toward the Grampian ranges to Hamilton 582km, Hall’s Gap 680km and Moyston at 712km. At this point riders turn around and ride the route in reverse – knowing that every descent they enjoyed is now a climb, every tailwind a headwind. The ride back from halfway is always a lighter one, however, as though some force which resisted progress before is now drawing weary bodies back to the finishing point. Finish they did, well all but 7 of the 31 entrants for the 1200km GSR did. 12 of 18 1000km entrants, 7 of 10 600km entrants, and all 10 of the 300km entrants also finished within the prescribed time limits. The beer at the finish was certainly well-earned.

Super long events like the GSR are less common than shorter events. 200, 300, 400 and 600km rides are run far more regularly. “One day” rides of 400km or less are far easier to organise, and checkpoints may or may not be supported with food, drink and encouragement as they were on the GSR (as with mountain bike racing, these big events couldn’t run without the hard work of volunteers, many of whom sacrifice their own chance to ride in order to help out). If long solo road rides sound a little boring to you, the more exciting Fleche Opperman might pique your interest. Named after Australia’s most famous cyclist (way more famous than Cadel), Hubert Opperman, the “Oppy” is the road equivalent of a 24hr mountain bike race. Get a team of 3 to 5 mates, plan a route which finishes in Rochester – Opperman’s birthplace and site of his museum, Victoria – or Dapto, near Wollongong in NSW. The route must be at least 360km long, and your team has 24 hours in which to complete it, riding together. The ride finish at 9am is also a communal barbecue where you can share your war stories. The team which completes the longest distance in the allotted time is awarded the year’s Opperman Shield. So why is this article even in a mountain bike magazine? Audax and endurance mountain biking have many things in common: The events are long (obviously); and for most people, they’re about challenging yourself, rather than about competition. Audax is almost completely non-competitive; the rides are hard enough to complete, let alone to race. Similarly, endurance mountain biking seems to attract a more relaxed sort of rider than shorter races. For most riders, setting and reaching personal goals is more important than achieving a certain placing. If 24hr racing feels just that bit too short, or if all that twisty singletrack has you pining for the long open road, check out the Audax Australia website: www.audax.org.au

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A rider faces one of the many climbs Below: Riders gather for the start of an epic day

Flinging it Highlands style Words by John Lascelles Photos: John Fraser

ake your pick: 100 miles, 110 kilometres, 54 kilometres or 14 kilometres — The Highland Fling has something for everyone. Now in its fourth year, this event attracts 1500 riders of all ages and abilities. It is now so popular that all 1500 places sold out in just over two weeks! You can see why. The Fling is held in the Southern Highlands of NSW, around the villages of Bundanoon, Penrose and Wingello. The course takes you over rolling green pastures, through eucalypt forests, pine forests and creek crossings in one of the most picturesque areas of the State. The course is not too technical, and consists of around 20% single track, with the rest being made up of fire roads, dirt roads, and old forestry trails. The atmosphere is fantastic. Everyone is out to have a good time, with the top riders in the country slugging it out for decent prize money, as well as casual riders doing it as a once-a-year personal challenge. It’s as serious as you want it to be, according to your own personal goals. The Full Fling is the 110km event. I had my first go at it last year, and finished in terrible shape. There was a pile up of riders at the

bottom of a muddy slope. I fell on top of another guy and almost copped his pedal in my face. I swung my head to the side and took it in the neck instead. I crossed the finish line totally exhausted, looking like a victim of Count Dracula. I was determined to do better this year, and so stepped up my training to include some extra long rides, as well as some MTB races with the Southern Highlands club. I was entered in the Super Masters Category, which sounds impressive, but all it means is a bunch of blokes in their 50’s. There were 37 of us in this category. I always like to pace myself against another rider. And if you’re going to use someone as a benchmark, why not go for the best? And so I chose the defending Elite champion, Shaun Lewis. Last year “Lewey” beat me by 3 hours and 2 minutes. My goal for this year was to close the gap. 570 riders assembled at the start for the Full Fling. We were organised into three waves according to the time we expected to take: less than 6 hours, 6 to 7 hours and over 7 hours. I went with the last group. The 21 Elite male riders were held back for 30 minutes, to allow the general mob to get well into the first stage. The 665 Half

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Full Fling – Men Elite

1st Craig Gordon (Rockstar Racing)