Full Sus November 2016 by Full Sus #MTB

NOV 2016 VOL39

#MTB BIKE REVIEW @ F U L LS U S SA

F U L LS U S SA

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY CRAIG KOLESKY

F U L LS U S SA

Lance Stephenson takes a look at bike warranties and what recourse you have when you find your precious, expensive baby has a major frame problem.

p16 Cannondale Scalpel Si Carbon 4

BUSTED!

ountain biking is hard on your equipment. We barrel along rocky paths on thin walled rubber tyres, we drag the brakes down long descents to the point of boiling the hydraulic oil and we ride many hours past our service intervals on our suspension forks. Mountain biking is an equipment driven sport, and in saying that, I place a high value on looking after it. Performance being a huge part of this, and the other the cost to replace it. Having a part simply wear out from lack of maintenance is just wasteful

WIN

and irresponsible. But what happens when a part fails? So let’s say that you’ve bought a new bike and you’ve had your LBS service it regularly, but the frame has cracked? The first thing you as the consumer need to do is to produce your original proof of purchase. Even if you bought your bike from the shop doing your warranty, the shop has to attach that to a whole ream of paperwork to request a warranty. Your LBS has to take high res photos of the crack and has to give the wholesaler a little insight to the service history and condition of the

bike. Your LBS will have to strip the bike for you, and have it sent off to the wholesaler to replace. This process is quick, it should take a day to do. The process then goes through headquarters who will cross reference serial numbers with batches known to have a failure of sort (although they won’t readily admit this) and then award a warranty on that frame for you. In the case of some manufacturers, they will credit the wholesaler in RSA with the value of your frame, so that they can pull stock off their shelf to turn the warranty around in short

RIDE REPORT THE U

RIDE REPORT BERG & BUSH

p10

p14

time. This process from sending paperwork to having a resolution is up to four days because of time zones and queuing in the system. Some manufacturers will only award warranties from warranty stock, this often is a great outcome for those who have a unique colour that is discontinued because they will get the exact replacement. This process can take anything up to three weeks though. This period is ALWAYS in my experience delayed by customs.

GO TO PAGE 02

GEAR WHAT APP?

WITH EXTREME LIGHTS

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BIKE WARRANT Y

FROM PAGE 01

BIKE WARRANTIES CONT... SCENARIO: You broke

the rear end of your full suspension frame, and you have received a replacement but it’s a different colour. This happens because of production changes in the product. I personally would do my head in trying to overlook a mismatched frame/rear triangle. It does happen in the industry and I must say that on both sides of the fence it’s fair and unfair. The consumer IS getting a replacement, and the manufacturer IS paid for a pricey item that is aesthetically pleasing but defective. If I was the manufacturer I would replace both for the customer. This brings me to another situation, like receiving a new model frame replacement which is, say, a boost rear end and your old frame was old 135mm quick release. The manufacturer has replaced your frame for you, and may have discontinued that model spec; normally they will replace this part at no cost. But lets say you request the “upgrade” to a boost rear end, the wholesaler will charge you

manufacturer and therefore is only “handling” your claim, just as much as the bike shop. However, there are some wholesalers and local manufactures that will not only warranty your claim for you fast, but they will also collect your bike and rebuild it for you at no cost. In most consumers’ cases though, having an excellent and loyal relationship with your LBS will count for a great deal when dealing with warranties. Good bike shops that feel your loyalty will rebuild your bike for a very marginal fee or for free. They have no obligation to do so, so it’s up to you as a patron of your shop to cultivate a good relationship. All of the brands mentioned in the “Facts” table state one VERY main stipulation insomuch that each of the respective warranties only count to the first original owner. So if I buy a bike that is two days old from “Joe Blog”, the warranty falls away. This sounds really daft, but it’s there because we have to have limitations and rule to have a civilized society. I would like to see some sort of “Authorized Warranty Transfer” system, where a bike that is still within a period of 6 months carries its warranty over. I have seen

“HAVING AN EXCELLENT AND LOYAL RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR LBS WILL COUNT FOR A GREAT DEAL WHEN DEALING WITH WARRANTIES.” accordingly. Most of this is down to clear and open communication. Warranties vary from brand to brand, all of them however do state in the owner’s manuals that each country is governed by their own consumer law. Most of these manuals will tell you that a warranty will only be awarded if your bike is assembled and serviced by an authorized dealer. In this manual, they all state that the cost of rebuilding your bike is for the owner’s account. This I find is a hugely overlooked fact that the consumer needs to take heed of. Many consumers will rant and rave about having to pay to rebuild a bike after a failure. Now as a consumer I can understand that, but the wholesaler handling the warranty isn’t the

many Shop Demo models sold after 2 months of use (and proper maintenance) not warrantied and I think that is really not good for a brand. Tour companies buy bikes in droves to do tours with; they have the warranties as they are the original owner. Limitations on warranties come in many forms. The most common one is paint, which in most cases is on average only covered for a year. Other limitations include moving parts, either drivetrain and wheels, but also suspension components and bearings. Pivots and linkages are also not covered for a lifetime within the “lifetime” warranty. These items are moving parts and are susceptible to wear and tear. Speaking of wear and tear, all manufacturers will take it case by case and look at

THE FACTS MANUFACTURER

WARRANTY

Giant Bicycles

Lifetime Warranty (exceptions to DH

Trek Bicycles

Lifetime Warranty (exceptions to DH

Cannondale Bicycles

Lifetime Warranty (exceptions to DH

Specialized Bicycles

Lifetime Warranty (exceptions to DH

Niner Bikes

5 Year Warranty

Titan

5 Year Warranty

Merida

All 2015 and newer models – Lifetime Warranty (exceptions to DH

your bike as a whole. What’s its wear and tear like, how well have you looked after or abused your bike. Insurance companies know the ins and outs of warranty policies, and will (depending of the type of insurance you have) cover you when the warranty from your claim is rejected. But lets say you have a carbon frame, that is out of warranty and you aren’t insured, there are a bunch of very clever carbon repair specialists that can fix a frame. It’s a far cheaper option, and in most repairs, is stronger at that point. Alloy frames are a no go when it comes to repairs. Welding a cracked frame is not ideal, as alloy frames are tempered with heat to reach an even strength and re-welding it causes a heat stress point that is now a weak point. In closing, warranties are there to protect you as a consumer against defective product; most manufacturers have fantastic policies in place. My experience is that you can buy a good product with a good warranty, but it’s how the warranty process is handled that makes up for it. This comes down to the LBS and your relationship. If you are going to shout and perform inside the bike shop about a frame that is broken, I’m sure that you will have a warranty claim, but if you approach the situation with tact and diplomacy, you will be awarded with a warranty claim and maybe a few extras you didn’t bank on. If all else fails, look up your rights according to the “Consumer Protection Act of RSA”. If you are in the situation that a Wholesaler/ manufacturer is rejecting a warranty, you may claim against the person/business that sold you the item.

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BEFORE

AFTER

Lance Stephenson is an ex mtb pro, and ex bike shop owner, has pursued being a UCI Qualified Cycling Coach, but remains A Bicycle Fettler. Lance is the skills coach for Daisyway Coaching Systems. Twitter& Instagram: @Scrat29 &Lancerstephenson. wordpress.com

EDITORIAL

ED’S LETTER TALK ABOUT AN EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER I sit here writing with a heart that is completely torn. It is both excited and at the same time hurting. As in all typical relationships my head is wanting to take over (which is probably sensible) but my heart is still winning. I’ll try explain: I am back in the front seat of Full Sus after Seamus has left us for different pastures. This has not only given me a batch of new grey hairs but has also contributed to the hurt side of things. Seamus and I started Full Sus together and he without a doubt had a lot more to do with the success than I did. He is a great scribe, level-headed bloke, dry-humoured and a fantastic editor. I miss him big time and wish him well with the great folks at Dryland. On the other hand we are really lucky in that we have found a great new guy and fellow Boishaai alumni in Frans le Roux. Current sport journo for our alma maters

the new setup – so the fun began. To the manufacturers’ credit, they have been brilliant in trying to ensure that I get back on the bike, covering all the costs and facilitating the learning curve, as this was probably the first warranty with these issues that we have had locally. My baby is almost ready for its maiden voyage and my heart is truly excited. Not only do I get to try my “brand” new Fuel EX but I get to try it on the stunning trails of W2W. I hope that you will all give Frans the support you have given Seamus and the Full Sus team to date. I look forward to Frans introducing himself in thenext issue and now that I think about it… my heart is quite content! See you on the trails!

district newsie, Frans is a keen and competent cyclist and if his writing credentials are anything to go by, a dedicated journalist that is sure to continue the foundation laid by Seamus and take Full Sus forward gallantly. My heart is excited! I took my bike in for a pre Wines2Whales service and was told everything looked good, only to get a call from Chris Nixon to tell me we have a BIG problem. In a nutshell the bike had a frame issue – not all was lost as it was covered by the warranty! The dichotomy continued: broken frame (aaaah), new frame (yaaay). Not quite so simple though, it has proved to be a saga of extreme proportions. The new frame arrived within days, again my heart was excited. The frame design had changed significantly and most of my existing parts would not fit on

APOLOGIES TALLBOY! The Tallboy CC S 29

We completely mixed things up in last months bike report and we would like to apologise to Santa Cruz. We incorrectly quoted the RRP of the Tallboy 3 CC X01 – as tested the correct RRP is R116 000. The equally impressive Tallboy 3 CC S 29 has a RRP R82 500 – see the specs below and one can see how this bike offers amazing value for this price tag! We apologise for any inconvenience that may have been cause by our error.

TWEET YOUR THOUGHTS

@FullSussa SUS THE COMPETITION WINNERS Congratulations to the following IMPI Challenge competition winners: Andrew Robb, Martin von Fintel, Joscelin Schikkerling and Adriaan Schikkerling. Our Devils Peak hamper winner is: @pappa_div_za 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 28 November 2016.

