Full Sus May 2016 by Full Sus #MTB

FullSussa

@FullSussa

FullSussa #MTB

TransCape Page 14

full sus

May 2016, Vol 34

www.issuu.com /FullSussa

Bike Review Page 16

Competition Page 29

Gear Page 28

MTB

Dirt Diva Page 26

New Technology FS

The humble bicycle is not quite so humble anymore – especially when it comes to mountain bikes. As we enter the next phase of the MTB technology arms race, heralded by the arrival of SRAM Eagle and metric shock measurements.

he mountain bike has come a long way since its inception in the 1970’s (we’re simplifying here of course but there’s no time to delve into the history of the US Army’s Buffalo Soldiers riding from Missoula, Montana to Yellowstone in 1896). Though single speed aficionados might still crank up the mountain on an early 90’s rigid, steel framed Giant with 1.8 inch wide 26er tyres and cantilever brakes, the classic mountain bike is now largely relegated to the back of the garage in favour of its increasingly technology driven modern descendent. Steel has been replaced by aluminium and carbon. Tyres have got wider and tubeless.

MARK SAMPSON/CAPE EPIC/SPORTZPICS

T ECH

Darren Lill and Waylon Woolcock raced the new Cannondale Scalpel to the Absa African Jersey titles at the 2016 Cape Epic.

And fortunately for our safety, brakes are now hydraulic disks rather than dodgy old rim brakes – it even looks like roadies are eventually catching on, not that the conversion is without serious teething pains and opposition. But all of this you already know. You want new information.

The Eagle in the Room Let’s kick off then with the elephant/ eagle in the room. SRAM’s 12 speed XX1 and XO1 Eagle. Some say it’s the death of the front derailleur on mountain bikes… Shimano might disagree and while we love the simplicity of a one by set-up there’s times when two front chainrings

still have their benefits. But this section isn’t about that, it’s about the escalation of the drivetrain arms race. This is Gillette vs Schick with razor blades replaced by blades on your cassette. Do five blades provide a closer shave? We don’t know because we don’t bother with being clean shaven, but the new Eagle 12 speed cassette does provide a 500% gear range. Compared to the 418% range of Shimano’s new 11-46t cassette in a single ring setup, or the 504% range offered by running Shimano’s 11-40t 11 speed cassette with 36/26t double chainring. What the massive 50 tooth cog at the top of the cassette means to 1x

devotees is less of a, in fact virtually zero, compromise. With SRAM 1x11 on a 29er bike, with 2.1” tyres and 170mm cranks, your top and bottom end gear inches generated per revolution are 21.1 inches and 88.4 with a 32 tooth chainring. For SRAM 1x12 Eagle that shifts out to 17.7 inches and 88.4 inches with a 32 upfront. So it makes sense to now go with a bigger blade upfront to give you more gear inches for the flats and the descents. A 34 tooth chainring with SRAM Eagle provides top and bottom end inches of 18.8 and 93.9, which provides more

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FS Editorial

WORLD CUPS AND WINTER RACING T

he World Cup season started in France and Steph Garlicki was there, read about his run up to the first event of the season. The Cairns leg took place as well and it really is amazing to watch the world’s best MTBers going head to head. A lot of riders are fighting for UCI points in order to qualify for the Olympic Games so it is making for really interesting spectating. The DHI event is always exciting but my jaw always drops when I see the guys and girls in the XCO event going flatbox from start to finish racing up the mountain at unbelievable speed lap after lap. I must admit to cheering Annika Langvad on, after her incredible victories at the Cape Epic with Ariane Kleinhans, it kind of feels like she is a little part of us. How could you mention XCO and not talk about the brilliance of Schurter and Absalon? These two guys are in a league of their own. Week after week the rest of the field are trying to beat them and they are fighting to beat each other. It’s fascinating to watch and an incredible advertisement for the sport. The SA MTB Cup series is in full swing too, the top local guys and girls fighting for UCI points and honours, with a wide number of categories that don’t just include the Elite men and women but a full spectrum of Juniors categories. These events are great to watch and deserve to be well supported, get the family together and go and spend the day watching the best in SA – you will be pleasantly

SUS

surprised! Look out for the Subaru Western Cape XCO Championship, which takes place on 28 May at Bloemendal Wine Estate. Check out the Western Province Mountain Biking Commission’s Facebook page for more information. We are moving into winter and the local events calendar is in full swing. Be sure to send us your stories and pics of your favourite events. I am looking forward to riding my old favourite the Houwhoek Tour and look forward to seeing our new columnist Estelle Pickard in the start chute. Catherine Williamson took on the tough Knysna to Franschhoek TransCape MTB, read her race report and get her insight into a race that certainly has potential to be a must do event. Make sure your bike is serviced and that you have all the necessary warm gear, including a good light to ensure you get in maximum riding in this winter. My trainer is set up in the garage in expectation of all the rain we are going to get – we need it! It sure takes discipline to get out there in the pouring rain but those odd perfect cold crisp wintry days on sticky trails are the malva pudding! Look forward to seeing you out there. Cheers,

SUS Editor’s Review: Extreme Lights Endurance Cycle Light

Local is lekker!

bit of a cliché but sentiment aside, the local Extreme Lights products are really good. No, they aren’t made here but the guys at Extreme Lights work closely with their manufacturers and continue to develop lights for us locals. They continue to expand and develop their range not only of lights

SUS The team

Publishing Editor: Shayne Dowling shayne@integratedmedia.co.za Content Editor: Seamus Allardice seamus@integratedmedia.co.za Assistant Editor: Molly Fitz-Patrick Senior Designer: Shannon Flewellen Sales: Eloise Meyer eloise@integratedmedia.co.za PR & Promotions: Ashlee Attwood ash@integratedmedia.co.za Audit Bureau of Circulations of South Africa NPC Regulars: Stirling Kotze Snr & Jnr, Jacques Marais, Dr Mike Posthumus,

but the battery packs, clamps and accessories to improve functionality, practicality and performance. The proof is in the pudding (sorry…) and the latest Endurance Cycle Light sure doesn’t disappoint. Let’s start with practical things like the battery pack: it is small but holds a charge for ages, it comes in a neoprene protective pouch that has a stretchy Velcro strap that allows you to attach it to pretty much anywhere on your bike. The cord is really short now and makes for a neat attachment to the light. There are extension leads and helmet mounts available if you prefer to use the light on your lid. I love the new quick-release bar clamp, it is easy to mount and ensures the light is stable at all times and is easily swivelled left and right on the fly should you need to make minor adjustments. The light itself is incredibly small, the housing is neat and looks good, it uses 3 Cree LED’s that throw a

Amy Burton, Estelle Pickard, Rudolf Zuidema, Stefan Garlicki,Craig Kolesky, Erik Kleinhans, Hendrik Lemmer, Joëlle Sleebos & Kathryn Fourie. Rogue Contributor: David Bristow Photography: Ashlee Attwood, Oakpics.com, Red Bull Content Pool, Chris Hitchcock, Volume Photography, Newsport Media and thinkstock.com. Contributors: Catherine Williamson 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.

www.extremelights.co.za RRP: R2 295 Battery Life: 2 100L – 2.5 Hours 750L – 10 Hours | 200L – 40 Hours powerful white light. This little big guy puts out an incredible 2100 Lumens in Boost mode, 750L on high and 200L in low. I mostly switched between high and boost and never hit red on the battery indicator; on rides between two and three hours long. I predominantly

Head Office | Cape Town Tel: 021 685 0285 Address: Suite WB03 Tannery Park 23 Belmont Road, Rondebosch, 7700 Postal Address: PO Box 259, Rondebosch 7701

Full Sus ALLIANCE PARTNERS

required boost mode lighting when trail riding. Extreme Lights have been my go to handlebar light for years now because they are simple to use, have never let me down, are great value for money and are tough to beat when it comes to their light/ beam clarity and strength.

COMPETITION TERMS & CONDITIONS: The Prize/s is as indicated, no alternatives or cash will be provided. The decision of Integrated Media will be final and no correspondence will be entered into. Under no circumstances shall Integrated Media or its appointed representatives and the prize donors be liable to anyone who enters these Prize Draws for an indirect or consequential loss howsoever arising which may be suffered in relation to the Prize Draws. By entering these competitions you make yourself subject to receiving promotional information. Entrants are deemed to have accepted these terms and conditions. Prize Draw Rules: The prize draw is only open to residents in South Africa. Employees of Integrated Media and their respective advertising, media and PR agencies, as well as the family members, consultants, directors, associates and trading partners of such organisations and persons are ineligible for the draw. Prize style and colour may vary. Competition closing date 23 May 2016.

s w e n FS News

SUPPLIED

from page 1

The SRAM Eagle drivetrain might well mark the end of the front derailleur. It does for SRAM who say they’ll never design another new MTB front derailleur.

climbing grunt and more top end speed generating capacity than the predecessor. You could even go 36 upfront, feel like a superhero with 19.9 at the climbing end and 99.5 at the power end, and still beat the climbing ratio offered by 1x11 with a 32 tooth chainring! We haven’t ridden an Eagle equipped bike yet, but the early tests in Europe and North America sound promising. It’s apparently quieter and smoother than the old XX1 and XO1 too. Plus the overall drivetrain weight is down though the cassette weight is up. Our concern is the chainline, which is already pretty skew on some 1x11 equipped bikes, bike manufactures are going to have to follow PYGA’s lead and ensure they design their frames to run the slightly wider Eagle cassettes smoothly. SRAM say the more refined Eagle drivetrains will last longer than the XX1 and XO1 versions they’re replacing, which is good news if it proves to be true. Especially as the Stirlings from Revolution Cycles wrote last time in Full Sus about how impressed they were at the lifespan of the 11 speed cassettes. So can you expect Shimano to up the ante? You bet, but they’ve only just added the huge 46 tooth ring to the top of their 11 speed cassette so it could take a little while. Global retail availability for SRAM Eagle is June 2016, while we’ll have to wait a while longer for the South African release and official pricing info.

the near endless opportunities for integration it opens up. While you might not have seen a Di2 drivetrain on the mountain yourself yet, they’ve been through the rigors of a full season of the UCI MTB World Cup and two Absa Cape Epics already, so if you have any doubts about how robust they’ll be in the real world you can dispel them. If the roadie trend is anything to go by, expect to soon see more and more electronic drivetrain equipped bikes on the mountain, especially as SRAM’s poorly kept secret wireless electric drivetrain nears release and Shimano’s XT Di2 becomes available. Shifting with Di2 is effortless and crisp, plus it’s programmable allowing double chainring devotees to maintain a straight chain line and not lose watts to friction, by shifting from just one shifter. The opportunities for integration with the rest of your bike include a single battery and control system for your electronically controlled suspension (FOX iRD) and dropper seatpost (KS LEV E). Or shifting based on your cadence sensor readings. It might sounds a bit too controlled for some but there are sure to be riders who’ll love the idea of an integrated superbike which does everything except steer and pedal for you. If you’d like to upgrade your drivetrain to Shimano XTR Di2 expect to pay R59 000, or thereabouts depending on your frame and exact spec choice.

