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full sus
Feb 2016, Vol 31
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Laikipia XC Page 10
Win: USN Vouchers Page 27
Bike Review Page 16
Rift Valley Odyssey Page 11
Gear Page 28
Out in Africa: Lesotho FS
#MountainBikeKingdom
CHERIE VALE
The Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho has a new hashtag - #MountainBikeKingdom and Mark West reckons it’s a fitting description.
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ompletely surrounded by South Africa, our tiny nation is renowned for high mountains and rough roads. These tracks used to be the exclusive domain of intrepid 4x4 drivers, but now more and more adventurous mountain bike riders are experiencing the delight of exploring Lesotho. The most recognised of the MTB activities inside our borders is the annual Lesotho Sky stage race. However, the MTB bug has also spread amongst the indigenous Basotho people leading to the
formation of the first ever African UCI MTB Team outside of RSA (ACE-The Sufferfest Lesotho MTB Team) with a goal of taking Lesotho’s finest riders to races all over the globe. Every year more and more opportunities are opening up, and 2016 looks to be a great year for Lesotho MTB with the hosting of the African Continental MTB Championships at the Afriski Mountain Resort. Cycling, as an organised sport, is still in its infancy in Lesotho. Back in the early 2000s the big attraction
was the annual Tour de Lesotho road race, which featured the cream of South African and world riders, such as Malcolm Lange, Nic White, the Velits brothers and a very young Chris Froome! We soon realised how high the standard was (and how unfriendly the riders) in the professional peloton. Even training was a problem because it was difficult to find a long flat road to practise group riding. It was almost by accident that we discovered that our riders were actually pretty good at MTB and switching disciplines made perfect sense considering the landscape of Lesotho. The switch to MTB also coincided with the emergence of the Lesotho Sky race as a major annual focus and
the rest, as they say, is history. Alongside Lesotho Sky, the AfriSki Mountain Resort in the north of the country is also working hard to develop mountain biking. As the names suggests, the resort was developed to take advantage of the alpine conditions in winter. Now the resort boasts a myriad of wonderful trails – from exhilarating downhill tracks (making great use of the ski-lift to get up to the top again) to sweeping XC trails and longer routes to the top of the Drakensberg Escarpment. The last weekend of each summer month is set aside as MTB Weekends and are very popular with riders from South Africa.
turn to page 4
FS Editorial
Competition Winner
Fiery February for the right reasons! J anuary has come and gone! We are into the second month of 2016. It’s pretty unbelievable really. Good news is that all the events are starting up again and we have no more excuses to be chilling out and admiring our trusty steeds from afar. Most of us have broken all our New Year’s resolutions already and that’s ok, they’re normally something ridiculous and out of reach anyway – well so I keep telling myself. This year however is a year for some new adventures. There are some great new rides out there, a good few events that should be attempted and I for one want to try some of the lesser known rides. My first jaunt is going to be the new Stanford MTB Tour run by Johan and Gerda Kriegler and if their other events are anything to go by, it’s going to be a jol! Please let us know if you are planning on tackling any
SUS
Congratulations to:
Chris Wagner of Kempton Park, you’re the lucky winner of an amazing ION #TrailSurfing hamper, including riding shorts, tee, socks and gloves to the value of R4 000. If you’d like to win 1 of 5 R750 USN online store vouchers turn to page 27 to find out how you can enter.
new events and don’t forget to take pics and tag us on the social media platforms to enter our new #SusMyPic competition with Junglenow! Once again the Western Cape has been hit by devastating bush and forest fires. Thousands of acres of forest, bush and farmland have been torched with massive affects to the environment, industry, farmland, homes, events and recreational access. In almost everyone of the fires a mountain bike trail is affected which of course we hope is just a coincidence. There are a large number of investigations on-going to determine whether arson is the cause and I am convinced that a large number of them have been started deliberately. I truly hope there is a way of catching these deviants and ensuring that they not only are locked away but are somehow used
to assist in the rehabilitation of the areas with hard labour! January has proved to be a month where some really noticeable world stars passed away from Alan Rickman and Glenn Frey of the Eagles to one of my favourite musicians, the Thin White Duke: David Bowie. Much closer to home sadly we have lost a World Champion in Terry Todd. I only had the fortune of meeting Terry once with her friend Kim Porter, but this diminutive athlete loved to mountain bike and in September 2015 quietly went about winning her age group
at the 2015 Sardegna ITU Cross Triathlon World Championships. A true star and one that will be sorely missed! Our sincere condolences go out to her family and friends. Please keep your stories and ride reports coming in. This year promises to be a busy one with multiple events available most weekends. Make sure you are entered, enjoy the rides and see you on the trails!
Tokai Must Open! T
SUS The team
Publishing Editor: Shayne Dowling shayne@integratedmedia.co.za Content Editor: Seamus Allardice seamus@integratedmedia.co.za Editorial Assistant: Molly Fitz-Patrick Art Director: Megan Merifield megan@integratedmedia.co.za Senior Designer: Shannon Flewellen Sales: Eloise Meyer eloise@integratedmedia.co.za PR & Promotions: Ashlee Attwood ash@integratedmedia.co.za Audit Bureau of Circulations of South Africa NPC
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interested parties are trying to make headway. Then we have the exorbitant increase in Activity Card fees which we are expected to pay in order to access the park (mountain bikers and horse riders have to pay the highest tier as well). Considering the access and routes we do have, it is frankly a rip-off! TMNP needs to get its act together. No more excuses, no more procrastinating. There are thousands of mountain bikers that add value to the park, that add to the TMNP coffers and we are fed up. Make a plan, find alternatives and listen! We want to get our mountain back!
FOR MORE INFORMATION follow @tokaimtb, @ama_tokaiMTB or @TableMTB on Twitter.
Regulars: Stirling Kotze Snr & Jnr, Jacques Marais, Dr Mike Posthumus, Amy Burton, Molly FitzPatrick, Rudolf Zuidema, Stefan Garlicki, Craig Kolesky, Erik Kleinhans, Diana Carolin, Joëlle Sleebos & Kathryn Fourie. Rogue Contributor: David Bristow Photography: Ashley Attwood, Oakpics.com, Red Bull Content Pool, Chris Hitchcock, Volume Photography, Newsport Media and thinkstock.com. Contributors: Mark West, Steve and Di Thomas, Nicky Gilomee and Max Menzies. 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.
DAVID BRISTOW
he saga around Tokai continues. It is almost beyond comprehension that it was in March last year that the devastating fire on the Silvermine and Tokai slopes closed down what was Cape Towns busiest MTB trail system. Despite all the challenges and admittedly there were many, and some still remain, it is extremely frustrating that we are not much closer to having definite dates for access to the area yet. There has been some response and a little more communication since Noel Ernstzen put together a public rally in December last year (2015). There are a few hoops that need to be jumped through still for total access to the precinct: EMP studies and completion of all the logging seems to be the main hurdles – after that who knows... On top of all of this a complete lack of communication and disclosure from Table Mountain National Park has made for a murky forum in which
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 closing date: 22 Feb 2016.
FS Out in Africa: Lesotho
Mark West is a Welshman living in Lesotho. He manages the ACE-The Sufferfest Lesotho MTB Team. Follow him on Twitter @lesothocycling.
A rider taking on the AfriSki XC course.
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FS News
#1BikeShootout cont...
We must apologise to Silverback Bicycles for incorrectly placing their ultimate race bike in the #1BikeShootout feature in the previous issue of Full Sus. We also apologise for any misconception our introduction for Silverback may have caused. The bike suggested by Silverback in our last issue was as a result of an incorrect brief on our side.
AFRISKI
AfriSki’s MTB trails cater superbly to DH and Enduro riders. Uriante conseca eriamet rem doloruptatem
Silverback Sprada 1 RRP R45 999 www.silverbacklab.com
Full Su
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The ID rame High S Re ligh linkage vo suspensio t: n w it h its link concen age tric wit h t he bo brack functio et is both sup ttom nal and e looks s rbly uper co ol.
Frame
Silverback Intelligent Design System (IDS) Revo Technology, Exclusive Suspension Science, 29”, Hydroformed 6061 Alloy Custom Butted Tubing.
Travel
110mm
Wheel Size
29er
Drivetrain
SRAM GX (1 x 11)
Brakes
Shimano SLX
Wheels
Stan’s Arch EX Alloy 29
Fork
RockShox Reba RLT 29”, 120mm
Rear Shock
Fox Float DPS, 3 position Adjustment
Seatpost
SBC Dropper Post
Silverback say: “The Sprada is perfectly suited for the rider wanting a slightly more aggressive 29er for trail riding. IDS Revo suspension technology is used on this platform yielding superior frame rigidity while resulting in a supple, yet progressive suspension feel with great pedalling stability.”
Earthworks in the GRTP
Sam Reynolds surveying the remnants of the 2015 build.
JASON MAY
One thing that cycling in Lesotho highlights is that you don’t need a carbon fibre, dual suspension, 100k bike to ride. In fact, one of the jokes at the most recent Lesotho Sky was the failure of electronic shifting systems leading to very expensive single-speed bikes on some of the hardest stages. More and more cheap, second-hand bicycles are arriving in Lesotho, thanks to projects such as Mikes Bikes Africa, Bikes for Lesotho and Bicycles 4 Humanity. As a result, it is not unusual to be riding out in the middle of nowhere and suddenly be joined by one or two village riders pedalling like crazy to keep up and this has also led to a few ‘Spaza’ bike shops springing up. The newest is Teboho’s Bike Shop situated adjacent to Maseru Mall with plans to develop BMX and MTB tracks for children. The Cycling Federation of Lesotho manages the sport of cycling in the country. The cycling calendar of events is actually quite busy, although many of the races do not reach sufficient an organisational standard to be worthy of involving visitors. These informal races do, however, provide a fertile breeding ground for young riders and that’s where the ACE Lesotho MTB Team comes in. ACE Lesotho, or to give it its full title, ACE - The Sufferfest - Lesotho MTB Team powered by Unitrans was formed as a consequence of Team Lesotho’s participation in the 2013 MTB World Championships in Pietermaritzburg. It was such an honour for Lesotho riders to perform on such a big stage and there was undoubtedly a lot of raw potential, but it was obvious that they were lacking in basic MTB skills and the only way to address the deficiencies was to get to more races. We took a cue from teams we had met and realised that what Lesotho needed was a pro-mountain bike team. In many ways, we try to emulate other pro teams – we have registered as an official UCI MTB Team, we endeavour to maintain a professional look and keep a high profile on social media. In that respect, I think we offer great value for money for sponsors as our operational costs 4 are a small fraction of other
pro-teams. However, we do not allow ourselves to be dwarfed by the bigger teams and hold our own in the UCI World Rankings by being smart and focused. Despite having little operational cash at our disposal, we have built up a great range of product sponsors (who we call our #DreamMakers) from suppliers all over the globe. At the heart of the team is the underlying goal to give these young Lesotho riders an opportunity they would not normally have been given. Most of the team are from very disadvantaged communities and have experienced the hardship of losing parents at a young age and having to fend for themselves. Instead of being sucked into the despair and hopelessness that many of their peers have encountered, cycling gives them an immense sense of self-belief and hope. They not only become better cyclists, but they also become better citizens. Visiting Lesotho is not as difficult or adventurous as you may think. We can certainly encourage anyone to come and visit us and guarantee you a warm welcome and an unforgettable experience. Hopefully we will see you soon in our #MountainBikeKingdom and until we do, Lesotho wishes you “Tsela Tsoeu!” (pleasant trail!)
