Full Sus - July 2013 by Full Sus #MTB

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WIN!

one of two pairs of Ocean Eyewear SJ 840’s.

July 2013

MOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLY

Tuli

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joBurg & Sani 2c

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Trails

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Busting out of the City on your MTB

o the West of the twin cities, the Southern our nation’s economic capital and the Northern the political, lies the Hartbeespoort Dam. It’s about 45 minutes – traffic dependent, like everything in Gauteng – from both Jozi and Pretoria and offers enough riding potential to keep you busy for weeks, let alone a weekend. The heart of mountain biking in the area is undoubtedly the Van Gaalen Cheese Farm, where trail builder and co-owner, Erik Schipper has worked his magic. The network of trails crosses 30 private properties, with styles typically traversing the fences, so you don’t have to dismount, and measure an impressive 120km or so in total. Most of which is mouth-watering single track. Full Sus’s local contact Sharlene Vallance did issue a warning though, the riding is very technical at times, so make sure you’re skills are up to the test or you might lose a couple of teeth. Not at the hand of a local though, Sharlene says they’re an extremely friendly bunch and they’ve jumped into action to help many a rider who came short. With the warnings aside let’s get into the nittygritty of riding around the Dam. Located at the intersection of the R560 and the R512, on the southern banks of the Dam, is the village of

Skeerpoort and in the village – is the Van Gaalen Cheese Farm. Nestled in the Magaliesriver Valley, the trails through the farms feature the majestic Magalies mountain range to the North and the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site to the South (but more about both of these later). The trails are accessed off the Cheese Farm, where there is safe parking, through the purchase of a day pass for R 40. And these trails play host to events like the Tracker Corporate MTB Challenge, the TLC Ladies MTB Day, the Route 66 MTB Experience and the Impi Challenge events every year, so should your competitive nature strike you can sign up for a race too. The Cheese Farm, Sharlene says, is also a great place to start should you be training for a big race. South of the Hartbeespoort Dam you’ll ﬁnd a maze of gravel roads, which follow the irrigation canals, and if you know your way around you’ll be able to navigate all the way to Sun City on gravel with just a few tar road crossings. If you’re new to the area though, you’d better take a GPS along when you go on your long training ride over the weekend. If you’re just looking to put in serious kays for distance, she suggests that

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CHERIE VALE/NEWSPORT MEDIA

The Hartbeespoort Dam isn’t just a hangout for local shamans as Seamus Allardice found out, there is a myriad of jeep track and great single track to keep you MTB enthusiasts in a trance too. And that’s only the start of mountain biking west of the big Gauteng cities.

“NORTHERN FARMS IS BILLED AS ONE OF JOBURG’S BEST KEPT SECRETS.”

FS Editorial & News

s w e n editor FROM THE

Winter doesn’t have to be about the Blues!

MOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLY

the team

Publishing Editor: Shayne Dowling shayne@integratedmedia.co.za Content Editor: Seamus Allardice seamus@integratedmedia.co.za

Art Director: Megan Knox megan@integratedmedia.co.za Advertising: Shayne Dowling PR & Promotions: Julia Andrade julia@integratedmedia.co.za

In 2012 668 rhinos were killed in South Africa, and with just over half of 2013 behind us the latest number for this year is a shocking 428 black and white rhino butchered for their horns. It’s a concern that’s close to many a MTB race organiser’s heart and so too for Isabel & Lloyd Gillespie of Earth Awareness. It’s so important to them in fact that they’ve embarked on a massive 10 000km round trip through Southern Africa – starting and ﬁnishing in Durban, and taking in Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique – to raise awareness and educate local communities. Isabel’s daily routine will feature a 21km run, a 60 to 80km ride on her MTB and, in Namibia and Botswana, 20km on horseback, as well as presenting talks on conservation and the importance of stopping rhino poaching to schools en route. Keep an eye on Full Sus for updates of their progress or follow them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RhinoKnights

See you on the trail!

Cheers

UCI Masters World Champs

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.

Head Office | Cape Town Tel: 021 685 0285 Address: Suite WB03 Tannery Park 23 Belmont Road, Rondebosch, 7700 Postal Address: PO Box 31649, Tokai, 7945

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The World Champs in Maritzburg are now just over a month away. But before the elite men and women can strut their stuff, the ballies get their chance on the Cascades MTB Park tracks and trails. It’s actually Even the ba a bit mean to call them all ballies win a rain llies can bow jers because the Masters World ey. Champs is open to all men and women over the age of 30 who have Elite course with smaller jumps but no UCI points in 2013. The event follows the same gradients and basic is aimed at the top amateur riders route as what the pros will race the and they take on different courses following week”. to the pros. As event organiser Alec The Masters World Champs takes Lenferna explains: “the Masters XCO place from the 21st to the 25th of course is signiﬁcantly different and August 2013 and entry is free to longer and a lot less technical than spectators – in fact entry fees will the course for the Elite competition, only be charged on the ﬁnal 3 days whilst still being challenging enough of the Elite World Champs – so you to ensure a worthy winner is found really should make a plan to get to in each age category. The Downhill Maritzburg for the racing. course is also less technical than the

LAN MED

Contributors: Diana Carolin, David Bristow, Trevor Van Zyl, Nathan Christie, Philip Faure, Maritza Terblanche & Fiona McDonald.

Photography: Julia Andrade, Jacques Marais, Thinkstock.com and Oakpics.com – Fanus Oosthuizen. Regulars: David George, Meurant Botha, Stirling Kotze Snr & Jnr, Alex Blair, Jacques Marais.

Rhino Knights on a quest around Southern Africa

GODDAR D GAMEP

fullsus

feel 2kg heavier. It’s expecting and preparing for this that is going to make the difference in your winter ride. Get your bike ready for winter: perhaps you need to change your chain lube? Ensure everything that needs grease has got. What tyres are you running and are they suitable for your usual winter terrain? When last did you check your cables and are they suitable for performance in wet weather? You have choices and it’s kinda fun ﬁnding out what works for you and your machine. Take your bike to your LBS and have it checked and perhaps serviced – trust me, it may be a few bucks now but it may save you a damn side more in the long run. Oh and don’t be a hero – the mountain and trails should always be handled with respect and never more so when wet and muddy. Who hasn’t had a scare or worse, when one of your wheels hits a wet root and goes in completely the opposite direction to where you were going? Scary stuff so keep alert and hey let’s not kid ourselves the wet is still a complete jol! So be safe out there, get the right gear and don’t forget to see the funny side when you look up and see your mate with a big brown stripe running up his back; ‘cause you got one too!

DARREN

ere we are in the middle of winter, the mountains are soaked through and in some cases covered in snow. Us weekend warriors are hunkered down, chomping at the bit to ride but only if there is a break in the weather. The roadies have swopped their skinny’s for knobblies and are secretly thinking that “these okes are mad”! I hear a lot of the more robust mtbers out there laughing at us, but c’mon, as much as I like to play in the mud, waking up in the dark in freezing temperatures, getting peed on all the way up and down the mountain, soaked chammy, cold hands and complete loss of feeling in my feet and face is not exactly what I signed up for. Oh not to mention all the mechanical challenges that come with slogging through the thick stuff. However… winter riding is awesome and a helluva lot better when you have the right gear. Like a good waterproof rain jacket, beanie under the helmet, full ﬁnger gloves, leg and arm warmers and a pair of booties. There is nothing better than being toasty while sliding along your favourite trail and having the option to peel of a couple of layers and despite that annoying ice cold drip that always seems to make it into you butt crack, being essentially dry. This brings me to the bike. You WILL get chain suck, your drivetrain will be covered in mud, your brakes may act differently and your tyres (covered in the sticky stuff) will

SA Marathon Champ In the ladies event at the SA Marathon Champs Robyn de Groot beat Samantha Sanders and another U23 XCO world campaigner Candice Neethling to the SA title. Neetling does however still lead the SA MTB rankings by the half-way mark of the year. The national XCO and DH championships take place on the 20th and 21st of July at the Hayterdale Trails, near the Ado Elephant Park in the Eastern Cape. Go to www.old. mountainevents.co.za for more info.

UCI World Cup Series

ANNA BU

Mariske Strauss in action

With the usual season opener in Pietermaritzburg hosting the world champs in August the World Cup gave the usual SA leg a miss this year and only kicked off on the 17th of May in Albstadt, Germany. The Saffa contingent were led by the under 23 riders Rourke Croeser, who finished 12th in the U23 Men’s division, and Mariske Strauss, who finished 8th in the U23 Ladies section. The tour then moved on to Nove Mesto na Morave in the Czech Republic where Strauss once again proved to be the top South African rider, moving up to 6th while Philip Buys also showed improvement from Germany moving up 8 places to 49th. The DH nutters also got underway later this year – with their first event taking place on the 8th of June, in Fort William, Scotland. Greg Minnaar and Andrew Neethling did the gravity loving Saffas proud by placing 8th and 15th respectively. Keep an eye out for a feature in the coming months on the young pretenders to the SA MTB throne – we’re just waiting for them to finish exams so we can catch up with them (Yes, they’re that young).

Cape Pioneer Route Launch On the 4th of June the guys from Dryland Event Management held a function at the V&A waterfront to announce the route for the 2013 Cape Pioneer Trek. With ringing endorsements from the Western Cape Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport - Dr Ivan Meyer, and the voice of MTB in South Africa - Gerald de Kock, the 2013 Pioneer looks set to be better than ever. Also adding to the interest from the rider’s side, was title sponsor Bridge, confirming that they would be offering a R100 000 prize for the first person to cross the finish line on Stage 2, at the top of the Swartberg Pass. As usual the race will be tough and require a pioneering spirit from the riders as they’ll have to navigate virgin single track and weathered wagon trails. Check it out online at www.capepioneer.co.za and watch the launch video by scanning the QR code.