Electric Avenue

By the time you read this Cannondale might well have broken their radio silence on the new Scalpel, but we can tell you from photos sneakily taken at the Cape Epic by eagle eyed amateur sleuths and side-on action shots by the Epic’s photographers is that it’s quite an upgrade on the old Scalpel. The bike features a roomier front

Shimano might have been beaten to the mega range cassette punch but they’re leading the electric drivetrain field, and have been for a while now. The electric XTR Di2 mountain bike drivetrain isn’t exactly new anymore, but it’s probably the most exciting bit of mountain bike technology – not just because electronic shifting is pretty cool, but because of

Frame Design

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Get So #Enduro with Dirtopia The Dirtopia Enduro series is upon us again and for 2016 it boasts five events across the Western Cape. The events usually feature four timed stages per day and the trails are never impossibly technical with A and B lines where the going gets really rough. The podium positions are hotly contested with the likes of Andrew (when he’s in SA) and Jonty Neethling, Matt Lombardi, Myles Kelsey, Mark Hopkins and Gary Barnard racing hard for victories. Meanwhile the number of ladies and juniors are growing with every race which makes us at Full Sus really happy.

The first race of the series was the Delvera Enduro on the 3rd of April, which was won by Martin Zietsman. For more info on the remaining events in the series and for online entries visit www.dirtopia.co.za.

Sus the Dirtopia Enduro Series 15 May: Uitkyk, Simonberg Trails 11 & 12 June: Welvanpas Trails 21 August: Helderberg Trails 13 November: Delheim Trails

De Groot

Wins Fourth SA XCM Title

The queen of South African marathon racing, Robyn de Groot, successfully defended her SA XCM National Champion’s title for the third occasion at the Ashburtion Investments National Marathon Series race at Clarens in the Free State in April. De Groot was in imperious form storming to victory in the 77.5km marathon, claiming her fourth national marathon title from Samantha Sanders and Amy McDougall. In the men’s race Max Knox added a second XCM National Champion’s title to the one he won in 2012. Following Knox home in the 115km ultramarathon was Gawie Combrinck and Waylon Woolcock.

WWW.MARIKECRONJE.CO.ZA

FS New Technology

Robyn de Groot in action

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PHOTOS BY JULIE-ANN PHOTOGRAPHY

FS News from page 4

Timing.Mobi App RECM Knysna 200 Here’s some good news for organisers of small events, there’s now a cost-effective and accurate timing system on the market. It’s been designed by Stellenbosch resident and avid athlete Clement Olivier with mountain biking and trail running firmly in mind and uses silicon NFC tags and Android devices to time participants.

The timing system is free for events with less than 20 participants and costs R1 per participant for events with more than 20 entrants. It can also send participants an SMS letting them know their time. The only additional cost for events is the purchasing of NFC tags. To find out more visit www.timing.mobi.

Top MTB

Trails 2 Jacques Marais’ Cape MTB trail bible is out in an updated second edition, featuring 150 of the best trails from the Eastern, Northern and Western Cape. The second edition titled, Top MTB Trails 2 features updated route information, photos from each trail destination and detailed trail maps to help you get the most out of your trail riding excursions. Much like Jacques’ Trails column in Full Sus each trail has a stats box with all the essential information you’re likely to need including distances, entry permit costs and trail difficulties. You can purchase a copy from www.mapstudio.co.za or any

The 2016 RECM Knysna 200 takes place from the 17th to the 19th of June 2016 on the trails of the beautiful Garden Route town of Knysna. The roughly 200km route is spread over three days of fantastic riding, with the organisers Garden Route Events putting the emphasis on fun on the trails rather than racing. The relaxed vibe and the Knysna location make it the perfect winter break for mountain bikers, and with all the sights of Knysna to take in it’s the perfect race to bring the whole family too – there’s plenty for them to do while you ride.

www.fullsus.co.za/ tag/recm-knysna-200 or scan this QR Code.

To find out more about the 2016 RECM Knysna 200 route visit

Sus the RECM Knysna 200 Dates: 17 – 19 June 2016 Stage 1: 68km with 1 550m of climbing Stage 2: 66km with 1 350m of climbing Stage 3: 57km with 1 000m of climbing good book store or your nearest outdoor retailer for R250. Or turn to page 29 and enter this month’s Full Sus competition to stand a chance to win one of five copies.

Race Village: Tapas Bistro, Thesen Island Harbour Town Entry Fees: Team R8 600 | Solo R4 800 (Close 10 May 2016) Website: www.recmknysna200.co.za

FS New Technology from page 4

Manuel Fumic of Cannondale Factory Racing with his new Scalpel.

SHAUN ROY/CAPE EPIC/SPORTZPICS

Sus OneUp Components’ new 10-50t extender kit for Shimano drivetrains.

triangle, with enough space for two bottle cages, and the shock is very neatly recessed into the top tube. We’ll have to wait for final specs and geometry to extrapolate accurately much further but chances are it still features 100mm of travel front and rear but the head angle could be a little slacker. That’s a big guess though. For South Africans this is great news as we’re big on the marathon and stage racing scene and being able to carry an extra bottle in the front triangle – rather than one on the seat post is an obvious plus. We’ve already seen Momsen, Swift and PYGA follow Specialized’s lead on this one, and the increase in XCM bike options can only be a good thing. The Scalpel 2017 or 2016.5, as it’s alternately called on internet forums, looks to have a very linear suspension set-up, so we’re hoping it’ll be as stiff and fast as the Swift Evil Twin – if not more so given the resources Cannondale have at their disposal. Moving away from the ultra-sharp racing machine to a trail devouring beast we thought we’d give you a run down on a very cool bike which has been turning heads in Europe – the Bold Linkin Trail. The Linkin Trail’s showpiece is the hidden rear shock. With ingenious design work and some linkage wizardry, Bold have been able to place the 130mm travel DT Swiss X313 shock inside the seat tube, protecting it entirely from grit and grime. Now this might be needless over-engineering but that’s how design boundaries are pushed. It’s won both a Design and Innovation award in 2016 and a EuroBike innovation award in 2015. Pretty impressive.

Wide Wheels, Wide Hubs Like the Shimano Di2 drivetrain wide wheels aren’t exactly new on mountain bikes at this point. But we felt they’re worth a mention because despite their benefit we still see people upgrading to carbon wheels with 23mm internal

diameters. The sweet spot we feel is up around 29-30mm rather. The beauty of wider rims is because the tyres are seated with the sidewalls further apart the sidewalls tend to be straighter which means they bow less when cornering. You therefore have a more responsive feeling when the tyres are pumped rock hard or can run lower pressures before the tyres begin to roll sideways on the rims. With wheel and frame manufacturers going for the Boost axle spacing it seems like wider is the way it’s going to go all round. And we’re happy – wider is stiffer, rolls smoother and looks bad-ass too.

Nano Tech Inside Your Frame Where bike manufacturers focus a lot of energy is rider safety. They check their frames and components for structural weaknesses and do all they can to eradicate the scourge or counterfeit products – which have undergone none of the safety tests and aren’t built to the same standards to save costs. But an area where Cycling IQ reckons there’s room for improvement is in post-sales safety checks. Wouldn’t it be great to have a second hand frame scanned to check for any potentially accident causing cracks or flaws? Or to go even further and have nano sensors inside the frame which scan and report delamination or similar internal issues. It’s all a bit higher grade for a Wider internal width rims are the way to go.

brief mention, but it sounds futuristic and both intimidating and plausible – like anything with the phrase “nano technology” in it. A more succinctly explainable concept Cycling IQ put forth is the use of wear indicators on drivetrain components. Building a discolouration into the chainring and cassette blades at a certain point would allow riders to easily see when their components are worn beyond their suggested use – rather than leaving the level of sharktoothing up to rider discretion.

Upgrades If the prices of full drivetrains terrify you, and we understand why they would, there’s a cheaper way in the form of home build extender kits. The king of the drivetrain extender market is the US brand OneUp Components. And if you’re already running a Shimano 1x set-up but now feel a little short on gears with the release of SRAM Eagle, there’s a OneUp kit which will put you ahead of the pack right now – without having to wait for the local arrival of SRAM Eagle. OneUp’s Shark upgrade will take your Shimano 11-42T cassette and, with the addition of a massive 50 tooth chainring and a new derailleur cage, extend the cassette range to 455%. This option will set you back $125 (That’s US Dollars – or R1 850 at the time of writing). Or you can go all out and add a 10 tooth sprocket to the bottom, this requires an additional MiniDriver freehub body (it’s essential to note that OneUp’s MiniDriver freehub body is only compatible with DT Star Ratchet hubs at this point).

The 10 tooth kit is compatible with Shimano 11 speed M8000 (XT) and M9000 (XTR) cassettes and includes a 10T-12T CNC cluster, and 14T and 15T sprockets. All in, if you are already running Shimano 11 speed XT or XTR with a DT Star Ratchet hub, including the 50T top end sprocket; the bottom end extenders; derailleur cage; and MiniDriver freeehub body will set you back $210 (or R3 100). But there’s a local option too. They don’t quite have the range of OneUp Components but with a little disregard for intellectual property rights they can surely catch up quickly (please don’t follow that illegal advice!). They’re called Kalbo Designs and they’re based in Hilton, KZN. They do a 10 speed extender kit which includes either a 40T or 42T big sprocket and a 16T gap filler sprocket for when you do the conversion. Being priced in ZAR their prices are a lot more reasonable and at R149 for the 16T and R699 for the 40T or 42T sprockets the whole set-up costs just R848, plus R65 for couriering. For the mechanically unskilled, if we tinker on a bike whatever we were trying to fix gets a whole lot worse so we know what we’re talking about here, Kalbo also do fitments (if you’re within 50km of Durbs or Maritzburg) for R499 and Mechanical Skills Clinics with Grant Dinkel. We suggest that if you’re going to do any component upgrades, with either OneUp or Kalbo you really need to brush up on your home mechanic skills – because a botched home installation job could end up costing you a new drivetrain anyway…

Sus The ESSENTIAL Info: Here are the websites for the products discussed in this article if you’d like to find out more from the comfort of your home or office.

SRAM Eagle Distributed in SA by Cape Cycle Systems www.capecyclesystems.co.za Shimano XTR Di2 Distributed in SA by Cool Heat www.coolheat.co.za

Cannondale Scalpel Distributed in SA by Omnico www.omnico.co.za

Bold Linkin Trail Bold Cycles – Switzerland www.boldcycles.com

Wide Wheels Check out local brand South Industries www.southindustries.cc Nano Tech It might be more roadie based but Cycling IQ is a great source of well thought out stories, often with a tech focus. www.cyclingiq.com

Upgrades OneUp Components: www.oneupcomponents.com Kalbo: www.kalbo.co.za

Flare R

Flare R Be louder. Finally, a daylight visible tail light that cuts through distractions to make every ride safer. With Flare R, you can be the biggest distraction on the road. With bursts of 65 Lumens, balanced optics, and optimized flash patterns, Flare R maximizes visibility both day and night. Powerful, compact, and rechargeable, Flare R is the first light to be designed from the ground up for daylight visibility. Why is a daylight visible light important? – 80% of cycling accidents occur during the day 1 – 40% of US cycling fatalities hit from behind 2 – studies show riders overestimate their visibility by 700%

Reported Road Casualties Great Britain: 2013: Main Results”, Department for Transport, 2014 “Collisions Involving Cyclists on Britain's Roads: Establishing the Causes”, TRL Report PPR 445, 2009 2 Every Bicyclist Counts, League of American Bicyclists, May 2014 3 Wood, Tyrell, 2012 (Queensland University Technology and Clemson University) 1

If you don’t love it, we’ll take it back.

