Full Sus November 2014 by Full Sus #MTB

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November 2014, Vol 19

HASHTAG MOUNTAIN BIKING W IN

GEAR: Energy Gel Review pg 29

Mountain Bike Orienteering pg 8

Win an Axis A40 MTB pg28

Ride the Rhino

pg 24

Safety First

Staying Safe on the Roads and Trails

Exercise caution It’s always good to assume that everyone else using the road are complete idiots and anticipate accordingly. Just like how you drive more cautiously around taxis, because you never know when they’re likely to stop in the middle of the road or make an abrupt, unsignalled U-turn, you should be acutely aware of the vehicles, pedestrians and other cyclists around you when you’re on your bike. Remember you’re exceptionally vulnerable on your bike and while it’d be great if other road users would look after you, you have to look after yourself ﬁrst and the ﬁrst step in doing so is exercising caution.

With the recent spate of cyclists being hit by cars or robbed of their bikes we thought we’d take a sensible approach and rather than play the blame game look at how you can take precautions to keep yourself safe on the roads and trails around Mzansi.

Think Bike – Think Car

irst and foremost it’s essential that as cyclists, road and mountain, we take responsibility for ourselves whenever we get on the bike. Yes, the roads of South Africa are dangerous and bike-jacking seems to be on the rise too, and we have to put pressure on government, locally and nationally, to make it safer to spend time on our bikes but ultimately it’s your life and you should be responsible for it, not some politician.

So how do you keep yourself safe? Well, the ﬁrst thing you can do is give it some thought. Don’t be a nit-wit, don’t follow blindly the advice you read on Twitter or in your favourite publication – you need to start critically examining

the information you take in. Take cycling abreast for example… it’s just not safe on South African roads. It might work in bicycle friendly European countries, but in SA where the roads are ﬁlled with notoriously impatient drivers do you really think it’s sensible to protrude into traffic that generally ﬂows at, or over, 60km/h when you’re moving at less than 40km/h? It doesn’t matter how visible you are, it’s a recipe for disaster and will remain so until our driving culture changes. So possibly never.

GENERAL RULES OF THE ROAD AND TRAIL No helmet no ride – ever!

Also don’t be afraid to tell off a fellow cyclist who’s riding without a helmet. Even hipsters need to protect their

heads – how else are they going to follow the next trend? Seriously though, don’t get on a bike without a helmet on, even if you’re just nipping around the corner to the shops. Industry folks should be setting an example and bike shops should be asking if you own a helmet when you buy a bike.

Most of us (unless you’re very young or the most hard-core cyclist) are drivers as well as cyclists. But we think exclusively like cyclists when we’re on the bike. Try to keep in mind what the drivers of cars are likely to be thinking when you’re cycling and don’t act like you own the road – cars, trucks, busses and taxis are the primary road users and you need to adjust your behaviour accordingly.

Light up.

Rules for the Roadies

If you’re going to be including any roads in your ride, day or night get yourself lights. A flashing red tail light and a flashing white front light will dramatically increase your visibility to other road users. If you spend a significant amount of time on the road especially at dusk, dawn or at night invest in lights with external rechargeable battery packs.

Whether you’re a full-on roadie or a mountain biker who just rides on the road to get to the mountain, here are a few guidelines to help keep you out of harm’s way. ◆ Always use cycle lights and riding kit with high-visibility tabs and trim. ◆ Plan your ride to use roads with

turn to page 4

FS Editorial

Bristow’s tongue in cheek feature on roadies and despite the laugh, he makes some very valid points. We need to be safe and push for more bike lanes and paths – ﬁnd out who your local councillor is and bug the hell out of them! Getting to more pleasant things I am amped to be starting my second W2W’s. Despite being really casual about it there is still that tingling feeling inside every time I think of it – which is just about all the time in this week running up to the ride! I keep going over my kit, bike, logistics and cursing myself for the extra kilo’s I have put on instead of going the other way. But at the end of the day its really just excitement about going to ride a fantastic event and enjoying the fruits of all the training we have (or haven’t) done. I can’t wait! We launch a sister publication to Full Sus next month. One of four issues a year, (at this stage). It’s going to be called Full Stride #TrailRunning, and will as the tagline suggests be the trail running version of Full Sus. Bundled with Full Sus the trail running newspaper will not only make use of Full Sus’s footprint but will also be distributed in specialist running shops including The Sweat Shop, Running Inn Shop, Athletes Foot, Runners Rest and Durban Runner to name a few. Of course you will also ﬁnd it inside all Sportsmans Warehouse stores. There is a synergy between the

It’s a jungle out there!

same can be said about our roads – there is no patience, no respect, it’s all aggression and complete disregard for life - even one’s own – go ﬁgure! As cyclists we have to take as much care and responsibility for our safety as possible – I see so many people out there without lights on their bikes – it’s the law guys – red at back and white in front – put them on and hopefully get seen! Check out David

CHERIE VALE | NEWSPORT MEDIA

have started writing this piece a number of times now. I’ve been struggling with ﬁnding a way to be politically correct in conveying my sadness at the loss of life of two of our young sports stars as well as complete contempt and disgust at how they died – one at the hands of callous thieves (or so it appears at this early stage) and the other on the lottery that is our roads. On this note we should also think of cyclists, Johan Schoeman and Ronnie Mansell (who were stars to their families), who were killed while doing the pastime they loved. Our sincerest condolences go to their families and loved ones, however this seems trite consolation and I am at a loss at how one stops talking about the problem of crime (this includes how badly we drive) and how it is (realistically) solved. The government of the day has to shoulder a large portion of responsibility; and we have to put our support behind projects, ideas and organisations that show potential or are making a difference. While we make every attempt to keep ourselves safe and generally as a people are certainly security conscious (do we have a choice?), the lack of respect and value for life is staggering. The

Shayne is one of the many amped riders eagerly awaiting the start of Wines2Whales.

two disciplines with a large number of mountain bikers using trail running as the perfect cross training discipline and trail runners taking up mountain biking daily. We hope you enjoy the new section and we promise (Stirling) that we will not have a Full Road newspaper anytime in the foreseeable future! Enjoy the trails, see you at W2W and ride SAFE! Cheers Shayne

SUS THE COMP

Another chance to win! You’ve still got until the 20th of November to get your entries in to win the Axis A40 mountain bike. All you have to do is tell us why you love your local bike shop – but be warned we’ve had some pretty strong entries already so you’ll have to melt the icy heart of our adjudicator to claim the prize. Turn to page 28 to ﬁnd out how you could win.

SUS the altitude training at Sea Level - Part III

So am I any better due to

If you can’t visit the Alps like Erik Kleinhans you can now train at Sea Level in Cape Town.

ALTITUDE TRAINING?

SUS The team Publishing Editor: Shayne Dowling shayne@integratedmedia.co.za Content Editor: Seamus Allardice seamus@integratedmedia.co.za Art Director: Megan Knox megan@integratedmedia.co.za Advertising: Shayne Dowling Sales: Jess Nosworthy jess@integratedmedia.co.za PR & Promotions: Ashlee Attwood ash@integratedmedia.co.za Regulars: Meurant Botha, Stirling Kotze Snr & Jnr, Jacques Marais,

is a really tough workout, a lot of panting and sucking in whatever you can get. In fairness though the workouts have got a little easier, perhaps we have got used to the intensity and feeling of working hard at “high altitude”? Now you guys up on the Reef may be wondering what all the fuss is about but with the proven improvement in performance and recovery by training at altitude it seems only fair that we get to take advantage too. Of course this advantage is only when you bring your trained super bods down to sea level. What I can guarantee is the recovery – it is almost weird, one minute you are wishing you had stayed in bed and the next, you step out of the tank, and 10 minutes later feel right as rain.

Dr Mike Posthumus, Rochez O’Grady, James Thornhill-Fisher, Sarah Walker, Jeanne-Louise Wiese, Erik Kleinhans & Diana Carolin Rogue Contributor: David Bristow Photography: Ashley Attwood, Oakpics.com, Cherie Vale Newsport Media and thinkstock.com. Contributors: Brian Gardner, Tyrone Rawlins and Maritza Terblanche. 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.

My mates seem to think so. Two weeks prior to us starting in the Altitude Centre I was really struggling, the tank coupled with Dr Mike Posthumus’ programme and I am immensely stronger. So I would say unequivocally: “Yes!” Bookings are done through a really cool app and classes are almost always full too. So am I a fan? Without a doubt!

For more information, rates and class availability go to www.bikeplus.co.za ERIK KLEINHANS

ichard (my W2W partner) and I have been hitting “the tank” as we affectionately refer to it, pretty regularly, as part of our W2W training program. It should be said that we have not done anything but the “Aerobic Conditioning” classes and frankly if these are anything to go on we would probably not have managed any of the others anyway… The tank is tough – a class is only 40 minutes long, but believe me it’s tough. I had to make sure it wasn’t just the placebo effect and accompanied our regular instructor Matt down to see that the beast of a compressor actually exists – and yes it does! It’s a monster that “scrubbs” the air via an impressive aray of ﬁlters that ensures you are breathing in rareﬁed air. The result

Has it improved my performance?

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

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 entries close on 20 November 2014.

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FS Safety First

FS News

Enervit launch in SA

If there is a cycle lane – use it! from page 1 wide hard shoulders (ride in the yellow lines). ◆ Ride in a group but not in a bunch. ◆ Anticipate vehicles breaking the rules of the road – especially at intersections. ◆ Take responsibility for yourself – don’t expect other road users to look after you. ◆ Learn to handle your bike – learn to bunny-hop onto pavements, control a skid and corner sharply, you never know when you’ll need those skills in an emergency situation. ◆ If there is a cycle lane – use it (We’re confused, angered and ﬂabbergast at the number of people riding in the road next to the separate, dedicated bike lanes between Cape Town CBD and Tableview.)

Crime Watch Crime is an issue in South Africa in general and cyclists make for soft targets. Whether you’re on the road or the trail you need to be crime conscious. Here are a few tips for avoiding the criminal elements. ◆ Avoid known hotspots – don’t put yourself at an unnecessary risk. ◆ Ride as a group or at least in pairs whenever possible. ◆ Keep your eyes peeled – be on the lookout for suspicious people and avoid them. ◆ Don’t act like a victim – moving decisively to avoid criminals especially if they’re on foot (if they don’t have guns) can get you out of danger before it has the chance to develop properly. ◆ Carry mace –but don’t be a hero, don’t risk your life for your bike. If it’s one assailant and you can mace him and escape ﬁne, but sometimes it’s just best to give up your possessions without a ﬁght and take a walk home. ◆ Insure your bike – knowing your bike is insured will take the sting out of the theft and stop you from doing something silly.

Trail Safety Without vehicles to worry about and with our criminal avoidance tips in mind your greatest concern on the trails is your own ability to get yourself into trouble. Here’s how to keep yourself safe if and when you crash.

The Italian sports nutritional products Enervit were launched in South Africa in October and we’ve given their range of products available locally a try (read about their gels on page 28). Their high carb counts might not be for everyone, but if you’re not a banter then they could well be perfect for you. You’ll see their Pre-Sport, carbo-loader low GI jelly; Enervitene Sport Cheerpacks (the gel we tested); GT Tablets, a 32Gi style energy tablet in a great not too sweet lime ﬂavour; G Sport energy drink and the R2 Sport recovery drink. In the competitive sports nutrition market products need to be top class to gain any market share and Enervit certainly ﬁts that bill. So give their products a try on a training ride. Visit www.enervit.com for more information or mail Tess McLoughlin on tess@enervit.co.za for local dealer enquiries.

Urban Wear for Cyclists

“First and foremost it’s essential that as cyclists, road and mountain, we take responsibility for ourselves whenever we get on the bike.”

◆ Tell someone where you’re going and when you should be back. ◆ Always carry ID and emergency info – there are plenty of companies doing apps, ID bands and crash sensors. Or just get your emergency details printed and laminated, then remember to keep them in your pocket on every ride. ◆ If you can’t ride with someone ride trails with lots of rider traffic. ◆ Always carry a phone – being able to call for help could save your or someone else’s life. ◆ Do a ﬁrst-aid course. ◆ Push your limits on trails you know with riding buddies nearby – not on trails you don’t know when you’re on your own. ◆ Remember it’s not just crashes you need to be weary of – watch out for snakes in summer (especially for Mambas in KZN and the Lowveld) and your body’s warning signs. Don’t ignore a persistently high heart rate (if you’re not pushing the intensity) particularly if you’ve just recovered from the change of season ﬂu.

Stay safe out there!