Meet the Juliana Origin

Back in 1999, Juliana Furtado – winner of the inaugural Mountain Bike World Championships in 1991 and a further 5 National Championships, 3 World Cup titles and another World Championship – launched the Julian mountain bike with the good folks at Santa Cruz. It was the first ever women-specific MTB. Since then a lot has changed and Juliana has realised the need for a range of ladies bikes. The Juliana Range features 4 bikes – the Nevis, Origin, Joplin, Furtado – in 9 spec models across the range. The frames’ geometry cater for women from 4’8” to 6’1” and come in sizes XS to L, with 26, 650b and 29 inch wheel options – as well as hard tail and full sus models. Along with the range of bikes specifically designed for the ladies, Juliana has expanded into the parts and soft goods markets too, all of which are tailored specifically to suit women’s needs. Watch this space for details of the South African launch…

SUS THE FEEDBACK The latest results & your July Calendar

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Responsibility

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Nutrition

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Hey Guys

June 2013

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PICS.COM

SA XCM Champ James Reid

dy’s The la dium po XCM

Speaking of the UCI XCO series, James Reid has been dedicating his attention to the Olympic format of late. But that didn’t stop the 20 year old from nicking the XCM title from the old hands and wise heads who were all favoured ahead of him. Held in on the Induna Adventures trails in Hazyview, Mpumalanga on the 1st of June, Reid held of the fancied Nico Bell and Kevin Evans to claim his maiden open SA Championships title. The ambitious youngster stated his refocused aims for the season now include the SA XCO title along with the U23 World Champs in the Olympic distance in late August.

Below left: Gerald de Kock and James Reid. Below right: Dr Ivan Meyer.

WWW.OAK

ROBY

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ACTION PHOTO

News

Just noted your free mag at crown cycles, what a brilliant magazine for no cost. Thoroughly enjoyed every article cover to cover - well done guys. That MOAB is deﬁnitely bucket list stuff. Keep it up. Now have an excuse to visit LBS at least once a month to get this mag. Cheers, regards James Wrensch CAPE TOWN

FS City MTB Escapes – Part I

WWW.OAKPICS.COM

CHERIE VALE/NEWSPORT MEDIA

The Magaliesberg is rugged and you’ll need to be too if you want to take on its varied and challenging terrain.

Mountain Sanctuary Park’s 12km’s of trail, which augments the plethora of 4X4 track options on offer. A little closer to home than Harties, but still in a Western direction from the big smoke, is the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site. The Cradle, over and above its archaeological importance, is worth a visit with your MTB. The 27km, Cradle of Humankind, MTB trail is in a loop format and will keep you going for 2 to 4 hours. It’s also technically a lot easier to ride than the Van Gaalen trails, so if you’re still new to the sport it’s a better bet. Still closer, in the Diepsloot Nature Reserve, you’ll be able to ride the trails of Northern Farms. Although close to town, you’ll only be able to ride over weekends or public holidays due to the opening times. With the only down side out of the way – let’s get into the positives of Northern Farms. The 2500 hectare reserve offers trails for all skill levels, the ride lengths vary from 12km to 35km, and it is billed as one of Joburg’s best kept secrets. It’s the perfect stop for a day of riding over the weekend, with lots to keep the nonriders in the family busy too. A single

CHERIE VALE/NEWSPORT MEDIA

that you try the Hartbeeshoek Road (R400), it’s a quite tar road where you’ll be able to pound out the kilometres without the usual big city worries of crazy drivers swerving across the yellow line, onto the hard shoulder. Safety, Sharlene rates isn’t something you need to worry too much about; she’s more than happy riding the gravel roads alone, as there is a fair amount of farming traffic about – but they’re used to the MTB and horse-back traffic so they keep an eye out for non-motorised road users. Further South West of Harties, you’ll ﬁnd the Buffelspoort Valley, Sparling Waters and the Maanhaarrand Pass. The Maanhaarrand Pass, which is often called Breedt’s Nek, is a great place to put in the hard climbing work you’ll need to do if you’re taking on a stage race like the Epic. In fact the route is used for the annual Magalies Monster MTB Classic, which is named after the massive 9km lung and leg busting climb. The climb isn’t the only MTB option in the Buffelspoort Valley however, and between the valley and Sparkling Waters you’ll ﬁnd some great riding. One of the star attractions is the

CHERIE VALE/NEWSPORT MEDIA

“THE VAN GAALEN MTB TRACKS MEASURE AN IMPRESSIVE 120KM OR SO IN TOTAL, MOST OF WHICH IS MOUTH-WATERING SINGLE TRACK.”

Rider Feedback: Full Sus loves to hear from you. If you’ve recently visited one of the spots or if we’ve skipped your favourite trail to the West of Jozi and Pretoria let us know. We’re going to be starting a Facebook debate on the 10th of July, so go to www.facebook.com/fullsussa to get involved, or email us at sussed@fullsus.co.za. entry ticket will cost you R 30, but there are also multiple entry passes on offer for the regulars. So there you have it, there are plenty

of MTB options to the West of the big city lights. Get out there and check them out, the trails are just waiting for you to ride them…

SUS THE Coordinates & Contacts Van Gaalen Cheese Farm

Sparkling Waters

25º 47’27.1” S, 27º 46’ 32.7” E

25° 49’ 51” S, 27° 24’ 43” E

(012) 207 1289

(014) 535 0000

www.vangaalen.co.za

www.sparklingwaters.co.za

Buffelspoort Valley

Cradle of Humankind

25° 45’ 27” S, 27° 29’ 22” E

25° 56’ 57.2” S, 27° 47’ 03.3” E

(079) 119 0789

(011) 355 1208

www.buffelspoortvalleyinfo.com

www.cradleofhumankind.co.za

Maanhaarrad Pass

Northern Farm

25º 51’ 45.4”S, 27º 26’ 32.7” E

25°56’ 20.5” S, 27° 57’ 57.2” E

It’s a public road so there is no contact

(083) 879 4449

but you can check out the route at:

www.northernfarm.co.za

www.magaliesmonster.co.za

It’s not all single track and rocky 4x4 tails in Buffelspoort, there are plenty of decent gravel roads too.

For more info on all the possible accommodation options go to www.magaliesbergmap.co.za

FS Tuli touring

Tour de chaleur et poussière d’Afrique

Or to English speakers: “the tour of heat and dust for Africa”. It’s beautiful in French and sounds tough in English, but as David Bristow reflects, it’s the one event that he’ll return for year after year. Photography by David Bristow.

“Get close to big game, experience the best of the Savannah bushveld, ride great slick rock and dust off with a river crossing on the Tour de Tuli”

ach year for the past six or so, around about this time, I drag out my indoor trainer (and I really am not an indoor trainer kind a guy), blow off the garage dust, stomp on the spiders, and screw in my make-shift road bike – it’s my old Kona Explosif Pro onto which I have mounted semi-slick tyres. It always seems to be the weekend when the Cape it hit by the fiercest storm of the winter. Because that is the time when I say “Oh, sheet, I’ve left it too late, again, to get super fit – as I promised I would last year … (repeat five times) … for the Tour de Tuli.”

There are two things I don’t do much: ride races or do repeats. The only movies I’ve seen more than once are Forrest Gump and Sammy Going South. But those are other stories. And the only mtb event that I’ve done more than twice is the Tour de Tuli. And that is this story. It’s a story of heat and dust and Africa. Which is pretty much why - each year around this time when the Cape is beset by gale-force winds and white spume flying off the sea into my lounge - I haul out the old trainer and faithful Kona. I reckon I’ve ridden a lot of nonracing dirt miles in my day. Not as

Tuli touring

TOUR DE TULI

David Bristow has buckets of MTB experience having ridden and written the Spine of the Dragon. He’s also the webmaster of www.dragontrax.co.za, a site which aims to be the countries go-to, free, repository of the mountain biking GPS tracks. Celebrating under the quintessentially African baobab

de Tuli. Because, yes good people, this is one where the rich are asked to fork out for the less so. Think of it as one small sacrifice for living here, off the fat of the land in Africa, and for god or whoever for allowing us to have such a friggin jol. Okay, so it costs R 19 800 for the five-day event, and I can tell you that every year it’s full. This includes just about everything, except getting there, which is a bit of a safari in itself (this year me and my partner in crime and travel, are driving up from Cape Town). To my mind it’s just about the best mtb holiday you can have in southern Africa. At R 4 000 a day it’s not that … okay, it is quite expensive, but somehow it keeps me going back year after year. I just can’t get enough of that bushveld heat and dust whenever that first frigid winter rain dumps on Cape Town.

Where else would you be able to ride game trails in near dry river beds with the thrill of big game around every bend?

children in the wilderneSS To see everything you ever wanted to about the event, check out the website http://www.childreninthewilderness.com/tour-de-tuli.html

“Think of it as one small sacrifice for living here, off the fat of the land in Africa, and for god or whoever for allowing us to have such a friggin jol.”

TOUR DE TULI

many as some, granted, but more than others. And the reason I go ride the Tour de Tuli each year is – because it’s there. It’s up there in Botswana, or at least that’s where it starts, in the Mashatu Private Game Reserve. The reserve lies at the confluence of Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa, so that’s where we ride, following game trails, river tree lines, rural tracks, footpaths and some of the best slick-rock riding in southern Africa. The story starts nearly 12 years ago when Paul Newman was visiting Botswana. He had around the camp fire the rapt attention of his hosts, the directors of Wilderness Safaris. Why, he berated them, were they not doing more to help the children of the rural areas in which their camps sat. Why indeed, and so they started Children in the Wilderness, whereby each year for two weeks they close their 60-odd safari camps around Africa to tourists, and bring in those rural kids for environmental and life-skills camps. Apparently the children are our future. To fund all this they hatched up a charity ride, initially starting in the Kruger Park and ending in deep rural Mozambique. That worked for about two years, until the riders cried: “No mas dust!” What they meant was, “no more sand”. The start was therefore moved to the more stony Mashatu – and finally even Kruger Park was abandoned in preference some of the rockier parts of Zimbabwe and the Mapungubwe National Park along the Limpopo River. There is still a fair whack of sand, but there’s plenty of hard-packed soil as well, and that slick rock I mentioned before. But the real attraction is that you get to ride on real game tracks, elephant paths, game trails where you could chance upon zebras, giraffes, eland, kudu, hyenas, leopards, lions or their spoor… we have each year. One year, in the chill dawn, as we rode down a game path with dust hanging around our peloton like sea mist, a leopard sauntered across the road in front of us. It stopped; we stopped; it stared at us, then casually strolled up a ridge and took a pose right in the golden sunlight. We gawped. Magic Africa. Each year so far excepting for last, one or other group has had the fun experience of an elephant charge. One year group 17 (you are split into groups of between 10 and 15 riders according to your seeding) was ambushed in the Shashe riverine forest and while the rest of us sat down to eat we watched the lights of the rescue parties rounding up the scattered riders. How we laughed. Another year it was a honeymooning American couple who had the privilege, and how we laughed when we watched the video footage at supper the following night. These are places were no-one else is allowed to ride for the remainder of the year, unless you book a Mashatu mountain biking holiday, which you really should if you cannot afford the time of the cost of the main even Tour

FS Readers Stage Racing Reports

From Jozi and Sani to the Sea

Here at Full Sus we like to give our readers a voice, and what better occasion can there be for it than the completion of 2 of South Africa’s biggest races? You might have read race reports already, but here you’ll read what really happened on the 2013 joBerg2c and Sani2c straight from the pens of a group of normal MTB enthusiasts. They didn’t go to race for overall victory – they went for the jol of the ride. Read the Full Sus readers’ reports.