@THOMAS.SANDELL
from page 1
There’s something big on the go in the Garden Route Trail Park. The Pure Darkness crew of Sam Reynolds and Matt MacDuff are back building onto the world’s biggest step-up and this time it won’t just be a straight roll-in. Under the watchful eye of the GRTP’s owner Rob Dormehl, who keeps encouraging them to build the jumps bigger, and Monster Energy’s Ryan Franklin, who has been compelled to become
the voice of reason, the build is well underway. By the time you read this the jumps should be taking shape nicely, so go check out the progress on Instagram by following @puredarkness_, @monsterenergy and @thetrailpark. And then wait with baited breath for Pure Darkness 3.0 to drop later in the year.
to page 6
FS News from page 4 John Ntuli Wins The Munga Sus The True Grit Bike Park
ERIK VERMEULEN | GAMEPLAN MEDIA
John Ntuli, of the RMB Change a Life MTB Academy, claimed a historic victory at the inaugural The Munga from Bloemfontein to Wellington in December. Ntuli completed the 1 070km single stage event in an amazing 69 hours and ten minutes, holding off Grant Usher, who finished just over four hours back, and Leon Erasmus. In the ladies race Amy Mcdougall swapped her usual single speed for something more conventional and did enough to beat two of South Africa’s most formidable endurance cycling women: Hannele Steyn and Hanlie Booyens into second and third. When asked how he combatted the pain induced by 1 070km of gravel roads Ntuli explained: “My hands, my arms and my bum were so sore! I tried everything to get rid of the pain; I took my arm warmers off – and then my shirt as well – and sat on them but nothing helped! With about 270km to go I seriously thought about pulling out because I was so sore but eventually I told myself that everyone else was going through
An elated John Ntuli crossing the finish line of the inaugural The Munga.
the same pain as I was and so I just had to keep going. I stood and sat, stood and sat all the way to the finish line!”
For more information on the 2016 The Munga visit www.themunga.com.
“If you love cycling, running, great coffee and a great atmosphere off the beaten track, then this will be your new favourite venue” says True Grit Bike Park owner Ivan Ruthven-Bruijns. Situated within the Knorhoek Estate, on the slopes of the Schapenberg Mountains, near Sir Lowry’s Pass Village the park features a Kids Pump Track, 1km Green Kids Trail, 5km Blue Route, 15km Red Route, 20km Black Route and a 60km Black Route. Daily rates start at R20 for kids and go up to R40 for adults. Annual permits are available from R350 for kids up to R750 per adult, or R1 200 for a family of four pass. The park is open from Tuesday to Sunday (including public holidays) from 07:00 – 19:00.
Liberty Encounter Series
Sus the True Grit Bike Park trails.
Sus the Liberty Encounter Series
EWALD SADIE
In December ASG Sport and MTB Adventures launched the first multi-stage racing series in South Africa, the 2016 Liberty Encounter Series. Speaking at the launch, series coordinator Wynand de Villiers said organisers were thrilled to introduce the concept. “Multistage races have proliferated over the past five years, with almost 50 offerings countrywide today. Our objective with this series is to create a trusted franchise. You can bank on the same product and the same
You can find out more, view photos of the trails and stay updated on the trail building developments by following True Grit Bike Park on Facebook. Alternatively give Ivan a call on 021 858 1822 or drop him a mail at truegrit@mweb.co.za.
On the back of the successful Winelands Encounter in 2015 ASG Sports have expanded the concept to the first stage race series in South Africa.
service levels wherever you are and hence don’t run the risk of being disappointed. This is very important for stage races in particular, which are expensive exercises.” Following the success of
last year’s Liberty Winelands Encounter, ASG Sport and MTB Adventures are launching the Waterberg Encounter in Limpopo in June. And there are plans to expand the series into other provinces in 2017 too.
Website: www.encountermtbseries.co.za Format: 3 day stage race. Race Village: 5 star rated race villages. Entry Fee: R9 000 including meals, Ftech cycling jersey and event jacket. Accommodation: Excluded. Winelands Encounter: 15 – 17 April 2016 | Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Wellington. Waterberg Encounter: 10 – 12 June 2016 | Sondela and Zebula bush lodges.
FS DHI Column
No off-season SUPPLIED
BLU ES We’re proud to welcome South African Downhill Champion Stefan Garlicki to the line-up of Full Sus regulars. We hope you’ll enjoy sharing his 2016 racing journey with him.
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n my sport we get to have a long off season, which is great in some ways but also not good in others. I have always had great off seasons in the past, and the 2015/2016 off season was the first time I have had to deal with an injury. I have a bit of cartilage damage in my knee which has happened over time and it was starting to bother me over the past season. After many doctor visits I was told to take 3 months off the bike to let the knee settle down. It’s the first time I’ve been injured in the off season and it’s affected my preparation. My normal off season training would include a lot of skills training on the downhill bike which, for the first time these past few months, I was not able to do.
"Sometimes when you are so focused on something the fun can go, and I think having a break can be a really good thing and get the engines all fired up again!" This was certainly not my plan after just having the best season of my career! But things happen in life and I always try and look for the positives. I was lucky that I was able to still keep cycling on the road and do gym to keep my fitness up; I just had to avoid impact stuff. It gave me time to focus on other things, like starting the distribution of Reverse Components into SA. Come January I could finally get back on the
Stefan Garlicki is the reigning South African Downhill MTB Champion. He’s sponsored by Investec, will be racing in Europe this year and sharing his experiences with Full Sus readers. Follow him on Twitter: @StefanGarlicki. bike - it was a good feeling to say the least, even though my knee was not quite 100%. I could not remember when last I had been so excited to ride my bike. I honestly believe it was a good thing as it has motivated me so much for the year ahead! I think that time off is something that a lot of athletes forget and underestimate. As riders we are constantly riding and training to keep improving, but it’s easy to forget we started riding to have fun. Sometimes when you are so focused on something the fun can go, and I think having a break can be a really good thing and get the engines all fired up again! However, now that I am back riding, it is all systems go for training! I think that training is something that gets over looked by a lot of people when it comes to downhill mountain biking. When I tell people about my training they are usually very surprised at how much is involved to prepare me for a five minute race run. I also hear the “you guys are so lazy” when people hear that we get a lift to the top of the mountain and then just race down. What most people don’t realise is that I spend way more time on my trail bike and in the gym than I do on my actual downhill bike. This is due to a number of reasons, but for starters it can be tricky to find a shuttle to get to the top and also you need to be in a certain physical condition to actually race down at the speeds we do. At this point things are coming along well and my first national event is coming up at the end of the month at Helderberg Trails in Somerset West. I am really looking forward to going racing again and building on the momentum from 2015. Thanks so much to all my sponsors, family and friends for sticking behind me and keeping the dream alive! Until next time…
Sus a Week of Stef’s Training My off season base training varies a lot but an example of 1 week’s program would consists of: ◆ 2-3 xc/road rides in the week ranging from 2-4 hours each ◆ 2 sessions in the gym for around 2 hours each ◆ 1 swim of 2,5km ◆ 3 times on the downhill bike doing 6-7 runs ◆ 1 session on the motocross bike for 1 hour of ride time ◆ 1 session at the dirt jumps or pump track for a couple of hours As you can see it is pretty jam packed so I hope this gives you a better idea of a downhill racer.
FS Out in Africa: Kenya
The riding in Laikipia can be hot and hard but the game viewing makes it more than worthwhile.
RIDING LAIKIPIA’S
E L E P HA N T TRODDEN TRAILS
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here must have been about a hundred elephants moving through the African bush about 500m to our left. We just kept peddling until we crested the rise and with some relief freewheeled through a herd of less intimidating zebra and some skittish Thomson’s gazelles. This was no ordinary mountain bike stage race, no ordinary game viewing experience. We had signed up for the race to visit Kenya and ride our bicycles and then go game viewing in the Masai Mara, but certainly did not expect to do both at the same time, at such close range and so freely (the field was really small and there were no rangers with guns, bear bangers or the like – just the two of us, alone much of the time with the animals and the African bush). What an incredible and totally unexpected privilege! The Laikipia XC mountain bike stage race takes place in July, on the equator, on the slopes of Mount Kenya at altitudes between 1 900m and 3 500m above sea level, so the temperatures are moderate and perfect for mountain biking.
Stage 1 – 40km with 833m of climbing Stage 1 headed uphill onto the lower slopes of Mt. Kenya into indigenous forest on cattle tracks, dual track and forestry roads and finished on an old airstrip, which hosted the race village with ample hot showers and toilets, a dining tent, ‘chill out’ fire and Alex, definitely the best masseuse this side of the Mediterranean. There were some zebra in the distance and a few warthogs running around
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behind the tents and then a small herd of elephants strolled across the runway and headed into the forest knocking down trees as they went. A pack of hyenas could be heard laughing nearby. There was no need for DSTV.
Stage 2 – 70km with 1 074m of climbing Stage 2 barrelled back down the mountain and onto the plains, where the race village was set under classic yellow barked Fever Trees (Acacia Xanthophloea) on a grassy patch overlooking a waterhole and river - an idyllic spot for the next three nights in the Borana conservancy. We traded war stories around the fire after a day of great trails, a few distant sightings of elephants, plenty of zebra and a dam full of flamingos. We were lulled to sleep by the sounds of a lion roaring in the bush nearby (odd how snoring is bothersome, but roaring is not…)
Stage 3 – 77km with 1 659m of climbing Stage 3 was the day of the big three, rhino and buffalo, thankfully at a distance and the massive herd of elephants, not to mention the 20 or so reticulated giraffes, zebra and herds of eland and other antelope. We were cautioned about lions but assured that they were not in our path and indeed they were not.
ALL PICS COURTESY OF LAIKIPIA XC 2015
Steve and Di Thomas weren’t sure how fast elephants can run, but they were certain that they could not outride them uphill, as the herd headed towards them during the 2015 Laikipia XC.
Spotting white rhino from the bike is an exhilarating experience.
Stage 4 – 92km with 1 659m of climbing Stage 4 was a monster 15km descent into the dry northern plains and then an equally monstrous climb back out. The surface on the way down was very gnarly jeep track, rideable at speed but if you had more speed than skill you could seriously see your gat. The climb was amongst the hardest we’ve ever encountered, but the views across the plains below made every grinding pedal stroke worthwhile.