Surfers have their core clothing labels, so do skaters and the snow sports, but there’s not a lot of cycling inspired leisure clothing out there for people who like to pedal for fun. Jungle Now is changing that though! With their range of designs, great quality cotton and cycling inspired approach you’ll soon be wearing your love of cycling on your chest. Jungle Now gear, t-shirts and hoddies for now are available from all good bike shops or online from www.junglenow.com. And in exciting other news you’ll soon be able to purchase an Erik Kleinhans supporters T (featuring an awesome caricature of the Lion King himself) from Jungle Now and Full Sus urban wear too!

E-Bikes

You’ve probably seen some form of electric bike on the road during your time as a cyclist and thought – ‘lazy bugger’ or ‘cool but not for me’. Well trust us, 30 seconds on an Easy Motion bike will change your mind. Built by the Spanish manufacturer BH Bikes the Easy Motion bikes you’ll see popping up on the roads and trails of SA are dirt devouring mountain machines. Farmer Glen’s wife Mandy has been tearing up the Umkomaas Valley on three hour plus rides. The beauty of the Easy Motion

bikes is in the instant acceleration – the motor only kicks in when you pedal so as soon as you turn the cranks you launch forward at a thrilling rate. They’re perfect for commuting, getting out and about if you’re not too ﬁt or for the members of the family who wouldn’t normally be able to keep up on longer rides.

2015 ABSA Cape Epic

News

Route Announced

ASHLEE ATTWOOD

Wow the 2015 ABSA Cape Epic looks like it’s going to be one for the ages! Starting in Cape Town for the first time since 2009 the Prologue will start at UCT and take in some of Table Mountain’s beloved routes and – here’s the exciting news for Cape Town riders – build some brand new singletracks especially for the event too, that’ll be open to ride post the Epic. From there the riders will take on the climbs and trails around the Oak Valley Wine Estate in Elgin, before traversing the mountains towards Worcester from where the route again crosses some big mountains into the amazing Welvanpas trail network via the breath-taking Bain’s Kloof Pass. The 2015 Epic will finish were the 2014 race started on the trails of Meerendal outside Durbanville. Meer words don’t really do justice to the scale of the challenge awaiting the would-be 2015 finishers: needing to cover 739km with 16 000m of climbing!

In October Full Sus were invited to join the Omnico dealers for a ﬁrst look at the Cannondale, GT, Bell, Fox, Stages Power, Cadence Nutrition, Crank Brothers, Giro and a whole lot more 2015 offerings. The big news from Omnico is the addition of Stages Power Meters, Crank Brothers pumps and pedals, and Cadence Nutrition to their already impressive distribution stable. The 2015 highlights for us were the very cool looking matte black and blue Scalpel 29 Carbon 2 (Omnico are only bringing in carbon Scalpels for 2015) and the new to SA, Cannondale Rush 29ers. The aluminium Rush bikes will ﬁll the R20 – 30K price bracket and while they won’t be featuring the iconic Leftie forks the cash saved means Cannondale can specc them well, making them a real competitor to the Giants and Meridas that usually dominate that market segment.

KARIN SCHERMBRUCKER | CAPE EPIC | SPORTZPICS

Omnico 2015 Product Launch

So scan the QR code to watch the video!

New Race:

Gravel and Grape 3 day stage race

The Breedekloof Wine Valley, near Worcester is set to host the area’s ﬁrst stage race from the 25th to the 27th of April 2015. Entrants of the Slanghoek Triathlon or the Slanghoek MTB Classic will be familiar with the area and some of the great trails. They’ve been hard at work cutting new trails though and the Gravel and Grape will act as a showcase for the riding (and wines in the area). The three day race will end on Freedom Day, meaning you won’t have to take leave – which is a thoughtful bit of scheduling. The routes are up on the event website already, so you plot your strategy of where to coast and where to expend energy blasting the single track. Find out more at www.gravelandgrape.com

FS Roadie Rant

EXPLODING THE

1.5m MYTH

David Bristow’s very good friend Jane insists you cannot keep your eyes open when you sneeze. What she doesn’t know is that I’ve been practicing this little trick for years and years while driving and manage it about 9 times out of 10.

ou can also do it: start by holding the focus on a road sign as you sneeze. It takes training to wax, but the rewards are great. For the past two decades I’ve practising another arcane skill: riding within 20cm of the road verge. I can usually keep it at round 10 cm, but admit it swoops out to a massive 30cm on steep descending corners. It’s a good skill to have when you need to do a bit or road riding, as I had to while doing last-minute training (sic) for the Tour de Tuli. (It was, as usual, full of heat, dust and testosterone, thanks for asking.) But it got me all heated up again about roadies. What is up with these people? I still see them frequently riding two, and sometimes – boggles the mind – three abreast along suburban arterial roads. Of course I shout at them and call them rude names. But ag shame, they cannot really help it. Extensive scientific research has revealed that all road cyclists have the exact same blood type, FAB positive. (If you don’t know, ask someone). Like, did you ever see a roadie smiling like they were enjoying their ride, or greeting anyone, or saying – shock horror! – thanks for moving over? No, they are all on course to win the frikken Tour de Suburb every time they go out, with performance enhancers and poephol-rate monitors and stuff you I’m a super human performer. Enjoy the ride? Loser! Then they go and get all selfrighteous about it, like vegans, or born-againers. If a car driver dares

to hoot at them to move over, they throw signs, and bleat. Then the real geniuses will key the car, or pour their sticky recovery drink in through the window for a real Pyrrhic victory (if you don’t know look it up and learn). I have seen these things. What astonishes me is that they think they can win the battle. They really do. Which emphasizes that old FAB thing. I mean, how stupid do you have to be to have it explained to you that in the law of the road, trucks trump everyone. Buses come next on the feeding pyramid and taxis below them. Then it’s SUVs, then saloons, then motorbikes and only then the humble bicycle. It’s a case of big eats small out there. On the asphalt jungle tracks the only creature more lowly and pathetic than the lycra-clad cyclist is the two-legged, no-wheels, mewling and puking pedestrian (to misquote the Bard). Which is why I practise the 20cm road-riding rule. I am not going to swerve along (as roadies

“No, they are all on course to win the frikken Tour de Suburb every time they go out.” will) throwing rude signs at some Neanderthal truck driver or taxi pirate thinking I’m going to win that fight. It also makes me laugh when I see cars with those red and yellow “keep a 1.5m distance” stickers. Whoever thought up that campaign has not

thought much on it, or done the math and the measuring. I have. I was riding along Spaanschemat River Road in Tokai the other day, when a roadie whizzed past me. I was riding on the gravel verge, but more of that later. She was all dressed up in pretty pink with a double century logo on her gillet (look it up). She was riding 55cm into the road: I know this because I stopped, marked the spot, then went back and made some measurements. I added to that the approximately 30cm for her right handlebar, and onto that added the 1.5m required apparently, for cars to keep a safe distance. Then I measured my car (a Subaru, thanks for asking). Wing mirror-tip to wing mirror-tip and it’s 2.08m wide. It adds up to 4.43m so far. Now add that, let’s say 30cm that a car needs between itself and the road median. Total 4.73m!

So here lies the problem I measured the lane and it’s only 3.55m wide. Clearly something has to give. Remember the road feeding pyramid? It’s the bicycle! Because the trucks and the buses and the taxis and the SUVs and the saloon cars and the motorbikes (okay, we can discount them), sure as hell aren’t going to. A reality-check safe road-cycling campaign should really go like this: if the road is not at least 5m wide (giving extra width for trucks and buses), YOU SHOULD NOT BE RIDING THERE, DUMMY! But do they listen, oh no. I know in Cape Town, where I live and ride that would exclude many favourite road cycling routes including most of Main Road, Constantia Nek, Spaanschemat River Road and Ou

Kaapse Weg. Even Chapmans Peak. And I’m sure it’s much the same scenario all across our fair land. So what to do, other than having sniping teams roaming the roads and taking out roadies whenever they cross that line? Practice, like I do. Once you have waxed the open-eyeswhile-you-sneeze-while-you’re-driving sleight of eyelids, it’s time to move on to the 20cm road riding trick. It takes time, concentration and dedication but hey, it could just save your life. I have taken this to a higher level. I have joined the ranks of those other mountain bikers who ride the verge. I always ride the sidewalk (rule 1: pedestrians rule the sidewalks so slow down and give way, and use a bicycle bell) where there is one. Or I ride on the gravel verge. Failing that I ride in gutters and other run-off channels. Or up and down embankments where there are any. There are places along Constantia Nek and Spaanschemat roads where I have gone out with secateurs to trim the herbage so I don’t have to swerve onto the tar and into traffic coming up fast from behind, of course with no prior signalling (thanks for the thumbs-up on that one). It’s a game and it greatly improves three things: your riding skills, your safety, and your feelings of selfrighteousness. Even we mountain bikers can enjoy that warm inner glow of feeling superior from time to time. Thing is, when we do, we’re not harming anyone or pissing anyone else off. No, we’re just simple all-round nice, caring and – let’s admit it –frikken smart mountain bikers.

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FS Mountain Bike Orienteering All you need fo r MTBO a map holder – the o is a bike, a co rganise mpass rs supp a ly the m nd aps.

Try MTBO

Off the beaten track with a compass and a map

Join the MTBO fun at the Groenkloof Nature Reserve, Pretoria on 15 November 2014. All the information is up on www.orienteering.co.za/ mountain-bike-orienteering. Quick links… WEBSITE: www.orienteering.co.za/mountain-bike-orienteering/ FACEBOOK: MountainBikeOrienteeringSouthAfrica

Permanent MTBO courses in Gauteng

“Mountain Bike Orienteering is the next big thing to hit the constantly growing sport of Mountain Biking in South Africa!” or so says environmental scientist Brian Gardner. Here at Full Sus we’re always keen on getting lost on our bikes, so we got Brian to map out MTBO for us.

ountain Bike Orienteering – more commonly referred to as MTBO – is gaining more and more momentum with every event. Competition is hot amongst the top riders, and success is more often determined by cunning navigation rather than speed and technical ability. The sport of MTBO is a discipline of orienteering; and instead of running around on foot (which is the traditional form of orienteering), competitors use mountain bikes and a detailed map to navigate along paths and tracks from point-to-point. MTBO is different to your usual mountain bike race; in it participants start at intervals of 1 or 2 minutes, similar to a time-trail. Worldwide, MTBO is a relatively new sport with the ﬁrst World Championships taking place in 2002. Since then, the sport has grown tremendously, especially in central and western Europe. MTBO has been around in SA for about 6 years, but has only recently started gaining popularity and is an officially

recognised and regulated sport now too, governed by the South African Orienteering Federation.

Which way is North? The one thing that most people are afraid of when trying out a sport that requires navigation is getting lost. Maybe true, but MTBO maps are super detailed, with all paths and tracks marked, as well as various colours on the map showing different vegetation. If you can read a simple street map, you will have absolutely no problem reading an MTBO map! Events can also be done in pairs or threes, where navigation is shared, or where one person in the group does the navigation. This is a great way to start out, and there is only one way to learn – give it a try!

So what do you need? As with any mountain bike event, it would be good to start with having a mountain bike, helmet (compulsory!), shoes, water bottles and the usual spares. A map holder or map board

“The sport of MTBO is a discipline of orienteering; competitors use mountain bikes and a detailed map to navigate along paths and tracks from point-to-point..” 8

is recommended, but certainly not essential. A map board is usually attached to the bike handlebars, which makes it possible to view the map while riding. Map holders are actually very easy to make, a simple old clip-board and cable ties is a great start. You could look at upgrading to something more professional for your next race. Maps of the speciﬁc race area are provided by the event organiser at the start line. Participants receive their maps with pre-marked “control points” on them 1 minute before they start. This is done so that participants have no idea where any of the control points are located before they start. It makes the racing and quick decision making very interesting!

How long is an event? MTBO events are much shorter than your normal mountain bike race. There are usually three different length courses on offer at any event with distances ranging between 12 and 28kms. It always takes longer to do an MTBO event than the same distance on a marked route – because navigating using the map and thinking of which route to take between points takes time.

There are many opportunities to practice your navigation by heading out to Groenkloof or Northern Farms to try the permanent MTBO courses there. Short (about 8km), Medium (about 13km) and Long (about 18km) distance courses are available at each venue. These permanent courses can be ridden at any time, and the maps can be downloaded and printed before you go. Maps and instructions of all the course options at both Groenkloof and Northern Farms are available online. Just choose which course you want to, download the map, colour print it on an A4 page and take it along with you the next time you head out.