Key points – daylight visible from over 2km – flash patterns capture driver’s attention – every ride is safer with the Flare R, day or night

FS Trails

BOKPOORT The Mountain Goat Paradise

Whether it is a Western-style bucking bronco or a full-sus boney that you want to saddle up, Bokpoort Horse Ranch is just the place. Let’s hear you hollering Yeeha!, Pardner. Photographs and words by Jacques Marais. Local Buzz:

Trail Low-Down:

Clarens is about as kiff a dorp you’re going to get in the Free State, bru. Part of the reason is that it nestles high within the sandstone mountain ranges near the Lesotho border, and you’re therefore guaranteed kickass views of dramatic sandstone cliffs all round. Plus, there are enough gravel roads and trails tripping into them thar hills to keep you sucking on fresh air for days on end. The village itself may conspire to keep you sucking on craft beers in the many pubs and eateries, or browsing dazedly through artisanal shops and upmarket art galleries. This vibey feel is complemented by sandstone architecture, with some buildings dating back to the early 1900s when Clarens was first established. (It was named after the town Clarens in Switzerland, where President Paul Kruger spent his last days as a voluntary exile). Never fear though, while those outdoor-challenged folks chillax, the adventure junkies can set out to explore. Spring is generally crisp, but beware of the winter chill, with ice and snow regularly dusting the Maluti Mountain peaks here. But there’s no such thing as bad weather only bad clothing choices, so don’t let the winter chill put you off. The ranges are home to a variety of mammals and birds, including the rare Bearded Vulture (lammergeier) and the equally rare Bald Ibis, which breed on ledges in the sandstone cliffs.

Bokpoort Horse Ranch rates as one of the better-known MTB routes, and is an easy 9km crank from the village. Hopefully you’re in a climbing frame of mind, as the farm is set within the ridges right on the Lesotho border. Most people know it as a horse-back riding destination, but many of the hiking, 4x4 and horse trails are suited to mountain bikers. Surprisingly, the ride starts with a zippy downhill towards a stream glinting below the trail head, but do not let this lull you into a misguided comfort zone. The riding here favours those with well-developed calf

The sandstone overhangs in the final kays of the route are well worth the climbing.

Where are we?

A F R I CA

TH Free State

Clarens

◆

The Free State dorpie of Clarens N1 Durban Lesotho is hardly unknown to the MTB community, as it hosts an annual leg of the Ashburton Investments National MTB Series. 2016 saw the N2 National XCM Championships take place at this race in Clarens too. Not only is Clarens close to the Lesotho border it’s also a hop, skip and a jump from the fantastic Golden Gate Highlands National Park. muscles and a high tolerance for thin air, with four potential routes to choose from. An intermediate A-loop (10km); a tougher B-loop (14km); a challenging C-loop (18km) and the epic ‘Hike & Bike’ D-loop (30km) should get you wheezing properly. For now, we’ll ignore the E-loop option, as this is basically deathby-chain-ring, and too convoluted to explain while sober.

In my opinion, the best way to tackle the Bokpoort ride is to initially ignore all the loops and to instead head straight up to the Bush Camp (8.2km) along the dual jeep-track. This is 100% rideable if you can deal with the nearly 400m altitude gain, so suck it up, cowboy. From the camp site, head to your left to cross the stream onto the C-loop. When I rode it, the trail was quite overgrown and littered with

Trails FS

Prepare for some serious climbing in the Free State Marches.

"The village itself may conspire to keep you sucking on craft beers in the many pubs and eateries."

Moab style slick-rock with views of Table Mountain.

rocks here and there, but the trails do get cleared every now and then. Contour along the ridge-line along a singletrack section for 2km to a fence, then drop into the valley before climbing back up a grassy ridge. From here, keep ascending to the lower section of the D-loop (15.4km). Turn right and follow the game trails atop the escarpment until you reconnect with the original 4x4 dual-track (18.6km), and continue to where the B-loop branches off at 20.7km. Ride this anti-clockwise; it starts of as grassy dual-track and becomes good gravel.

You will re-join the A-loop at around 25km for an anti-clockwise descent around the kopje, and onto the pièce de résistance of the whole route. A superb 2km singletrack trips below sandstone overhangs into the valley below, with a final 1km climb up to the reception. You had better believe me that your legs will feel this one!

How to Get There: Follow the R712 from Clarens in the direction of Golden Gate Highlands National Park, then turn right to Bokpoort after 4km. Another 4.6km of gravel will get you to the Farm Reception.

Go game viewing in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park while in Clarens too.

ally d p

Jacques Marais is the South African trail guru. If he’s not scouting a new MTB trail he’s trail running a new route in the Drakensberg. His new book More Top MTB Trails 2 has just hit the shelves of all good book shops and you can purchase a copy for R250. Follow him on Twitter @ JacqMaraisPhoto

eal n,

The 3 Silo trails offer plenty of man-made features like bridges and styles to add to the riding experience. the the Bokpoort MTB Trail: SUS

Grading: Difficult (Steep) Duration: 3-4 hours Configuration: Circular route options (10/14/18/30-plus km) Start Point: Bokpoort Reception Terrain: Steep 4x4 road; dual-track; singletrack Map: Available from Reception; route is signposted in key places Entry Requirements: Permit from Bokpoort Reception Facilities: Ablutions, coffee shop and secure parking Cell Reception: Good coverage along most of route More Info: www.bokpoort.com or www.clarens.co.za / (058) 256 1181 GPS: S28°33’325” E28°28’534”

FS Ride Report - TransCape

POINT-TO-POINT STAG E RACI N G

PHOTOS BY JACQUES MARAIS AND IRMA COETZEE

On paper the second running of TransCape promised to tick all the boxes, so Catherine Williamson jumped at the chance to race it.

tarting out what I knew or thought I knew about the TransCape was that it’s a point-to-point journey, shared with a small number of fellow riders. I thought it would be hard enough to be a challenge yet not technical enough to break my bike, body or both. It explored areas I’d never ridden before and boasted the prospect of real beds every night, entertainment and delicious food. It would also be my first race of the season so expectation and nerves combined to ensure I was in good spirits as we rolled out of Knysna.

Stage 1 While the emphasis was more on the journey than the race it didn’t make the first few climbs up Simola and Gouna any easier, and with legs full of pain I watched my competition, Esther Süss and Sharon Laws spin away into the distance. The route though demanding with its 2 700m of ascent was varied and the views were spectacular. I rode the last 40km alone so was excited to see friends from Knysna at the finish line, where riders relaxed watching others finish. We then made our way to the King George Hotel to relax and have a dip in the pool.

Stage 2 Day two started with the Montagu Pass. We dropped our ‘toll fee’ with race founder Lenore Collett, which is part of

A F R I CA

AT ITS BEST

the fundraiser ideas for the charities the race supports. A large group formed at the front and we rode together over the pass and along the district roads into the Klein Karoo. I made a tactical error in trying to hang on with the front group and as we turned into the Gamkaberg I was already on my knees. 13km later I reached the top alone and took the chance to look around. It felt like I could see the whole of the Karoo around me; it really was a special moment. We finished at the Calitzdorp Spa where the organisers had set up camp. No ordinary camp though as each tent had its own shower, toilet and real beds. While we dined on tender lamb, farmhouse fresh bread, cheese and ice cream someone had gone round the tents and left a prize winning short story, by one of the local children, on our beds.

Stage 3 Stage three began with a challenging climb over the Rooiberg Pass, where as luck would have it, I rode over the top with a fellow Yorkshireman, Casper Kaars Sijpesteijn. We rode most of the stage together talking about home, races and general nonsense. The route was interesting with a mixture of open roads, farm trails

Where are we?

Cape Town

Western Cape

The TransCape MTB runs from Knysna N2 Knysna to Franschhoek. It takes in ◆ some of the toughest challenges in SA mountain biking like Gamkaberg and the Rusty Gate climb but is also responsible for the profusion of singletracks around Swellendam and Grootvadersbosch. The 2017 race will run from 5 to 11 February. Find out more at www.transcapemtb.co.za. and steep rocky jeep tracks. On one of these rocks Casper got a flat and I had the choice of waiting with him or chasing after the lead group. I chose the latter since my mechanical skills wouldn’t have been a lot of use, with sight of the others I’m afraid my competitive nature took over and I chased like mad to catch up. Sharon dished out some road racing attacks on the tar home, so I got in some extra interval training followed by a sprint to the line. Many more finishes like that and I might as well enter the Argus! In Riversdale the shuttles were waiting to take us to various guest houses. Ours was not only centrally located but also very near the best carrot cake in South Africa. Thanks to Billy Stelling for the heads up on that one!

Stage 4 Stage four was undoubtedly the queen stage. 50km of rolling hills passed quickly before some fantastic singletrack through the

"No ordinary camp though as each tent had its own shower, toilet and real beds."

Grootvadersbosch Conservancy. The climbs were tough but the rewards greater. I was reminded of my nephew back home as I took him out on his first proper red route ride aged five. He moaned all the way up the hill but after the singletrack down he said “I still remember the uphill but in a good way” and so it was on Stage 4, fast flowing and tree lined singletrack most of it exclusively prepared for the TransCape. The going got slower after that, the singletrack climbs a little rougher, the temperature hotter and some nasty horse flies started eating us alive. When we reached the tar road to Swellendam I put in a few big pulls on the front of the group and then we turned into one tough section too many. Sharon attacked, Esther and the boys responded and I was left with a steady ride to the finish.

Stage 5 Stage five, at 113km and ‘only’ 1 542m ascent promised to be an easier day. The first 40km passed quickly before the Stormsvlei Pass where the bunch split. After some chasing we all regrouped. There was a nasty crash with the lead men’s pair, Johan and Fanie Venter. Both were knocked for

six and with smashed helmets they must have had some concussion. We all stopped to help them rolled on once they were up. There was a brief cool-off in a deep river, a few more climbs and some flowing singletrack before the end and another sprint for the line in which Sharon took another win. Greyton was hands down the best stop all week! The afternoon was spent in and out of the pool in Greyton Lodge, followed by a huge buffet and, as with every night, delicious free wine from La Couronne Estate.

Stage 6 Stage six saw riders actually warming up, a sure sign of the short, fast ride coming up! Sure enough the race was full-on from the off, up, down, then up a long singletrack climb through an area recently destroyed by fires. I found it all strangely beautiful, blackened and harsh yet signs of new life popping up. I slipped at one water crossing and missed the lead bunch onto the road but in hindsight it was the best

"The singletrack wasn't super technical with numerous 'escape' bushes to slow down in!"

thing to happen as I then tagged onto two Belgium riders who were flying on the descents. Catching Esther too, I had a great day working on my technical skills behind the three very competent riders and while I had more than one very near miss the singletrack wasn’t super technical with numerous ‘escape’ bushes to slow down in! From water point three the major climb of the day disappeared into the sky. The 6km ‘rusty gate’ climb. Along with Esther we caught and passed Gavin Klerck and Lionel Murray but the extra weight they carried up the hill gave them momentum back down and they flew past us on the descent. Jumping on their wheels was fast and fun through forests before the finish at the impressive Theewaterskloof Dam. Again in our luxury tents meant the afternoon was spent lounging around, chatting and cooling off in the dam. What really made it for me were the small touches unique to this race… Going back to the tent we found it zipped up to keep the midges out, our bed sheet folded back and on the pillow a little chocolate.

