Full Sus December 2015/January 2016 by Full Sus #MTB

FR EE

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Dec/Jan 2016, Vol 30

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Competition Page 32

Bike Review Page 18

Berg & Bush FS

Having a Blast

AT THE B&B Above Left: Em’Seni camp on the banks of “The Mighty Tugela” River. Above Right: The Berg & Bush singletracks are among the best in the business!

BOTH PHOTOS BY EMGATLAND.COM | NIKON/LEXAR

Winterton is the KZN equivalent of good old “Putsonderwater”, you know how we affectionately refer to the middle of nowhere. Well, this is pretty much the same. Except it hosts one of the best stage races in the country, writes Shayne Dowling.

interton boasts rugged farmland, ringed by the majestic Drakensberg and nestled in the shadow of the great escarpment. This is land that is respected, appreciated and valued by the tough farmers and folk that make it their home. The exact same can be said about how these farmers, come event organisers, respect, appreciate and value the riders of the Berg & Bush – and it’s this courtesy, congeniality and friendliness that, in my opinion, make it such a special event. Gary Green – farmer. Solly Prinsloo – farmer. Their families – farmers. But underneath it all they love mountain biking, and it is quite apparent. It is easy to forget when you are hurtling down kilometre

after kilometre of singletrack that the routes have been lovingly cut, engineered and “’n boer maak ’n plan” out of cliffs, cattle tracks, river beds and harsh bush that these guys are at the heart of it, farmers! The land is important to them and it’s been in the clutches of a massive drought for a few years now. But it’s only another challenge that Gary and his team face and get on with. The community is completely involved and yes, this happens at other races, but I have yet to see in other hugely remote areas and in sweltering heat a local resident standing, smiling, while manning his or her gate, or at the foot of a remote climb on a district road that only Google maps knows about. Or when you come around a corner and half of the town

is there manning a water table. This ride is really put into a league of its own by the amazing people!

Day 1 So let’s chat about the riding. Well where to begin really… the start is in the Free State. Yes you heard right. You need to travel from the delightful Em’Seni camp, which is home for the duration, on the banks of “The Mighty Tugela” (I swear there are people that left the race thinking that’s its actual name) up to the Border Post on top of the Drakensberg and the escarpment. Shortly after being set off you ﬁnd yourself slack-jawed and reaching for your camera as you look out over what seems to be the entire KZN. Once you have regained your

composure, taken the obligatory 10 selfies, remembered that you “mustn’t overtake on the right” (there is the small matter of a sheer cliff) you hit Solly’s Folly: a hand-cut singletrack that descends for over 14km! It is sheer joy and the best jelly legs you will ever have! There really are no words! The day is filled with surprises and challenges – most probably because of the fact that you are on your bike for 95kms. For most of us this is a first, and a huge challenge in itself – then the small matter of 38 degree heat. The area is trapped in the worst drought in over a century. The land is lifeless in large areas and if it weren’t for

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FS Editorial

H Here’s to

EXPLORATION in

2016

he last few months have been hectic on the MTB calendar. I was lucky enough to do both Berg & Bush and my third Wines to Whales, premier MTB events on the calendar but both very different types of riding experiences. I hope you enjoy reading Estelle Truters’ experience of her ﬁrst W2W’s alongside mine. Sometimes we forget the rollercoaster of emotions, fears and triumphs that we all feel at our ﬁrst stage ride, after having been in the start chute a number of times. It was fantastic to experience a complete change of scenery in KZN and next year I am going to make a concerted effort to try and

SUS

do different rides and explore more of the country. It’s my New Year’s resolution and I challenge you to join me. I have to admit to being far from fit enough for either of my stage rides. I managed to push through and enjoyed them both immensely but it is without a doubt a lot more fun when you are well prepared. Life can get in the way and it is tough when you have to juggle family and work, kids and bosses, PTAs and business commitments, product launches and school plays and then find time to ride that isn’t always in the dark, freezing cold, pouring with rain or in the garage on the trainer. All of these challenges aside, my biggest challenge has been not having Tokai to train in, it sounds corny but there are only so many times you can ride up to the Blockhouse. It becomes a chore when you have to pack a day bag and travel for 80 minutes to go and do training rides every weekend (“you might as well play golf Dad!”), and having to find a mate that can ride at the same times so that you are safer from the criminal

elements who are high-jacking us on the roads and trails, is not always easy. We need Tokai back! It is time for the Table Mountain National Park to start looking at options that will allow us at least partial access to routes – I ﬁnd it very difficult to believe that we have to wait another year! We really need some compromise here. Rob Vogel and the Table Mountain Bikers have been toiling tirelessly on our (Mountain Bikers) behalf and should not only be commended but also given our support. Finally I would like to wish all our readers, advertisers and staff a very restful, joyous and safe festive season. All the very best for the New Year and may 2016 bring you more descent than ascent, sublime singletrack with lots of time to lift your head and look around, to forget about Strava and remember the pure joy of riding your bike! See you on the trails!

SUS Editor’s Review: Saris Bike Rack – WTB Tyres

WTB TYRES WTB Nine Line 2.25 RRP R700

The Nine Line 2.25 is sold as a fast rolling, light tyre. I fitted the Nine Line to my back rim and immediately noticed the tight tread and a close-knit centreline that proved great and fast, on jeep track and smooth trail. Traction was good and it handled the climb up Hoogekraal well, with only a little slipping in some of the loose stuff. I got to the top to discover that the sidewall had been cut too badly to repair so, much to my disappointment, I had to hike back down. Hoogekraal is pretty gnarly in places but a good representation of the rocky trails we can encounter in most areas in the Cape. I suspect that “the grams-conscious casing” leaves the tyre susceptible to our sharp shale and rocky terrain – I would therefore consider your usual riding or race situation before considering the Nine Line. It is fast but you need to weigh this up against durability on a stage ride. For lots of district roads and hard packed jeep trails this tyre is perfect.

SUS The team

Publishing Editor: Shayne Dowling shayne@integratedmedia.co.za Content Editor: Seamus Allardice seamus@integratedmedia.co.za Editorial Assistant: Molly Fitz-Patrick Art Director: Megan Meriﬁeld megan@integratedmedia.co.za Designer: Shannon Flewellen Sales: Eloise Meyer eloise@integratedmedia.co.za PR & Promotions: Ashley Attwood ash@integratedmedia.co.za Audit Bureau of Circulations of South Africa NPC

Regulars: Meurant Botha, Stirling Kotze Snr & Jnr, Jacques Marais, Dr Mike Posthumus, Amy Burton, Molly Fitz-Patrick, Rudolf Zuidema and Craig Kolesky, Erik Kleinhans, Diana Carolin, Joëlle Sleebos & Kathryn Fourie. Rogue Contributor: David Bristow Photography: Ashley Attwood, Oakpics.com, Red Bull Content Pool, Chris Hitchcock, Volume Photography, Newsport Media and thinkstock.com. Contributors: Neil Bradford & Estelle Truter Printing: Paarl Coldset (Pty) Ltd Published by: Integrated Media Disclaimer: The views expressed by the contributors and columnists do not necessarily represent the views of Full Sus or Integrated Media.

WTB Wolverine 2.2 RRP R700

The Wolverine really looks cool, really aggressive with a nice combo of close centre lugs and chunky, gnarly looking side tread. The tyre was really difficult to get onto my Stans Arch rim but once on it seated well with only a standard foot pump needed. I was really impressed with the pace of these tyres; they roll highly efficiently and despite looking chunky are super smooth. It was on my front wheel so I was expecting good climbing and handling performance – I wasn’t disappointed. The Wolverine, despite having a narrower looking proﬁle, climbed like a (uhm…) cat, surefooted, no sliding or slipping through the corners, it just performed. I really like these treads and would suggest that if you are not too concerned about a little more resistance than a fast track tyre on the back that mounting the Wolverine back and front may be the way to go. I am going to ask the guys at WTB to send me one for the back and see how it goes. I also never had the opportunity to test the tyre in the wet and mud but the Wolverine instilled conﬁdence which in turn allows you to let’er rip on the trails – exactly what I want in a tyre.

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COMPETITION TERMS & CONDITIONS: The Prize/s is as indicated, no alternatives or cash will be provided. The decision of Integrated Media will be ﬁnal and no correspondence will be entered into. Under no circumstances shall Integrated Media or its appointed representatives and the prize donors be liable to anyone who enters these Prize Draws for an indirect or consequential loss howsoever arising which may be suffered in relation to the Prize Draws. By entering these competitions you make yourself subject to receiving promotional information. Entrants are deemed to have accepted these terms and conditions. Prize Draw Rules: The prize draw is only open to residents in South Africa. Employees of Integrated Media and their respective advertising, media and PR agencies, as well as the family members, consultants, directors, associates and trading partners of such organisations and persons are ineligible for the draw. Prize style and colour may vary. Competition closing date: 22 Jan 2016.

FS Berg & Bush

Day 3

Day 2 The water tables throughout the race were fantastic and still had the full array of goodies available and the table crew were as enthusiastic for us as they were for the leaders four hours earlier. The bulk of a ride is made up of people like me and while we aren’t fast, we have to be tough, it’s this understanding and acknowledgment by the race organisers that ensure that the races are full! We are the important people and the Berg & Bush crew don’t forget it. 42 degrees and a wind that makes the Cape Doctor seem like an intern was what met us on day two. A (add appropriate expletive) climb as you left the camp past the country’s tallest Aloe (Really? I had too much sweat in my eyes to see it) and then on to some more singletrack and rolling district road. The temperature was insane and it really was a test of endurance and hydration management. The soft-serve machine at the ﬁrst water table is pure genius but still comes in second to Puff Adder and Mazambaan. From the top you can see forever over the Tugela River basin and you spot the train of cyclists kilometres below you. And to get there – yip – singletrack! You actually ﬁnd yourself making involuntary noises, which

Gerald de Kock shooting Spioenkop on Quentin Tomaselli’s bike.

probably are more appropriate in the bedroom, as you ﬂy down more and more stunning purpose-built singles. The only thing on this particular day that was as memorable was putting down our bikes and walking with full kit straight into the Mighty Tugela! Oh, and as hard as I try and forget… the last 8kms which were straight into the wind and believe me it was pomping! 90% of the riders stay at Em’seni which in Zulu means “Place of Grace”. The camp is a large, sprawling Scripture Union facility that hugs the side of the Tugela. The tented camps are all on terraced lawns on the banks of the

river. The result is that all the riders are together. The marquee and dining hall are the hub of the village and a great place to chill and swop war stories. Which brings us to a battle that happened on 23 and 24 January 1900, on a 450m high peak called Spioenkop (famously the South West stand of Liverpool FC’s Anﬁeld stadium is named The Kop after the battle), it was a strategic battle which cost both Boer and British forces some 300 men. The iconic battle is honoured by a huge climb on your mountain bike, on day three of the Berg & Bush.

Em’Seni camp which hosts the Berg & Bush race village is set on the banks of the Tugela near the Spioenkop dam. It might seem like the middle of nowhere, but it’s only 15km off the N3 highway. For more info on the race visit www.bergandbush.co.za or sus out our 2016 Stage Race Calendar for next year’s dates. Uriante conseca eriamet rem doloruptatem

Where are we?

EMGATLAND.COM | NIKON/LEXAR

"Solly's Folly: a hand-cut singletrack that descends for over 14km!" 4

Richard Pieterse enjoying a mid-ride shower under the centre pivot irrigation system.

the life-bringing Tugela and the life-saving Jo Jo tanks it would pretty much be a desert. There isn’t much shade on the long district roads between oasis’s and one or our highlights was joining the cattle showering under the irrigation centre pivots (those large circular irrigation systems you see when travelling through farmlands) – classic! Despite the 2 280 metres of descent and a proﬁle that appears to be all downhill, there is still 1 587m of climbing to do and there are a couple of serious little kickers. Day one tests your endurance, so there were a lot of tired bodies at the end and a very quiet camp that night. Ok so my riding is for pleasure. I have never intended or pretended to be racing, trying to break PB’s or attempt to get back to race village as soon as possible. I like the journey and when you spend the amount of time that I do in the saddle you get to appreciate the small things… like the massive tank of chocolate milk in the race village - I considered lying under it after day two!