SUS THE TALLBOY CC S 29 RRP - R82 500 Frame Material: Carbon CC Fork: FOX 34 Float Performance 120 Shock: FOX Float Performance Rear Dérailleur: SRAM GX 1x11 Shifters: SRAM GX Chainring Size: 30 Tooth Crankset: Race Face Aeffect AL Cassette: SRAM XG1150 10-42 Brakes: SRAM Level TL Brake Rotors: Avid Centerline; 180mm Headset: Cane Creek 40, Integrated Bars: Race Face Ride Lo-Rise; 760mm Front Hub: Novatec D541; 15x110mm; 32h Rear Hub: Novatec D542; 12x148mm; 32h Rims: Race Face AR24; 32h Seat Post: Rock Shox Reverb Stealth Saddle: WTB Volt Race

The Tallboy 3 CC SX01

THE SUS TEAM PUBLISHING EDITOR Shayne Dowling shayne@integratedmedia.co.za ART DIRECTOR Annalie Boshoff SENIOR DESIGNER Shannon Flewellen SALES Eloise Meyer eloise@integratedmedia.co.za

PR & PROMOTIONS Ashlee Attwood ash@integratedmedia.co.za REGULARS Stirling Kotze Snr & Jnr, Jacques Marais, Dr Mike Posthumus, Amy Burton, Estelle Pickard, Stefan Garlicki, Erik Kleinhans, Hendrik Lemmer & Kathryn Fourie. CONTRIBUTORS Diana Carolin

Lance Stephenson, Matt Beers ROGUE CONTRIBUTOR David Bristow PHOTOGRAPHY Ashlee Attwood, Oakpics.com, Red Bull Content Pool, Chris Hitchcock, Volume Photography, Newsport Media, Craig Kolesky and Gallo Images PRINTING Paarl Coldset (Pty) Ltd

PUBLISHED BY

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

DISCLAIMER The views expressed by the contributors and columnists do not necessarily represent the views of Full Sus or Integrated Media. Audit Bureau of Circulations of South Africa NPC

ALLIANCE PARTNERS

NEWS

FS NEWS

MOBILE WORKSHOP What a great idea! Ivan Stevens spent many years paying his dues in bicycle workshops and realised that there are a large number of cyclists who aren’t always able to take their bike into the bike shop and so chatted to

a regular customer who instantly saw merit in the idea and One Gear Mobile was born. Ivan decked out his large van with a top of the range workshop and the rest history. With today’s fast paced lifestyle, Ivan created his

mobile bike shop. His services are available throughout the Western Cape and they include bleeding brakes, building bikes, fork and shock services, bike fitment, custom builds and the list goes on. For more information contact Ivan on 0820805874 or email: onegearmobile@gmail.com

ORIGIN OF TRAILS IN STELLENBOSCH The 4th annual Pennypinchers Origin Of Trails two day MTB- stage race will be taking place on 3-4 December in the picturesque Stellenbosch. The event combines a vast network of world class trails with unrivalled beauty and exclusivity. Entrants are given a ‘once a year’ opportunity to experience a combination of manicured singletracks in the pristine setting of the winelands. The Long Route features 65km on day 1 while 60km will have to be completed on day 2. These distances are aimed at the experienced riders with more than 3200m of climbing to be done. The Short Route features 35km on day 1 and only 30km on day 2. The finish venue is situated at the beautiful Blaauwklippen Wine Estate. The main benefactor of the Pennypinchers Origin of Trails is the Stellenbosch Trail Building Fund which is committed to further developing the trails in Stellenbosch and sealing the town’s reputation as a global mountain biking destination. For more information log onto www.stillwatersports.com

DANTRACKER LAUNCHED IN SOUTH AFRICA

We’ve all heard the stories; an expensive bike gets stolen and never found again. That is exactly were the guys at Dantracker comes in. Dantracker is a self-contained, completely water and shock proof GPS tracking unit. It features an internal SIM and battery that can last up to 10 years and the unit fits inside most frames and only weighs 136g. The GPS includes the Geo-Fence setting which will immediately notify the owner via email when the bike leaves the area it was left in. Dantracker cost R2999 (plus a monthly service fee of between R79 – R139 (depending on plan) Dantracker can be purchased

on www.takealot.com or log onto www.dantracker.com. Alternatively call DantrackerSA on 081 392 4090 or 083 308 8496

ARIANE KLEINHANS GIVES BACK TO THE COMMUNITY

Ariane Kleinhans recently managed another victory when she clinched the 42km Buffet Olives MTB Classic women’s-title in Paarl. After completing the race Ariane headed over to the Anna Foundation’s newly built pump track- built on the Buffet Olives farm. The official opening took place in September and Ariane continued to coach the girls who attend the farm’s after-school facility. The girls were in need of some pointers to help them build confidence. Ariane demonstrated various moves with the girls promptly following suit. By the end of the session, all skills learned were put to practice on the pump track and it was clear that the girls were feeling bolder. In addition to their education, sports and life skills programmes, the bikes are used as a form of fitness and a means of teaching life skills. The Anna Foundation runs after-school programmes for children living on farms and in other rural settings. For more information go to www.annafoundation.com

RIDE REPORT

THE U

PIKET BO-BERG MTB RACE

wo hours outside of Cape Town the world changes fairly dramatically, and this holds true no matter which direction you travel in. We aimed north and via Malmesbury and the small town of Piketberg to drive up the short but spectacularly beautiful Versveld pass and into the wonderland that is Piket-bo-berg. It is insanely beautiful and literally a world above the clouds.

The terrain is not only beautiful but also has a natural unspoilt ruggedness to it and despite the orchards of fruit trees there is a definite sense of being rustic with a raw edge. Huge outcrops of granite shoot up in the middle of the farms, roads and settlements flow around the terrain which has been respected and not excavated or blown apart to suit us. The same acceptance, tolerance and respect for the land has

Top: Rob “Jim” Maconachie rules the U floating bridge like a boss! This photo: Kilometres of single track on top of the world

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF CHRIS HITCHCOCK/PHOTOSPORT

It is always a treat to be able to ride a new race, it is even more special when it takes place in a mountain top nirvana on private tracks that are the exclusive domain of the private landowners. Shayne Dowling asks, “Could this be MTB heaven?”

been taken into consideration by the local mountain bike trail builders. The trails are possibly the best I have experienced in my riding to date. Don’t expect manicured, smooth bike park type trails; these are gnarly, rough, white knuckle, unrelenting, tight bermed, exhilaratingly technical mountain bike perfection! From the outset the organisers make no bones of how difficult the race is. Don’t be fooled by the mere

48kms! The ride is brutal. It is a tough challenge with not one free kilometre. The climbing is unrelenting and the gnarly, high speed downs ensure you are standing and concentrating every crazy, eye-watering kilometre – yes kilometre – of descent covered! The U is a celebration of singletrack – there is just so much of it that eventually you have to trust your suspension, sit down and shake your head in wonder. The tracks are the personal

play area of the local farmers and not open to the public. The U is a rare opportunity to share these absolute wonders. It is almost a shame that you cannot go up on a weekend and ride these delicious monsters, as such it is essential bucket list riding. Book early as this ride is going to hit “sold out” status fast! But don’t just believe me read what a couple of folks had to say about their ride in the Piket-Bo-Berg on page 10.

29” Wide Lightning

29” Wide Lightning Tubeless Wheel Pair

DISCIPLINE MTB Cross Country | Enduro WEIGHT FRONT 727g | REAR 842g | PAIR 1569g HUBS/SPACING FRONT Disc 130 100mm | 15mm Thru Axle Disc 100mm | 9mm Thru Axle Disc 100mm REAR Disc 225 135mm | 10mm x 135mm Thru Axle Disc | 12mm x 142mm Thru Axle Disc REAR SPLINE Shimano/SRAM 9/10/11 or Sram XD BRAKE INTERFACE 6 Bolt International Standard INCLUDED AC Tubeless Tape Installed | AC Tubeless Valves

27.5” Smokin’ Gun

27.5” Smokin’ Gun Tubeless Wheel Pair

29” Carbonator

29” Carbonator Wheel Pair

27.5” Wide Lightning

27.5” (650B) Wide Lightning Tubeless Wheel Pair

DISCIPLINE MTB Cross Country | Enduro WEIGHT FRONT 698g | REAR 814g | PAIR 1512g HUBS/SPACING FRONT Disc 130 100mm | 15mm Thru Axle Disc 100mm | 9mm Thru Axle Disc 100mm REAR Disc 225 135mm | 10mm x 135mm Thru Axle Disc | 12mm x 142mm Thru Axle Disc REAR SPLINE Shimano/SRAM 9/10/11 or Sram XD BRAKE INTERFACE 6 Bolt International Standard INCLUDED AC Tubeless Tape Installed | AC Tubeless Valves

29” Wide Lightning BOOST

29” Wide Lightning Boost wheel pair.

DISCIPLINE MTB Cross Country | Enduro WEIGHT FRONT 727g | REAR 884g | PAIR 1611g HUBS/SPACING FRONT Disc 130 BOOST 15mm x 110mm Thru Axle | 15mm Thru Axle Disc 100mm REAR Disc 225 Boost 12mm x 148mm Thru Axle REAR SPLINE Shimano/SRAM 9/10/11 or Sram XD BRAKE INTERFACE 6 Bolt International Standard INCLUDED AC Tubeless Tape Installed | AC Tubeless Valves

29” Terrain

29” Terrain Tubeless Wheel Pair

DISCIPLINE MTB Cross Country WEIGHT FRONT 896g | REAR 999g | PAIR 1895g HUBS/SPACING FRONT Terrain Disc 100mm | Terrain 15mm Thru Axle Disc 100mm | Terrain 9mm Thru Axle Disc 100mm REAR Terrain Disc 135mm | Terrain 10mm x 135mm Thru Axle Disc | Terrain 12mm x 142mm Thru Axle Disc | Shimano/SRAM 9/10/11 or SRAM XD 1x11 and 1x12 BRAKE INTERFACE 6 Bolt International Standard INCLUDED AC MTB Tubeless Tape Installed | AC Tubeless Valves

“American Classic” is solely Imported and Distributed in South Africa by Cape Cycle Systems. Please contact your local bike shop and own a set today. bike@capecycles.co.za E & OE Apply

29” Smokin’ Gun

29” Smokin’ Gun Tubeless Wheel Pair DISCIPLINE MTB Cross Country | Enduro Racing | Plus + WEIGHT FRONT 830g | REAR 956g | PAIR 1786g HUBS/SPACING FRONT Disc 130 100mm | 15mm Thru Axle Disc 100mm | 9mm Thru Axle Disc 100mm REAR Disc 225 135mm | 10mm x 135mm Thru Axle Disc | 12mm x 142mm Thru Axle Disc REAR SPLINE Shimano/SRAM 9/10/11 or Sram XD BRAKE INTERFACE 6 Bolt International Standard INCLUDED AC Tubeless Tape Installed | AC Tubeless Valves

27.5” Wide Lightning BOOST

27.5” Wide Lightning Boost wheel pair.

