Full Sus September 2016

SEPT 2016 VOL37

#MTB BIKE REVIEW F U L LS U S SA

@ F U L LS U S SA

F U L LS U S SA

F U L LS U S SA

p14 Kids’ bike buyer’s guide.

PAUL BOTMA

BEANI THIES – METAL AND MEDALS Young Sabine Thies is arguably of South Africa’s most exciting mountain biking talent, not only is she winning everything in her age group but she was recently crowned SA Elite Women’s DHI Champ. Kathryn Fourie tried to keep up with Beani for this interview.

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riving out along the R614 from Pietermaritzburg, I get stuck behind several enormous trucks packed to the brim with sugar cane.

Farmlands stretch out on either side of me, punctuated with thorny bushveld. I’m on my way to Wartburg to meet Sabine ‘Beani’ Thies, who lives on an 800 hectare farm with her parents Eugen and Jacky.

They are 5th generation sugar cane and timber farmers - it’s tough genetics and tough

terrain that seems to have shaped one of South Africa’s top mountain bikers.

Reaching the farmhouse, I see Beani at the fence, long brown plait bouncing over her shoulder, waving hello. Beani is 14 years old, and every time I’ve seen her between the provincial Enduro and DH races this year she has grown at least 5cm. I’ve been racing bikes since 2012, and have been lucky enough to watch a number of young riders develop from 10-year-old

kids into full blown teenagers.

Beani is one of the sterling crew of up-and-coming young guns that have cut their teeth on KZN’s finest trails.

Beani is unique in that not only does she ride XCO, Marathon, Enduro and Downhill – but she tends to win just about every race she enters.

This was recently proven with a triad of 2016 SA Champs wins in all disciplines. There’s a crazy strong thread of metal woven into Beani’s fabric, and I’m at her house to find out a

WIN

GO TO PAGE 02

PLUS

FULL STRIDE INSIDE

WIN LUVHANDLES GRIPS

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little more about where that strength comes from.

I’m a bit distracted from my mission, however, as I’m licked half to death on arrival by the Thies’ collection of daschunds.

Shortly after being introduced to the pack, Beani shows me where her herd of bikes are kept, and then we head to her room.

It’s tidy for a teenager, and there are neat collections of items on shelves, in cupboards

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02

EDITORIAL & SABINE THIES

ED’S LETTER

THE SUS TEAM

FROM PAGE 01

Publishing Editor Shayne Dowling shayne@integratedmedia.co.za

THE SABINE THIES PROFILE CONT...

Content Editor Seamus Allardice seamus@integratedmedia.co.za Art Director Annalie Boshoff

i

’ll admit I have absolutely no personal experience on this front. But I’ve coached a fair amount of school sport and studied some of the youth athlete developmental theories back in my days as a Sport Science undergraduate, with those lessons and my own experiences as a youngster taking up sports, here are a few key lessons.

LET KIDS PLAY There’s enough pressure to perform in all other areas of a child’s life, so don’t force them to get serious about mountain biking or any other sport too early. If you want them to foster a life-long affinity with exercise it’s essential that they learn to see sport as fun.

AVOID SPECIALIZATION Don’t force your child to make limiting choices in their sport until it’s clear that they absolutely have to. Even if they have potential to make a career out of a sport, let them do other sports for as long as possible, especially team sports. And if they decide to focus on cycling, encourage them to do as many disciplines as the cost implications will allow.

DON’T PROJECT YOUR DREAMS Your child might not share your dreams, so just because you would have loved to be a professional mountain biker there’s no guarantee they’ll happily choose that path. Talent is only part of the package and if they don’t share your vision don’t force it upon them. Yes as a parent you only want what’s best, but I’ve seen too many parents going so overboard that you just know the kid is hating every minute of it. Don’t be that parent.

READ DR MIKE’S COLUMN If you’re interested in a more scientific and researched approach to raising you’re young trail ripper read Dr Mike’s column.

Also in this issue you’ll find a profile by Kathryn Fourie on the multi-talented Sabine Thies, reports on the Spur School and Junior Eliminator Series and loads of kid’s bikes, including a kids’ bike review.

I hope you enjoy the issue and be TWEET sure to send us your thoughts. Get YOUR in touch with Full Sus via Facebook, THOUGHTS Twitter or Instagram and tweet me at @SeamusAllardice. @FullSussa or Cheers,

Sales Eloise Meyer eloise@integratedmedia.co.za PR & Promotions Ashlee Attwood ash@integratedmedia.co.za Regulars Stirling Kotze Snr & Jnr, Jacques Marais, Dr Mike Posthumus, Amy Burton, Estelle Pickard, Stefan Garlicki, Erik Kleinhans, Hendrik Lemmer, Joëlle Sleebos & Kathryn Fourie, Michael Gombart, AJ Calitz and Tammy Reader.

Contributors Christel Liebenberg, Tyrone Rawlins, Kathryn Fourie and Louise Ehret Rogue Contributor David Bristow Photography Ashlee Attwood, Oakpics.com, Red Bull Content Pool, Chris Hitchcock, Volume Photography, Newsport Media and thinkstock.com.

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Head Office | Cape Town Tel: 021 685 0285 Address: Suite WB03, Tannery Park 23 Belmont Road, Rondebosch, 7700 Postal Address: PO Box 259, Rondebosch 7701 Disclaimer The views expressed by the contributors and columnists do not necessarily represent the views of Full Sus or Integrated Media.

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SUS THE COMPETITION WINNERS Congratulations to Lourie Nel and Liesl Felton who each won a pair of entries to the amazing Fedhealth MTB Challenge on the 3rd and 4th of September.

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Beani with her collection of Hot Wheels. and in containers. Beani has themes; direction; systematic thinking. She pulls out a collection of Hot Wheels that she’s been accumulating for half her life; we discuss the neat collage of number boards stuck on her wall and she explains that she was once obsessed with Lego. “But I don’t mix the Lego pieces. I would buy a particular one, build it, and it never came apart again. Once it was built it stayed that way.”

The advanced mathematics certificates in frames on her wall suggest a smart kid, and the fresh running spikes on her windowsill to talent outside of mountain biking too. “The only sport I don’t really like is swimming actually, I’m not sure why,” Beani laughs, while playing with a pink and black camo survival knife that I eyeball. “Oh this? My Dad bought it for me when I recently went on my Junior Hunters course in July.” Because when she’s not riding bikes, running, smashing hockey balls or doing complicated maths, she’s firing rifles and learning about environmental ethics.

“I love the bush. The Kruger Park is one of my favourite places to go on holiday. We go every year; it’s special to me.” It doesn’t surprise me when Beani tells me later that if she doesn’t become a professional cyclist, then becoming a wildlife vet would be her next best choice.

Jacky has baked chocolate brownies and we settle down in the lounge to chat and drink coffee while a nature programme plays on the TV in the background.

KF: So Beani, you were six when you started riding?

ST: Ja, I was just riding around here really. My dad got his bike

and I so badly wanted to go riding with him, so that’s how it started. We are very close, he’s like my training partner. He’s the only training partner I have.

KF: Does your dad ride competitively at the moment?

ST: No, he’s not a competitive person really. He doesn’t even

do races at the moment, he just watches me and rides with me during the week.

KF: How did you get into racing, and how did your sponsorship journey start off?

ST: My first bike was a little 24-inch GT. Then I always saw this bike at Lee’s Cycles. It was a Mongoose, and it always looked so nice… my dad got me that as a present. But Joh! I had to wait until I was big enough to fit on it, as it was a 26-inch. Then, I was just riding, and I did the Western Classic at the school. And I won that by coincidence, and that’s where my racing actually started. It was 15km. I was seven then. Not long after that I rode for Hattons, until I was a first year sprog, and then I won my first SA Champs. The next year I was taken on by Jeep, and I rode there for two years and then I came to GMC. I am now a Specialized Ambassador. My first Specialized was a “Fate”. I am also sponsored by Fox in Enduro and DH specifically.

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SABINE THIES C O N T.

THE SABINE THIES PROFILE CONT...

KF: And when did you move into DH? ST: Downhill started because I went to the GMC shop one day, and that bike was there (a Specialized Demo) and they let me ride it around on the tar in the driveway. I bought the bike after Greg (Minnaar) had a look at it and said it was fine for me, and I started practicing with Andre Pretorius. It started from there, really. I went to Cascades with him and didn’t really know what to expect, and I hit the step up on my first go… it was so different.

I loved it. Downhill is… also like… there is no pressure in it.

With XCO, it’s so full of politics and stuff. And also you don’t get nervous for downhill.

FROM PAGE 02

PAUL BOTMA

Beani in crosscountry action.

KF: How do you feel when

you ride? If you close your eyes and imagine you’re riding your favourite trail, what is the feeling you get?

ST: When I ride I just enjoy every moment of it. I try and make my training fun. When I am on my favourite trail I always say: “Ja, I should do that – I should go do that jump, I should see what jumps I can make out of natural trails.” I just have fun, and when I am training I think of my dad, because he has to do it with me. Here at home we have singletrack for the Harburg race, and he told me he would go around on the forest roads while I do the singletrack, he does that for me.

had to get home. At the next XCO race I was able to do the Enduro after because we planned it better and it was really fun, on my XC bike. And I said to myself, this is great!

So I did the last one, and KZN Champs, and I enjoyed myself thoroughly and I just carried on from there. I then got a Specialized Rumour, because I’d proved I was good at Enduro and going to stick to it, and now I use my Rumour purely for Enduro.

KF: Humpf! (nearly spits coffee out), maybe you don’t… I certainly do!

ST: Honestly, it’s a lot different to cross-country.

That’s what makes you nervous, being on the front line, and if you’re not in the front you get nervous as well because you’re scared you’re going to lose!

KF: So what is the appeal of XC races for you?

ST: It’s serious (bites into chocolate brownie). You have to be focussed, serious. You have to enjoy yourself, but you have to be in the mind-set to win almost. And also, Downhill is like fun… in cross-country, in training, no-one would share lines, everyone is secret about their lines. Downhill you go there, and everyone shares their lines and shows you new things. So XC makes Downhill and Enduro a lot more fun, because you get that perspective.

KF: Basically it gives you

a good feeling, but you’re always wanting to improve and push yourself by pumping the trail?

ST: Ja, and some days I really want to push myself and we’ll do 15 to 17km and I will do it in like 40 minutes just to see what I can make myself do.

But other days I just do it with my dad, some days I go and fetch him again (backtrack to where he is) because… he’s getting there… (giggles).

“DOWNHILL YOU GO THERE, AND EVERYONE SHARES THEIR LINES AND SHOWS YOU NEW THINGS.” KF: Out of Enduro and Downhill, which is your favourite?

ST: It depends on the track really, because on some tracks I love riding my DH bike, but on others I would prefer my Enduro bike. The toughest DH track has been Mankele by far, but for Enduro the one with most uphill in it is the toughest, probably Cascades, and for the start…

St. Ives. The climb is brutal.

KF: I saw on Facebook that

PAUL BOTMA

KF: How did you move from

XCO into Enduro?

ST: Three years ago I did a cross-country, and we saw there was an Enduro on, there

by Hammarsdale. I couldn’t do it because my dad said we

Beani enjoys the freedom and camaraderie of downhill.

PAUL BOTMA

04

Focus on XCO success and adding to her already impressive list of age-group SA Champs titles.

you spent a day working with Nigel Hicks taping the DH track for KZN Champs. Tell me what that experience was like?

ST: Joh, it was tough. You don’t realise how steep the track is until you have to walk back up it. And the face has to face a certain way to show the branding running downhill, so taping on one side you walk down, and the other you walk up. That was a mission! I will never break tape and not fix it, and I’ll never complain about

marking… because I now see what a mission it is!

KF: Will you carry on doing all the disciplines or at some stage will you choose to focus on one?

ST: When you become a Junior at age 17, you need to choose carefully because the World Cups for XC and DH are at the same time on the UCI calendar. You literally can’t do both even if you wanted to. I am not decided at this stage, I’m just going to see how things go.

KF: If you choose to go into

DH more, what areas do you think you’ll need to work on to take things to the next level?