BOTH PHOTOS BY SHAYNE DOWLING

from page 1

A F R I CA KwaZulu Natal

◆ Em’Seni Lesotho Durban N2

The third day is short and pretty easy with the exception of Lantana Hill (followed by more singletrack). The Grand Canyon which takes you through a dry river bed is a lot of fun but as you start crossing the farmlands you start hearing the buzz of the helicopters and you start getting nervous: Spioenkop approaches! It is without a doubt (along with Solly’s Folly) the highlight of the ride – and it’s a climb! There is so much hype: The Subaru Spioenkop Sprint (won by Waylon Wilcock and Candace Neethling), fourteen speed-bumps, insane gradient… and a lot of horror stories from the B&B vets… Thanks Tanya and Stuart! It is every bit as daunting as the build-up. Paving makes it easier but the ridiculous gradient and the mileage in your legs makes it a stern challenge. Having Gerald de Kock passing me on some bloke’s bike in jeans and takkies didn’t do much to improve my demeanour, but it’s tough to stay annoyed at Gerald with his continuous smile and encouragement to all as they fought their way to the top. The top is quite surreal, there is a real sense of achievement, kinda like Rocky reaching the town hall top step, but at the same time there is a reverence and respect for the monument, graves and lives lost at this seemingly inconspicuous bump in the middle of nowhere. The reverie only lasts for a short while because the ride back to Em’Seni is possibly on the most fantastic singletrack route I have ever had the privilege of riding. There aren’t enough adjectives to describe this 13km piece of genius. Fast, gnarly in places, smooth and cambered. The track runs along a cliff, offers drop-offs (with alternative runs), berms, dips and super fast switchbacks. It is the perfect after dinner scotch – peaty (of course), smooth with a bite that quickly vanishes and leaves a lovely, lingering taste in your mouth – offering no choice but to be tasted again! I want more! The landscape is dry and dusty as the region suffers its worst drought in a century.

s w e n

Versus Socks

FS News

Speaking of socks, have you seen the Versus Socks at your local bike shop yet? Stellenbosch locals, Jurgens Uys and Hanno Lategan, saw a gap in the market and launched their range of aﬀordable, comfortable, durable and very funky socks earlier this year. Over the last few months their popularity has skyrocketed, taking the Momentum 94.7 Cycle Challenge Expo by storm and pretty much ﬁlling the local trailscape with #BananaWatts in no time at all. The socks retail for between R80 – R90 in a host of Western Cape bike shops, with national distribution kicking into gear now. If you’re desperate for a pair for Christmas you can shop online at www.versussocks. co.za.

8 Gifts

most riders actually need for Christmas

Lionel Murray and Richard Coram looking chuffed for the official ribbon cutting.

SJ Kotze has kindly put together a guide, to casually leave lying around for your signiﬁcant other to read, to what to get a mountain biker for Christmas. In no particular order they are:

A MTB skil s course a  Bike specific wash and t cleaning brush se  A bike fitment  A digital tyre pressure gauge  A hydration pack bladder cleaning kit  A new helmet  Suspension service and custom tuning  Socks - lots of good looking, branded, expensive riding socks

JOHAN BADENHORST

Dear Santa,

To read the full justiﬁcation behind each of these spectacular Christmas gifts scan this QR Code or visit www.fullsus.co.za and ﬁnd the Stirling Revolution column in the Regulars dropdown menu.

Freewheel Cycology go XL If you haven’t been into Freewheel Cycology in a while you’re in for a big surprise – the once crowded little 90 odd square meter store has been transformed into a massive, slick, Specialized Concept Store. Lionel Murray, Richard Coram and the Freewheel staﬀ have endured six months of working around builders as walls were broken down as the shop swallowed its neighbours. Freewheel now boasts a bigger workshop, which is immaculately clean and tidy, and dedicated S-Works, Mountain, Road, Women’s

and Kids bike sections; as well as a Body Geometry Fitment Studio and an oﬃce overlooking the shop ﬂoor, for Richard and Lionel. It really is one of the most beautiful retail spaces we’ve ever seen and the blood, sweat and tears put in by the owners and the Specialized SA crew to get everything perfect are clear to see. If you haven’t been in yet, go sus it out or Facebook stalk them at Freewheel Cycology on Facebook.

to page 8

FS News from page 6 While most of us are putting in a few extra kays as base miles over the festive season, Dewald Visser will be riding his fat bike for 50km per day to cover the 800km from Alexander Bay in the Northern Cape to Bloubergstrand, in Cape Town. Dewald’s trek starts on the 1st of December and he has to make Blouberg by Reconciliation Day on the 16th.

You can track his progress on www.50kaday. tv or like the 50K A Day TV Programme page on Facebook for daily stories and video clips from his ride. There’s a charity side to the ride too though, with all the funds raised going to the Miles for Smiles and Saving the Survivors charities. If you’d like to donate R25 you can SMS ‘manvsbeast’ to 41014.

SUPPLIED

Fat Bike – Fat Trek

Dewald Visser and his Fat Bike.

Stanford MTB Tour The organisers of the Houwhoek and Greyton MTB Tours, Johan and Gerda Kriegler, have pulled another ace out of their sleeves in launching the Stanford MTB Tour. Scheduled for the 13th and 14th of February 2016 the ride is aimed at providing newcomers to stage riding the

opportunity to enjoy two days of fun on their bikes. Like the Houwhoek and Greyton rides, the Standford MTB Tour is a non-competitive event, where the emphasis is on having a good time on and oﬀ the bike rather than blitzing around the sleepy village. Each stage will be around 45km long with no more than a manageable 800 meters of climbing per day. The routes

Kiddie Bikes

Muna junior 16"

So at a function the other night we were asked about the best kids bikes. And while it’s something we’re deﬁnitely going to look into in a big way at a later date, for now here are a couple of Christmas show stoppers.

FOR THE FIRST BIKERS (18 months and up)

Once they outgrow the 20” wheels it’s up to 24”. The big plus is the next step from there is a small framed 650B or even a 29er if you’ve got a tall grommet. Go as light as you can and look for a bike with hydraulic disk brakes and an air sprung fork. Good options: Specialized Hotrock Pro or the Giant XTC SL JR 24 (Contact your LBS for pricing).

Visit www.mtb-adventures.co.za for more info.

FOR THE RAPID MOVERS (4 and up)

Muna 12

Balance bikes are the way to go for the very little ones. They promote the development of balance, build strong leg muscles and once it’s time to switch to a bike with pedals, they’ll have riding waxed so they won’t need training wheels. Good Option: Muna 12 RRP R1 050.

OLD ENOUGH FOR GEARS (9 and up)

will feature a mix of jeep and singletrack, with the singletrack sections billed as being ﬂowing rather than technical. Judging by MTB Adventures’ other rides it should be a stunner of a weekend.

Avalanche Antix 20" Giant XTC SL JR 24

Specialized Hotrock Pro

Once they’re moving onto bikes with pedals we reckon BMXs are the way to go. We have tons on great childhood memories, riding indestructible BMXs (riding into pools, leaving them in the driveway to be run-over by visitors, and generally racing around). Depending on the child’s height you’ll need either a 16 inch wheeled bike or a 20 inch wheeled bike. Good Options: Avalanche Antix 20” RRP R1 350 or the Muna junior 16” RRP R1 600.

FS Kleinhans Muesli

The HOLY LAND was calling

ALL PHOTOS BY JOHAN BADENHORST

Erik and Nico on a sight-seeing tour with the Hot Epic Israel media contingent.

Erik Kleinhans and the RECM crew were invited to the Hot Israel Epic by the race organisers and as it could well be his last stage race with Nico Bell they jumped at the chance to jet off to the Middle East.

ven though I knew about the country’s incredible history, somehow I never thought that I would go and explore Israel. But boy, what an experience it ended up being! After the Cape Epic, Christoph Sauser who is an ambassador for this race, nominated the RECM crew of Nico, JB and I to the Hot Epic Israel organisers for a journey to the holy land, and it wasn’t a very hard decision to make when the invite arrived in our inboxes. Thanks to the Israeli Tourism Board who covered our expenses, we formed part of the media contingent, and this trip would not have been the same without those perks. Our first stop was Tel Aviv on the Mediterranean Sea and none of us expected such a lively, metropolitan, exciting city! A swim in the warm water and dinner on the impressive promenade had us properly entertained. The amount of people running, cycling and enjoying life outside was an eye opener. A guided tour through Tel Aviv was also on the cards before heading north to the race village at Kibbutz Dahlia. Apart from the history lessons, the market in Old Jaffa was the highlight for me. We arrived in the dark at the race village after a full day of traveling, and the three of us were fortunately

put up in a mobile home rather than a tent. The organizer, Gal Tsachor, is a big MTB fan and has done the Cape Epic before, so the facilities were top class, with free beers and ice-creams too – which became our staple diet in the afternoons. Apart from the friendly people in Israel, the race routes were the best thing about the race! It was rocky out there… The first day was a rather flat 105km with some cool singletracks and a loop to the Mediterranean. Day two up and around Mount Carmel with some of the most stunning views you can imagine, in another 100km loop. The race finished with a shorter 70km XCO style route on the last day which was full of entertainment. Nico and I had a rather tough first day, with one of the millions of sharp rocks getting the better of Nico’s tyre right at the start of the race. We spent the day chasing past hobbyriders through the singletracks, but managed to limit our losses to finish fourth on the day. We won the last two stages, with a fight against two German teams and a few tough Israeli’s, but it was enough to seal the overall title in what was Nico and my last stage race together. Luckily the trip did not end directly after the race, and it was back into our guided tour bus for two days in Jerusalem. And what an experience

"Apart from the friendly people in Israel, the race routes were the best thing about the race!" 10

Posing on the start line in the race leader’s jerseys.

Browsing the market in Old Jaffa.

that turned out to be! There is so much history, sights and stories to hear that our time there was just not enough. South Africa is full of stage races, but your life gets an upbeat kick when new things cross your path. I loved my visit there and will gladly recommend this race to anyone, get a tour guide and spend an extra week of sightseeing, chill on the beach, enjoy good food and some friendly people!

RECM se Erik Kleinhans is een van SuidAfrika se gewildste bergfietsjaers. Hy is nou die eienaar en kaptein van die RECM bergfiets span, en moet net so hard werk op die span admin as op sy oefening. Volg hom op Twitter by @erikkleinhans.

FS Trails

The Simonsberg Conservancy Trails are cut through a mix of alien plantations and rehabilitating fynbos.

Simonsberg Conservancy,

STELL E N B O SCH

Stop whining and become the big cheese of MTB… Sorry, really, that has to be the most clichéd opening to any article, ever. Let’s forgive and forget, and rather move on to the Simonsberg Trail, as this promises to be the next big thing in Cape MTB. No jokes… Photographs and words by Jacques Marais. Local Buzz: Think Whistler Bike Park in Canada, or some multiple trailhead in Colorado in the States, where a bunch of great trails come together for some serious MTB stoke, and you will get some kind of idea where the overall mountain biking vision of the Simonsberg Conservancy in Klapmuts (just outside Stellenbosch) is heading. This collection of trails in the

Knorhoek Valley, combining loops on the Uitkyk, Delheim and Muratie Estates, has world-class potential as an MTB destination and may rate as the high point of Meurant Botha’s illustrious trailscaping career. If you don’t believe me, let your bike go do the talking. Off-the-bike options are endless… After all; the Stellenbosch Wine Region is world-famous for its restaurants,

Where are we?

farm-stalls, hiking trails and a whole host of other attractions. You could say this is a ride for all seasons; summers are hot, though, while there is a good chance of mud and rain in mid-winter.

Trail Low-Down:

The Simonsberg Conservancy trails are situated on the slopes of the Simonsberg A F R I CA Mountain, which stands slightly alone TH from the rest of the Hottentots Holland Mountain range. The steep western Cape slopes are not only perfect for N1 Delheim Cape mountain biking, the wine farms ◆ Wine Estate Town on the mountain are pretty special too, with the likes of Rustenberg and Quoin Rock in addition to Uitkyk, Muratie and Delheim, all featuring vines on Simonsberg.

These are trails you can safely pin – Meurant Botha is the master of ﬂow.

The trail can be accessed from the Dirtopia Trail Centre at Delvera, but your closest parking is at the Delheim or Muratie Wine Estates. (This is excellent thinking if you’re planning a post-ride meal or coffee, as you are right on the doorstep of the Garden Restaurant). Keep in mind that you’ll only get permits from 9am at the wine farms or from 8am at either of the Dirtopia Trail Centres. This is also where a lot of the new trail-building is taking place, so riders can expect this section of trail to be bumped up by a further

8km by end 2015. Phase 1 and 2 of ‘Never Say Never (ending) Again’ trail will eventually bomb you up to a dizzying 650m, so get ready for big-mountain adrenaline. Basically, you’ve got a 5.5km loop on Delheim, 6.5km on Muratie and finally 8.5km on Uitkyk, so in total making for just over 20km of hand-crafted trail from the Dirtopia crew. This is but the tip

"This is but the tip of the proverbial iceberg though, as hundreds of metres of singletrack are being added every month."

Trails FS "Bomb into the 'Uitkyk Bush Tunnel', arguably one of the most contested Strava segments in Cape mountain biking."

of the proverbial iceberg though, as hundreds of metres of singletrack are being added every month, with links envisaged to at least a dozen wine estates within the immediate Stellenbosch area. Mountain bikers will find the trails designed to suit all levels of riders, with well-planned contours making the ascent relatively easy. The Delheim Loop links to Muratie via the ‘Dozer’ switchback, and this takes you onto the superb Ho Chi Minh section. Continue via ‘The Elevator’ and ‘Jackson’s Jaunt’ onto ‘Gillooly’s’, a connecting point with a good site map to show you exactly where you are. The ‘Smuggler’s Traverse’ trips you up to one of the highlights of your Simonsberg ride: get ready to pin back your ears as you bomb into the ‘Uitkyk Bush Tunnel’, arguably one of the most contested Strava segments in Cape mountain biking. At ‘Angus Junction’, loop right onto the ‘Uitkyk View Trail’ for breath-taking views across the whole of the conservancy.