So what’s next for MTBO in South Africa? South Africa has a very progressive mountain biking community and we boast some of the World’s best trails and stages races. Riders are always looking for a new challenge, and we are hoping that many more mountain bikers will give the sport a crack and ﬁnd their next level in mountain biking. We’re planning to make maps of many new and exciting mountain biking areas, to increase the number of MTBO events available on the calendar.

Brian Gardner is an environmental scientist who was bitten by the MTB bug 14 years ago. He took up mountain bike orienteering four years ago and recently participated in the second round of the 2014 MTBO World Cup series in Kristianstad, Sweden.

OFFICIAL DISTRIBUTOR WWW.OMNICO.CO.ZA

FS Suspension Maintenance Part Three

SHOCKS 101

In the September and October issues of Full Sus we delved into the ins and outs of looking after and the servicing of your forks and now we’re moving on to your rear suspension. Here’s our 101 of keeping your shock in working order.

f you’re fortunate enough to be riding a full suspension bike there are a few things to keep in mind. For the beneﬁt of comfort and added traction on climbs and descents you are paying a weight penalty (linkages, pivots and the shock weights do stack up a bit) but the performance beneﬁts are usually more than worth it. Where the real drawback lies is in the maintenance. The bearings in the pivots need replacing from time to time, but the major point of wear and tear – which requires regular servicing – is the active ingredient in it all, your rear shock.

ROCK SHOX KEY: A. Shaft eyelet B. Air can valve C. Shaft D. Seal head/air piston E. Main piston F. IFP (Internal Floating Piston) G. Damper body H. Damper body eyelet I. Top out bumper J. Air can K. Sag indicator o-ring L. Rebound adjuster M. Damper air ﬁll port cap

C D

either inﬂate, if it’s moved through more than 25% travel, or deﬂate if it hasn’t reached the 25% mark. It might take you a couple of goes to get it spot-on and Fox suggest you adjust in 5 PSI increments. Once you’ve got it dialled in make a note of the PSI and then when you check your sag in future you can just set it back to that number.

E F

Here is the Fox service interval chart (sorry if you’re running RockShox, DT Swiss, X-Fusion, or anything else space is a premium, but you can use the table as a general guide anyway).

FOX – REAR SHOCK Set sag

New

Check sag; reset if necessary

After every ride

Set damping adjustments

New

Clean shock exterior

After every ride

Air sleeve maintenance

Every 30 hours

Clean, inspect bushings & reducers

Every 30 hours

Suspension ﬂuid service

Every 100 hours or annually

Sag So with the fact that you should be checking your sock’s sag (or air pressure if you will) after every ride let’s get into how you do just that. For the uninitiated sag is the amount your suspension compresses when you sit on the bike. It allows the suspension to compress and also extend in order to maintain traction when unweighting over drops, dips, or when cornering. It can be controlled with coil spring rates, coil preload, or air pressure. The general rule of thumb is 25% of your total suspension travel should be taken up by sag. So if you’re bike offers 100mm of rear suspension travel, your shock should be 25mm depressed when you’re sitting on the saddle. RockShox have a pretty simple way of recommending what air pressure your shock should be set at to achieve the optimal sag for your weight. They print a handy chart on their shocks so you can set your suspension up with minimal fuss. Specialized have a pretty simple system in their tuned Fox shocks, which removes all the guess work. The Autosag system does virtually everything for you, all you need to

”Once you've got it dialled in make a note of the PSI to make checking your sag in future easier.” do is set the Brain fade adjust to fully open, pump the shock to 300 PSI (they say double your weight in pounds plus 15psi, but who in SA know their weight in pounds?) and let the air out of the Autosag valve until it stops, replace all the air valve caps and reset the Brain fade adjust to your preferred riding setting. On a standard Fox shock the process is a little more complex and will require you to get the ruler out or just estimate where the quarter travel mark is. You then climb aboard the bike, sit on the saddle and get a mate to give you a gentle shake to settle the suspension. Get off carefully, so as to not move the o-ring, which indicates how far the shock travelled through its range of travel. If the o-ring isn’t at 25% travel

Scan the QR Code to watch the ‘How to video’ for Fox shock sag adjustments.

Keeping the moving parts clean

H I

Other than setting your sag your normal routine should involve keeping you shock, especially the damper body clean. Use mild soap and water only (that’s the official line) then wipe it down with a soft towel. It’s also a good idea to avoid high pressure hoses and rather use a bike friendly solvent to clean your bike and suspension pivots before spraying it down gently with water. If you use the right stuff you don’t need high pressure (see page 26 for more on bike washing).

Shock Pumps

To ensure the longevity of your fork and shock you’ll need a shock pump. All local bike shops should have a selection in stock. They need to have a pressure gauge, should be able to pump to 300 PSI and have to have the ability to release air from the shock without detaching from the shock’s air inlet valve.

K A good option is the Ryder DigiShock Pump, for R800.

FS Trails

Get on your bike and explore the wonders of SA’s forgotten province – Limpopo

holy mtb fun

Headline

IN LIMPOPO

Head north to Limpopo, the Rainbow Nation’s most unexplored province, and you are sure to discover some mountain bike destinations of note. The Fundudzi Camp, one of the camps making up the African Ivory Route, is a case in point. Photographs and words by Jacques Marais. Local Buzz: Driving into the Thohoyandou region is a bit like blinking and waking up in Rwanda (in a good way, though). People who know East Africa will appreciate the similarity of forested hills, verdant tea plantations, clear streams and high-density rural spread. The camp itself is in close proximity to the surrounding traditional villages, so expect to hear some tavern revelry on the weekends. Do not let this bother you, as Fundudzi comes packaged with heaps of plus-points. Head straight into their mountainous backyard to

lose yourself within a mix of Mondi plantations and huge swathes of indigenous forest. Pristine streams and placid lakes shimmer amidst dense vegetation, and the birding, biking and running here are off the charts. Fundudzi is set in the Vhembe Region of Limpopo Province, within the high-lying reaches of the Soutpansberg, and the area is better known as the ‘Land of Legends’. Their Venda language and culture can be traced back to Central Africa, from where the original people moved south centuries ago.

“Head straight into their mountainous backyard to lose yourself within a mix of Mondi plantations and huge swathes of indigenous forest.” 12

Trail Low-Down: Wham bam, thank you Ma’am! Anything goes, from a 5km quickie outride to a thumping 100km-plus outback trail mission. For one of the prettiest three hour mountain bike rides you can imagine, head out of the entrance to Fundudzi Camp and turn left up the steep and rutted gravel road. Bite the bullet, as the surface is loose and slippery when wet, but the pain and suffering will only last for a few hundred metres. Crank hard until you reach the summit and continue to a scenic mountain stream (1.2km), then cross it and into the Mondi plantations along a faint forestry track. Keep looping left onto both footpaths and forestry tracks as you ascend, passing through some indigenous forest before eventually dropping down to the dam (8.1km). Keep in mind that these are working plantations, so areas may be felled, with trucks and work teams on location. Pass along the northern shoreline of the dam until you reach the inlet

stream, where a bridge allows you to cross onto a winding gravel road meandering to the Holy Forest, a sacred site to the local Venda people. Should you decide to head upwards and onwards along these remote dirt roads, you will be best off with a GPS or a good map, as there is very limited signage along the way. For those of you keen on keeping the ride shorter, ascend back from here into the pine plantations above the dam inlet. Continue into a gradual climb en route back to Fundudzi, with the anti-clockwise loop leading back parallel to the valley. Exceptional views across to Thohoyandou and the surrounding tea plantations will open up on your right, with various route options dipping into the valley. If you kept going beyond the dam bridge, keep an eye out for occasional signs indicating the way to the Holy Forest. You will cross two more streams before reaching the entrance at a sign welcoming you to Thathe Sacred Forest. For the next 3-4km, it is important to stick to the main dirt road, as it is taboo

Trails where are we?

Getting there:

Funduzi ◆ Camp Limpopo N1

From Thohoyandou, follow the R532 for 9km, then turn towards Gondeni on the D3681. Turn left at sign to Mukumbani; after 3.3km, the road will become gravel – continue for another 2.6km following the African Ivory Route signs to Fundudzi Camp.

ZIMBABWE

SOUT

In rural Limpopo the Fundudzi camp offers visitors the chance to immerse themselves in a beautiful environment. Along with the Mondi plantations there are tea plantations and spectacular natural veld. You’ll also be spoilt for choice with traditional Venda cultural attractions like the Minwenda traditional clothing and the Domba Dance.

MOZAMBIQUE

to venture into the forest where the spirits dwell. Depending on your route choice, you can bank anything from an easy 10km gravel ride to a 100km-plus marathon out to the Holy Forest and back. Whichever way, you are spoiled for choice here in the ‘Land of Legends’!

Mpumalanga

ICA

SUS the Fundudzi MTB Route:

www.mapstudio.co.za

Grading:

Must-Do Event: There are

Easy to Intermediate (steep)

currently no MTB events listed

Duration: 3 hours

for the area

(Holy Forest Route)

Access: The roads are all

Conﬁguration:

public access

Circular/Return: 46km

Accommodation:

Start Point: Fundudzi Camp Terrain: Forestry tracks; gravel

Thatched rondawels with shared

road; some single-track

Local Contact: Speak to Nelson

Cell Reception:

at Fundudzi Camp for info –

Very limited signal

(+27) 15 - 781 0690

ablutions; clean and secure

Post-Ride Beer: Kid’s Corner

www.africanivoryroute.co.za

Tavern, in the local village

GPS: S22’53.668” E30’24.273”

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

THE ULTIMATE GARDEN ROUTE RIDE

KNYSNA 27 FEB - 1 MARCH 2015

WWW.GR300.CO.ZA

DAYS STAGES

ENTRIES

OPEN 17 NOV

“Ek dink al wanneer die tweetjies potensieel gevaarlik kan raak is as iets of iemand in hulle pad staan om hulle doelwitte te bereik!”

ER CAP SCH KARIN

potensieel gevaarlik kan raak is as iets of iemand in hulle pad staan om hulle doelwitte te bereik! Snaaks genoeg het albei redelik laat in hulle lewens begin ﬁetsry, Ariane in 2009 van ‘n swem-agtergrond en Annika in 2008 na veelsydige ﬁksheidsporte soos ski en ook swem. Die twee het darem ook nie net mieliepitte tussen hulle ore nie, met Annika op die punt om haar tandheelkunde-graad te voltooi, terwyl Ariane spog met ‘n Meestersgraad in Sportwetenskap. Annika het wel alreeds drie wêreldmarathontitels ingesamel insluitende die jaar in SA, waar Ariane vyfde geëindig het, maar hopelik is ten minste net een van daai titels nog vir Ariane beskore! Die ABSA Cape Epic die jaar was volgende op hulle radar. Met Team RECM wat oorgeskuif het na die wonderlike Specialized-produkte, dieselfde as Annika se borg, het dit die logistiek van die uitstappie baie vergemaklik, veral met Bobby en Bianca van Specialized Suid-Afrika se inkoop in die projek. Weereens was dit ‘n groot suksesstorie! Die algehele titel was hulle s’n. Behalwe vir ‘n effense senuweeagtige eerste skof in die modder met bietjie probleme, was hulle terugveg pragtig om te volg! In 2014 het die Swiss Epic te voorskyn gekom. Switserland is sekerlik een van die sterkste

UCK ERMBR

ns het Annika Langvad leer ken by die 2013 Marathon Wêreldkampioenskappe in Kitzbuhel, Oostenryk, waar sy vir Denemarke verteenwoordig het. Daar was ‘n redelike onmiddellike vriendskap en respek tussen die twee van hulle en daar het toe alreeds praatjies begin om die ABSA Cape Epic saam aan te pak, en ek wonder of selfs die twee van hulle geweet het dit is die begin van ‘n wonderlike vriendskap! In pleks daarvan om sommer net saam in die grootste bergfietsskofresies in te spring, het hulle besluit om eers hulle fietsry vernuf en persoonlikhede te beproef in die Bridge Cape Pioneer Trek. Nie dat die Pioneer enigsins te versmaai is nie en met ‘n lekker dik beursie trek die pragtige resies in die Suid-Kaap ook van die beste marathonryers in die wêreld, en vir 2014 is dit selfs ook geklassifiseer op die UCI kalender. Die Pioneer was ‘n groot sukses! Nie net het hulle skoonskip gemaak deur al die skofte en die algehele titel te wen nie, maar die vriendskap was kompleet! Hoe dan nou anders? Ariane en Annika is intelligent, het vriendelike persoonlikhede, hulle gesels maklik en kom met almal oor die weg, arrogansie bestaan nie in hulle woordeboek nie, en beide is super gemotiveerd om die beste uit hulle liggame te kry vir hulle sport. Ek dink al wanneer die tweetjies

E EPIC

DIE WENNER-VENNOOTSKAP!