Stage 5 – 89km with 2 238m of climbing Stage 5 looked tough starting at 1 950m and going up to 3 000m and the adrenaline kicked in from the get go as Helen, the organiser, informed us on the start line that lions and rhino had passed by in the early hours and were not far from our route – “not to worry, though, we’ll send the guys out
"Oh, and a hyena raided the kitchen tent last night and polished off the cheesecake..."
on motor bikes to clear the track and ensure that they won’t be any trouble. Oh, and a hyena raided the kitchen tent last night and polished off the cheesecake…”!! Oddly enough I was more scared of flying around a corner and landing between the legs of an ele or worse still, a buffalo, as there were lots of fast flowing trails through thick African bush and I spotted a number of large, hot steaming turds. On one occasion I spooked a kudu who suddenly took off and I’m sure I almost snapped a chain…
Stage 6 – 40km with 858m of climbing Stage 6 was a short, fast ride through the forests and finished on the equator at the Five Star Mt. Kenya Safari Club. We were scheduled to head back to Nairobi directly after the finish, but took one look at this amazing hotel and checked in for the night - Spectacular luxury to end off an extraordinary event! Just as the Lewa marathon in Laikipia is rated one of the top ten marathons to run in your life because of the wildlife, we believe that the Laikipia XC MTB race should rank
Out in Africa: Kenya FS
SINGLE SPEED
Even when encountering signs of civilisation you’re reminded that you’re in rural Africa.
similarly for the same reason. It is fantastic riding, not groomed but naturally interesting and challenging and the wildlife experience from the seat of your mountain bike is unique and unrivalled anywhere on the planet. We travelled to Kenya mainly to
tick Hot Air Ballooning over the Mara River off the bucket list and ended up adding Laikipia XC MTB to our list of all-time favourite rides - And the ballooning was cool too. Whoopee!
Steve and Di Thomas are the founders of the Daytrippers Bicycle Tour Company. They have spent the last 25 years riding bikes and creating experiences for others who love riding bikes. They eat and sleep cycling. Follow them on Twitter: @DaytrippersSA
The Laikipia XC will take place from the 12th to the 17th of July 2016. You can find out more at www.laikipiamtbchallenge.com or follow the race on Twitter: @LaikipiaXC.
LAIKIPIA XC
ODYSSEY Despite Isabelle Menzies’s best efforts, her husband and committed single speeder Max Menzies bagged up his beloved ‘Scelerat’ and headed off to Kenya for the Rift Valley Odyssey. Photos by David le Roux | Bigshot Media.
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he first time I heard of this stage ride was in February when taking part in the Transcape event, Gerald de Kock who was the MC could not stop talking about Kenya’s Rift Valley Odyssey (RVO). He said it was a bucket list ride all MTBers should try knock off. Then after finishing Jhb2C in May, Chris Brand a USN ambassador and legend cyclist came up to our table at a local pizza restaurant in Scottburgh and invited me to join their team for the RVO. I gave it some thought (2 seconds!) and jumped on board. Isabelle, my loving and supportive wife, had recently yellow carded me on my return from Transbaviaans for cycling too much. This was by email
FS Out in Africa: Kenya
The bicycle is an African essential helping link rural communities to towns, schools and markets.
The landscape of the RVO is exceptionally diverse from pan flat plains to high altitude forests.
so technically it could be a straight red. She attached a spreadsheet starting from Epic 2014 over a 18 month period – when looking at it, it did look like I was away quite a bit. After successfully navigating around this ‘hurdle’ I started preparing my winter training schedule in the lead up to September’s RVO, as I heard this was a tough event with huge climbing at a massive altitude. As the start day loomed the familiar routine unfolded – had the bike serviced by my LBS, Trail & Tar, and got it all packed away in my now welltravelled Evoc bike bag. I had a few tweaks done on my steel bike frame in an attempt to get it as pure and sweet as possible: Jared from BMC sanded off all the steel lugs and paint taking it down to that steel look and wrapping it with a clear coat. Plus Dave Mercer did some internal cable routing. Anyway, back to my preparations for RVO: Julia my Physio and Kendal my Chiro got me all ready with Malcolm Henry my GP taking care of the yellow fever jab. Flights to Nairobi and other logistics taken care of… RVO here I come! Epic 2014 was the last time I used a normal bike before switching over permanently to my steel, fully rigid SS Contraband frame with Brooks saddle. My USN ride partner assigned for RVO, Anthony (we did not know each other) was unaware of this – I thought best not to say anything till we all meet up in JHB. He was rather a puzzled dude when we unpacked our bikes in Nairobi… This was the sixth year that the RVO took place, a breath-taking mountain biking adventure across Kenya’s spectacular Great Rift Valley. It is an amazing experience for the discerning rider that seeks a pure mountain bike adventure across a fascinating landscape – an altogether unforgettable experience that could not be replicated in SA. As the event organiser is at pains to tell us, “it is a race but not a race”, an event where self-navigated GPS routes first took off. Times are not taken and not important, it is an event that is small and intimate, where the trails are sublime and the focus on mountain biking is in its purest form – a perfect fit for my bike: ‘Scelerat’. The RVO traverses the high altitude
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forests on both eastern and western escarpments of the Great Rift Valley, riding challenging terrain, along flowing yet raw technical singletrack, forest trails, bush trails, exhilarating descents, arduous ascents (peak race altitude is at 2 800 above sea level), pristine wilderness and open savannah plains teeming with game. We started the ride in the tea farms of Limuru, then making your way through high altitude indigenous forests, along the serene shores of
st.
isty fore
m A high
Lake Vevasha, Lake Oloiden, Lake Elementaita and Lake Nakuru and of course the eerie lava flow from Elementaita Badlands. This is a team event for two riders, the only course markings are the start and finish line. Each team must depend 100% upon their GPS to selfnavigate. The RVO requires a high level of physical fitness and mental preparation, the scenery conceals the true physical challenge of the RVO. The prologue will give you time to
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get used to the navigation and get your bike ready for the punishment that will follow. Stage one and two will probably be the two hardest days you will ever spend on a mountain bike (yes, harder than day one Epic). I got totally smashed riding my single speed. The RVO is a long adventurous journey, a truly soulful experience. I am a better person for having taken part is this event and of course am fully stoked to be the first SS rider to complete the RVO.
Rift Valley Odyssey The Standard and Charted Rift Valley Odyssey takes place from the 20th to the 24th of September 2016. You can find our more at www.riftvalleyodyssey.com.
Tips: ◆ Bikes must be fully serviced with tough tires/rims and 2 cups of sealant per tyre. Take a spare tyre with and top up with sealant after day three. ◆ Power bank, plugs, CO2 bombs and tyre pump is a must. ◆ International roaming and a local date card.
Max’s 2015 RVO Stats: 22 Sep: ...... Prologue ......40km 23 Sep: ...... Stage 1 ..........99.7km 24 Sep:...... Stage 2 .........106.5km 25 Sep: ...... Stage 3 .........83.2km 26 Sep:...... Stage 4 .........88.7km
..... Time/2:30......... Elevation 800m ...... Time/7:54 ....... Elevation 1 850m ...... Time/8:45 ......Elevation 2 800m ...... Time/5:50 ..... Elevation 1 500m ..... Time/5:47 ....... Elevation 1 200m
Accommodation: ◆ Pre-race at Brackenhurst Hotel in Limuru, 20km northwest of Nairobi. ◆ Race camp 1 (for 2 nights) is at Camp Carnelly’s close to the beautiful shores of Lake Naivasha. ◆ Race camp 2 (also for 2 nights) is situated at Mbweha Camp within the Soysambu Conservancy on the shores of Lake Elementaita. ◆ Post-race night spent back at Lake Nakuru National Park at a luxury resort camp.
It’s not just flowing game trails there is climbing to be done in the RVO too.
Max Menzies is a financial planner when he’s not riding his beloved Contraband single speed, dubbed ‘Scelerat’ which is French for “rogue”. Thus far he’s ticked the RVO, Cape Epic, TransCape, Lesotho Sky, joBerg2c and Jozi2Kozi off his single speed must do list.
Riding the Kingdom of the Sky
Sarah Sawers overlooking one of Lesotho’s innumerable valleys on a RAD Ride Tour.
Kath in Motion FS
Kath Fourie interviews Sarah Sawers of Detour Trails to find out what makes Lesotho a place worth visiting for mountain bikers.
KF: How did Detour Trails become interested in running riding tours in Lesotho? SS: Detour started taking some tours to Lesotho in 2006/7, but it really started after Rohan and I got involved with the Riding the Dragon’s Spine team in 2011. We were helping to recce the route, for a book by David Bristow and Steven Thomas, that covers a traverse of Lesotho from top to bottom on their 4 000km journey from Beit Bridge to Cape Point. The experience catalysed our ideas to start running more tours in Lesotho. Now we offer tailored tours, a four day Eastern Highlands tour and our RAD riding tours (shuttle assisted, Enduro style). KF: It must have required a huge amount of effort to do all the recce work that’s gone into producing those tours? SS: It’s been quite a journey over the past few years (literally), finding trails and piecing them together to create the tours we offer. A lot of trial and error but also some incredible finds. The average rider would be really surprised by what it takes to create a tour with an interesting mix of trails. Our best tours are journeys that start
at one place and end at another, as tough as that is on the crew it’s the most rewarding way to experience a country, especially Lesotho. KF: Why Lesotho though? Surely South Africa offers similar experiences? SS: Lesotho is indescribably different from South Africa in general. It’s not called the Mountain Kingdom for nothing; it’s either up or down with very few flat sections so the riding is quite challenging. The trails are all natural, formed over the years by ponies, shepherds and their livestock. Its raw, rugged trail riding at its best. Lesotho is the ultimate mountain biker’s playground. You just have to make sure you’re fit enough to enjoy it because the altitude and climbs can be gruelling. KF: If you could sum up the riding experience in Lesotho in 5 words, how would you describe it? SS: Wild, raw, rugged, mind-blowing and breathtaking. KF: What should people expect when coming to ride in Lesotho? SS: Accommodation can be very basic, depending on where we go – so don’t expect four or five star. Altitude – the air is thin, it’ll take a few days to acclimatise. The landscape is incredibly beautiful and in stark contrast to anything in South Africa. The riding is challenging but immensely rewarding – you’ll come away with more skill and confidence than any skills course could give you. KF: What type of bike/equipment should people have when planning a riding trip to Lesotho?
DETOUR TRAILS
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first met Sarah Sawers at Giba Gorge riding an Enduro event, and I noticed her because she was one of the few ladies wearing baggies. Red Royal ladies baggies I recall, and she was tall, lanky and sporting an interesting tattoo on her arm. I subsequently discovered she was a MTB tour operator, working with a chap called Rohan Surridge. Together they run Detour Trails and one of the places they run tours outside of South Africa to is Lesotho.
SS: Preferably full sus bikes but any good quality mountain bike is fine. We had some Austrians come with their hard tails – but realised they would have been better off with some suspension! Full face helmets and body armour is only for our RAD Ride tours. KF: What skills should people brush up on before they attempt riding in Lesotho? SS: As our tours tend to be predominantly trail, having the skill to ride singletrack and rocks is always good. But as we always say there’s no shame in walking what you can’t ride and by the time you leave Lesotho your skills will have improved massively! KF: What are Detours plans for riding in Lesotho in the future? SS: Our plans are to encourage more riders to join us on tours in Lesotho, which cater to a wide range of skills and fitness. Our journey type tours in Lesotho are perfectly suited for all types of marathon and crosscountry riders; while we have a few scheduled tours, these are best customised. We ran our inaugural Lesotho Extreme Trail Festival in November last year; the feedback
from everyone was incredible. So we definitely plan to build on this and make it an annual RAD Riding event. Other than that, we’ll keep exploring and piecing together new tours over the next few years, so watch this space.