Not all the singletracks are downhill, there are a couple of tough switchback climbs on the Simonsberg too.

Getting There: Follow the R44 from Stellenbosch towards Klapmuts, and look out for the Delheim signage on your right after approximately 14km, just before you reach Delvera (this is in fact where you will find the Dirtopia Trail Centre).

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

The 3 Silo trails offer plenty of man-made features like bridges and styles to add to the riding experience. the Simonsberg Conservancy Trails SUS

Grading: Intermediate Duration: 1 – 3 hours Conﬁguration: Options from 5.5 to 25km Start Point: Delheim Parking or Dirtopia Trail Centre Terrain: Purpose-built mountain singletrack. Map: Available at Trail Centre or on-line. Entry Requirements: Trail permit at R50 per day or R1 000 per year including R500 worth of wine. Facilities: Ablutions, bike wash, restaurant, wine tasting … Cell Reception: Good coverage Beware Of: Various natural obstacles; potential of snakes More Information: Dirtopia Trail Centre www.dirtopia.co.za (021) 884 4752 GPS:33°50’54.55”South / 18°51’31.35”East

FS Craig & Rudy’s Epic Stage Race Tips

Craig ﬁnding time to squeeze in Wines2Whales.

Rudolf putting the new Top Fuel to the test, for work, during W2W.

Work, Family, Training and the

anything else, you want to sit down with them and work out a schedule that will allow you to get the hours in without becoming a total stranger in your own home. My wife and I sat down and worked out a plan that allows me at least 13 hours a week to train while also accommodating her exercise routine and getting Mia ready for school! Signing up with Today’s Plan has been great. As far as eating plans go; I’m a great believer in the Mediterranean Diet. Glass of wine every day and plenty of fresh food.

ILLUSION OF BALANCE With the festive season coming up we asked Craig Kolesky and Rudolf Zuidema the biggest question of all: How do you successfully balance training with work and family commitments? How do you balance work, family time and training?

You both have kids and how does this affect your training?

machine for 04:30! Seriously, tackling any stage race, particularly the ABSA Cape Epic, requires lots of training and the easiest way to minimize the impact on family and work is to do it while everyone else is sleeping. This does mean that late nights out will have to take a backseat for a while.

so that’s extra motivation to get up at 4:30 and do the training so I can spend some time with her in the afternoon. On weekends I’ve found riding out to a market or wine estate that is family friendly a great way of combining a family outing with training. Just remember to pack some family friendly kit in the car before heading out. Scheduling a weekly rest day over the weekend also means a day where the family is the main priority and the bike stays in the garage.

CK: I messed up on my first Epic, between work and family I concentrated too much on riding. My son Koby was born in June the year before my first Epic. This meant balancing a new-born with colic, no sleep, work and training. I’ll be honest, my partner became an Epic widow. But as you train for stage races like the Cape Epic, you learn how to balance riding and family time. I now try train super early depending on work. I pretty much work out that what I put into a ride, I put back into family time. It helps having an understanding partner.

Craig, although you work for yourself you still work fairly regular hours, how do you plan your work days and riding days?

RZ: I love spending time with Mia

CK: I had Tick Bite Fever so I have been recovering from that. I think I will average 12-16 hours a week mixed up with road, MTB and some fun Fat Bike missions on the beach. Eating Plans… I just eat. [Laughs] With my job and being on the road often it’s difficult; when we’re at home we generally eat very healthily.

Do you split your bike time from road to MTB?

RZ: Yes, with limited time available to train I need to make the most of every session and the road bike is

with on the ﬁnish line at the last 3 Epics and has been a big part in helping me get across that line everyday. My longer training rides are usually in the week, and I plan shorter rides on the weekend, this helps get some extra time in with the family.

RZ: That’s always a difficult one. I

generally try to make sure I have a BIG ride planned after the big parties. All boils down to calories in vs calories out at the end of the day.

CK: I think in general you become very selﬁsh with your time, but you’re doing this for a good reason and your friends must just deal with the fact that you do not go out to get drunk and eat everything you see.

Have you set goals for the festive season? RZ: Stick to the plan!

CK: Lose weight and eat less chocolate… [Laughter]

How much training time do you plan for in your regular schedule and are you following a training/eating plan? RZ: For an event like the Epic

that affects family time more than

Rudolf Zuidema is the Director of Operations and Marketing for Trek Bicycles and Bontrager in SA. He has an endless wealth of MTB knowledge and is the man to flag down if you have a technical issue on the trail. Follow him on Twitter @rudolfzuidema Rudolf even managed to ﬁt two W2W rides into his schedule this year.

CK: My ﬁrst Epic I just rode a lot

and skipped a few shoots, but now shoots come ﬁrst, and I work my riding around them. I also now travel with my bike and try to get saddle time in when I can, if I have some spare time at home I will get on the indoor rollers.

With the festive season holidays and Christmas parties looming, how do you control what you eat?

CK: I’m lucky in that Koby has been

ALL PHOTOS BY JETLINE ACTION PHOTO

RZ: Set the alarm clock and coffee

just a much better tool for building ﬁtness and strength. I probably spend 60% of my training time on the road bike and use the MTB sessions to keep the bike handling skills sharp and have fun.

"I'll be honest, my partner became an Epic widow. But as you train for stage races like the Cape Epic, you learn how to balance riding and family time."

Craig Kolesky is a Cape Town based freelance photographer, shooting with Nikon gear, specializing in adventure sports, lifestyle and portraiture. You’ll have seen his photos on the covers of most mags in SA and he’ll be documenting the 2016 ABSA Cape Epic journey with unique POV stills. Follow him on Twitter @CraigKolesky.

PUMP up the Kath Fourie takes us on a spin around pump tracks, to understand a little more about one of cycling’s latest trends.

Nigel Hicks showing us how to extend into jumping the double.

Kath Fourie pulling up to pump down.

DANIEL VAN VUUREN KATH FOURIE

first heard the term ‘pump track’ back in 2011, when I started hanging out with my manfriend Mark Millar. He took me to a small dirt plot at the back of Mike’s Bikes in Greenside in Johannesburg, and we climbed over a low fence with his Specialized dirt jump bike and our ‘piss pot’ helmets. There I was faced with a tiny, weird, twisty track of dirt and bumps, which to my mind, looked like an MX track made for leprechauns. It didn’t take long for me to realise that ‘pump tracking’ was a considerable skill, and that I sucked at it. A lot. I rode off the track a number of times, feet pinging off the pedals and eyes bulging as I flew towards the fence poles; and I thought, “this sucks”. But then, after a lot of sweating and grunting and a few close calls, I managed to start going round and round without throwing in a pedal, and the whole idea started to make sense. You had to pump the bike up and down the transitions in order to keep your speed, and you had to keep you speed by not braking, and to not brake you had to look way further ahead so you could anticipate what was coming and know exactly where you wanted to point your bike. I don’t claim to be a pump track expert, but I can say that practicing the above concepts of flow on a

KATH FOURIE DANIEL VAN VUUREN

JAM

Kath in Motion FS

Kath Fourie leaning into the corner. small artificial track carries through to riding on the trail. All the same rules apply, and it doesn’t take long to start pumping down the smallest of faces and floating over natural lumps and bumps in the trail. It gets your brain and muscles firing together, and starts to trigger a more playful style in your riding. Mark and I have certain sections of trail in Howick that we now don’t pedal on, where the aim is to pump the trail all the way to the end. If you happen to come across Pines Extension, try pump that trail all the way to the dirt road below Tony’s Dam. If you do it successfully, we’ll buy you a beer. But aside from skills development, it seems that pump tracks have become more and more popular over the last few years for many reasons. My mate Hylton Turvey is

Nigel Hicks, looking ahead to point the bike in the right direction. a trail builder, and when chatting about his work the other day he said it seems like every second phone call he gets is from some person wanting a pump track to attract kids to their establishment. Here’s the thing, they are not wrong, kids love pump tracks because they are endless amounts of fun and can be ridden on bikes, scooters and skate boards. Parents love them because they can drink beer and chill out while their kids are busy exhausting themselves (total win-win). They are community orientated as they act as a meeting point; they are ‘easy’ or ‘blue’ according to IMBA (International Mountain Bike Association), they promote exercise and actually, they are well loved by adult riders too. Just ask all the adults at the Standard Bank Africa Cycle Fair who were

"It gets your brain and muscles firing together, and starts to trigger a more playful style in your riding."

basically riding the small children off the RadTrax pump track to have it to themselves… I swear that didn’t include me… nah-uh. The moral of this story is… if you’ve seen a pump track and you’ve not gotten your A into G to go and ride it, I recommend you borrow a child and force them to be your excuse to visit one. I guarantee it will be worth it, especially later down the line when you’re attacking your favourite trail with extra steez and confidence after honing in your mad skills on what I still think is basically an MX trade made for leprechauns.

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.

FS Do It All Bikes

Scott Spark Premium

#1BikeShootout

RRP R95 000 www.scott-sports.com

For us it would have been a toss-up between the Genius 900 series or the Spark 700 series to ﬁt this category but with the super lightweight Spark Premium you’ll be ﬂying on the races and trails.

Some people call them trail bikes; we think they’re more than that. They’re fun to ride; aggressive enough for stage or marathon racing, but capable enough to shred just about any trail. They’re the bike to buy if you can only afford one bike and need it to do everything.

o we asked every major bike brand in the country to send us their best do-it-all bike. And we really like the look of the selection – if your husband or wife will only let you have one bike and you’re in the market for a new one, you won’t go wrong choosing one of these eight.

Specialized Camber FSR Elite RRP R79 999 www.specialized.com

Full Sus Frame Highlight: The new trail tuned mini-brain.

Full Sus Frame Highlights:

Frame

Spark Carbon, IMP technology, HMX, Carbon swingarm

Travel

700 series: 120mm | 900 series: 100mm

Wheel Size

700 series: 27.5” | 900 series: 29er

Drivetrain

Shimano XTR (2 x 11)

Brakes

Shimano XTR M9000

Wheels

Syncros XR1.5

Fork

FOX 32 Float Factory Air / Kashima

Rear Shock

FOX Nude / SCOTT custom travel & geo

Seatpost

Syncros FL1.0 Carbon (rigid)

Joggie Prinsloo of Scott says: “The Scott Premium comes fully equipped with a custom FOX Nude Shock w/Kashima coating and our Patented TwinLoc technology, in combination with Traction Control, allowing for three travel/geometry settings to always optimize your ride. #Scott2luvit #noshortcuts.”

Silverback Sesta (Concept 1.0) Frame

FACT 9m carbon front triangle, M5 alloy rear triangle & SWAT Door integration.

Travel

120mm

Wheel Size

29er

Drivetrain

SRAM GX/X1 mix (1 x 11)

Brakes

Shimano SLX

Wheels

Roval Traverse 29

Fork

FOX 34 Performance 29, 120mm

Rear Shock

FOX/Specialized remote Position-Sensitive Mini Brain

Seatpost

Command Post IRcc (dropper)

RRP R112 000 www.silverbacklab.com

Tiaan van der Merwe of Specialized says: “The New Camber FSR Elite is a Trail/XC bike that makes me feel like Alberto Contador and Aaron Gwin all-in-one with its climbing and descending abilities. There is rarely a time where one gets on a bike and instantly falls in love. As stage races are heading towards a trail format, so should the experience requirements of the rider.”

BH Lynx 4.8 Carbon 29er 9.5 RRP R59 900 | www.bhsouthafrica.co.za

Full Sus Frame Highlight:

Frame

Lynx 4.8 Carbon 29”

Travel

120mm

Wheel Size

29er

Drivetrain

SRAM GX11 (1x11)

Brakes

Magura MT4

Wheels

BH Super Lite

Fork

RockShox Recon Gold Remote

Rear Shock

RockShox Monarch RT

Seatpost

KS Supernatural (dropper)

Ray Wilson of BH says:

“The geometry and spec makes this bike as agile and snappy as a 26er but with the climbing and descending ability of a 29er.”

We’re not sure Silverback are in the same trail park as the rest of the bike brands on the #1BikeShootout when it came to following the brief, they’ve gone far more race than tail. That being said it’s a really cool bike and we can see why they’re stoked on it. Plus our favourite rider, Cherie Vale, rides one.

Frame

SB Advanced Dynamics Carbon 29”, Full Carbon Rear Triangle, Carbon linkages

Travel

90mm

Wheel Size

29er

Drivetrain

SRAM XX1 (1 x 11)

Brakes

Shimano XTR BL/BR-M9000

Wheels

Stan’s Valor 29”, Carbon

Fork

RockShox RS1 29”, 100mm

Rear Shock

Fox Factory Float DPS, Kashima coating,

Seatpost

SBC Carbon, Zero Setback (rigid)

Corne Kritzinger of Silverback says: “The Sesta is one of Silverback’s most innovative bikes. It is a fast cross country and marathon bike that eats up distance efficiently. The weight to stiffness ratio was the main aspect of consideration during the design of the Sesta.”

JACQUES MARAIS

The shortest chainstays we’ve seen on a 29er.

Full Sus Frame Highlight:

You want a bike you’ll be able to enjoy features like these on.