Ariane en Annika het met ses skof-oorwinnings redelike gemak die eerste Swiss Epic gewen. ZPICS

ARIANE EN ANNIKA,

SPORT

Erik Kleinhans het vir Ariane, die Switserse meisie met haar gebroke Engels as ‘n groentjie-bergﬁetsryer by die Cape Pioneer Trek ontmoet. Nou is Ariane sy vrou en sy trap ‘n ﬁets hard! Annika ken hulle net sedert 2013. Dit is die storie van Ariane en Annika se wêreldwennervennootskap.

MARIUS MAASEWERD

FS Kleinhans Muesli

die skof om k eerste pic te wen. a w s eg na ‘n BSA Cape E terugv 2014 A es het

Die dam

bergfietsnasies, en met die hulp van legende Thomas Frischknecht, was dit hoog tyd vir hulle om ‘n top bergfietstoer aanmekaar te sit. Weereens was dit nie lank voor die tweetjies opgeteken het vir die sesdag resies in die Valais-Alpe nie. En met nog ses skof-oorwinnings later, het hulle met redelike gemak hulle derde week-lange toeroorwinning ingepalm in dieselfde hoeveelheid probeerslae! Terwyl Ariane en Annika skoonskip gemaak het oor die water, het die RECM seuns darem ook nie teruggestaan in ons tuisland nie. Nico het die Nasionale XCM Series finaal by Crater Cruise gewen sowel as die algehele seriestitel met Lourens in tweede plek. En ‘n week later kon ek die bekende Karoo to Coast tussen Uniondale en Knysna uiteindelik wen na menige probeerslae!

Scan the QR Code to read this article in english.

RECM se Erik Kleinhans is een van SuidAfrika se gewildste bergﬁetsjaers. Hy het sy vrou, Switserse marathonkampioen, Ariane, diep in die Kammanassieberge op die 2010 Cape Pioneer Trek ontmoet. Hy het vanjaar die Meerendal-SongoSpecialized span van Christoph Sauser en František Raboň in die Cape Epic ondersteun saam met Nico Bell. Volg hom op Twitter by @erikkleinhans of besoek sy weberf: www.kleinhansmuesli.com.

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AVAILABLE IN LEADING STORES SOON.

FS Bike Review

The Axis of MTB ENTERTAINMENT

If you’re looking to get into this wonderful sport, writes Seamus Allardice, but are overwhelmed by the bike options in the under 15K price range here are a couple of options from Axis. The well specced A30 for those of you wanting to race straight up that mountain and the A70 for those of you wanting to ease in via the bike paths and gravel roads.

A70 – Lowdown

The A70 is a 27.5 inch wheel equipped bike aimed at the rider whose main aim is to ride the bike path and undulating gravel roads to fitness and fun rather than the serious singletrack shredder. That being said it won’t fold under the pressure of a trip up and down a mountain – you might just be left gasping for gears or wishing for a bit less weight. At a recommended retail price of R5 200 it’s hard to fault. In that price range you could find the horrors of mechanical disk brakes, but the A70 is equipped with the capable Tektro Auriga mineral oil hydraulic disk brakes and the Suntour/Shimano blend 3 x 8 drivetrain which will see you comfortably conquer almost anything the roads throw at you, especially if you ride the bike where Axis intend you to. The blue and black, with white trim, colour scheme is also very easy on the eye. And the ride? Well the ride is comfortable, the 27.5 wheels make for a tight turning circle and the bike has a compact feel to it overall which provide a sense of security to less confident riders. The Suntour XCT HLO coil spring fork might be heavier than we’re used to (being spoilt), but it’s plush enough and keeps the front wheel rubber side down on rougher terrain than most A70 riders are likely to put the bike through. Speaking of rubber the CST Patrol 2.25 tyres offer a wider and more aggressive tread than the A30’s Jack Rabbit’s. They provide the bike with more grip through the corners and again add to the sense of security for the rider – at the expense of rolling speed, but it’s an educated trade-off that we wholeheartedly endorse.

SUS The A70 Compments (RRP R5 200) Drivetrain

Shimano/Suntour 24 Speed (42/32/22T chainring & 11/32T cassette)

Fork

Suntour XTC HLO 27.5 Coil Spring (100m travel & 9mm QR)

Brakes

Tektro Auriga disk brakes (160 front & rear)

Wheels

Alex MD17

Tyres

CST Patrol 27.5 x 2.25

Bar

Kore Flat Bar 31.0 Ø x 710mm

Stem

Kore 90mm riser stem

Seat Post

Kore 31.6 Ø x 350mm

Saddle

Kore Koza Saddle

Pedals

VP Pedals (Flat)

If you’re cautious about how you, or possibly your wife/son/daughter, are going to take to mountain biking and don’t want to spend too much money on a ﬁrst bike the Axis A70 is a great place to start. Take the plunge on an Axis – you’ll be tearing up the trails and calling yourself a mountain biker in no time!

“It’s a feeling that school boy racers will love – weight forward and rearing to go.”

Bike Review FS

ALL PHOTOGRAPHY BY ASHLEE ATTWOOD

A30 – Lowdown

In January we rode the Axis A20 2014 model and so we knew what to expect from the 2015 Axis A30. A solid frame, Kore components, and better than you’d believe drivetrain and brake components, making for a heck of a lot of bike for your buck. When we picked it up the ﬁrst thing we noticed was the green and black colour scheme. It’s not understated and it’s not for everyone. For my money the A10, A20 and A40 siblings look nicer in their more subdued livery, but then I’m normcore (look it up). Once you get beyond the neon green and start looking at the components you’ll note the 2 x 10 drivetrain, no messy 3 x 10 here, made up entirely of

SUS The A30 Compments (RRP R12 999) Drivetrain

Shimano SLX/Deore 20 Speed (38T/24T chainring & 11/36T cassette)

Fork

RockShox XC30 Solo Air with remote lockout (100m travel & 9mm QR)

Brakes

Shimano BL-M396 lever & BR-M395 disks (180 front & 160 rear)

Wheels

Kore XCD 29er

Tyres

CST Jack Rabbit 29 x 2.1

Bar

Kore XCD 2 Flat Bar 31.0 Ø x 710mm

Stem

Kore XCD Stem 31.0 Ø

Seat Post

Kore XCD Seat Post 31.6 Ø x 400mm

Saddle

Kore Durox Saddle

Pedals

Shimano PD-M505 (SPD Pedals)

Shimano components. In addition to the proper mountain bike drivetrain there’s also the Shimano hydraulic disk brakes – with their crazy nondescript product codes rather than names – with a 180mm front rotor for all the stopping power you’re ever likely to need and a more than adequate 160mm rear rotor. The rest of the components are sourced from US brand Kore’s stable as is the Axis way. The important bits – the wheels and saddle – are solid. The

A30 shares the eyelet-less XCD 29er wheels with the A40, while the A20 and A10 have the added reinforcement of eyelets where the spokes pierce the rim. That being said I didn’t notice any lack of stiffness in the A30’s wheels and combined with the CST Jack Rabbit tyres the bike rolls like greased lightning. The Kore Durox saddle is too narrow for my sitz bones and that’s deﬁnitely something to keep in mind when looking to purchase the bike

– ask the LBS if you can swap/ exchange it for a wider saddle if you need one. Most importantly the ride… Aside from the Jack Rabbit tyres, which are a bit low proﬁle for Cape conditions (they might be more suited to the harder packed trails and roads around Jozi) the A30 handles and rides beautifully. The large frame we tested came specced with a 110mm stem, but Scott Sports SA (Axis’s local distributors) tell us that the standard specc will be 100mm for large framed bikes and 90mm stems for the medium sized models. The stretched out riding position provided by that stem (570mm from saddle tip to handle bars) makes the bike feel instinctively racy and aggressive. It’s a feeling that school boy racers will love – weight forward and rearing to go. The added bonus of the remote lockout on the RockShox XC30 Solo Air makes the A30 an easy bike to ride hard, as you can lock out the fork and climb in a standing position without having to reach for the fork lock-out lever down near your front wheel. If you are looking to race on the A30 you should know that you’ll need to invest in an upgraded set of tyres though as the Jack Rabbits aren’t compatible with a tubeless conversion – though the Kore wheels are. All in all at R12 999 the Axis A30 is going to be a tough bike to beat in its market segment, perhaps challenged only by its A20 sibling – with its tubeless ready MaxxisIkon 3C tyres and RockShox Recon Silver Air fork.

FS Skills

speed and risk a spin-out. That’s if your pedal doesn’t crash into the ground next to the rut ﬁrst. Climb above the ruts. If your back tyre does slide down in there, keep pedalling, look ahead and get out as soon as you can. Often, if you can get up enough speed the bike will come out of the rut on its own. Don’t try and steer out of the rut.

Getting out of a Rut

Running water and rolling tires can carve mini dongas into your favourite trails. These wheel traps mess up your balance, steal your speed, and collect rocks and other scary stuff. They’re “usually” to be avoided, but they can be your friends if you follow James Thornhill-Fisher’s advice.

FS Nutrition

THE BATTLE OF THE LOW CARB BALANCED DIETS

VS.

Narrow ruts keep you from wiggling around for balance. Funnily enough, the faster you go through/along a narrow rut, the better.

uts that run down the trail love to grab you and lead you into terrible situations. On a gravel road or jeep track, there’s plenty of room to take a better line. But if the trail is super narrow and there’s nowhere else to ride, go ahead and take the rut.

Cross ruts with caution

Stay out of uphill ruts When you climb in a rut and your rear tyre scrubs the “donga” wall, you lose

Everyone has been Banting (or rather ranting) about these low carb diets. So Rochez O’Grady answers the milliondollar question: does it produce results? And if it does, are they better than a healthy balanced diet?

was released by the University of Stellenbosch in June this year. The study group showed 19 clinical trials that focused on weight loss and heart disease risk factors. It included 3209 overweight or obese patients, some with diabetes.

What did the study ﬁnd?

t’s been plastered all over the news – low carbohydrate diets result in similar weight losses when compared to their balanced counterparts. This was after the study (Scan the QR Code to read the study),

FS Conservation

If daily calories are restricted, with overweight and obese people with or without diabetes, weight loss takes place, whichever diet was followed. ◆ It is the total energy consumption that is the main factor, not which diet you are on. ◆ Up to the 2 year follow-up date there was no or little change in heart disease risk factors and diabetes between the diets. ◆ Long-term effects of a low-carb diet are unknown, with the longest current follow-up data being 2 years.

The Elgin Valley around Grabouw might be known nationally for its poverty driven social unrest and service delivery protests but to Western Cape mountain bikers and trail runners the area is synonymous with epic trails, writes Jeanne-Louise Wiese. CHERIE VALE | NEWSPORT MEDIA

Enjoying the fruits of nature in Grabouw…

When you have to cross a rut, try to hit it at a wide angle, and don’t let your tyres get caught in there. If you hit a small rut head-on, you can just get “light” on your bike. If you need to cross a huge rut that runs parallel to your line, hop over

ZOON CRONJE | NIKON

James ThornhillFisher, the MTB Guru, has over 25 years of cycling and mountain biking experience. He’s ridden over 60 000km in the last ﬁve years, leading numerous Cape Epic trial rides along the way. Check out his website for upcoming training camps and workshops: www.mtbguru.co.za

Stay out of narrow ruts

his playground is situated between the Hottentots-Holland, Kogelberg and Groenland Mountains with a valley ﬂoor scattered with leg numbing hills. These hills are home to the largest single export fruit producing farms in Southern Africa, called the Elgin Valley which inherited its name from

So where does this leave you? Let’s look at what is meant by a low carbohydrate diet. This term is very broad, but by deﬁnition is seen as any diet that has less than 45% of its total energy from carbs. But some low carb diets go up to a restriction of just 5% of total energy from carbs. Low carb diets cut down on total energy intake by avoiding some or all: ◆ Starches (e.g. bread, rice, pasta etc) ◆ Starchy vegetables (e.g. pumpkin, potato, sweet potato, peas, corn etc) ◆ Fruits ◆ Sugar and sugar-containing foods and beverages

a group of apple farms owned by the Molteno family called “Glen Elgin”. The town of Grabouw is situated along the banks of the Palmiet River and was originally created by a painter from Cape Town (Wilhelm Langschmidt), who developed the community around his wife’s small trading store and named the place after his town of birth in Germany, called Grabow. Later a number of pioneer families bought property in the area and turned the Elgin Valley into a fruit producing paradise where the famous “Appletiser” drink was ﬁrst created by Edmond Lombardi on his farm Applethwaite and introduced to the market in 1966. But apart from the famous apple farms in this area, there are also pears, greenhouse cut ﬂowers, roses and cool climate wine producing farms. The area is also well known for its fantastic mountain biking trails

“If your back tyre does slide down in there, keep pedalling, look ahead and get out as soon as you can.”