DISCIPLINE MTB Cross Country | Enduro WEIGHT FRONT 698g | REAR 814g | PAIR 1512g HUBS/SPACING FRONT Disc 130 BOOST 15mm x 110mm Thru Axle REAR Disc 225 Boost 12mm x 148mm Thru Axle REAR SPLINE Shimano/SRAM 9/10/11 or Sram XD BRAKE INTERFACE 6 Bolt International Standard INCLUDED AC Tubeless Tape Installed | AC Tubeless Valves

27.5” MTB Race

MTB 27.5” (650B) Race Tubeless Wheel Pair

DISCIPLINE MTB Cross Country WEIGHT FRONT 662gr | REAR 773g | PAIR 1435g HUBS/SPACING FRONT Disc 130 100mm | 15mm Thru Axle Disc 100mm | 9mm Thru Axle Disc 100mm REAR Disc 225 135mm | 10mm x 135mm Thru Axle Disc | 12mm x 142mm Thru Axle Disc REAR SPLINE Shimano 9/10/11 or Sram XD BRAKE INTERFACE 6 Bolt International Standard INCLUDED AC Tubeless Tape Installed | AC Tubeless Valves

RIDE REPORT

SUS THE RIDER FEEDBACK CLIVE RANDELL Age: 54 Distance: 35km Fitness level: Average Your thoughts on the route?

DIANA CAROLIN Age: Veteran Fitness level: Super Fit

(minimum rides 3-4 times a week) (Race Snake)

Your thoughts on the route? Super challenging and

brilliantly constructed. Can see a lot of effort went into the trails. There is no rest!

Describe your race day experience: Next level! 10/10

Top : The beauty and splendour of the Piket-Bo-Berg. The race village nestled on the banks of this stunning farm dam. Above: Paris Basson enjoying trails that snaked through magnificent rock structures on day 2 Below left and right: Lots of smiles but you can’t afford a lapse in concentration on the magnificent, but testing trails.

for fun and pain

Is there anything you would change to improve the event: Have the meals ready

earlier (or try riding slower? – ed) The race in one line… Mind blowing trails and fantastic hospitality!

This route is not for the faint hearted. While not unduly steep (I suspect memory loss and a touch of heat stroke here – ed), the length of the climbs on Day One and the short but constant climbs on Day Two are quite demanding. The fantastic combination of miles and miles of singletrack, technical climbs and descents means a great day for the more adventurous bike rider.

Describe your race day experience: TThis is a very

well organised event at a truly magnificent location. The campsite was extremely well organised, the amenities clean and well maintained, the food excellent and the peripheral coffee and obligatory craft beer always on tap.

Is there anything you would change to improve the event: No. Excellent all round

DAVID HARTLEY Age: 49 Distance: 35km Fitness level: Average Your thoughts on the route? Very good.

Describe your race day experience: Day One amazing

downhills with hard climbs. Day Two was constant punishment but with cool singletrack. I felt there was a lack of flow – up, then down, then up, felt like you climbed all day, even the 10km home was uphill but really nice to ride - so much technical single track.

Is there anything you would change to improve the event: Nothing

The race in one line… If you think there is a lot of single track…. there is actually more...

TRAILS - DE DOORNS

WESTERN CAPE

Impangele Nature Reserve

THE TWO TUNNELS TRAIL DE DOORNS

GETTING THERE FROM CAPE TOWN, FOLLOW THE N1 TO DE DOORNS – LOOK FOR A SIGN TO YOUR RIGHT TO IMPANGELE NATURE RESERVE, Knysna AND CONTINUE UP THIS MOUNTAIN ROAD PAST THE HEX PASS ECO-TREK STATION FOR 7KM. CONTACT NIENKE JORDAAN ON TEL: 27(0)23 3563662 IF YOU GET LOST.

Trains, Plains & Velo-mobiles… that’s De Doorns for you. Actually, the Karoo plains are a way off, so you can expect anything but flat riding here along the rail tracks traversing the Hex River ranges. Photographs and words by Jacques Marais LOCAL BUZZ Autumn Splendour. That’s the name coined by the local organisers for their annual MTB event here in this little piece of Hex River heaven. It’s easy to see why too, especially when you saddle up towards the end of May with the vineyards bedecked in breathtaking glory against a backdrop of rugged peaks. Problem is, the only part most people see of De Doorns is a strip of N1 tarmac mainlining through these very vineyards. Travellers are two hours into the drive from Cape Town and not enough stop, but that’s all about to change now that the dorp has been ear-marked as one of the key #RideTheRail MTB Stage Tour stops. Check www.ridetherail.co.za for info. This is great news, especially if you’re a mountain biker. The hills to the south brim with a mix of farm road and single-track routes, with dozens of classy accommodation options, ranging from private nature reserves and quirky ‘stationtowns’ to earthy farm stays. Off the bike, you’ll be spoiled for choice. Serried ranks of rugged peaks surround the valley to the north, and here you’ll be able to hike for a week in a hard core wilderness area of note. Bakkie adventurers can settle for a variety of seriously challenging 4x4 routes, or otherwise you can choose to chill at a wine estate or homefood eatery. There may even be the option of a historic train ride on Hexpas Express, a four to seven hour trip on a rail trolley along the abandoned narrow-gauge railway line (a

new agreement with the SA Railways are being negotiated currently, so check first). Bring a picnic or stock up on farm fresh goodies from Veldskoen Farm stall; this unique experience is suited to all ages, with breathtaking views across the Hex River Valley and majestic Matroosberg. There’s stacks of other stuff to do, so check out www.hexrivervalley.co.za

TRAIL LOW-DOWN The stunning Impangele Nature Reserve offers easy access to the ‘Two Tunnels Trail’ and this surely rates as one of the Cape’s most unique mountain biking experiences. The five thatched, selfcatering cottages - perched upon the escarpment’s edge and with gut-thumping views towards Matroosberg – also makes for a great place to base yourself. Head from the cottages in a southerly direction, cranking into the pristine succulent Karoo Fynbos conservancy. This is the entrance road to Impangele, but you keep left after just on 1km onto a gentle ascent into the hills. Keep an eye open for a yellow sign indicating a single-track to your left (2km) and get ready to pin back those ears. This gritty little downhill bangs you through a short tunnel (3km), where you T-bone onto a jeep-track. Turn right and get stuck into a climb-downhill-climb combo as you zigzag all the way to the crest above the dam (6km). This is where you get to put the ‘rail’ into ‘trail’ as you join up with the abandoned railway line ascending to Matroosberg

Station. High-level kiffness unfolds as you trip next to the train tracks along a snappy singletrack, with a few white-knuckle drops to your left. The views are insane until you reach the Hex River Pass railway tunnel (8km), built way back in 1876. A sign here tells you to go slow through the 300m, pitch-dark tunnel, as the resident bats do not enjoy dust … Continue your ascent towards the disused Tunnel Station (just on 10km); this is where the ‘Autumn Splendour’ 35km and 55km routes split. If you keep right, a steep and testing loop eventually gets you to Matroosberg Station (26km), a veritable little village - with its own pub, theatre, salt-water pool and a range of accommodation options. It is generally reserved for larger group functions, so pre-book if you plan a sleepover or lunch here. Your climbing is now pretty much done, with some whoopass descending waiting as you bang back down towards the Hex River valley. Signage is not always clear along the route, but you can get a map from Ryno Palm, a local rider and organiser of Autumn Splendour. A combo of dualtrack, gravel roads and rough trail bangs you down at speed, and care must be taken on the loose and eroded surface. The route eventually T-bones with the lower, operational railway track, and from here we traversed the vineyard roads back towards the Hex Pass Eco-Trek Station. A steep ascent along the Impangele access road is the only thing that now stands between you and an ice cold beer, so best you get cra(n)cking!

Top Left: Passing the mountain dam above De Doorns at the summit of the Two Tunnels Trail. Above: Mind the bats (and the dark) in this pitch-black tunnel dating back from 1876.

SUS THE TWO TUNNELS MTB TRAIL GRADING: Intermediate ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: DURATION: 2- 5hrs Permit from Impangele or Veldskoen Farm Stall. CONFIGURATION: Circular options – 35/55km CELL RECEPTION: Limited START POINT: Impangele BEWARE OF: Dark tunnels; Mountain Lodge or De Doorns steep drops, loose surface in Cellar places; thorns TERRAIN: Rail-side single-track; MORE INFO: Ryno Palm jeep track; gravel road (083) 632 5004 or MAP: Map on web site; signage ryno.palm@hexvallei.co.za along route not always clear GPS: S: 33°48.00; E: 19°67.00 FACILITIES: Check at (De Doorns Cellar) Impangele Nature Reserve www.impangelemountainlodge.co.za

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, Top MTB Trails 2, has just hit the shelves of all good book shops and you can purchase a copy for R250. Follow him on Twitter @ JacqMaraisPhoto

RIDE REPORT ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF EM GATLAN |NIKON/LEXAR

Racing from the Drakensberg to the desperately beautiful Kwazulu-Natal bushveld, the Berg & Bush offers spectacular riding. Race winner, Matt Beers shares his race thoughts on the ever popular event as well as his daily race reports.

BEERS & KLEINHANS TAME THE

BERG & BUSH

erg & Bush still remains one of my favourite stage races of the year, it has such a great atmosphere about it. The route is amazing, not too hard for the guys starting out but very hard if you are racing up front. It has a great diversity of terrain and scenery starting up on the Drakensberg escarpment at the Free State and Natal border dropping down to meander alongside the mighty Tugela River and ending in the bushveld proper. It also comes with the bonus of some of the best man-made and animal made trails SA has to offer. The event also caters for the less competitive riders with the Great Trek and 2 DAY events offered as noncompetitive options, which is really great as it appeals to the guys and girls that just want to ride their bikes without the stress of other people rushing them or being on the clock, but still having the same organisation and superb atmosphere offered in the Descent (Race). The whole vibe of the race village is great. Situated right along the banks of the Tugela river at Em’Seni campsite, it is stunning. It offers one of the best chill zones around with the famous on-tap chocolate milk fountain which is amazing along with what is probably the healthiest and biggest variety of food any stage race has to offer!