Santa Cruz 5010[2] cc

Cannondale Habit

RRP R139 000 | www.santacruzbicycles.com

RRP 60 000 | www.cannondale.com

Do It All Bikes FS Full Sus Frame Highlight:

Full Sus Frame Highlight:

The looks and the Lefty fork are show stoppers.

The VVP trick of making a shorter travel bike as capable as a longer travel one without losing the fun factor.

Frame

BallisTec Carbon, Carbon Link, SmartFormed Alloy swingarm 120mm

Frame

Carbon CC, VPP® suspension, Boost 148mm rear axle spacing

Travel

130mm

Wheel Size

27.5”

Wheel Size

27.5”

Drivetrain

SRAM X1 (1 x 11)

Drivetrain

SRAM XX1 (1 x 11)

Brakes

SRAM Guide R

Brakes

SRAM Guide Ultimate

Wheels

WTB Frequency Race I23 TCS 27.5

Wheels

Easton ARC 24 m60/40 ENVE

Fork

Lefty 2.0 Alloy OPI, 130mm

Fork

RockShox Pike RCT3 130

Rear Shock

RockShox Monarch DebonAir

Rear Shock

Fox Float Factory EVOL

Seatpost

KS LEV Integra (dropper)

Seatpost

RockShox Reverb Stealth (dropper)

Lionel Dippenaar from Cannondale says: “The Habit is the reason you started riding Mountain bikes in the ﬁrst place. It carves up single tack and switchbacks, glides over jumps and climbs like an XC bike. Truly one bike to rule them all!”

Karl Ebel, a Santa Cruz 5010 owner says: “The Santa Cruz 5010 is truly one of the most versatile bikes on the market. But not only that: it has a crazy personality that really does inspire you every time you stand on those pedals. Whether it is an uphill grind, a downhill blast or a little trail nuttiness the Santa Cruz 5010C makes you want to ride, ride and ride some more.”

Even in races there are sections where you want a bike that makes shredding fun

Giant Trance Advanced 1 R 99 995.00

Full Sus Frame Highlight:

Frame

Advanced-grade composite w/ ALUXX SL rear triangle

Travel

140mm

Wheel Size

27.5”

Drivetrain

SRAM XX1 (1 x 11)

Brakes

SRAM Guide Ultimate

Wheels

Giant TRX 0 Composite Wheel System

Fork

RockShox Pike RCT3 Solo Air, 140mm

Rear Shock

RockShox Monarch RT3 DebonAir

Seatpost

Giant Contact SL Switch (dropper)

WWW.OAKPICS.COM

The bottomless Maestro suspension

Pyga Stage MAX

RRP R95 000 for Ultimate build (estimate) www.pygaindustries.com

Full Sus Frame Highlight: Local lads making a kick-ass international award winning frame.

Gert Stander of Giant says:

Stage races are becoming increasingly technical, get a bike that helps you out.

VOLUME PHOTOGRAPHY

ntry “Let’s face it, if you are thinking that you need one bike to do it all you’re atio probably not a pro at the sharp end of the ﬁeld - maybe the sharp end of the midpack… still; you love to race and beat your personal best, but spend most of you time at the park. Comfort, control, conﬁdence and versatility will probably make the biggest improvement to your pace. The Giant Trance Advanced was purpose built for you.”

Frame

Stage MAX carbon

Travel

125mm

Wheel Size

29er

Drivetrain

XX1 (1 x 11)

Brakes

SRAM Guide Ultimate

Wheels

PYGA 29 Trail Wide

Fork

RockShox PIKE RC 29 140

Rear Shock

RockShox Monarch RT3

Seatpost

SRAM Reverb125 420 (dropper)

Cliff Beckett of PYGA says: “125mm of travel is the perfect amount of travel for an all-rounder, enough travel to be playful on the techy stuff without losing too much efficiency on those longer rides. Playful geometry designed around a 29 inch wheel offers a conﬁdence inspiring ride that can be pedalled all day and hammered on the downhills.”

FS Bike Review

RACE

FU EL

For four months we patiently waited for this, the opportunity to test the all new Trek Top Fuel – Trek’s marathon and cross-country race weapon piloted by the likes of Emily Batty. When the first Project One Top Fuel landed in SA, Seamus Allardice was pretty much first in line to test-ride it. Photos by Ashlee Attwood.

eing beaten to it by a couple of Trek South Africa employees doesn’t really count, so for all intents and purposes Full Sus is breaking with the first local test of the new Top Fuel. No pressure… Being a Trek Project One build, the test Top Fuel is a pretty special looking bike; matt black frame, grey/silver decaling and with the Fox Factory Series fork and shock providing a bit of bling. The Shimano 1 x 11 XT drivetrain and XT brakes provide the propulsion and stopping power, while DT Swiss M 1 900 wheels (I would have loved to have seen the Project One build specced with the carbon XCM 1 200 DT Swiss hoops) and an assortment of Bontrager components make up the build. A final class and racy touch is the dual lock-out remote, which runs the Fox suspension elements though their Climb, Trail and Descend settings. Despite not being drenched in carbon the test Top Fuel is a light, sprightly accelerator and nimble climber. For the race snakes a more lightweight (and expensive) build will produce a remarkably light full suspension bike, with Trek claiming that the range topping 9.9 model tips – or rather hardly tips – the scale at 9.5kg. The Top Fuel frame might not be as light as the Superfly FS which it replaces, but with the Boost wheel spacing, stiffer frame and more capable suspension the addition of a few grams aren’t going to worry anyone. Trek say the new Top Fuel is designed with the increasingly technical World Cup XCO racing circuit and the growth in trail riding in mind, and it shows, as the Top Fuel is equal parts fun and fast. My initial rides on the Top Fuel were slightly uncomfortable as I haven’t ridden

an aggressive race bike for a while. The steep 70.0° head angle (in the low Mino Link setting) made me a little nervous on technical descents – which meant I put the excellent XT brakes to good use – but after a couple of hours in the saddle I started to adjust and soon felt very comfortable. It provides precise steering and once I got the hang of the exaggerated shifts of body weight necessary to keep it rubber side down I could pedal the Top Fuel into any of the obstacles I usually tackle on slacker more trail orientated rides. Where the Top Fuel really excels, right from the off, is on the climbs. The accurate steering makes picking out the best line a synch on technical climbs, while the lightweight and aggressive front-end make long drags uphill less of a drag than usual. The pedal efficacy is impressive with the shocks locked out, though it’s not quite as rock hard as a couple of other full suspension race bikes I’ve tested. As I only had the Top Fuel for a week, before it had to go off to a rival publication (yes we beat them to it!), I didn’t have the chance to fiddle with the Mino Link (Trek’s flipable chip in one of the pivots which raises the BB and steepens the geometry) and ride the bike in the high geometry setting. Though from the angles I’m guessing the bike shifts to the twitchy side of agile but making it climb even better. In short just the way the cross country racers like it, but with too little margin for error for my liking. The test bike’s Project One build came with one notable draw-back: the 1 x 11 Shimano XT drivetrain. It’s not that the shifting is poor, it’s anything but! It’s not that the climbing is limited; with a 32 tooth chainring and the 42 tooth big

"The accurate steering makes picking out the best line a synch on technical climbs." 18

The Shimano XT 1 x 11 drivetrain is crisp but limited at the bottom of the cassette when compared to the SRAM alternative. (But it offers greater compatibility with rear hubs.)

blade on the cassette it has the same capability as the SRAM system. The issue is at the other end of the cassette; with a 32 tooth chainring in the highest gear you’ll only be pushing around 80.4 inches per revolution of your Shimano crank compared

to 88.4 inches if you were running the SRAM system with its 10 – 42 cassette. This meant I was constantly searching for a non-existent harder gear for the flats and descents. Yes you could simply go with a 34 tooth chainring, but depending on the

WILD PRODUCTIONS

“And it shows as the Top Fuel is equal parts fun and fast.“ “The accurate steering makes picking out the best line a synch on technical climbs.“

Bike Review FS

The rear wheel is kept on the ground while under braking forces by Trek’s Active Breaking Pivot, which combines the pivot and the rear axle.

Note how the Fox Factory Racing shock ‘floats’ between the suspension linkages.

SUS the Trek Top Fuel Geometry ALL MEASUREMENTS ARE IN MM OR DEGREES ON A 19.5 INCH FRAME SIZED BIKE. Project One Top Fuel (as tested): RRP R89 999 Top Fuel 9.9 RRP 129 999 Top Fuel 9.8 RRP R79 999

The Shimano XT single chainring is a thing of beauty and simplicity.

terrain you ride it might not be an option. My suggestion is to go with a SRAM drivetrain if you’re a die hard 1 x 11 fan, or to make the switch to 2 x 11. Once I’d settled on the Top Fuel I toughly enjoyed it and I can see it being a popular choice for stage

racers across the country. It goes from A to B as fast as anything I’ve ridden but it keeps you smiling while going fast too, and that’s a pretty nifty trick from a category of bikes which are often as much white knuckle as they are white lightning.

Low

High

Effective Seat Tube Angle

74.04

74.9

Seat Tube Angle

68.5

69.4

Seat Tube

470

Heat Tube

100

Head Tube

70.0

70.9

Effective Top Tube

625

BB Height

330

341

BB Drop Chainstay

433

432

Wheelbase

1 144

1 143

Standover Height

745

801

Reach

457

466

Stack

587

580

FS Yoga & Pilates – brought to you by Concept Studio

HAMSTRI N GS Not our favourite stretches Hamstring stretches are generally our least favourite, they’re essential but tough, writes Joëlle Sleebos.

an you believe it is December already? December is generally quite a busy, exciting and hectic month, so please don’t forget to take some time for yourself, breathe and try to do the following hamstring stretches. Most of us get up in the morning, sit for breakfast, sit in our car to commute to work, sit in the office, go home while sitting in the car, hopefully exercise a bit, to end

off the day by sitting on the sofa watching TV before going to bed. We are built to move but we tend to sit (still) a lot. As a consequence, often our general body posture weakens and our muscles become shorter and stiff. This is why I believe it is so important to exercise in order to stay vital. But even exercising can stiffen and shorten your muscles. The following hamstrings stretches might not be your favourite. But

ironically, the poses you dislike most are often the poses your body needs the most. As our bodies are all different, I have included different levels of difficulty for each pose. But before you get started I would encourage you not force yourself, but to pick the option that suits your body best and feels good. As soon as you start to stretch you will probably feel the tension in the body, the nerves, and the muscles. In order for this tension to shift or increase: ◆ Try to relax ◆ Try to let go by breathing deeply and by focusing on the breath ◆ Try to ﬁnd that sweet point where you feel the stretch, but where you can still breathe deeply and calmly – otherwise back off.

Joëlle Sleebos has 16 years of experience in the ﬁtness industry as a group ﬁtness instructor and became a personal trainer in 2012. She’s been teaching yoga since 2010, when it also became her main form of exercise. Follow Joëlle on Twitter at @JoelleSleebos or on Facebook: Joelle Sleebos – Getting Personal.

Hamstring Stretches: WARM-UP: Start with Suryanamaskara A (from Full Sus Jun/Jul).

Pyramid Pose

Child’s pose

PREPARE HAMSTRINGS: To complete your warm-up and prepare the hamstrings repeat the Cyclist’s Lunge sequence (from Full Sus August).

REST: Child’s pose - To ﬁnish your practice, take some time in child pose or a new pose

Scan the QR code for more hamstring stretching yoga poses scan this QR code.

PHOTOS BY ASHLEE ATTWOOD

EXHALE: Pyramid, hips straight back, lengthen legs to a point where you feel the stretch but where you can also still breathe slowly.

Low Lunge INHALE: Low Lunge, front knee above the ankle, active legs, and straight spine.

If needed, use blocks/support to lengthen arms in order to keep back straight.

Tree Pose

If needed, use blocks/support to lengthen arms in order to keep back straight.

Now repeat the Low Lunge, followed by the Pyramid pose 3-4 times, before doing the same towards your other side.

Shavansa SHAVANSA I would also like to introduce - Shavanasa: This is a pose we need most (and therefore might dislike most too, in the beginning). It looks easy, but it can actually be quite challenging. It’s a moment to be still, to let go, to just breathe, just be and connect with yourself without any external distractions. Have fun! Enjoy all the festivities and see you in 2016!

www.conceptstudio.co.za | 021 434 2266 | @ConceptStudioSA Now offering Altitude Training for Runners, contact Concept Studio to ﬁnd out more.