CHERIE VALE/FULL STOP COMMUNICATIONS

Trevor v Zain M an Zyl & uller

Day 2

Our efforts on Day 1 meant we had to wake up extra early for our "B" batch start at 06:20. I didn't think it was possible to have such a fast start - we ﬂew out of the start chute and hurtled down the district road, pretty much in the dark, towards the little climb up to the top of the Umkomaas Valley... Conditions were perfect - hardly any traffic, a pristine, bench carved little path from the top to the bottom, some 800 meters below - you could hear the raging Umkomaas river somewhere under the mist. Truly spectacular! Zain and I had a faultless decent. I actually can't remember all of it... Fast, Swooping switchbacks, shear drops if you went wrong, and way too many "Whoop Whoops" when things got gnarly. Soul searching stuff indeed! But then the hard work started and two monster climbs, loads of river crossings, mud and a broken chain ring were still between us and the ﬁnish line. 99km's

TIO ICA UN PC TO FU

S LL

Day 2

/ ALE IE V ER

At the start of the day I experienced mixed emotions, the excitement of going down the Umkomaas on some of the best single track there is to offer, and on the other hand know that massive climbs lay ahead. My favourite part of this incredible challenge was the river crossings, having to walk through them gave me a chance to catch up to my partner and catch my breath – a double win!

Day 1

After a good night sleep in the Grade 3 classroom at the Underberg Primary School we found ourselves on the start line, overlooking the snow capped Drakensberg Mountains. We were starting in ‘I’ batch so our strategy was to go out hard to try make up some time and get ourselves into a better seeding for Day 2's infamous Umkomaas decent. It was fast, hard and incredible... The course offered up some amazing single track, ﬂoating bridges, spectacular dual track through the SAPPI plantations and breathtaking views.

M OM

Well, after two years of trying to get into the Sani2c, riding partner Zain Muller and I ﬁnally secured a spot in the 2013 Sani2c Trail event... and what a spot it was!

Sani - Trevor Van Zyl

on a mountain bike is a long way - we were moeg by the end but still kept our "B" batch spot for Day 3.

Day 3

I thought the start on day 2 was fast... B Batch very quickly split into smaller bunches. I was scratching to stay on the back of the 2nd bunch - the first hour was insanely fast. Up and down and then a big up through the a forest section saw things settling down a bit, but you couldn't help but get the feeling that everyone was on a mission to get to the end. The mud also started to play a role in my grumpiness, with chain suck from hell starting to impede my forward motion. I had to refocus and remember why I was riding the Sani2c in the first place! The new section of single track next to the motor way, leading up to Scottburgh Lagoon was awesome - some seriously fast little sections just to test the technical skills you forgot you had. Then the onto the brand new floating bridge - who's idea was this?? An absolute hoot watching guys running out of talent... A tricky 600m stretch to the finish line, but we crossed it dry! It’s not easy to sum up the Sani2c in a couple of hundred words... A truly incredible, must do race. The logistics and management are world class, and the route, well... All I can say is I can't wait for next year!

Day 3 Nathan Christie

Sani - Nathan Christie All the months spent on the saddle training for Sani2c never seems to be enough, I arrived at registration and the nerves began to kick in – I was surrounded by athletes with shaved legs and enormous calves which unfortunately I was never blessed with.

Day 1

The ﬁrst day was a really tough day and the pace was fast, my partner was quite a bit stronger than me so I was being pushed in every aspect of the ride. My slow but steady pace gave me time to admire the beauty of the spectacular scenery around me. The real highlight at the end of each day was Big Shot Media’s videos which gave everyone a glimpse of other riders’ experiences and often funny predicaments.

I particularly enjoyed the floating bridge that Farmer Glen had assembled across the Scottburgh estuary. Farmer Gary Green was controlling the floating bridge and thoroughly enjoyed informing riders of its perils to get the nerves on edge! I had a very close shave with the ice cold water only ten meters into the crossing. The finish was truly incredible – riding across the finish line on an absolute high and having pictures with Glen Haw, a feeling I will never forget! Bring on Sani2c 2014, I’ll be there.

FAST, SWOOPING SWITCHBACKS, SHEAR DROPS IF YOU WENT WRONG, AND WAY TOO MANY WHOOP WHOOPS

che & Terblan Maritza mi Potgieter Nao

Readers Stage Racing Reports

joBerg2c - Maritza Terblanche Dié 9-dag avontuur op my bergfiets vanaf Johannesburg na Scottburgh, was verseker ‘n hoogtepunt op my kalender hierdie jaar. Na ‘n harde Absa Cape Epic in Maart, wou ek iets meer sosiaals aanpak. Ons het besluit om weer as ‘n dames span in te skryf en dit was ‘n droom op 2 wiele. Die joBerg2c was propvol opwinding en verrassings elke dag. Daar was iets om elke klas ryer te bevredig, vir die jaag duiwels was daar fantastiese pryse op die spel, asook uitdagende en opwindende “Redbull-runs” met die mees ongelooflikste “single-tracks”. Ons was bevoorreg om die pragtige klein dorpies soos Frankford, Reitz, Sterkfontrein, Winterton, Kamberg, Underberg, McKenzie en Jolivet te beleef. Die gemeenskap was het ons oorweldig met hulle gasvryheid en behulpsaamheid. Vir die sosiale ryers was daar hoogtepunte soos die uitdagende dryf-brug, die roei oor die Vaaldam met die “Dragon-boat”, ‘n besoek aan Anglo Boere Oorlog gedenkbeelde by Spionkop en ‘n draai deur ‘n wolwekamp. Die aaneenlopende kilometers deur die pragtige mielie- & suikerrietlande was asemrowend en mens kon nie anders as om by die uitstekende uit te pak en piekniek te hou nie. Die Old Mutual joBerg2c is verseker ‘n inspirasie om die fietsry leefstyl te leef. Fietsry het al meer bevryding van vroue veroorsaak, as enige iets anders in die wêreld.

joBerg - Philip Faure

Would I do it again?

On return from JoBerg2c I have been asked 3 questions by most guys: Was it tough? How does it compare to the Cape Epic? Would I do it again? My answers are: Make no mistake this is a tough event. There are very few free miles and there is nowhere to hide over any of the 9 days and 940km. The easiest part is the last 3 Sani2c days! You need to do some proper training before the event and if it’s your first step up from a 3 day, get a proper training programme. Toughest days are in the middle, but also some of the best days of riding you’ll ever do. You can’t compare this event to a Cape Epic. This is actually longer by two days, if you ignore the prologue, but far less climbing and grinding, and yes it is easier. The Epic is a BIG scary, world class event. My advice would be, leave the Epic to the pros and rather do joBerg2c. This is completely ride able the whole way and a far less tense vibe. And it is still a proper challenge.

The answer is probably not. 9 days is a long time away and just too many days on a bike. It’s great to test yourself perhaps once to satisfy your manly self that you still are tough, but 3 day events are more sensible. There are also just too many other awesome events in spectacular parts of the country that need to be done.

MAN KELVIN TRAUT

KELVIN TRAUTMAN

MARITZA SÊ: “FIETSRY HET AL MEER BEVRYDING VAN VROUE VEROORSAAK, AS ENIGE IETS ANDERS IN DIE WÊRELD.

CYCHO MEDIA

Philip F Patric aure & k O’Br ien

SUS Phillip's top tips: • Train properly, get a coach, put the time in. This is not a tour! • If you are going to camp, reward yourself with the odd night in a B&B. And ﬁnd the tents that are empty so you and your partner can each have their own tent. Best accommodation option is a camper van, get the camp vibe, but warmer, more space, you unpack once. B&B’s are great, but admin. • Forget gels and energy drinks, buy day 3 you will have the trots. Eat savoury food, carry a bottle of water mixed with rehydrate and a bottle with a water and coke mix. • Use the services of a mechanic and masseuse. You will need both! • Cape Town riders, spend time on your road bikes, plenty long roads

• Don’t forget the sleeping tablets…

VIN KEL

awesome single tracks. • Don’t forget to take in the sites, take some pics and have a laugh.

N MA UT TRA

with rolling hills. Jhb riders, please get more technical experience for the

FS Trails

Ride your bike like a

BASOTHO PONY

If you ever head up to Semonkong Lodge in Lesotho, make sure you take your boney along. This is prime mountain biking territory, but best you hone those rock-riding skills, recons Jacques Marais. Photography by Jacques Marais.

Local Buzz This is about as close to cowboy country as you will ever get here in Southern Africa… The Lesotho highlands around Semonkong could just as easily have been landscape captured during the making of ‘The Man from Snowy River’, while the Basotho hill tribes from the area make for convincing bandits with their balaclavas and sturdy ponies. Off the bike you will go Action Jackson from dawn till dusk, with

superb trail running, snow peak bagging, ﬂy-ﬁshing for monster trout, pony trekking and a 204m Guinness Book of Records abseil into the dramatic Maletsunyane gorge.