Coaching

Nutrition

the entire thing. Manualing works for smooth transitions, but if the transition was smooth, you won’t be worrying about the rut, would you…

When loads of riders have carved through a soft corner, the best line gets formed by the compacting of the dirt, and it often forms a fantastic little berm—especially on ﬂat or off-camber corners. But when the ruts get deeper than ±15cm or if they develop big holes, they become dangerous. Then it’s time to ﬁnd a different line.

In which degree, these foods are cut out of the diet depends on what low carb diet you are on. So where is the rest of your energy coming from if not from carbs? ◆ Liberal amounts of fat – up to 70% of total energy (typical ‘Banting’ of LCHF diet) ◆ Liberal amounts of protein ◆ A combination of the two. These food groups reduce hunger therefore we eat less, which means naturally restrict energy intake.

So what is a balanced diet? Energy intake is reduced by decreasing portion size, and cutting down on energy dense foods. But keeping carbs, protein and fat within the following recommended ranges:

or for relaxing at the Country Club overlooking the Eikenhof Dam. The trails in the area include the Cape Pines, Oak Valley, Lebanon, Thandi and Paul Cluver trails which offer cyclists a mixture of single tracks, tough climbs, long rides and breathtaking views. It is no surprise that more than 600km of track runs through this area. Most of the trails in the area require an entry fee which is used for maintenance of single tracks and bridges over fences and streams. MTO Forestry also presents the cyclist with the Cape Pine “Genesis” trails at Elgin which wind through the plantation covered hills which also forms part of Cape Pine’s commitment to sustainable forestry for the health of the environment and economy. Drawing back to my earlier point about poverty in the region, MTO supports a range of programmes that beneﬁt local communities

WWW.OAKPICS.COM

Use ruts in turns

Those are going to bake into ruts as soon as the sun comes out.

◆ Carbohydrates: 45 – 65% ◆ Protein: 10 – 35% ◆ Fat: 20 – 35% Balanced diets bulk up with plenty of vegetables. The types of carbs recommended are all unrefined, which are high in fibre. Fats recommended are from plant sources (e.g. avos or nuts) or fatty fish (e.g. salmon or trout). Lean protein is recommended for a balance diet.

Which diet is best for you? Dieticians look at more than just diets. Our consultations involve a thorough medical background investigation, body composition analysis, current lifestyle analysis, an in-depth dietary history, and an evaluation of past weight loss successes and/or failures. By doing this, we are in a position to

help you determine exactly what will suit your body and lifestyle. It is more about a lifestyle and behaviour change. This means that no diet, which is an external locus of control, can help you make the change. It is about you and how to access that internal locus of control to make the changes that will become a healthy lifestyle. An important role would be for dieticians to access your internal locus of control, and help improve your relationship with food. The focus should not be on the symptom, which might be to lose a few kilos, but rather on the cause that is preventing behaviour change. If you are still feeling like you are in the mist and really confused, the best suggestion would be to go and see a Registered Dietician, who could offer you some professional advice and help.

Scan the QR Code to read the study released by the University of Stellenbosch in June this year. Rochez O’Grady (pronounced r-OH-shay) is a registered Dietitian and runs her own practice called MunchWize.She focuses on educating and motivating her clients in practical ways to follow a healthy lifestyle and achieve personal health goals. You can ﬁnd out more about MunchWize at www.munchwize.co.za or ask Rochez your nutrition related questions at rochez@munchwize.co.za.

Conservation FS “The 100 000 hectare UNESCO designated Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve is considered to be perhaps the greatest biodiversity hot-spot in the world.” such as the Grabouw Food Garden, the Grabouw Food Kitchen and the Khula Nam environmental education programme. This entire mountain biking playground forms part of the 100 000 hectare UNESCO designated Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve, considered to be perhaps the greatest biodiversity hot-spot in the world and the ﬁrst biosphere to be registered in South Africa. This reserve does not have any fences or ﬁxed boundaries but relies on the commitment of local communities, farmers, conservation agencies and local government to protect this unique diversity of fynbos. The area is home to about 150 endemic plant species which are found

nowhere else on earth and attracts cyclists, runners and eco-tourists to this area by the thousands each year. Vegetation species of interest include the endangered marsh rose (protea family) which only occur on a few inaccessible peaks, yellowwood, stinkwood, boekenhout, wild almond, rooi-els and Cape beech trees. Among these you may ﬁnd animals thriving in their natural habitats such as the leopard, cape clawless otter, grey rhebuck, klipspringer, peregrine falcons, black eagles and ﬁsh eagles. It is very important to remember that all trails in this area have been developed as a result of the passion and generosity of local landowners, residents, nature conservation and plantation companies. So please

respect that when you ride through these areas, purchase the necessary permits, stick to the marked trails and keep your water bottles, plastic containers, tissues and wrappers with you and dispose of it responsibly.

Jeanne-Louise Wiese is a Senior Environmental Practitioner for engineering, management and specialist technical services giant Aurecon. As an avid MTBer she has the good fortune of consulting on the Provincial Department of Transport to upgrade and maintenance programme for gravel roads, so she gets to visit secluded areas and take her bike along.

FS Physiotherapy

Strength training for cycling A good strength training programme will improve your performance on the bike, reduce recovery time and prevent injuries. So this issue Sarah Walker provides a few practical tips.

t is important to strengthen movement patterns rather than individual muscle groups, as the brain recognises patterns of movement rather than individual movements. The areas of the body that take abuse in cycling include calves, quads, hamstrings, glutes, chest, shoulders and wrists. Patterns of movement for the leg muscles mentioned would be squat calf raises, multi directional lunges and one legged squats. While for the upper body, do push ups, pull ups, dips and rows. You should keep in mind though that there are different types of strength which are achieved in speciﬁc ways. But how do these types of strength relate to cycling and how can you train them?

Relative Strength Relative Strength in cycling terms is the ability to move the weight of your body and bike efficiently in the direction you wish to go. What: It’s all about recruiting more motor

units in the muscle to create more force. How: Use 3-5 sets of <40s per set, 6 reps, body weight plus high resistance where applicable (60-110% of your maximum resistance). Exercises to do: Lunges, squat calf raises, push ups, dips and pull ups.

Speed Strength Speed strength can be broken into two forms – Explosive Strength and Reactive Strength.

Explosive Strength Explosive Strength relates to your ability to apply bursts of speed for sprinting or climbing. What: The kind of strength those okes in the gym are usually trying to build. How: Plyometric type exercises (jump training – exert maximum force in short intervals of time), 5-10 reps per set, 2-5 sets, <15s, controlled movement with pauses between reps to reset your position. Exercises to do: Step or hurdle jumps, forwards backwards or sideways; progress to hops; jumps up and then down into a squat (shrug jumps) and burpies.

Reactive Strength Reactive Strength provides you with the ability to perform springy light quick movements like spinning. What: Stay light on your feet and promote muscle control/coordination even when exhausted. How: 2-5 sets <12s per set, 10-20 reps per set, body weight or medium

FS Massage Therapy Ever wondered about massage etiquette or what type of massage to get? Diana Carolin is here to help with her third and final massage inspired article. Do your best to arrive at least 10 minutes early if you are a new client in order to fill out any forms or to have time to discuss what you are wanting from the therapist. Otherwise arrive 5 minutes before. If you are going to be late send a message or if you can’t make it at all give as much notice as possible, at least 12hours. Once you arrive you will be greeted and shown to the treatment room where you will be shown to undress and lie down. Please keep your underwear on, unless told otherwise by your therapist. It could save unnecessary embarrassment. Check that you are lying the correct way round on the plinth. Then cover yourself with the towel provided. Please give the therapist feedback, i.e. if it is too sore or the pressure is too soft. Don’t lie and suffer in silence please. And afterwards it is good to have a glass of water to flush out any

toxins and rehydrate yourself. If you were happy with the massage and your experience then a small tip is always appreciated. Always be polite in conversation and above board and don’t make any lewd remarks as it is embarrassing for the therapist. There you have it. It’s pretty simple really.

Here are a few other things to consider

Don’t go for a massage if you have any of the following: ◆ Any contagious diseases (including colds or the ﬂu) – don’t spread your germs. ◆ Recently had an operation or an acute injury ◆ Neuritis ◆ Skin diseases ◆ Fever ◆ Or are under the inﬂuence of drugs (including prescription pain meds) or alcohol.

Start your programme with a 10 minute warm-up jog, row or bike. Pick 2 – 4 exercises for each of the three groups mentioned above, mixing upper and lower body. Finish off with a few core exercises and stretches to cool down (see my Physio Columns in the June/July and August issues of Full Sus). 2-3 strength sessions per week are sufficient with a 2-5% increase in load each week. Remember to allow recovery time after each session and provide good nutritional support.

Sarah Walker is a is a sports physiotherapist who has been involved with treating cyclists for 15 years. She’s worked at many MTB stage races around the country and from her Cape Town practice sees many a sports person. She teaches Pilates and is a ﬁtness trainer for tennis academy. Sarah believes that a thorough sports speciﬁc assessment followed by a well-planned exercise programme to treat the cause of the problem is the key to gtting her patients back to full health and sporting success. Go to www.walkerphysiotherapy.co.za for more info or send your questions to sarah@walkerphysiotherapy.co.za ◆ Psoriasis or eczema ◆ High blood pressure ◆ Osteoporosis ◆ Cancer ◆ Nervous or psychotic conditions ◆ Heart problems, angina, those with pacemakers ◆ Epilepsy ◆ Diabetes ◆ Bell’s palsy, trapped or pinched nerves ◆ Gynaecological infections

Massage Etiquette How does one behave when you go for a massage?

resistance. Exercises to do: Up and down a step or skipping (stay on balls of feet to strengthen calves and explosive strength of the lower leg and foot).

Also please mention any cardiovascular conditions (thrombosis, phlebitis, hypertension, heart conditions) to the therapist.

Please tell your therapist before your massage. He/she can massage but not over any areas affected by: ◆ Varicose veins ◆ Undiagnosed lumps or bumps ◆ Bruising ◆ Cuts ◆ Sunburn ◆ Undiagnosed pain ◆ Inﬂammation, including arthritis

If you suffer from any of the following conditions, please make sure that massage is approved before your session, in writing, by your physician. ◆ Any condition already being treated by a medical practitioner ◆ Oedema

Do any of these conditions mean that a treatment may not take place? In many cases not! In fact, massage can be very therapeutic for many medical conditions. However, in the above cases it is best to have advice from your physician. Massage therapists, unless they are also qualiﬁed doctors, may not attempt to diagnose a condition and they must refer you to a doctor.

Diana Carolin is a Cape Town based Massage Therapist who specialises in deep tissue and therapeutic massages for stress relief, back problems, injuries, general soft tissue maintenance and sports related muscular tension.

ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TIME TO FLY Racing hur ts. Winning makes the pain go away. Trek Factory Racing makes the pain go away aboard the Superfly every chance they get.

Dan M cCo n n e l l | H af j el l , N o r way | trekbikes.com/superfly Di s t r i bu ted by D H B D i s t r i bu t i o n ( PT Y ) Ltd Emai l : i n fo @ d h bd i s t r i bu t i o n .co.za Te l : 021 202 273 0

FS Coaching

but more importantly, reduces the effectiveness on uneven and climbing terrain (where the loss of power is only to the detriment of the rider). Hip flexion angle is measured while the leg is at the top dead centre position. Optimal hip flexion angle should be in the range of 71 to 83 degrees. It is best measured by an expert bike fitter.