The whole crew at Berg & Bush are awesome and help make the event! Everyone is so friendly and always willing to help and really try to make it easy for the riders after a long hot day in the saddle. Farmer Gary Green and his staff (mostly family) do an incredible job and it’s great to see the event growing every year; they really do have a good formula going here. I can’t wait to go back and race again next year; it’s already on my race calendar! Erik Kleinhans and I were delighted to take podium honours.

Great Wall my China follows the escarpment on the Free State border.

RACE REPORT DAY 1 The first day of Berg & Bush is always a special one starting right at the Sterkfontein dam on top of the mountain. With such a strong field and more than seven teams that could win, Erik and I knew we had our work cut out for us. The start was fast with a lot of teams and riders fighting for position at the front. After the tussling stopped Alan Hatherly, Brendon Davids, Team Telkom, Scott LCB and I managed to get a gap on the rest of the field. The slight problem was that Erik was in the chasing group... but after we finished the descent off the escarpment Erik and the rest who initially were quite far back managed to bridge the gap. The racing continued to heat up - four teams managed to get away from the main bunch: Erik & I (RED-E TOPEAK ERGON), Telkom, Scott LCB, NAD. We

started working hard together to keep the other teams at bay... at around 25km to go Telkom had a mechanical problem and we where down to 3 teams. Now it was the fight for the top step of the podium. After some rad single track and fast racing, we approached the final descent of the day about 8km from the finish - I attacked and headed down first, knowing I could maybe get a gap on the other guys and try solo to the finish praying that Erik would come out the winding singletrack along the river to the finish first. It worked! We took the stage win

with a small buffer. It’s going to be some super tough racing over the next two days but we are in a good mental space and are ready for the challenge!

RACE REPORT DAY 2 We knew today was going to be a tough day on the bike with the stage only being 60km with 890m climbing, so all the XCO (cross country) riders where hungry for the stage win. Our work was going to be cut out for us... The racing got off to a fast start with the first climb (Ox

wagon hill) within 5km of the race village and the XCO riders set an uncomfortable pace up the climb. As we reached the top there where still quite a few teams with us and as we approached the descent it was a massive fight for position to see who could start going down first. At the bottom we hit a district road and most of the teams rejoined. As we approached the final big climb of the day (Mike’s pass) the pace started to step up and the fight for the position started again! The XCO boys hit the front fast and hard,

RIDE REPORT

he ders up he

we was

g e of

nal

ep tion s

with Erik and I following suit. We knew we had to stay with them down the other side (Puff Adder pass). Erik & I, Team Scott LCB And Team Kargo started the fast and incredible descent; after enjoying myself a little too much I had to regain focus and start racing again... When we reached the bottom the gap had grown on our rivals (NAD) so we took it as the perfect opportunity to try and put some time into them but with 20km still to go it wasn’t going to be a walk in the park. So we started laying down the watts. I went to the front with Erik on my wheel and we put our heads down and went. After about 5km we managed to ride the other two teams off our wheel (Scott LCB

and Kargo). Then we had to go into full on time trail mode to try hold them off; we put in a massive effort along the Tugela river but we could see team NAD was slowly catching us... After a bit of doubt Erik and I decided to give it one last dig to try increase the gap and solo to the finish. I’m so happy we never gave up and pushed on because we managed to win another stage and most importantly, gained some valuable time (1min 30sec) going into the final day of racing!

RACE REPORT DAY 3 The final day was upon us. We had a good lead going into the 3rd and final day with 1min 45sec over second place. And

15 A rider is nearing the finish in the Winterton bushveld.

with it being such a short day (only 50km) we just had to play it safe and get to the finish in one piece. For the first time the start was a little more marathon like and not XCO flat-out from the gun. Everyone knew no-one could get away on such a short day. The pace started to ramp up on the district roads with a lot of teams wanting to position themselves up front in hopes for a stage win or podium, so there where a few new faces. Our main goal was to just stay safe and ride smooth to avoid any unwanted technicals. As we approached the first single track it was clear Scott LCB wanted to control the race in hopes for a stage win. Philip Buys was on the

Matt Beers and Erik Kleinhans teamed up and won the event. PIC CREDIT

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF EM GATLAN |NIKON/LEXAR

NOVEMBER 2016 VOL39

Pristine single-track offer riders spectacular views

front with Gert Heyns laying down some power on the uphill single track out the river bed. As we climbed out, the field had whittled down quite a bid, making it a bit less stressful. The main obstacle of the day was the climb up Spioenkop – a 1,5km climb at 11% avg gradient and this at 35km. After you reach the top it’s all downhill to the finish. As we hit the climb I set the pace and rode a bit in front of the group mainly so no one would catch me off guard and try put in an attack. It worked pretty well and I was feeling good. The other guys where tired from the Hillclimb challenge - up the same climb the previous day - which Gert Heyns from Scott LCB won. As we reached the top of Spioenkop, the amazing single track decent started and now the fun could begin! For the first time I could actually take in the views and appreciate the amazing area we where riding in! It was pretty special. We

all descended at a reasonable pace. At this time of the year no one wants to take risks and get injured so it was quite relaxing. But it still called for focus in order to get to the finish line safely. When the descent finished the pace picked up and the bar banging started for the stage win. Erik and I sat back and kept ourselves out of trouble, knowing we could finish a few seconds back allowing the guys to fight it out. Scott LCB took the stage victory and as the dust settled with the finish line in sight we could finally relax! Mission accomplished! We had won the Berg & Bush. Erik and I where both optimistic coming into the race and winning was going to be extremely tough with such a strong field, but we managed to play our cards right and get it done! Thanks to Erik as well as all my sponsors, family and friends for the support. I am extremely grateful.

Matt Beers is a professional MTB rider for the Cannonale/RED-E team. He loves racing but also every moment and opportunity his bike offers him. He is known for his brute strength and raw power. Follow Matt on Twitter @mattbeers55 or Instagram on mattbeers55

BIKE REVIEW The carbon layup on the slender seat stays allows them to flex, creating a virtual pivot.

LEFT OF CENTRE The new Cannondale Scalpel Si has not only got heads turning but also tongues wagging. Rudolf Zuidema puts the mean green machine through its paces and lets us know what he thinks. P H O T O S B Y A S H L E E AT T W O O D

o understand the Scalpel you have to understand Cannondale. Its is a brand defined by innovation in the pursuit of making a better complete bike and nowhere is that more evident than the Scalpel – from it’s first revolutionary design to its latest incarnation. Having owned the previous two versions of Cannondale’s Scalpel, getting to test the Scalpel Si was a real geluk! So what’s new about the Si that has everyone talking - apart from the obvious frame changes to allow the placement of two water bottles in the frame? Let’s start out front with the big changes; firstly there’s the slackest head angle of any XC bike at the moment at 69.5 degrees along with a new 55mm offset on the Lefty. It’s this combination that gives the bike exceptional handling at speed and in tight technical terrain, more in line with what you’d expect from a short travel trail bike than XC Speed Machine. The new Hybrid Lefty 2.0 is sublime. Love it, hate it or mock it; its performance is undeniable. Having spent the last two years riding conventional forks from both Fox & Rock Shox, including the beefier stanchion models like the Pike & 34 it was immediately noticeable how much better the tracking and smoother the damping is on the Lefty, especially considering that it is the lightest XC fork you can get. The new Si frame is well thought out and very easy on

the eye, with full internal cable routing running through two configurable ports on either side of the head tube have that allow any configuration of shift, brake and suspension controls including Di2 wires. On that topic the Si also features a custom Di2 battery mount, allowing internal mounting of the battery in the top tube which still allows the use of a dropper post. To make space for the seat tube mounted water bottle the standard metric rear shock mount has been integrated into the top tube with the routing for remote running directly through the tube. This configuration has not only made space for the extra bottle, but also increases standover. All pivots run on sealed bearings and the new collet style LockR pivot hardware cut weight and increases stiffness without needing special tools to disassemble. Out back the rear wheel now features the same 6mm offset and shorter chain stays as found on the new F-Si hardtail introduced last year. This results in a more evenly dished wheel that is stiffer and tracks better, although it is definitely not as stiff as wheels built on the new BOOST 148 standard hubs. The only benefit that we can see for Cannondale going with this format is that consumers can still use existing wheels with 142 x 12 axles and just have them re-dished to fit the new bike. The suspension design doesn’t fit into any box, but is essentially a single pivot design

CANNONDALE IS A BRAND DEFINED BY INNOVATION IN THE PURSUIT OF MAKING A BETTER COMPLETE BIKE with a “pivot” on the seat stay, by way of flexible stays. Getting the rear suspension dialed too eliminate obvious pedal bob when the suspension was in open mode took quite some fettling between Air Pressure & rebound adjustment. Once dialed the bike pedalled well in all conditions while seated in the open mode, however we can’t help but feel a Fox damper on the rear would definitely make setup easier and given the wider array of tuning options make most of the bikes versatility. We tested the Carbon 4, which comes specced with an Alloy Lefty, XT brakes, 2 x 11 XT drivetrain with Cannondale BB30 Si Crank, Stans Rapid rims on Formula Hubs and an array of Cannondale Alloy finishing kit. The bonus of this spec is that while the Si crank is Cannondale’s entry level forged

crank it can be easily converted to a direct mount 1x drivetrain, giving one the option to run either 1x or 2x. The money saving has definitely come on the wheels, which seems to be a common occurrence at present. While the rims are reliable, finding spares for the Formula Hubs can be problematic. With its new geometry, stiff frame and Lefty the Si blurs what is capable on a 100mm travel bike, whipping through tight trails at speed and absorbing big hits with ease. The simple rear suspension design requires getting the shock setup just right to get the most from the bike and in our opinion could benefit from a switch to a Fox unit. The size large frame comfortably fits 2 x 750ml bottles, although getting to the seat tube mounted bottle is a stretch and requires you to

stop pedalling. I really enjoyed the Scalpel Si; it’s fun & predictable on the trails and can sprints up the climbs when pushed. If it were a human being it would be equally comfortable in Lycra or baggies. The solid, future proof frame and versatility of the bike is sure to make it a huge success for the green C and should definitely be on your short list if you’re considering a new XC/ Marathon bike. Right: Where’s the other half of my fork? Far Right: The increased offset on the new Lefty keeps handling nimble despite the slacker head angle.