Trail Low-Down Welcome to Lesotho Sky country, muckers. I hope you’ve packed your Big Boy pants for this one, because you’re damn well going to need them. Semonkong – or Lesotho’s ‘Place of Smoke’, named for the

Watch the video teaser for the 2013 Lesotho Sky MTB Challenge to get you stoked for riding in the Mountain Kingdom.

thundering Maletsunyane Falls if you want – is not for sissies. The riding is ridiculously varied and (in places) butt-clenchingly extreme. If you want to go big, the Baboons Pass return ride to Ramabanta should cut you down to size. A looping gravel road climb out of Semonkong will bang you into the higher-lying sub-alpine slopes (20km). Here you look for an unmarked track to your left, gird your loins and get ready to ride some seriously rocky technical

sections, bottoming out into the valley after 25km. Another half an hour of cranking will get you to the Trading Post, where you can swop war stories over an ice-cold Maluti. Various shorter routes from Semonkong Lodge will allow you to explore the surroundings, but the one option that stands out is the edgy ride onto the Maletsunyane gorge. And when I say ‘edgy’, I mean cliff-tops with 300m drops. Obviously you can stay out of the danger zone by

www.mapstudio.co.za

Jacques Marais is the author of Top MTB Trails, and will be keeping you up to speed with the best rides in SA. You can ﬁnd out more at www.jacquesmarais.co.za

SUS THE STATS Grading: Intermediate to Extreme (technical, wilderness riding)

Cell Reception: Limited reception Accommodation: All options

Duration: 2hrs (6-8hrs one-way

covered at www.placeofsmoke.co.ls

to Ramabanta)

GPS: S29˚50’35.3” E28˚02’36.4”

Conﬁguration: Circular/Return

Local Contact: Tel +266 5713 7586

Options – 18/75km

or email darol@lesothosky.com

Start Point: Semonkong Lodge Terrain: Horse tracks, 4x4 routes

Getting there:

and footpaths

Follow the road to Roma (30km) from

Post-Ride Beer: Ramabanta -

Maseru and on to Ramabanta (38km).

www.tradingpost.co.ls

From here, head onto the Semonkong

Must-do-Event: Lesotho Sky MTB

road (they are currently busy tarring

Challenge - www.lesothosky.com

this) and you will reach Semonkong

Access: Free riding Heaven

Lodge after a further 44km.

n i w

Competition FS

So we’re slap bang in the middle of winter and cold fronts just keep battering Mzansi. Here at Full Sus we’d like to know how you keep motivated to get out and ride your bike. How do you overcome the cold? What’s your tip for shaking off the wet? Let us know your top tip for staying motivated in winter and win one of two pairs of Ocean Eyewear SJ 840’s.

THE PRIZE: Ocean Eyewear, celebrating 25 years in South Africa. Best known for their rugged by stylish sunglasses which are designed to withstand the elements – made with corrosive resistant materials and scratch resistant lenses – Ocean Eyewear sunnies will keep your eyes protected from UV glare with their UV 400 lenses. Enter Full Sus’s “Stay Motivated in Winter” competition and stand a chance to win 1 of 2 pairs of Ocean Eyewear’s, top of the range, SJ 840 sunglasses. The 840’s feature exchangeable lenses, meaning you’ll be able to select light enhancing

DOU

BLE your chanc es by lik ing Faceb us on oo www .faceb k at o /fulls ok.com ussa lenses for those low light winter afternoon rides, or a nice dark shade if you’re lucky enough to be able to slip out for a ride while the rest of us are working (Because Murphy’s law dictates that it’ll be raining come the weekend). Check them out at www.oceaneyewear.co.za. HOW TO ENTER: Drop us an email by the 20th of July, with the subject: “Top Winter Tip” to comp@fullsus.co.za and give us your Top Tip for Staying Motivated in Winter. Remember to include your full name, ID number, physical address and a contact number.

COMPETITION TERMS & CONDITIONS Competition submissions should reach us no later than 20 July 2013. The Prize/s is that 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, , Moscon Optics 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 adidas 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.

“WELCOME TO LESOTHO SKY COUNTRY, MUCKERS. I HOPE YOU’VE PACKED YOUR BIG BOY PANTS FOR THIS ONE!” navigating higher up along the ridges, but keep in mind that the horse tracks are for relatively skilled riders. All in all, this will be one of your best days out on a bike, even if it means you get off and push every

now and then. A basic map will get you onto a circular route from the lodge, and should not take you more than a couple of hours. For more info, go and check out www.placeofsmoke.co.ls.

rtr dps advert.pdf

2013/06/27

1:14 PM

o n i h R e BE h EM Ride t27 – 29 SEPT R 20 What is the Renosterveld? The Race

The Resolution Health and Zurreal Ride the Rhino mountain bike event is aimed at raising much needed funds in answer to the plight of the rhino and to curb the disappearance of the endangered Renosterveld region in the Western Cape.

The Renosterveld is a disappearing habitat and poses a dire threat to the survival of the 9 600 species who call it home, 12 of which are either classified as endangered or already extinct. This includes the Black Rhino, Cape Lion, Ghost Frog and Dwarf Chameleon. Over the past years the Renosterveld has shrunk by a staggering 96% due to its endangered state.

CMY

Taking place over the September school holidays from 27 to 29 September in the Western Cape – the race serves as a unique family outing in support of a very worthy cause. Family points are scattered throughout each stage of the race to provide spouses, children and friends with a bird’s eye view of certain race sections.

The Route The race will kick off at 08:00 and the route is the first of its kind on the West Coast. Cyclists can expect unsurpassed views, breath-taking scenery and close encounters with the area’s fauna and flora as they wind through the panoramic Darling and Malmesbury to their final destination of Durbanville. The route offers some of the best terrain available from Mother Nature, ranging between rough back roads and jeep tracks to koppies and mountains.

3 1 0 2 r e b m e t p e S 9 27-2

013

Ride for a Rhino With a total of 668 rhinos poached across South Africa in 2012 each Ride the Rhino participant will receive a plastic rhino horn that can be attached to their bicycles. The horn will serve as a personal, symbolic tribute to the individual rhino they will be racing in memory of.

About our Sponsors

Resolution Health and Zurreal are the proud partners of the Resolution Ride the Rhino cycling event. As part of their new strategy they believe in the drive to conserve our natural vegetation for generations to come. They believe that conservation plays an important part in the overall preservation of our environment and ultimately our health and are dedicated to increasing awareness of the plight of the Renosterveld through events such as the Resolution Health Ride the Rhino. The Resolution Health Ride the Rhino encompasses the core principles of the medical scheme which are to preserve the environment, educate members and encourage participation in meaningful healthy entertainment in order to promote a healthier tomorrow. As a leader in the medical schemes industry they are committed to the holistic health of their members and communities at large. In conjunction with their Wellness and Loyalty partner Zurreal, they provide you with access to benefits that will assist you in living the life you want, starting today!

n i o n i h he R t e c a R or f s r u e n b i o m j e s t u p Pl Se 1 2 n o g Gauten enter Vis

a to z . o c . o n erhi h t e d i r . it www

FS Hessequa MTB

Wide Eyed Racing on

Sleeping Beauty

When the guys at Dryland events sent out an email about a 96km race in Riversdale on the 5th of May, Full Sus reader, Diana Carolin was immediately interested.

t was a new area to explore and it was being held by Dryland who always put on a great event and it was an opportunity to get in a decent distance before the looming 100 miler. I called my mate Petrus Brandt, a Ceres farmer who had just done the TransKaroo as his ﬁrst race ever, and he said he was in. Next was to convince James Tennent – the roadie, who had only just got his MTB – that a race was a good way to start his MTBing experience off with a bang. Anyway it all came together and we hit the road to Riversdale. After a long drive in the pissing rain we arrived to a great welcome from the Dryland Crew and Riverdale locals. They had tweeted earlier in the week that there was a R5000 King of the mountain prize and being the pushy opinionated female I am I tweeted back “what about the ladies?” And blow me down if they didn’t come up with a R2000 prize for Queen of the mountain! Thanks to the local Spar! After a lovely snug night in one of the Oakdale Cottages we cruised to the start and a great fanfare to welcome all the riders. After a welcome from the Mayor of Riversdale no less, we were off! I had checked out the competition and apart from Haneli Booyens I

thought I stood a pretty good chance of 2nd place. Believe me I wanted it, with R2000 as the prize! The race is along the foot of the Sleeping Beauty Mountain, through the forests surrounding the Korentepoort dam and in the surrounding hills of the wheat farming areas. So not much single track sadly, but they promised some for next year. We set off at a comfortable pace and James and Petrus were up in front with the racing snakes, Haneli was in my sights and all was good until we hit the ﬁrst hill… the bunch shot off and I shot out the back... needless to say hills at speed are not my strong point. Then a female rider passed me and the competitive little devil on my shoulder started shouting loudly: “Catch her Catch her!” It took a good while and some hard riding to catch her but eventually as we were riding up another climb of lengthy proportions the old diesel engine woke up, and after a quick look at the breathtakingly beautiful view of the mountains to our right, I overtook her and shot straight past the ﬁrst water point and towards the King of the Mountain climb. They called it ‘the elevator!’ And it’s lung bursting stuff! It was a serious grind and for a moment walking seemed inevitable, but pride wouldn’t let me. Then there

“ARRRGGHHH, PEDAL HARDER DAMMIT” WAS ALL I COULD THINK AFTER MY NEMESIS BREEZED PAST” Gert Heyns sticking to Craig Boyes’s wheel.

ing a pack Staden lead Derick Van lley. iversdale va out of the R

Hessequa MTB’s agricultural setting.

was a lovely fast downhill so off I motored to stay ahead of what soon became my nemesis. We tousled for a while and then settled in to riding together through the forests, past the Korentepoort dam and then after a couple climbs and descents and a seriously rough patch of road we hit a particularly long downhill I managed to drop her again, due to my passion for fast descents, and put foot till I ran out of water and had to stop at the last water point sadly losing the group of guys I’d just caught. So it was a solo effort from the 75km water point to the finish along district roads into a headwind, uuuurrrgggg! All sorts of things go through your mind as you are pounding it out along the gravel hoping not to get caught. Occasionally looking behind me there was nothing but road, until… about 7kms from the finish 2 riders were slowly creeping closer. “Arrrgghhh, pedal harder dammit” was all I could think and not long after my nemesis breezed past with a cheery “hello” and a smile. Well needless to say that competitive devil was now screaming blue murder and I pedalled, dammit! But there wasn’t much left in the legs so it was 3rd place for me and my competitive devil. Hats off to Haneli for winning and to my nemesis for a great fight, it made the race that much more of a ride to remember. Well done to James who came 6th in his first MTB race ever and to Petrus who came 10th. Nice riding boys!

ALL PICS COURTESY OF RIVERSDALE PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB

Diana Carolin (Above) After trading in the horse for a mountain bike just over 2 years ago Di developed a passion, for single track, blazing new trails, and stage races (much to the dismay of Guru, her darling, Jack Russel who can’t keep up anymore). She’s a selfemployed sports massage therapist and entrepreneur with a taste for adventure and a love for the great outdoors and riding with friends.

DI’S NEMESIS

Is Esther Lategan, and she’s been pretty busy on the bike lately, ﬁnishing second in the 36One MTB Challenge with Cobus Barnard in the Mixed Team category. Esther is no stranger to MTB ultra marathons and is a member of the Attakwas Ratel Klub having completed the notoriously tough Extreme Challenge 5 times. She ﬁnished the Hessequa in a time of 4 hours, 45 minutes and 39 seconds, an agonising 58 seconds ahead of Diana after 96 guiling kilometres. Results: Men’s 96km 1 Gert Heyns (03:51:30) 2 Craig Boyes (03:51:30) 3 Vickus Boshoff (04:02:45) Ladies’ 96km 1 Hanlie Booyens (04:31:46) 2 Esther Lategan (04:45:39) 3 Diana Carolin (04:46:37)

Rule #2

LeAve No TRACe

Take those Co2 cartridges with you!