ST: Joh, I’ll definitely have to work on big gaps… but tables and small drops are fine. But like A-line in Cloud 9, you have to do that if you want to be at an international standard of racing.

And the drop on the new track… ja so, jumping and drops.

06

NEWS

SEAMUS ALLARDICE

SRAM EAGLE TEST RIDE We waited patiently for months and when the first shipment of SRAM Eagle drivetrains hit the South African shores that patience paid off as Cape Cycle Systems’ Warren Lamb offered Full Sus the first shot at a local SRAM Eagle test ride. Was it worth the wait? Is SRAM Eagle all it’s cracked up to be?

The simple answer is yes.

If you are currently riding a 1x drivetrain then SRAM’s new 12 speed cassette will dramatically improve your riding. It removes the need to compromise on either end, climbing grunt or big gear inches for the descents and flats. Running a 36 tooth chainring we easily summited

the toughest climbs, though Cape Cycle Systems say that SRAM expect most bikes to come specc’d with a 34 tooth chainring rather. The shifting is crisp, especially lower down the cassette and all-in-all we were mighty impressed.

But does SRAM Eagle spell the end of the front derailleur on mountain bikes? We think not. The gaps between the massive 50 tooth, big 42 tooth and third from top 36 tooth cogs are big and we noticed that we were more inclined to force a harder gear than spin the easier option. So for riders already riding and loving 1x SRAM’s Eagle is a clear and ground-breaking

improvement. For riders running 2x11, because they like the steady cadence options provided by all those gears, a double chainring will still win out. For the simplicity, efficiency and technical wizardry we love the SRAM Eagle and can’t wait for a longer term test.

SUS THE SRAM EAGLE TEST IN FULL SCAN THE QR CODE OR VISIT WWW.FULLSUS.CO.ZA TO READ THE FULL SRAM EAGLE TEST RIDE REPORT.

NEDBANK TOUR DE TULI Five nights, four days, three countries, two wheels… writes Jacques Marais from Nedbank Tour de Tuli. It’s an event organised by Children in the Wilderness to raise funds for environmental and life skill education programmes in rural communities. In 2016 it raised over two million Rand.

Cyclists are required to

make a minimum donation of R24 900 to take part in the event and the fee covers all meals from dinner on the first day to breakfast on the last day, accommodation in single occupancy two-man tents, mandatory emergency evacuation insurance and a massage on each cycling day.

Entries are capped at 350.

It’s challenging multi-stage mountain bike tour coving harsh terrain in remote areas and is not for the faint-hearted.

The route is strenuous, mostly following elephant tracks, game trails and singletrack, travelling through the Tuli Block connecting Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Each group of cyclists is

JACQUES MARAIS

FS NEWS accompanied by two guides – one in front and one at the back – to ensure their safety, as game sightings are frequent with riders spotting elephants, giraffes, kudu, eland, baboons, impala and an abundance of bird life daily. Some groups

were even lucky to spot hyenas and a leopard or two.

For more information about this amazing tour, visit www.childreninthewilderness. com.

The men’s Olympic XCO race was won by Nino Schurter (centre) reversing the top two positions from London 2012 with Jaroslav Kulhavy (left) finishing second in Rio while Carlos Nicolas Coloma was third.

The Rio 2016 Olympics came to a close with the events we’d been patiently waiting for the Women’s and Men’s XCO races. While the triathlon was a spectacular success for South Africa and road races, BXM and Track events crash filled, the real attraction for Full Sus was always going to be the Olympic Cross-Country races.

In the women’s race a new name rose to the top of the

pile, defeating the seemingly undefeatable Jolanda Neff and the other pre-games favourites like Annika Langvad and Pauline Ferrand-Prevot.

To call the Rio 2016 champion Jenny Rissveds a surprise package is unfair though, she’s the reigning U23 World Champ and has been mixing it up with the big guns all season. To overcome the setback of needing six stitches

in her knee and four in her elbow earlier in the week took a huge amount of bravery.

While racing the perfect race, with experienced riders around her faltering, on the biggest stage is also worthy of supreme praise. Women’s mountain biking is in rude health indeed and we can look forward to four years of tough competition between Neff, Ferrand-Prevot and Rissveds

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MICHEL CERVENY

THIRD TIME LUCKY FOR SCHURTER IN THE OLYMPICS

From left to right Maja Wloszczowska of Poland, Jenny Rissveds of Sweden and Canada’s Catherine Pendrel took home the Olympic medals. leading into Tokyo 2020. So keep an eye on women’s XCO, it’s going to be thrilling.

The men’s race was by no means less exciting than the women’s though the main protagonists were better known. After bronze in Beijing and silver in London it would have taken a superhuman effort to stop Nino Schurter in Rio. If there is one rider capable of oneoff superhuman XCO races

it’s Jaroslav Kulhavy and Schurter must have been nervous when the big Czech matched him acceleration for acceleration in the first five laps. Eventually though even Kulhavy cracked allowing Schurter to claim that coveted gold medal.

Carlos Nicolas Coloma and his magnificent good luck moustache were third.

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NEWS

JACQUES MARAIS

FROM PAGE 06

To read all about the 2016 Trans Baviaans scan the QR Code or visit www.fullsus.co.za/tag/ trans-baviaans.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF OAKPICS.COM

TRANS BAVIAANS

GLACIER STORMS RIVER TRAVERSE Here at Full Sus we’ve always been advocates of multi-day rides. And the recent Glacier Storms River Traverse is one such ride. The routes were non-technical, aside from the mud, the water points were spectacular and without the pressure of racing, riders could stay and indulge in treats they otherwise might not – like strips of ostrich steak off the braai and hot chocolate. The festivities didn’t end when the riding did either, in fact just the opposite. So if you’re looking for a ride where you’re encouraged to slow it all down, take in the sights and stay for that last glass of wine after dinner then sus out the Glacier Storms River Traverse for 2017. Check all the event photos and videos by liking Storms River Traverse on Facebook or visit www.stormsrivertraverse.co.za. Then pencil 4 – 6 August 2017 into your race calendar.

High fives all round if you rode the 2016 Storms River Traverse.

The Trans Baviaans is arguably one of SA’s most iconic mountain biking events. In recent years it’s gone from more than just a race to tick off the bucket list to a real leader in the local ultraendurance field. From the PowerBar and First Choice dairy products packed water points to the jam packed goodie bags the Trans Baviaans is leading the 24 hour events into a new realm of luxury, which is just as well

because riding up The Mother of All Climbs (A.K.A. The MAC) doesn’t get any easier year on year.

For the second year, the Trans Baviaans now boasts two events on successive weekends with the first event featuring the most competitive racing field. Though a headwind put pay to any record attempts the tight and tactical racing was reminiscent of road cycling’s Spring Classics. Billy Stelling used all his tactical

SPECIALIZED LAUNCH NEW ENDURO Specialized’s big rig, the Enduro has been updated for 2017 with integrated SWAT Door technology in all the carbon models, boost hub spacing and a choice of 29er or 27.5+ wheels for the South African market. The S-Works model is equipped with Öhlins shocks front and rear providing 165mm and 160mm of travel respectively, while the other models available in SA boast RockShox Monarch Plus rear shocks and

a Lyric fork for the Elite Carbon model or a Yari for the Alloy Comp model. The S-Works version is also specc’d with a SRAM Eagle drive train and SRAM Guide RS Carbon brakes to ensure you’ve got enough stopping power to safely handle all the speed you’ll be getting on the slacker and

nous to out-fox the seemingly stronger Altech-Autopage duo of Pieter Seyffert and Hanco Kachelhoffer, after his PoweBar 1 teammate Lourens Luus had pulled the lead group for nearly 50km. Meanwhile in the mixed team race; Yolandi de Villiers, Johan Labuschagne and Neill Ungerer, of Ultimate Cycling TBC rode to their fourth Trans Baviaans victory and Theresa Ralph and Amy McDougall, of Galileo Risk Valencia, claimed the women’s category title.

more nimble Enduro.

We’re hoping to bring you a bike test on the 2017 Specialized Enduro soon so watch this space, but in the meantime head on over to www.specialized.com to sus out all the details.

Specialized Enduro Models and Pricing Enduro S-Works Carbon 29er or 6Fattie R149 999 Enduro Elite Carbon 29er or 6Fattie R79 999 Enduro Comp 29er or 6Fattie R54 999

RIDE REPORT

COUNTING DOWN TO

THE SPUR SCHOOLS MTB LEAGUE FINALS Tension is mounting countrywide as October and the 2016 Spur High Schools’ League National Finals, to be hosted at Bekker School in Magaliesberg approaches writes Christel Liebenberg.

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ince its humble beginnings with approximately 900 riders in 2009, the league has grown beyond expectations.

This year it featured 45 events, an estimated 500 schools and 10 000 MTB enthusiasts competing across the country.

Gauteng has seen an explosive growth both in participating schools and riders and is currently the largest league in the country, with more than 80 schools and close on 3 000 riders competing this season. Competition is fierce as only the top ten schools as well as individual category winners will qualify for the Spur Schools Mountain Bike League finals. In the smaller regions fewer teams will be selected and all are fighting

for their spot as Spur sponsor accommodation and transport for the top riders.

A joint initiative between Spur Steak Ranches and trail advocacy group Amarider, the League provides a powerful platform for promoting mountain biking at school level and beyond. The League is affiliated to South African Schools Cycling (SASC), which in turn is affiliated to Cycling SA as a development initiative particularly geared to create a platform for schools to compete against each other and, in doing so, raise the profile of the sport at school level.

According to league director Meurant Botha of Amarider, participation at local events has shown a steady growth as schools accept mountain biking as a recognized sport – some going as far as employing coaches and managers to oversee teams and even building dedicated tracks on school grounds to encourage after school practices and interschool sports days.

“Although there are many kids finding their competitive edge on their bicycles, the Spur Schools Mountain Bike League’s focus is still to

Chris Hitchcock | Spur School’s League

encourage more kids on bikes, more schools in action. It is important for all children to enjoy participating whether only starting out or having participated for a couple seasons,” says Botha.

The League runs on the Olympic Cross Country (XCO) lap-racing format whereby participants complete a set number of laps, determined by age category, of a short mountain bike course. Lap distances are between three and five kilometres.

A large number of league participants competed against each other in the 2016 XCO Championships, adding even more suspense to the upcoming Spur Schools MTB League Finals.

Over the years the Spur Schools Mountain Bike League facilitated various rider development programmes and has seen a definite increase in the number of female riders as well as logged an increased number of primary schools supporting the league.

This year has also seen the introduction of Team Spur, James Reid and Ariane Kleinhans, who play the important role of encouraging League riders to follow their dreams and showing the reality of becoming sponsored athletes.

On Saturday 8 October more than 60 schools will go head to head with the top 26 riders in

each category scoring points for their team in an effort to secure podium positions in the National Inter-schools Final. Menlopark High School dominated the 2015 Spur Schools Mountain Bike League finals winning the boys, girls and mixed team trophies.

On Sunday 9 October schools will team up for the SASC Interprovincial Competition whereby the best 10 results will be tallied to crown the best province. The North West Province are the current defending champions.

The founding sponsor of the League, Spur Steak Ranches has again committed to a bigger and better season offering a R10 000 contribution to school teams that win their respective age categories at the National

Action from the 2016 Spur School’s League.

Chris Hitchcock | Spur School’s League

10

For more information and results visit:

www.spurmtbleague.co.za and be sure to like the League on Facebook at Spur Schools League and follow @spurMTBleague on Twitter for more information. Or post your Spur Schools’ League photos using the hashtag, #spurMTBleague.

Inter-schools Finals. “Seeing the continued growth of the program is something we as Spur Steak Ranches are very proud of and we decided to offer this bonus to foster healthy competition and promote teamwork between riders and within schools, as well as increase participation across all skill levels and abilities,” said Andrew Cronje, Spur Market Development Manager.

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T R A I L S - P U F FA D D E R R U N

THE PUFFADDER RUN

The Hogsback Trails have gone next-level thanks to some sweet trail-building by Neels du Toit. Yup, go get your crank on along the Puffadder, Stihl and Veldfokus Runs.

Photographs and words by Jacques Marais.