TOURS TO WATCH OUT FOR IN 2016: 23rd – 27th April: Lesotho Eastern Highlands Tour 6th – 9th October: Lesotho Extreme Trail Festival Custom tours anytime!: www.detourtrails.co.za Detour Trails Sarah 079 529 5857 Rohan 082 896 0392 Kath Fourie is a project manager, a Masters student, a double UCI Masters World Champs medal winner and now a regular contributor to Full Sus. She can be found on the trails of Howick with her little pack of trail dogs, and Mark Millar, chasing down KOMs.
FS Trails
Swartberg, Prins Albert Want to know why they call it ‘mountain’ biking? Because flat-is-boring, as they say in the Buff advert … So, next time you want to experience some proper MTB stoke, go ride some proper hills, like in the Swartberg ranges. Photographs and words by Jacques Marais. Local Buzz: Think of a perfect dorp, and you’re probably not that far off what you get when you drive into Prins Albert. A wide main street with imposing trees lining the road, historic hotels, Victorian architecture, and just enough funky delis, eateries and coffee shops to balance out that undiscovered and distinctly rural atmosphere. There are stacks of things to feed your stoke in Prins Albert (from olive oil estates, cheese farms, wineries, and even Spanish jamon charcuteries), but let’s just say you’ll be wasting a lot of valuable time out of the saddle. The region is a mountain biking paradise, offering everything from challenging gravel
switchback passes to jeep-tracks traversing endless Karoo plains. There is a hiking trail above the town, too, and this makes for a very technical 4km course if you’ve got the guts… and the legs, lungs and guns... Whichever way, you can be sure Prins Albert will seduce you in a dozen different ways, both on and off the bike. Winter and summer go hand in hand with extreme elements, but if you want to do #ToHellAndBack, the time to go is around mid-November.
Trail Low-Down: You have a full range of ride options from Prins Albert, but seeing that this is where the infamous One-day #ToHellAndBack (www.ecobound.co.za)
The road side to Gamkaskloof is dotted with aloes and carpeted by specboom.
started, I suggest you dress in your Big Girl Blouse and aim upwards. Crank from Main Street on tarmac to the Swartberg Pass turn-off to your right. From here it is gnarly gravel for 18km of relentless climbing, with a slight respite to where the Gamkaskloof road into Die Hel dips away to your right. You have another 40km or so to go on an eroded gravel track, with ruthless dirt ascents and hair-raising downhills, which will eventually spit you out into Die Hel. Brutal road
conditions, extreme weather and an accumulated climb of around 3600m for the return journey make this a ride with a seriously rude awakening. Your best bet may be to rather camp overnight, or otherwise arrange for a pick-up in Die Hel. If you’re a die-hard racing snake, there’s always the annual ‘To Hell and Back’ Challenge, a race many rate as South Africa’s ‘original MTB Stage Race’ (www.tohellandback.co.za). The only difference is that the field sets off from De Hoek camp site
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Despite being in the heart of the Karoo its surprisingly wet in places with perennial streams traversing the valleys.
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Prins Albert, or as it’s spelt by non-locals Prince Albert, is a sleepy Karoo town located at the northern foot of the Swartberg Pass. The area is famous for its Angora goat farms and the top international mohair wool these farms produce.
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Where are we?
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Cape Western Town Cape Prins◆ Albert
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Trails FS
"Far below an arid valley awaits amidst mountainous scrub, rife with myth and legend, and just waiting for you to bomb into mountain biking nirvana."
The many, many switchbacks of the Elands Pass.
(outside Oudtshoorn) along a steep 19km climb to Die Top, from the other side of the mountain. You still have to face off against the woe and despair of Heartbreak Hill, that 5km, constantly rising, never-ending, cramp-inducing, son-of-ahill, with signs stating that ‘you may think this is hell, but you’re nowhere close to it yet’! And then you top out at the apex of Elands Pass, and finally get to take in the awe-inspiring view across Die Hel.
Far below an arid valley awaits amidst mountainous scrub, rife with myth and legend, and just waiting for you to bomb into mountain biking nirvana.
How to Get There: Travelling north on N1, 84km from Laingsburg, turn right onto the R407. Follow for 45km towards Oudtshoorn until you reach Prins Albert.
Jacques Marais is the South African trail guru. If he’s not scouting a new MTB trail he’s trail running a new route in the Drakensberg. His new book More Top MTB Trails has just hit the shelves of all good book shops and you can purchase a copy for R250. Follow him on Twitter @ JacqMaraisPhoto
The 3 Silo trails offer plenty of man-made features like bridges and styles to add to the riding experience. the Prins Albert to Die Hel route: SUS
Grading: Intermediate to extreme Duration: 3-5hrs Configuration: 57km one-way Start Point: Prins Albert Terrain: Some tarmac; gravel Map: Available from Prins Albert Tourism www.prinsalbert.org.za Entry Requirements: Public road Facilities: Accommodation, restaurants, shops in Prins Albert Cell Reception: Intermittent Beware Of: Extreme heat in summer; freezing cold in winter More Info: www.capenature.org.za GPS: 33°13’31.7”S / 22°01’47.2”E
FS Bike Review
ST U M PY
The Specialized Stumpjumper is one of mountain biking’s iconic names and the 2016 Specialized S-Works Stumpjumper FSR once again taps into the 1981 original’s innovative DNA. Words and photos by Seamus Allardice.
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years ago the first Stumpy went into production. It was, not only for Specialized, a first – it was the first mass-production mountain bike. It opened up the sport to initially hundreds, and then thousands of riders and forever changed the cycling scene, by making the reckless new-fangled mountain biking both affordable and accessible. Before the Stumpy if you wanted a mountain bike you had to have one custom made. Or build one yourself. No wonder people still played golf! Okay so that ’81 Stumpy and this ’16 Stumpy don’t look much alike. Fully rigid vs. full sus, featuring Specialized FSR rear suspension and the silky RockShox Pike upfront. Welded steel vs. FACT 11mm carbon frame. Weeny little 26er wheels vs. the 2.3” Butcher and Purgatory 29er tyres set on 30mm inner width rims. But the DNA remains; the Stumpy is a bike to get you out onto the mountain. It’s a proper mountain bike for pushing your limits. Where the Stumpjumper FSR 6Fattie, which we reviewed for the September 2015 issue of Full Sus, is fun and confidence inspiring, the S-Works Stumpjumper is a far more precise machine. The wide and aggressive Butcher/Purgatory tyre combination provide more than ample grip too, but require a bit more care and accuracy when being pointed downhill than the three inch wide 6Fattie tyres do. Though it feels like a big bike it’s remarkably nimble, even on the climbs. But it’s going downhill where the Stumpy truly excels, obviously. Be warned though, the 135mm of rear travel and the 140mm up front require some skill and commitment to taking on the more technical lines to be utilized fully. As an aside; the 2016 Specialized S-Works Camber which I rode during Origin of Trails is a far easier bike to ride to its limits. It’s faster than the 2015 model (making it better for racing) but it hasn’t lost any of its trailriding, smile-inducing shredability. In the innovation department Specialized have put some serious
work into the SWAT Door technology. It’s such a simple idea, to utilize the space inside the oversized downtube for storage. It keeps the bike’s lines clean; no uncool saddle bag or unsightly tubes and tools taped to the frame like a macabre Christmas tree. And then, joy of joys, Specialized have ditched the pesky mini-Brain off the 2016 Stumpy. I know some riders will be outraged by this, and Specialized might be too, but for me the Brain ruined the Stumpy. (One big S employee might have said in private that it dumbed the bike down.) Without it the suspension linkages and the Fox CTD shock are allowed to do their thing – which they do beautifully. The bike is plush, absorbs hits big and small with ease and best of all doesn’t do that clunking engage over small bumps which it used to do with the Brain. (I should point out though that the 2016 S-Works Camber now has a Brain, which Specialized have dubbed as “trail tuned”. It runs at far deeper sag than the old Stumpy Brain and works perfectly on the new Camber.) Overall the 2016 S-Works Stumpjumper FSR is one heck of a bike. It’s an aggressive trail machine that wants to eat up steep slopes and rough terrain. Where the 6Fattie version inspires confidence this Stumpy requires confidence – but if you ride like you’ve been doing it since the first Stumpy came out in 1981 then you and the 2016 S-Works Stumpjumper FSR will get on famously.
"Before the Stumpy if you wanted a mountain bike you had to have one custom made. Or build one yourself. No wonder people still played golf!" 16
The SWAT Door storage system is simple and easy to use. Plus the view inside the frame shows off the smooth carbon finish and tubing to guide the internal cable routing.
Bike Review FS
Above: The original Stumpjumper was a ground breaking machine in 1981.
SUS the Stumpumper FSR Geometry ALL MEASUREMENTS ARE FOR A MEDIUM FRAME IN DEGREES OR MM. 2016 S-Works Stumpjumper FSR RRP R124 999. Stack
617mm4
Reach
417mm
Head-Tube length
95mm
Head-Tube angle
67.5˚
B-B Height
336mm
B-B Drop
36mm
Chain-stay length
437mm
Wheelbase
1143mm
Top Tube length (horiz.)
594mm
Bike Stand-over Height
757mm
Seat Tube length
430mm
Seat Tube angle
74˚
Below: For 2016 Specialized are spec’ing their own branded 1 x chainrings.
135mm of unadulterated FSR travel.
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FS Coaching
Ideas to structure your unstructured training:
Beating the Plateau In this issue Dr Mike Posthumus answers a reader’s question on how to improve without following a specific training programme.
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pattern of riding that got you to where you are, will not result in any further progress. A training plan is designed to slowly increase the training load so that your body adjusts, adapts and thereby improves its performance. If the training load of a training plan is not continually increased and your body is not adequately stressed, your performance will stop improving. Training load is a product of both training volume and training intensity. Your training load can therefore be increased through increasing any of these two variables; i.e. riding either harder or for longer. Why am I explaining this? Well simple, if you don’t like to follow a structured training plan, ensure that you are continually increasing your training load. In other words, ensure that every week you either ride for a little bit longer, or a little bit harder to ensure that you are making the gains you would like. If you are not improving you are more than likely not training enough. That being said, recovery is also
ear Dr Mike, I seem to have hit a plateau with my riding. I’m riding as much as I realistically can, about 6 to 8 hours a week. I don’t really like to follow training plans, so I tend to just go out, ride and have fun on my bike – though I do try to vary the intensity of my rides. Though I’m not overly competitive I’d like to move up from C Batch seeding to B Batch so I can ride the singletracks with faster riders. Can you suggest any tips to help me improve without spending more time on the bike or getting bored doing a very structured training programme? Thanks, François Dear François, It is extremely common for riders to get stuck in the rut of simply riding. Riding consistently will make significant strides towards making you fitter, healthier, and losing some excess weight. Once you have achieved the initial benefits of reaching a reasonable level of fitness, simply maintaining the same
FS Healthful Amy THE MAGIC OF
KALE
Background: Kale has been around for centuries, in fact the Ancient Greek and Romans harvested it for its antioxidant rich, cholesterol free leaves. It is a member of the Brassica family and contains a huge amount of your daily required vitamins and nutrients.