BIKE REVIEW

NOVEMBER 2016 VOL39

The metric rear shock is integrated into the top tube to create space for the 2nd water bottle.

SUS THE CANNONDALE SCALPEL SI GEOMETRY

RRP R65000

Scalpel Si Carbon 4 All measurements for the Large Frame size

Head tube angle

69.5°

Seat tube angle

73.5°

Top tube length

624mm

Chainstay length

435mm

Wheel Base

1144mm

Standover height

760mm

Reach

445mm

Stack

604mm

Seat Tube length

480mm

Front Centre

711mm

BB Height

334mm

BB Drop

38mm

Rudolf Zuidema has a wealth of cycling industry experience, having worked for some of the biggest bike brands in the world both here and in the UK. On the mountain he’s a firm believer in more travel equals more fun. Follow him on Twitter: @rudolfzuidema

KLEINHANS MUESLI

TO THE LOWVELD UP THE BERG AND

THROUGH THE BUSH Like a true MTB pro (and part gypsy) Erik Kleinhans traversed the country and took on some of his favourite rides as well as a new race partner.

raveling is part of the game if you ride bikes for a living. It can get a little too much every now and again especially after a very long season, but there is no way I will miss the fun and exciting races at the end of the SA racing season. Over the last few years a little Lowveld mission was always on the cards for two of my favourite events, the York Timbers Pro/Am Enduro and the Isuzu 3-Towers. This year I also threw in the much talked about Grindrod Berg&Bush stage race on the border between the Free State and Kwazulu-Natal on my cross training trip ;) The York Enduro is a special event now in its fourth year and I was fortunate enough to take part in three of

them. The concept is simple, with twenty professional riders being teamed up with twenty corporate teams of four to take part in an enduro style concept with fifteen timed stages over three days. There is also the additional downhill, XCO and eliminator races to spice things up for some spectating. But it is definitely not about the racing. It is about riding your bike. Everyone at the event is just simply passionate about mountain biking, riding some of the best trails you can find, being outside, laugh at some banter, learn from the pro’s, learn from the corporates, braai, give away Qhubeka bikes and dance to the beat of the legend Kurt Darren! After a few years spending

slightly more time in the sunshine, I got teamed up with one of the fastest teams on the course. It was a pleasure riding with Supercycling presenter Andrew McClean, Absa CEO Arrie Rautenbach, Tulbagh farmer Deon Wilkins and road cyclist Elmarie de Wet. We talked fruit farming, business, some cycling and one thing is for sure that we all loved the experience and believe there is a big future for events like this! Thanks Piet van Zyl and everyone at York Timbers for investing in mountain biking! The fun and games did not end there, but the pace sure as hell warmed up a lot over the next two weekends! I teamed up with friendly giant and former motocross racer, Matt Beers for the following two races. What

ABOVE: Erik powering through the dry and dusty Winterton bushveld BELOW LEFT: The team from sponsors, York Timbers, get to celebrate with legend Karl Platt of Team Bulls fame.

a genuine good guy and we formed a great partnership even though apart from racing, we never even did a training ride in the same bunch. 3-Towers and Berg&Bush are very similar races with proper trails, rough routes in the middle of the bush and you just feel great being out there! Both of them look after the riders so well and it must be some of the best relaxing environments you can experience in an event in South Africa. In both races Matt and I had a big dice against the NAD team of Nico Bell and Gawie Combrinck. Both events however had a really strong field, especially Berg&Bush with the XCO bullets joining the party and really animated the stages. We started both events on a positive footing winning the first stage, but at 3-Towers

the local NAD boys were serious to win their home stage race and they did that by hurting us on the long climbs of the second day to get the overall title. Matt and I returned the favour at Berg&Bush however, more suited to the technical terrain and punchy climbs to claim the overall title in what must have been one of my most rewarding victories. Team Telkom and Scott LCB also won stages along the way. Apart from the racing, I love the good spirit between the mountain bike racing teams. Matt and I had a blast exploring Pretoria with Johan Rabie and HB Kruger from Team Telkom and stayed with Nico for the week during 3-Towers. We celebrated our podium… okay… and their win together with a Lowveld braai! It is a highlight of my life to be part of such a great industry!

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.

INDOOR TRAINING

Indoor trainers WHICH IS BEST?

In this issue Dr Mike Posthumus reviews the Tacx Neo and the Wahoo KICKR in a head to head battle.

s many of my closer friend and colleagues may know, I am a great proponent of indoor training. Yes, it is not as stimulating as riding outside, but when time is a limiting factor, you are able to condense a lot of work into a short amount of time. It certainly is one way I am able to balance my personal career, family life with two children and still trying to be semicompetitive on the bike. Wahoo, a US based tech fitness company, launched their revolutionary smart trainer in January 2013. This device, the Wahoo KICKR, has really set the standard very high, resulting in other traditional indoor trainer manufacturing companies scrambling for a piece of the growing market. Smart trainers (or virtual trainers) connect remotely (via Bluetooth or ANT+) to you phone or computer. They are also able to automatically recreate slope and resistance to create a ride, which feels as if you are riding outside. Although there were other direct drive (bike mounts onto trainer without rear wheel) trainers on the market before the KICKR, the KICKR has made direct drive the convention among top-end smart trainers. Until recently, there has not really been a product that has challenged the KICKR. Dec 2015 saw the launch of the Tacx Neo. Tacx is a Dutch company, which has made indoor trainers since 1972. The Neo is unlike any of the previous Tacx trainers and you can see that Tacx really put a lot of effort into the development of the Neo. They introduced something very innovative, including novel features such as road feel and isokinetic mode (more on these later). Being a coach, I often get asked about training equipment choices and trainer recommendations. Since the launch of the Neo I have had several queries asking me about the Neo and which trainer, Neo or KICKR, is the best offering. I personally own a KICKR and therefore managed to get my hand on a Neo to be able to do a head to head comparison to help you choose the right smart trainer for yourself.

LOOK AND STABILITY Out of the box, the Neo looked like something out of star wars, at first I didn’t know what to think of it, but after a while the shape and aesthetics grew on me. The neo and the KICKR stood next to each other in my “man cave” for a few weeks and the neo looked tidy, albeit a lot bigger than the KICKR. The key difference however was when comparing the stability. With the bike mounted on the units, the Neo is designed to be less stable. When pedalling on the Neo there is a distinct, yet small, rocking side to side as you pedal. I can only think that they tried to design something that feels like riding outside. Whereas on the KICKR, your bike is completely stable without any ability to move side to side. The bike I had mounted on the Neo had a slightly off-centre rear triangle, resulting in more rocking towards the drive-side, compared to the non-driveside, creating a feeling as if I was leaning more to the drive-side. I suspect this was however only due to the geometry of my bike. Jumping between the two, I must say that I personally preferred being completely stable as I was on the KICKR. NEO KICKR

FEEL ON THE ROAD Each trainer tries to recreate a road feel. One of the most important factors when trying to simulate this road feel is the size of your flywheel. With a large flywheel you get large inertia, which makes the feel similar to the road. The Wahoo KICKR has a heavy flywheel. The Neo has opted for a virtual flywheel instead of a heavy one. This means that when inertia is required, i.e. when going downhill, the Neo propels the flywheel forward by mean of a motor, instead of using its weight to propel it forward. This downhill drive of the Neo provides a very similar feel than the KICKR with a heavier flywheel when going downhill. When using a smart trainer there are normally 3 settings you could ride to: (1) gradient / course, (2) a % resistance and (3) .erg mode. I personally spend 90% of

my time on the indoor trainer using .erg mode. This mode pre-sets the power you would like to maintain and varies the resistance to allow you to maintain that power. When using .erg mode I find the ride feel better when having a larger flywheel, as opposed to a virtual one, which feels as if it is constantly being braked. For this reason I do prefer the feel of the KICKR. As previously mentioned the Neo has included some very innovative features. When using the Neo on the Zwift Island, or other courses which are road feel enabled, the trainer shakes and rattles to make it feel as if you are really riding on gravel, wooden slats, etc. This was quite a surreal experience and a very entertaining and smart feature, but purely from a training perspective I don’t see much benefit. My ratings below are based purely from a training perspective, based on the way I like to train on indoor trainers. If my use were predominantly to ride virtual reality courses, my rating would be exactly the opposite way around and favour the Neo. NEO KICKR

BIKE COMPATIBILITY

CONCLUSION

An important difference between the Neo and the KICKR is that the Neo can only fit standard quick release bikes. It is able to fit either 130mm or 135mm rear axles. It does however not fit rear thru axle mountain bikes. The Neo trainer was also not designed to accommodate disk rotors. Several new disk rotor equipped road bikes do not fit the Neo. I was lucky enough to fit my Cannondale Synapse with disk rotors without a problem (only had 2mm clearance between the flywheel and the brake calliper), but have read a few reports of others being less fortunate. Therefore, if you do not have a road bike to fit on your trainer and want to use you mountain bike with a rear thru axle, you are better off with a KICKR. The KICKR thru axle conversion is however an aftermarket offering. NEO KICKR

The exciting feature of both the Neo and the KICKR is the fact that they both have open communication protocols for developers. This enables developers to continually develop exciting software, which integrates with the devices. An added benefit to future Neo users is what they are calling isokinetic mode. Although this feature is currently available to developers, no one has yet incorporated the feature in their software. The feature will enable users to set the cadence, thereby allowing you to push as hard as possible without changing the cadence. With the increased popularity of low cadence strength intervals, I am really looking forward to testing this feature in the future. My dealings with the Wahoo support team have been excellent and they are very forward thinking and open to adding features based on customer feedback or suggestions. Both the Neo and KICKR are therefore getting better and better with each firmware update. With the increased popularity of online virtual reality experiences, such as Zwift, owning a smart trainer is becoming more and more appealing to those busy middle-aged men trying to juggle many balls. Although I have given my honest appraisal of the two trainers within my selected categories, you really can’t go wrong with any one of these trainers. They are both excellent devices.