GETTING THERE TRAILHEAD IS AT HOGSBACK INFORMATION CENTRE. TURN OFF THE N2 AT KING WILLIAM’S TOWN ONTO THE R63, FOLLOW IT NORTH WEST BEFORE TURNING NORTH ONTO THE R345 TO HOGSBACK. THE HOGSBACK INFORMATION CENTRE IS ON THE MAIN ROAD ON YOUR LEFT .

N2

Hogsback

East London LOCAL BUZZ You can’t help sensing the enchantment of Hogsback when you drive into this hideaway village high within the Amathole Mountain ranges of the Eastern Cape. A scattering of rustic cottages and historic inns slumber here amidst foundling forests and cascading waterfalls veiling down steep cliffs, and it is arguably as close as you’ll ever get to ‘The Shire’ from J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels.

A GPS glitch en route diverted us onto a ‘mission impassible’ bundu bash along Mitchell’s Pass, in itself a helluva mountain bike ride via Seymour. In the end we made it there thanks to the internal combustion grunt of the TrailBlazer, which negotiated a gauntlet of rocks and dongas to get us to the brilliant Hogsback Arminel Hotel, ever so slightly shaken and stirred.

It did not take long for us to settle into their secluded chalets, set deep within the natural woodland surrounds, before setting off to explore the many treasures of Hogsback.

Off the bike, you can explore the Fairy Sanctuary walks, go on waterfall treks, brave highropes courses at Hobbiton, or meander along the labyrinth at The Edge.

The snow did not arrive, but the icy weather and morning

“THIS IS KIFFNESS PERSONIFIED, WITH LOADS OF LAZY, ZIGZAG

KnysnTRACKS a TRIPPING THROUGH OLD-GROWTH FOREST.” frost made for a real ‘Xmas in July’ feel. Indulge at a number of eateries and delis, but take into account that this is a ‘slow village’, with no hurries or worries. Butterfly Bistro is an excellent spot with great pizzas and excellent coffee, plus they have Emerald Vale Pale Ale craft beer on tap.

TRAIL LOW-DOWN Spring is a great time to hit ‘The Hog’, especially if you can wait for the trails to dry out a bit after the great winter wet. The trail network has been gradually upgraded; first by Stuart Forsyth (www. awaywiththefairies.co.za) and more recently by adventure operator, Neels du Toit (www. hogsbackadventures.co.za).

Everything goes, from leisurely gravel road cranks to super-tubing a selection of forest singletrack especially crafted by MTB-minded folk such as Neels. The man himself unfortunately couldn’t ride with me due to a broken collar bone, but he soon put me in the picture as to the latest singletrack additions.

Your best bet is to stick to the original trailhead from the village, following Oak Avenue out towards Robinson Dam (6.5km). Turn left just before the dam and keep left on a jeep track at the fork for a couple of kays of steep climbing, until you see the start of the Stihl singletrack to your right (9.8km).

Give it gas along this rooty descent, kick-assing amidst alien stands of rooikrantz until you blast back into the open.

A short gravel track connects you onto Veldfokus (13.4km), an open, gritty track leading back past the dam before blasting you all the way to the start of the Puffadder Run (15.1km).

This is kiffness personified, with loads of lazy, zigzag tracks tripping through old-growth forest and over mountain streams. Watch the slippery wooden bridges and steep exposure as you ghost the tranquil woods until you eventually T-bone with a gravel road (19.1km) that doglegs to the right onto Wolfridge Road (19.8km).

WHERE TO FIND US Hogsback is a quaint village in the Amathole Mountains of the central Eastern Cape. First mention of the town comes from the diaries of the painter Thomas Baines and alongside its rather English weather; efforts were made during Victorian era to recreate an English country feel to the village, especially through gardening.

You could add two further short singletrack sections (the Pine and Blackwood Runs), plus a number of other footpaths. Local knowledge is your best bet, though, so join Neels for a guided tour of around 3-4 hours to meander

past the many waterfalls and Hogsback viewpoints down in the valley. Most of the singletrack sections are clearly marked with yellow ‘Cycle Roots’ arrows or you can download a basic map from the web.

ing el

SEPTEMBER 2016 VOL37

T R A I L S - P U F FA D D E R R U N

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SUS THE HOGSBACK PUFFADER RUN GRADING: Intermediate (technical in a few places) DURATION: 2hrs CONFIGURATION: Circular/ Return options of 18-31km START POINT: Hogsback Adventures, at 9 Main Road TERRAIN: Gravel road, jeeptrack and superb single-track POST-RIDE BEER: Wizard’s Sleeve Inn www.awaywiththefairies.co.za MUST-DO EVENT: Lord of the Chain Rings Stage Race www.ecmtb.co.za

ACCESS: Permits cost - R30 from Hogsback Adventures CELL RECEPTION: Good reception along most of route ACCOMMODATION: Can’t beat the Arminel Hotel www.katleisure.co.za LOCAL CONTACT: info@hogsbackadventures.co.za Tel +(27-73) 567 9487 GPS COORDINATES: 32.598233 S / 26.938633 E

Above: There’s a riding option for the whole family so bring everyone’s bikes.

Right: The routes feature scenic forest jeep tracks alongside the purpose built trails.

Below: Neels du Toit has built some epic singletrack around Hogsback.

“EVERYTHING GOES, FROM LEISURELY GRAVEL ROAD CRANKS TO SUPER-TUBING A SELECTION OF FOREST SINGLETRACK.”

Jacques Marais is the South African trail guru. If he’s not scouting a new MTB trail he’s trail running a new route in the Drakensberg.

His new book, Top MTB Trails 2, has just hit the shelves of all good book shops and you can purchase a copy for R250. Follow him on Twitter @ JacqMaraisPhoto

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BIKE REVIEW

AVALANCHE JUNIOR BIKES WHAT AVALANCHE SAYS “All Avalanche Junior bikes are designed and built for purpose.

Every component is crafted with your child’s enjoyment and safety as absolute priorities so you won’t find a cut-down version of an adult bike in our Junior range.”

KID’S BIKE BUYER’S GUIDE

If this issue has convinced you to get your kids into our great sport then look no further than this Buyer’s Guide for the info on the best 24 inch wheeled bikes available on the SA market.

KEY POINTS TO BUYING A KID’S BIKE LIGHTER IS BETTER Buy the lightest bike you can afford. Saving grams isn’t about allowing your child to go faster, but remember they’re only little and the lighter the bike is the easier it’ll be for them to manoeuvre.

SIZING While age related sizing is a useful guide your child’s height is going to determine the size of bike that best fits, much like it will for you. Making do with a hand-medown for a bit longer might be better than making the jump to a bigger frame and wheel size too soon.

BIKE LIFESPAN Frustratingly, kids grow very quickly. So a 24” bike will probably only fit them for a couple of years. That lifespan can be

extended by ensuring you buy a bike with a long seat post and a stem that’s readily replaceable (so you can put a longer stem on the bike).

LOOKS The looks of a bike are even more important to children than they are to adults. If you want your child to love his or her bike, make sure the bike matches their idea of cool. If that means tassels on the bar-end caps and a basket or a bike which looks like the mini version of yours you’d be best served to go with it. Bikes provide freedom, adrenalin and endless possibilities for adventures; so ensuring your kid’s bike matches their idea of adventure will help make their bicycle their companion for many a happy childhood memory.

Avalanche Callisto 24” Disc Race Ready RRP R5 999 www.avalanchebicycles.co.za

Frame:

Alloy

Fork:

Suntour XCR 24” AIR Suspension fork w/ speed lock

Gears:

Shimano Altus 24 speed

Brakes:

Tektro Hydraulic disc brakes

Wheels:

24” Alloy

Colour:

Black

Cosmic 24” Boys or Girls

RRP R2 999 www.avalanchebicycles.co.za

Frame:

Alloy

Fork:

Zoom suspension

Gears:

Shimano 18 speed Revoshift

Brakes:

V-brake

Wheels:

24” Alloy

Colour:

Blue/Black & Blue/Green | Pale Blue/Lime & Lime and Fushia

BIKE REVIEW

SEPTEMBER 2016 VOL37

GIANT BICYCLES WHAT GIANT SAYS

“Off-road performance isn’t just for adults. This youth-specific trail bike is designed to help kids progress and learn to love off-road riding. With its lightweight ALUXX alloy frame, fast-rolling 24-inch wheels, front suspension and disc brakes; it helps make the trail riding experience more fun than ever.”

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FULLY RIGID

Frog 62

RRP R5 300 | www.frogbikes.com

Giant XtC SL Jr 24

RRP R8 500 | www.giant-bicycles.com

Frame: Fork: Gears: Brakes: Wheels: Frame: Fork: Gears: Brakes: Wheels: Colour:

Aluxx Grade Aluminium frame SR Suntour XCR Air 65mm suspension fork w/ speedlock Shimano Tourney/Acera 24 Tektro M290 hydraulic disc brakes Giant Alloy, Double-wall, 24” Dark Blue

MOMSEN BIKES

Colour: Weight:

Aluminium frame Rigid aluminium fork Shimano 8 speed Tektro 836AL Aluminium V Aluminium 24” x 1.5” 28 holes Red, Purple, Orange, Black, Union Jack, Green and Team Sky Black.

9.2kg

WHAT FROGSEN SAYS

“Frog Bikes bikes are now also much easier to pedal due to a unique crank design from the renowned bicycle engineer Dimitris Katsanis (of Team GB Olympic fame). The new design reduces the Q-factor (the space between the pedals), allowing children to push more directly down when cycling, so converting more of their energy into motion.”

Momsen JSL40

(Junior Super Light) RRP R8 500 www.momsenbikes.com

Momsen JR40 RRP R5 499

www.momsenbikes.com

Frame: Fork: Gears: Brakes: Frame: Fork: Gears: Brakes: Wheels: Colour: Weight:

New JR Race, Race Tech 1 Aluminium SR Suntour XCT-JR, Preload Adjust Shimano Altus 7-Speed, trigger shift.

Tektro MD-300 Mechanical Disc Weinmann DA19, 24”, 32H, Alloy Race Orange 12.9kg (with Pedals)

Wheels: Colour: Weight:

Triple Butted Junior Race Series SR Suntour XCR Air, Hydraulic Lockout, 63mm Travel Shimano Acera 8 Speed, trigger shift with optical gear display.

Tektro Hydraulic Disc Alex/Momsen DP21, Tubeless Ready, 24”, 32H Fast Black 11.10kg (with Pedals)

WHAT MOMSEN SAYS

“We don’t do ‘look-a-like’. Our commitment to making great junior mountain bikes runs deep. The JR40 is our affordable yet still performance 24” wheel MTB model. The JR40 Superlight is still the benchmark 24” wheel MTB on the market offering best-in-class components and performance.”

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BIKE REVIEW

SPECIALIZED BIKES Specialized Hotrock 24 XC Girls RRP R6 999 www.specialized.com

Specialized Hotrock 24 XC Disc

Specialized Hotrock 24 XC Pro

RRP R9 999 | www.specialized.com

RRP R25 999 | www.specialized.com

Specialized A1 Premium Aluminum, doublebutted Custom SR Suntour XCR, Fork: custom Multi-Circuit Damping, 63mm travel Shimano Acera 8 speed, Gears: trigger shift with optical display Brakes: Tektro Auriga, hydraulic disc Wheels: Alex, 24”, alloy doublewall, pin joint, 32h Frame:

Frame:

Fork: Gears: Brakes: Wheels: Colour:

Specialized A1 Premium Aluminum, double-butted SR Suntour XCT-JR, custom Multi-Circuit Damping, coil/MCU spring, 50mm travel SRAM X3 7 Speed, grip shift V-brake Alex, 24”, alloy double-wall, pin joint, 32h

Frame:

Black & Pink

Colour:

Fork:

Gears: Brakes: Wheels:

KIDS FAT BIKES

Specialized A1 Premium Aluminum, double-butted Custom SR Suntour XCRAIR, custom Multi-Circuit Damping, air spring, 63mm travel Shimano XT rear derailleur, Shimano Deore trigger shifters, 2 x 10 Shimano Deore BRM615, hydraulic disc 24” disc, alloy double-wall, sleeve joint, 23mm inner width Red

Colour: Black & Green WHAT SPECIALIZED SAYS

“Remember the freedom, fun, and sense of accomplishment that your first bike gave you? Even better, the fun of our kids’ bikes is equally matched with the quality and value that parents appreciate.”