Kale might not be your favourite leafy green but in this issue Amy Burton delves into why you should add it to your diet and provides a tasty way to eat it too!
These are but a few of the wondrous components of kale:
AMY BURTON
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K
ale… Definitely a veggie on (and in) everyone’s lips at the moment. It has been proclaimed as a Superfood, an anticancer food and even a brain repairing Wonderfood, and here’s why.
◆ Sulforaphane and Indole-3carbinol - phytochemicals which fight prostate and colon cancer by metabolizing carcinogens and enhancing DNA repair. ◆ ß-carotene, lutein and zea-xanthin - These flavonoids have strong antioxidant and anti-cancer activities. ◆ Incredibly rich in Vitamins, which maintains healthy mucosa, skin and vision. ◆ Fantastic source of Vitamin K, this vitamin actually promotes bone formation and strength and 100g of kale provides 587% of your daily recommended intake! ◆ Kale is also a very rich source of the minerals copper, calcium, sodium, potassium, iron and phosphorus. Sodium and Potassium help to maintain heart rate and blood pressure. Iron is required for
◆ Choose 2 days a week to be your “Hard” ride days. ◆ Announce your intention to do a hard ride to your riding buddies before the time so that they are prepared and well rested. ◆ Choose to do either short effort or longer efforts, but don’t simply go hard for the whole ride. Going hard for the whole ride will just result in you riding a constant hard tempo and you will not get the full benefit of high intensity training. ◆ For short efforts (less than 2 minutes) you may choose to sprint on a shorter hill or sprint from lamp post to lamp post. Or even better, back up to the start of the singletrack. Include anywhere from 8 to 20 shorter sprint efforts during the course of the ride. ◆ For longer efforts you may race each other up a climb/hill or piece of uphill singletrack that will take approximately 10 minutes. Complete 3 of these longer efforts for a tough session. ◆ Keep the warm-up, cool-down and between interval/effort rests fun by including as much singletrack or trail riding as possible. ◆ Riding singletrack when fatigued from a hard effort is also a great way to improve your technical riding ability in a race. very important. You can’t simply ride hard each time you ride, you have to select certain days of the week in which you ride as hard as you can. Most riders respond best to two hard days a week. These hard rides should ideally not be hard start to finish, but should rather include bursts or intervals along the ride. The remaining rides should be really easy and allow you to recover from the hard days. The goal of these rides should be enjoyment and socialising. The easiest way to ensure that cellular oxidation and red blood cell formation. ◆ 100 g of fresh Kale leaves contains 200% of daily-recommended levels of vitamin C! Vitamin C is an antioxidant which protects against free radical activity and infections, and promotes overall immune health.
Spiced roast chickpea, kale and rice bowl
This is a delicious bread free meal, which is rich in nutrients, healthy fats, plant protein and anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant rich spices. It will keep you full for many an hour and is simple to prepare with ingredients found in most kitchens.
Ingredients: Half a can chickpeas 2 pinches of: turmeric; cumin powder; paprika; coriander powder 2 pinches salt 2 pinches chilli flakes (optional) 2 tablespoon coconut/olive oil 1 cup cooked basmati/brown rice 1 big handful of kale (curly or flat) very finely chopped 1 garlic clove chopped 1 tablespoon mixed seeds 1 tablespoon dried cranberries/ raisins
Method: Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Pour your chickpeas onto a baking tray and add the spices, salt and oil. Mix with your hands so the
your rides remain within this framework is to clearly indicate your intentions to your riding group before you start.
Dr. Mike Posthumus is an accomplished academic with UCT’s Exercise Science and Sports Medicine faculty and a coach with Science 2 Sport. Find out more at: www.sciencetosport.com chickpeas are well coated in the oil and spices. Place tray in the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until chickpeas are lightly browned and slightly crisp on the outside. Sauté the kale with the garlic and remaining oil, adding salt to taste, when the kale has wilted, add the seeds, stir and cover for 1-2 minutes until the seeds have been lightly toasted. Add the rice and chickpeas to the pan and warm on low heat. Pour into a bowl and stir through the cranberries/raisins. Squeeze a generous amount of lemon juice over the dish and add a small splash of olive oil and salt to taste. For extra protein, top with a soft poached egg or add some avo for a creamier dimension.
For more info on Kale visit: www.nutrition-and-you.com/kale.html www.mindbodygreen.com/0-15393/17things-i-wish-everyone-knew-aboutkale.html
Amy Burton is a mountain biker, trail runner, graphic designer and foodie. She has recently of opened a Rawfood and Superfood smoothie bar at Trail and Tar in Tokai so drop by for a great healthy treat. When she is not riding her bike, running or running her own business, she posts amazing recipes and photos on Instagram, so follow her at @healthful_amy.
#SusMyPic Tag @fullsussa in your riding photos on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and you could see them in print, and win a hamper from Junglenow!
win
Sarah Atmore, captured by David Malan, doing her best to join a peloton to Cape Town.
Louis Veldsman working on the most fun part of mountain biking, taking to the air, at Chris Nixon’s Bike Park.
Taryn McDonald rides into some Transkei traffic near Coffee Bay. (Ed: we hope she just took her helmet off for the selfie!)
FS Yoga & Pilates – brought to you by Concept Studio
Detox, detox, detox…. Joëlle Sleebos has got a few yoga poses that’ll have you twisting towards a detox in the New Year.
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organs might need a bit of cleansing after the festive season! The following poses are just three options. I would recommend you to warm the body up first with a couple of Suryanamaskara A (from Full Sus June/July 2015). Once you feel nice and warm, mix theses twisting poses up with other yoga poses and exercises you already know. You could do all three in one day, but they really don’t have to be done together. The most important thing is, of course, to enjoy the feel of the poses
appy New Year! I hope you all had a great break and a fantastic time with family and friends. This issue I would like to teach you a couple of ways to twist. Not the dancing kind of twist, but twisting yoga poses. Twisting poses penetrate deep into the body’s core and the muscles and organs of the torso can benefit from these poses. If you practice these poses regularly your spine will become more supple, while you are giving your organs a ‘detox-cleanse’. I would assume your
and to practice safe. Like with any yoga pose, twists should also be practiced with care. Just apply the following tips and enjoy: 1. Let your breath be your guide and try to stay away from forcing the body into deep twists by using physical strength. Try to practice in a gentle and relaxed way. Breathe deeply. Let the breath create length and space in the body. 2. Lengthen the spine as much as you can before twisting. If you are not sure about the position of your body, practice in front of the mirror a couple of times and visualize the position of your spine at the back of your body and try to lengthen it. 3. Make sure the base of your spine and your lower back is stable and square. When you are in a seated position before twisting, make sure
Spinal Twist Stretches:
there is even weight in both sit bones. When twisting from Utkatasana/Chair Pose, make sure your toes, knees and hips are in line before twisting. 4. If you twist on the right, also twist on the left and try to stay in the twist for the same numbers of breaths on each side. 5. Take Care: If a pose does not feel right, especially if you have lower back problems, don’t force yourself and back-off or don’t practice that specific pose at all.
Joëlle Sleebos has 16 years of experience in the fitness industry as a group fitness instructor and became a personal trainer in 2012. She’s been teaching yoga since 2010, when it also became her main form of exercise. Follow Joëlle on Twitter at @JoelleSleebos or on Facebook: Joelle Sleebos – Getting Personal.
Scan this QR Code to download the 3rd series of poses.
SEATED SPINAL TWIST
Inhale: Both knees in towards chest. Activate your feet, lengthen your spine. Exhale: Lower arms and twist to the right.
Start seated - both leg extended forward.
Exhale: Spread your arms wide. Inhale: Hold the pose – maybe close your eyes.
Bend right knee and step foot over extended leg. Make sure both sit bones are in contact with the floor.
Inhale: Hold the pose, try to lengthen the spine just a little bit more. Exhale: Keep spine straight, relax and maybe twist a little further without physically forcing your body. ◆ Repeat several times. ◆ Repeat twisting to the left.
SPINAL TWIST
Exhale: Legs slowly move to the left. Inhale: Hold the pose.
Tree Pose
Inhale: Lift arms.
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Start lying down on your back.
Exhale: You can now turn your head if it does not hurt your neck. ◆ Repeat several times. ◆ Repeat twisting to the right. Rest: Shavansana
www.conceptstudio.co.za | 021 434 2266 | @ConceptStudioSA Now offering Altitude Training for Runners, contact Concept Studio to find out more.
Kleinhans Muesli FS
A CHANGE IS AS
TOPEAK ERGON
Erik in action on his new Canyon bike.
GOOD AS A HOLIDAY
For Erik Kleinhans there’s a big change on the bike in 2016; gone are the blacks and yellows of RECM, now you’ll see him on the trail sporting the yellow and green of Topeak Ergon.
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guess that in most of these scenarios, you normally feel when the time is ripe to move on, but with the end of RECM’s partnership with our racing team in South Africa, it really did not feel that way, with such a great group of people always supporting us. But often it rolls over into even better opportunities. You would think we live in a country, small and far away from the global cycling community, until you enter one, two or ten stage races, then you realise we are the MTB stage racing hub of the word! So big in fact that one of the top teams in the world would employ a local racer for experience on the most prestigious race of them all, the Cape Epic. It was an honour to receive the phone call from Team Topeak Ergon management to join their outfit. They are a marathon specific team, and probably the best in the world, with world champions Alban Lakata, Kristian Hynek, Jeremiah Bishop and Sally Bigham filling their roster. It is clear that the Cape Epic is one of the main goals for the team, like it is for so many others, due to the media and the race’s prestige. Their investment in an African rider to support them in their effort to claim another title, to add to the one Hynek and Robert Mennen won in 2014, shows
how important the South African race has become and that our marathon racing scene is definitely on the world map. For the 2016 season I will team up with American rider Jeremiah Bishop, who’s been a multiple national champion and is luckily not an African racing greeny, with two Cape Epics under his belt in 2008 and 2014. We will also partner up for the six-day Andalucia Bike Race in Spain in February and the TransAlp stage race in July. He is lean and mean, maybe he’ll make me suffer on the long climbs, but I will try to return the favour on the flats! The head office and main team partners are all German brands; Topeak and Ergon produce bike equipment and the team bike supplier Canyon offer top bikes through their website in Europe. Topeak though is a familiar name to all South African riders. Fortunately I’m allowed a nice South African race calendar too with some more stage races and the National Marathon Series as the focus. It’s a new year with some exciting new changes for me, and for everyone else who were part of RECM’s great sponsorship, but for now, the big question is: how would the yellow and green Topeak Ergon kit fit with the Lion King’s mane!?
Erik's new partner Jeremiah Bishop.