Stage 7 Stage seven brought the usual last stage buzz, many riders had families waiting at the finish only a few hours away, many were about to accomplish one of the biggest achievements of their cycling lives. Others, like myself wanted to cherish the stage race bubble of new friends made, trails across mountains rarely

Ride Report - TransCape FS ridden and that simple routine of riding, resting and eating. After following Wayne in the neutral car as he popped a bottle of bubbles and laughing at Mark Lamb ‘chop’ as he ‘attacked’ off the front, the laughs were replaced by heavy breathing as we began the last big challenge of TransCape: the famous Groenlandberg. Though loose and rutted in places it was all rideable. On the descent I tagged back onto the two lead women and with Casper driving the pace on the front we kept the lead men in our sights. With only three minutes separating Sharon and Esther they fought hard to take the win. Sharon attacking as soon as we got onto the Franschhoek Pass; but I kept my pace steady, unwilling and unable to match their pace. That was fine; I was more than happy finishing at the top alone, though not a million miles off those two very classy and respected riders. Pictures taken, champagne drunk, a wobbly descent to the beautiful wine estate of La Couronne followed where we enjoyed a relaxed afternoon under the trees. Drinking our last free Seattle coffee, and eating ice cream from the van that had followed us down many a dirt track to set up at the race finish every day.

TransCape Memories The TransCape is, as described, a journey through some of the most scenic routes in South Africa. It’s not

an easy ride and everyone who got to the finish is capable of completing any stage race out there. We had mountains, rocks, hot days, wind, flowing singletrack and slow plods through deep grass. From the forests of Knysna to the open roads of the Karoo, the race included the warm hospitality of villages like Greyton and towns like Riversdale. We had two nights of tents mixed amongst air-conditioned hotel rooms. We had entertaining evenings thanks to Gerald de Kock and gourmet food from Nic van Wyk. For the second ever running of this event the organisation was faultless; the number of entrants perfect for offering riding companions but small enough for the family feel the organisers strived for and the small touches along the way make the TransCape one for the ‘must do’ list. I owe a huge thanks to Lenore, her family, and Jenni Green of the TransCape; and to 28E Capital for making it possible for me to take part in the TransCape MTB.

Catherine Williamson might be a Yorkshire based mountain biker, but she’s spent so much time racing in South Africa over the years that it’s easy to forget that she’s not actually a local lass. Follow her on Twitter @cathwilliamson.

FS Bike Review

Epic Project One Shayne Dowling got his hands on one of the two custom build Trek Fuel EX 9.9 Project One bikes which Rudolf Zuidema and Craig Kolesky specced especially for the 2016 Absa Cape Epic. Needless to say he was impressed. Photos by Ashlee Attwood.

he Trek Fuel 9.9 EX is a full carbon, trail eating monster! The bike has pretty much gone through a full overhaul and the results are staggering not only cosmetically but also on performance. The first thing you notice are the really beefy carbon tubes and the subtle changes to aesthetic design of the bike, the slightly curved top tube contributes to the aggressive but real easy on the eye look. Yes, we tested the Project One which allows for a number of component choices and customised paint jobs but the standard 9.9 EX is available in a striking Matte Carbon Smoke with red decal (see inset photo) and has all the upgrades that make this bike great. Trek have gone with the Boost Hub system and the Boost 148mm rear hubs not only allow for a much stronger, stiffer wheel, is also allows the wheel to move closer towards the frame. This means the 2016 Fuel EX has a 15mm shorter chainstay than the previous model. The result is a much nimbler 29er which allows for much better handling particularly in the slow rough stuff. This combined with almost bullet proof DT Swiss XMC 1200 carbon hoops makes for not only a light bike that climbs well, but also a rocket on the trails. I loved the Race Face Next crank. Not only is it stylish and light but easily supports a 2x drivetrain as well. This bike was set up 2x11 for the Cape Epic but the 9.9 comes standard with Shimano’s XTR 1x11 drivetrain. Frankly I prefer the 1x option, particularly on the trails. The RockShox Reverb dropper is also standard, but again for the Epic a carbon seatpost was specced so they could run an extra water bottle. It was interesting having to remember to get my butt off the back of the test bike’s saddle when hitting the steep stuff – it’s so much easier with the dropper. The Mino Link allows one to change the head angle of the bike and also drop the bottom bracket by 10mm. This allows for a more aggressive feel but I prefer the slacker angle so I left it there. The RockShok Pike is not standard, the 9.9 EX comes out with a FOX 34 fork rather but the FOX Float RE-Aktiv extra volume (EVOL) can is on both the 9.9 and 9.8. It’s a superb shock which linked with Trek’s Active Braking Pivot gives instant reaction and control whether you are climbing hard or bombing through a rock garden. Internal cable routing is standard and although this is 16

Sus the hole in the downtube for cable tying the internally routed cables and hoses together.

not unique, Trek refers to their system as Control Freak and it can accommodate just about any possible cabling option. What I loved about it is the small cable port on the downtube, this allows you to cable tie all the internals eliminating cable clatter – simple but so clever. The overall weight of the bike is between 10 and 11 kilos depending on setup. The carbon hoops definitely make a difference and while I can’t say for sure if the Boost spacing made the wheels noticeably stiffer I think the shorter chainstays definitely improve the bike. It undoubtedly climbs better than the previous model, but its true colours are shown on the descents. It’s seriously fast! Cornering and braking is controlled, the 720mm bar allows for good response in tight situations although some might prefer going to 750mm wide for more control (I’m not a fan because of the narrow trails a lot of the Western Cape rides seem to take us through). This bike is comfortable and can easily handle longer stage rides – in fact I would recommend it for most riders. The Fuel EX is not meant to be a XC speedster, it’s a trail bike. However with the bike’s geometry and the excellent combination of suspension and wheel stiffness, it gives you immediate confidence which in turn means better performance and definitely more speed! Of course this means faster Strava segments which leads to bigger smiles and your mates having to buy the cold bevies when you kick ass!

Above: The bike is specced with a 11-40T Shimano XTR cassette and XTR rear derailleur. Below: Next carbon cranks and Race Face chainrings are paired to the Shimano XTR front derailleur.

Bike Review FS

Niner’s award winning CVA virtual pivot. Sus the Trek Fuel EX 9.9

SUS Trek Fuel EX Geometry ALL MEASUREMENTS ARE FOR A LARGE FRAMED BIKE IN THE LOW GEOMETRY POSITION.

Trek Fuel EX 9.9 RRP R149 999 Frame size number

18.5 inches

Actual Frame Size

17.5 inches

Seat Tube Seat Tube Angel Effective Seat Tube Angel Head Tube Head Angel

445mm 67° 73.6° 115mm 68.8°

Effective Top Tube

617mm

Bottom Bracket Height

334mm

Bottom Bracket Drop

36mm

Chainstay

436mm

Wheelbase

1 151mm

Standover

780mm

Frame Reach

437mm

Frame Stack

611mm

Trek Project One

Above: A Boost 110 spaced DT Swiss hub keeps the front end stiff. Below:The bike features a carbon linkage, Trek’s Mino Link geometry changing chip and Fox’s Float RE-Aktiv EVOL shock.

For their Project One builds they went for the RockShox Pike over the standard Fox 34 fork.

The FUEL EX 9.9 Project One as tested and photographed is one of only two in the country. The bikes were specced especially for the Cape Epic and completed the 2016 edition without any mechanicals despite the technical trails of this year’s Epic. The team chose the 2x drivetrain as they felt it gave them more options and would save their legs from needless stress. They also chose to go with fixed seatposts, this not only saves a little weight but also allows for a second bottle cage. The striking colours need to be seen in the carbon (as opposed to “in the flesh” as it were) to be fully appreciated, they feature a dark blue carbon mottle with a clear lacquer that is stunning in the sunlight. They also ran 750mm bars and the RockShock Pike forks rather than the standard components on the factory Fuel EX 9.9’s.

In this issue Dr Mike Posthumus answers a reader’s question about the role of a coach.

ear Dr Mike, I have always followed a training program that has previously worked for me. I have never worked with a coach. I have however recently been struggling with reaching the form I have previously reached and am thus considering getting a coach. What benefits are there to getting a coach? Regards, Sam Dear Sam Thank you for the very relevant question, I often get asked this. The biggest predicament facing an athlete very driven to reach their possible best, is the risk of overdoing it. Furthermore, talented athletes are over-achievers by nature. When left to their own means they more often than not simply do too much. When training the age old philosophy of “less is more” becomes extremely relevant. As a coach, I consider my key role as an objective input, and in most cases I have a large

role to play in curbing an athlete’s enthusiasm, to ensure that he gets enough rest and recovery between the very hard sessions. Although each athlete is completely different, in an ideal coach-athlete relationship, the enthusiasm and motivation comes from the athlete. The athlete wants to do absolutely everything it takes to reach their goal. In this scenario, the benefits of having a coach is to specifically focus the athlete’s energy and motivation towards the key (hard) training sessions and ensuring, as discussed above, that there is adequate recovery after these hard sessions. The biggest mistake made by non-coached, motivated athletes is that they do not rest enough between sessions, and perform the next key session too soon. This cycle typically continues until the athlete becomes completely burnt out and performances start to decrease. In an alternative scenario; athletes often lose the motivation to train. In this case the coach is the pillar required for the added motivation; the person who identifies that a lift is required and finds the way to get the hunger and motivation back to get out there. In a lot of cases, the over-achieving athlete is never quite satisfied with their efforts. They always feel that they can do better and could have gone harder. The objective eye of a coach is therefore critical to put the athlete at ease that their performance was adequate and that they are progressing.

FS Healthful Amy

GLUTEN FREE APPLE-RASPBERRY BREAKFAST CRUMBLE

Here’s a breakfast recipe to liven up your morning meal from Amy Burton. This one is a delicious crumble which is naturally refined sugar, wheat and dairy free.

ake the Apple-Raspberry Breakfast Crumble in advance and simply warm up a portion each morning for a convenient, nourishing and filling brekkie.

Ingredients Filling: 4 apples, cored, peeled and chopped into small cubes ½ cup raspberries (Or any berry of your choice) ½ teaspoon cinnamon A pinch of salt 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice ¼ cup honey (alternatively I used SUPERFOODS dark coconut nectar) ¼ cup water 1 teaspoon chia seeds

Topping: 1/3 cup melted coconut oil ¼ cup honey 1 ½ cups oat flour + 2 tablespoons if needed (Blend your rolled oats in a nutria-bullet or food processor to make a fine flour)

A coach’s role is often to ensure the athlete doesn’t do too much.

If this is not the case, it is the role of the coach to intervene to ensure that progression is made. Therefore, it is a huge benefit for a coach to keep track of session analysis and feed these session outcomes back to the athlete to show them objectively what they have achieved in a specific session and to use this feedback as additional motivation to ensure that they continue to train hard and remain motivated. Another key element of a coachathlete relationship is trust. You are only going to find success from working with a coach if there is complete trust in the coach’s ability. Without respecting and trusting your coach, you will be left with doubt and the objective of having a coach will be defeated. There are a lot of

coaches around these days, so when selecting your coach ensure that they have adequate qualifications, over and above their previous racing experience. The best scenario would be to find a coach with extensive knowledge of scientific training principles, combined with racing and training experience. This will ensure complete trust in your coach.

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

A pinch salt A dash of cinnamon

Method: Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.

Filling: Mix all filling ingredients and place in a baking dish or a few small ramekins. Place in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until apples are soft. Give the mixture a stir about four times during the baking process, making sure the apples are coated in moisture throughout. Remove from oven once cooked and set aside.

AMY BURTON

FS Coaching LESS IS MORE

Topping: Place melted coconut oil, honey, salt and cinnamon in a bowl and stir until combined. Add in your oat flour and mix until the mixture resembles wet sand, add more oat flour as needed until you get the right texture. Crumble your topping over the apple filling and place back in the oven to bake for a further 20 minutes or until golden and crunchy on top. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving warm with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a drizzle of honey.