Specialized Fatboy 24’’ RRP R15 499 | www.specialized.com

Silverback Scoop Half

Approx. RRP R7 999 | www.silverbacklab.com

Frame: Fork: Frame: Fork: Gears: Brakes: Wheels: Colour: Weight:

24” 6061 Aluminium, Tapered 1-1/8”-1.5” headtube Rigid Fork 24”, Aluminium, Tapered steerer Shimano Deore SL-M610, 2x10 Promax Hydraulic Disc Brakes SunRinglé 24” Mulefut 80 SL, 32H, STR Tubeless Ready Laser Blue & Fluo Yellow 14.35kg

Gears: Brakes: Wheels: Colour:

Specialized A1 Premium Aluminum, fully butted w/ smooth welds Specialized A1 Premium Aluminum, 1-1/8” alloy steerer SRAM X4, 9-speed, trigger shifter Tektro Aries, mechanical disc Specialized Fatboy, alloy disc, single wall, 90mm wide, sleeve joint, 32h Cyan & Blue | Indigo & Coral.

Give your kids the best chance to roll over any trail obstacle and gain all the grip they can from the massive four inch wise tyres. Plus the kids’ fat bikes look really bad ass.

SEPTEMBER 2016 VOL37

BIKE REVIEW

17

TITAN BIKES WHAT TITAN SAYS

“Utilising a 24 inch frame inspires confidence with a lower stand over height, but sees the upgraded wheel size to 26 inch, allowing less rolling resistance and better handling. With kids’ specific geometry, these bikes offer a great transition to the adult range.

Suitable for tackling real trails with true singletrack, the 24”9R is perfectly capable of keeping up with the bigger wheel sizes on a day out.”

Titan 24”9R Hades & Calypso From RRP R4 999 www.titanracingbikes.com

Frame: Fork: Gears: Brakes: Wheels: Colour:

Hydroformed Kids Alloy 24” 9R (Hades for Boys & Calypso for Girls) SR SF13-M3020 26” PM-Disc Shimano SL-RS35, grip shifters, 21 speed Tektro M280 mechanical disk Alloy Black / Double Wall 26” Black & Lime (Hades) | Black, Pink & Lime (Calypso)

COOL CONCEPT

LEAPFROG is a very cool idea brought to you by Frog Bikes. When your child is ready for the next size bike, you can trade their old Frog Bike in at any of their retail stores and discuss a trade-in on a larger Frog Bike.

Frog Bike stockists include The Gear Change; Gecko Cycles; Cycle Lab Tokai; Chris Willemse Cycles; Trail and Tar; Cycle 4 Life, John O’Connor Cycles in Cape Town and Northcliff Cycles; Sprocket and Jack; Cycle Lab; Johnson Cycleworks; Dirt Merchants; Hunter Cycles; Design in Motion in Johannesburg.

And when your child eventually completely outgrows the Frog Bike range we suggest you consider donating the bike to a cycling charity like songo.info or the Diepsloot MTB Academy.

SILVERBACK BICYCLES Silverback Spyke & Senza 24 Approx. RRP R4 599 www.silverbacklab.com

Frame: Fork: Gears: Brakes: Wheels: Colour: Weight:

Silverback 24” Lightweight 6061 Aluminium Frame, Formed tubing in Spyke for boys & Senza for girls.

Suntour Fork, 50mm Travel, 1-1/8” Steerer Shimano Ez-Fire Plus Shifter, 3x7 Trigger Silverback, Alloy Melt-Forged, V-Brake Alloy, 24H, Black Spyke: Aston Black & Harbour Grey or Dakota Grey and Watermelon Senza: Robin Egg Blue, Ice Blue & Arctic White 12.56kg

WHAT SILVERBACK SAYS

“The perfect mountain bike for the up-and-coming junior cyclist. The alloy frame shares the same technology as its race-bred siblings, offering a great stiffness-to-weight ratio with junior specific geometry and a low standover height for easy fitting through the ages.”

18

RIDE REPORT

It’s short, it’s fun, it’s perfect for spectators and allows kids to hone their technical skills and racing instincts. It’s the Junior Eliminator Series for 2016. Or #JES_2016 as Tyrone Rawlins explains.

SINEAD WANNENBURG

INKBLACK VISUAL ART

Kaylin Prinsloo rocking the PWC Bike Park rock garden.

#JES_2016 e

liminator – a short course heat racing format of mountain biking where heats are raced four riders at a time on any terrain with obstacles (both natural and man-made) to test the riders’ skills all condensed into a course of roughly 800m – about a minute and a half sprint interval. The top two finishers advance to the next round whilst the bottom two riders are eliminated from the competition. This takes place until a final is reached and a champion is crowned.

The Junior Eliminator Series (previously the Inter School Eliminator Series) currently takes place across the Western Cape, KwaZuluNatal and Gauteng. The series was formulated three years ago to give young riders the opportunity to race in this UCI format and win some awesome prizes. It’s also a great way for “newer” riders to be introduced to racing and learn a few skills vital for the other cycling disciplines.

Riders are given an hour to test the course before racing starts, this time is utilised to eliminate any “surprises” around corners, to build confidence in riding a drop off or bunny hopping, negotiating a rock garden or descending a set of stairs. Strategies are formed - how to get the inside line, when to exert most energy or open up a sprint finish for the line.

Eliminator evens the playing field as especially with youth, they can all go fast for a few hundred meters. There is no stereotype of “that’s the best rider” because they have the experience and tools to go fast over a long distance. In this format of elbow to elbow racing anything can happen – with the riders in such close

INKBLACK VISUAL ART

Grom Podium: Evan Moolman and Luca Zietsman giving shorty Logan Stander a lift...

“ONE CAN VERY EASILY GO FROM FOURTH TO FIRST IN THE MATTER OF ONE CORNER AS IT’S NOT UNCOMMON FOR RIDERS TO CLASH HANDLEBARS JOSTLING FOR THE INSIDE LINE.” proximity, one can very easily go from fourth to first in the matter of one corner as it’s not uncommon for riders to clash handlebars jostling for the inside line. A lapse in concentration can result in a wheel washing away on lose ground, there is no time to recover from a puncture or most commonly with the force generated off the kick at the start to get out in front, the fatal chain snap leaving riders spectating the rest of the heat.

With the freedom to set the courses up on any terrain it has afforded the opportunity to bring the racing closer to the audience. Majority of

the course is visible, giving spectators the opportunity to watch all the action unfold and cheer the riders on the whole way around the course – supporters’ screams often drown out the PA System!

The Junior Eliminator Series has taken place at Bike Parks without hindering the use of trails for other cyclists who have stopped to be entertained by some incredible racing action. Cycling is quickly becoming accepted as an official school sport by many which has opened the doors for urban courses on school property, with riders receiving the once unthinkable

Joshua Clipstone, Cayde Muldoon and Cian Leverage racing across the Maritzburg College school pool. permission to wind through the corridors, fly down stairs, sprint through the hall or even over the swimming pool!

In the short three years that the Junior Eliminator Series has been in existence there has been a clear shift in “professionalism” by the riders with intense conversations during track walks on what lines will be the fastest, warming up on rollers and working out how to get off the start-line the quickest without spinning their tyres and losing traction. This may all have something to do with what is at stake – the series has appreciated the incredible support of Fox Racing, Skullcandy, OGIO, Trek Bikes and GoPro as well as a number of local bike shops over the years who have showered the competitors with some incredible prizes including store vouchers, riding kit, helmets, headphones, back packs, cameras and even a bike. On top of which the podium finishers are rewarded some prize money for their efforts. Every event has a number of raffle draws so that all entrants have an opportunity to win some of the fantastic merchandise!

Although cycling is seen as an individual sport, the Team Trophy at the Junior Eliminator Series has helped develop a healthy rivalry

JUNIOR ELIMINATOR SERIES Organiser: One Movement Events Website: www.onemovement.co.za Twitter: @JES_XCE between schools within the various provinces much like the traditional school sports as riders encourage others at their school to enter the event to assist in contributing points to the overall. This rivalry has assisted in raising the numbers across all the age groups and has had a range of riders enjoying the competition from the top racing youth to the recreational rider still in takkies.

The Junior Eliminator Series 2016 introduced two new age groups: under 10 and 12 to join the under 14, 16 and 19 divisions. The fighting spirit and grit of these tiny beings as they charged around the course attacking the obstacles with the confidence of an elite athlete mixed with friendly camaraderie set examples for the older divisions to look up to! It was also great to see increased numbers amongst our female divisions who even showed up a number of boys in a few heats!

The Junior Eliminator Series will be back in 2017 and will be expanding into the Free State and Eastern Cape, a full calendar will be released later this year.

Tyrone Rawlins is an ex-professional kite surfer turned event organiser.

Alongside the Junior Eliminator Series his company, One Movement Events also stages the Cape Town and Johannesburg Corporate Games.

Follow him on Twitter: @TyroneRawlins.

D I R T D I VA D I A R I E S

SEPTEMBER 2016 VOL37

The tours take in famous passes like the Tradoupas.

s

their lives that are just their own. Untamed Cycling hosts cycling adventures for groups – the adventures tailored to the needs and abilities of the group. No (wo)man gets left behind… the slowest rider sets the pace – it’s about the journey, not the destination.

Whether you are riding 40km per day or 110km per day – riding takes the whole day on these trips. The first stop is at 10am for tea and home bakes, with many stops to follow for pictures, smelling the flowers, swims in rivers and just general appreciation of nature. With no one in sight but your friends, the adventure becomes more than a ride… people share their life stories while slowly conquering routes they didn’t realise was possible for them to do.

Trips previously offered

by Untamed Cycling include

The Untamed Cycling Ladies off on a gravel road adventure.

SEE SA UNTAMED

BY BIKE

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF UNTAMED CYCLING

omewhere between the crevices of Table Mountain there are three untamed adventurers that I feel the world should know about. These three make me think of the famous Carrie Bradshaw quote: “Maybe some women aren’t meant to be tamed. Maybe they just need to run free until they find someone just as wild to run with them.”

So it all started about six years ago when Jennifer and Leanne, long time competitive sailing buddies, started taking their girlfriends on “Freedom Rides”. They would arrange a cycling getaway for a few days, riding some of the most remote roads in the country. Just a bunch of chicks, having a jol. Every year there would be a new destination, a new set of friends, new roads to explore.

In 2014, Mel joined one of the Freedom Rides. For her the experience was a spiritual journey of re-discovery and she felt so inspired by the concept that she convinced Jennifer and Leanne to turn it into a business. They’re taking ladies on rides anyway and these ladies are gaining so much from the experiences on a personal level, they should share and open up these trips to women beyond their immediate circle of friends. So the three of them opened shop.

While there are many female cyclists on the trails, not as many of them partake in races. Women tend to enjoy their rides more in a noncompetitive environment. So this year, Untamed Cycling was born from the sheer passion for adventure of three like-minded women – Jennifer Burger, Leanne Wheeler and Mel Black.

Aimed at middle-aged moms, women trying to fill their empty nests, or just women trying to find something in

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Gifberg in the area of the Northern Cederberg, Matroosberg in the Southern Cederberg, Tulbagh, Swartberg, Die Hel and Baviaanskloof to name a few. Routes consist of district roads that rarely get ridden by vehicles these days. There will be little to no singletrack riding on these trips. The distance, duration and intensity of a given trip depend on the group’s desires.

The costs associated with the trips include accommodation at authentic farm stays and all meals are included. Lunch packs are given for a picnic along the route and dinners are usually the local cuisine of the farm you’re staying at.

Even though the trips started as female only groups, the Untamed Cyclists welcome

Estelle Pickard recently met an inspirational

group of women: the Untamed Cycling ladies. They work to get women on their bikes and Estelle knows you’ll love to read about their tours. male riders, as long as they understand that the slowest rider sets the pace.