FS Ride Report - 3 Towers

FIVE STAR

TN1H

Mankele Bike Park

Three Towers

A F R I CA ◆

CapeGauteng

JHBTown

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF SHOWMENELSPRUIT.CO.ZA, UNLESS OTHERWISE MENTIONED

Maputo

Swaziland

Rushing off to the far end of the country for a MTB Where are we? The Mankele Bike Park which plays race might seem like a schlep, but when the race host to the Isuzu 3 Towers draws riders in question is the Isuzu 3 Towers Neil Bradford year round to its amazing trails, located reckons it’s more than worthwhile. 30km west of Nelspruit. There are nine trail options, from full-on N2

downhill to a 55km marathon route – plus if you’re looking for something to do off the bike you can try their paintball or river rafting. Find out more at www.mankele.co.za.

race venue is a ﬂat grass campsite in between the hills. The campsite has a river running all along the one side, it has two swimming pools, a shop, clean and comfortable ablutions and this all makes it the perfect setting to take the entire family along while attending a three day mountain bike race. The race is then also set up to cater for the entire family with three separate events on offer. These three events are all run over the three days but the length of each day’s stage is what varies. It was amazing to see the shortest of the three events being dominated by father and son combinations. Boys aged 13, 14, 15 all love the idea of a stage race but most other stage races only cater for adults who can ride 60 to 90km per day. At 3 Towers the boys were in there elements, doing what Dad does and in quite a few cases pushing Dad’s

heart rate through the roof as they showed their speed over the shorter daily distances. The terrain in Mankele is absolutely amazing for mountain biking. Many a cross country mountain bike race has taken place there, so the trails are plentiful and head off in all directions from the campsite. The area isn’t short on climbing either, as you leave the campsite and head off into the distance, but the terrain is so varied that it’s mixed up really nicely – with sections of technical downhill singletrack cut and pasted in between the longer climbs. The only climb that really etched itself into my memory over the three days was fairly shortly after the start of day

two; it was fairly brutal as it twisted up, up into the mountains. On reaching the top however, the views really made it worthwhile. Plus from the top the hard earned downhill really seemed to carry on forever. But coming after such a cruel climb the descent proved very tricky for those who ran out of skill or lapsed in concentration. They paid the price by either hitting the deck or destroying a tyre on a lurking rock. I would, without a doubt, say that the main feature of the race has to be the bush-tunnels, which are experienced on all three days. The best of the lot came right towards the end of day two. You drop into a densely vegetated valley, where you can hardly see the sky; it’s a

GEOFFREY ANDERSON

epart from Cape Town on a flight shortly after midday on Thursday and land in Joburg at 2.30pm. Arrange car hire and leave for Mankele near Nelspruit on a three and a half hour drive. Arrive at the race venue at 5.30pm, build bicycles, attend race briefing, eat supper and get ready for bed. The Isuzu 3 Towers three day mountain bike race starts at 7am on Friday morning. Come Sunday, we finish the third and final stage, shower, pack bikes back into boxes, have lunch, attend prize giving and immediately head off for the three and a half hour drive back to the airport to catch our flight back home to Cape Town... Was the rush worth it? Most definitely! Here’s why…For those who have not been to Mankele before, it is the mecca of mountain biking. The Nelspruit area is a stunning setting with rolling hills of greenery. The

The terrain makes for great mountain biking.

Nathan Treble doing the 3 Towers rendition of the classic island style thumbs up.

SHOWMENELSPRUIT.CO.ZA

Ride report - 3 Towers FS

Sanet Coetzee clearly needed a breather towards the end of one of the epic bush tunnels.

"The location is out of this world, the vibe is fun and relaxed, the food is superb and the total package makes it a must do event, year after year."

The Isuzu 3 Towers clearly gets Jacques Vlaming’s endorsement.

tight, twisty, technical downhill and starts off being loads of fun. But 15 minutes later you cannot believe that you are still going on and on, you’re concentrating like crazy because half a second’s lapse could see you clip a tree or rock. It’s sounds exciting and it is, but eventually your hands need a break, your ﬁngers are stiff and you’re still not sure if you have blinked... By the end you’re not sure if the feeling you’re experiencing is exhilaration or relief. Okay it’s deﬁnitely exhilaration! What a pleasure to have this as a

problem! I have no doubt that some of the slower riders would have needed to stop once or twice to have a break and relax. It is truly amazing to have such a section in a mountain bike race where a technically proﬁcient team can open a nice gap on the “roadies” who hurt them on the climbs. Mark Meyer and Co. really make the Isuzu 3 Towers a race to remember. The location is out of this world, the vibe is fun and relaxed, the food is superb and the total package makes it a must do event, year after year. Next year I want to take the

Konny Looser raced with rising local star Matt Beers and ﬁnished in fourth overall.

whole family, set up a proper camp like so many of the local folk did, from the Tuesday or Wednesday and only pack up and leave a day or two after the event. Now that will make a holiday and mountain bike race all in one!

Sias Joubert riding his way to a stellar result in the Challenge.

Rourke Croeser of Team Biogen USN leading the way to overall victory.

Marko Van Deventer enjoying another ﬂowing section of singletrack

Despite doing triathlons, canoeing, trail running and adventure racing, Neil Bradford’s ﬁrst love remains mountain biking. He’s very competitive, holding numerous SA sub-vet and vet XC titles and was placed 3rd in the masters and 18th overall in the 2013 Absa Cape Epic. He is also a business owner, husband and father of two.

W 2 W: Newbie vs Old Hand

Estelle Truter is still fairly new to mountain biking and recently took on her first FNB Wines2Whales. Shayne Dowling, meanwhile, has chalked up three. Here are their #MyAdventure experiences. Shayne Dowling: W2W’s is slick.

SD: I reckon it doesn’t matter

It’s like an F1 race with all the bells and whistles. Once you’ve paid your entry fee it doesn’t matter what your team’s budget is because the playing field is completely even. Everyone gets treated like champions. Everyone gets to ride the same “JK’s Beauties” (Johan Kriegler’s insane singletracks!). Everyone gets the awesome gear and to share stories in the best race village in the business. And when you cross the finish line at the end of each day you’re greeted by the country’s best commentators welcoming you home as a winner – no matter where you finish. Yip W2W is slick!

what batch you line-up in you still get butterflies. There are a million thoughts running through your head, but if you are lucky enough to line-up at W2W on more than one occasion, there is one over-riding certainty: you are in for mountain biking nirvana.

Wines and Butterflies

Estelle Truter: I ate one and a half slices of Marmite toast and that was it. It was the morning of the start of Wines2Whales Adventure, the nerves were gnawing and my mind was running the same reel on repeat – I’m not sure I trained enough for this. Since I started riding two years ago, I set my sights on doing W2Ws. I was a bit of a W2W groupie – always offering to collect my friends at the finish. I got myself a riding partner who was much stronger than me, but also has much more patience than I do, so if all else failed I knew she’d pull me through.

DAY 1:

Altitude Gain

SD: The team at W2W go out of their way to make sure the event is of the highest calibre and this includes all the familiar highlights and signatures that make it the event it is: Lourensford is spectacular and sets the tone, not just because its classy but also because it has a kickass 4km straight up climb – this will kill those butterflies – dead! Then there is the Gantouws Pass, the compulsory portage that you wear like a badge, it’s a beatch – but you should see the smiles at the top! JK is always looking to improve the routes and the singletrack from the top of the portage to the A-Z singles is a big plus. ET: In the chute at Lourensford, the commentator asked our batch how many first timer’s there were… and we were the only ones who put our hands up. I cringed.

Day 1: Note the proper bike carrying technique for mastering the Gantouws Pass portage.

ALL PHOTOS BY VOLUME PHOTOGRAPHY EXCEPT WHERE STATED

FS Ride Report - Wines2Whales

Day

Bike you front derailleur got stuck and I was Vall left with only granny gear. When sing the singletrack finally merged onto a jeep track climb, I heard a clang ET: sound - my legs were spinning free aga and I wasn’t moving forward. I was The actually quite happy when I realised fast my chain had broken, it was a great wat excuse to have a rest. I fixed the catc chain break quite quickly and I was vari ready to hit home. feas Despite the amazing vibe at the grea race village, I didn’t have much emb personality for the rest of the day andwhi A was doubtful about my abilities for the next two days, especially with the woo wet bad weather closing in. trav last my g DAY 2: lead Play Day flyin SD: Day 2 is traditionally play day a th filled with so much singletrack it’s bram scary. A circular route from the race village, it’s remarkable to think didn con that so much insane riding can be done in this very special valley. Paul how Cluver Bike Park with all its bridges, she A ge Poffadder, Mamba, Boomslang, me Cobra, Thandi’s switchbacks, Peri was

Day 1: Once you’re up the Gantouws Pass and in Elgin the W2W fun really starts.

Soon we were pedalling though and I started absorbing the beautiful views on the climb, my nerves were shaken off and the fun began. We rode past some local supporters cheering “Hou bene, hou!” and when I came past, the tune suddenly changed to “I like your tights!” Just after the second water point I came off my bike on a section of singletrack. I remember my face rapidly approaching a rock but my hand intervened, luckily. Plastic surgery averted. At one point I was wishing that the portage would come so I could have a walk. Then it did, and I wished it would stop, but it didn’t. When I eventually got to the top I thought I was smiling at the photographer but my face wasn’t playing along and in the picture it looks like I’m crying. Mounting my bike, I felt cramps starting to twitch in my quads, but my partner didn’t want to hear any of my whining about anti-cramp pills. My appreciation for the route was waning, replaced with a desperate urge to be done with the day. Then with 15km to go, my

Day 2: The Klippies Mountain Goats guys enjoying on one iconic bike park bridges.

Wines2Whales FS

Day 2: Berms, bridges and berm bridges for days.

a scratch. The fun and speed of day two restored my confidence, but I was still wary of day three…

could ever ask for, after three hard days. All downhill, fast, manicured, forested and beautiful. You pop out at the sea with a huge smile on your face, you turn the corner in the village of Onrus and hear Gerald, Paul or their fellow commentators welcoming you and your partner and congratulating you as another “winner” of the super impressive race that is W2W!

DAY 3:

Onrus[tige] Weer

SD: Day 3 this year was a flashback to 2013. It rained virtually from start to finish, complete with a headwind pretty much through all the tough stuff. This turns the Houw Hoek switchbacks into a monster feat and the “Oes Pass” to Bot River into a muffled whoop fest that really tests your wet weather gear. The contour tracks crossing the farmlands to the Art House become a slip and slide and has you wishing for the monster that is Karwyderskraal. The singles through the bluegums, which have recovered so brilliantly from last year’s devastating fires, are a piece of heaven though. Yes, you are climbing, but it is so much damn fun. The Karwyders afkak is a slog but there is huge reward. You have broken the back of the day with a few bumps taking you into the amazing Hemel en Aarde singles. The infamous “white road” of Hamilton Russell is gone but I promise you the new route is a massive improvement. The trails are the best reward you

ET: We woke up to threatening grey skies. My partner seemed excited; I just wanted to get home. While standing in our chute, it started raining. We were joking about how, in this weather, we should be filling our hydration packs with red wine. The commentators warned us against the bad conditions and sharp switchbacks at Houw Hoek. I wasn’t fussed, I wanted to start so I could finish. Just as we left the chute, the sounds of the commentators and music was blown away by gale force winds… 18km in, on the infamous Houw Hoek switchbacks, my partner had a bad fall. When I saw the cut in her leg I kept telling her to keep calm, in an effort to calm myself. I am the queen of clumsy falls, but this was bad and I was freaking out a little. Luckily, two super

JETLINE ACTION PHOTO

Bike Park at Kromco (and you know you’re nearly home!) and then Oak as Valley and its stiles (oh and stunning singles of course)! to g ET: Day two, at breakfast, I once ee again had to force-feed myself. as The first 24km of the day was sed fast and beautiful. At the second eat water point I decided it was time to catch up on breakfast and with the as variety of snacks on offer, I had a feast. My partner was looking on in great surprise (and probably a little embarrassment too) at the extent to andwhich I was tucking in. or At first, I was super skittish of the the wooden A-frames in the slightly wet conditions, but successfully traversed most of them. It was on the last kilometre of the day that I had my golden moment. The singletrack leading back to Oak Valley saw me flying over my handle bars down a three meter embankment into a bramble bush. I was stuck. My partner nk didn’t want to come look as she was convinced I had broken something, aul however, once she heard me laughing, es, she quickly came over to take pictures. A gentle giant who was riding behind me saved me from the thorns and I was lucky enough to escape with only

Day 3: Didi Francis finishing with a smile.

Day 3: Mother and daughter combo, Lolita Van Aardt and Simone Rhoda Van Aardt claiming the women’s category victory in the W2W Adventure.

Dirt Diva Estelle Truter rocking the famous W2W rock.

helpful guys intervened; they wrapped her leg up with a rain jacket and insulation tape then carried her (and her bike) down the mountain, after a medic attended to her with proper bandages. She needed stitches and there was no way she could continue. I was faced with the option of finishing the race alone, or calling it a day. Neither option sat well with me. I really didn’t want to carry on. The conditions were terrible. I was freezing. And after spending quite a bit of time attending to my partner, I was probably the last person on the route. All I wanted to do was quit, but as the saying goes: “pain is temporary, failure lasts forever”. I had no option

"I reckon it doesn't matter what batch you line-up in you still get butterflies." but to continue, promising myself that if I got to the water point and I still wanted to quit, I could. I rode from water point to water point, digging deep for inspiration. The rain stopped for a while and I found myself in better spirits. The Winnie the Pooh quote came to me: “You are braver than you seem and stronger than you believe.” And that got me home. Finishing W2W left me with feelings of relief… and accomplishment. This time I had my own groupies waiting for me – my partner, fiancé, mom and bestie. What a privilege it is to live your life on a mountain bike!