AmaRider

Litter Thanks to my eventing background I have a particular bugbear when it comes to littering. I’ll bite my tongue at this point and not harp on about pseudo pro’s who chuck energy gel packs or toss bottles ala Tour de Lance. Unfortunately the higher the profile of the event, the more it seems littering is tolerated. The impact of littering at events is mostly affecting land manager relations as months down the line, relics of the events’ presence can be found around the route. It is easy to clean stuff that got dropped in sight of/on the race route, but very difficult to extract a gel packet from underneath a thorn bush.

www.oAkpiCS.CoM

Tips to leave no trace when riding events

Leaving only spoor behind you – and even then your spoor should be kept to a minimum says AmaRider’s Meurant Botha. Leave no Trace

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 021 884 4547 or info@amarider.co.za or visit the website at www.amarider.co.za.

From www.imba.com: “Be sensitive to the dirt beneath you.” Wet and muddy trails are more vulnerable to damage than dry ones. When the trail is soft, consider other riding options. This also means staying on existing trails and not creating new ones. Don't cut switchbacks. Be sure to pack out at least as much as you pack in. While the IMBA rule as described above relates mostly to the impacts of our wheels on the ground, it of course implies, or perhaps is taken for granted, that you should not litter or leave any signs of your visit except for tyre tracks, especially when entering nature or wilderness areas. In terms of riding habits, there are various things you can do to minimize the impact of mountain biking on the trails, the community and environment.

Plan your trip well Make sure you know the rules and regulations of the area you are visiting. There might be restrictions on group sizes, specific waste management rules etc. It also makes sense to avoid general high-use times smaller groups have less impact

Look after the tread Always follow the trail as designed and don’t blaze new paths or tracks.

Beware of causing trail widening, especially when trying to avoid wet patches, yes, it is best to ride through puddles than around them. In many cases you can assist by moving a fallen branch or similar obstacles that causes temporary trail diversions

Wet weather riding While it is a lot of fun bombing down singletrack in the pouring rain, the damage done to certain softer trails can be horrendous. Not only is there environmental concerns but the financial impact can be staggering. As per the IMBA rule it is perhaps better to find an alternative route or stick with the main dirt roads and tracks. Sandy soils and areas stand up to wet weather riding much better than clay-based ones, so take this into consideration when choosing your rain-ride spot. Experienced riders learn which areas are better able to withstand wet weather.

Community Leave the area you rode through in the same state, or better than you found it. For example, a gate left open by riders causes a social impact by annoying land owners. Be considerate when parking your vehicle. Do not block entrances and park in designated areas only.

Stash your trash and take it to the finish line with you. Simple. Make sure your bottle cage is secure and that it grips the bottle properly. Metal framed cages can easily be bent tighter. Focus your feeding around water stations where staff are on hand to clear things. Your discarded inner tube, bombs, patches etc. are often left behind and should actually come home with you. It is also designated as litter. Designate one jersey pocket for wrappers and gel packets and get used to which one that is. Or you’ll get ‘stuck’ with a sticky cellphone against your cheek. In terms of trail riding I’m happy to report that litter is few and far between. Riders tend to stop for an energy bar and are less inclined to use gels as there is no real rush. But we do find bicycle bits, especially in rock gardens! Pedal reflectors (yes, people still ride with them), pedal platforms for riding flat pedals on spd’s, every type of cycling computer, car keys and water bottles are the most common things found on trails. (Switch on the ‘Find my Phone’ mode - it works!) Please help the trail builders, race organisers and our land managers to minimize the impact of riding by being considerate regarding your personal riding impact. You are of course very welcome to remove the ‘trace’ left by our riding brethren, whether caused by muppet or friend. It’s simple - the lower our impact, the greater our environmental and social status will be.

“I’LL bITe my ToNGUe AboUT PseUdo PRo’s Who ChUCk eNeRGy GeL PACks oR Toss boTTLes ALA ToUR de LANCe.” 15

FS Low carb

Lightening up “Years ago, real men were not supposed to eat quiche. But then rock star chefs like Jamie Oliver came along and made all food cool. Eating quiche is positively macho these days... Can the same be said for light beers?” asks Fiona McDonald.

Lite Beer – refers to Lower In Total Energy Dr Frieda Dehrmann says: “Lite beers are usually achieved by ensuring that the amount of carbohydrate left in the beer is lower than standard beers – such as lagers. ‘Light’ beers usually mean that the alcohol levels are lower than a standard beer.” Light Beer is still low in carbs because the carb content is directly related to the alcohol content – it has got to do with the fermentation of sugars which produces both the alcohol and the carb count.

n days of yore, before indoor plumbing and weekly garbage removal, life was tough – and downright dangerous. Drinking water was seriously bad for your health and people often died from doing just that. Ask any canoeist who’s taken a dunk in badly E.coli-infected water while paddling the Msunduzi River between Pietermaritzburg and Durban what sort of effect bad water can have and you’ll get a pretty good idea of what life was like. Not pleasant... So in those days beer was a healthy alternative, and a virtual necessity - because the brewing process removed those impurities by means of fermentation. Men, women and even children drank beer. Nowadays it’s consumed primarily on social occasions and not regarded as quite the health-giving beverage that it used to be. The empty carbohydrates in beer (indeed in all alcohol) play a role in weight gain. But with the worldwide epidemic of obesity and all its attendant health

risks, there’s a growing appreciation for the benefits of light beers. Mountain bikers in particular are keen on the low carb option, because when you’re splashing cash to save 400g on your bike weight, you don’t want to be carrying extra kilograms around your midriff, which would be pretty pointless. Marketing manager of Windhoek, Alan Roberts, said Namibian Breweries had noticed “a huge increase in lifestyle and health awareness” over the past 20 years. “Issues around nutrition, obesity, fitness and longevity find their way into the media on a daily basis. Windhoek Light, however, is not only for those who are making a health choice. Instead it’s what we would broadly call a lifestyle choice.” Roberts said dyed-in-the-wool Windhoek fans migrated between Light, Lager and Draught, depending on the situation or occasion. Light beer is hardly new explains Frieda Dehrmann, a biochemist who is the consumer science and sensory manager for SA Breweries based in Sandton says: “This style of beer has been brewed historically through the ages, however, Lite and Light beers gained popularity in the 1980s.” Although she said this trend was “driven primarily out of the USA” where the desire and liking for lower alcohol and lower calorie beer originated, it appears that South Africans have latched onto the healthier trend in a big

Gablinger’s Diet Beer: A biochemist working for Rheingold Breweries in Brooklyn discovered in 1967 that an enzyme which broke down the starches found in malt, the key component of the beer brewing process, resulted in fewer carbohydrates in the ﬁnal beer. The marketing failed the product however and Diet Beer was a commercial ﬂop, and it took savvy marketing to compel beer drinkers that light beer is actually cool. way. In SABMiller’s latest quarterly report released earlier this year it was reported that despite the “challenging economic and trading environment” overall volumes grew by three percent in the third quarter of 2012, with their Castle Lite beer being the biggest gainer. Dehrmann elaborates that “consumers the world over choose this style of beer because it allows them to enjoy beer knowing it is a healthier choice, being lower in alcohol and calories”. As the carb consciousness movement continues to gain momentum amongst South Africans, Light and Lite beer sales are growing. The healthy choice has become the popular choice. But only if the liquid still tastes like a beer!

Beer education - Carb Counters Beer Windhoek Light

Alcohol by Volume 2.4%

104kJ

125kJ

4.5%

135kJ

Castle Lager

135kJ

Windhoek Lager

138kJ

Guinness

4.8%

147kJ

Carling Black Label

5.5%

165kJ

Castle Milk Stout

6.0%

210kJ

Castle Lite Hansa Pilsener

“SOUTH AFRICANS HAVE LATCHED ONTO THE HEALTHIER TREND IN A BIG WAY” 16

kJ per 100ml

Nutrition

Are supplements the way forward?

Today, when you walk into the shops and pharmacies you see shelves and shelves of different supplements. It’s confusing and hard to keep up with all the different products on offer, so Alex Blair has penned her monthly column with the aim of clarifying the matter for you.

Alex Blair is a registered dietician, working out of the 360 Specialized Training Gym in Woodstock. She specialises in Sports’ Nutrition, Diabetes, Hypertension, High Cholesterol and Weight Loss. Find her on Facebook at Alex Blair Dietician or email nutrition@fullsus.co.za.

here are so many products: Some that help you to gain muscle and others that have the ability to burn fat or enhance performance. Dietary supplements, Ergogenic aids, sports supplements and sports foods are a few of the common names that will confront you in the supplement aisle.

Supplements can be classiﬁed into the following 4 Groups: GROUP A - Supplements which are possibly effective and generally regarded as safe:

• Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA) • Calcium • Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) • Green Tea extract • Whey protein • Iron & Calcium supplements • Sports bars/gels & drinks • Liquid meal supplements • Creatine • Essential Amino Acids (EAA) • Caffeine • Sodium phosphate • Beta-alanine

GROUP B - Supplements whose effectiveness is too early to tell: • Medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) • Zinc – Magnesium aspartate • Growth hormone-releasing peptides • Fish oils • Probiotics

GROUP C - Supplements which have no clear proof of beneﬁcial effects: • Isoﬂavones • L – carnitine • Herbal diuretics • Chromium • Calcium pyruvate • Vanadium • Glucosamine • Co-enzyme Q10 • Garlic and herbal supplements

ALTHOUGH THE USE OF SOME SUPPLEMENTS MAY HAVE ADDED BENEFITS IN TERMS OF IMPROVING BODY COMPOSITION, SPORTS PERFORMANCE AND OVERALL HEALTH, THE RISK TO BENEFIT RATIO NEEDS TO BE EVALUATED BEFORE USING THESE SUPPLEMENTS.