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

Kleinhans Muesli FS

The eagle eyed among you will note Erik is using a SRAM gripshifter for his XX1 drivetrain.

Tech Out My CANYON

With Full Sus looking at MTB tech this issue Erik Kleinhans thought he’d share some of the technology highlights from his Canyon Lux CF and sponsored gear with you.

ay is tech month for Full Sus magazine, and birthday month for me! If you promise to buy the coffee and cake, you are all welcome to come and check out my Canyon and team tech and join me for a ride on the fourth. And no, sadly I’m not really a Star Wars fanatic. Team Topeak Ergon is based and run from Koblenz in the west of Germany. It’s quite convenient because all three major sponsors: Topeak, Ergon and Canyon have their offices and warehouses there. Being an international team, we get some tech which is not available in SA, or simply not seen on our trails too often. Since I laid my hands on my Canyon Lux CF full suspension bicycle I was content! The green and yellow colour-way matches our team kit and is so unique. Plus it’s well known is SA because heroes like

Alban Lakata, Kristian Hynek, Robert Mennen and Sally Bigham racing them to Cape Epic success. Canyon bikes can only be bought online; in fact I’m sure they were the first direct sales online brand. It makes for easy shopping from your office/couch with the added bonus of lower pricing. It is not a bike brand you can buy in SA, though slowly but surely they become more widely available outside of Europe. My race bike is kitted out with an inverted RockShox RS-1, which even though it’s slightly heavier I really enjoy it due to its stiffness under braking, smooth functioning and longer spacing between services. Long-time team sponsor, SRAM, is

NICK MUZIK/CAPE EPIC/SPORTZPICS

responsible for the workings with XX1 all over the bike. I’ve been racing XX1 for a few years now and could not be happier with how smoothly it works. I’m even more excited to try out the new XX1 Eagle 12-speed groupset now! Also not very well known in SA, Ergon is responsible for the bum and hand contact areas. I wasn’t sure if I would like the GS1 grips with the flat surface, but since the first time I used them I was a changed man. Sure, they’re also slightly heavier, but I use to bend my wrists a lot, blocking blood-flow and nerve function but that is a thing of the past with these really comfortable winged grips. Topeak is quite a well-known brand in SA. They make everything from saddlebags, fenders, bikestands, Allen keys, CO2 adapters, you name it, they got it! The team doesn’t have a set nutrition and shoe sponsor due to the fact that it is actually quite a personal choice. Thin feet, flat feet, skew toes, sweet tooth, sensitive stomachs… My shoe of choice is Northwave, I used them before and was happy to have them on my feet again as I find them comfortable, plus they’re stiff and light. Cadence Nutrition kept my bottles full this year. It’s designed by Dr Jeroen Swart, and boasts: “no hype, just

"My coolest gadget is the SRM powermeter with the new PC8 computer."

science”. It is made locally in factories where there is no chance of cross-contamination. The flavours are light and natural. Not a day goes by without me relying on Cadence for energy. Then Limar definitely win the slogan competition among our sponsors, with their “#ChangeToLightness”! We use the Ultralight+ helmet, the lightest helmet available in the world at a mere 210g. Considerably lighter than the big bush of a mane I have to carry around on my head! If I feel like going aero, the 007 has me covered. Last but not least, my coolest gadget is the SRM (Schoberer Rad Messtechnik) powermeter with the new PC8 computer. This is the mother of all bicycle powermeters, SRM brought the first power meter to market back in 1986. It is not cheap, but you can’t put a price on pure class! It’s very accurate and I haven’t had an issue with it since the day it was fitted to my bike. Now let’s go riding and May the fourth be with you!

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

FS Craig & Rudy’s Epic Stage Race Tips

The 2016 Absa Cape Epic has come and gone. It caught many by surprise but Craig Kolesky's and Rudolf Zuidema’s tireless preparation saw them through with just one puncture and a couple of minor tumbles.

Sure lady luck smiled on us, but fortune invariably favours the well-prepared. Here are some of our thoughts looking back…..

ALL PHOTOS BY CRAIG KOLESKY

EPIC Recap

Take It In Stop and smell the roses or drink the wine. Make the most of your race and the experiences that it offers they are once in a lifetime. Nobody remembers who finished in 100th place so why rush.

Be prepared to suffer!! Bike Choice With race routes becoming steeper, rougher and more technical bike choice and bike skills are going to play a bigger role in future events. Make sure to dedicate some training time to sharpening those riding skills and consider changing to a well specced short travel trail bike. Think 110 to 120mm travel, it offers the best of both worlds being light enough for the climbs and able to tame the roughest of trails with ease.

In any stage race there will be suffering whether it’s as a result of the weather conditions, terrain, stronger partner, poor nutrition or just lack of training. Making peace with the fact that there will be suffering is the first step in overcoming it.

Stay safe and make it home to your loved ones!

Trailside repairs Having the tools and not knowing how to use them won’t get you back on your bike and to the finish line. We were amazed at the number of experienced riders that didn’t know how to do basic repairs, but had all the tools.

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

Rudolf Zuidema is the Director of Operations and Marketing for Trek Bicycles and Bontrager in SA. He has an endless wealth of MTB knowledge and is the man to flag down if you have a technical issue on the trail. Follow him on Twitter @rudolfzuidema

T ECH BOET

Kath in Motion FS

Tech riding can separate a like affair with riding from a love affair, and quite often it’s the mental connection to tech riding which tends to be neglected when we’re developing our skill set writes Kathryn Fourie.

"That crash was a pivotal moment in my riding, when I realised what 'tech' meant." That crash was a pivotal moment in my riding, when I realised what ‘tech’ meant. It meant that you better actually know what you’re doing or else a young school kid called Alistair is going to say “Ah man! I didn’t even have my GoPro on so I missed that” while you’re trying not to let on how sore you are, gasping for breath. Since that wipe out in 2011, I have ridden a lot of different tracks on many different bikes with loads of different people. Through this mishmash of experiences I have realised there are a few key psychologically and physically linked lessons that can help up your ‘tech’ game:

1. Start small in order to go big I learned this particular lesson a few months after I got my first secondhand DH bike in 2012. I figured that since I now had a DH bike I’d be able to do all the stuff I couldn’t do before. Not so. After casing the living mercy out of a step up and landing on my shoulder (I couldn’t ride for three months) I realised I would have to start very small if I were ever to do anything vaguely big. I went right back to the beginning and found small tables, small drops, tiny gaps, smaller rock gardens – and I rode those a lot. When that became easy and second nature, I started on slightly bigger things, and over a period of about three years built up to managing ‘tech’ features pragmatically with far less incidence of injury (mostly).

2. Visualisation – from the start to the end An important technique when dealing with technical tracks is being able to see yourself completing the track safely. You have to actually believe that you’re going to do it. If you even for a moment doubt your ability on certain sections, it can unravel your mind and all the hard work you’ve put in to improving. Sit for a minute and visualise the track in front of you, where you’re going, play it all through in your mind. I am actually quite bad at this, and my boyfriend Mark is far better at knowing exactly what he is going to be doing on every metre of track.

3. Repetition In South Africa it’s really quite challenging to repeat practice trails and tech features, because we don’t

MEGAN ELS

hen cycling folk hear the word ‘tech’, it’s likely that the first thing to jump to mind will be the latest Garmin, the new SRAM 1x12, electric shifters. However, when I hear the word ‘tech’, I think about the time I asked my friend Dave if he thought I could ride down Cloud 9 on my dirt jump bike. I had heard it was quite ‘tech’. Dave said: “You should be able to roll down there, I guess”; and so I rolled off a rather square rock drop… and subsequently took an almighty overthe-bars onto my arse, back and head.

Kath focusing on reaching her next Point of Commitment.

have the traditional large scale bike parks with ski lifts like they have in Europe. Here we go on a ride and typically we’ll go through a tech feature once. Making an effort to go and find your tech nemesis and to repeat it really helps build your skill level and confidence. But it does require planning a ride where you will stop and ‘session’ something that you’re keen to work on.

4. Point of Commitment I think that this is probably one of the key things that really helped me up my game a bit. After umpteen run ups to a jump one day in 2014, my boyfriend said “You have the speed, you are doing everything perfectly but you need to choose a point of commitment. Choose a spot where you decide ‘after this point I’m doing it no matter what’ – if you decide you’re not fast enough or you’ve done something wrong before that point it’s fine to abort the mission, but if you pass it – you know you’re committed”. I doubted this theory, until I tried it out. What was awesome is that I wasn’t concentrating on the tech

anymore; I was concentrating on getting to my point of commitment smoothly and quickly. I felt like as I passed it my brain would just clear and I knew I had done what I needed to do to make the jump, so I could relax for a split second and just enjoy the sensation of clearing the jump. I guess those are the main ‘mentalphysical’ techniques for tech riding that I value. Start small, visualise success, repeat your nemesis until you own it and choose a point of commitment for everything you doubt. They will start to intermingle and create confidence in you that will greatly up your tech game.

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

FS Yoga & Pilates – brought to you by Concept Studio

Even in yoga the risk of injury exists!

The repetitive strain of cycling can lead to overuse injuries so this month Joëlle Sleebos is prescribing the Bridge Pose to strengthen your core and challenge your body to some new movements.

n yoga we move slowly, according to the length of our inhales and exhales. We try to move consciously and try to listen to our bodies each time we come to the mat. As a consequence the risk of injury (compared to the risk of falling, getting hit by a car and mostly the unnatural posture of the body while cycling) is obviously lower. Nevertheless, one always has to be aware of the risk of injuries, like with any form of exercise. Based on my experience as a Personal Trainer and Yoga Instructor injuries often occur, because of a lack of technique in combination with repetitive movement.

Obviously repeating a movement with the wrong technique will lead to injuries. However, we often forget the fact that even if we do have the right technique, when we constantly perform the same movement in exactly the same way it can lead to injury too. Cycling is a very repetitive movement type, so to keep the body safe please change things up from time to time. These Core (back) exercises will challenge you, but will move the body (especially your hips and knees) in a different way to which they’ve become accustomed when cycling. Always warm up the body first so you won’t injure yourself

Bridge Pose: Exercise your Core and Back

(specifically your lower back) with the Sun Salutations series from the June/July 2015 issue. If you feel up to it, combine these Core exercises with the other Core exercises from the September and October 2015 issues to get a full Core workout! These older columns are also all available online at www.fullsus.co.za/tag/yoga/, in case you’ve missed out on one of them.

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

Repeat on the other side. If you feel strong you can repeat this a few times.

Warm-up: Start with Suryanamaskara A to warm up the body. Scan this QR Code to download.

ALL PHOTOS BY ASHLEE ATTWOOD

Start: Lying on your back.

Inhale: Stay in bridge pose.

Inhale: Lift your right foot and bring your right knee toward your chest.

Exhale: Let go of your hands. Inhale: Stay in bridge pose.

Exhale: Extend your right leg towards the ceiling.

Exhale: Slowly release and drop your back down, one vertebra at the time. Your tailbone is the last to drop to the floor.

Place your feet hip-width apart, feet are parallel to each other and your heels are close to your buttocks. NB: For safety of your neck: keep looking up and do not turn your head. Inhale: Lift your hips slowly.

Exhale: Interlace your hands underneath your body and extend your arms. Inhale/Exhale: Stay and breathe a couple of times.

Inhale: Bend your right knee. Exhale: Place the right foot back down to the floor.