When you look at the prices being charged for these trips, you can see that the purpose of this endeavour is clearly not about the money. So what is the purpose then? Like most female cyclists I’ve met, these

women want to share the amazing experiences, growth and empowerment the bicycle has to offer its riders - they want to share their passion.

So get a group together and plan a holiday! You might get your own Eat Pray Love experience just the other side of the N1.

This could be your next adventure.

“NO (WO)MAN GETS LEFT BEHIND… THE SLOWEST RIDER SETS THE PACE.” There’s plenty of time to take in the scenery on their tours.

SUS UNTAMED CYCLING FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT THEIR WEBSITE AT WWW.UNTAMED-CYCLING.COM.

Estelle Pickard is a lawyer on sabbatical. She recently started the ladies specific cycling apparel brand Dirt Diva and will be providing a regular column for Full Sus on the trials and tribulations of finding her way as a woman on a mountain bike. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram: @hellodirtdiva.

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COACHING & HEALTHFUL AMY

ASK DR MIKE CYCLING TRAINING FOR BOYS OR GIRLS In this issue Dr Mike Posthumus answers a reader’s training related question regarding professional cycling coaching for your children.

Dear Delva, Long-term athlete development (LTAD) is a strongly debated topic across all the major sporting federations. Firstly, LTAD, refers to a pathway based approach which divides athletes into chronological categories based on their age.

The objectives of each phase progresses from learning to ride (ages 0 – 6), loving to ride around (ages 6 to 9), learn to train (ages 9 to 13), train to train (ages 13 to 16), train to compete (16 to 18 years), learn to win (ages 19 to 23), train to win (23 and up). Without getting side-tracked, there is not physiological evidence for the underlying scientific reasoning for these divisions, but from a physiological perspective, as well as ensuring that we turn our bike-loving children into world champions, following such a structure is highly recommended.

Your son is currently in the age group where he should either be learning to train, or training to train, depending on how long and active he has been in the sport. If he has been cycling consistently for three years he can consider training to train.

Although someone may interpret this differently, that does not mean you should be looking for a coach. In my opinion, finding a coach to structure a training program is something that should only be considered toward the 2nd half of the train to compete phase. In a South African context this may be during your son’s matric year if he has been competing throughout high school and has shown the maturity to take his sport to the next level. At your son’s age he should be riding his bike and having fun. It is alright to ride his bike with the objective to train, but too much emphasis should not be placed on the weekly structure of training. During this phase training sessions may consist of various training activities to start building his engine and to get fit. These training sessions should remain fun and ideally performed with his friends. Ideal activities include short track (MTB) or criterium (road) race events, which will be both physically taxing, but also develop specific skills. Specific training may consist of fun intervals; such as a race to the top of the singletrack and down, or a sprint against a friend to the next street lamp. What sets this phase apart from the next phase is that your son should not be training to compete. Therefore the emphasis should not be placed on the competitions or races he is competing in. These races should form part of the training and learning process. And emphasis should not be placed on race results.

Further, from a young age boys and girls should be encouraged to participate in various disciplines. If your son is passionate about cycling, he should not only be racing cross-country, he should also try and participate in some other disciplines to further develop his skillset. For example, including some Enduro racing and controlled criterium racing (such as Killarney in Cape Town) are both excellent inclusions as part of his training to further develop his XCO skills.

Dr. Mike Posthumus is an accomplished academic with UCT’s Exercise Science and Sports Medicine faculty and a coach with Science 2 Sport. Find out more at: www.sciencetosport.com

AMY BURTON

“Dear Dr Mike, My son is 14 years old and absolutely besotted with cycling. He loves mountain biking and has done a few cross country races for his school in the Spur Mountain Bike league. I would like to ask your opinion on coaching for boys of his age, and when do you recommend he gets a coach?

Regards, Delva”

HEALTHFUL AMY: CHOC OAT BANANA MUFFINS Treat your kids to a healthy snack with this chocolate, oat and banana muffin recipe by Amy Burton.

i

t’s well known that kids are not always interested in eating healthily and would prefer that chocolate cupcake over the carrot sticks and humus any day. I have had many parents asking me for recipes, which are kid-friendly whilst still being wholesome and nutritious. So, I have decided to share a recipe with you which is both tasty and nourishing without being bland at all!

I have also snuck some Superfoods into the mix, which give the recipe an added boost of nutrient density, sure to keep your kid full, energized and focused at school or during physical activity.

BANANA OAT CHOCOLATE MUFFINS 8 big muffins or ±12 smaller ones

INGREDIENTS:

✱ 2 bananas mashed (about 1 cup) ✱ 4 large eggs ✱ ¼ cup honey ✱ ½ teaspoon baking soda ✱ 1/3 cup coconut flour ✱ /3 cup rolled oats ✱ A pinch of salt ✱ 1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract ✱ ¼ cup coconut oil or olive oil ✱ 2 teaspoons chia seeds ✱ 2 tablespoon cacao or cocoa ✱ Optional: handful of cacao nibs or chopped nuts + 1 tablespoon rolled oats

METHOD:

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C. 2. Place your mashed bananas, eggs, oil, honey and chia seeds in a bowl and combine until smooth.

Add the coconut flour, oats, salt, cacao, baking soda and salt. Mix gently until combined but not over-mixed.

3.Spray cupcake liners with light olive oil or coconut oil and place in a muffin tray (I used a large muffin tray for bigger muffins). Fill the liners ¾ full and sprinkle the cacao nibs/ nuts and oats on top. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into one. Note that these muffins will not rise as much as ordinary muffins but are still light and fluffy. Allow to cool completely before removing from muffin pan.

4. These muffins are perfect for breakfast, or packed into a lunch box for a break-time treat.

Amy Burton is a mountain biker, trail runner, graphic designer and foodie. She has recently of opened a Rawfood and Superfood smoothie bar at Trail and Tar in Tokai so drop by for a great healthy treat. When she is not riding her bike, running or running her own business, she posts amazing recipes and photos on Instagram, so follow her at @healthful_amy.

LIV BEYOND

AUGUST 2016 VOL37

There is something about seeing a tiny person completely focussed on riding a bicycle, which is kind of cool, writes Kathryn Fourie. And we wholeheartedly agree.

21

Kath’s coaching skills getting a nervous thumbs up…

KATH FOURIE

f

urrowed brows, shifting their balance from side to side over the seat, bulbous helmet sitting at a jaunty angle, eyes looking ahead… a huge smile splitting ear-to-ear when they get a good roll-on, or cruise over a fun bump. It’s so simple, the joy that riding a bike brings to little people.

Bringing up kids on bikes is not something that I personally have much experience with, as I don’t have children. But being 34 years old, I am surrounded by friends who have taken the plunge, and it’s been interesting (and delightful) watching their approach to introducing bicycles to the lives of their children while allowing themselves to keep riding too.

Take my friend Bridget for example. She is an avid rider, having toured the Himalayas and South and Central America on her bicycle; and when baby Gabriel came along she didn’t want any baby shower gifts bar one thing: a bicycle chariot. At six months old Gabriel became the youngest person ever to complete the Sappi Karkloof Classic 20km race. Needless to say, he slept most of the way but he got a medal nonethe-less.

GROWING KIDS ON BIKES

I remember riding at the SA Champs at Mankele in 2013 and seeing my friends Geraldine and Damion in attendance with their tiny daughter Alexa. She must have been just under two, but there they were, Geraldine racing XC and Damion racing DH. They would take turns bouncing Alexa between them, and my best was seeing Geraldine riding her bike with the baby seat attached (it went in the front so Alexa could hold the bars too, and had tiny foot pegs) flying around the 4X track. Alexa’s delighted face, and Geraldine equally stoked

“…SPENDING HOURS ON THE PUMP TRACK TOGETHER WITH THEIR KIDS, TEACHING THEM TO JUMP, SPENDING TIME OUTDOORS TOGETHER, BUILDING TRAIL…”

to be making her daughter giggle – having fun together.

About a year ago I went over to my (then) six-year-old Goddaughter’s house with the suggestion of building a mountain bike track together with her folks. About two hours later, we had constructed a series of forested loops, with small rollers built over the tree roots and a couple of skinny planks. What followed was an hour of riding mayhem, with her three-year-old brother on his balance bike chasing us with a pirate sword. It was so much fun, for all of us – and not a phone screen was looked at for four hours.

I don’t actually know a child that hasn’t taken to riding a bike, whether it was basic BP bike or a fancy balance bike, but I do know that keeping a child riding bikes has a lot to do with parents enjoying their bikes too – even when it would be a completely acceptable

option to put the bikes away for a few years due to the continual exhaustion that comes with child rearing.

Until you’ve faced week after week of sleepless nights, dirty nappies, tantrums and multiple back-to-back flu and tummy bugs as a parent, reserve judgement.

I do know though, that watching my friends enter the craziness of child rearing to come out the other side -

spending hours on the pump track together with their kids, teaching them to jump, spending time outdoors together, building trail – that it does seem rather rewarding.

And it provides meaning to why you have kids in the first place. To make them carry your spades and rakes. Ha ha. Just kidding. Kind of. But I mean, surely the bicycle carriage has space for tools?

Kath Fourie is a project manager, a Masters student, a double UCI Masters World Champs medal winner and now a regular contributor to Full Sus. She can be found on the trails of Howick with her little pack of trail dogs, and Mark Millar, chasing down KOMs.

22

DIR GROOT LEM

Na aanleiding van ons fietsryprestasies by die Rio Olimpiese Spele waar ons nie enige medaljes gewen het nie, het Hendrik Lemmer gedink en gewonner, nog ‘n glasie rooiwyn geskink en meer gedink.

KINDERS EN FIETSE...

EN DIE OLIMPIESE SPELE

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aar is ons medaljes, en hoekom doen sekere lande beter as ander?

Vir ‘n oomblik gaan ek wegbly van die wetenskap want ek is glo te ‘old school’ om iets daarvan te verstaan.

Ek wil eerder kyk na twee suksesvolle fietsrylande en of kinders dalk ‘n rol kon speel. ‘n Fiets is menige kind se eerste groot present. Dit begin met ‘n driewiel wat amper ‘n baanfiets is of een van daai swart plastiek motorbikes. Die volgende stap is jou “groot fiets” met sywieletjies en die eerste fietsrylesse begin. Dit bring my by my eerste top fietsryland.

Die beste fietsryland in bergfiets ‘cross country’ is seer sekerlik die Switsers. Op een wêreldkampioenskap waar drie jong Switsers die hele junior podium vol gestaan het, vra ’n joernalis vir die vorige groot Switserse cross-country legende Thomas Frishknecht, (dis nou voor Sauser) hoe so ’n klein landjie dit regkry om

Wedrenne moet pret wees.

so goed te doen. Sy antwoord was basies: “In our country kids play on their bikes.” Nou in Suid-Afrika speel ons ook op ons fietse, tot ons skool toe gaan maar dan raak ons mos baie ernstig oor prestasie in skolesport. In Suid-Afrika ry elke tweede pa ‘n Epic of ander stage race en sleep vir klein Jannie saam. Nou een van die

SPEEL ONS OOK OP ONS FIETSE, TOT ONS SKOOL TOE GAAN MAAR DAN RAAK ONS MOS BAIE ERNSTIG.” beste en slegste goed in ons mooi land is al die wonnerlike stage races waarvoor almal vir ‘n vale tyd in die saal spandeer.

Maar moet asseblief nie vir klein Jannie van 13 saamsleep vir ses ure Jonkershoek toe nie. Laat eerder dat Jannie

speel op sy fiets.

Daar is ook fantastiese goed wat nog vrugte (lees medaljes) gaan oplewer soos byvoorbeeld die Spur skole ‘cross country’ reeks.

Honderde kinders word blootgestel aan kort, vinnige, hopelik ietwat tegniese ryery waar hulle hul skool verteenwoordig. Jy ry fiets vir jou skool, kry erekleure vir bergfietsry en dit word by baie skole nou ‘n erkende sport. Dan kan munisipaliteite, raadslede in woonbuurtes, ontwikkelaars en beplanners met oop ruimtes ook maklik ‘n tipe, BMX of kort cross country baan skep. ‘n Voorbeeld is so ‘n baan onder in my straat langs die nuwe Specializedwinkel en by Conrad Stoltz se Caveman Café waar hulle van tyd tot tyd wedrenne rondom die winkel hou. Dis iets wat oral kan plaasvind.