GROUP D - Supplements which are dangerous and have no beneﬁcial effect: • DHEA • Androstenedione • Ephedra • Herbal testosterone supplements

Alex’s Advice Supplements are strongly discouraged where nutritional needs can be met via the diet. Acute or long term effects may arise from the widespread use of supplements. The majority of the products on the market fail to reach expected standards. Many contain toxic ingredients; include inaccurate labelling, fail to declare the ingredients on the label and may contain crosscontamination of supplements. Poor quality of supplements in shops and pharmacies can increase the likelihood of an athlete obtaining negative results in doping tests. Although the use of some supplements may have added beneﬁts in terms of improving body composition, sports performance and overall health, the risk to beneﬁt ratio needs to be evaluated before using these supplements. It is always best to consult your dietician before embarking on a training programme and devise a balanced diet to help ensure you remain healthy, build muscle or lose weight and are able to perform at an optimum level. A balanced diet might well include supplements – but it is essential that you don’t take them in lieu of healthy eating.

Which supplements will increase my exercise performance? Sports drinks are a great way to deliver a balance of carbohydrates and fluid in order to rehydrate and re-fuel. If you are trying to lose weight and are only doing light exercise, then sports drinks would not be a good option as they are high in kilojoules and can cause weight gain. Liquid meal replacements are rich in carbohydrates, have a moderate amount of protein and contain a small amount of fat. They can be used after a training session in order to repair and refuel your body or even as a pre-event meal for those with a high risk for gastro-intestinal (GI) upsets. They are easy to prepare and ideal for those who are travelling. A whey protein shake can also be used after exercise in order to help repair and rebuild muscles. Sports bars are also great as a pre-event meal or snack in order to refuel muscles. Sport gels contain a highly concentrated source of carbohydrates (20-25g) per sachet. These are convenient as they can be easily consumed and digested. Some sports gels even contain caffeine and electrolytes which give you that extra boost that you need.

SUS WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CREATINE Creatine is a naturally occurring compound which is found in skeletal muscle and the brain as a result of dietary intake from protein sources. It basically helps to regenerate energy which is why it is wonderful for those short bursts of exercise. Creatine has been shown to help with performance in strength. Creatine monohydrate is well researched and is safe and effective to use. You can safely supplement your pre-event/ training meal with creatine.

FS Stirling Revolution

drivetrain wear it happens

Cranks turn, cogs wear, chains stretch; that, SJ assures you, is the story with all bicycles. But it is often a misunderstood reality of cycling. Everything the chain touches will wear due to friction.

he chain too will wear due to stretch causing the teeth on the various cogs (front chainrings, rear cassette, and dérailleur jockey wheels) to sharpen, and the half circle between teeth to widen into a crescent moon. Yet, when it comes time to replace the drivetrain, most riders are unpleasantly surprised by the need and the cost. No matter how much we try reassure this is normal wear-and-tear associated to the sport, most cyclists still regard replacing their drivetrain as a grudge purchase akin to paying your TV licence. (And even though we write this article from the perspective of a mountain biker, the same goes for roadies too.)

Symptoms of a Worn Drivetrain There are a few things that you might notice when your drivetrain is worn beyond its capabilities. Firstly, visually you will notice that your chain ﬁts loosely to your large front chainring, and the teeth on your cogs will be sharp rather than squared off as they are when new. This includes the teeth on your front chainrings, rear cassette, and dérailleur jockey wheels. If you haven’t noticed these signs, then you may notice slipping when pedalling hard, chainsuck, or ghost shifting (your gears shift erratically, not obeying your shifter but randomly changing at weird times). A noisy drivetrain, or a loose chain, which slaps when you descend, is also typical symptom. But the worst symptom is the chain breaking under normal pedalling.

Check your Drivetrain Wear Scientiﬁcally Thankfully there are chain measuring tools you can buy that give a good indication of how worn your drivetrain

If you have any questions for the Stirlings send an email to sussed@fullsus.co.za and we’ll get them to answer on the Full Sus Facebook page www.facebook.com/fullsussa.

is. The conundrum is that only the chain is measured to determine the wear of the entire drivetrain. The chain marries the rear cassette when it wears and therefore it is safest to always replace both. The front chain rings and jockey wheels can usually last 2 chain and cassette replacements. The CC-3.2 is the current offering from Parktool and it should be available at most bike shops. It measures the drivetrain at 0.5 (50%) and 0.75 (75%). Other chain checkers will show up to the 1.0 (100%) wear mark.

How to Manage your Drivetrain Now here is where we get to the useful stuff, but note that opinions on drivetrain management will differ. But with 5 years of drivetrain replacements in our workshop on bikes with numerous types of components, uses, and customers, plus over 50 years of combined riding and bicycle ownership experience, we have a very rounded opinion on what is best for your bike, your wallet and your riding experience.

0.25 – 0.5 Rotate chain or do nothing (You can rotate with 3 or 4 chains to save expensive cassettes like the new XX1).

0.5 – 0.75 Replace the chain (The new chain will wear faster though due to the worn cog teeth & the next replacement will require a cassette replacement too).

replaced, it is important to test ride the bike in race simulated conditions especially before any big ride. This also implies that you shouldn’t replace any part on the drivetrain too soon before a race, unless it is critical to do so or the whole drivetrain is replaced. Another important piece of advice is not to cut corners; late replacement or inferior cheaper parts will only lead to unpleasant riding and delayed rather than resolved problems. If you ﬁt a new chain on parts that are too worn, you will notice slipping when pedalling hard and maybe chainsuck too. The slipping can be caused by a worn out cassette or worn chainrings.

The Stirling Revolution Bio The father and son combo of Stirling senior and junior are avid cyclists and owners of a local bike shop in Cape Town. In their monthly column they’ll be offering their uniquely phrased views on the ins and outs of mountain biking from negotiating a discount to locating that weird noise your bike keeps making, but won’t make when you take it to the workshop, they’ll cover it. Stirling-James Kotze, aka SJ Years in the saddle: 17 Favourite ride/trail: Jonkershoek, Stellenbosch Recurring MTB nightmare: Noisy, squeaky bikes

SUS THE SERVICE TIPS With the wide use of both Triple and Double chainrings, the wear rates on these two systems seem to have their own unique characteristics. Doubles seem to allow for both the small and large ring to wear quite evenly requiring replacement at the same time. Triples are a bit different in that the middle ring usually requires replacement sooner than the big and small ring. Less ﬁt riders will require their small ring to be replaced along with their middle ring, earlier than the big ring.

SUS THE CAUSES Power: Heavier/bigger riders and stronger riders will put more stress on the drivetrain.

Dirt and Lube: A dirty drivetrain will wear quicker Over lubing your chain can attract dirt and clog up the drive train and can be as bad as not lubing.

0.75 – 1.0

Trail conditions: Muddy and Dusty trails will cause your chain to clog up

Replace chain & cassette (The chainrings and and dérailleur jockey wheels will usually last for 2 chains and cassettes)

with dirt wearing out your drivetrain faster.

1.0 + Your chain is toast and most likely your drivetrain is completely worn out too, replace it all or replace nothing and ride it until it is unbearable or keeps breaking… then replace it all.

Replacement After any part on the drivetrain is

Bad Shifting: Don’t shift under power, High Pressure Washing: It ruins bearings and suspensions and it strips the chain of all lubrication.

SUS THE COSTS Chain from R300

Jockey wheels from R200

Cassette from R450

And labour from R400

Chainrings from R550

Meet the soil chowing

Bike sneak peek

Swift Detritovore With the launch of Swift Carbon’s first concept store in July Full Sus thought it’d be a great time to introduce you to their MTB offering – the racy D-vore. Swift’s roadie racing heritage is so strong that for their first foray into MTB they went straight for the hard-tail, 29er, racing market. Light weight, full carbon (as you’d expect) and taut as a bow string the D-vore is for the race snake in you. It’s been built from a blend of T800, T1000 and MR40 carbon filaments to ensure that a medium frame weighs only 1 250 grams. They’ve also paid close attention to the geometry to ensure racey and agile

handling. From the medium size up the D-vore has been designed for 100mm forks, but the small frame has been designed to work with 80mm forks to help shorter riders get into an optimal riding position. On the spec front Swift have gone for interchangeable rear dropouts with conventional 10mm axles or the X12 through-axle system and a Press Fit 30 bottom bracket shell, which is compatible with

all current standard BB’s. The stock version is sold with a FSA headset, Sid Team XX fork, Sram XX cranks and groupset, a Sram PF 30 BB and Sram cassette, Easton EC bars, EC 90 stem and EA 90 XC wheels, Schwalbe Rocket Ron 2.2 tyres, the Swift adrenalin saddle and a choice of either an Easton or Swift carbon seat post. All round it’s an impressive looking machine, so sus it out and pop by their new shop to ﬁnd out more.

See the Detritovore in action

Watch UK based, NFTO Race team’s test ride video to see it in action by scanning this QR code.

SUS the geometry and shop Medium Frame Size = 18.5 inches (measurements in mm or °) Seat Tube ................. 470 Top Tube ....................610 Head tube angle ...... 71° Seat tube angle ..... 73° Wheelbase ............ 1095 Rear centre ...............440 BB drop ........................ 65 Head tube length ....... 91 Reach ..........................422 Stack .......................... 614

Swift’s ﬁrst concept store opens on the 26th of July in Shop 5, Portside on the corner of Main Road and Upper Portswood Roads Greenpoint, in Cape Town. The ﬁrst 50 customers through the doors will get a R500 voucher to spend on a Swift Carbon frame… so if you’re keen on a Detritovore you’d better get there.