TOPEAK ERGON
Erik Kleinhans has joined the specialist marathon racing team of Topeak Ergon, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be hearing any less from the Lion King. Follow him on Twitter: @erikkleinhans, or visit www.topeak-ergon-racing.com.
FS Ride Report - Origin of Trails
INE A CTIO N PH
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A FITTING EPILOGUE TO
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2015
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owlin g famo enjoying us G -Spo Stellenb osch t trai ’s l.
The views from Bothamaskop over the Banghoek Valley and across to the Simonsberg are something quite special.
Now in its third year, the end of season mountain biking party that is the Pennypinchers Origin of Trails just keeps getting better writes Seamus Allardice.
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tillwater Sports debuted the race in November 2013 when they took riders around Banghoek, Jonkershoek and Bottelary Hills in two 70km days. Then in 2014 they knocked a few kays off the daily distances to ease it up. But while the new and exclusive trails through Dornier Wine Estate provided some great excitement by replacing the well ridden Bottelary Hills but the over-riding memory for many was the slog up Botmaskop in the heat towards the end of Day Two. It wasn’t the ideal end to what was meant to be a fun race.
"The new Red Phoenix trail is infinitely shreddable for riders of most skill levels." So the Stillwater team went back to the drawing board and cut more distance from the route, and for 2015 I think they got it spot on. At 60km a day it’s short for a stage race, and there was the option to shorten it further by doing two 35km days or one 60km day and one 35km day, but given that it’s November in Stellenbosch shorter is better. Some riders might be using Origins to kick-start their
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December training, but most just want to have fun – so the less suffering the better really.
DAY 1 – PHOENIX The first day of the 2015 Origin of Trails headed out of Stellenbosch towards the reinvigorated trails of Jonkershoek. While the fire damage is still clear to see Bennet Nel and his Ace of Spades trail building team had been hard at work building new trails to make up for the ones lost to the fire or still out-of-bounds due to Cape Pine’s frantic harvesting. For most the new black diamond run is a bit too gnarr but the new Red Phoenix trail is infinitely shreddable for riders of most skill levels. It flows beautifully, but be warned, it takes quite a bit of huffing and puffing to get all the way up to the trail head… With Origins including the Red Phoenix trail, the first part of the stage was largely uphill – but it’s better to get the climbing out the way early on. I would have liked to have bombed down the Phoenix but having caught a rather nervous rider about 50 meters into the trail that just wasn’t an option; so I took in the trail-side scenery which isn’t bad either. From there it was across the valley floor, up a singletrack climb and on to the Ride In, then up the Bergpad
VOLUME PHOTOGRAPHY
Where are we?
Cape Town
Western Cape
N1
◆ Stellenbosch N2
Stellenbosch is the heart of both wine making and mountain biking in the Western Cape, so it makes sense that the two go hand-in-hand. Part of the Origin of Trails ethos is to raise funds to build trails and with the help of the local wine farmers the Stellenbosch trail networks just keep growing. above the University sports fields and into a section of the Stellenbosch XCO course. From the wide eyes and white knuckles I saw the addition of the XCO course probably caused more fear than fun. But the pieces Stillwater included were no more technical than anything riders had already conquered in Jonkershoek or would conquer in Dornier so I suspect the fear came from knowing it was The XCO Course rather than the actual trail features. After the XCO fun (or not depending on your take on it) we climbed up G-Spot, jolled down Eden and explored the growing network of exclusive Dornier trails, before turning for the finish line at Blaauwklippen Wine Estate. There was one last treat in store though – the little pump track outside the new Specialized Concept Store in Stellenbosch’s Paradyskloof suburb.
DAY 2 – SKYFALL The second stage held the promise of exploring the Banghoek Valley, a treat all Origins entrants were keen for largely because of the epic Bartinney Skyfall singletrack. But to get into the Banghoek Valley there’s
some serious climbing which needs to be done. The slog up through the forests above the suburb of Uniepark is notoriously tough. And it wasn’t made any easier by the hot early morning temperatures. But again, the climbing was out the way early so the fun could start.
"The S-Works Camber I had the pleasure of riding handled like a guided missile." For 2015 there was a new singletrack link between the forests roads and Skyfall which improved the route dramatically, especially as it avoided a nasty little climb up a cement track which had many riders pushing their bikes in 2014. Skyfall was brilliant. It has bedded in perfectly and after the rider in front of me crashed I got to ride it at my own pace which was a pleasant surprise I wasn’t expecting. From Skyfall we wound our way around the scenic Banghoek Valley, down
VOLUME PHOTOGRAPHY
Ride report - Origin of Trails FS
Ariane Kleinhans shows how it’s done on the Stellenbosch XCO course section.
some freshly cut singletracks and up a rocky singletrack climb where I caught up with the rolling party made up of the very relaxed pros, including Candice Neethling, Darren Lill and Waylon Woolcock. When the singletack pointed downhill I just blindly followed the wheel ahead of me because while they were chilling uphill the pros were keen to max the fun sections – which kicked up a dust storm of note. Fortunately the Specialized Test the S-Works Camber I had the pleasure of riding handled like a guided missile, so being able to see the trail wasn’t necessary. At the next water point I met up with Kate Slegrova and Lara Woolley, and they proved excellent company for the remaining 30km. Heading back towards Stellenbosch we descended a section of the Old Helshoogte
Pass, then ducked through a culvert under the New Helshoogte Pass and climbed a very manageable section of Botmaskop (Thank you Stillwater!) and cut through town towards G-Spot, Eden and bits of the previous day’s route through Dornier. On the finishing straight Kate lost concentration and managed to fall over, just as she came into the sight of Paul Valstar – needless to say Paul made a meal of it, much to Kate’s embarrassment, over the public address system. Even without Kate’s little crash crossing the finish line of the Pennypinchers Origin of Trails put a massive smile on my face. It’s definitely hitting its straps as the year end race for the MTB season – and I’m expecting even more spectacular trails on the 2016 route.
JETLINE ACTION PHOTO
Seamus Allardice piloting the superb 2016 Camber.
Specialized S-Works Camber I was lucky enough to ride Origins on the 2016 S-Works Camber. Having spent the last 18 months on a Camber already, I love the bike’s geometry and handling. For 2016 the Camber gets an extra 10mm of travel, taking it up to 120mm front and rear, plus the same SWAT Door in the downtube as the Stumpjumper and on the top end models a superbly “trail tuned” mini-Brain. The 2016 Camber is more capable than the 2015 model, but in the S-Works build spec it’s also more racey despite the longer travel. Specialized’s best mountain bike just got better.
FS Molly's Challenge
It’s all about
THE FIT It’s almost four months into Molly Fitz-Patrick’s challenge, and she’s starting to get a bit worried, yes even more worried than before… But at least she’s now set-up correctly on her brand new bike. All photos by Ashlee Atwood
By having you sit on a medium density foam cushion (sometimes called the Ass-O-Meter) Body Geometry Fit specialists can measure the width of your sit bones and determine the correct saddle for you.
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hings have definitely happened but at the same time nothing has happened. I’ve only ridden a handful of times and still feel as unfit and apprehensive as I did before. I received my bike in December, shortly before the holidays. I ended up with a Trek Superfly 6 full sus size small bike. The excitement started buzzing as soon as I saw my monochrome stunner of a bike rolling towards me. I felt like I’d been waiting a long time to get it into my clutches. All I wanted was to hop on straight away and take it for a spin. Unfortunately, that was not possible; when you buy one of these kinds of bikes pedals are not included. I naturally assumed they would be – another thing I’ve learned. Pedals are, obviously, very important, and yet another cost to add to your growing bill. I had to take the bike down to one of the LBS to get some pedals fitted and have a tubeless conversion done. Finally, after all of this, I could hop
on the bike. Well, I tried to. I really struggled to hop onto the seat; the saddle was just too high. I felt that if I could eventually mount the bike I’d have difficulty getting down, I was certain I would fall – I still haven’t come round to the idea of no fear. It was suggested that I go for a bike fit, a Body Geometry Fit to be more precise. I wheeled my bike down to Freewheel Cycology for a full assessment and fit. Just the word ‘assessment’ makes me nervous; I pictured myself all hooked up to a treadmill, having my fitness, or lack thereof, scrutinized. As I stepped into the cool, air-conditioned studio I realised that my nervousness was completely unfounded. It turned out to be relaxed, informative and a great experience. First, there’s the rider interview where questions about things like your riding experience, injury history and aspirations are asked. This is followed by
a comprehensive physical and flexibility assessment, everything from your foot structure, to the positioning of your sit bones to the movement and flexibility limitations of your hamstrings and pelvic rotations. I was exposed to all these cool tools and gadgets that looked deceivingly simple but showed that I have a very high foot arch – only a centimetre or two of foot is actually touching the ground. Christoff, the technician who was taking the assessment, asked me to stand on one foot while keeping the leg straight and lift the knee of my other leg up in line with hip. I have always thought my balance was rather good but, once I started wobbling, I thought back to all those times I lost my balance out of nowhere. He made me realise that I’m actually quite unstable. It’s almost if I had always known but I just needed someone to point it out.
"My old saddle was replaced by a wider, women's specific saddle - instantly I felt far more comfortable."
Another key measurement is hip flexibility.
After he had finished with all the measurements it was time to hop onto my bike and see how my results would affect the set-up of the bike. I was right, my saddle was definitely too high, and the saddle itself too narrow. My old saddle was replaced by a wider, women’s specific saddle – instantly I felt far more comfortable. Almost every element of my bike was tweaked or changed. Soon I began to learn what felt right and/or more comfortable, and what felt wrong. My knee angle was off and unbalanced, but after a bit of fiddling around with the saddle, it was even. Even a rookie like me could recognise that the knee angle being just a few degrees off could cause soreness and even injury. After the whole process, which took about an hour and a half, it felt like I had a different bike – it no longer felt hard and strange, it felt like it fitted. The whole experience left me feeling pleased and positive. I highly recommend it whether you’re an old hand or a novice like me, it’s well worth the R1 450. Hopefully in the next column I’ll have many pleasant trail experiences to share with you. Wish me luck!
Body Geometry Fit To find out more about Body Geometry Bike Fit visit www.specialized.com/za/ en/bodygeometry. Or drop by your nearest Specialized Elite or Concept Store.
Having unsupported high arches can affect the tracking of your knees, causing them to collapse inwards.
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A Body Geometry Fit session is a largely consultative process where the fit specialist works with you to get you into the most comfortable position on the bike.
Christoff applying the final touches to get Molly’s cockpit set-up just right.
For a novice rider like Molly a slammed stem isn’t the right choice so Christoff raised it for her.
Molly Fitz-Patrick is a Cape Town girl, a UCT graduate and in her first year of her working life as Integrated Media’s editorial assistant. She may be an amateur mountain biker but she’s a keen cook, writer and baker.
Craig & Rudy’s Epic Stage Race Tips FS
ALL PHOTOS BY DANIEL COETZEE
THE CLOCK IS TICKING
With the first race of the year, the Attakwas, now behind them Craig Kolesky and Rudolf Zuidema talk you through the final stages of preparation for the 2016 Cape Epic.