Rest: Shavansana.

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

DHI Column FS

WORLD CUP While we’re contemplating the onset of winter in SA Stefan Garlicki jetted off to France to get his 2016 UCI World Cup campaign underway.

he last time you heard from me I was racing the first national round in Cape Town. Since then I have been training, travelling and have literally just got back from racing the first World Cup in Lourdes, France! Starting after the first national I was feeling extremely good and ready for the World Cup season, but first I had to put in a couple more weeks of training at home before heading to Lesotho for the African Continental Championship. I flew up to Pietermaritzburg and travelled up with Sam Bull. We arrived on the Wednesday beforehand to settle in before the fun and games began on Friday on the brand new track which looked really cool. Practice started out a little slow but by the end of the first day I was feeling good. Towards the end of the day there was a huge downer as Sam slipped a pedal and snapped his ACL. This was heart-breaking for him and we were all gutted as it’s a long recovery process. Stay strong Sam! Coming into race day I was feeling good although we had shifting gale force winds to deal with. The track was extremely physical due to the altitude so I tried to conserve energy in the seeding run and managed 3rd behind Tiaan Odendaal and Chris Philogene, just 1.5s back. In the final I pushed hard but the winds had changed and I had a massive side wind down the pedal section and felt much slower than in seeding. Nevertheless I charged to the bottom and moved into the hot seat. I waited anxiously at the bottom only to see Tiaan Odendaal pip me by 0.85 seconds! I was disappointed not to win but I had a good run and feel on form heading into the season, Tiaan rode really well and I was stoked to have my mate, Johann Potgieter on the podium with me too. There was no time to waste, the next morning I was straight off to Pietermaritzburg and on Tuesday I flew out to France for the first World Cup! Massive thanks to the Bull and Philogene families for the help in KZN, the logistics would have been a nightmare without them. I arrived in Lourdes late on Wednesday evening and first thing on the Thursday it was track walk,

registration and bike build time. I was excited as it was time for my new bike. I felt like a little kid again! I got everything sorted and then it was time for practice, which was going to be interesting as it had been raining on and off. I had not ridden in the rain since September 2015 so I was feeling a bit rusty. The track in Lourdes is natural, fast, steep and has lots of marble like rocks which, in the rain, meant it was going to gnarly. The first run was wild to say the least, but after a few I got into it and started to feel the flow although I had a bit of an issue with my fork. The Bos suspension guys are so good, but they tried a new setup and even though I was not feeling comfy with it, I didn’t really have time to change it again. I had to make do and got in five runs. Day two was qualifying and I knew I just had to stay on the bike, ride smooth and it would be fine. Practice that morning was rough as I had two big crashes. I hit my head very hard and I broke my helmet going OTB in the rock garden in my first run but I put that behind me and the last run was pretty good. In my qualifying run just as I entered the first rock garden, about 20 seconds into the course, my rear brake pulled to the bar! I tried my best to ride the section without it but I was far too fast and crashed. I decided to then just roll down slowly as you can’t go fast with no rear brake. It turns out there was a fault in the lever, which could have been from a crash earlier in the day. It was frustrating to say the least. I am extremely disappointed but that is racing, I am just glad it wasn’t worse and I can race round two in Cairns. Massive thanks to the team, family, friends and all of my sponsors sticking with me! We will get there soon. Until next time…

Stefan Garlicki is the reigning South African Downhill MTB Champion. He’s sponsored by Investec, will be racing in Europe this year and sharing his experiences with Full Sus readers. Follow him on Twitter: @StefanGarlicki.

BARTEK WOLINSKI/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

Josh Bryceland in action in Lourdes.

FS Die Groot Lem

Dit was alles

TECHNOLOGY

se skuld

NICK MUZIK/CAPE EPIC/SPORTZPICS

(Tegnologie) en sulke stories so toe die aankondiger op die route briefing die vorige aand spesiale melding van dorings maak gee, ek vir boetie ŉ R100 met die opdrag om tyre liners of iets te gaan insit om verdere frustrasies en risiko’s van cut-off te beperk. Ek moes ŉ uur of twee later toe ons die laaste twee in die Chill Zone (kroeg) was, snuf in die neus gekry het maar ek het maar geglo hy sou die regte ding gedoen het. My vrees sou waarheid word, die kind het drank en ŉ pakkie sigarette met die tyre liner se geld gekoop,

Die tema die maand is Tegnologie en die mense wat Hendrik Lemmer ken weet dis een van sy sterk punte. En die storie begin met die enigste tegnologie wat hy al probeer regmaak het, naamlik ŉ tube (tjoep).

oos belowe skryf ek hierdie maand oor my berugte kortpad op ŉ Epic; dit was beslis die grootste kortpad wat die steilste bult ooit uitgesny het. Jy kan dit amper kortpad-doping op steroids noem. Beste van alles omdat ek op daardie stadium in die laaste posisie was, het ek nie eers ŉ penalty gekry nie. Dit was byvoorbeeld baie erger as Kevin Evans se bekende ‘tiger line’ waar hy ŉ uur penalty gekry het na hy by sy vinniger partner wou uitkom en ŉ switchback-deel van ŉ klim uitgesny het. Ek het sommer die berg uitgesny! En nie enige berg nie... (gelukkig voor Twitter). Die storie begin so: Sowat twee weke voor die 2005 Epic kry ek ’n ‘please call me’ (Tegnologie) van my broer om my te laat weet ons kan die Epic van Knysna tot in Stellenbosch ry. My eerste reaksie was om aan hom te noem dat hy nie eintlik fiks is en ook nie ŉ bergfiets het nie. Ek was

gerus gestel dat alles OK sal wees, hy het ŉ fiets op bestelling. Anyway, so drie of vier dae voor die Epic arriveer sy fiets, ons enigste oefening saam was ŉ foto-sessie in ons nuwe kit. Ek dink dit was dalk ook sy enigste oefening in totaal. Die eerste drie dae of so manage ons die cut-off tye net-net, en leer die laaste paar spanne van nader ken. Ons het toe al besluit ons sal attack loods op die laaste skof deur Stellenbosch na Spier-wynlandgoed waar ons familie en fans ons moet inwag met ŉ koue. Die nare storie het op die tweede laaste skof gebeur toe ons ŉ monsterskof vanuit Villiersdorp se hoofstraat, oor Groenlandberg en Franschhoekpas tot by Boschendal op die spyskaart kry. Nou ŉ dag of twee voor hierdie gewraakte dag het my gebroeder ŉ nuwe SA rekord opgestel deur agt pap wiele te kry. Mense, dit was voor tubeless

"Hy het 'n kaart gehad. Hy wys links. Ons draai links." so die volgende oggend toe ons sy fiets in die tennisbaanfietshokstorie optel toe is ŉ wiel klaar pap. Ek moet op die stadium dalk net noem dat ons verreweg elke oggend laaste opgestaan het so voorbereidingstyd was nou baie min. Gelukkig het ons ook ŉ strategie gehad om elke dag laaste te probeer wegtrek. Op hierdie gevreesde dag het ons ŉ ekstra goeie job daarvan gedoen om te

2005 wenners Bart Brentjens en Roel Paulissen in aksie.

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF CAPE EPIC UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED

Fietsryers in aksie in die 2005 Epic

probeer laaste wegtrek, want toe ek voor die Portugese omie se kafee in Villiersdorp by ons wegspringgroepie gaan staan het Mnr Latrinus Emmer sowaar as wraggies nog ŉ pap wiel. (Tegnologie) En daar begin hulle sonder ons! Anyway, geen rede tot paniek, by broer weet nou al goed hoe om pap wiele en goed uit te sort. Die probleem was, ons vertrek toe sowat 15 minute na die laaste groep weg is... Kort buite Villiersdorp is ŉ sirkel met ’n paar opsies, soos in paaie wat daar uitdraai in verskillende rigtings. Gelukkig was daar ŉ Epic bakkie met dokters en goed agter ons en die een sit met ŉ groot kaart oor sy... ag los daai detail. Hy het ŉ kaart gehad. Hy wys links. Ons draai links. Na ŉ uur wonner ons hoekom vang ons nie die dik oom en tannie wat twee dae tevore laaste plek by ons weggevat het nie. Terwyl ons nog wonner kom die medics tot langs ons en deel ons ewe casually mee dat ons by die sirkel moes regs gedraai het. Na vyf minute wat ek nie kan herhaal nie begin ons toe terugry Villiersdorp toe. Mense, onthou ons praat hier van die Queen stage wat nou 40km verder gaan wees! Fast forward so twee ure en ons staan aan die voet van ’n berg waarvan

"Draai links, op met die pas, stop by die waterpunt, om te hoor dat ons in die derde posisie is!"

Epic op daai stadium net van gehoor het, waar daar nog nooit getrap of gestoot was nie. Die Groenlandberg... Daar staan ook ’n marshalltjie met ŉ vlaggie wat Op wys. Onthou ons nou nog steeds los laaste. Ek gee die vlagmannetjie so ŉ kyk en vra vir gebroeder, “Gaan jy hier op?” Na ŉ kort vergadering waar ons nou ook die eerste version van ŉ GPS (Tegnologie) of iets raadpleeg, vertel ons vir vlagman mooi wat om met die vlaggie en die finisher T-shirt te maak. Dis tog sy kollegas se skuld dat ons onsself in die penarie bevind. Ons trap toe so 5km noord en gedoriewaar, daar is die teerpad op pad na Franschhoek-pas wat ons al jare goed ken. Die eerste glimlag van die dag kom amper na vore. Wat ons nie besef het nie, was wat ŉ moerse

berg ons uitgesny het. Dis amper soos om Everest te stap en jy begin bo. Jy gaan mos wen. Ons cruise toe rustig rigting Franschhoek-pas en parallel met ons sien ons skielik stof staan en daar jaag die voorlopers. Draai links, op met die pas, stop by die waterpunt, om te hoor dat ons in die derde posisie is! Nou dit was ŉ geweldige verbetering van 500ste plek die vorige paar dae en ons geniet die baie kos en drankies by die vol waterpunt sommer lekker. Die verbasing van pro ryers in die top 10 en vriende en vyande wat ons teen die pas verbysteek was interessant. Die arme ouens het amper met die kranse afgeneuk as hulle ons sien en my antwoord aan hulle vrae was maar dat ons ŉ goeie dag het.

ŉ Bietjie later begin ek nou voel soos David George of Rourke Croeser oor my unfair advantage en ons besluit om so stadig teen die pas op te ry dat ons bo op die pas weer in ons gewone 500e plek tussen die dik mense met die dikker Camelbacks is. Op Boschendal het ek oor die streep gery en dadelik gestop, die hele storie vertel aan ŉ beampte en ŉ aankondiger of iemand, en genoem dat ons steeds die regte afstand gery het, ons het net gesny op die altitude. Hulle seg toe dis orraait. Dis nou nie dat ons podium nie. Die volgende dag het ons triomfantlik oor die eindstreep by Spier gery en ek het my finisher T-shirt gekry. My gebroeder was nie so lucky nie, daai vlagman het sy nommer neergeskryf, maar nie myne nie. (Dis die groot voordeel om vinniger as jou Epic partner te wees.) Nou ja, volgende keer se tema is winter of iets, geen idee waaroor ek dan skryf nie. Dalk oor “How to pick up weight”, in Afrikaans natuurlik.