Cleat position

How to get your bike ﬁt correctly The science of bike ﬁt is

THE SCIENTIFIC PRINCIPLES OF CORRECT BIKE FIT: Part 2

extremely hard to apply accurately. Ergoﬁt is a comprehensive ﬁtting tool using a predictive and

In this issue Dr Mike Posthumus briefly reviews the scientific literature on bike fit, with special attention to optimal bike fit for improved performance and reduced injury risk. This column will discuss optimal reach and cleat position. (Part 1 was in the August issue of Full Sus)

dynamic ﬁtting process

history, training load, ﬂexibility

he sport of cycling is riddled with anecdotes and traditions. Just as with training and preparation, the correct saddle height and riding position are often prescribed based on lore and tradition, rather than sound, validated scientific principles. What follows are some guidelines on bike fit, with special attention to optimal bike fit for improved performance and reduced injury risk. In Part 1 (Scan the QR Code to read Part 1), we discuss saddle height and saddle setback. In this article, Part 2, we will discuss optimal reach and cleat position.

Reach Reach refers to the distance between the saddle contact position and the handlebar contact point. It is divided into horizontal reach and a vertical component known as drop. When a rider extends to reach the handlebar, a number of compensatory mechanisms occur. The ﬁrst is shoulder extension which generates the greatest reach but becomes progressively more uncomfortable and difficult to maintain beyond 105°

of extension. In combination with shoulder extension, the rider will ﬂex the lower back, rotate the pelvis anteriorly and move the shoulder blades around the torso (forward) to effectively lengthen the arms (scapular protraction). Once shoulder extension and lower back ﬂexion have reached their limits, only pelvic rotation and scapular protraction can increase the reach further. Excessive anterior pelvic rotation causes the front of the pelvic ring (the symphysis pubis) to push into the front portion of the saddle. This is the most common cause of erectile dysfunction and numbness in male cyclists and a source of severe discomfort in women. Many shops will try to sell softer or wider saddles or saddles with large cut-out sections in an attempt to cure this problem, when simply reducing the reach will eliminate the discomfort immediately. Excessive shoulder protraction is one of the most common causes of neck and shoulder spasm in cyclists. The trapezius muscle (between the shoulder blades) does not like to work from an overly stretched

“Excessive anterior pelvic rotation causes the front of the pelvic ring to push into the front portion of the saddle. This is the most common cause of erectile dysfunction and numbness in male cyclists.“

incorporating the factors discussed in this article. While some bike fitting methods use subjective assessments or limited static measurements, almost none take dynamic characteristics such as training and discipline into account. Ergofit contains an advanced regression algorithms which ensures its extreme accuracy. For more information or to schedule an Ergofit please email fittings@sciencetosport.com.

position for long periods of time and as a result, can develop small areas of spasm after a few hours of riding in an overstretched position. This results in a burning sensation between the shoulders and at the base of the neck. Once again, reducing the reach will eliminate the discomfort. Finally, the hip flexion angle is a crucial component of cycling performance. Excessive reach or alternatively too little reach both affect the hip flexion angle and will therefore affect power production adversely. In the former case, the reduction in frontal surface area of the cyclist reduces the aerodynamic drag and may initially result in a net gain in speed even though there is a loss in power. This is why the setup of bicycles used by riders from the Benelux region (which is predominantly flat) is usually long and low in front. Similarly, bike setup products designed in those countries are generally in favour of a stretched out position. This frequently results in an uncomfortable setup

Cleat position is often a focal point of bike setups. The fore / aft position of the cleat is often touted as being very important. However, contrary to this belief, moving the cleat either 4cm further forward or backward has absolutely no effect on oxygen consumption and efficiency. There are, however, some anecdotal reasons to justify a more forward or rearward position. The foot effectively acts as a lever on the pedal, with this lever being positioned at approximately a right angle to the forces being exerted on the pedal. As such, the calf muscle must act primarily to stabilise this lever, rather than contributing to any of the forces being applied. In extreme cases (maximal sprints or starting efforts) the calf muscle can make a small contribution to extra force production. In the majority of cycling disciplines, the stabilising function is most important. As such, a shorter lever (moving the cleat backward) will exert less force on the calf muscle. To this end, there are a few riders riding on Pro Tour teams who are experimenting with extreme posterior cleat positions (where the cleat is positioned under the arch of the foot). For most riders, the recommendation is to place the cleat under the ball of the foot, particularly when not using carbon soled shoes as forces during cycling are exerted under the ball of the foot and not elsewhere. Track cyclists, cross country mountain bikers and sprinters may want to experiment with a slightly more forward position.

Scan the QR Code or visit www.fullsus.co.za to read Part 1 of the bike ﬁt series.

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

The Boer Bull Descent on day 2 of The Old Mutual joBerg2c is one of many special, single track sections of happiness on our route across South Africa. Hand-carved for your riding pleasure, the Boer Bull is one of the reasons we can say the route is king. Drop everything. Do the ride. Earn the t-shirt!

enter at joberg2c.co.za

FS Ride Report Ride the Rhino

A ﬁrst stage race EXPERIENCE

T OSPOR | PHOT K HCOC

LINS

TYRON

E RAW

task of conquering Dassenberg you Donder - a monstrous climb to selfie –ere… e o h s The ou were h the mast and highest point of the wish y ride. This marked the “King of the Mountain” and a spectacular view point, if you had enough breath to take it in. Unfortunately, reaching the peak was just the halfway point of this challenge, riders were then tested with the mammoth, treacherous, descend down to Cloof. On reaching Cloof, thankfully, for the first time the wind was behind us. There was a festive atmosphere in the camp as beers and wine flowed and the National Anthem bellowed out whilst witnessing the Bokke give the Aussies a hiding! A steak braai (if you ate red meat) kept the festivities going. A quick stroll into town saw us settling into a quaint restaurant where we were joined by Joel Stransky, who despite looking in immense agony gave us a comical re-enactment of his spectacular faceplant during his descend of Dassenberg Donder. Day three saw very weary bodies slowly emerging from their tents, a combination of distance already pedalled, sun kissed skin and over celebration from a great rugby victory. We were in for another challenging day, although relatively flat we were headed straight into the south-easter as we took on the final 90km and 1 340m to the Hillcrest Quarry in Durbanville. Actual riding aside, one of the bigger tasks of the day was trying to keep tabs on the whereabouts of your partner as everybody wore the event shirts to show their support for the majestic beast, the rhino. There was a fierce pace from the start, people were obviously very eager to get home! The last few kilometres were knocked off fairly quickly along the tar before dropping into the Hillcrest Quarry and the final hurdle: the Tip Trans Bridge. After riding a total of 260km in three days, the last thing you felt like doing was offering entertainment and falling off the floating bridge in front of the thousand odd spectators. To make matters worse, they put a pallet in the middle which you had to bunny hop over. Thankfully the death grip I had on my handlebars saw me make it over gingerly whilst Serena chose the safe option to get off and run across the bridge to the finish line to complete her first stage race experience and collect the all-important medal! The ride is a great introduction to stage racing, geared towards the first timer with the route requiring a very basic skill level with a lot of district road however easy, I would definitely not recommend underestimating it like we did and get in a few long rides as preparation.

LINS E RAW

r the bike fo ng her in beach. ri e ld u sho onte Serena om the Yzerf fr hike up

en ride Real m ’s like do e e in sp roject Rhino P dor, a s s . amba ewman Steve N

HITC CHRIS

ure, it’s heavily marketed as a “ride”, but reality is she has never ridden further than 40km on a mountain bike before. I justify it to her and myself: it’s like going on three training rides, in a row, at an Argus distance, off road, over much steeper mountains, it would be a “fun” weekend away! The appeal of “Ride the Rhino” begins with the 9am start from Langebaan Country Estate, a leisurely hour drive out of Cape Town. Pulling into the parking lot, we were immediately caught off guard by the number of participants. It was great to see that the White Rhino (the shorter route) had included a junior category and how many of the kid’s parents and schools had given them permission to take the day off to ride. Serena, being a digital nerd and relatively new to mountain biking has spent countless hours Googling bike brands and pinning the “pretty” ones she would like (before querying price), quickly pointed out that the majority of the parking lot’s bike racks hardware totalled to more than some of the vehicles themselves! Stage one initially had 80km and 1 334m of climbing installed for us, but a simple error of a poorly placed marker left the field with a 94km and more than 1 600m of effort for the day. The extra distance and mighty unpleasant headwind aside, the stage offered a fairly comfortable ride consisting of tar and district roads through the scenic West Coast National Park. Being spring, we rode through fields of multi coloured flowers, and if your partner wasn’t yakking at the top of her voice, you may have been fortunate enough to spot a variety of wildlife through the Postberg area. Leaving water point one, we were steered towards the beach, thankfully it was low tide and the two kilometre stretch was pleasurable on the hard packed sand through to Yzerfontein. The iKwaTtu Reserve provided some decent single track winding up to the Spur water point. Day one was pretty much a transition period from Langebaan to the quiet town of Darling. Getting Serena to the end of stage one was only part of my effort for the day, the majority of it was going to be spent soothing over the whole camping experience for my anti-camping princess. The advantage of doing a stage race with your partner is that you can share the load, one bag for clothing and the other for everything necessary to create a glamping atmosphere: double duvet, two pillows, ipads and portable modem - to enter the Argus and stream the surfing in France. After the extra kilometres of day one, we were assured that day two wasn’t going to be more than 89km and 1 636m of great riding around the Darling area. Riders were treated to some fantastic flowing singletrack including a fast “Old Man’s Bend Challenge” a series of berms wrapping themselves through the gumtrees. It was pretty much all smiles until just before Cloof Wine Estate and the daunting

CHRIS HITCHCOCK | PHOTOSPORT

TYRON

“Did I just say that? Is she ready for this? Am I ready for this? Almost immediately as the words left my mouth thoughts of regret began to cloud my brain.” Tyrone Rawlins had just asked his girlfriend, Serena, to ride her ﬁrst stage race with him the week before the 2014 Resolution Health Ride the Rhino.

A F R I CA Northern Cape

◆Langebaan Cape Town

Western

◆Durbanville Cape N2

where are we? The Resolution Health Ride the Rhino takes place annually to raise funds to ﬁght rhino poaching and for the conservation of the highly endangered Renosterveld. The three day race runs from Langebaan on the Cape West Coast to Durbanville, in Cape Town’s northern suburbs. Tyrone Rawlins is as committed to mountain biking as they get having built a business, One Movement Events, around promoting schools mountain biking. In 2013 he completed the ABSA Cape Epic with Craig Kolesky and he’ll be lining up again in 2015, this time with Shane McConnachie for the Dare2Share Foundation. Follow him on Twitter at @TyroneRawlins.

Ry-verslag Ride the Rhino

Renosters Trek Weer Saam

Maritza op ’n Weskus vakansie – of dit is hoe dit vir haar voel as sy die kans kry om self viets te ry.

ie Ride the Rhino is nie net nog ’n skoftewedren nie, maar ’n geselligheidsgeleentheid vir elke tipe fietsryer, van sosiaal tot professioneel. Dit is verseker enig van sy soort en dié drie-dag multi-byeenkoms bied jou van die rofste en mooiste areas vir fietsry in die Weskaap. Die wedren begin by die Langebaan Country Estate en die eerste uitdaging van die dag was die “early bird challenge” om jou wakker te maak. Elke ryer het ’n gholfbal ontvang met ’n nommer, waarna ons dan verby ’n gholfbaan moes ry en die bal ’n afstand ver gooi. Die persoon wie se bal die naaste aan die gat lê, het dus ’n prys ontvang. Daarna was ons die voorreg gegee om deur die Weskus Nasionale Park te ry, met al sy lenteblomme wat begin kop uitsteek het. Nog ’n Weskusverrassing het opgekom toe ons na Yzerfontein se strand geneem is. Daarna was die waterpunt by iKwaThu in sig, wat ook bekend is vir sy San kultuur. Die organiseerders het verseker gesorg vir genoeg vermaak op die roete die jaar. Vir die minder ernstige deelnemers was daar orals op die roete geleenthede om wyn te proe, asook ’n olyfpit-spoegkompitisie. Me tal die opwinding was 80,7km in ’n japtrap afgehandel. Dag twee was in en om Darling gehou met nog meer watertand-wynproestasies om jou genoeg krag te gee vir die Dassenberg Donder, wat ook die hoogste klim van die wedren was. Met amper 3000m se klim agter die rug was al die bene daai aand seer en die kamp doodstil, maar ’n heerlike steak en een gratis wyn op die tafels het verseker opgemaak vir die pyn van dag twee. Die laaste dag het aangebreek en almal sien uit om hul geliefdes by die Hillcrest Quarry in Durbanville te ontmoet. Elke ryer het ’n spesiale en unieke renoster fietsryhemp ontvang, wat die laaste dag gedra moes word. Dit het die uitdaging om jou spanmaat te soek nogals interessant gemaak. Ons was die laaste dag bederf om deur pragtige areas naamlik Botterberg, Philadelphia en Havanna Hills Wynlandgoed te ry. Met 10km om te gaan het Hooggekraal seker gemaak hy tap nog die laaste bietjie energie uit voor jy by die eindpunt die Tip Trans dryfbrug moes oorsteek. Die Ride the Rhino is ’n byeenkoms wat jy kan ry en nie noodwendig hoef te jaag nie. Hulle bied ook korter afstande aan, asook ’n afdeling vir skoolkinders.