Estelle Truter is a lawyer on sabbatical who just started a ladies only cycling apparel brand - Dirt Diva. You can sus out her first range of apparel at www.dirt-diva.com and follow her on Instagram / Twitter @hellodirtdiva.

FS Coaching

Improve your ability to produce torque

In this issue Dr Mike Posthumus answers a reader’s question regarding some key differences between road cycling and mountain biking.

ear Dr Mike, I have always competed on the road and have been racing on the road for several years. When road racing I’m a very competitive age grouper and have won several races in my age category. Since recently switching to predominantly racing on the MTB, I have not been able to compete at the same level. Friends I beat regularly on the road, easily ride away from me on a MTB climb. Why is this? Regards, Sam Dear Sam, This is very common phenomenon, as the attributes, which makes a good road cyclist does not always match the attributes required to be good on a MTB. Besides the obvious tactical differences, the key difference between performing well in a road race and a MTB race is the ability to produce torque. Simply put,

FS Healthful Amy

TACKLING

INFLAMMATION

with diet This month Amy Burton provides us with some useful information about some delicious antiinﬂammatory foods. Keep it in mind if you overdo it this season.

nflammation is both an athlete’s best, and worst friend. Best because, well it is your body’s knee-jerk reaction to trauma or physical (and mental) stress, and to be honest it is 100% necessary for your body to induce inflammation in order for it to protect, repair, and heal itself. So basically acute inflammation is a natural and imperative biological process, but it is when the inflammation becomes chronic (persisting for a long time or constantly recurring) that it becomes destructive and will 26 affect your recovery time and

torque is an angular force. Producing power at a lower cadence requires far greater torque than performing the same power at a high cadence. Advanced training analysis software such as WKO+ or Golden Cheetah has the ability to perform quadrant analysis. This analysis plots the data from your powermeter on a plot of pedal force vs. pedal velocity (which translates to cadence) and places all data points in four distinct quadrants. When this plot is used to analyse the difference between data from a road race and data from a MTB race, the key difference you would identify is the amount of time spent at high pedal force and low cadence. During a MTB race the time spent in this quadrant is far greater than during a road race. Some riders really struggle to produce high force at low cadences and therefore struggle to perform at the same level on a MTB compared to the road. Similarly, certain MTB possibly lead to illness and other more serious physical issues. How does inflammation affect athletes, and how is this relevant to my Nutrition-themed column you may ask? Well I am sure you are all familiar with muscle and joint pain after hard training rides or runs, and this my friends, is inflammation at its best (worst). As for the nutritional side of things, it has recently been found that nutrition plays a major part in influencing inflammation. Therefore eating a diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods will help you to avoid anti-inflammatory medications, thus negating possible negative side effects and reactions. Anti-inflammatory foods are also incredibly high in nutritious content such as vitamins, minerals, healthy fats and dietary-fibre, so by eating these foods you are further improving your overall health and wellbeing, boosting your immune system, as well as dealing with the inflammation.

So what foods have an antiinflammatory effect on the body? ◆ Oily fish such as mackerel and salmon, if you are not able to get hold of any of these then fish oil is your next best option for your Omega 3 boost. ◆ Organic wholegrains such as wild rice. ◆ Dark leafy greens such as kale, broccoli and spinach.

Here is an example of a training session that can be completed to improve your torque. ◆ Warm up for 30 min in zone 2 and 3. ◆ Follow this with 6 x 4 minutes in a high gear and at a low cadence (use a gear which you can only just turn over). Keep your cadence at 40 - 50

RPM during the high gear efforts and at 90 during the rest periods. ◆ Rest 4 min in zone 2 between each high gear effort. ◆ Warm down 30 min - zone 2.

These high gear efforts are not at maximal intensity, but you should focus on putting the highest force through the pedals that you are able to while maintaining good pedalling technique. During the interval, your heart rate should rise steadily through each 4 minutes and would normally reach the top of zone 3 or low zone 4. Due to the low cadence your heart rate would be slightly lower compared to doing a similar effort at high cadence. racers who do not train on road bikes may also struggle riding on the road where high cadence efforts are required. When training, the demands of a race should be used to suggest which training sessions may be most beneﬁcial. So when you are preparing for a MTB race, performing intervals on a low gradient climb with high cadence will not adequately prepare you for the effort required in a MTB marathon or cross country (XCO) race. Performing speciﬁc low cadence intervals may be one way to prepare for the demands of a MTB race.

Dr. Mike Posthumus is an accomplished academic with UCT’s Exercise Science and Sports Medicine faculty and a coach with Science 2 Sport. He was a provincial rugby player before switching togs for cleats and taking up competitive mountain biking. He has an exceptional knowledge of training periodisation and scientific training principles. Find out more at: www.sciencetosport.com

◆ Nuts such as cashews, almonds, macadamias and Brazil nuts. ◆ Colourful chilies and cayenne pepper. ◆ Beetroot, garlic and onions. ◆ Ginger, cinnamon and turmeric. ◆ Cold pressed virgin olive oil and cold pressed virgin coconut oil. ◆ Berries such as raspberries and blueberries. Try and include these foods in your diet and your recovery time post exercise will be fast-tracked, allowing you to get out on the trails feeling sprightly and strong in no time at all! So in light of the above here is a wonderful recovery smoothie which is packed with antiinflammatory ingredients and tastes like liquid sunshine!

Sunshine Recovery Smoothie Ingredients: 1 x frozen banana 1x teaspoon chia seeds 1x teaspoon coconut oil 1 x tablespoon blueberries ½ inch turmeric root or ½ teaspoon turmeric powder * 2 x tablespoons almonds ½ cup coconut milk or plain water A squeeze honey to taste 1 good pinch salt 1-2 ice blocks *(This is to taste, if you are not used to the turmeric ﬂavour use a bit less)

AMY BURTON

Ask Dr Mike: Road vs. Mountain

Method: Blitz all the ingredients up in a blender and serve in a tall glass. For best results drink the smoothie straight away.

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.

ixing s m n i a Mal le with hes. s y G duti e sty som sweep W2W

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.

photo of the month

FS Di’s Ladies’ Column

DI C

ARO LIN

EXPLORING the Bredasdorp and Napier Trails

The P r mark eekstoe l ro on th e Bre ck is a m dasd a orp r jor land oute s.

Di Carolin met Naas Vermaak, the local trail builder, at his shop in Bredasdorp. Right away he set her a challenge: “I will take you to a hill climb that only a few guys have ridden up. If you make it you’ll be the ﬁrst woman to do so.”

‘B

ring it on’ I thought, I do love a challenge!

We took off up the Main Street out of the dorp towards Napier. Naas then said, “Here we are going to hop the pavement and you must be going fast and then we go down a steep drop and over a jump and into a berm...” ‘help’ I thought... ‘That’s a helluva way to start.’ Having no other options I hopped the pavement and rolled down a steep, rocky, embankment onto the grass, hopped a small pole jump and hit the gravel trail into a berm in the trees. Whew, I made it! We shot off along some singletrack through the gumtrees. Then we came out and crossed the tar road going into Bredasdorp and back into the gently climbing singletrack in the gumtrees. We then popped out onto a jeep track and began ascending slowly towards more gumtrees and more great singletrack. This, Naas explained, was an out and back trail at present until he could ﬁgure out how to get the trail across a ravine and up a steep hill. We worked our way to a point up the valley where there was a loop, and stopped

to see where he planned for the trail to go. The view down where we had just ridden was spectacular. We really were out ‘in die bos’ and it was beautiful. The trail back was now the reverse and offered some short steep, rocky, climbs and a fast descent back down through the gumtrees. We then took a lovely switchback trail up another hill and ended up at the ‘Preekstoel’. The views from up there were remarkable. Naas then showed me another section of trail that they are still working on. Then it was time for the afore-mentioned challenge… We headed down a fairly tricky singletrack and as we did I was told that the challenge was to ride back up. No walking allowed! We got to the bottom all in one piece and had a little breather, then turned to go back up. It’s a decent climb with some tricky rocks to get over and I challenge anyone to get up there without putting a foot down! I had to twice, and even Naas did once! Afterwards we headed up past the ‘Heksie’ rock, yup it looks like a witches head. At the top of the climb we took another breather, and absorbed the spectacular view. We then stopped at a spring to ﬁll our water bottles. By this time I was starting to tire as I was battling hay

fever. So we took a right down a stream bed which was pretty rocky and rather fun to ride, hooked a left onto a fairly technical trail through some beautiful Proteas and started our descent. Tight hairpins and loose rocks made for a challenging ride but soon we reached what Naas calls his XCO trails, which run lower down behind the Dorp. The trails on the whole are challenging, so you need some technical skill to be able to really enjoy them. These are the most rewarding trails to ride. The views are outstanding, you get a proper workout and so does your bike. The following day I met up with Naas and his mate Marius again, this time to check out the trails around Napier. It was a chilly morning and I was feeling a little under the weather but determined to see what Napier had to offer mountain bikers. Naas, Marius and I set off past the infamous Moerse Pies farm-stall along a gravel road and followed it up the hill, then we popped into some singletrack for a bit, back onto jeep track, still climbing, past some walkers and alongside a wheat ﬁeld on top of the hill. We were heading off into the mountains behind Napier. Some of these trails are part of the ‘Patatfees’

"I challenge anyone to get up there without putting a foot down! I had to twice, and even Naas did once!"

Sus the Bredasdorp and Napier MTB Trails Permits: R50 from the Southernmost Foundation Bike Shop Website: www.southernmostfoundation.co.za Contact: Naas Vermaak email: naas@smfbreda.co.za call: 072 071 3092 Races: The Voet of Africa MTB Race, Napier Patatfees and Cape Agulhas MTB

DI CAROLIN

SEAMUS ALLARDICE

A jeep track blast to another fantastic section of singletrack.

race route and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. We rode fantastic singletrack, and through pine and gum forests. The climbs are challenging, the descents are fast and fun, and the scenery is beautiful. I even managed to make Naas’ day by falling into an icy river thanks to a sticky pedal. The Napier trails offer a different experience to Bredasdorp and really are fantastic. But unlike the Bredasdorp trails they aren’t marked so it would be best to ﬁnd a local guide, so you don’t end up on some irate farmer’s land by mistake. Naas really has outdone himself with both sets of trails. He, his foundation members and the Bredasdorp ﬁremen have done an outstanding job building the trails. You can really see the passion and effort they put in when you ride the trails.

Diana Carolin has been a long time contributor to Full Sus, submitting race reports and articles on sports massage therapy, but now we’ve focused her talents on everything that is ladies speciﬁc in mountain biking. If you have any questions drop her a mail at dicarolin7@gmail.com and follow her on Twitter at @di_carolin.

Molly’s Challenge FS

Skills Session With her bike now ordered we shipped Molly Fitz-Patrick off for a MTB skills session with Biking in the Bosch’s Joanna Dobinson, here’s how it went.

barely spent two hours on a bicycle and I’m bruised and battered. As far as I’m aware, this is nothing, nothing compared to actual mountain biking. For a time I honestly thought mountain biking was riding your bike up the mountain – on little shady paths with wonderful natural sounds ﬁlling your ears like cheerful bird songs and rushing water. Yes, there would be climbing involved, it would be tough but doable. I soon learned that there’s a whole lot more involved with mountain biking than simply riding your bike. It can be really technical, so if you don’t master certain skills you’re likely to loathe every second because it’s even harder than it should be, which may lead to you quitting. Or you could also hinder other riders, or seriously injure yourself, whether physically, emotionally or mentally. This is exactly why I did a skills session with Joanna Dobinson, a truly gifted rider who makes everything look so easy (which makes it even more frustrating when you try it yourself). She runs her MTB skills clinics, Biking in the Bosch, in Stellenbosch. If you’re in need of some training or just need to brush up, I can’t recommend her enough; her light-hearted, fun nature and her extensive knowledge makes the whole experience enjoyable, even when you feel like it’s killing you. I found the two hour session enlightening but extremely overwhelming, I actually shed a tear, and there were moments I wanted to just stop and give up entirely. I know, it sounds like I’m a complete wimp, but it’s just because it was such a shock to the system. I think that if I had some time on the trails beforehand I wouldn’t have found it so hectic. Specialized very kindly lent me a bike for the session, so Jo ﬁrst gave me a little run-down on its components. She showed me how to ‘feather’ my brakes, that’s when you gently tap your brakes (usually your back brakes) repeatedly so that you slow down gradually and don’t skid about. Easier said than done; when I felt that I was going too fast (when in reality I was probably going 2km/hour) I would automatically squeeze the brakes which resulted in several almost-falls and near-crashes. She took me through my shocks, how they work, what setting they should be on, and knowing when to change them. You’ll almost always keep it on the ‘trail’ setting, the only time you’ll want to keep them stiff is when you’re going uphill, otherwise all the energy you put in to climbing will go to waste.