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o the holidays are over and the back-to-work blues are kicking in. Despite the months of training behind us Attakwas is always the Litmus Test of how well your training has gone; and so far so good. We finished comfortably with bodies and bikes passing the Fairview Attakwas Extreme Challenge with flying colours. With 60 days to go to the Epic there’s still a fair bit of training and preparation to go and let’s not give Murphy any chances to derail all our plans. After months of intense training the body’s immune system is pretty suppressed so make sure to take a good multi vitamin to boost immunity. The last thing you need is to get sick now! The other danger to be mindful of is injury, whether from complacency or fatigue there always seem to be a lot of withdrawals this time of year due to injury and sickness. So our advice is take slightly more conservative lines on the trails and if you are doing any races avoid bunches as there’s always that one guy… By now you should also have settled on a nutrition regimen for the Epic; if not time is running out and you should definitely make your nutrition strategy your number
one priority. Try not to take too much advice from others on this as everybody is different and you have to figure out what fuel yours runs on. So your training’s on track and nutrition sorted, but have you spent some time getting to grips with doing trailside repairs? I’m constantly amazed at how many people end up on the side of the trail with a mechanical and have all the spares and tools to fix the problem but don’t know how to! If you haven’t yet had to fit a masterlink, plug a tyre etc; you’ve been lucky. Don’t wait for your luck to run out before learning how to deal with the situation, but if you don’t we take payment in cold beer. Then of course there’s your trusty steed; without her you won’t make it to Meerendal so make sure she gets plenty of TLC before 13 March. We’d recommend sending your bike in to your bike shop for a major service in mid-February and make sure that you tell them to check/ service the following: ◆ Suspension Front and Rear ◆ Suspension Pivots ◆ Frame – check bearing races for wear and frame for any signs of damage that could lead to a frame failure ◆ Wheels – rims, bearings for wear & spokes for tension
Craig putting his holiday season training to the test.
◆ Drivetrain – replace cables, check for wear and replace necessary parts ◆ Brakes – check disc rotor wear, hydraulic fluid leaks and replace pads It’s important to do the major service at this time as leaving it later leaves very little time for contingencies should there be any major problems with your bike or if there are stock shortages of spares locally. It also means you’ll have some time on the bike to bed cables, rotors, pads and pick up any other little niggles.
Something else to bear in mind is that from mid-Feb bike shops get extremely busy prepping bikes for Cycle Tour Week and Epic, so your bike might not get the same level of attention. About 10 days prior to Epic send her in again for a once over; just in case.
Tick, Tock, Tick, Tock…
Rudolf Zuidema is the Director of Operations and Marketing for Trek Bicycles and Bontrager in SA. He has an endless wealth of MTB knowledge and is the man to flag down if you have a technical issue on the trail. Follow him on Twitter @rudolfzuidema
The Attakwas is the traditional MTB season opener and one of the races Rudy earmarked as a training race.
Craig Kolesky is a Cape Town based freelance photographer, shooting with Nikon gear, specializing in adventure sports, lifestyle and portraiture. You’ll have seen his photos on the covers of most mags in SA and he’ll be documenting the 2016 ABSA Cape Epic journey with unique POV stills. Follow him on Twitter @CraigKolesky.
FS Ride Report - Nicky & Timo’s Tour
Nicky & Timo’s TOUR When your boyfriend is an ex-pro mountain biker your romantic summer holiday trips tend to involve a bit of riding, as Nicky Gilomee discovered when she took a trip to Knysna with Timo Cooper.
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y name is Nicky Giliomee and I really enjoy riding my bike… a lot! For me, riding a bike is a means to be active, healthy and social while exploring the most beautiful places in the world. It also allows me to see and experience things and places that are truly amazing. Over the years the passion for riding and the outdoors has taken Timo and I on many adventures to places we would have otherwise never seen or experienced. Timo was a professional cyclist for four years, and has many wins under his belt, including the Cape Pioneer Trek, Trans Baviaans (three times), the GR300, GR200, Trans Elands, Dr Evil and the Trans Hajar (in Oman). He started working as USN’s PureFit brand manager last year and though he now has less time to ride, to me it doesn’t seem like he has slowed down at all! So when he suggested we do a long ride in December to get some base miles in I knew I had to agree. I’ve been talked into doing the Epic, so I need those long kays. The ride though was a bit more of a challenge than my usual long slow distance rides, Timo suggested with ride from Wellington (Timo’s hometown, to Knysna (my home town). I’ve known Timo long enough to know that if he says something is going to be tough, it’s going to be tough, and tough it was! Being the ultimate fun rider I haven’t had nearly half of Timo’s experience, but I had no doubt this trip would be an adventure. The plan was to cycle from Wellington to Knysna unsupported, with only our bikes and what we could fit in our backpacks.
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We took back-roads and gravel roads where we could. We stayed in backpackers and guest houses along the way which we had prebooked before our trip. Other than that there was no plan, just get from the town we woke up in to the next town with the help of a Garmin.
Day One Wellington to Montagu (160kms) Day 1 from Wellington to Montagu was long and hot. It took us about seven hours to do 160kms (including stops). We saw many cyclists along the way and discovered roads that never seemed to end through the beautiful Slang-Hoek Valley. Needless to say, we were very happy to get to Montagu as the temperatures were well over 40 degrees Celsius.
ALL PHOTOS BY NICKY GILOMEE AND TIMO COOPER
Karoo roads will test your imagination and physical stamina.
Nicky and Timo looking fresh despite having ticked off nearly 300km already.
SOUTH AFRICA
N1
Western Cape
Wellington
Montagu George Riversdale N2
◆
Knysna
Cape Town
forced our total riding time to eight hours for the day.
Day Four George to Knysna (89kms) Day 4 was a breeze compared to the first three days. Riding from friends we stayed with in George to Knysna on the beautiful Seven Passes road. The support throughout our trip from friends, family and strangers we met along the way was incredible. We were even met by our very own “fan club” along the route on our final day. The Garden Route Trail Park owner
Where are we? The route from Wellington to Knysna is made a lot longer and harder if you try to take as many gravel roads as possible. If you have a great gravel road touring route share it with us by emailing sussed@fullsus.co.za.
Rob Dormehl also welcomed us with cold Cokes, yummy treats and cold water to get us through the final (very hot) day, thanks Rob! Also a huge thanks to Omnico and Red-E for our charging goodies, lights and GoPro brackets, USN PureFit for our nutrition, Columbia for our rain jackets, Skins for our compression gear and to Bespoked Bike Shop for looking after our bikes (free of charge) before and after our trip! And of course thanks to Timo Cooper for taking the headwind every day!
Day Two Montagu to Riversdale (145.8kms) Day 2 from Montagu to Riversdale was, in my opinion, the hardest. We got lost, ran out of water, trespassed (shhh don’t tell anyone) and saw places and animals we didn’t even know existed. This was definitely our most adventurous day! But one I’d prefer to forget.
Day Three Riversdale to George (150kms) Day 3 from Riversdale to George again was not easy. We took back roads from Riversdale and had to do an impromptu route detour to get water because five hours in, nearly in Mossel Bay, we still hadn’t been able to refuel. From Mossel Bay to George we battled a hectic head wind which
Posing for a photo with some friendly faces at the Garden Route Trail Park.
Nicky Giliomee is a BComm Honors student in Public and Development Mangement at Stellenbosch University. Timo Cooper is the USN PureFit brand manager. You can follow them both on Twitter: @NickyGiliomee and @TimoCooper.
n i w
Competition FS
win online store vouchers
Tell us which is your favourite USN #PureFit product and you could win 1 of 5 R750 USN Online Store Vouchers. THE PRIZE
USN have launched their online store at www.usn.co.za and to celebrate we’re giving you the chance to win 1 of 5 R750 vouchers to use on the USN online store at www.usn.co.za.
HOW TO WIN
To enter you must register by emailing your Full Name, ID Number and Twitter Handle to comp@fullsus.co.za. Then tweet @FullSussa and @USN_Purefit with the product name of your favourite USN #PureFit product. The competition closes on the 22nd of February 2016..
FS Gear
GEAR Trail Sunglasses Keep your eyes on the trail – no matter the light conditions – with one of these pairs of riding specific sunglasses. What to look for in sunglasses
✹ Lens quality – You only have one pair of eyes so look after them with the best lenses you can afford. ✹ Fit – Make sure the sunglasses fit your face. ✹ Looks – Remember they have to look good with your choice of helmet. ✹ Light conditions – Either you’ll need multiple glasses for different light conditions or a pair that offer interchangeable or photochromic lenses. ✹ Durability – Sturdy construction is key to your sunnies lasting, but also to protecting your eyes in the case of a crash or a branch brushing by at eye level.
Lazer Krypton KR1 RRP R1 485 www.lazersport.com Tester: Seamus Allardice The Lazer Krypton KR1 sunnies take no getting used to; they are remarkably light, feature a far smaller frame and a slightly narrow fit, making them super comfortable. The show-piece of the KR1s are the ZEISS optics lenses, which feature an anti-fog coating and frames are designed for the lenses to be interchangeable. The functionality of the interchangeable lenses are not as great as the Jawbreakers or D’Arcs though, as you have to pop the lenses out by force rather than sliding them out, which concerns me for the long term life span of the lenses. That being said the frames feature a bit of flex and are said to be virtually indestructible. If changing the lenses scares you, there’s the option to get the KR1s with ZEISS photochromic lenses too. If you already own a Lazer helmet you can change the temples and attach magnetic M2 eyewear temples so that the glasses clip magnetically to your helmet rather than sit above your ears. All-in-all I think the bold colours options, great quality lenses and competitive price will make the Krypton KR1s really popular on the trails.
Oakley Jawbreaker Photochromic RRP R2 975 www.oakley.com Tester: Seamus Allardice The Oakley Jawbreakers were probably the most eagerly awaited riding glasses around when they were released last year, and with the characteristically bold Oakley design it’s easy to see why. They’re sported by the likes of Mark Cavendish on the road and our very own Erik Kleinhans on the mountain and if you’re not the shy type they’re a flashy addition to your riding wardrobe. The lenses feature cut-outs to ensure ventilation and like the adidas evil eye evos, the large frame design increases peripheral vision and reduces aero-drag (as you’d expect from glasses designed for the Manx Missile himself). The Jawbreaker lens changing system is super simple; just squeeze the nose pads together, rotate them up on the hinge (located on the bridge), push the nose pads up until the top clip releases the top bar and then flip the lower rim down to release the lenses. Oakley’s photochromic lenses are top class, as you’d expect and if photochromic isn’t your scene you can get the Jawbreakers in a variety of Oakley’s Prizm Polarized lenses.
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adidas evil eye evo pro vario RRP R4 300 www.moscon.co.za Tester: Richard Pieterse The vario lenses are adidas’s new do it all lenses, designed for the ever changing light conditions you typically experience on a ride. The adidas evil eye evo pro, with vario lenses, which I tested, feature a fairly large frame. The advantage of this is that the frame doesn’t protrude into your field of vision and it covers the eye sockets completely which reduces aero-drag (if you’re into that sort of thing). Because of the large nature of the frames they might not suit everyone’s face but the twocolour construction and simple lines make them rather good looking. Functionality wise, the evil eye pros feature an air vent in the bridge, a sweat deflecting band on the top bar and a superb anti-fog coating on the vario lenses. The hinges also allow you to tilt the glasses up or down for a better fit. The real highlights, though, are the vario lenses which transition from providing protection for bright light conditions to being completely clear for total darkness without any noticeable lag. If the large evil eye evos aren’t your style the adidas evil eye halfrim and tycane sunglasses are also available with vario lenses.