PRICE Without quoting exact retail pricing, the RRP of the Neo is currently more expensive than the KICKR. A further difference is that the KICKR comes packed with a 11 speed cassette, whereas you will have to buy a cassette for the Neo, unless you do not mind swopping the cassette off your wheels each time you want to use the trainer. NEO KICKR

DEEP IN THE CAVE Inevitably, you are going to use your smart trainer to perform specific interval training sessions. As mentioned above, the .erg mode is my preferred mode when performing intervals. For this, it is important that the trainer power measurement is accurate and reliable. From the tests both others and myself have performed, both trainers have shown to be exceptionally accurate and reliable. Smart trainers have been criticised for not ramping up to the selected power (on .erg mode) fast enough. I personally didn’t see the slight delay in both trainers an issue. Both the Neo and the KICKR ramps up the specified power over 2-3 seconds and at similar rates. Both Neo and KICKR also integrate well with your chosen software. ANT+ control (from Garmin devices) are enabled through FE-C protocols and both devices are FE-C enabled. Each trainer also has smartphone software, which makes controlling the trainer very simple and easy to use. Both also sync’s effortlessly with Zwift and other software platforms. NEO KICKR

The Tacx Neo has some unique features

The futuristic Wahoo Fitness KICKR looks very cool

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

COMPETITION

Tell us about your favourite night ride and you could win one of two RAD prizes from Extreme Lights

1st

PRIZE

THE PRIZES 1ST PRIZE Endurance Cycle Light valued at R2 295.00 The Endurance Cycle Light is the ideal cycle light for long-distance off-road races and 24-hour events. This light has been specially designed for off-road bicycle racing. It features a wide flood and extrahigh brightness, delivering unmatched performance, striking a perfect balance between size, weight, performance and reliability. The Endurance Cycle Light produces a near-perfect beam pattern, with a maximum beam distance of 254m. The Endurance Cycle Light produces natural white light of up to 2 100 Lumen, and features a maximum runtime of 40 hours. 2ND PRIZE Ascent LED Rechargeable Headlamp valued at R775.00 The Ascent LED Rechargeable Headlamp should be your first choice running. This is the rechargeable model and charges through a USB connection which is very convenient. With a large and adjustable hotspot, this headlamp has a beam distance of up to 153m and up to 220 REAL Lumen. Also great for the long distance night time trail runner, as it has a runtime of up to 50 hours.

HOW TO WIN

2nd

PRIZE

WIN WITH EXTREME LIGHTS

Send an email to: comp@fullsus.co.za with the subject line “EXTREME LIGHTS COMPETITION” and tell us what your favourite night ride is. Remember to include your ID number, physical address and your daytime contact number. The competition closes on the 28th of November 2016.

Oakpics is a Strand based photographic company. They shoot a vast array of events, covering everything from wild horses to weddings.

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

PIC OF THE MONTH Riders conquer the tricky train tracks at the recent Cape Pioneer Trek

D I R T D I VA D I A R I E S

PHOTOS COURTESY OF WWW.OAKPICS.COM

WHY DO YOU RIDE? To find out what makes cyclists tick, Estelle Pickard delves deeper into why we ride. According to her, it is about pushing the limits and exploring mother nature.

his year is fast approaching its end and I have to wonder what do I have to show for it? Fearing that I might not like the answer I find myself quickly hopping to the next thought. When I finally force myself to think about this, the truth is I have a lot to show. I got married and made a challenging career change which took up a lot of time and energy… but what makes me feel that I haven’t quite accomplished enough this year

is the fact that cycling took a back seat. There were no big races to focus on, to train for and dream about. I went for the odd ride when I could squeeze it in, but there was no looming cycling challenge that both daunted and excited me at the same time. Recently I had a conversation with a fellow dirt diva about how wonderful cycling is as a sport. The beauty of it is that we all ride for different reasons and

with a different purpose, yet it adds so much value to our lives, regardless of the purpose. She told me that her father, on the night of his 60th birthday party decided that he would attempt to ride his first Argus the upcoming year. He found himself two partners in crime and that same week they set off to the doctor to do all the necessary health checks. At 60, this man rode his first Argus. His wife was so inspired, that she followed suit on her 60th, which was the next year. Nowadays, they venture off to deserted mountain passes and ride their bikes on weekend getaways. There are the men who ride to get away from their wives, and vice versa, mothers who

“THE BEAUTY OF IT IS THAT WE ALL RIDE FOR DIFFERENT REASONS AND WITH A DIFFERENT PURPOSE” want time out from their kids, race snakes, commuters, trail junkies, weekend warriors and those crazy guys who jump from one rock to another at the Sea Point beaches. We ride track, roads, rocks, dirt roads, jeep tracks, single tracks, trails, cross country - whatever there is on offer, you’ll find some kind of cyclist attempting to tame and conquer it or just purely enjoy it. For me, cycling is about pushing my limits, improving myself while doing my favourite thing in the world! It gives me the opportunity to enjoy the best nature has to offer and see places that you will never reach by car or would be too tediously slow (for me) to reach by foot. I like the pace with which a bicycle allows you to explore. For you, it might be something entirely different. But one golden thread runs

through it - it serves us all in some unique way. I’ve accepted that this past year was one to focus on different elements of my life, but next year will be a year of cycling again. Maybe I’ll get a road bike to start doing morning rides to Chappies? Quite possibly, I’ll find myself another bucket list, a daunting but exciting race to enter. It will take up all my weekends for training and have my mind mulling over all things mtb permanently, but that’s the way I like it. Without it, my life feels kind of empty. Most definitely, I will continue with my pursuit to get as many people riding bikes as I can. What will you do to make the most of riding your bike next year? I guess the bottom line is, to quote Eddy Merckx, “Ride as much or as little, as long or as short as you feel. But ride.”

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

LIV BEYOND

NOVEMBER 2016 VOL39

GOALS FOR LIFE,

What drives us to achieve differs from person to person. Kathryn Fourie shares her past and explains how these experiences made her stronger today.

VEHICLES TO TAKE YOU THERE

s a young person, I was never very goal orientated. I was pretty happy to cruise along, never trying massively hard to achieve much. I found I really struggled to make proper friends at school, and I was bad at sports. I was rubbish to be honest, and extremely rotund, which gave me very little social currency. In short, I was that kid drifting from group to group trying to fit in, sucking as the goalie in hockey practice and daydreaming in class. It wasn’t until I found rock climbing when I entered high school that I really understood wanting something desperately. Rock climbing was a school sport, and I tried it out as a roly-poly red faced 13 year old, and got laughed at for my fat rolls spudding out around the harness. I was devastated by the experience, but despite the taunting I wanted to climb and it became my number one topic to daydream about, spending lunch times in the library reading “Climbing” magazine. A year of focussed weight loss later, I went back to the climbing wall and no one laughed at me. I got on with climbing, I got better, I did training programmes at gym,

I became the KZN Champ in my age group a couple of years down the line, and then second in U17 in the country in 1999. That focus and drive switched into my academic life too, I could concentrate better, engage with subjects better and found what I enjoyed learning about. Climbing (something that was a goal even when I didn’t know it was a goal) changed my life. It literally 360 flipped my life path on its head and let me develop the quality of confidence. For me, goals are a vehicle to get you somewhere. They aren’t always as clear-cut as “I want to podium in all my races” and they aren’t as tangible as writing a checklist of stuff to achieve. Goals are daydreams, visions of the future to guide you and to show you how hard you need to work to meet them. Recently a person I know from school was diagnosed with cervical cancer. She is 33, and just gave birth to her

daughter 3 months ago. It’s a devastating thing to deal with, painful and hard on the body. She will have to go through hard-core, hair-loss inducing chemo, and a major hysterectomy. This is someone who I am used to picturing on trails, running and mountain biking, fly-fishing, hiking. She is someone who belongs in the outside world and deserves to be able to take her daughter out adventuring with her; as I am sure she had pictured in her dreams of becoming a parent. Instead of feeling sorry for herself, she has chosen to focus on the future. I had to smile when I saw on Facebook that mountain biking is what’s pulling her strongly forwards (along with her family of course). “Keeping my eyes on the goal to get through the current shittyness and dreaming of monstrous climbs and flowing beautiful single track. As soon as I’m better! Missing mountain biking like

you can’t believe”. Really, the goal for her is not to ride and smash trails, the goal is to be healthy, live a normal life, to be a parent and to continue happily in her marriage. Like climbing was the vehicle for me to grow as a teenager into an adult with a better outlook on life and the confidence to interact with people and the world, mountain biking is the vehicle for my friend to get to the life she wants to lead, and yes, bikes are a big part of that life. Liv uses the phrase “Actually I Can”, which can

mean many things to many people. It resonates deeply with me, because that’s what setting a goal and moving towards it means. “Actually I can do this, despite it being hard, and I’m going to do it like this”. Achieving goals are not just medals to boast about, good results and pats on the back; they’re about developing yourself, pushing through life’s obstacles and changing who you are as you move forward. Sometimes moving forward happens to be on a mountain bike.

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.

www.liv-cycling.com/za

RIDE REPORT

THE LESOTHO SKY A RIDE OF PASSAGE

ALL PHOTOS BY WAYNE REICHE

Dylan Chilcott and Robbie Powell hammering down a super fast section that make this race so much fun to ride.

As far as bucket-list races go, the remarkable Lesotho Sky has to rank right up there. Only 100 riders are privileged enough to take part in this truly African experience. Fourie Rossouw explains why this event is so special.

he sixth edition of the Lesotho Sky is done and dusted. What started in 2011 with a handful of passionate mountain bikers grew into one of Africa’s most spectacular and toughest stage races. The 392km of mostly singletracks, big mountain passes and gnarly downhills took riders on a detour journey from the Machaleneng valley in Ramabanta through Malealea and Roma all the way to the majestic Maletsunyane Falls at Semonkong. The race attracted riders from all corners, with 11 official nations represented. Due to limited resources of the local communities, the numbers are capped at 100 riders, ranging from pro teams to weekend warriors. The race was won by the German-South African duo Daniel Gathof and Renay Groustra. It was, for both riders, their first ever UCI mountain bike stage race win. “I did not know what to expect and it turned out to be one of the toughest races I have ever done. The altitude made it especially hard.” Renay Groustra “It was six really hard days, but every metre was

worth it. It’s an amazing race.” - Daniel Gathof The overall second place belonged to Team Vodacom Lesotho. Local Lesotho hero and Olympian Phetetso Monese paired up with cross-country specialist Stuart Marais. They struggled to find a rhythm at the start of the race, which gave Gathof and Groustra a substantial lead from early on. As the week progressed and the routes changed from marathon style to a more cross-country character, both Monese and Marais’s skills came to life. They finished the race with a stage win at the mesmerizingly beautiful finish line, right at the edge of the Maletsunyane Gorge. Reflecting on how their race improved over the six days, Marais had the following to say: “These last couple of days Phetetso has been giving it stick. We’ve been able to have a really fantastic time and I loved every second of it.” A local legend at the Lesotho Sky, Cherie Redecker, rode with OMX Pro teammate Mariske Strauss. The pair took first place in the elite ladies category with ease. They were smiling from the start of day one all through to the podium. “Our bikes handled the

TOP LEFT: Thaba Li Mele (Nipple Mountain), is well known in Lesotho and inspired the Lesotho Sky logo. ABOVE MIDDLE: A rocky and very technical switchback near Malealea which is one of the most breathtaking (and tooth-loosening) sections during the race. ABOVE: Hill training alone will not do the trick. This race is all about your ability to manoeuvre steep technical climbs and rocky mountain tracks that make you work for every single metre.