So die punt is “Let the kids play on their bikes.”

Die volgende land wat ek as voorbeeld wil gebruik is Nederland, die geboorteland

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF JB BADENHORST

Laat eerder dat Jannie speel op sy fiets saam met sy vriende.

van my vrou. Nou dis ook ‘n klein landjie net soos Switserland, maar hulle het weer die wêreld se beste vroue-padfietsryers.

Soos wat julle weet is daar meer fietse as mense in Holland, en in Amsterdam is die verkeersknope nie karre nie maar Hollanders op fietse. Babas en groceries word rondgery in Bakfietse, kinders ry skool toe op fietse, grootmense ry werk toe en ou mense gaan koop nog kaas op die fiets. Hulle is gewoond aan ry in bondels en op nou paaie, tussen trems en baie ander fietse. Daardie bevolking ry basies bondelwedrenne en kermesses (rondom-die-blokpadwedrenne) vandat hulle gebore word. In Suid-Afrika kan jy die Argus wen en jy het omtrent net om drie draaie op ‘n lekker breë pad gegaan.

Maar wat gebeur in Suid=Afrika? Hier word Jannie met die kar rondgery skool toe; sy 29er staan in die garage tot

hy sy afrigter na skool gaan sien. En as Jannie die ryp ouderdom van 18 slaan kry hy ’n learners en ‘n karretjie. Kom ons kyk waar dit moontlik is om fietsry ‘n gewone, vir almal, alledaagse aktiwiteit te maak.

Ek glo as ons ’n Ry-jou-Fietskultuur en ’n Speel-op-Fietskultuur kan aankweek wen ons ‘n paar medaljes oor ‘n paar jaar. In beide my voorbeelde van top fietsrylande (sonder die Engelse se Wetenskap en pille) lyk dit dan vir my of dit basies neerkom op skills wat aangeleer word deur elke dag die gewone goed te doen en ’n bietjie minder high performance, grend fietse en lycra.

Ry jou fiets en ‘n speel op jou fiets.

Ek weet daar is baie ander probleme soos te min geld vir plaaslike ‘cross country’ ryers asook te min kompetisie in Suid-Afrika, maar ons moet ‘n basis begin bou. Bou dit van jongs af en bou dit groter, breër en lekkerder.

Hendrik ‘Groot Lem’ Lemmer is ‘n fietsry-kommentator en ‘n eiendomsagent. Hy bly nog steeds in die tuiste van bergfietsry in Suid-Afrika, Stellenbosch, en as jy nie omgee oor ‘n Twitter-oorlog of twee nie kan jy hom volg: @GrootLem.

DHI COLUMN

SEPTEMBER 2016 VOL37

i

had been feeling good on the bike in Europe coming into national champs so I felt confident, however the local guys are fast plus it was a new track which is always an unknown.

I flew in to Pietermaritzburg the Wednesday prior to the race and just chilled out for a day before practice started.

I had decided to use my first practice run as a “track walk” run and just cruise down to check it all out which is usually no problem at an SA race. However not this time, the track was gnarly to say the least! It is without doubt the most technical and challenging track I have ever raced in SA. It was super steep with not much pedalling plus some

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF ANDREW MC FADDEN | BOOGS PHOTOGRAPHY

Stefan Garlicki is finally home and enjoying a little bit of downtime before jetting off to Mont Saint Anne. He came home to race national champs and here is how it went…

23

SA CHAMPS

gnarly features. The conditions were also really tough being super dry, loose and dusty.

This made the track quite unpredictable and the margin for error so fine, which always makes racing harder. The track had a lot of input by the riders and it was clear to see but not what I expected at all. Racing is SA is usually a bit easier track-wise but not this time; I needed to be on my A game just to ride the track, never mind race!

My approach was to take it easy to start with and build up slowly as a crash could happen so easily. I was getting faster each run but after day one I knew I had to step it up if I wanted to be up there. On

WRAP-UP & WRAPPED-UP day two I really pushed hard and it showed as I hit the deck twice. However on my timed run I was getting closer to the fastest times, clocking a 2:40. Local rider and ex-World Cup racer Tim Bentley set the benchmark with 2:37. So I knew I still had to find some more time come race day.

Going into race day I felt surprisingly good, I just had a

was not bad at all. This gave me a kick up the backside and I knew I would have to lay it all on the line in the finals. I had nothing to lose. Again even after being 6 seconds back I had a really good feeling and was in a very good mind space going into my run. I knew I had not pushed as hard as I could and my seeding was a good run but a “safe” run, however

“I CROSSED THE LINE TO HEAR I HAD DONE A 2:33 AND MOVED INTO THE LEAD.” good feeling for some reason but after the seeding run I had a bit of a shock. I put in a solid run without pushing it too hard to do a 2:40 but Tiaan Odendaal smashed it with a 2:34 and I ended up 4th with Tim Bentley and Jono Philogene getting ahead of me too. This was a surprise as I did not expect to be so far back in seeding as my run

LEFT: The elite men’s podium: Johann Potgieter, Stefan Garlicki and Jonathan Philogene.

none of that in the final!

In the gate I started humming the song, Highway to Hell (AC/DC) right before I set off to try and keep my mind clear and not to let myself start to overthink. I set off out of the gate and in the first rock garden almost through it away by coming in too hot, after losing about a second I knew I had to regroup and charge!

I did just that and focused all the way down just to let off the brakes a tad more in every section. The rest of my run was on the edge but pretty much perfect and I carried really good exit speed out of each section. I crossed the line to hear I had done a 2:33 and moved into the lead.

I was so stoked with my run that it was almost a shock that I had gone 7 seconds faster, however I knew I had given my all and my run was the best that I could give on that day which meant I was happy regardless of the outcome. I honestly did not think the time would hold but somehow it did and I managed to take the win!

I’m so unbelievably happy to win back to back national titles and really just want to keep the ball rolling. To pull back a time gap of 7 seconds showed me that no matter what the odds, if you get your mind into the right place, anything is possible!

Stefan Garlicki is the reigning South African Downhill MTB Champion. He’s sponsored

by Investec, will be racing in Europe this year and sharing his experiences with Full Sus readers.

Follow him on Twitter: @StefanGarlicki.

24

KLEINHANS MUESLI

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF SPORTOGRAF

WHEN IN THE ALPS, WHY NOT CROSS THE ALPS! In his first season with German team Topeak Ergon Erik Kleinhans experienced an extended European racing trip this South African winter. This is what he’s been up to.

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his year can for sure be marked as the biggest change in my cycling expedition. With what seems to be a totally new racing calendar playing the biggest part. A European calendar formed a more important part of my racing, and where I used to spend most of my time in Switzerland, Austria seemed to be my base this year.

Alpentour Trophy, World Champs, Zillertal Challenge, Dolomiti Superbike and the Transalps made up my five races with 16 racing days, 1 130km and 43 400m of climbing in my seven weeks across the water. It sure was an exciting period of the year with some great memories and experiences.

We are really fortunate to have some great people in our Topeak Ergon team. Every staff member pulls his weight, more than what is expected, and even better is the fun and relaxed environment created.

That is why I love the stage races, the family, camaraderie, the jokes and traveling through some stunning areas.

It was my first time at the Bike Transalps, it is a legend

and one of the oldest stage races in the world. The 2016 race is the 19th edition. The race starts in Imst, Austria, in the north of the Alps and finished 550km later (with 17 700m of climbing along the way) in Arco, Italy, in the Southern Alps.

“550KM LATER WITH 17 700M OF CLIMBING ALONG THE WAY.” You often hear that the race, like many others in the Alps, has too much tar and gravel riding and not enough trails, so I was happy to get the chance to go try it out for myself. I was even happier when I heard that this was the

most technical edition of the race and that they try making it a bit more fun.

But you cannot get away from the big, long, climbs!

Some of them are well-known and cool to “tick-off” like the Gavia and the Umbrail Pass, but personally, it isn’t that exciting climbing for an hour in the same rhythm, especially if it is followed by an unrewarding gravel road downhill. Those mountains are impressive though, up to 2 800m in altitude, and if you are not used to the sight of them, it is so awesome!

Everyday had its fun trail though, around Livigno even more so with some trails built specifically for bikes.

We could certainly have done more stages around this lovely mountain village. But mostly when you hit a trail in the Transalps it was a very technical walking trail. The trails tested my skills to the limit and a trail-bike would have been ideal. But I smaak these technical challenges!

Once again I raced with

“THE TRAILS TESTED MY SKILLS TO THE LIMIT AND A TRAIL-BIKE WOULD HAVE BEEN IDEAL. BUT I SMAAK THESE TECHNICAL CHALLENGES!” the fun American, Jeremiah Bishop, in support of Alban and Kristian. They were doing great and were leading the race, but on the third last day, Kristian crashed fracturing his collarbone and tearing some ligaments… game over.

Another sad day just like at the Cape Epic where it looked very positive until Kristian’s crash. It took the wind out of our sails as a team and JB and I finished slightly more relaxed in 13th position overall. Luckily Sally Bigham and guest rider Ben Thomas won the mixed category.

Coming back home after each of my European riding trips I’m always so happy

with what we have in SA. We have so many great races, not that the organisation of the Transalps is that bad, it is just that the events in SA are better! Also we have so many bike parks made just for biking, in Stellenbosch especially, we are so spoilt!

But there is something to be said about their majestic mountains, the small towns, the cobbled village centres, and the gelati…

If you’ve never been in the Alps for a mountain biking trip, I can recommend the Bike Transalps. Go for the experience, take lots of photos and pray for some sunny weather!

Erik Kleinhans has joined the specialist marathon racing team of Topeak Ergon, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be hearing any less from the Lion King. Follow him on Twitter: @erikkleinhans, or visit www.topeak-ergon-racing.com.

STIRLING REVOLUTION

SEPTEMBER 2016 VOL37

“NEXT BIKE INTRODUCES YOUR KID TO GEARS SO THAT HE CAN DO SOME LITTLE RIDES WITH DAD (OR MOM).”

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hen he (or she) buys his first grown-up mountain bike and discovers how much he has missed out on he’ll never forgive his folks.

It will be the first topic he blurts out to his life coach. Not even a substantial inheritance is going to fully compensate for Dad not buying him a bike.

So, that’s out of the way: you must buy your kid a bike.

That said, some (very few) kids just won’t get it. Don’t force it – it will happen or it won’t. If it doesn’t work, he could become a trail runner.

Oh well, you can’t win them all.

WHEN SHOULD YOU BUY YOUR YOUNG CHILD HIS OR HER FIRST BIKE? Easy! As young as possible.

First that noisy plastic scooter.

He’ll push, lift his feet and steer (and drive Mom and Dad and the Grandparents crazy).

Lesson one, forward motion and steering, done.

The next two-wheeler is a balance bike – the best invention in the cycle of cycling. By now he can push, steer and balance. This stage pretty much eliminates the use of those little ‘fairy’ wheels (also known as balance wheels). These first two bikes should be ridden on flat surfaces as these ‘bikes’ don’t have brakes.

Bike number three: things become a little bit more complicated, this bike has pedals, attached to cranks and a chain. And, at last, brakes. Usually a backpedal rear brake and front handbrake lever. Now he has to learn to pedal and use brakes to stop as opposed to pushing and dragging his feet/shoes on the ground.

To recap, he can now pedal, balance and brake.

So riding on the flats and downhill (not too steep mind you) is now possible.

Inevitably Mom is going to be a little bit more nervous.

Finally, the next bike introduces your kid to gears so that he can do some little rides with Dad (or Mom). Gears are mainly there to help him climb and go a bit faster on the flats.

Initially it is a bit confusing for your child to change gears but he’ll get the hang of it in no time at all.

After this, the bikes just get bigger with more gears, better brakes and suspension. And a lot more money. Don’t worry, the real money will be spent when they start buying their own bikes.

TALKING ABOUT MONEY, HERE ARE SOME GUIDELINES: 1. Don’t buy your kid’s bike in a place with lots of wide aisles and bright lights.