TOSPO K | PHO HCOC HITC CHRIS

he m on

CHRIS HITCHCOCK | PHOTOSPORT

Elke jaar sodra lente aanbreek, kom ’n groot groep “renosters” in die Weskus bymekaar en dan word daar op hulle bergﬁetse gejaag tot in die Kaap skryf Maritza Terblanche.

ing

ne ,

Maritza Terblanche is ’n soigneur vir ’n pad resies span. Sy doen alles vir hulle, van massering tot kos voorbereiding, so ’n MTB wedrenne is amper ’n vakansie vir haar. Sy het al die Cape Epic, Joberg2C, Desert Dash en vele meer gedoen, maar daar is nog baie op haar lysie.

FS AmaRider Trails & Tourism – Product Development The development of a trail is a multi-faceted process of which trail construction is but a component of the overall project. If you want your trail system to reach its full potential you will have to address the various product development components required to expose the trail to the marketplace writes AmaRider’s Meurant Botha.

n terms of marketability, trail owners often overlook the fact that their trails are part of the larger regional attraction. In the case of high-traffic tourism regions like Cape Town or Durban, trail operators benefit from an existing influx of tourists and you’ll see that your visitor statistics will reflect this. If you are situated further from the major tourism routes, you will have a much tougher time to generate substantial visitation and will have to place a special emphasis on destination marketing. Unless you are fortunate enough to offer 60100km of trails, your trail system is always going to be a stop-over and not a multi-day destination capable of attracting tourism revenue beyond the permit office. It is therefore important to align yourself with other product owners in the region to enable the region to market to, and attract visitors as a collective. In case your region is lacking in trail infrastructure, this might mean having to partner with aligned businesses like hotels and restaurants. The easiest structure through which to achieve this is the local tourism office although the capacity and effectiveness of your local organisation varies from town to town.

It starts with signage Although we have seen a big increase in formalised trail product development, much of South Africa’s singletrack information is still in the domain of local knowledge and requires some form of guiding to expose new users to the treasures out there. This is particularly true of noncommercial trails as commonly found in and around towns and cities. These local trails must however not be overlooked when looking at a region’s trail offering as they often represent some of the best riding, created over many years by passionate riders.

Orientating guests and visitors without proper maps and route markers is a near impossible task so proper signage should be the ﬁrst consideration in any product development campaign. When considering which trails to signpost, it is important to decide whether it is possible to maintain the integrity of the signage over the long term. There is nothing more frustrating than having signage stolen or vandalised and of course your visitor, followed by the permit sellers, bear the brunt of any breakdowns.

Map it! Once you’ve signposted your trails, it is important to draw up legible maps. It is perhaps a good idea to get some constructive criticism from other riders and friends to ensure that your map is ready for public consumption. There are many jokes about men, maps and asking for directions. This problem is exacerbated and taken to a whole new level when interrogating the man who drew the map. Trust me… In terms of product development, descriptive trail names are much more likely to become part of local knowledge and this adoption of local trail names in general conversation is very common in trail meccas like Whistler, Moab and Park City.

Develop an events calendar Throughout the process it is a great idea to use events to fast track product development. Events are the perfect way to profile your trail system and drive the production of maps, elevation profiles and increase signage. I always say that you can use events as marketing that pays for itself as a well-run event should at least break even. The stories that surround an event offers multiple opportunities to speak to a wide audience and profile not only your trail system, but the region as a whole. Many attractions measure the public relation spinoff as the event ‘profit’. Product marketing is a continuous task as there are numerous offerings out there, all vying for the bicycle visitors’ attention. Also don’t forget to keep your trails in top condition as a high quality visitor experience is paramount to your marketing strategy. That said, I’d better go fix those route markers…

Scan the QR Code or visit www.fullsus.co.za to read the full feature. Meurant Botha is the founder and director of AmaRider. AmaRider is a South African non-proﬁt company with the aim of improving MTB opportunities on the African continent. Contact them at 021 8844547 or info@amarider.co.za or visit the website at www.amarider.co.za

FS The reviews

Take the fuss out of washing your bike After a long and dusty, or worse muddy, ride there is nothing you feel less like doing than washing your bike. It’s a schlep. But not with Namgear! Now it’s a seven minute process – for real.

’ve been a little lazy of late, what with the hose from our building being stolen (or the neighbour took it when he moved out – which isn’t actually theft as he did buy it) and my bike’s been getting pretty dirty. I’ve kept the chain clean but everything else was looking pretty dusty. So when Marius Bronkhorst from Namgear told me how easily his products clean a dirty bike I wanted to believe him but it sounded too good to be true.

But let me assure you it’s not! This stuff really works! It’s so easy too and requires no elbow grease, unlike most other products. All you have to do is spray the Bravo25 bike wash on your dirty bike (before you’ve sprayed it down with water even) and allow it to do its thing for a bit. After a couple of minutes you spray the Bravo25 and all the mud, dust and grime off your bike with water. If your drive train is particularly dirty (like if it’s the ﬁrst time you’re using Namgear) give it a thorough squirt with Charlie15. It’s a solvent based chain cleaner and as my chain wasn’t too dirty it worked perfectly on its own, but if your drive train is super dirty you could always run a hard bristled brush against your cassette and chainrings while turning your cranks to get the stubborn grit off. Or load your chain cleaner with Charlie15 to get your chain looking as good as new. Again once you’ve left it to work its magic, spray the muck and Charlie15 off with water.

“It’ll leave your ride shining brighter than it did the day it came out of the box.”

With your drivetrain and bike now clean it’s time to give the most impressive product in the Namgear range a try – the Sierra7 bike polish/sealant. It’s the only Namgear product that’ll require any effort from your part, but given the results the couple of minutes it takes to rub down the bike are more than totally worth it. All you do is spray Sierra7 onto your partially dry frame (there can still be the odd bead of water on your bike) and let it dry. Once it’s completely dry use a lint-free cloth to wipe down the bike, removing the excess Sierra7. It’ll leave your ride shining brighter than it did the day it came out of the box, from your frame to your tyres and plastic components – everything is covered in a gleaming protective layer. Sierra7 also ensures the longevity of your bike by preventing rust and sun damage. A number of bike shops, including Olympic Cycles, Revolution Cycles and Chris Willemse Cycles have been using Namgear’s products in their wash bays too, and their feedback has been exceptionally positive. And it’s also worth mentioning that Namgear is biodegradable (you can wash your bike on your lawn without damaging the grass) and carbon bicycle friendly. Look out for Namgear in your local bike shop (if they’re not stocking it ask why not). You can expect to pay, R70 for the Bravo25 1l spray bottle, R160 for the Bravo25 5l reﬁll, R90 for Charlie15 500mm spray bottle, and R95 for the Sierra7 1l spray bottle. For the bike shops Namgear is also available in 25 litre containers for commercial use.

Visit www.namgear.co.za for more info.

y next passion was bicycles and within a year, with my son and my wife, we opened our own Local Bike Shop. My son and I were both keen mountain bikers – definitely not competitive, just enthusiastic and knowledgeable mountain bikes. We loved bikes as much as we loved riding them - maybe more. I spent a lot of time and money on my cycling addiction. So instead of just being an addict, I became a dealer! Armed with a pile of our local mountain bike magazines we searched for product and supplier contact information and set about ordering stock. It wasn’t easy setting up a new business but that’s not the topic of this article. What was easy was that we were only selling 26 inch mountain bikes which were typically spec’ed along these lines: Tubed tyres; triple chainrings, 8 or 9 speed clusters; internal square taper or octalink bottom brackets with the odd external cup; narrow riser handlebars; long stems; alloy wheels; skinny quick release skewers; 100 to 140mm travel forks with straight steerers; limited tyre tread, width and sidewall thickness selection; and mainly alloy frames and very few, expensive carbon frames in specific models. Today, around 8 years later, a ‘typical’ bicycle doesn’t exist. There are just so many options. So many technological advances. So many types of bikes. There are no ‘standards’ any more. But let’s take a stab at defining a ‘typical’ bike today - this time 29 inch bikes (with a growing number of 27.5 or 650B options available): Tubeless; double or single chain rings; 10 or 11 speed clusters; press fit type bottom brackets; wider flat bars; shorter stems; weight and riding style specific wheel sets, both alloy and carbon mainly with thru-axles; 100 to 160mm travel forks with tapered steerers; huge tyre tread, width and wall thickness selection and both alloy and carbon frame selections are available across the range of specific models. The challenge today for us and our bike mechanics is that most of what was popular in 2007 is

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO RUNNING A SIMPLE LITTLE BIKE SHOP?

In 2006 Stirling Kotze decided he’d had enough of the corporate world and considered opening a coffee shop. After some back-of-a-cigarette box calculations he quickly realized that the coffee shop wouldn’t even pay the bond.

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

Stirling Revolution still being serviced and even sold as much cheaper new bikes today. Technology for us is yesterday, today and tomorrow. We have to have the spares and skills to deal with old, current and future technology that is just bursting onto the scene like electronic shifting and upside down forks. The point of this article is not really about technology. It is about the metamorphosis of our bike shop. From my point of view as an older guy who set out to run a small Local Bike Shop I now have a business that needs to be at the forefront of technology. Our customers sometimes talk to me about stuff I don’t understand. Fortunately my son does. And so do my staff. They explain it to me but a week later they have to tell me again. Fortunately for me I have a whole bunch of older customers who also ‘don’t understand’ and believe everything I tell them. So, for now, I still have a job. But there is so much more to running this LBS than just technological advancements. Worse is the stuff I don’t want to understand. I’ve never considered myself a Luddite (Google it). Hell, I’m typing this article on an iPad Air and I’ll e-mail it to Full Sus and I’ll save it to the Cloud and even download it to our website! My big issue is social media. I just can’t wrap my mind around it. I understand that it is really important, adds value, informs people, gratiﬁes instantly and so on. I just don’t like it. Twitter, Wechat, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Pinterest. WTF! I have socialmediaphobia. Truth is we probably need this social media stuff in our business going forward. And I am on Facebook. I just don’t use it. Even if you are my friend I ignore your friend request. So instead of making new friends I lose existing friends. Each year my new year’s resolution is to embrace Facebook, get my friends back and ﬁnd some new friends. I go onto Facebook, I try, but it looks and works completely different to last year when I last used it. I do,

however, manage to ignore more friend requests. And that’s it, I wait for next year. It dawns on me that I’ll have even fewer friends at my 60th and even fewer at my funeral. I registered for Twitter because it allows fewer words. Problem is I am too embarrassed to ask someone how to tweet. And I have long forgotten my password. WhatsApp is something I do use. Actually, I belong to a few groups, keep myself informed by behaving like a voyeur - I read but I don’t contribute. Instagram. Forget it. I am eating at a fancy restaurant and someone at a table next to me photographs her Pot Luck Club plate of expensive food. ‘What is she doing?’ I inquire. ‘Instagramming a photo of her food to her mates.’ I lose my appetite. Truth is, it is never too late to teach an old dog new tricks. My son SJ (coowner of the business) is dragging me by my leash into the new technological and communications era and by the time you read this our LBS will be in shiny new premises with a state-of-the-art workshop, four ﬂoor areas catering to all kinds of riders and riding experiences. We will have evolved from a corner cafe to a modern deli. Am I looking forward to it? Yes, especially since my son and wife have indulged me by letting me have my own coffee shop slap-bang in the middle of the store. But am I looking forward to the new expectations now required by social media so that every selfimportant opinionated Tom, Dick and Harry can share their views on my social networking platforms? Hell no, call me old-fashioned but I still prefer people to have the maturity and (sometimes) courage to express their views to me in person.

Drop in, for a coffee

at Stirling’s new store at 177 Bree Street, Cape Town. Maybe you can recover his Twitter password for him.

Electrically assisted Go anywhere No sweat Huge fun Commute Up to 90km per charge FROM R29 995, FINANCE AVAILABLE!

www.easymotion.co.za

FS Comp

Tell us why your local bike shop is great and stand a chance to win an Axis A40 mountain bike!