RIDE REPORT

NOVEMBER 2016 VOL39

German rider Daniel Gathof setting the pace. Following are Stuart Marais, Renay Groustra and local Lesotho hero Phetetso Monese.

WHERE TO FIND US

RIGHT: Riding this race is much more cross cultural than cross country. On any given section you are crossing paths with a long-forgotten way of life. Lesotho rocks really well. It is such a stunning event. I can recommend it to anyone, it’s a definite bucket-list race.” Mariske Strauss. The heart of the race, however, does not lie at the front of the bunch. Even for the pro teams, the race had a different feel to other races. Over the years, the organisers have been able to incorporate the African values of Ubuntu

into the event, while keeping it competitive and very challenging, making this race a mountain biker’s rite of passage, or rather, a ride of passage. With the event being sold out this year and due to the high demand the organisers of the race are already looking at ways to expand the experience of the race. Entries for 2017 will open in the weeks to come.

The beautiful Lesotho is filled will breath-taking scenery and the Lesotho Sky MTB-event is no exception. Starting in Ramabanta and finishing at Semonkong after 6 days is truly rewarding. #MountainBikeKingdom

LESOTHO Ramabanta

Lesotho Sky has put the mountain back in mountain biking.

Knysna

The race had got plenty of fast flowing trails with bumps and jumps so natural your wheels will barely touch the ground.

DHI COLUMN

THE DOWNHILL WORLD CHAMPS EXPERIENCE Reigning South African DH Champion, Stefan Garlicki, shares his time at MTB’s premier event.

he best week of the year for me is usually World Champs each year as it brings together the crosscountry and downhill riders which is a lot of fun. In 2016 it changed a bit due to it being an Olympic year so it was a standalone downhill Worlds but it was still an awesome experience! Other than myself, the team consisted of Greg Minnaar, Johann Potgieter, Jono Philogene, Chris Philogene, Cullen Mcmaster and Coenie Slabbert. The schedule was tight between races as always so I had just one week to get from Andorra where the last World Cup was held to Val Di Sole, Italy. This is a long way,

16 hours straight driving to be exact which would be the longest solo drive I had ever attempted! I did the drive in convoy with Johann Potgieter and somehow made it to Val Di Sole at 3 am. Then it was a process of trying to wake up the team manager, Sam Bull by throwing pebbles at his window. We eventually managed it and got inside which meant Worlds Week had finally started! The first couple of days were down days meaning we had some free time to sort out the bikes, do some light training and check out the surroundings. I really enjoy that part as it’s something we don’t get to do very often.

However soon it was time for business with it being track walk day on the Wednesday. The whole team was very excited and ready for action but those of us that had been to Val Di Sole before knew it was going to be a tough track with it being steep, loose and filled with roots and rocks. The biggest challenge at VDS is the fact that it’s so rough and you can’t hang on. Anyone who has raced will tell you, if you can’t hold on, you can’t go fast. At Worlds you have a lot more practice time than at a world cup which was good on the one hand and not so good on the other as it meant the track would get even rougher than normal! I felt good in

ABOVE: Top Row (ltr): Cullen McMaster, Johan Potgieter, Jonathan Philogene, Coenie Slabbert Bottom Row (ltr): Spook Groenewald, Stefan Garlicki, Chris Philogene, Sam Bull

practice but was struggling to put all the sections together. I had also gone to a bigger frame size and realised it was not the right choice for that track as I was unable to get far enough of the back of the bike in the steep sections. This meant I felt like the bike was controlling me rather than the other way around. I ended up switching back right before race day which was definitely a good move. I felt a lot more confident on the smaller bike. There is no qualifying at a world cup but you do have an official timed run on the Saturday to give you an idea of where you are at. My run was not great but it felt solid and physically I felt ok which was a good sign so I felt confident going into race day. My best ever result at worlds was 40th so my goal was definitely to better that result. I knew that it would be a bit of a roll of the dice on a track like VDS with it being so loose and unpredictable. I had honestly never ridden anything that wild and loose in my life. I think the biggest factor was the fact that there was so much dust on top of roots and rocks so you had no idea what lay under the dust. You would be bombing along at 40kph and then suddenly hit a rock you

couldn’t see which definitely made it a bit crazy! In any case, I was ready for finals and set off out of the gate. I had a really good top section but in the middle I started to make silly mistakes and this snowballed through the whole middle sector. I was also not feeling good physically. I was not sure why but I just had no power in my arms; it wasn’t arm pump but just a powerless feeling. I pushed on and actually did the bottom sector a bit better although it had its near death moments! Ha-ha! All set and done I ended 57th which given the track and conditions I was actually pretty pleased with. I was honestly just glad to have a solid result and walk out of there in one piece. Sometimes you need to know when to risk it all and when you are just not feeling it. The team highlight had to be Greg Minnaar getting 7th place. I can’t really complain though, the season has been amazing and in this sport it’s always going to be up and down. Thanks so much to Cycling SA, all my sponsors and supporters for keeping me out there and living the dream! Until next time…

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

STIRLING REVOLUTION

NOVEMBER 2016 VOL39

HOOKED ON E!

Not one to avoid controversy or to take advantage of the developments in modern cycling, Stirling Senior explains his complicated marriage with the fattie Levo…

kay, I’m going to tackle a controversial subject. E-bikes. More specifically, pedal-assist bikes. About three years ago while visiting Austria a group of fit roadies invited me on an Alpine road ride. I declined without hesitation. Not because I didn’t like road riding and not because I didn’t have any Lycra shorts. I declined because I knew I couldn’t keep up with them. Or even worse, I’d slow them down and completely frustrate their ambitions of a fast pace and a rapid ascent of a category one climb. There is nothing worse for me than being a lantern rouge spoiling everyone’s ride. SJ, my son (also a regular contributor to Full Sus and co-owner of our bike shop), happily agreed to join them. Unbeknown to me he’d organized two pedal-assist Specialized Turbo X bikes (hardtails with flat bars and short travel forks). Off we sped with baggies and full-faced helmets (something about Euro laws for E-bikes with top speeds in excess of 25 km/h). Okay, we didn’t need fullface helmets but they looked cool and VERY out of place in our mini peloton. We had so much fun keeping up with

these accomplished roadies and 60 kilometres later we were drinking beers and marvelling about the incredible scenery, the challenging climbs and the fast pace home. I’d just experienced one of the most memorable road rides ever. Without an E-bike that day I would not be recounting this story. A year later we were back in Austria for the European launch of the next modelyear range of Specialized bicycles. The extent of this launch, the range of product and the size of this one brand exhibition is a story in itself.

designed full suspension pedal-assist MTB you need some serious self discipline. Initially it really was very difficult to go back to my ‘normally-aspirated’ Stumpy full-suspension. It’s like being married and having an affair. Initially, I felt so guilty riding my Levo. This feeling of guilt was exacerbated by my riding buddies giving me a hard time about my Levo. Now, more than four months later, I have seen a dramatic swing in attitude towards pedal-assist mountain bikes. Most guys on the trail are inquisitive and many are enthusiastic. Sure, some riders get pissed off but it’s less to do with what you’re riding than how you’re behaving. Pedal-assist riders should be even more aware of their fellow trail users. Riders, hikers, trail runners - and

buy one. And every buyer has had their reason to buy one. Whatever the reason, each rider is blown away by the sheer fun they are having on the bike and soon forget why they bought it in the first place. Back to the self discipline - I have three bikes. A gravel

grinder, an all-mountain full suspension and a Levo 6 fatty pedal-assist MTB. I alternate sequentially between each bike so that I get to ride each bike at least once a week. If I ride more than three times a week? You guessed it - I carry on with my love affair with the Levo.

“IT’S LIKE BEING MARRIED AND HAVING AN AFFAIR. “ The star of the show for me was definitely the all-new, all-mountain Stumpjumper 6 Fattie Levo. Essentially it was ‘sold’ to us as a ski-lift up and an all-mountain bike down. Having owned and ridden a Levo for the past three months I agree completely with this description. And when I ride my Levo I select rides that suit this description - Hoogekraal, Jonkershoek and Welvanpas all up and down terrain. When you own a well-

especially walkers with dogs. The Levo is a seriously fun bike to ride - from the hard tail model to the 650-plus big travel bike. The 6 fatty (3.0 650b/27.5 tires) can be quite a handful in tight, technical descending trails and requires concentrated and physical rider input. We have sold all the pedal-assist bikes we have been able to get our hands on. Typical buyers? There is no such thing. Anybody who can afford one could/should

Screenshot of feedback from a customer after his first ride.

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

GEAR

Remember when you had to call a phone number to check the weather, or you had metres of wire attached to a pick-up attached to one of those “ultra-modern” bike computers. Or when your first bike computer was as big as that first black and white Nokia? Things have moved along at light speed and frankly I am a little scared of how dated this piece is going to look next year! Anyway… we take a look at a few handy apps that you can put onto your super slim, super clever smart phone that could help your cycling!

WHICH APP?

WEATHER & RADAR We all want accurate weather reports prior to our training, event or even just that family ride. There are a number of apps out there but this is a really good one. It’s not only very accurate but you can see a real time radar image of the weather. South Africa is one of the few countries that has hour by hour but also an eight day forecast. Easy to use with a paid for premium service that can be purchased for one month or a year – classic!