25

KIDS AND BIKES

Kids and bikes. Like macaroni and cheese. They go together says Stirling Senior. A kid who grows up without a bike will miss out big time.

2. If you have more than one kid, hand-me-downs can be physically and mentally damaging to the younger kid. Make sure the hand-medown is properly serviced and spruced up with little things like new handlebar grips and pedals.

3. Do buy you kid’s bike from a bike shop. Even then don’t go for the cheaper option (unless it is truly all you can afford).

Go for the brand you’d be comfortable buying. The more expensive bike is lighter and safer. And a better hand-medown bike – bonus!

4. Buy your kid a helmet. If it

costs as much as your helmet don’t complain! Your kids head is worth as much your head.

Ask your wife. And don’t be hurt by her answer.

Gotta go now. Chris has just walked in with his young daughter Keira – guess what?

He is buying her bike. I kid you not.

The Stirling Revolution column is penned by the father and son, LBS owning, pair of Stirling “Snr” and Stirling James (SJ) “Jnr” Kotze.

With years of industry insider knowledge they’re your, and our, link to the retail side of the bicycle trade – and while they might upset the odd sensitive reader their insights prove invaluable time and time again.

26

RIDE REPORT

SOUTH AFRICA’S

TOUGHEST MOUNTAIN BIKE EVENT ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF CAREN HENSCHEL

The Freedom Challenge’s Race Across South Africa (“RASA”) is an annual non-stop mountain bike race from Pietermaritzburg to Wellington. It covers about 2 300km and ascends 37 000m (if you don’t get lost). And it’s unquestionably the toughest ride Caren Henschel has ever done.

RACE ACROSS SOUTH AFRICA The Freedom Challenge follows a prescribed route known as the Freedom Trail. Unlike most other races, it has no route markers and GPS tracking devices are disallowed, so the key undoubtedly lies in the navigation. Participants are disqualified if found using any GPS; instead they are dependent on a consecutive series of 82 x 1:50 000 topographical maps, simple narratives of the route, a compass, a simple bike computer and whatever knowledge they can glean from more experienced riders.

RASA takes place in June, spanning the winter solstice and guaranteeing cold frontal conditions as well as minimum daylight. Riders start in small batches of about five to seven riders, over a week each aiming to finish within the 26 day cut-off. The average rider takes 20 days while the winner of this year’s race, Theo van Dyk, completed it in 11 days, 8 hours and 53 minutes. This year 37 riders started with 27 finishers, and less than 200 individuals having completed the RASA in its 12 year history.

CAREN’S FREEDOM CHALLENGE I started in the dark, early in the morning of 11 June.

It was raining when I left Pietermaritzburg. After 19 days, 19 hours and 15 minutes I finished at twenty past one in the morning in Wellington while

an icy storm blew freezing rain upon me. But the rain and cold couldn’t dampen my spirits. I’d completed a long anticipated journey and mastering a multi-layered challenge.

Whilst it is an individual event, and some riders choose to ride on their own, many meet up with others along the way. I chose to ride from start to finish with a riding partner, Tony Wright. Our plan was to ride conservatively for the first nine days to each of the designated support stations and then to make up time to finish within 20 days.

“WE HAD TO DEAL WITH TEMPERATURES DROPPING TO MINUS 13°C.” THE ROUTE The route is almost exclusively on dirt roads, trails, foot or cattle paths or no paths, with a few short linking sections of tar.

The first day took us down to the beautiful Umkomaas Valley and up Hella Hella pass, to Allendale, near McKenzie Club (familiar to sani2c riders). From there the route heads south and inland, skirting the mountainous

Traffic on the Race Across South Africa route takes a slightly different form.

border of Lesotho towards Rhodes. The route picks out the most scenic, unspoiled yet challenging terrain, such as Ntsikeni Nature Reserve and Malekgolonyane. The countryside is remote with few people outside of the scattered villages. We rode through forests, nature reserves, wide open land, climbed mountains and passes, crossed rivers and entered small rural villages.

Navigation was often tricky.

On day 6 we needed to cross over the Drakensberg via Lehana’s pass to Rhodes.

For this we shouldered our bikes in a buffeting gale for four hours. Our mantra for the climb became: “If in doubt, go up.” There is no path to follow,

so standing at the bottom of the mountain you need to look where you want to go and pick a line that will hopefully get you to the top.

After Rhodes the route took us out of the high, cold mountains before dropping off the plateaus towards the Mountain Zebra National Park near Cradock and on to the majestic Baviaanskloof.

Here we tackled the difficult abandoned wagon trail in the Osseberg which has thwarted a number of riders in the past.

We then reached more familiar areas, where the navigation was simpler. But the ever present head wind no less cruel. Willowmore to Prince Albert, then through “Die Hel”

into the Little Karoo before entering the Cape Winelands via Montague and McGregor.

The final brutal test through the Stettynskloof followed, and on to the welcoming finish at Diemersfontein in Wellington.

During our journey we came across a range of wild animals including eland, kudu, springbok, nyala and buffalo (including one in the road in Baviaanskloof) as well as wild horses, donkeys, goats and of course big herds of cattle and sheep. We met the warm, cheerful people of the country along the way and enjoyed the generous and amazing staff and farmers who cared for us at the overnight stops.

ds or. h and at on.

d du, o n wild

e m, ntry the f us

RIDE REPORT

SEPTEMBER 2016 VOL37

An example of one of the RASA’s overnight stops.

27

Navigate twice, ride it once, was Caren and Tony’s mantra.

“IT WAS RAINING WHEN I LEFT THE CHALLENGE Riding 2 300km over mountains and through rivers is a challenge enough.

Then add an 8-10kg pack on you back and the added concerns of mechanicals, injuries or other health issues, then throw in the icy cold temperatures. The RASA is truly the toughest race I’ve ever done. The biggest obstacle, despite all the aforementioned challenges to me though was the navigation in the rugged terrain.

Thanks to thorough preparation of our bikes and the spare parts we carried we had no potentially race-ending mechanical issues. We looked after our bodies and health as well as we could; trying to replenish lost calories, fighting exhaustion and managing our sleep deprivation.

THE COLD In the Maluti Mountains we had to deal with temperatures dropping to minus 13°C. The water in my bottle froze within an hour and I wore four pairs of gloves to ward off the cold. I also wore every item of clothing that I had in my

PIETERMARITZBURG. AFTER 19 DAYS, 19 HOURS AND 15 MINUTES I FINISHED AT TWENTY PAST ONE IN THE MORNING IN WELLINGTON WHILE AN ICY STORM BLEW FREEZING RAIN UPON ME.” backpack. Over time my fingers and feet took most of the strain, to the extent that a month later I still don’t have proper feelings in my toes or fingertips.

READING THE MAPS Navigation was the major challenge. Why? Do you think that you can read a map and follow a route description?

It sounds easy but, believe me, it is far from it! Even experienced riders get lost on routes they’ve done before.

Map reading can be very tricky and it is time consuming. Our mantra was: “Navigate it twice, ride it once.” But even this did not always help.

The maps are not always accurate, or do not record smaller, relevant details, or landmarks might have changed since the maps were compiled.

Caren summiting one of the many portages on the RASA route.

At night most of the landmarks are invisible anyway. As a result, almost all riders got lost or disorientated at some stage.

Some were forced to sleep in the veld with only their spaceblankets wrapped around themselves for shelter.

Tony and I fortunately didn’t get badly lost or had to sleep out, but we learnt our lesson early: navigate together and always know where we were on the map. On day two we got disorientated on a normal forestry road before Donnybrook simply because we thought we knew the route but the forest had been harvested, so we took a wrong turn. We caught the error fairly soon but finding our way back took precious time.

Time to orientate ourselves, time to read the map, time to read the narratives and time

to orientate ourselves again, then time to get back on track and make up the lost ground.

Even without getting lost the navigation takes a lot of time because you constantly need to check where you are and where you need to go.

This (and the difficult terrain) makes the average riding speed very slow and the days often very long. Our average riding speed was between 4 and 10km/h. Our average day was about 12 hours long.

Our shortest day, day 6 into Rhodes, took 7 hours and 45 minutes; while our longest day was our last one, 21 hours and 20 minutes riding into the teeth of a cold front to Wellington.

On both these days we pushed and carried our bikes far more than we rode them.

PORTAGE The route is planned to avoid any normal roads taking in dirt roads, farm roads, trails and tracks, paths or simply no track or path. Many of the paths are difficult and hard to ride, or not rideable at all. So you have to push or carry your bike. It’s estimated that riders portage their bikes for about 60km of the RASA.

STETTYNSKLOOF Stettynskloof is the menacing final test. The valley has no path through it and is overgrown with thick fynbos and other dense vegetation, including impenetrable reed forests. We started in the dark at 4am, planning to skirt the riverine growth. We decided

to take a route high up on the right hand side of the valley.

However, we made a mistake by going up far too early, resulting in us crossing a series of deep rocky gullies; an exhausting and extremely time consuming navigational error.

To make it easier to push our bikes through the bushes we took the pedals off before sunrise and only put them back on well after sunset; spending over 12 hours to move about 12 kilometres without pedalling a stroke!

We eventually scrambled to the top of the remote valley after the last light, knowing that we were the only people there. In the dark, we then battled to find the faint path down from the top of the mountain. In the meantime, an ominous cold front had moved in; the rain was pouring down on us with the wind blowing like a banshee.

I then realised that I had lost my rear through-axle in the valley, as my wheel was hanging loose. In those freezing conditions we improvised an axle out of a spoke and sections of wire that allowed me to limp to the finish: cold, wet, hungry, exhausted but elated and deeply satisfied.

We made it anyhow, somehow; we got to the finish and we got the finisher’s blanket: an original Basotho blanket that serves as the finisher’s prize and enrols one into the select group of Race Across South Africa blanketwearers.

Caren Henschel has been a cycling enthusiast since her childhood in Germany. In South Africa she’s found the perfect place to match her passion for cycling with her love of the natural environment. If you’d like to find out more about Caren’s riding adventures you can email her on caren@bikeandmore.co.za.

28

GEAR

Looking for cool kit, funky gear and racy bikes for your young rippers then look no further than this selection.

01

02 MOMSEN JSL20 CARBON

One of the big issues with kids’ bikes is they tend to be heavy and when you’re only a few kilograms heavier than a pocket of potatoes yourself a 15kg bike isn’t the easiest thing to handle. So here’s a bike we would have loved to add to the Kids’ Bike Buyers Guide, but with its 20” wheels it fell outside the category. It’s too good to ignore though so sus out this carbon Momsen kids’ bike with 20 inch wheels. It boasts a carbon frame, carbon fork, 1x8 Shimano gearing and Tektro junior hydraulic disc brakes. With flat pedals equipped, it weighs in at just 8.94kg.

RRP R14 450 www.momsenbikes.com

CAMELBAK MINI M.U.L.E®

The Camelbak Mini M.U.L.E® packs all the features you love in your M.U.L.E® into a kids sized hydration pack. It features a 1.5 litre bladder, a bike tools organizer pocked and two zippered compartments for storing gear securely. The pack has been optimised to fit younger riders and its straps are adjustable too so it’ll fit them for a good few years. For safety, or to annoy you, there’s a built-in whistle for emergencies. The Mini M.U.L.E® is available in blue or purple.

RRP R980 www.camelbak.com

KIDS’

06 GEAR 04 05 SRAM NX

CAMELBAK EDDY™ KIDS

Camelbak’s eddy™ bottle is famed for being spill-proof and now you can get one designed for the little hands of your mountain biking grom.

The 400ml eddy™ Kids’ bottle has the classic eddy™ spout/ straw which flips out from a plastic base, which stops it from leaking when closed and also keeps the mouthpiece clean. It’ll last longer than a traditional bike bottle too as it’s easy to disassemble so you can clean it thoroughly to ensure there’s no sticky energy drink residue left in the straw to encourage mildew growth. Pack it in your backpack for a hike or pop it in your cycling top pocket for a ride. If your child prefers to carry his or her own water sus out the Camelbak Mini M.U.L.E®.