Jo had set up cones in various combinations and shapes for the drills, but before she allowed me to get going she told me about the three most important points to always keep in mind when riding; first, speed is your friend; second, look ahead (you’re meant to look at least 4 – 10m in front of you) and lastly, attack position. The first drill was about getting into the attack position. You stand up on your pedals which are level with each other; you lean forward and bring your chest down towards the handle bar (Jo kept yelling “boobs to bar!” at me throughout the session) while keeping your shoulders relaxed and your elbows angled. The second drill was about cornering effectively. Jo first demonstrated and showed me that when cornering, you need to keep your outside leg down, preferably lean right in and look to the exit of the corner. The third and final drill was ‘ratcheting’. Each time I had to repeat the drills several times until Jo was fairly satisfied that I was making progress. I was close to being exhausted just from that. We then followed Jo up to some singletrack loops where I found the width of the paths distressing. It took several attempts for me to take the first corner in one go. Towards the end of the loop there were rollers and berms, I only discovered their existence once I was riding over them. I tried really hard to get into my attack position but I was only able to lift my bum slightly off the seat after many tries and much effort – I still have a long way to go. After those two hours I felt completely shattered, impressive bruises starting cropping up and I was still sore two days afterwards. Once I had time to digest everything I didn’t feel as overwhelmed and became struck by the urge to get onto the trails as soon as possible. I don’t want to get a shock like that again. I must extend a big thanks to Jo, she’s a terrific teacher and a remarkably patient one at that. If you‘d like some skills tips, take a look at the rider-services/training-programs tab on the Wines2Whales website.

Molly Fitz-Patrick is a Cape Town girl, a UCT graduate and in her ﬁrst year of her working life as Integrated Media’s editorial assistant. She may be an amateur mountain biker but she’s a keen cook, writer and baker.

FS Gear

GEAR #BaggiesReview Baggies are all the rage, and not just with the gravity fuelled okes and chicks, marathon riders are trying them out too. With one eye on looking cool and one on testing, we put eight pairs to the test. Shayne Dowling | @FullSussa

From the day I started mountain biking the long travel guys have been on my case about my lycra… I like my lycra, baggies always got stuck on the nose of my saddle and kept sliding off my ass. There wasn’t much in way of cool design or comfort and practicality when riding long distances. This has changed and is constantly improving. I now love my baggies!

FOX Attack

Tester: Shayne Dowling 86% Polyester, 14% Spandex www.foxhead.com RRP R1 379 I tested two pairs, one black and one orange, and although both are Attacks, they are slightly different in design. The primary difference is that the orange pair has two belt buttons, while the black only has one, and for me this makes a world of difference. The two buttons pull the belt band evenly and ensure (on my body in any case) a much snugger and more comfortable fit. There is an adjustable elastic belt inside the band with tabs on the inside of the shorts which I find a little cumbersome to adjust but once done, there is no movement at all and no constant pulling up the back of my Bags. Adequate ventilation ensures that you don’t overheat. The Attacks come with a chamois inner held in with two thin tags that are indicated for cutting should you want to. Most people I know that wear baggies have their favourite bibs underneath so this makes a lot of sense. I have done a lot of mileage in the Attacks and found them really comfortable – they are suitable for trails but also for longer stage rides.

Seamus Allardice | @SeamusAllardice

Baggies, for me, have to fulfil two functions. Firstly, they have to offer more protection in the case of a crash than bibs. The way a separate baggie slides across the tight bib shorts underneath when you skid across the gravel reduces the friction on your skin, thus limiting road rash, a bit. And secondly they have to look cool. I’m probably never going to do 70km rides in a pair of baggies, so I prefer a more durable material for pushing my limits on short trail rides. I must say through, when I’m standing around in baggies, getting a coffee or waiting for mates, I feel a lot more comfortable and less self-conscious than I do in the full MAMIL XCM get-up. Plus no fellow rider judges my hairy legs in baggies. (I obviously have far too much dignity and self-respect to shave my legs!)

Specialized Atlas XC Pro Tester: Shayne Dowling 86% Polyester, 14% Spandex www.specialized.com RRP R1 399

The Specialized Atlas were the only shorts to come with a removable bib – it has a press stud system that allows you to remove the bib. The bib includes their proprietary SWAT setup – so it has rear pouches on the bib (isn’t that so clever?) and a really awesome mountain bike specific Body Geometry chamois. It has two buttons inside a Velcro patch. A Velcro zipper, an elasticated adjustable belt inside the waistband that adjusts on the outside. The design is really rad and it comes in quite a few different funky colours. These bib Bags are the business. They are excellently priced and fit so solidly. They don’t move! Subtle air vents to keep your legs cool, so comfortable that you can ride them all day. Specialized knocks it out the park again.

ION Avic Bike Shorts

Tester: Seamus Allardice 88% Polyamid, 12% Elasthane www.ion-products.com RRP R2 250 If I walked into a bike shop looking for baggies, not being able to test-ride, the ION Avic would be the pair I walked out with. No chamois – check. Rugged yet flexible construction – check. Lace up (with stow pockets for the lace ends in the waistband) with Velcro adjusters and a Velcro fly – check. Subtle but cool design – check. The Avic Bike Shorts are impressive, they even feature patches over the glued hems to ensure durability, like you’d find in a wetsuit. The cut is a little tighter than the Enjoy shorts, so over-heating on long summer rides could be an issue, but they’re very flexible so they won’t constrain your movements. They’re great on the bike too, and as they’re adjustable they’re a bit more adaptable to different body shapes and sizes.

ION Aeration Bike Shorts

Tester: Seamus Allardice | 86% Polyester, 14% Elastane www.ion-products.com | RRP R1 595 The ION Aeration bike shorts are a pair of ultra-lightweight (I hesitate to call them baggies because they’re so close cut) shorts. They’re as flexible as they are light and with not a millimetre of superfluous fabric they’re the shorts to go for if you feel you must ride a marathon or stage race in shorts. Without a built-in chamois you’ll have to wear your bibs underneath, but that’s the way I prefer baggies anyway. The waistband is entirely elasticated and to be honest, they feel like they’d be perfect for trail running in too.

Enjoy Reptilia Trail Shorts

Tester: Shayne Dowling 92% Polysester, 8% Spandex www.alpinestars.com RRP R1 200

Tester: Seamus Allardice Polyester and Lycra mix www.enjoyfitness.co.za RRP R900 with built-in chamois and R750 without.

You will immediately recognise the logo. Well known by the Motocross guys, the brand has been gaining ground steadily in the MTB market in South Africa. Alpinestars is a cool brand and of course this is a big factor when you’re dressing to impress on the berms (don’t let them fool you – that casual scruffy look the full-face helmet guys have is perfectly planned!). They don’t come with inners but that seems to meet what most guys are after as they will want to wear their own anyway. The only shorts I tested with a zip, a small Velcro piece on the belt band and one button to hold. There is an adjustable inner elastic “belt” to ensure a snug fit – the Velcro tabs are on the outside of the shorts so adjustment is easy. There are large black porous panels for ventilation but I still found them to be the hottest of the Bags that I tried. Great for trails and mid-length rides but not for the marathon stuff.

The Enjoy Trail Shorts come in two options, one with a built-in chamois and one without. Both have a sturdy feel to them and on my test rides I only started to get a bit hot and bothered as I approached the 50km mark. That’s 50km in November in Stellenbosch… so I can imagine doing four hours on a chilly June afternoon without an issue. As with all Enjoy kit, they look great. I’m a big fan of Ricky Lawrence’s designs. The pair with the built-in chamois didn’t quite fit me properly and the chamois hung a bit low while standing, but on the bike they were remarkably comfortable. I’d recommend the pair without the built-in chamois, weighing in at around 20g more with a pair of Enjoy Reptilia bib short than the all-in-one alternatives but with a pair of bibs underneath the Trail Shorts can just do what they do best – look cool. The cut and fit is pretty comfy too and the Lycra panels provide ample flex.

Desert Dash for an Abundant Life

We take for granted the freedom of jumping on our bikes and hitting the local roads and trails. But what happens when we can no longer ride because of illness and even walking is a step too far? To raise funds for caring for people in just this position Paul Jacobs is riding the Nedbank Desert Dash. My girlfriend’s late husband, was a dedicated (if not obsessed) competitive cyclist who competed with the likes of Willie Engelbrecht. His passion for life was however prematurely squelched when Deep Vein Thrombosis, Pulmonary Embolism, Pulmonary Hypertension, Hypoxia and finally multiple organ failure took their dreaded toll. He died aged 43, after a long struggle. The story however does not end there as through his illness, humanity and compassion revealed itself in all its magnificence… at a point of total despair and feeling like there was nowhere to turn; Abundant Life Palliative Care (based at the Victoria hospital in Cape Town) came to the

Gear FS

Alpinestars

fore. Abundant Life offer palliative care to terminally ill patients with the focus on those with organ failure. Caring for someone who can’t perform the basic daily tasks is indeed taxing on the very soul of the individual and their families. Abundant Life brings dignity and support to those in desperate need. Established in 2009 Abundant Life, run by Sister Pitout and Dr Cupido, has cared for more than 1 600 patients in their final stages of life. It is a labour of love. They run on a very limited budget and are dependent on donations and volunteers to a large degree. Their dream is to grow the organisation and establish an Abundant Life at every hospital throughout the country. Palliative care is not limited to one location - it is a way of caring and can be provided at hospitals, clinics

and in homes. It combines the best of modern medicine and traditional remedies and honours a person’s beliefs, lifestyle and practices. Having met Sister Pitout and Dr. Cupido in person I was instantly convinced that helping them to help others would and had to be my mission. There are numerous charities out there and some enjoy more support than others for various reasons. This organisation however has (although indirectly) touched me personally. In a bid to shed light on Abundant Life I am embarking on what is certainly my biggest challenge: The Nedbank Desert Dash (solo). The Dash is a 369km, 24 hour challenge from Windhoek to Swakopmund, crossing the world’s oldest desert.

Abundant Life FS When my legs have turned to jelly and my mind starts failing me; it’s the thought of the work Abundant Life do for those in despair that will not only offer a clear perspective but motivate me to continue towards the finish line. We have set up a crowdfunding account where donations can be made in support of this most noble of causes. We urge you to donate and share the link with as many as possible so we can make a true difference to our fellow cyclists/compatriots and humankind in their final sprint to the finish line. All donations, big or small are very much appreciated. Please go to www.gogetfunding.com/cycling-forabundant-life to donate.

The Abundant Life Palliative Care founders; Sister Pitout and Dr Cupido with Paul Jacobs before he sets out on his Desert Dash journey.

FS Competition

Win ION Trail Surﬁng Gear

WORTH AN AMAZING R4 000

Tell us where your favourite place to ride this holiday was and you could win a rad ION riding outfit. THE PRIZE Win and get kitted out in ION from fingers to toes. The R4 000 prize includes a pair of ION Avic bikeshorts, an ION Tee SS Helium, a pair of ION riding gloves and a pair of ION Mid Pole socks*. All ION’s trail surfing gear is made from the highest quality materials and feature rider engineered designs – to free you up to focus solely on shredding the trails. To view their full range, or to find out more about Their Nano Bamboo Charcoal Polyester and Sanitized® - ION Anti_Smell treaded garments, visit www.ion-products.com.

FRONT

BACK

HOW TO WIN Send an email to comp@fullsus.co.za with the subject line “ION Trail Surﬁng Competition” and tell us where the best place you’ve ridden your bike this festive season was. Remember to include your ID Number, Physical Address, Day Time Contact Number and your ION Kit Size. (Visit www.ion-products.com to conﬁrm sizing information). The competition closes on the 22nd of January 2016.

FRONT

BACK

*Prize colours and styles may vary.

Legacy Trails Events are changing our trails landscape. Meurant Botha delves deeper as he tries to ﬁnd a funding model to build Enduro trails.

he proliferation of trail systems is primarily driven by major events. If you think about Karkloof Classic, Cape Town Cycle Tour MTB Challenge, Wines to Whales, The Burger MTB Challenge and Origin of Trails you’ll identify a host of popular races that have strong trail outcomes as part of their DNA. It is simple math that there is a substantial revenue stream amongst these events because of their size and scope. This translates into larger trail budgets. Furthermore, the event organisers know that superior trail offerings elevate the race above the rest of the clutter as, at the end of the day, a horde of events are competing for limited space on the calendar. I have previously commented on the fact that there has been a negative result from ‘event trailbuilding’ as the routes tend to become homogenized and dumbed down in order to cater to the masses. Looking back at a big trail-building

year for us, the reality is that for a trail system to be commercially viable it must offer a base route system that is rideable by most. These options are primarily funded by marathon style events. Our challenge is to fund the more expensive, technical trails that offer opportunities for progression to riders who ride trail bikes. I call these ’meterby-meter’ trails and they are pricey. Each section is built to flow into the next and not just cut open for riders to develop the line themselves. I’ll digress a bit and state that the answer is of course to start running Enduro events. And forget how much the trail-building costs! But with fields under 150 riders there is very little chance that the race can be profitable unless you use an existing trail system. Your problem comes in that the Enduro crowd are mostly trail connoisseurs and want progression all the time. Good for your trails, bad for your budget. On the Simonsberg trail build

project, we have continued to build specific Enduro sections and even if we only build 1 new stage per event, the progression in our trail system is instantly recognised. The latest asset to the Western Cape’s events offering is the Fairtree Capital Simonsberg Contour stage race taking place in February. This event is taking the legacy concept further by making the landowners part of the event structure and revenue stream. This is done on two levels: Firstly, the Greater Simonsberg Conservancy is the main beneficiary of the event. This benefits 24 landowners by ensuring a pre-determined access fee that is used to fund the admin function of the conservancy, something that is normally very difficult to raise funding for. Secondly, farms that open their land to daily riding, benefit through an infrastructure grant to enhance trail related upgrades like showers, toilets and staging sites. They have further been made shareholders in the event. This not only enhances the trail system as a whole, but makes recipient farms more attractive to trail visitors. These interventions are not only designed to make the region as a whole more attractive to visitors, but are bringing landowners closer to the revenue stream that the trails and events generate. As events are SEAMUS ALLARDICE

FS AmaRider

Meurant Botha discussing the legacy trails concept with Giant’s Gert Stander.

becoming large commercial exercises, the days of handshake agreements and blanket goodwill from landowners are coming to an end. These farms are forced to look at alternative revenue streams to help balance the books. Events that bring their landowners into the commercial loop are ensuring a sustainable future, backed by landowners who can see the beneﬁt of hosting trails where it matters, their bank accounts.