D'Arcs Meridian Photochromic
RRP R840 www.darcs.co.za Tester: Seamus Allardice
The D’Arcs offer great value for riders who can’t afford or justify the expenditure of some of the other glasses we’ve tested. But I’ve had a pair of D’Arcs Meridians for over a year and I’ve got great use out of them without any issues. They’re simply constructed, but are lightweight and durable with a comfortable fit. The Meridian design is far more subtle than the other sunglasses in this range, which ensures a good general appeal. The lenses meat the European Standards for UVA, UVB and Optical Clarity so there’s no need to be concerned about their quality either. The polycarbonate photochromic lenses change from clear to grey as the light brightens and feature air vents up near the top bar to help reduce fogging up. If you’d prefer separate lenses for different light conditions you can also get the D’Arcs Meridians with a set of four lenses, which allow 100-80%, 80-43%, 43-18% or 18-8% light transmission for different light conditions.
Rudy Project Tralyx ImpactX RRP R3 590 www.rudyproject.co.za Tester: Shayne Dowling
FS
choice Unbreakable lenses! Ok so that’s a good start. Watching the Tour de France and there seem to be an awful lot of Rudy Projects about, so that’s another positive. The glasses look great and let’s be honest, even if the lenses were superb, if the frames look bad you’re not going to buy them. These are stunning and with the looks come great functionality – they are extremely light, have an adjustable nose piece and interchangeable lenses with a range that cover pretty much all light conditions. The airflow of the glasses is brilliant, strategic air vents ensured that I had no steaming up even when climbing. My test pair has the ImpactX 2Black photochromic lenses and I can comfortably say I have yet to experience anything as good. I would highly recommend getting these lenses as they will cover most conditions. I used them in 40º Celsius with bright sunshine, constantly in and out of the shade and they performed brilliantly. I even tested them on a night ride and only when it got really dark did I take them off. The lenses, according to their website, are guaranteed unbreakable for life. I highly recommend the Rudy Tralyx.
Stirling Revolution FS
ONE DIRTY
WEEKEND
Take heed as SJ Kotze returns to his banking roots and looks at the effects of that decision to remove Nhlanhla Nene as the Minisiter of Finance.
What can the industry do to help bicycle riders (and would-be riders) ease the pain? Importers can tighten up their own running costs and reduce their mark-ups just a bit. However, the Rand has been weak for a long time now and the margins are mostly already as tight as possible. The main issue is that they must not capitalize on the situation and include their old-price inventory with their new stock price. Averaging the price of old and new inventory is the only solution that helps smooth the price increase, but eventually the price will rise.
What can retailers do? I would recommend using the same averaging technique for new pricing. Stock up now while the products are still underpriced relative to the new prices on the horizon. I know we have. There is not much retailers can do about mark-ups, given their overheads and the fact that almost every buyer is looking for, and often getting, a discount off already tight margins. The ideal situation is for retailers to
keep prices as low as possible, and not to discount to those who feel it’s their right to receive a discount.
What can customers do? Buy now is the simple, obvious and best advice. Also, don’t expect discounts on current, pre-that weekend priced stock. In the longer term - don’t keep expecting and asking for discounts. All this does is close down marginal bike shops, or force shops to mark-up more than they should because of the consumer demand for discounts. It is a vicious cycle. The big clothing and luxury goods retailers, and most others will tell you to sod-off if you ask for a discount. Wait for the sales they’ll say. Maybe that’s why they have sales - because they tell you to sodoff… Anyway, I digress. Then there are the other big players in the bikeriding business - the race and event organizers. Come on guys, cut the riders some slack and cut some of those race entry prices. They have grown much faster than inflation while the race sponsorship now makes up most of the revenue. We, the riders, need every break we can get. Whatever your opinion is and whatever size your pocket is, we are in for a tough time and loads of challenges. But we South Africans are a resilient lot and we will suffer but we’ll carry on riding - maybe the same bike for a little longer. Just remember we didn’t push up the prices - our weak Rand did that. We all have our part to play in keeping prices down. Don’t capitalize on the increased prices. Don’t buy from the overseas online suppliers (the money is leaving the country and not contributing to our economy). Do stock up on consumables before the prices increase. Do not demand discounts. Most bike shops will always look after their regular customers at the till. And, in the short term, if you are in the market for a new bike, buy it now.
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.
JOHAN BADENHORST
O
ne nasty weekend, actually one very stupid weekend, and the Rand falls. Billions of Rands wiped off our economy. Each and every one of us is affected in one way or another. Our Rand-Dollar, Rand-Sterling and Rand-Euro exchange rates are at an all-time low. What can we do? Only watch as the Rand continues to dive as the confidence in our economy is tested. Already our suppliers are sending through new price lists. As the new stock prices rise, so does our prices; our payments and our admin charges. Now that’s on spares, clothing and accessories. Bike prices will also go up once the importers/wholesalers get new indent stock in. Hopefully they won’t increase prices on existing inventory. Some do you know! And some don’t. Let’s wait and see.
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One-stop cycling depts
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In 38 stores across RSA
FEBRUARY Must do events Capital Simonsberg Contour Just three weeks before the inaugural Fairtree Capital Simonsberg Contour the Simonsberg Mountain was ravaged by a fire, burning hundreds of hectares of precious vineyards, thousands of hectares of fynbos and old plantations and affecting many a kilometre of freshly built singletrack. Race organisers Meurant and Arina Botha were quick to point out that the race would go on, and would remain a singletrack experience. Given the losses the farmers have suffered and the fact that the Simonsberg Contour is designed to share the profits with the members of the Simonsberg Conservancy and promote trial tourism to the area, Full Sus would like urge you to support the race in any way you can. If you can’t get an entry at this late stage, take the family out to the Winelands and go support the riders and the farms by enjoying a wine farm brunch and wine tasting. Find out more at www.dirtopia.co.za.
■ 6 February: Lilyfontein Red Baron Tomato Trot
The Lilyfontein Eco-School is hosting its 21st annual Red Barron Tomato Trot from the school grounds, near Glen Gariff outside East London. There are 15km and 5km run/ walks plus 8km, 15km, 35km and 55km rides on offer so there’s something for the whole family. For the more competitive, there are cash prizes for the winners and lucky draw prizes for the non-competitive runners and riders. Entries are available online through www.ROAG.co.za, with race fees starting from R50 and going up to R165 for pre-entries and R60 to R195 for late entries. You can find out all about the event by visiting www.lilyfontein.co.za for finding the Tomato Trot and Cycle on Facebook.
■ 19 – 21 February: Fedhealth XTERRA Grabouw
The South African XTERRA Champs take place once again in Grabouw over the weekend of the 19th to the 21st of February. The racing is kicked off by the XTERRA Kids on Friday, the main event, the full XTERRA, complete with a 1.5km swim, a 28km MTB and a 12.5km trail run will take place on Saturday the 20th, and the XTERRA Lite – a friendly introduction to off-road triathlons including a 400m swim, a 12.5km MTB and a 5km trail run – takes
CALENDAR
place on Sunday. Entry fees are R60 for the Kids, R450 for the Lite and R700 for the Full XTERRA. There is also the option to race as a team, for which the entries are R750 for the Lite and R1 050 for the Full. To enter or find out more about XTERRA visit www.stillwatersports.com or follow @XTERRASA on Twitter.
SUS March 2016 GAUTENG
19 Taaibos Vastrap 21 2016 Springbok Plant Hire Humanrights Day Cycle Challenge
26 SA Cup Series XCO #3
■ 20 & 21 February: Ashburton Investments National XCM Series #2 Sabie
5 12 12 13
The mountain biking mecca that is Sabie will host one of SA’s benchmark events the Ashburton Investments National XCM Series’ second race on the 20th and 21st of February. Kicking off from the York Timbers’ Sport Grounds in Sabie the 115km (with a leg-sapping 3 050m of climbing) ultra-marathon and the 72km (with 2 050m of climbing) marathon take place on Saturday while the 45km half-marathon and 16.5km fun-ride take place on Sunday. Around 3 000 riders are expected across the weekend so entering early is essential! You can view all the route maps, scrutinise the route profiles, view photos and videos from past Sabie National Series races and enter online at www.nationalmtbseries.com.
WESTERN CAPE Lesotho Sky Friends And Family Ride Big Dog Adventure Festival WP XCO Series Race #3 Absa Cape Epic
EASTERN CAPE 1 Transkei Slowride 12 ECC Provincial XCO #3 31 Spur Lord Of The Chain Rings NORTHERN CAPE 12 Hennies Sentrum MTB Challenge 2016 5 5 6 6 19 26 27
KZN KZN Provincial XCO Series #2 2016 Sappi Howick Enduro The aQuellé Epworth Mudman 2016 Sappi Howick Classic Berg 100 KZN MTB Provincial Enduro Series #2 KZN MTB Provincial DH Series #2 & SA Cup Series
MPUMALANGA 19 Sappi Mankele MTB Challenge LIMPOPO 4 Kruger Wilderness Ride
CALENDAR KEY Mpumalanga
Free State
Limpopo
Western Cape
Northern Cape
KZN
Gauteng
North West
Eastern Cape
Out in Africa
FREE STATE 18 3Mountains Challenge 2016
OUT IN AFRICA 30 African Continental Championships XCO-XCE-XCR-DHI-XCM (Lesotho)
SUS April 2016 GAUTENG 2 Cradle Mountain Trophy 2 Ezemvelo Ride The Ridge MTB Challenge 15 Gouritz Bio MTB Relay 22 Old Mutual JoBerg2c WESTERN CAPE 9 Eendekuil NGK Family MTB Funride 9 WP XCO Series Race #4 15 Liberty Cape Winelands MTB Encounter 15 36ONE MTB Challenge 23 Arabella Challenge 29 Klein Karoo X 30 7 Passes MTB 30 Houw Hoek MTB Tour
2 9 10 10 16 30
KZN Marriott Freedom Race Royal Drakensberg MTB Challenge Sugar Rush Classic aQuellé Richmond Mudman KZNMTB Provincial XCO Series # 3 PMB MTB Festival - XCO
MPUMALANGA 2 Lake Umuzi Cosmos 3-in-1 MTB Challenge 30 Spar Sabie Xperience
Below: The Pure Darkness crew, with the help of Monster Energy, are building something massive in the Garden Route Trail Park…
Calling all event organisers Get your event listed here for free! Email all your 2016 event dates and details to sussed@fullsus.co.za to make sure you don’t miss out on the coverage. Advertise your event in Full Sus and we will send you copies of the paper for your goodie bags or registration table. Call Eloise on 021 685 0285/6
@THOMAS.SANDELL
■ 6 & 7 February: Fairtree
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