R270 www.camelbak.com

SPECIALIZED SHUFFLE YOUTH HELMET

You wouldn’t ride in a bad helmet so why would you let your child do so? At the core of the Specialized Shuffle Youth Helmet is the Headset SX fit system, providing a secure fit on young heads and keeping the moulded shell in position to protect your child’s head in the case of a fall. The Shuffle buckles in place with a magnetic buckle and the Tri-Fix straps are both comfortable and easy to adjust. It also features reflective webbing and a patented clip-on visor.

RRP R6 99 www.specialized.com

03 MUNA PRO MINI 12”

Balance bikes are the best way to get your kids into cycling.

They develop core strength and balance, teach steering and look like great fun to ride. In fact could they do a 29er version for adults?

Never mind. If your sprog is between 18 and 36 months old then a balance bike is the way to go. The Muna Pro Mini features 12 inch wheels, a lightweight alloy frame, rear brakes, and the ability to easily adjust the saddle, stem and handlebars to fit your kid as they do that growing thing they do so well. Muna are one of the leaders in the kids’ bike field and along with their 12” balance bikes they also do 14”, 16” and 20” kids’ pedal bikes.

RRP R1 995 www.munabikes.com

Looking for an upgrade to shave weight of your kid’s bike and simplify their riding then SRAM’s 1x11 NX drivetrain could be the answer. Unlike SRAM’s other 11 speed offerings, because the NX features an 11-42, cassette rather than a 10-42 it’s compatible with standard driver bodies. Remember that with the little wheels on your kid’s bike the top end climbing ratios probably won’t be affected too much if you replace their 3x8 drive train with a SRAM NX 1x11. Plus they’re probably not going to be pushing huge watts on the flats anyway so reducing the number of gears is unlikely to slow them down. It’ll just simplify their riding experience, eliminating the need to worry about keeping a chain line straight – with 1x they can just go out and ride their bikes.

RRP R5 600 www.sram.com

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SPECIALZIED ENDURO GROM 3/4 JERSEY

Kit your young trail ripper out in a boy’s or girl’s Specialzied Enduro Grom 3/4 Jersey and watch them fly down the trails.

The jersey is constructed from VaporRize™ moisture wicking fabrics and provides UV 50+ protection from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. It’s cut to fit more like a t-shirt than a cycling top and is sure to allow for freedom of movement on the trails and in the bike park’s play area after a ride, while you’re enjoying a welldeserved coffee.

RRP R499 www.specialized.com

COMP & PIC OF THE MONTH

SEPTEMBER 2016 VOL37

Post a photo on Facebook, tagging Full Sus and luvhandles, telling us how you #GetAGrip and you could win 1 of 10 sets of luvhandles to pimp your ride.

THE PRIZE #GetAGrip on your riding this spring with a funky new set of luvhandles silicone mountain bike grips. We’ve teamed up with local brand, luvhandles, to help you pimp your bike by giving away 10 sets of luvhandles in a colour of your

WIN LUVHANDLES GRIPS

choosing. Add a flash of colour to your frame with bright red grips or play down the bold paintjob with a more subtle black set, the choice is yours.

Plus luvhandles ship with your choice of bar-end plugs, so you can match colours or express your individuality further. luvhandles foam mountain bike grips are made from 100% silicone and provide ample grip even when riding without gloves in hot conditions. Their bar plugs are constructed from a high density rubber and

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features the funky luvhandles logo proudly on their end caps. To find out more about luvhandles grips visit www. luvhandles.co.za, where you can also shop for grips and choose your winning colours online. The standard luvhandles grips retail for R120, while the bulkier Much Luv grips retail for R150. Door-to-door courier fees average around R50 depending on your address.

Like luvhandles on Facebook to get the wheels rolling for this competition.

HOW TO WIN Simply post a photo on Facebook, tagging Full Sus and luvhandles, telling us how you #GetAGrip. 10 winners will be drawn at random

by Full Sus and you have until 23 September to enter. Winners will be contacted via Facebook, so keep an eye on your notifications come 26 September.

PIC OF THE MONTH

Oakpics is a Strand based photographic company. They shoot a vast array of events, covering everything from wild horses to weddings.

But it’s in MTB that they’ve carved out a niche as one of the leaders in the field.

If you spot them on the trails, usually when you’re picking yourself up after an unexpected brush with the ground, you can purchase the photos directly from their website.

Or book them to shoot your event. Call them on 021 854 8723 or visit www.oakpics.com.

GET OUT THERE AND EXPLORE THE GREAT OUTDOORS WITH YOUR KIDS THIS SEPTEMBER.

CALENDAR

MUST DO EVENTS AUGUST W’ CAPE 10 September: Piket-Bo-Berg Cycle Challenge & Trail Run The toughest single day we had on a bike last year. But boy was it worth it. Piket-Bo-Berg is a trail mecca. Check it out at www.piketbobergtrails.com.

24 & 25 September: Funky Fynbos Festival Join in the fun at the Funky Fynbos Festival in Gansbaai.

There are five mountain biking distances and three trail runs, plus a host of other activities like helicopter trips and a flyfishing competition. Find out more and enter at www.funkyfynbos.co.za.

GAUTENG 30 September to 2 October: Route 99 MTB Adventure Starting and finishing daily at the Rhino and Lion Park in the Cradle of Humankind, the Route 99 MTB is a three day stage race, which allows you to choose to ride all or any of the stages. It’s a cool concept and you can find out more at www.route99mtb.co.za.

KZN 18 September: Compendium Sunday Tribune Hill2Hill (100km) One of the big ones on the KZN Calendar. Race 100km from Hilton to Hillcrest. Visit www.hill2hill.co.za for entries details and training tips.

OCTOBER GAUTENG 01 Van Loveren’s Java MTB Challenge 01 Nissan Trailseeker GP #4 BUNDU BASH. The Gauteng Trailseeker events are hard to beat. Check event 4 which takes place from Buffelsdrift in Pretoria. Visit www.trailseekerseries.co.za for more info.

NW PROVINCE 08 Mahala Magic MTB Race SA’s First FREE Mountain Bike Race 08 Spur Schools MTB League National Final 08 XCOSA Race # 3 16 Bestmed Satellite Classic MTB 16 Cyclesure Hollard MTB Series @ Babbas #10 22 USN MTB Cup Race #5 29 South Africa Single Speed Champs 2016 29 XCO SA Race # 4

MPUMULANGA 15 ORRU MTB Challenge 15 Off Road Rescue Unit MTB 29 Mopani MTB Series 2016 #5 29 De Oude Schuur Plaasfees

LIMPOPO 08 ATKV-Eiland Spa Bergfietswedren 15 Ashburton Investments National Marathon Series #7 22 Mooketsi MTB Challenge 22 Forever Resort Mount Sheba

FREE STATE 01 Dewetsdorp MTB Race 22 Time Freight Gerard van Heerden MTB Race 29 Mangaung MTB Tour

KZN 01 Gooderson Natal Spa Resort MTB & Trail Running Challenge 02 South Coast MTB Series #4 07 Berg & Bush Descent.

We did it in 2015 & we’re going back this year. It’s a stunner of a stage race.

If you can join us, join us. www.bergandbush.co.za 08 Havelee Echo Amabutho Classic 08 CANE CROSS 11 Berg & Bush Great Trek 15 Berg & Bush 2 Day 22 St Dominic’s Academy Newcastle Bundu Bash 22 Seabreeze Build It Bitter Sweet MTB Challenge 29 Over the Edge MTB Challenge 29 Pecanwood Oktoberfest Sport & Lifestyle Festival 29 South Coast MTB Series #5 29 BELL Big 5 Series #5 – Hluhluwe Rhino Charge 30 Drak MTB Experience

23 Pick n Pay Mathaithai MTB & Trail Run

E’ CAPE 15 Daily Dispatch BOVA MTB Challenge 17 Wild Corridor. Tour by bike from Addo Elephant National Park, over the Cockscomb through the Baviaanskloof and across the Garden Route National Park, to Plett in five days of amazing riding. Luxury camping included. www.wildcorridor.co.za 18 Fish River Sun MTB Challenge 23 Addo Classic 29 Langkloof MTB Challenge 29 Thomas River MTB 30 Langkloof MTB Challenge

N’ CAPE 29 MTB Classic

W’ CAPE 01 Varsity MTB Challenge 07 The Weskus Phat Bike Adventure. What fat bikes were really made for (apart from the snow obviously), trekking across the beach with a bunch of mates, enjoying a beer at the end of the day while the sun sets across the Atlantic Ocean. Surely that’s reason enough to enter: www.weskusfatbike.co.za.

08 Nissan Trailseeker WC #3 Hemel en Aarde 08 Route 62 Classic 2 Day Stage Race 08 Tour De Plett 14 Eselfontein MTB 3 Day Stage Race 15 The U – MTB Stage Race @ Piket-Bo-Berg Trails.

The stage race exhibition of Piket-Bo-Berg’s trails, more singletrack less kays per day. Sounds like a winner. www.piketbobergtrails.com 16 Cape Pioneer Trek 22 STBB 2Keep-a-Breast MTB Challenge. Another Full Sus favourite, ride the Bottelary Hills trail network in a race for a good cause. Click on www.stbb.co.za/mtbchallenge for entries and info.

22 PHS Dirt Road Challenge 23 Buffet Olives MTB Classic 29 Jakkalsvlei Mountain Bike 29 Botrivier MTB Challenge 30 SRAM WP Gravity Enduro

OUT OF SA 02 Trans Africa Bike Race 2016 (Zimbabwe) 12 The INYATSI Swazi Frontier (Swaziland)

NOVEMBER GAUTENG 05 Carnival City Macsteel MTB 06 Babba’s Lodge MTB Series # 11 12 Hakahana 2016 Enduro Championships 12 Telkom 94.7 Mountain Bike Challenge 19 Magalies Adventure 19 Rust de Winter MTB Challenge 26 Nissan Trailseeker GP #5 DIAMOND RUSH

MPUMULANGA 05 Alzu Tour de Farm

LIMPOPO 05 Magoebaskloof MTB Classic 26 Roossenekal Yellow Arum Lily Festival 27 Swadini Forever Resort

FREE STATE 30 The Munga

KZN 05 Gooderson Monks Cowl MTB 12 Bestmed KZN Balito Expedition 20 Sappi Karkloof Trailblazer 27 Eston Xmas Classic

W’ CAPE 04 Cape Classic 380 04 FNB Wines2Whales Adventure 05 Bonnievale Bonanza 2016 07 FNB Wines2Whales Race 11 FNB Wines2Whales Ride 12 Delheim Night Ride 13 Delheim MTB Day 13 Delheim Enduro 19 Sanlam MTB Invitational 19 Nissan Trailseeker #4 Meerendal 19 To Hell and Back 20 2016 Langebaan LCE MTB Funride

Advertise your event in Full Sus and we will send you copies of the paper for your goodie bags or registration table. Call Eloise on 021 685 0285/6 Get your event listed here for free! Email all your 2016 event dates and details to sussed@ fullsus.co.za to make sure you don’t miss out on the coverage.

Sus the races at the Piket-Bo-Berg trails over the next two months.

CHRIS HITCHCOCK

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CLASSIFIEDS

SEPTEMBER 2016 VOL37

Deep tissue and sports massage for greater wellbeing

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BOOK YOUR WINES2WHALES MASSAGE: R790pp/ 2 x 45mins

Diana Carolin

Dipl. (LCM) UK

MASSAGE THERAPIST

DEEP TISSUE/SPORTS

084 579 0244

dicarolin7@gmail.com Klein Constantia Road, Constantia

FYNBOS

FESTIVAL

GANSBAAI

FLOWER VALLEY FARM GANSBAAI 24 & 25 SEPTEMBER MTB Challenges for riders at all levels. All mountain, All adventure, All Fun Food, Beer, Kiddies Fun and much more. www.funkyfynbos.co.za

SPONSORS

DIGITAL MAGAZINE &

AVAILABLE ONLINE NOW!

Sus out the DigiMags on your tablet or mobile phone while you’re striding out. Or catch up on your mountain inspired reading at home or work on your PC. Scan this QR Code to read the latest DigiMag. To find out more visit www.fullsus.co.za or www.fullstridesa.co.za.