Meurant Botha is the founder and director of AmaRider. AmaRider is a South African non-proﬁt company with the aim of improving MTB opportunities on the African continent. Contact them at 021 8844547 or info@amarider.co.za or visit the websie at: www.amarider.co.za.

Full Sus Helps with Race Choices:

6 1 0 ACE

R R 2 E G STA NDA E CAL

Here’s your 2016 stage race calendar, pull it out, stick it up and make notes. Good luck for all your 2016 riding goals, from the Full Sus team! January: The racing year starts slowly with no stage races in January, but if you have any serious race coming up in February or March we suggest you enter either the Fairview Attakwas Extreme Challenge (16 Jan | www.atta.co.za), the two day, fairly social, Euro Steel Drak Descent (23 & 24 Jan | www.drak.co.za), the ﬁrst leg of the Ashburton Investments National MTB Series (30 Jan | www.nationalmtbseries.com), or the Barberton XCM (30 Jan | www.barbertonxcm.co.za).

February: 6 – 7: Fairtree Capital Simonsberg Contour (www.dirtopia.co.za) 7 – 13: TransCape MTB (www.transcapemtb.co.za) 13 – 14: Stanford MTB Tour (www.mtb-adventures.co.za) 13 – 14: Lighthouse To Lighthouse (www.gansbaailions.com) 12 – 14: Du Toit Tankwa Trek (www.tankwatrek.co.za) 12 – 14: Route 66 MTB (www.route66mtb.co.za) 19 – 21: The Trans Outeniqua MTB Tour (www.trisport.co.za) 26 – 28: Garden Route 300 (www.gardenrouteevents.co.za)

Full Sus now has three years of race reports, pre-event features and pro columns covering just about every major race in SA. So if you’re unsure of which races to enter go to www.fullsus.co.za scroll down to the bottom of the website and type the race name in the search bar – it’s a great way to collect all the advice you need to help make those tough choices between stage races.

March: 18 – 21: 3 Mountains Challenge (www.3mountains.co.za) 13 – 20: ABSA Cape Epic (www.cape-epic.com) 31 March – April: Spur Lord Of The Chain Rings (www.spurlotcr.co.za)

11 – 12: Dusi2c (www.dusi2c.co.za) 17 – 19: RECM Knysna 200 (www.recmknysna200.co.za) 18 – 19: Fish River Sun MTB Challenge (www.mountainevents.co.za) 26 – 28: Kalahari Challenge [Botswana] (www.kalaharichallenge.com)

April:

July:

15 – 17: Liberty Cape Winelands MTB (www.mtb-adventures.co.za) 22 – 30: Old Mutual joBerg2c (www.joberg2c.co.za) 23 – 24: Arabella Challenge (www.africanpridehotels.com) 30 April – 1 May: 7 Passes MTB (www.gardenrouteevents.co.za) 29 April – 1 May: Klein Karoo X (www.quantumadventures.co.za) 30 April – 1 May: Houw Hoek MTB Tour (www.mtb-adventures.co.za) 30 April – 3 May: Spar Sabie Xperience (www.sabiexperience.co.za)

May: 6 – 8: Gravel and Grape (www.gravelandgrape.com) 10 – 12: Sani2c Trail (www.sani2c.co.za) 11 – 13: Sani2c Adventure (www.sani2c.co.za) 12 – 14: Sani2c Race (www.sani2c.co.za) 22 – 27: Windhoek Namib Quest (www.africanextremepromotions.com) 27 – 29: Croc2Croc (www.verlorenkloof.co.za) 28 – 29: MTBike Girl 2 Day MTB (www.trisport.co.za)

June: 1 – 6: Grindrod Bank Pondo Pedal (www.pondopedal.com) 3 – 5: PwC Great Zuurberg Trek (www.greatzuurbergtrek.co.za) 5 June – 6 July: The Freedom Challenge (www.freedomchallenge.org.za) 3 – 5: FNB 1Zambia MTB [Zambia] (www.1zambiamtb.com) 10 – 12: Liberty Waterberg Encounter (www.asgevents.co.za)

5 – 10: Laikipia XC [Kenya] (www.laikipiaxc.com) 24 July – 2 Aug: Nedbank Tour de Tuli (www.childreninthewilderness.com)

August: TBC in 2016: Imana Wild Ride (www.wildride.co.za) 6 – 8: Glacier Storms River Traverse (www.stormsrivertraverse.co.za) 6 – 15: Red Island Ride [Mauritius] (www.redislandride.com) 18 – 21: iSimangalio MTB (www.isimangaliso-mtb.co.za) 25 – 28: Jozi2Kozi (www.jozi2kozi.co.za)

September: 1 – 3: Namaqua Quest Mountain Bike (www.trisport.co.za) 1 – 4: PE>>Plett (www.peplett.co.za) 3 – 4: Greyton MTB Tour (www.mtb-adventures.co.za) 3 – 4: Potberg & De Hoop MTB (www.gardenrouteevents.co.za) 13 – 16: Eastern Cape Odyssey (www.quantumadventures.co.za) 9 – 11: Ride2Nowhere

(www.ride2nowhere.co.za) 15 – 17: Dr Evil Classic (www.drevilclassic.com) 19 – 24: Lesotho Sky (www.lesothosky.com) 23 – 24: Sani Dragon (www.sanidragon.co.za) 30 Sep – 3 Oct: Isuzu 3 Towers (www.3towers.co.za)

October: 7 – 9: Berg & Bush Descent (www.bergandbush.co.za) 11 – 13: Berg & Bush Great Trek (www.bergandbush.co.za) 12 – 14: The INYATSI Swazi Frontier (www.theswazifrontier.sz) 15 – 16: Berg & Bush 2 Day (www.bergandbush.co.za) 16-22: October 2016 – Bridge Cape Pioneer Trek (www.capepioneer.co.za) 17 – 21: Wild Corridor (www.wildcorridor.co.za)

November: 4-6: Wines2Whales Adventure (www.wines2whales.co.za) 7-9: Wines2Whales Ride (www.wines2whales.co.za) 11-13: November: Wines2Whales Race (www.wines2whales.co.za) 12 – 13: To Hell and Back (www.tohellandback.co.za) 25-26: Pennypinchers Origin of Trails (www.originoftrails.co.za)

Notes:

FS Xxxxxxxxxx

CALENDAR

SUS February 2016 GAUTENG 7 2016 Valentines Cycle Challenge 11 Monument MTB Festival 12 Route 66 MTB WESTERN CAPE 6 Fairtree Capital Simonsberg Contour MTB Stage Race 7 WP Downhill Provincial 7 TransCape MTB 12 Du Toit Tankwa Trek 13 Lighthouse To Lighthouse Mtb 13 Stanford MTB Tour 19 Trans Outeniqua 3 Day MTB Tour 19 XTERRA Grabouw 20 Ride The Vines 26 GR300 MTB 2016

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

27 SA Cup Series XCO # 2 27 Cape Town Cycle Tour MTB Challenge 2016 28 WP Downhill Provincial & SA DHI Cup Series EASTERN CAPE 6 The Herald VW MTB 2016 13 ECC Provincial XCO #2 27 SHS Rance Timbers

6 6 13 20 20 21 21

KZN KZN MTB Provincial XCO Series # 1 Aquellé Hermannsburg Mudman Illovo Wartburg MTB Classic Trans Drak Mountain Bike Race KZN MTB Provincial Enduro Series # 1 KZN MTB Provincial DHI Series # 1 Subaru Jowetts Classic

Calling all event organisers 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 March 2016 GAUTENG 6 Powerade 2016 “Argus Count Down” 12 Taaibos Vastrap 21 2016 Springbok Plant Hire Humanrights Day Cycle Challenge 26 SA Cup Series # 3 WESTERN CAPE 12 Big Dog Adventure Festival 13 Absa Cape Epic 19 Makadas Baviaan Tour 2016 EASTERN CAPE 1 Tuesday Transkei Slowride 31 Spur Lord Of The Chain Rings KZN 6 Aquellé Epworth Mudman 5 KZN MTB Provincial XCO Series # 2

13 19 26 27

Aquellé Cordwalles Mudman Berg 100 KZN MTB Provincial Enduro Series # 2 KZN MTB Provincial DHI Series # 2 & SA Cup Series

MPUMALANGA 19 Sappi Mankele MTB Challenge LIMPOPO 4 Kruger National Park Wilderness Ride FREE STATE 18 3Mountains 2016 OUT IN AFRICA 30 African Continental Championships XCO-XCE-XCR-DHI-XCM (Lesotho)

WWW.OAKPICS.COM

With stage race season now over, until the Fairtree Capital Simonsberg Contour, we thought we’d leave you with one last Wines2Whales photo to keep you going until February.

DECEMBER & JANUARY Must do events ■ 5 December: Auto Glen BMW 24 Hour

If you, and your MTB mates, are tough enough you should enter the Auto Glen BMW 24 Hour hosted by Auto Glen BMW. There are team entries, for teams of four at R1 200 per team, or solo entries at R300 each available for the toughest of the tough, wanting to do the full 24 hour lap race, while, for the less extreme, there’s the “3 Series” race, a three hour solo challenge at R150 per rider. There are a host of categories for you to compete in either solo or as a team, including the “Coffin Dodger” category for teams with a combined age of more than 220. If you need to catch

CALENDAR KEY

Mpumalanga

Free State

Limpopo

Western Cape

Northern Cape

KZN

Gauteng

North West

Eastern Cape

Out in Africa

40 winks during the proceedings you’re welcome to camp at the race village, at a cost of R30 per tent. The route is a singletrack packed 7.3km affair with just 44m of climbing per lap – and from the photos we’ve seen you can expect to see some cool nocturnal critters while you race. All proceeds from the event go to the Ethemba Village orphanage. Enter online at www.bikeabout.co.za.

■ 12 December: Cape Agulhas

Classic

The annual Cape Agulhas Classic, which showcases the coastal fynbos fauna and the beautiful scenery of the Southernmost Tip of Africa will be organised by Dirtopia this year. There are once again plenty of route distances on offer, with the main race presenting a tough 72km. There’s also a challenging 46km, a scenic 35km and a fun ride 10km. Entry fees start at R100 for the 10km and go up to R220 for the 72km. The 72km and 46km routes include a 7km beach ride, on hard packed sand (no fat bikes required) towards the idyllic holiday destination of Brandfontein, while

all but the 10km route spend many a kay in parts of the Cape Agulhas National Park you’re unlikely to see by any other means but by MTB. Online entries are available on www.dirtopia.co.za or you can enter at registration on the 11th or 12th of December at the Struisbaai Church Hall. For more info visit www.capeagulhasmtb.co.za.

■ 31 December: Grootbrak

Grabadoo

The Grootbrak Grabadoo is huge, like 1 200 participants plus huge. It’s all about ending off the year with a jol, getting outside and enjoying the beautiful Southern Cape. There’s a 4.8km family fun walk, and 15km, 31km, 42km and 66km mountain bike rides to choose from. The routes promise fun by the beach spade full and the Grabadoo should burn off your Christmas indulgence and get you ready for a ﬁt and healthy 2016 with a smile on your dial. All the information is up on the event Facebook page, just search Grabadoo, or you can enter online at www.onlines.co.za. If you’re in the holiday swing and don’t feel

like the impersonal digital entry system drop by iFix Garden Route Mall, Coimbra Bike Shop George, De Kaap Eiendomme Groot Brakrivier or De Dekke Spar Groot Brakrivier to grab an entry form in person.

■ 30 January: Barberton XCM Mountain Bike Challenge The Barberton XCM MTB Challenge turns an impressive 20 in 2016 and “boasts with ﬁve different race categories, from the very delicate 20km fun ride to the not so delicate 110km ultra-marathon.” And if you’re planning on doing any big stage races in February or March you’d best get pedalling now to get ready for the Barberton XCM because it’s the perfect proving ground for your festive training plan. Race distances and entry fees are as follows: 20km Fun Ride (R80), 30km Half Marathon (R100), 48km Half Marathon (R150), 77km Full Marathon (R200) and 110km UltraMarathon (R230). You can enter online at www.barbertonxcm.co.za until the 26th of January 2016, and late entries open at registration at Barberton High School on the 29th of January.