The Darkhorse

Wheel review

One of the advantages of being the publisher’s riding partner, as Richard Pieterse, found out is getting to test new kit. Here’s what Richard has to say about the month he spend riding Darkhorse’s ﬁrst MTB wheel offerings: (Richard is a qualiﬁed Mechanical Engineer and is a solution architect at Dimension Data - he has been mountain biking for 8 years.)

recently had the opportunity to ride the new Darkhorse carbon MTB wheelset – unfortunately not as long as I would have liked too, but long enough to want to own a set. I have read a number of articles and reviews when it comes to carbon MTB rims. The main threads are

always about the cost and durability versus the stiffness of the ride experience and whether this justiﬁes the overall cost over your big brand name aluminium rims. To this end Darkhorse have launched their wheels in South Africa to provide the highest quality carbon wheels for competitive prices. Hopefully this will afford us the opportunity to own and ride a carbon wheelset without having to mortgage anything. One of the key aspects of carbon rims is the weight factor. I did not get a chance to weigh the set but a quick arm lift check against my usual riding wheels (I use Stan's Ztr Crest with Sun Ringle Dirty Flea hubs) seemed to be fairly evenly match, although the Stan's do come out with rider weight limit. The Dark Horse decal running the circumference of the rims ensure

these wheels stand-out – they are perhaps best described as “classy bling", but are not offensive and besides being eye-catching, have a sense of “cool” about them. My main impression is the stiffness of the wheel. When comparing to my Stan's Crest it’s chalk and cheese. The ride itself was deﬁnitely different; they felt as it they propelled me up hill with less effort than normal. This with hubs produced an extremely smooth ride from outset. On the hubs the notable thing was the lack of ratchet purr coming from the free-wheel hub. They are extremely quiet, so if you are a rider who likes the buzz of the freewheel hub you will need to change the hubs. The test set ran Novatec D711/ D712 hubs. The wheels were laced with Sapim CX Ray spokes, noted for their unique strength and ﬂexibility in

a bladed design. These were ﬁxed to the rims with the new patented secure lock nipples also from Sapin to prevent unlocking. The wheelset was setup for a 9-millimeter quick release up front and rear, with 10x145 millimetre axle spacing. The Darkhorse rims themselves are tubeless rims 23mm deep by 23mm wide. Darkhorse have informed us that all new wheelsets will be ﬁtted with Bitex hubs (they use them on their road bike wheels) with either ali or steel freehubs. There is also a choice of Quick release 15mm or 20mm thru axle for the fronts and Quick release or 12mm thru axle options for the rear. RRP R9 895. Launch price R9000.

For more information go to www.darkhorsewheels.com

Privateer HV

Extreme 1400

If you have wider than normal feet the usual slim bike shoes can be a nightmare of blisters and bunions. The Privateer HV shoe comes to the rescue of riders with wider or high-volume feet and offers all the features of the standard Privateer model for the bigger foot. The DuPont™ Zytel® nylon outsole rivals the performance of premium composite outsoles and offers greater fatigue resistance. The dual-density lugs are aggressively shaped to provide traction in the dirt and mud, should you need to put a foot down and the inner footbed is treated with an Aegis® antimicrobial ﬁnish to keep the odour causing bacteria at bay. Find out more at www.giro.com.

GEAR

FS Gear

The Extreme 1400 is an upgrade of the already impressive Extreme 1200. It’s brighter, lasts longer and weighs the same – 340g. One of the stars of the 1400, is the Cree XM-L2 U2 LED bulb which produces 20% more light than its predecessor, or 1 198 lumens to be exact. To add to this, the design has been reﬁned leading to a 10% increase in light through the improved copper thermal path and the Samsung battery pack produces an impressive 5 hour battery life at 1 100 lumens. Running at 250 lumens though it’ll last for a full 24 hours and it has a ﬂash option too. www.extremelights.co.za. RRP R995

Topeak PrepStation

Isostar Hydrate & Perform Maintaining hydration is one of the keys to athletic performance, irrespective of whether you’re at the sharp end of the racing ﬁeld or plodding along at the rear. Isotonic sports drinks are therefore essential to your ability to perform and drinking Isostar’s Hydrate & Perform will help you perform at your best. It is formulated to quickly re-hydrate and replaces essential electrolytes, as well as replace energy lost through exercise with its blend of simple and complex carbohydrates. Hydrate & Perform also boasts excellent levels of sodium, calcium and magnesium to boost muscle function and prevent cramping. Isostar has an official anti-doping charter, and Hydrate & Perform is formulated according to their drug free policy. It is available in Orange and Lemon ﬂavours for RRP R 139. www.isostar.co.za.

FS Responsibility

Are you keener on tinkering with your bike than you are riding it? If you answered yes, then the PrepStation is for you. It’s a trolley tool station set on 5 inch wheels and featuring 40 sets of professional quality bike shop tools in 6 compartments. The trolley is 38cm wide by 36.2cm long and 67.1cm tall when folded and unfurls to 91.5cm tall, while the wheels also slide out to expand the PrepStation’s base and provide added stability. The tools are forged from chrome vanadium steel or hardened steel, depending on the tool, and feature aluminium or engineering grade plastic handles. You can ﬁnd out more at www.topeak.com.

New Conservation Roles

MTBers are the new conservationists. Or so Full Sus would love to have you believe. So read on to make sure you’re doing your bit…

ull Sus has given you a bit of a hard time in the last few issues, reminding you to stay off private land, to respect the trails and to leave only spoor behind you. But let’s face it, the overwhelming majority of MTBers know that already – and if you’re one of them you deserve a pat on the back. Still there is the odd tool, who does need a reminder every now and then to keep him on the designated trail before he ruins the riding for everyone. Typically your love for riding your bike keeps you in nature more than the average Joe, so you’ll also notice environmental degradation more readily too, especially when it might affect your riding pleasure. And so you should. The other day I was walking across the dunes from a beach and a mother and her teenage son were coming toward me with a pack of four dogs. None of the hounds were

on leashes, but that in itself is not a problem, the trouble arose though when the dogs spotted a covey of Cape Franklin. All four gave manic chase and neither mother nor son bothered to call back their dogs as they crashed through the dune vegetation in pursuit. The fact that they were unlikely to catch the Franklin is irrelevant – and I feel foolish for not having had a quiet word with them about the dogs – their domestic animals caused unnecessary stress to wild animals and charged through the sensitive dune vegetation that the City of Cape Town is working hard to protect. Now dogs running wild might not seem like the most insidious threat that faces wildlife, but in nature reserves and national parks that could be far more serious than a frightened flock of birds taking flight. Feral dogs pose a risk to small game and can cause significant damage. So if you do spot a dog roaming free you should notify the landowner. But canines are hardly the most likely harmful species you’re likely to encounter out on the trails.

The old cliché of man being the most dangerous beast is as usual true. So keep an eye out for human infringement, be it illegal or just irresponsible behaviour. In the fynbos it’s important to keep an eye out for people collecting reptiles. Odd as it may sound, there is big money in herpetological trading – and collectors are willing to pay large sums of money for rare species of snakes and tortoises in particular. And it is both illegal to remove them from their natural habitat and exceptionally hard to police in the reserves. In the more deserted areas of KZN and the Eastern Cape one should also be on the lookout for Cycad poachers. These rare prehistoric plants – which have roots in the Jurassic period – fetch up to R100 000 on the black market. Even though they are listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s ‘Red Data Book’ of highly endangered species, the removal of these very rare plants continue at an alarming rate – to the extent that many species are effectively, if not yet physically extinct.

These are just three of many possible hazards to nature that you, as a cyclist might pick up in the ﬁeld. Most issues will probably be far less sever, like riders not sticking to the designated trails, trespassing in order to ride or perhaps just picking fynbos ﬂowers – which is also, you might be surprised to discover, illegal in Nature Reserves and National Parks. Full Sus would like to encourage the law abiding many of you to approach fellow riders or trail users, and inform them in a courteous manner if their actions are causing environmental harm. They might simply be oblivious to the effects of their actions and so a polite word would be enough. In the case of coming upon criminal activity – well that’s simple isn’t it – your outdoors lifestyle means you might well come upon things that the increasingly office bound park rangers might not, and so you need to report them. Just be safe and call the cops or the relevant landowner. Let’s work together to keep the environments around our trails as pristine as possible.

GEAR

Gear

Manfrotto Monopod

Sponser Liquid Energy Plus

When taking photos in tight spaces, or when you’ve got to lug your gear for miles a tripod just isn’t a viable option. But nor is a blurry photo. Every photographer should therefore have a monopod in their arsenal. They’re easy to carry, speedy to set-up and if you use them properly monopods will supply all the support you’re likely to need even for long lenses. Manfrotto’s range includes carbon ﬁbre and aluminium models in varying lengths for different payloads. Full Sus got our hands on the MMC3-01 Compact Monopod and we’ve tried it out a couple of times. It folds away to 39cm and extends up to a more than adequate 143cm, weighs a micro 295 grams, can support a 1.5 kg load and it’s aluminium construction features 5 Sections. It also works wonders with the iON eliminating that annoying shake when you’re ﬁlming from hand rather than a head or bar mount. Check out the whole range at www.singerphoto.co.za.

Swiss sport’s nutrition company, Sponser, have introduced their products to the South African market. Their product range covers 4 categories namely Power, Energy, Pro and Fit & Well. In the Energy range the Liquid Energy Plus sachet of energy gel is ideal for a mid-ride boost. It has a light honey ﬂavour and contains caffeine, taurine and inositol as well as the vitamins required by your body to digest these ingredients. It is formulate with a balanced combination of quick and slow release sugars to ensure a gradual and continuous supply of energy. RRP R22, available from selected Cycle Lab stores. www.sponser.ch

Super Helmet The Bell Super resists the prevailing urge to compromise when riding all-mountain. No longer will you need to choose between DH full-face or the light weight XC gear to protect your noggin. The Super is designed with all-mountain ﬁrmly in mind and its rugged construction features all the safety aspects you’d expect plus the added bonuses of integrated goggle guides and a removable GoPro camera mount. It weighs in at 390g, has 25 vents and a 4 vent Overbrow Ventilation™ system, which is tuned for trail riding and actively ushers cool air over the head via four intake ports on the brow of the helmet. www.bellhelmets.com

photo of the month It's a ll the r about ide

Oak Pics 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. Contact them at www.oakpics.com or 021 854 8723

FS The David George E XP ERIE N CE

Wet Winter Advice

Winter is well and truly here and most of the big race appointments have passed us by, so David George is sure most of you are fighting of the post event winter blues – wondering what to do next. David George made his name as a roadie and since switching his slicks for knobblies he has clocked up many miles at the sharp end of the racing pack. He’ll be sharing his extensive biking knowledge with Full Sus readers in his monthly column.

Rest and recover and let it go, so that by the time the days get longer and the weather improves, you’ve regained the freshness to attack the training with more fervour. Here are some thoughts on what to do this winter.

Get fresh! A question I get a lot is how long do I need to take a break for? That often depends on the length and intensity you have been focused on your previous season’s objectives but anywhere from 4-6 weeks is generally long enough to give mind and body a good rest.

clear about what you want out of the season to come. You can’t be a hero all year round. For example an A objective could be that Epic result you have your eye on, and the B objective could be your favourite weekend race – that you would really like to give the boys a go in.

Get a coach! Almost every athlete taking on a physical endeavour will benefit from the help of a coach. With modern technology the world is smaller than you’d think and there are many coaches world-wide (and locally) that will give you great advice on how to improve your riding. Although I am a fan of good ol’ face to face coaching that’s often not practical for our busy lifestyles and most of us will improve with even the most basic advice, all-be-it over the phone or via the internet.