THE PRIZE

Win this fantastic Axis MTB worth R 10 500 by telling us why your local bike shop is so great that you’ll never covert to another store! The Axis A40 is a double butted 6061 aluminum hard-tail designed for devouring the trails and gravel roads. It features a 27 speed (3x9) Shimano Deore/ Altus drivetrain, a Suntour XCR AIR RL fork with remote lockout and 100mm of travel and CST Jack Rabbit 29 x 2.1 Tyres to keep those 29er wheels rolling smoothly. Added to the mix is the ever reliable stopping power of the Shimano BR-M355 disk brakes, with a 180mm rotor on the front and a 160mm rotor on the rear. Kore’s XCD components make up the stem, seat post, saddle, wheel set and the 710mm wide ﬂat bar. All round the Axis A40 is a bike that’s virtually unmatched in its price range. If you’re looking to get into mountain biking or just looking for a capable, well specced and competitively priced hard-tail then Axis A40 is the place to start (before checking out the rest of the Axis A series range).

ing show g s y ppin p Bu Phili his whi Bridge oﬀ n the Trek. r so skill Pionee e p a C

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.

Win an Axis A40 MTB

HOW TO WIN Send an email to comp@fullsus.co.za by no later than the 20th of November 2014 with the subject: “Why my LBS is the greatest.” Tell us the name of your local bike shop and why you love them (no need for an essay, keep it brief) and remember to include your full name, ID number, a day time contact number and a delivery address. Due to the value of the prize the competition will be running for the months of October and November, so look out for the winner’s name in the December/January bumper issue of Full Sus. Good luck!

photo of the month

GEAR Enervit Enervitene Sport

Unlike most gels the Enervitene Sport gels come in what Enervit call a ‘Cheerpack’ – which is a larger sachet with a screw top lid. What makes that so great is you have two servings in one convenient packet, or more if you prefer smaller servings, because with a screw top you can control your serving size. In addition to the usual quick burst of energy offered by all gels the Enervitene Sports gels also contain group B vitamins and caffeine. RRP: R50 Main Ingredients: Fructose and Texture: Slightly less viscous than most gels – almost a sports drink like Glucose syrups mouth feel which then becomes more Nutritional Information (per 100g): viscous with a gel like ﬁnish. Energy value: 789KJ, Carbohydrates Sachet Size: 60g 46.4g, Protein 0g Flavours: Citrus and Orange

PVM Octane Gel The most protein rich of the gels on show here, the PVM Octane Gels are formulated from 84% carbohydrates, 4% protein, and 12% fat. They, like their USN counterparts, contain L-Carnitine which improves fat metabolism and Glutamine which helps prevents fatigue and could play an essential role in the maintenance of a healthy immune system. The caffeine containing chocolate ﬂavour is clearly marked as containing 100mg of caffeine for those of you who are either looking for, or looking to avoid that particular stimulant. RRP: R20 Main Ingredients: Polysaccharides Texture: Viscous but not as gooey and Maltose as the GU, does tend to make globules Nutritional Information (per 100g): in your mouth. Energy value: 1 275kJ, Carbohydrates: Sachet Size: 35g Flavours: Chocolate, Vanilla, Citrus & Cherry 64g, Protein: 3.1g

USN Vooma Ultra USN’s Vooma Ultra gel comes in two handy containers, ﬁrstly in a regular sized sachet with the normal tear/bit off top, and secondly in a toothpaste style tube containing two servings, with a resealable lid. The USN gels are formulated to help reduce muscle cramping too – which given that you’re most likely to be reaching for a gel in the ﬁnal kilometres of your ride or race is particularly useful. USN is also actually a local company – a fact that’s often overlooked perhaps because of their slick marketing and packaging – so they can produce their products at a very competitive price. RRP: R14 (36g) & R25 (80g) Texture: Like warm treacle, less Flavours: Peach, Chocolate, Vanilla viscous than the rest (except for the & Espresso Enervit gel) but more sticky. Main Ingredients: Carb mix of Sachet Size: 36g sachet or 80g tube Maltodextrin, Fructose, Palatinose (Remember to remove the tamperproof and Isomaltulose. seal between the cap and the tube, Nutritional Information (per 100g): before you start your ride, on the 80g Energy value: 1 193Kj, Carbohydrates: Vooma tube.) 69.5g, Protein: 0.5g

Gear FS

Gels for days… but which ones are for you? We’re spoilt for choice at the checkout counter of every local bike shop by the multitude of energy supplement options. But it can be a bit awkward to stand around reading the backs of gel packs, like some food snob, while the sales person waits impatiently behind the till. So here are a few options we looked into for you. 32Gi Sports Gel We did an extensive review of the 32Gi gels in the August issue of Full Sus but for their packaging alone they deserve another mention here. The super clever snap packet is environmentally friendly as there’s no bit, or lid, that gets torn off and dropped on the trails. 32Gi uses GMO free brown rice syrup as the main ingredient and being locally made they’re exceptionally competitively priced. RRP: R19 Texture: Sticky and fairly viscous but without the globular mouth feel of some gels. Sachet Size: 30g Flavours: Vanilla and Coffee

Main Ingredients: Brown Rice Syrup Nutritional Information (per 100ml): Energy value: 1 278Kj, Carbohydrates: 74g, Protein: 1.2g

GU Energy Gel GU is virtually to energy gels what PVM’s Energy Bar is to energy bars. Saying, “pass me a goo” isn’t necessarily brand specific anymore – it’s just a call for an energy gel. And with their range of flavours and handy 100 calories (418Kj) per sachet serving GU’s are easy to use and readily available from most bike shops and sports stores so you’re unlikely to get caught without one for a ride or race. RRP: R21 Texture: Very viscous and for want of a better word gooey. Sachet Size: 32g Flavours: 15 different flavours including Espresso Love, Salted Caramel & Just Plain.

Main Ingredients: Maltodextrin Nutritional Information (per 100g): Energy value: 1 308Kj Carbohydrates: 68.8g Protein: 0g

SUS The Advice We’re all different and while some gels will agree with your riding buddy they might give you digestive issues. So it’s always best to test gels on training rides and consume them with a hearty sip of ﬂuid. Relying purely on gels for energy on a long ride is a sure way to induce an upset stomach for most riders – so unless you’re a serious race snake looking for 100% power 100% of the time – use gels in the last hour/15 – 20km of your ride to help you ﬁnish strong.

YATE FARM RETREAT

We are situated in what most call the Mecca of mountain biking in the heart of the Harkerville area between Knysna and Plettenberg Bay in the Garden Route, with thick indigenous forest and some beautiful rides for all tastes. We offer luxury self-catering accommodation with secure lock-up facilities for bicycles and easy access to hiking and cycling routes, the ocean, nature reserves and various other activities.

www.yatefarmretreat.co.za Email: reservations@yatefarmretreat.co.za Tel: 044 533 9160 Thea: 083 276 8961 Zac: 083 400 2327

FS Calendar SUS THE BEST OF December 2014 MPUMALANGA

Wolwedans Trail Run

20 Cape Agulhas MTB 21 PSG Garden Route Trail Bike + Run Presented by Bryton #1

13 Sabie Xperience

26 Monties Hartenbos MTB Race 28 PSG Garden Route Trail Bike +

Series #12

Run Presented by Bryton #2

31 Great Brak Grabadoo FREE STATE

6 Parys Island Dirtmax MTB

EASTERN CAPE Steeltek Classic Hopewell MTB Kouga Multisport St Francis Summer Series MTB

7 7 7 27

Series #10 Rock-Kids X-Triathlon Rock-Dash X-Triathlon Rockman Ultra X-Triathlon Rhino River Run KZN

WESTERN CAPE

4 Bien Donne Trail Run and MTB 6 MyTraX Marathon 6 Sneeuberg Bicycle Crawl 7 Spur Adventure Duo & Sprint Races # 6 12 Day Trippers Official ABSA Cape Epic Training Camp 14 Leeuwenboschfontein Ride Weekend 16 TriSport Duo Challenge &

6 The Spares Shop MTB vs Runners Challenge 7 Stihl Sharks Trail Adventure NORTH WEST 6 ATKV Buffelspoort Bergﬁetswedren OUT OF AFRICA

8 Inyatsi Toy Ride Road Race (Swaziland)

WWW.OAKPICS.COM

GAUTENG

3 Moonlight MTB Series #48 13 Vori-Berg MTB Series #6 13 XTrail & Bubba’s Lodge MTB

7 16 27 31

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

Be it base miles for 2015 or the last big race of 2014 – November is the month for it.

January 2015 RACE CALENDAR

17 Attakwas Extreme Challenge 18 Spur Adventure Sprint & Duo 24 Jakkalsvlei MTB Challenge 25 Bouckaert Soenen 31 24 Hour of Oak Valley 31 Ashburton Investments National

MPUMALANGA

31 Barberton XCM GAUTENG

MTB Series #1 Meerendal - UCI Cat3

11 Summer Fast One MTB 2015

KZN

EASTERN CAPE 31 VW Herald MTB

24 Eurosteel Drak MTB Descent NORTH WEST

WESTERN CAPE

24 Xterra Full Buffelspoort 25 Xterra Lite Buffelspoort

8 Day Trippers Official Cape Epic Training Camp #2

FS NOVEMBER Must do events

Out in Africa

FS Classiﬁeds Don’t sweat it !! Official Training Camp presented by

12 - 16 Dec 2014 08 - 12 Jan 2015

www.daytrippers.co.za

021 511 4766

ROCK KMAN MAN 7 Dec

Ultra X-Triathlon X-Triathlon

Peninsula on vaal

ULTRA: 2000m 70km 18km

North West

Eastern Cape

KZN

Gauteng

Delheim Outdoor Festival

Western Cape

Northern Cape

If you’re looking for a day of fun on your bike in the Western Cape then look no further than Dirtopia’s Delheim MTB Day on Sunday the 23rd of November. There will be 25km, 15km and 7km MTB race distances in the traditional cross country format on the amazing new network of trails on the Simonsberg Conservancy. There’s also an Enduro on the Sunday if you’re more of a gravity orientated rider. But the fun starts the day before really, with 12km and 7km trail runs and a 7km night ride on Saturday the 22nd. So go on

Sabie Noon to Moon

Join the endurance relay fun at Merry Pebbles, Sabie, for the 2014 Noon to Moon. The race is simple: teams of three (or four if you have at least one lady in your team) race to complete as many laps of the 7.5km course as possible in 10 hours. The route is described by the Lowveld Chain Gang to be made up of “lovely ﬂat Jeep track and single track twistier than a politicians excuse”. Starting at noon on the 29th and running into the night, you’ll need to pack your bike light for this one. Find out more by going to www.lowveldchaingang. co.za or enter online on the Entrytime website: www.entrytime.com.

RIE

Free State

Limpopo

■ 22 & 23 November:

■ 29 November:

DASH: 500m 17km 5km

EN T

Mpumalanga

MTB Orienteering

If you’re in Gauteng you can enter the real, SA Orienteering affiliated, thing and take part in the MTB Orienteering race at Groenkloof, Pretoria on the 15th of November. More commonly referred to as MTBO competitors will all be riding their mountain bikes and use a map to navigate from point-to-point. The Groenkloof race takes place on the permanent MTBO route, so you can do a bit of scouting to familiarise yourself with the area before the race. There will be a choice of long (approximately 23-25km, winning time about 80 minutes), medium (approximately 16-18km,

make a weekend of it! All the race fulsussbikeplusCV and route info is up on the Dirtopia website so get online and enter now. Visit www.dirtopia.co.za to book your spot on one of the start lines.

SWIM MTB RUN

WWW.ROCKMANXTRI.CO.ZA

BIR D

CALENDAR KEY

■ 15 November:

winning time about 50 minutes) and short (approximately 10-12km, winning time about 30 minutes) distances, so you can ease into the sport if you’re new. You can enter online by going directly to www.orienteeringonline.net or ﬁnd out a bit more ﬁrst by visiting the www.orienteering.co.za website.

RLY

You’ve just read about the wonders of Mountain Bike Orienteering now put that knowledge to the test and enter the ﬁnal NavChallege of the year, hosted by Oak Lane outside Grabouw. The race will require you to reach as many of the 25 checkpoints as you can in the allotted three hours using only a map and a compass. There is a course for the trail runners too and for families there is also an option with less checkpoints and a shorter cut-off time. Plus there’s a surprisefun special stage! Entries are R440 for the main race for teams of two

and you can ﬁnd out all about it by going to the www.raceinterface.co.za website or by emailing Dominique on dom@raceinterface.co.za. The event will be supporting Reach for a Dream Foundation too, so part of your entry fee will be going to a good cause.

■ 15 November: NavChallenge

U p