Die Groot Lem FS

Die 2005 Epic peleton. Hendrik ‘Groot Lem’ Lemmer is ‘n fietsry-kommentator en ‘n eiendomsagent. Hy bly nog steeds in die tuiste van bergfietsry in Suid-Afrika, Stellenbosch, en as jy nie omgee oor ‘n Twitter-oorlog of twee nie kan jy hom volg: @GrootLem.

TEAM USN

FUELLING USN CHAMPIONS TEAM USN WINS THE RED AFRICAN JERSEY AT THE 2016 ABSA CAPE EPIC

INTERMEDIATE

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HIGH INTENSITY

LONG DISTANCE

1 TO 2 HOUR HALF MARATHON

1 TO 4 HOUR MARATHON

ULTRA MARATHON

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FS Dirt Diva Diaries

Estelle is ready to roll in the Houwhoek Tour.

PIERRE SMIT PHOTOGRAPHY

Preparing for the HOUWHOEK TOUR Having gotten married recently Estelle Pickard swore off mountain biking for a while for the fear of standing at the altar with a broken limb. But now with the wedding behind her it’s all systems go as she takes up Molly Fitz-Patrick’s Houwhoek Tour entry.

iven my clumsiness, fracturing limbs is not something that could be ruled out and the three rides I’ve done in the past six months won’t be of much use when tackling the Houwhoek Tour. But after all, it’s not a race and what is mountain biking for if we cannot just enjoy it? When I’m completely undertrained, I over prepare. I confess, the over preparation might also have something to do with excitement levels that cannot be contained! In an effort to control my excitement and to get mentally ready for the Houwhoek Tour I took my bike for a swanky service and prepared a “stage race checklist”.

Stage 'Race' checklist: 1. Obvious kit Helmet, shoes, riding glasses, gloves and a hydration pack (if you’re riding more than 35km per day). A set of kit for every day, consisting of: socks, bra, jersey, shorts. Being a girl, I prefer

riding in shorts (opposed to bibs). When nature calls it can be really hard to negotiate a bib behind a bush. For riding glasses, I prefer photochromic glasses – especially during the winter months – to keep the mud out of your eyes, without being so dark that you cannot see. Extras include arm-warmers and a gilet, they become a must when it gets really cold.

2. Tools You are not allowed to draw the girl card here. You need to have the basic tools and learn how to use them (YouTube is a good start). It’s perfectly fine to ask for help along the route, but at least show that you are willing to take responsibility for yourself and attempt to be self-reliant. You will need: bike tool with chain breaker, tyre levers, spare tube (wrapped in an old sock - this protects the

valve against damage), chain link, a repair kit, mini pump or bombs. If you take bombs, remember to also take a valve adapter - it’s that little thingy that you use to connect the bomb to the valve. Last night I changed the tyres on my bike, it was a freaking struggle because the sludge got stuck in the valves and I struggled to deflate the tubes. It took me almost an hour, some sweat and a lot of frustration. My thoughts initially went along the lines of “the bike shop would have been so much quicker” but you know what; I did it myself, and I think I should give myself some credit for that.

3. Nutrition. I never rely on water points, mostly because I’m so slow that by the time I get to them all the food is finished. Essentially, real food is better than bars, so I like to take some pre-cooked, salted baby potatoes, banana bread, peanutbutter sandwiches, marmite sandwiches and jelly sweets. I mean, don’t take the whole pantry with you like I do, gauge how much food you’ll need based on the amount of time you ride. Work on a little bite of something every 20 minutes. Keep hydrated. If I plan on riding further than 35km’s I always

"Whether you're racing or riding for fun - your mind - set determines how much you can enjoy the experience."

take a hydration pack. There are a variety of drinks on the market that you can try, but that’s a topic for another day. Whether you’re racing or riding for fun – your mind-set determines how much you can enjoy the experience. Open mind, open heart. Be kind to yourself. Namaste. Being a “girl rider”, I often put a lot of cruel pressure on myself because, “I’m not as fast as the others”, “I can’t keep up” or “am I holding them back?” “I have to improve my time/speed/strength” and I find that kind of thinking really steals the joy from riding. While we are obviously all aiming to improve ourselves, the majority of us are not riding to win these races; we’re riding for personal gratification. What I might lack in skills or speed I more than make up for in passion and conviction. That is what makes me so excited for the Houwhoek Tour – we’re not competing – everyone’s out riding for fun.

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

Your Dream Machine - PART I

Stirling Revolution FS

It doesn’t matter how long you have been mountain biking, or how many bikes you have owned, every true Mountain Biker dreams to build up a mountain bike piece by piece, part by part, write the Stirlings.

here are normally three reasons why you would want to build up an inanimate MTB frame into a thrashable two-wheeled machine. Ironically, having a limited budget or having an unlimited budget are both reasons to do this. Riders on a limited budget will often buy a frame and slowly built it up as the cash rolls in. Whereas, those with an unlimited budget will pick their dream frame and kit it out with all the trick parts they have read all about. And then there is the guy in the middle who is just bored of buying bikes of the showroom floor and wants a challenge, a project, and a mountain bike that is unique. All these reasons (and many more) are good enough to embark on the rewarding journey of building up a dream bike, but the decisions of what parts to use and what components to choose must never be taken lightly - that’ll ruin all the fun of fussing over each addition to the build. To start the build, your first decision is what frame to buy. This is the most important decision. Use your head to choose the right type of frame; Full Suspension or Full Suspension (no that’s not a typo); Marathon, Trail or Enduro; Aluminium or Carbon; Wheel Size; Price Range; Brand; and finally Colour. Then use your heart to choose which frame from the shortlist will put the biggest smile on your face. Some brilliant boutique brands sell their frames in South Africa such as PYGA, Santa Cruz, Banshee, Transition, Niner and Yeti, and some of the big brands (yes, Specialized) also have frame options too.

Now that you have your frame, you must find out the following 10 pieces of key information* that will influence your choice of parts going forward: 1. What size wheels does the frame take? 2. What type of rear axle is used on the frame and therefore will the rear wheel hub need? 3. What is the frame manufacturers recommended travel range for the front suspension fork? 4. What size seat post does the frame take? 5. Can the frame take an externally and/or internally routed dropper post? 6. Can a front derailleur be mounted to the frame? 7. If it can take a front derailleur, what type of mounting system does the frame require? 8. What style and type of headset does the frame require? Try to buy the headset with the frame. 9. A straight head tube (rare) will usually need a straight steerer fork. Most frames today have a tapered head tube. 10. Finally, what type of BB does the frame need? This will influence what crank type you choose too.

The Stirling Revolution column is penned by the father and son, LBS owning, pair of Stirling “Snr” and Stirling James (SJ) “Jnr” Kotze. With years of industry insider knowledge they’re your, and our, link to the retail side of the bicycle trade – and while they might upset the odd sensitive reader their insights prove invaluable time and time again.

The essence of your dream bike is the frame.

These three options are from Niner, PYGA,

Next month the real fun begins when we talk you through each component decision putting to use years of custom bike build experience, both for our own dream bikes and a few special customer ones too.

* A lot of this info should be found on the manufacturer’s website often in their FAQ section.

and Santa Cruz.

"Use your heart to choose which frame from the shortlist will put the biggest smile on your face."

15-16 October 2016

ENTER ONLINE:

www.piketbobergtrails.com

10 September 2016 Join us for our annual Fundraising Event sponsored by

2 Days Complete Race Village @ the dam 100 Teams 92.8 km 2346m Elevation 95% Single Track Technical Score 8

for Farm Worker Development MTB Distances: 63km, 37km, 27km, 10km Trail Run Distances: 16km, 8km

presents

FS Gear

GEAR

GPS Bike Computers Be it to guide your way, ensure absolute accuracy on your Strava times or display your power data, a GPS bike computer is a must for every tech loving mountain biker.

Suunto Ambit 3 Vertical

Garmin Edge 520 RRP R 7 599 | www.garmin.co.za Built for Strava KOM and QOM hunters the Garmin Edge 520 provides in-ride challenges through Strava live segments, so no more waiting until after the ride to see if you claimed that KOM, with the Edge 520 the gratification or disappointment is instantaneous. When connected to your smart phone via Bluetooth it will automatically upload to Garmin Connect and Strava, provide live tracking and smart notifications, and allow for social media sharing mid-ride and weather updates. Plus being a Garmin it can pair with any Ant+ device including your Di2 drivetrain, Varia™, Vector pedals, powermeter and heart rate monitor. If you have a powermeter and heart rate monitor it’ll also calculate your VO2 max and recovery time. Battery life is up to 15 hours. The Edge 520 is 4.9cm by 7.3cm by 2.1 in size and it weighs 60g. As priced the Edge 520 package includes the device, a heart rate monitor, cadence sensor, speed sensor and bike mounts.

RRP R8 999 | www.suunto.com The Suunto Ambit 3 Vertical boasts a 15 hour battery life in GPS mode; provides route navigation and track back; has a compass; it can sync with all sorts of Bluetooth enabled smart sensors, like your phone, cadence meter, heart rate monitor and powermeter; it can run sleep and recovery tests; log multiple sports in one log, making it perfect for triathletes; and you can load training programs onto it from the Movescount platform. The real highlight of the Ambit 3 Vertical though is the FusedAlti™ altitude meter which is not only one of the most accurate altitude meters around but also provides a route altitude profile on the watch, plus a host of other cool features on the Movescount platform including a Suunto Movie with 3D map, key metrics and photos. In watch mode its battery will last for up to two weeks, it’s waterproof to 100 meters and is available in white, black, blue and lime.

Lezyne Mini GPS Computer RRP R1 950 | www.lezyne.com At just 3.34 by 5.08 by 2.25cm and weighing just 30g Lezyne say their Mini GPS Computer is the smallest and lightest cycling GPS computer currently available, which seems bold because the Garmin Edge 25 has a claimed weight of 25g. But what we can agree on is that the Lezyne Mini is very small but packs a lot of tech into its little frame. It features a CNC machined aluminium shell, compared to the Edge 25’s plastic one, and will provide readouts of the following data fields: moving time, ride time, distance, current speed, average speed, max speed, ascent, descent, current altitude, temperature and the time. Its battery will last for 10 hours and it can store up to 100 hours of activity data before you have to download the data to your computer from where you can sync it with your choice of analysis platform.

Bryton Rider 310 RRP R1 450 | www.brytonsport.com The Bryton Rider 310 is billed as a powerful but budget friendly GPS bike computer. It features both Ant+ and Bluetooth compatibility which makes it possible to integrate the Rider 310 with your existing cycling sensors, which is a big plus. It’ll synchronise with your heart rate monitor, cadence sensor and powermeter, and display the data they generate on its 4.5cm (diagonal) mono-colour anti-glare screen. The one downfall of the Rider 310 is that it won’t pair with your smartphone, so you’ll have to plug it into your computer to upload your ride data to Strava, Training Peaks or Fit Track. It’s 4.51 by 6.95 by 1.73cm in size and weighs in at 56g. Its battery life is an impressive 36 hours. Unfortunately all heart rate monitors and cadence sensors are sold separately.

CatEye CC-RD500 Strada Smart RRP R1 199 | www.cateye.com The CatEye CC-RD500 Strada Smart is truly a smart bit of kit. It’s essentially just a bike computer; hence the low price, but what makes it smart and capable is its ability to piggy back your smartphone’s GPS sensor. You connect your phone to the CC-RD500 via the CatEye Cycling App and Bluetooth and then activate Mirror mode. It then uses your phone to read and transfer data from speed, cadence, heart rate and powermeter sensors to the headset on your handlebars. It seems though that it only reads Bluetooth sensors, regardless of your phone’s ability to pick up Ant+. It’s 4.7 by 3.2 by 1.32cm in size and weighs a minimal 17g. It features a non-rechargeable CR2032 battery, like you’ll find in your heart rate monitor strap, which should last for around five months. It uploads via your phone to the CatEye Atlas analysis portal which you can activate to sync with Strava or Training Peaks too.