BIKE GEAR CALCULATOR So all bike geeks are going to love this app. It is a technical do-it-yourself persons dream app and can probably be really useful in most LBS workshops. Frankly most of the information is above my pay grade and I leave it to my guru at my local, however I know a number of people that will go to any extent to eek out that optimum wattage output, that are constantly looking for their pedal sweetspot and constantly tinkering with their setup. This little calculator is perfect for them. There are a number of tyre and sprocket sizes preloaded but you can also enter any sizes manually. The interface is clean and easy to use and there is a users manual available on their website.

MYSOS SA

Essential app for all cyclists. Used by a number of events this app should frankly be on every smartphone out there! It has some great functions like tracking your journey, finding doctors, hospitals and dentists (even vets for our furry friends – and this is important to those of us that take our pets out into the country with us) – it lists by distance, gives you their contact details and can navigate you to your choice. What is great is that your details are all entered into the app, your medical aid and insurance providers (you choose what you wish to enter) as well as your emergency contact person/s. It works brilliantly as I have proved on a number of occasions with a worried call when it has gone off accidently in my pocket. It is also used by event organisers, where you select the events logo – which is only available on the event days.

WAHOO FITNESS

Wahoo is well-known for its trainers, sensors and own bike computers but they also have a great little tracker app. It will give you loads of information for every ride or workout (yip its grafts with indoor trainers too), but what makes it a little different is that generally you will find that it will pair with most Bluetooth sensors. There is a ton of data and it can also be downloaded in a choice of file formats via email or Dropbox. One complaint is that it seems the iOS version is better than their Android offer. This aside, it is still well worth a try.

TRAILFORKS

Looking for trails in your area? There are a few sites that have a few or even a lot of trails but not many have an app for your phone and we are yet to find one that has 932 trails for South Africa. The database is extensive. You need to download the region and the app can be used completely offline – bonus! The trails are not always the full trail which is frustrating but they make no bones about the database being user populated. What it does do is at least give you an idea of what is available in various areas. The amount of information for trails that have been captured is incredible, easy to read and fairly simple to navigate. You will find yourself playing with it for hours. A fun app!

DIE GROOT LEM

NOVEMBER 2016 VOL39

Of jy ‘n proffesionele of amateur fietsryer is, jou prestasies moet sekerlik op hul meriete gesien word. Hoekom dan, word ons plaaslike ryers geprys as hul onderpresteer.

DIE OPSTEL VAN DOELWITTE

“WAT MY ONTSTEL IS DAT DIT NIE SAAK MAAK HOE IEMAND PRESTEER HET NIE, DIS NET WELL DONE, AMAZING.” ’n volgende ryer, sê nou maar James Reid, sou ecstatic gewees het indien hy ’n top 10 tydens die Olimpiese Spele gekry het. So vir Schurter kan ek nie prys oor ’n vierde en well done uitskree nie, want hy het onderpresteer, maar vir Reid kan ek, want hy het bo

sy vermoëns presteer met dieselfde resultaat. Dis hoekom ek soms op ’n diplomatiese manier probeer hoor wat die doelwit is sodat ek na die wedren weet of die doelwit behaal is of nie. En ek wil graag weet, want ek stel belang.

James Reid is hier besig om die moeilike Cape Pioneer Trek roete baas te raak.

WWW.OAKPICS.COM

ets wat my al lank pla is hierdie “well done” en “so proud of you”, veral op sosiale media as ons fietsryers iewers deelneem. Indien ek waag om iets te vra oor die performance is daar sommer groot moeilikheid. En as ek waag om voor die tyd te comment, hoop jy finish, word daar gevra of ek nie net trots kan wees nie. Waarop moet ek trots wees? Jy kan tog eers beoordeel word na jou wedren. Dan sal ek besluit of ek ook trots is op jou prestasie. Seg ons vir ons kinders as hulle ’n toets op skool druip dat ons trots is op hulle? En dis op enige vlak van kompetisie maar ek gaan as voorbeelde SA ryers wat internasionaal deelneem gebruik. Laat ek verduidelik... Nino Schurter gaan na die Wêreldkampioenskappe of Olimpiese Spele om te WEN! Net soos Chris Froome, Usian Bolt en ander sterre in hul sporte. Ek raai daar is by n cross country Worlds seker so tussen drie en vyf ryers wat ’n realistiese doelwit kan hê om te wen. Dan is daar ’n groep van seker 20 tot 30 wat hoop op ’n top 10. Daar is ook ’n groep wat hoop om nie “gelap” te word nie, wat vir hulle ’n groot prestasie sal wees. En ander wat net bly is om deel te kan neem; ek sou een van daai gewees het, want ek was ’n goeie ryer op provinsiale en nasionale vlak, maar sou heeltemal uit my diepte gewees het in internasionale kompetisie; ek en hulle het geen kans op enige noemenswaardige prestasie oorsee nie. Wat my ontstel is dat dit nie saak maak hoe iemand presteer het nie, dis net well done, amazing, bla bla bla as Suid-Afrikaanse ryers terugkom van kompetisies. Ek kan julle verseker dat indien Schurter nie ’n medalje wen nie, hy uiters teleurgesteld sal wees omdat hy nie sy eie doelwit bereik het nie. Maar

Ons bekende vroue-padryer het omtrent 10e gekom in Rio na ek glo ’n medalje die doelwit was. Ek was teleurgesteld en het gewonder wat verkeerd gegaan het. Maar moenie dit waag vra nie. Ons manspadryer het ’n sewende plek gekry na ’n agtste in die Tour de France, wat volgens my ’n ongelooflike prestasies was en ek glo ’n top 10 was die doelwit wat behaal is. Well done! Ek glo dat solank as wat ons aanhou om gemiddelde tot swak of onder-prestasies se lof te gaan besing, ons ryers gemiddeld tot swak en onder gaan presteer. Hoekom juig ons asseblief nie oor goeie prestasies, goeie vordering met ’n opwaartse kurwe, doelwitte wat bereik is en vra vrae oor swak prestasies waar doelwitte nie behaal is nie. Ek ken heelwat fietsryers persoonlik goed en het self ’n bietjie gery. Ek het al amper aan die huil gegaan oor n tweede plek, maar was ook al ongelooflik trots op n sesde plek. Moenie vir my gelukwens met ’n tweede as ek wou of behoort te gewen het nie. Maar dankie

vir die gelukwense toe ek en my vrou onlangs die Transalp se laaste skof in laaste plek klaargemaak het. Ons doelwit was om klaar te maak. Ek sou baie graag wil hê dat ons ryers op ’n manier vir die publiek insae kan gee oor hul doelwitte sodat ek weet of ek ’n well done kan gee na die tyd of net stil moet bly. Ek probeer regtig nie ryers afbreek nie, maar opbou. As ons ’n Springbok-rugbyspan as useless en ’n Proteakrieketspan chokers kan noem, hoekom is ons so bang om vir ons fietsryers eerlik te seg wat ons dink van hul prestasies. So aan my volgende vriende het ek ’n well done boodskap gestuur. My buurvrou Jennie wat weer die Sweedse marathon-kampioen is. My goeie vriendin Ariane wat weer die Epic kon wen en ’n top vyf by Worlds gekry het. En ’n “wat het verkeerd gegaan?” aan my buurvrou Jennie by Berg ’n Bush waar sy tweede was en myself elke keer as my vrou my drop op ’n bult.

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

CALENDAR

NOVEMBER GAUTENG 05 Carnival City Macsteel MTB 06 Babba’s Lodge MTB Series # 11 12 Hakahana 2016 Enduro Championships 12 Telkom 94.7 Mountain Bike Challenge 19 Magalies Adventure 19 Rust de Winter MTB Challenge 26 Nissan Trailseeker GP #5 DIAMOND RUSH

MPUMULANGA 05 Alzu Tour de Farm

LIMPOPO 05 Magoebaskloof MTB Classic 26 Roossenekal Yellow Arum Lily Festival 27 Swadini Forever Resort

it by going to: www. sanlammtbinvitational.co.za. 19 Nissan Trailseeker #4 Meerendal 19 To Hell and Back Ride South Africa’s original stage race, To Hell and Back. The 22 year old event races into Die Hel and back out over two days as it covers 60km per day. To find out more click on www.tohellandback.co.za. 20 2016 Langebaan LCE MTB Funride

DECEMBER GAUTENG 01 Monument MTB Festival 03 BoutTime WTF Race

Sponsored By Navworld 03 XCOSA Grand Finale 03 Land Rover Centurion Mountain Monster at Hakahana Trails 18 Babba’s Lodge MTB Series #12

MPUMULANGA 09 ER2EC Charity Tour Elephant Ride

NW’ PROVINCE 03 ATKV Buffelspoort MTB

KZN 04 Stihl Sharks Trail Adventure

W’ CAPE 03 Pennypinchers Origin Of Trails 2016 03 Dirtopia Enduro – Helderberg

04 Spur Adventure Team/ Solo Race #4 17 Cape Agulhas MTB Classic 17 Wolwedans MTB

E’CAPE 10 Foolish Frenzy

JANUARY 2017 MPUMULANGA 28 Barberton XCM Mountain Bike Challenge

NW’ PROVINCE 20 Fedhealth XTERRA Buffelspoort

KZN 21 Eurosteel Drak Descent ‘17

28 KZN Provincial XCO Series # 1

W’ CAPE 21 Fairview Attakwas Extreme MTB Challenge 21 Spur Attakwas Mini

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 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.

FREE STATE 30 The Munga Enter or follow the race which caused one of the biggest buzzes of the 2015 MTB Season by visiting www.themunga.com. The 2016 race promises to be even bigger and better.

KZN 05 Gooderson Monks Cowl MTB 12 Bestmed KZN Balito Expedition 20 Sappi Karkloof Trailblazer 27 Eston Xmas Classic

ZOON CRONJE | NIKON

W’ CAPE 04 Cape Classic 380 04 FNB Wines2Whales Adventure. 05 Bonnievale Bonanza 2016 07 FNB Wines2Whales Race 11 FNB Wines2Whales Ride 12 Delheim Outdoor Weekend The weekend kicks off on Saturday with a trail run & a night ride before the action concludes on Sunday with an Enduro as well as 7, 12 & 30km mountain bike races. Visit www.dirtopia.co.za. 13 Delheim MTB Day 13 Delheim Enduro 19 Sanlam MTB Invitational A two day stage race based on the ever-growing trails of the Paarl Mountain. Stage 1 is a tough 60km while Stage 2 is an easier 40km. Find out all about

Pennypinchers Origins of Trails

NOVEMBER 2016 VOL39

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