Get set up! Find somewhere to do that bike fit you have been meaning to do. Now is a great time to implement changes rather than the month before your most important objective. Get planning! Choose your A and B objectives a long way out and be

Get educated! Joe Friel, Hunter Allen, Andy Coggan to name a few of

the winter months, to get organized for your spring and summer objectives, for example preparing for a 2014 Epic might seem like a long way off now, but getting organized early can make all the difference to the end result.

Get going! Be patient, good form is like a cake with many ingredients, you can’t put the icing on first .

“HaviNG GREaT TEcHNical skills is a sURE Way To impRovED RiDiNG – iT’s ENERGy aND TimE foR fREE”

Get a technical coach! Focussing on technical skills is a fun way to spend those time strapped, cold winter months instead of forcing mindless indoor home trainer sessions get outside and play! But wear some body armour please! Having great technical skills is a sure way to improved riding, it is energy and time for free when you are slamming through a rough and technical stage of the Epic. Hours spent playing and improving skill levels now will pay dividends. When we get more focused on your physical fitness training later, play time will be limited.

Get organized! Use this time, during

the leading minds on cycling training and physiology have all written books that will help you understand your body and how to prepare for an objective. Curl up next to the fire and read. It’s arguably a better way to improve your performance than heading out doors in the torrential rain and misery now.

Big wheels and single tracks don’t always make easy companions so work on your skills this winter

JUNE Results RE:CM 200 – 7 to 9 June mEN’s 45km

laDiEs’ 45km

1 Team RE:cm - Waylon Woolcock & 1 Howard & chamberlain - Heletje van staden & Nicci Grobler (10:18:23) lourens luus (7:44:56) 2 fedgroupitec - kevin Evans & 2 first ascent ladies - Theresa Horn & Brandon stewart (7:51:53) miriam stronkhorst (11:17:55) 3 Bridge - Timo cooper & 3 Bikeplus - Judith scheepers & Nico pfitzenmaier (8:00:09) lindsey chicken (11:33:33)

Scottburg MTB Race – 15 June mEN’s 45km laDiEs’ 45km 1 Evan van der spuy 2 lee penderis 3 matthew Goetsch

Hayley smith Natachka mowat Jackie church

Greyton MTB Classic – 16 June mEN’s 48km

laDiEs’ 48km

1 Jarryd Haley (02:14:19) 2 Tim osrin (02:23:42) 3 Jacques van Zyl (02:23:42)

lara Woolley (02:44:36) caren Henschel (02:48:35) Desiree loubser (02:54:25)

Dusi2C – 22 and 23 June mEN’s

miXED

1 TiB insurace - andrew Hill & Tyron Bird (4:50:48)

1 fedGroup itec – Brandon & Bridgette stewart (5:47:32)

2 coffeeberry/momsen mark malherbe & Trevor Rowe (5:03:32) 3 peptopro Racing - Jarrad van Zuydam & stu Rawlinson (5:10:20)

2 icycle/kargo - Tim stark & Robyn Ryan (6:04:13) 3 Giba mixed - Tamryn Taylor & siyabonga Njiva (6:09:13)

Classifieds

fullsus Classifieds Cape Town Cycles

AdvertiSe

Come check out our exciting range of cycles and accessories. We re committed to outstanding quality and customer service. Bring your bike in for a service and you ll see, we strive to exceed your expectations.

in the classified section of full sus and reach over 24 000 MTB readers through a circulation of over 12 500 newspapers distributed countrywide through +140 bike shops and selected events every month! The 60 x 112.5mm size is bigger than the traditional

Authorised dealer for: Momsen, Morewood & GT

classified at a great price. and if you’re a local Bike shop

Visit us at our shop Uitzicht Centre, Vatican Street, Uitzicht, Durbanville. Tel: 021 975 9255 www.capetowncycles.co.za

that great price is even further reduced! The classifieds offers you the opportunity to broadcast your specials, highlight the unique products you stock and attract new customers. To advertise in the full sus classifieds give Julia a call on 021 685 0285/6 or drop her an email at

fullsus julia@integratedmedia.co.za.

e r e h e S i t r e v d oA

dmedia.co.za

julia@integrate p her an email at

5 0285/6 or dro

021 68 Contact Julia on

JUlY Must do events 13 July : J-Bay MTB Open As part of the epic J-Bay Winter Fest, which runs from the 6th to the 14th of July, the good people of the Adventure Province are hosting a surfing comp, a cold water swim, a fishing comp, a trail run, urban rumble and a MTB event. The MTB races feature 90, 40 and 5km options on routes that have been billed as fast and fun, but with skill and endurance testing technical sections. The show stopper is the fact that the 90km ride is made by 80% single track. You can enter online at www.jbaysport.co.za and the R350 entry fee includes a great goodie bag with our choice of either a pair of Dakine Cycling Gloves or a Dakine Cycling Shirt valued at over R400.

14 July: The Walkerville MTB Classic

14 July: Bastille Festival MTB Classic

27 to 28 July: Badplaas Forever Resort MTB Challenge

Starting and finishing at the Walkerville Showgrounds, just 30km from Jozi the Classic is one of the country’s longest running MTB races. Now in its 16th year, the event features 60km and 40km options and all results go toward the SA MTB rankings. Route designer Ken Davies ensures that the trails are flowing and this year’s race includes two river crossings to test your resolve in the icy winter months. Entries close on the 7th of July and are limited to 2 000 riders so if you’re keen you’d better get to it. You can book online at www.asgevents.co.za.

Continuing with the trend of events around the country on Sunday the 14th of July is the Bastille Festival MTB Classic. Franschhoek comes alive for Bastille festival and with the trail run on the 13th and the MTB Classic on the 14th there is another excuse to visit one of South Africa’s most beautiful towns. The MTB Classic has 45, 32 and 10km options and the longer two events feature some sharp climbs – so you’d do well to leave the wine tasting till after the ride. Entries are open until the 10th and you can book online at www.franschhoekcycles.co.za/bastille or check out the festival website and follow the links at www.franschhoek.co.za.

With multiple distance options on offer the Challenge is as tough as you’d like to make it for yourself. With 50, 23 and 4km options for both Saturday and Sunday you can choose from doing one day’s riding or two and then mix-and-match your distances to suit your fitness levels. For more details and online entries go to www.cycleevents.co.za and follow the links from the Mountain Biking Events tab. Entries close on the 25th of July and riders, and their families, will get a 30% discount on accommodation.

CALENDAR

Advertise your event in Full Sus and we will send you copies of the paper for your goodie bags or registration table. Call Shayne on 021 685 0285/6

September Race Calendar MPUMALANGA 7 Cara Cara MTB Race Das Auto 4 (Mpumalanga) 14 Mpumalanga Spur School Series # 4 WWW.OAKPICS.COM

NORTHERN CAPE 21 Kgalagadi Desert Classic – (N’ Cape)

SUS the best of AUGUST MPUMALANGA 3 Krokodilpoort MTB Challenge LIMPOPO 1 Nedbank Tour de Tuli 10 Akkedis MTB Race

10 18 24 25 31 4 9 11 17 31

GAUTENG Bryton Vori - Berg MTB Series 4 Bedworth Centre & ArcelorMittal MTB Bryton Rhino MTB Challenge Jozi2kozi The Magalies Adventure Stage Race EASTERN CAPE Foolish Frenzy Night Race at Woodridge Stormsriver Traverse Shaw Park Pineapple Mountain Bike Endurance Race Trans Baviaans 24hr Marathon Zuurberg 2 day Festival

9 10 18 31

3 10 17 18 21 24 25 26

WESTERN CAPE Inner Mountain Ladies MTB Tour Swellendam Canola Festival Oude Molen Distillery MTB Challenge Agri Herold Landbou Fees Ideafruit Bergﬁetsresies KZN Illove Eston MTB Marathon aQuelle Tour de Krantz Rhino Adventure Ride Grantleigh MTB Challenge UCI Masters World Championships XCO/DHI Howick Highlander MTB Challenge Zululand Country Club MTB Challenge UCI MTB XCO & DH World Championships

NORTH WEST 18 Marico MTB Classic - Groot Marico 25 CANSA Lost City MTB Event

GAUTENG 1 The Vlei 24 hour 4 Moonlight MTB Series 7 High School Series Final Tour de Plaas Silverstar MTB Challenge 8 Silver Oaks Cycling Challenge Eqstra Spring Classic 11 Moonlight MTB Series 14 Nissan Trailseeker #3 15 Redstone MTB Race #5 18 Moonlight MTB Series 25 Moonlight MTB Series 28 Babbas Lodge MTB Super Series 2 Bainbridge Believe Choc Cow MTB EASTERN CAPE 15 Sole Destroyer 21 Wild Coast Chain Re-Action Mountain Bike Challenge 27 The Rhodes Extreme MTB Race 1 7 7 13 14

WESTERN CAPE Greyton Tour Staalwater MTB Challenge Renosterbos MTB Challenge Ride2Nowhere Piket-Bo-Berg MTB Challenge Eight Bells Enduro MTB Race

Coast 2 Karoo (Cycle Lab) Dr Evil Classic Arabella Adventure Karoo to Coast Resolution Health Ride the Rhino Oudtshoorn MTB Marathon 29 Spur Lourensford MTB Classic 17 19 21 22 27

KZN 7 Kamberg MTB Weekend 8 Monzi Hippo Classic Lynford Clover Super Classic 14 MPATI Mountain Race 15 Sunday Tribune Jeep Hill 2 Hill MTB Marathon 21 Spur High School MTB Finals The Nguni Classic 22 Riverlea Drak MTB Xperience Sugar Rush Corporate Challenge 28 Old Boys Challenge Invitational Stage Race The Sierra Ranch Outdoor Festival 29 Kwambo Lion Classic NORTH WEST 28 Bosrumoer MTB Race OUT IN AFRICA 21 Swazi Trac 3 Reserves MTB Classic (SWAZILAND) 27 Mauritius Coast to Coast (MAURITIUS)

Mpumalanga

Eastern Cape

Limpopo

Western Cape

Northern Cape

KZN

Gauteng

North West Out in Africa

SCALPEL 29’ER. SURGICALLY PRECISE. GET READY TO OPERATE.

The lightest 29’er dually on the planet slashes through long-haul courses and effortlessly dissects serpentine switchbacks. Our ultra precise Lefty fork and responsive 29’er Race Geometry blend unstoppable 29’er momentum with the quickness and agility of a 26’er. Scalpel 29’er: just the edge you need.