SRM POWERCONTROL 8 RRP R12 980 | www.activeworx.co.za The SRM POWERCONTROL 8 was nominated by Erik Kleinhans as his favourite bit of sponsored kit on his new Canyon bike and it’s no surprise. SRM are leaders in the powermeter field producing some of the most accurate powermeters available. So to match up with their powermeter they needed a powerful computer too. The PC8, as it’s known, shows the standard power, heart rate and speed metrics along with Training Peaks metrics like TSS® (Training Stress Score®), NP® (Normalized Power®) and IF® (Intensity Factor®). It also allows you to load up to four bike profiles, meaning you don’t have to resync with your road bike’s powermeter if you last rode your mountain bike before going for a ride. You simply select the bike profile and off you go. SRM don’t make much of a fuss over the PC 8’s barometric altimeter, GPS or Ant+ functionality but these perform as well as the clever power analysis functions. The PC 8’s battery lasts for between 10 and 45 hours depending on if you have the GPS on or off.

n Win 1 of 5 i w

Competition FS

Top Mountain Bike Trails 2

Tell us your favourite trail destination in the Eastern, Northern or Western Cape and you could win 1 of 5 of Jacques Marais’ new Top Mountain Bike Trails 2 books. THE PRIZE

Top Mountain Bike Trails 2 is the second edition of Jacques Marais’ Eastern, Northern and Western Cape trail bible. It features 150 of the best trails in the Cape provinces; complete with updated route info, great photos and detailed maps. As well as an info box on each trail, much like the one you’ll find in Jacques’ Trails column in Full Sus. Plus there’s an extensive list of all the other trails in South Africa’s remaining six provinces. Top Mountain Bike Trails 2 retails for R250 from www.mapstudio.co.za or from your nearest good book store or outdoor retailer.

HOW TO WIN Send us a mail to comp@fullsus.co.za with the subject line “Top Mountain Bike Trails 2” telling us where in the provinces covered in Top Mountain Bike Trails 2 your favourite place to ride is. Your email must include your ID Number and an office hours delivery address to be considered for the draw. You can boost your chances by liking Full Sus on Facebook and Following @FullSussa on Twitter Entries close on 23 May 2016.

ng omi C s I r inte #W

photo of the month

Oakpics is a Strand based photographic company. They shoot a vast array of events, covering everything from wild horses to weddings. But it’s in MTB that they’ve carved out a niche as one of the leaders in the field. If you spot them on the trails, usually when you’re picking yourself up after an unexpected brush with the ground, you can purchase the photos directly from their website. Or book them to shoot your event. Call them on 021 854 8723 or visit www.oakpics.com.

CALENDAR SUS June 2016 GAUTENG 4 DUESOUTH Night One 4 Gauteng XCO Cup # 3 presented by XCOSA 5 2016 Beaulieu MTB And Trail Run Challenge 11 Kameeldrift MTB 12 Babba’s Lodge MTB Series # 6 12 Cyclesure Hollard MTB Series @ Babba’s 2016 25 The 1 000 Miler Joburg to Cape Town 25 The Free State Dash - Joburg to Bloem 2016 25 USN MTB Cup Race # 4 LIMPOPO 5 Kremetart MTB XCO 10 Liberty Waterberg Encounter 12 St.George’s MTB

12 Spur Schools MTB League - East London #1 18 Fish River Sun MTB Challenge 25 Twizza Henderson Valley MTB

3 4 11 11 12 12 14 16 18 18 19 19

NORTWEST PROVINCE 4 Momentum Health OatWell DUALX #3 VAN GAALEN 11 Ashburton Investments National MTB Series Van Gaalen 25 Genesis Konka Quest WESTERN CAPE 11 Dirtopia All Mountain Enduro Welvanpas Trails 11 Autumn Splendour MTB Race 11 Hex Valley Autumn Splendour MTB 12 Blue Ribbon Yzerfontein Cycle Experience 16 Spur Schools MTB League - Western Cape #1 17 RECM Knysna 200 18 Spur Schools MTB League - Southern Cape #1 18 Napier Patatfees MTB Race 25 Nissan TrailSeeker WC #2 Grabouw 26 CA2CX MTB Tour (Meerendal to Knysna)

1 3 4 5

EASTERN CAPE Grindrod Bank Pondo Pedal PwC Great Zuurberg Trek ECC Provincial XCO Champs The Freedom Challenge

25 25 26 26

KZN Sappi Karkloof Classic 2016 Primary School Series 4 BSi Steel Dusi2c Primary School Series 5 Safire Baynesfield MTB Classic Elephant MTB Challenge - Big 5 Series 2 Burry Stander South Coast Schools MTB Series - Race 5 One Movement - Junior Eliminator Series #1 Soulstice MTB San Lameer MTB & Trail Run Launch Time Freight Burg Wheelers MTB Race Compendium MTB Race powered by Bidvest KZN MTB Provincial Champs XCO RideTheBerg One Movement Junior Eliminator Series #2 KZN MTB Provincial XCO Champs

MPUMALANGA 4 Mopani MTB Series #2 4 Mankele Valencia Avalanche 16 Badplaas Forever Resort MTB Challenge 2016 25 The Big 5 MTB Race 30 Innibos MTB Stage Race 2016 FREE STATE 4 Spur Schools MTB League - Free State #2 18 SA Cup Series XCO # 5 OUT IN AFRICA 3 FNB 1Zambia MTB (Zambia) 5 Spur Schools MTB League Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe) 10 Gem Diamonds Kalahari Challenge (Botswana)#3 (Zimbabwe) 10 Spur Schools MTB League Zimbabwe #5 (Zimbabwe) 12 Spur Schools MTB League Zimbabwe #5 (Zimbabwe)

19 Bike Odyssey 2016 (International) 26 Kalahari Challenge (Botswana) 26 Spur Schools MTB League Zimbabwe #6 (Marondera)

SUS July 2016 GAUTENG 2 Gauteng XCO Cup # 4 presented by XCOSA 9 Nissan Trailseeker GP # 2 10 Babba’s Lodge MTB Series # 7 23 Spur Schools MTB League - Gauteng #2 23 CANSA Charity MTB race 30 Witklip MTB Classique 30 Gauteng XCO Championships powered by LCB 30 Tuine Trap Challenge MTB 31 Junior Eliminator Series - Round 2 LIMPOPO 8 Varsity MTB Challenge 23 Spur Schools MTB League - Limpopo #1 24 Nedbank Tour de Tuli NORTWEST PROVINCE 30 Spur Schools MTB League - North West #2 WESTERN CAPE 2 Momentum Weekend Argus Knysna Cycle Tour 7 Route 62 Dash – Cape Town – PE 2016 7 Momentum Health OatWell DUALX #4 Powered by PeptoPro 23 Spur Schools MTB League - Western Cape #2 31 Die Burger MTB Challenge SOUTHERN CAPE 23 Spur Schools MTB League - Southern Cape #2 EASTERN CAPE 3 Spur Schools MTB League East London #2 10 Pennypinchers Grahamstown To Sea (G2C) 16 JBay Winterfest MTB Open 17 Hayterdale Classic 23 Spur Schools MTB League - PE #1

Advertise your event in Full Sus and we will send you copies of the paper for your goodie bags or registration table. Call Eloise on 021 685 0285/6 KZN 1 Wagon & Spear 2 KZN MTB Prov Champs Enduro Powered By Greg Minnaar Cycles 2 PEHR Burry Stander Sardine MTB Classic 3 KZNMTB Prov Champs DHI Powered By Greg Minnaar Cycles 9 Giba Gravity Enduro 9 Gooderson Drakensberg Gardens MTB 10 BELL Big 5 Series # 3 – Kwambo Lion MTB Race 10 South Coast MTB Classic 16 SA XCO CHAMPIONSHIPS 17 SA DHI Championships 17 Gears for Ears MTB Fundraiser 23 Ashburton Investments National MTB Series #5 BALLITO 23 Burry Stander South Coast Schools MTB Series - Race 6 24 Spur Schools MTB League - KZN #1 30 iMfolozi MTB Challenge 31 Howick Highlander MPUMALANGA 2 Innibos Cross Country MTB Race 2016 FREE STATE 30 Spur Schools MTB League - Free State #3 OUT IN AFRICA 2 Spur Schools MTB League Zimbabwe #7 (Bulawayo) 9 Engen Ngwenya Glass MTB 2016 (Swaziland) 12 Laikipia XC (International)

Calling all event organisers Get your event listed here for free! Email all your 2016 event dates and details to sussed@fullsus.co.za to make sure you don’t miss out on the coverage.

MAY Must do events ■ 15 May: Gravel Travel 2016 On Sunday the 15th of May the Bains MTB Trails will be hosting the annual Gravel Travel rides. There are 50km and 25km races as well as a 5km kiddies ride route option with the main race climbing close on 1 200 meters as it takes in some of Wellington’s more famous trails. The events start and finish at the fantastic Kleinevalleij Wine Estate and you can expect goodies from Squirt Lube, treats from Rhodes Quality and water points by Enduren to sweeten the entry deal. Entries are R220 and R150 respectively online, with the 5km kiddies race only offering entries on the day. To find out more visit www.graveltravel.webs.com or enter online at www.entryninja.com.

■ 21 May: FNB Magalies

■ 22 May: Sondela Bela Bela

Monster MTB Classic

MTB Challenge

The FNB Magalies Monster MTB Classic has a new route up the Magalies Monster climb! The Monster now features a predominantly singletrack 5.5km climb with rocky sections adding to the difficulty and fun. There are 75km, 35km and 15km route options with entries set at R320, R220 and R130 respectively. Plus for the trail runners in the family there’s the FNB Platinum Trail Runs to look forward to on Sunday the 22nd. The main race is one of SA’s premier one day events and completing the Monster is worthy of a good few cold ones! All the information and online entries are available at www.stillwatersports.com, but don’t delay pre-entries close on 13 May.

On the 22nd of May the amazing Sondela Private Game Reserve will be hosting the Sondela Bela Bela MTB Challenge. There are 45km (R150) and 20km (R110) races as well as a 1km kiddies race (R30) on offer, which follow on from the 107km, 50km, and 15km road races the day before. If the setting isn’t enough to lure you to Sondela for a weekend on your bike the fact that Centurion Cycling are putting a bike up for grabs in the lucky draw, on each day, should entice you to enter. For all the info visit www.sondela.com or enter online at www.cycleevents.co.za.

■ 28 May: Darling Brew

Extreme

The Darling Brew Extreme is one of our favourite races. It’s always heaps of fun and deceptively tough with some

changeable Cape weather thrown in to the mix of the aptly named Bone Crusher climb and the challenging Hendris Hill. There are 68km (R275), 42km (R250) and 25km (R150) route options which for the first time this year start and finish at the newly constructed Darling Brew tasting room and brewery on Caledon Street in Darling. The riding gets going at 07:00 to ensure there’s more than enough time to enjoy the other pleasures of Darling later in the morning. All you need to know can be found at www.darlingbrew.co.za.

CALENDAR KEY Mpumalanga

Free State

Limpopo

Western Cape

Northern Cape

KZN

Gauteng

North West

Eastern Cape

Out in Africa